(TJV NEWS) Senior U.S. military officials warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against dismantling Pentagon offices designed to reduce civilian casualties during military operations, but those warnings were ultimately ignored, according to a report by Politico.

According to Politico, several top military leaders cautioned Hegseth that eliminating or weakening these offices could increase the risk of civilian harm during U.S. military operations and remove important safeguards within the Pentagon’s planning process. Politico first reported that the officials urged the defense secretary not to dismantle programs tasked with analyzing and preventing civilian casualties in combat zones.

The warnings came as the Pentagon considered sweeping internal changes affecting the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence and other offices responsible for studying how military actions affect civilians, Politico reported. These units were created in recent years to improve how the U.S. military tracks civilian harm, reviews incidents, and develops policies to minimize unintended casualties during combat operations.

Despite the objections from military leadership, the offices were scaled back or eliminated as part of broader restructuring efforts inside the Defense Department, according to Politico. Officials who spoke to the outlet said the decision removed institutional expertise that had been built to help commanders evaluate risks to civilians when planning strikes or other operations.

Politico reported that some military leaders argued the offices played an important role in helping commanders comply with U.S. military doctrine and international law by providing detailed assessments of civilian environments before attacks were carried out.

The issue has gained renewed attention as the United States conducts an expanding military campaign in the Middle East. According to Politico, critics say dismantling the Pentagon’s civilian protection infrastructure could limit the government’s ability to independently review incidents involving civilian casualties during the current conflict.

The report also noted that some officials inside the Pentagon believed the programs helped the U.S. military maintain credibility with allies and international partners by demonstrating that the United States takes civilian protection seriously during armed conflicts.

However, supporters of the restructuring argued that some of the offices had grown too bureaucratic and slowed military decision-making, Politico reported.

The debate over the cuts reflects a broader tension inside the Pentagon over how the military balances operational speed and battlefield effectiveness with policies designed to reduce harm to civilians during combat operations. As Politico first reported, the warnings from senior military leaders ultimately did not change the decision to move forward with the restructuring of the civilian protection offices.