Pentagon Limits Comms With Congress About AUKUS, Drug Boat Strikes
The Pentagon's leadership has ordered all personnel to get prior approval before talking with members of Congress about some of the Pentagon's most serious business, including the AUKUS submarine deal and the airstrikes on drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean, according to CNN and ABC. The order has direct bearing on U.S. Navy personnel's ability to interact with Congress on acquisitions and ongoing operations.
The Pentagon's chief Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, confirmed the order's authenticity and told CNN that it was intended "to improve accuracy and responsiveness in communicating with the Congress to facilitate increased transparency."
The list of prohibited subjects reportedly includes the next edition of the National Defense Strategy (NDS), which will give top-line instructions to govern the U.S. Navy's posture in the Indo-Pacific. This is an area of specific concern to the Senate: Planning for the NDS was announced in May, and Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee expressed frustration on Wednesday about a months-long lack of communication from the Pentagon appointees who are writing the document.
Other key topics on the Pentagon's prohibition list include the ongoing campaign of airstrikes on suspected drug smuggling boats in U.S. Southern Command, an activity which has attracted questions over legality and has prompted several high-level departures. Per the order, military servicemembers and officials are also prohibited from spontaneous conversations with members of Congress about acquisition reform or critical munitions.
The order was the backdrop to a contentious meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. The event was billed as a routine confirmation hearing but quickly refocused on issues with Pentagon communications - in particular, whether changes to policy and strategy matters like AUKUS or the NDS are briefed to the Senate.
“You know who the hardest guy to get a hold of in the Trump administration is? The undersecretary of defense for policy. I hope he’s watching," said Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), chastising the Pentagon's policy office for failing to get the committee's input on Pacific and Arctic strategy. "Where do you think the requirement for the [National Defense Strategy] comes from? Yeah, it comes from us. Don’t you think it would be smart to maybe preview it?"