Sean Parnell, the Defense Department's spokesperson, stated that formal non-concurs by senior military officers are routine and that much of a Washington Post report on objections to sustaining over 50,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East is inaccurate. The report cited entries in the August 14 Secretary of Defense Orders Book documenting objections from four four-star generals and admirals to deployments extending through September, with some into 2027. Parnell described publication of classified material from the orders book as a crime while affirming that candid military advice is expected.