Overview

• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that roughly a dozen senior military and civilian leaders will no longer participate in this year’s Aspen Security Forum.
• Pentagon spokespeople criticized the forum for promoting globalism and clashing with the administration’s focus on enhancing warfighter lethality and projecting Peace Through Strength.
• Officials pulled from the speaking roster include Navy Secretary John Phelan, Admiral Samuel Paparo, and Generals Bryan Fenton, Stephen Whiting and Randall Reed.
• The Aspen Security Forum has drawn bipartisan national security figures for nearly two decades to debate global challenges under the auspices of the Aspen Institute.
• The Aspen Institute maintained that its invitations remain open and expects contributions from foreign defense officials and former cabinet members, including Mark Esper.