Senators call out Pentagon policy office as ‘Pigpen-like mess,’ accuse top official of stonewalling
WASHINGTON – Capitol Hill erupted in frustration on Tuesday, as senators from both parties blasted the Pentagon for a growing culture of secrecy and chaotic decision‑making. What began as a routine hearing for a new defense nominee turned into a full‑scale complaint session aimed at War Department officials.
The nominee, Austin Dahmer, handpicked by former President Trump to serve as assistant secretary for strategy, plans and forces, was expected to explain his plans to the Senate Armed Services Committee. Instead, lawmakers grilled him on the Pentagon’s failure to keep Congress, U.S. allies and even the White House in the loop.
“We’ve struggled to get even basic information from the policy office,” said committee chair Roger Wicker (R‑Miss.). “It’s irregular, uncoordinated and sometimes opposes President Trump’s own orders.” Wicker called the Pentagon’s policy office a “pigpen‑like mess” and warned that its decisions—such as a pause in Ukraine military aid, a review of the AUKUS submarine pact, and canceled troop deployments—reached the floor without congressional input.
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R‑Alaska) echoed the criticism, calling the policy office “the worst in the administration.” “I can’t even get a response,” he told Dahmer, “and we’re supposed to be on your side.” Sullivan also slammed the Defense Department for drafting a new National Defense Strategy without consulting the lawmakers who originally demanded it, reminding the staff that the strategy requirement derives from Congress, not the Pentagon.
Wicker pointed out that a new policy—halting U.S. aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine—surfaced only after President Trump learned of it, even though a Pentagon spokesperson had denied a pause earlier. He also charged the Pentagon with pulling an Army brigade from Romania just weeks after the president pledged to keep troops stationed in Europe. “This move did not reflect the policy mandate of President Trump,” Wicker said.
When asked why the Pentagon failed to brief Congress about the Romanian departure, Dahmer said the committee had received three briefings on the matter. “We are still checking if ‘notification’ equals ‘briefing,’” Wicker replied.
The confusion extends to Dahmer’s own job title. Senators only learned late Sunday that the position announced earlier this year—assistant secretary for strategy, plans and capabilities—had been quietly renamed “strategy, plans and forces” per a Pentagon memo issued Oct. 8. The change underscores the department’s lack of transparency to Congress.
Both Republican and Democratic members slammed the Pentagon’s policy office for keeping lawmakers in the dark. Sen. Tom Cotton (R‑Ark.) described the office as “something like a pigpen,” while Sen. Jack Reed (D‑RI), the committee ranking member, said Dahmer’s statements were “cloaked in ignorance.” Reed warned that such avoidance of answers raises doubts about Dahmer’s suitability for the role.
Dahmer eventually admitted responsibility for delays in notifying Congress and for not consulting lawmakers adequately. Nevertheless, Reed remained unconvinced, saying that Soh Remarks do not bode well for Dahmer’s future in the Department of Defense.
If the Senate votes against Dahmer, he will be only the second Trump-era Pentagon nominee to face serious opposition. The last was Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who squeaked through with a tie‑breaking vote from Vice President Dan Scavino. The coming days will determine whether Dahmer can survive another test of congressional confidence.
Source: New York Post
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