Senate Republicans criticized the Pentagon on Tuesday for withholding information about key defense decisions, including a recent reduction of U.S. troops in Europe.
Politico reported that Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said inconsistent reports and unclear guidance from the Pentagon had created "a pigpen-like mess" that was not typical of other departments.
The concerns surfaced in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to review several Pentagon nominees.
Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said he has noticed an "unsettling trend" of limited communication from the Pentagon's policy office. He said the lack of transparency undermines President Donald Trump's defense priorities, particularly regarding NATO and allied cooperation.
Wicker pointed to last week's decision to remove a rotational Army brigade from Romania as an example of insufficient consultation with Congress.
"Members and staff of this committee have struggled to receive information from the policy office," Wicker said. "The situation needs to improve if we are to craft the best defense policy."
Lawmakers from both parties voiced frustration at Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's undersecretary for policy, citing poor communication and confusion over several issues.
These include reported pauses in aid to Ukraine, a review of the AUKUS submarine partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom, and an internal reorganization of the policy office.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, accused Colby of being difficult to reach, contrasting his lack of responsiveness with that of Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
"The hardest guy to get a hold of in the Trump administration is the undersecretary of defense for policy," Sullivan said. "He came to this committee and said, 'Hey, I'm going to work with Congress.' He hasn't, on big issues."
In the hearing, Austin Dahmer, Trump's nominee to oversee strategy and military plans under Colby, defended the Pentagon's handling of the European force changes.
Dahmer said lawmakers had received at least four briefings, including a classified session on Monday. Wicker and other senators disputed that account, saying neither majority nor minority staff were aware of those meetings.
"That was not done to our knowledge," Wicker told Dahmer. "The information I have is that was not communicated."
Some members of Congress have also voiced opposition to a new Pentagon contact policy. It requires lawmakers and their staff to get permission from the Pentagon before contacting military representatives.
Lawmakers have argued that civilian control of the military is paramount and the new rule makes oversight significantly more difficult.