U.S. Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis speaks at the United States Institute of Peace, in a discussion moderated by the chair of the institute’s board of directors, Stephen J. Hadley, Washington, D.C., Oct. 30, 2018. DOD Photo by Lisa Ferdinando
Defense One: Pentagon Began Clampdown on Senior Leaders’ Public Speaking Months Ago, Memos Reveal
DOD says it’s to save money and time. Critics say it’s to avoid conflict with the president.
Pentagon leaders nine months ago ordered a sharp clampdown on public appearances by senior U.S. military leaders and senior civilian Trump administration appointees, limits that have kept them largely out of sight — and out of trouble with President Trump.
The new rule: only one senior military leader and one civilian leader are allowed to appear at each “outside” non-government event, per day. Leaders must coordinate their appearances through a central DOD personnel management office and must seek waivers to break the one-per-day rule.
The directive has changed how defense leaders participate in nearly every kind of public event, from global policy conferences to intimate academic panel discussions to on-camera press interviews.
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Update: Pentagon limiting senior leader appearances at public events: report (The Hill)
WNU editor: For as long as I can remember, the Pentagon has always tried to control the message. This is nothing new, which is why it took 8 months before the media noticed these new rules.
