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Statement on Department of Defense Participation at the 2025 Aspen Security Forum

For more than a decade, the Aspen Security Forum has welcomed senior officials—Republican and Democrat, civilian and military—as well as senior foreign officials and experts, who bring experience and diverse perspectives on matters of national security.

This year, we extended invitations to senior Trump administration officials, including several cabinet-level leaders. Today the Department of Defense gave their speakers guidance that they “will no longer be participating.”   

We will miss the participation of the Pentagon, but our invitations remain open. 

We are honored to host dozens of top national security voices, experts, business leaders and innovators, from across the political spectrum—and from across the world—at this year’s Forum. The Aspen Security Forum remains committed to providing a platform for informed, non-partisan debate about the most important security challenges facing the world.

Contact: Jon Purves
Media Relations Director
Aspen Institute
[email protected]