Pentagon Bars Democrats from Classified Briefings Amid $1.5 Trillion Budget Push

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth barred Democratic caucus members from recent classified briefings on the Pentagon’s defense priorities. The sessions, where officials presented the administration’s request for a $1.5 trillion defense budget, were limited to Republican senators, despite the budget requiring bipartisan Senate approval.

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The exclusion departs from the usual practice of briefing all senators on key security matters. Senior Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees note that routine briefings with committee staff have been standard for decades. The move aligns with President Donald Trump’s push for a large defense-spending increase that still needs Democratic support in the Senate.

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• $1.5 trillion – total defense budget request.

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• Briefings were held without Democratic participation, breaking a long-standing norm.

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The White House referred inquiries to the Pentagon, emphasizing ongoing collaboration with congressional leaders.

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Republican senators warned the exclusion could hinder the budget’s passage. Democratic leaders echoed the concern. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) said the exclusion ended routine staff briefings that have existed for 18 years. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) reported that several Republican colleagues urged Hegseth to involve Democrats and cautioned the administration against assuming Democratic cooperation.

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• “He calls himself the secretary of war, but ironically, he doesn’t want to go to war and win the argument with nearly half the members of the Senate,” — Sen. Thom Tillis

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• “I know that sometimes you want to have smaller groups, but I think it needs to be bipartisan,” — Sen. Lisa Murkowski

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• “Not only are they excluding Democrats from classified briefings, they’re also not having the kind of routine briefings with committee staff on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that have been the hallmark since I got here 18 years ago,” — Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

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• February 3, 2020 – Sen. Thom Tillis warned Hegseth about the need for bipartisan engagement.

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• May 10, 2022 – Sen. Mike Rounds raised concerns about excluding Democrats.

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• November 9, 2025 – Sen. Jeanne Shaheen highlighted the break from routine briefings.

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• March 19, 2026 – Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell reiterated the department’s commitment to congressional collaboration.

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The Pentagon has not announced any change to its briefing policy. With the defense budget slated for Senate consideration later this year, both parties are expected to negotiate the scope of classified briefings as part of the funding debate.

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