Hegseth Memo Requires Pentagon Offices to Seek Approval Before Contacting Congress

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has imposed new restrictions requiring formal approval for nearly all Department of Defense correspondence and interactions with Congress, according to an internal memo obtained by CBS News.

The directive, co-signed by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, mandates that nearly all congressional communications — including requests for information — be routed through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs. The policy applies to top Pentagon officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, combatant commanders, and the secretaries of each military branch.

Only the Office of the Inspector General, which operates independently, is exempt from the requirement. The memo was first reported by Breaking Defense.

“Unauthorized engagements with Congress by [Defense Department] personnel acting in their official capacity, no matter how well-intentioned, may undermine Department-wide priorities critical to achieving our legislative objectives,” the memo states. “Effective immediately, affected offices must coordinate all legislative affairs activities through the assistant secretary for legislative affairs.”

Lawmakers raise alarm over transparency

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the policy, warning it could hinder congressional oversight.

“Requiring all Department of Defense communications with Congress to be controlled by Secretary Hegseth’s office raises serious questions about transparency and the timely flow of information that lawmakers need to conduct oversight,” Reed said in a statement to CBS News.

CBS News reported that it had reached out to the House and Senate committees that oversee the Pentagon for comment.

Follows crackdown on Pentagon press access

The memo comes just weeks after nearly every major news organization vacated its workspace inside the Pentagon rather than sign new press restrictions that media groups said could infringe on First Amendment rights.

In a September memo, the Defense Department ordered journalists to sign an agreement acknowledging they would need formal authorization to publish both classified and what it termed “controlled unclassified information.” The department said such information “must be approved before public release … even if it is unclassified.”

All major outlets, including CBS News, The Washington Post, and Reuters, refused to sign. Only a handful of far-right organizations, including TPUSA Frontlines, Gateway Pundit, and commentator Jack Posobiec, agreed to the terms and retained access to Pentagon workspace.

The dual clampdowns — on both congressional and media communications — mark a significant expansion of the Pentagon’s message control under Hegseth, who has aligned closely with President Donald Trump’s push to limit leaks and tighten discipline within the federal bureaucracy.

J. Williams

J. Williams (Jimmy Williams) is the editor of Poli Alert, where he leads coverage of Congress, the White House, the courts and the elections shaping communities across the country. A graduate of Coppin State University in Maryland, he has spent years as a writer and social media manager for multiple outlets. His focus is breaking political news down in plain language so readers know exactly what is happening and how it affects them. Reach him at [email protected].

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