Pentagon proposes new secrecy power to withhold unclassified records from FOIA

The Pentagon's latest proposal seeks to grant the defense secretary new authority to withhold certain unclassified records from public access under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This move could limit transparency for a broad array of defense documents, raising concerns about the potential for increased secrecy in government operations. Critics argue this could hinder accountability and public oversight, especially regarding defense expenditures and activities. The implications of this proposal suggest a significant shift in how the government handles information dissemination and could provoke a debate over balancing national security interests with public transparency.