Pentagon

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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...

Watchdog Probes if Pentagon Staffers Deleted Signal Texts

Inspector general also wants to know who had access to Secretary Hegseth's phone

(Newser) - A Pentagon watchdog is looking into whether any of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's aides were asked to delete Signal messages that may have shared sensitive military information with a reporter, per two people familiar with the investigation and documents reviewed by the AP . The inspector general's request focuses...

Report: Pentagon Plans a Big Move on Greenland

Sources say oversight will be transferred from European Command to Northern Command

(Newser) - The Pentagon is expected to soon shift responsibility for Greenland from US European Command to US Northern Command, according to officials familiar with the plan. Sources tell Politico that the change could happen as soon as this week. While the move is mostly symbolic, Northern Command oversees North American...

What the DoD Did This Week: Killed Those DOGE Reports

Civilian employees at Pentagon no longer have to send bulleted list each week detailing their work

(Newser) - Good news for civilian workers at the Pentagon who've been forced to send weekly emails documenting their work: You don't have to do that anymore. The directive kick-started earlier this year across various federal agencies by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency group, which instructed staffers to...

Press Group: New Pentagon Restrictions a 'Direct Attack'

Journalists must now have escorts when visiting DOD, per new rules from Secretary Pete Hegseth

(Newser) - The Pentagon has tightened access for journalists, with new rules requiring official escorts for credentialed reporters in most areas of the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the change on Friday, saying it's meant to better protect classified intelligence and operational security, per Reuters . Journalists won't be...

Hegseth Holds Prayer Service in Pentagon That Praises Trump

Secretary says he wants to hold the event, held during working hours, monthly

(Newser) - In an event that Military.com notes "pushes the boundaries" of the Constitution's prohibition on a state religion, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led an evangelical Christian prayer service at the Pentagon on Wednesday, during working hours, that included praise for President Trump as divinely appointed. The "Secretary...

US Military Commanders' New Task: Purging Trans Troops

DOD says supervisors Supervisors must now use health checks to find transgender soldiers, those with gender dysphoria

(Newser) - Military commanders will soon be tasked with identifying and removing transgender service members or those with gender dysphoria, according to Pentagon officials, a directive that's part of President Trump's order to ban openly transgender individuals from serving in the US military. Commanders will use the annual health...

Pentagon Hotline With DC Tower Hasn't Worked in 3 Years

Revelation comes after deadly crash and a near miss

(Newser) - Ronald Reagan National Airport has seen a deadly crash between an Army helicopter and a passenger plane, as well as a near miss , since the start of the year. While investigations into both continue, a Senate hearing this week revealed a surprising fact: A hotline between the Pentagon and...

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