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Rejecting reports of a split with the brass, the Department of War says the National Defense Strategy was “seamlessly coordinated” with senior civilian and uniform leaders — and that “any narrative to the contrary is false.”
On Monday, The Washington Post reported that multiple senior officers had raised concerns about the forthcoming strategy, pointing to a divide between political leadership.
Deputy Secretary of War Steve Feinberg pushed back on Wednesday, in an on-the-record statement to Fox News Digital.
“The Department’s National Defense Strategy has been seamlessly coordinated with all senior civilian and military leadership with total collaboration — any narrative to the contrary is false,” Feinberg said.
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The Pentagon in Arlington, Va., where War Department officials, pushed back on claims of a civil-military rift and said the National Defense Strategy was fully coordinated. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
A senior War Department official said the strategy was the product of “extensive and intensive” collaboration across the department.
The drafting team included a policy lead, a Joint Staff deputy and representatives from the military services who consulted widely with civilian and uniformed offices.
Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and the acting deputy under-secretary for policy, Austin Dahmer, met with leaders from every group. The official called that level of policy-shop engagement “unprecedented.”
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Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided feedback to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, who chairs the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided feedback directly to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Colby, the official said, and both assured…
