New restrictions for the military: communication with Congress under control

US Defense Secretary Pete Hagseth recently introduced new rules requiring military officials to obtain prior approval before communicating with lawmakers or their staff on important issues such as military operations and weapons procurement. This is a significant change in the rules governing interaction between the military and Congress, raising concerns about a possible reduction in access to information for lawmakers who control the Pentagon's $1 trillion budget.

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The military services must coordinate their communications with Hageset's central legislative office, which could lead to delays in the transmission of important information to Congress. Lawmakers are concerned that the new rules will affect cooperation between the military and lawmakers, as some military personnel are already expressing concerns about communication due to the potential consequences. A Pentagon spokesperson said that streamlining the process will help improve the accuracy and speed of communication with Congress, although in reality it does not change how or from whom Congress receives information.