Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered top Pentagon officials not to appear at the Aspen Security Forum, citing the organization's ideological stance.

A statement from Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson stated that Hegseth  "has no interest in legitimizing an organization that has invited former officials who have been the architects of chaos abroad and failure at home."

The Aspen Security Forum is one of the most high-profile national security events, generally featuring both former and current senior military and department officials from multiple government departments.

In many ways, the Aspen Security Forum can be seen as a gathering of military elite and the military-industrial complex, and the many political figures that often serve as intermediaries between the military-industrial complex and the Department of Defense.

Divorce From Corruption

However, the Aspen Security Forum is akin to a den of vipers and warmongers as far as Hegseth is concerned, and he has directed current officials to stay away.

Hegseth's order to top officials not to attend the Aspen Security Forum is a direct repudiation of the "architects of chaos" and those who have caused "failure at home."

Wilson's statement continued by saying, "They are antithetical to the America First values of this administration. Senior representatives of the Department of Defense will no longer be participating in an event that promotes the evil of globalism, disdain for our great country, and hatred for the President of the United States."

The military-industrial complex and the entrenched establishment in America's military circles are at direct odds with President Trump and his agenda to end forever wars that enrich the military-industrial complex and the politicians who advocate for them.

The list of major officials who will no longer be attending includes Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, David Cattler, director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, and Gen. Bryan Fenton, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.

There are a host of other Pentagon bigshots who will no longer be attending the forum, but there will still be some Trump administration officials attending, just from other departments.

Culture Change

It's clear there isn't a universal policy against attending the forum in the Trump administration, but as far as Pete Hegseth is concerned, no DOD officials should be attending.

Hegseth's decision not to legitimize the Aspen Security Forum is an important one for his mission of changing the culture at the Pentagon and uprooting decades of corruption.

Multiple former Biden administration officials are expected to appear at the forum, which will no doubt devolve into a Trump-bashing struggle session.

It simply makes no sense to involve the Pentagon in such an event, especially at such a contentious time. The Pentagon should be busy on resolving the many armed conflicts raging around the world instead of sending representatives to pointless forums and conferences.