WASHINGTON, D.C., OCTOBER 1, 2025 – A day after his “Liberation Day” military meeting, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth released a memorandum substantially undermining the Inspector General’s independence and authority to operate as an independent oversight body over the Department of Defense. In response, Whistleblower Aid Chief Legal Counsel and former Inspector General Senior Investigator Andrew Bakaj issued the following statement:

“Newly released memoranda from Secretary of Defense Hegseth takes President Trump’s efforts to dismantle critical accountability mechanisms even further, gutting the independence and neutrality of the Inspectors General across every service branch within the Department of Defense. Only a day after Secretary Hegseth labeled whistleblowers as “constant complainers”, he has directed the Inspectors General to dismiss whistleblower disclosures lacking “credible evidence” within days, track and punish so-called “repeat complainants”, and eliminate anonymous disclosures. Hegseth even directed every service branch to work with IGs on “administrative investigations” – a move that undermines the Senate-confirmed Inspector General’s independence by allowing senior officials to dictate timelines and procedures from the top down. 

This is not a procedural shift, it is a direct assault on the whistleblower disclosure and protection system. Federal employees who once had lawful, protected channels for reporting misconduct are now being told that their complaints may be ignored, their anonymity stripped, and their disclosures weaponized against them. Secretary Hegseth has gone so far as to discourage the acceptance of anonymous whistleblower disclosures – a position that would have blocked the very Intelligence Community whistleblower whose disclosure led to President Trump’s first impeachment. It’s clear that blocking and intimidating lawful whistleblowers is the goal here.

Attempts to intimidate and bully General and Flag officers during yesterday’s meeting – many of whom have seen combat first-hand – chills rank-and-file federal employees who might otherwise call out wrongdoing. Let’s call this what it is: a coordinated assault against oversight, accountability, and lawful whistleblowers. Weaponizing the very disclosure system intended to protect those who uphold their oath to the Constitution makes the Administration’s calls for “transparency” across the Executive Branch the epitome of hypocrisy. We are not slipping into an autocracy, we are living in one already.”