Pentagon abruptly withdraws from Aspen Security Forum
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Monday. Photo: Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Pentagon pulled senior Defense Department officials from the Aspen Security Forum on Monday, a day before the four-day summit in Colorado was set to begin.
Why it matters: The bipartisan national security forum has attracted Republican and Democratic administration officials for years. But Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said the event "promotes the evil of globalism, disdain for our great country, and hatred for the President of the United States," per Just the News, which first reported on the move.
- The Aspen Institute's forum is among the most high-profile and exclusive events on the national security and foreign policy circuits.
Driving the news: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared a screenshot on X of Just the News' headline that stated "Pentagon pulls all military speakers from 'globalist' Aspen Security Forum" with the comment: "Correct."
- Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in an emailed statement Monday evening that senior Defense Department officials "will no longer be participating at the Aspen Security Forum because their values do not align with the values of the DoD."
- He added, "The Department will remain strong in its focus to increase the lethality of our warfighters, revitalize the warrior ethos, and project Peace Through Strength on the world stage. It is clear the ASF is not in alignment with these goals."
- Wilson told Just the News that the Defense Department "has no interest in legitimizing an organization that has invited former officials who have been the architects of chaos abroad and failure at home."
Context: The Aspen Security Forum brings experts from across the globe together to debate what it calls the "most important security challenges facing the world."
- Several people who served in the first Trump administration are slated to speak at the summit: Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, ex-Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette and Rob Joyce, who served as special assistant to the president and cybersecurity coordinator on the National Security Council.
- Other ASF speakers include Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Obama administration Defense Secretary Robert Gates and former CIA chief and retired Army Gen. David Petraeus and ex-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who both served in the George W. Bush administration.
What they're saying: "For more than a decade, the Aspen Security Forum has welcomed senior officials — Republican and Democrat, civilian and military — as well as senior foreign officials and experts, who bring experience and diverse perspectives on matters of national security," per a statement posted to the group's website.
- "This year, we extended invitations to senior Trump administration officials, including several cabinet-level leaders. Today the Department of Defense gave their speakers guidance that they 'will no longer be participating,'" it added.
- "We will miss the participation of the Pentagon, but our invitations remain open."
What to expect: Anja Manuel, the Aspen Strategy Group executive director, told Axios last week that European defense officials would join foreign policy officials and others in what's shaping up to be a "hugely international" event this year.
- The forum will discuss space policy, cyber security and AI, according to Manuel, who also noted the "huge number" of defense startups planning to attend.
Go deeper: "The house is on fire": U.S. officials confront Russia, China threat to West
