Pentagon halts participation in research, think tank events

The Department of Defense (DOD) is halting the participation of its officials in research and think tank events, for now, according to a new directive issued this week. 

The Pentagon will vet every event where national security officials are invited to speak to ensure the gathering is aligned with the values of the department. 

"In order to ensure the Department of Defense is not lending its name and credibility to organizations, forums and events that run counter to the values of this administration, the Department's Office of Public Affairs will be conducting a thorough vetting of every event where Defense officials are invited to participate,” the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in an emailed statement to The Hill. 

The order, which went into effect on Tuesday, came just over a week after the Pentagon decided to pull senior DOD officials from the annual Aspen Security Forum, a four-day summit in Colorado, saying the national security gathering “promotes the evil of globalism, disdain for our great country and hatred for the President of the United States.”

Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said in a Thursday post on the social media platform X that “going forward, no DOD official will attend events by America Last organizations” that promote “globalism” and “hate” President Trump. 

The DOD has banned officials from participating in the Halifax International Security Forum, an annual gathering of military and foreign officials slated to take place in November, and it is analyzing whether the Pentagon should be part of other security summits, according to Politico, which first reported on the decision. 

The order applies to civil servants, military officers and senior leaders, who will be asked to provide talking points for their speeches before going on stage, Politico reported, citing an internal email sent to DOD personnel. 

Former high-ranking DOD officials, including ex-Defense secretaries, have participated in national security conferences where they have given speeches, outlined aspects of U.S. defense policy, and met with their counterparts. 

“The days of ‘business as usual’ are OVER,” Wilson, the DOD spokesperson, wrote on X.