Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed Pentagon personnel to seek prior approval before discussing a wide range of issues with Congress, including weapons buying and recent strikes on suspected drug boats, according to guidance described by ABC News.
- At a Nov. 4 Senate Armed Services hearing, Republicans and Democrats said they are being stonewalled, with Sens. Tom Cotton and Dan Sullivan blasting the policy office led by Elbridge Colby for poor responsiveness.
- Committee leaders challenged nominee Austin Dahmer’s claim that Congress was briefed on the decision to pull a U.S. brigade from Romania, with senators saying no such briefings occurred.
- Sens. Roger Wicker and Jack Reed said their letters seeking copies of orders and legal justifications for the drug-boat strikes have not been answered, despite statutory deadlines.
- A leaked draft memo outlines a rapid, commercial-first acquisition overhaul featuring portfolio acquisition executives, an Economic Defense Unit, tighter delivery incentives, streamlined testing, and even a possible renaming of the system, with Hegseth expected to address reforms at a Nov. 7 National Defense University speech.