Pentagon

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Report: Trump Administration Ready to Move on Mexico

Pentagon plans strikes on drug cartels there, apparently with or without Mexico's OK

(Newser) - The Trump administration has reportedly instructed the US military to ready plans for direct attacks against Mexican drug cartels, with preparations to be managed by the Northern Command and a target date for the plans set for mid-September. According to three military sources who spoke to independent journalist Ken...

Air Force's Top General Being Forced Out: Sources

Allvin's early retirement follows a wave of top military ousters

(Newser) - In yet another shake-up at the Pentagon, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin will retire early—becoming the latest senior military leader ousted during President Trump's second term, the Washington Post reports. Allvin will leave in early November, stepping down two years into a four-year term....

DOD Mulls 'Quick Reaction Force' for Civil Unrest

Plan would station 600 National Guard troops for rapid deployment across the US

(Newser) - The Trump administration is weighing a proposal to create a "Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force"—a new rapid-response unit of 600 National Guard members who could be deployed within an hour to US cities during civil unrest, according to Pentagon documents seen by the Washington Post...

Hegseth Shares Clip About Women Needing to 'Submit'

DOD chief retweets video of Christian extremists chatting about repealing women's right to vote

(Newser) - The man who oversees the nation's military reposted a video about a Christian nationalist church that included various pastors saying women should no longer be allowed to vote. The extraordinary repost on X from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, made Thursday night, illustrates his deep and personal connection to a...

Trump OKs Military Action on Latin American Drug Cartels

Move signals a shift from law enforcement to military involvement

(Newser) - President Trump has quietly authorized the Pentagon to use military force against certain Latin American drug cartels, stepping up an already aggressive push to label these organizations as foreign terrorist threats. The directive, confirmed to the New York Times by sources familiar with internal discussions, paves the way for...

China Limits Mineral Exports, Complicating Weapons Making

Pentagon and suppliers scramble as prices spike, delays mount

(Newser) - China is tightening its grip on the supply of critical minerals needed by Western defense companies, prompting production delays and forcing manufacturers to scramble for alternative sources. As US-China trade tensions have escalated, Beijing has imposed stricter controls on exports of rare earths and other minerals vital for making...

Pentagon Does a 180 on Hurricane Satellite Data

Military data deemed essential will continue to flow through 2026

(Newser) - The Pentagon has reversed course and will continue to provide satellite weather data that hurricane forecasters deem essential, at least through September 2026. Previously, the Navy had planned to cut off this data as part of a broader Defense Department modernization initiative, raising alarm among scientists as hurricane season...

How to Fund a $1B Air Force One Renovation

Very quietly, apparently

(Newser) - The cost to renovate a "free" Air Force One gifted by Qatar remains a tightly kept secret, with the White House classifying the price tag. But a $934 million budget transfer, quietly moved from the ballooning nuclear missile modernization program, is widely believed to be funding the overhaul,...

White House to Hegseth: No More Polygraphs

Top adviser who has clout with Trump complained about the leak investigations

(Newser) - Defense secretary Pete Hegseth's attempt to root out Pentagon leakers with polygraph tests have been abruptly halted—by the White House. The Washington Post reports that the tests were scrapped after a senior adviser to Hegseth complained. The adviser, Patrick Weaver—considered a staunch ally of President Trump...

Pentagon Gives Musk's Grok a $200M AI Contract

Chatbot from xAI joins GSA's product lineup

(Newser) - The Pentagon has signed a contract for as much as $200 million to deploy Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk's xAI, across the Defense Department. The deal represents a major push to bring cutting-edge artificial intelligence into federal government operations. The move was revealed by xAI...

GOP Senator Offers Withering Assessment of Hegseth

Defense secretary seems to be 'out of his depth,' says Thom Tillis

(Newser) - A Republican senator has offered an unusually harsh critique of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, though it's a Republican senator who no longer has much to fear about crossing the Trump administration. North Carolina's Thom Tillis, who voted to confirm Hegseth, said the following to CNN anchor Jake...

Sources Say Trump Is Mulling a Big Move on Ukraine Defense

US said to be considering sending another Patriot air-defense system to Kyiv

(Newser) - Amid renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine, the White House is weighing whether to send Kyiv another coveted Patriot air-defense system—a move that could signal a major shift in US military support and put pressure on Moscow. Two officials tell the Wall Street Journal the Trump administration has asked...

Days After Pausing Weapons to Ukraine, Trump Does a 180

President indicates defensive weapons will be sent to Kyiv

(Newser) - Days after pausing weapons deliveries to Ukraine, US President Trump said Monday that the US would be sending more arms to the country. The AP calls it an "abrupt change in posture." Speaking to reporters after the latest Russian attacks on Ukraine, Trump said, per Reuters , "We'...

Pentagon Offers Latest 'Confusing' Remarks on Iran

Spokesperson says nuclear program has been set back by about 2 years

(Newser) - Pentagon officials are now saying the recent US military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites have set the country's nuclear program back by about two years, a less sweeping assessment than President Trump's earlier claim that the strikes "obliterated" Tehran's nuclear capabilities, the Wall Street Journal...

Hegseth Unveils New Name for the Harvey Milk

Navy tanker will honor Oscar V. Peterson

(Newser) - The Navy tanker that has carried the name of assassinated gay rights icon Harvey Milk has a new name, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday: It's now the Oscar V. Peterson. Hegseth ordered the change in keeping with President Trump's campaign to remove diversity, equity and inclusion efforts...

Trump Loved Hegseth's News Conference on Iran

'One of the greatest ... and most confirming' he's ever seen, says president

(Newser) - Defense chief Pete Hegseth and Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, held a rare Pentagon news conference on Thursday to discuss and praise the airstrikes on Iran, and they had one particularly influential viewer—their boss:
  • "One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming'
...

US Army Swears in Tech Execs as Lieutenant Colonels

Execs from Meta, OpenAI, Palantir to serve in Army Reserve as advisers

(Newser) - Four Silicon Valley senior executives were sworn in last week as lieutenant colonels by the US Army. The military announced in a press release that Shyam Sankar, Palantir CTO; Andrew Bosworth, Meta CTO; Kevin Weil, OpenAI's chief product officer; and Bob McGrew, OpenAI's former chief research officer, will...

Hegseth Expects Use of National Guard to Expand

He faces lawmakers in testy House hearing

(Newser) - "Your tenure as secretary has been marked by endless chaos," Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a heated hearing Tuesday. The House Appropriations subcommittee on defense hearing, one of four hearings scheduled over the next week, was the first time Hegseth had faced Congress....

Biggest Spreader of UFO Myths May Be the Pentagon
Who's Spreading UFO Myths?
The Pentagon, for One
longform
Jun 10, 2025 12:48 PM CDT

Who's Spreading UFO Myths? The Pentagon, for One

Wall Street Journal reports the practice appears to go back decades

(Newser) - Last year, a Pentagon report concluded that no credible evidence exists that we've been visited by little green men from outer space or that the US has covered up UFO activity. Now, the Wall Street Journal follows up with an investigation that provides a remarkable twist to the narrative:...

Vance Tries to Find New Aides for Hegseth

JD Vance is helping with Pentagon's job search

(Newser) - Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles are trying to help Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fill job openings in his inner circle after at least three people dropped out of consideration. The high-ranking positions available included chief of staff, as well as several senior adviser...

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