U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset has withdrawn high-ranking Department of Defense officials from the Aspen Security Forum, citing the conference’s promotion of the “evil of globalism.”
Military commanders were scheduled to speak at the conference, which began today, a long-standing tradition under both Republican and Democratic administrations, as reported by Fox News.
Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson stated that Hegset believes the conference “promotes the evil of globalism, contempt for our great country, and hatred for the US president.”
The forum is set to host U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Syria, Tom Barrack. Additionally, some controversial officials from the Biden administration, including former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and former National Security Council Coordinator Brett McGurk, are scheduled to speak.
“Senior Department of Defense officials will no longer participate in the Aspen Security Forum, as their values do not align with the values of the Department of Defense,” said Pentagon representative Sean Parnell.
In response, the Aspen Institute issued a statement: “For over a decade, the Security Forum has welcomed senior officials – Republican and Democratic, civilian and military – as well as senior foreign officials and experts, who bring experience and diverse perspectives on national security issues. We will miss the Pentagon’s participation, but our invitations remain open.”
