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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Did a recent change in Pentagon reporting structure belatedly implement a Congressional directive made four years ago?

By Lisa Freedland
YES

A November reporting-line change at the Defense Department was made in line with 2016 legislation which stated that the official overseeing the military's special operations forces should report directly to the head of the department. The Government Accountability Office reported in May 2019 on delays in implementing various related changes mandated by Congress aiming to improve performance and oversight.

The reporting-line change was made by Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, who succeeded Mark Esper on Nov. 9. Against the backdrop of President Trump's election performance and other personnel moves, this top-level Defense Department change raised what may have been unwarranted suspicion. “Far from being a Trump power grab,” Luke Hertig, a former Obama-era National Security Council official wrote, “Miller just may have landed on a valuable reform.”

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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