#Defense & national security

Defense-focused lawmakers expressed concern over the Army's lack of top civilian and military leaders following Secretary Dan Driscoll's resignation. Driscoll resigned after reported clashes with Defense Secretary Pete H…

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned earlier than expected, following months of friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth has been reshaping the Pentagon by forcing out or blocking promotions of numerous seni…

A specialized Border Patrol team is joining the search for a hiker missing after a flash flood in the Grand Canyon. The flood killed two people, identified as John Guisti and Brent Rosenkranz, and forced evacuations. The…

Recent wars, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. conflict with Iran, suggest that offensive military operations are becoming less effective against determined defenders. Advances in drones, precision miss…

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is departing his position in the coming days, according to sources familiar with the matter. His exit follows a prolonged turf war with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Driscoll discussed the A…

Gen. Dan Caine, Chair of the Joint Chiefs, told Sen. Elissa Slotkin in a letter that the military has no plans to be involved in polling places for the midterms. He emphasized that election administration and security ar…

American military personnel targeted two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, the first such strike in over a month, after observing Revolutionary Guard units preparing to deploy sea mines into the Strait …

A pair of Embraer E-Jets from South African airline Airlink performed a dramatic low flyover over a Cape Town stadium before a rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand. The video of the stunt has gone viral, with…

Recent weeks have seen a series of suspected Russian-linked incidents across Europe, including a failed drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane in Germany, a thwarted assassination plot against a drone company CEO, and e…

The U.S. military conducted a lethal strike on a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean on Tuesday, killing four people, according to Southern Command. The action followed a similar attack in the Eastern Pacific on Monda…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced a new Smaller War Plants Commission on Tuesday, modeled after a 1942 program, to direct expertise and capital to smaller defense suppliers. He…

The Mecca pact signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey declares mutual defense but lacks central command, interoperability, and clear spending obligations. The article argues that despite being compared to NATO, the…

The article argues that historical precedents show great powers have suffered humiliating defeats without resorting to nuclear weapons. The author contends that fears of Russian nuclear escalation if Ukraine wins are exa…

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an intensified economic campaign to cut off Iran's global financial connections, as the administration seeks alternatives to full-scale war or concessions. The move comes six mo…

The USS Abraham Lincoln is scheduled to make a port call in Thailand in early September after spending 250 days at sea, following its recent departure from the Middle East. Family members reported urgent messages about f…

Nearly all Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee urged Chairman Roger Wicker to hold a public hearing on how extended Iran war deployments are affecting service members. Their letter cites deteriorati…

U.S. Southern Command announced a strike on a suspected drug boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two 'narco-terrorists' on Sunday. This is the first publicly disclosed strike since June, part of a campaign that has kill…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said economic pressure is the most effective tool against Iran, but he did not rule out military strikes if needed. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled 'Operation Economic Outcast,' w…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to mobilize at least 300,000 more troops, potentially reaching 500,000 next year. He urged the U.S. to provide Patriot missile intercep…

Two Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft departed Bulgaria's Bezmer Air Base on Friday after a temporary deployment that drew sharp criticism from Iran. Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the planes conducte…

President Trump has spent six months and at least $35 billion on a conflict with Iran without a sustained effort to rally public support, shifting from eliminating nuclear capabilities to keeping the Strait of Hormuz ope…

Former Vice President Mike Pence, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that providing Ukraine with sufficient interceptors to counter ballistic missile attacks would remove a critical Russian a…

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso said on Fox News that Monday marks a decisive economic blow to Iran, as the Trump administration intensifies sanctions and military actions. He predicted the regime would capitulate, re…

Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that U.S. military support for Ukraine is not being compromised by the ongoing Iran conflict, citing assurances from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about drone defense…

Former Vice President Mike Pence said on CNN that the U.S. must keep military assets in the region for what he called inevitable further strikes against Iran. He echoed President Trump's economic sanctions rhetoric, comp…

President Trump signed a memorandum that allows vetted private U.S. companies to carry out cyber operations against foreign criminal organizations under federal direction. The companies could secretly collect intelligenc…

NAACP President Derrick Johnson criticized the Navy on Friday over reports it considered renaming the USS Doris Miller, the first aircraft carrier named for a Black American, to honor President Trump. Johnson called the …

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll intends to leave his post around the end of 2026, according to sources familiar with the matter, following a prolonged dispute with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Driscoll, confirmed in Febru…

The Defense Department dismissed Stars and Stripes Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer, and correspondent Lara Korte on Friday. Slavin said he was fired for insubordination after telling CBS News that cens…

The Navy is reportedly discussing renaming the future aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller, with President Trump's name among the candidates, according to CNN. The carrier, designated CVN-81, was named in 2020 to honor Pear…

The Defense Department recorded 7,998 sexual assault reports in 2025, down from 8,195 the previous year, marking the third straight yearly decrease. Sexual harassment complaints also edged lower, with 2,936 filed last ye…

Analysts are drawing tactical lessons from the Iran conflict, such as logistics and drone defenses, but the author argues these miss the core strategic failure. Even with better preparation, the US would not have achieve…

President Trump has issued several controversial orders for the Navy, including reverting to steam catapults, declaring the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory, and requesting carrier redesigns for aesthetic reasons. Criti…

A Security Aviation twin-engine Cessna crashed Thursday while approaching Cape Newenham in western Alaska, killing all eight people aboard. The plane had departed from Anchorage and went down near the Long Range Radar Si…

The Trump administration released a new national security science and technology strategy that seeks to balance technological competition with cooperative engagement. The document, an addendum to December's broader natio…

The U.S. Army is discontinuing its Unmanned Assault Battalion, a unit created to test drone tactics drawn from conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war. After upcoming exercises in Germany, the battalion will return to stan…

Federal authorities arrested Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, for allegedly planning to bomb the New York State Capitol. She is charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organizat…

Three Senate Democrats sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth questioning the Pentagon's appointment of an active-duty Navy captain to a deputy role at Stars and Stripes without consulting its longtime publisher…

Five reporters and two military escorts were briefly held at gunpoint by security police at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Monday after being mistaken for gate crashers. The group was en route to an invitation-only groun…

The Army issued new minimum academic standards for incoming ROTC cadets, requiring certain ACT, SAT, or ASVAB scores, but rescinded the memo days later amid internal disagreements and lack of consultation with senior lea…

U.S. Air Force Maj. Jason Watson was placed in pretrial confinement on Tuesday, according to an Air Force spokesperson, following his earlier arrest for advocating President Trump's impeachment on Capitol steps. His atto…

A temporary monument on the National Mall showcases the names of more than 41 million veterans, active-duty personnel, and service members across all branches. Sponsored by USAA, the installation allows visitors to searc…

A battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is offering eligible soldiers a four-day pass to play Grand Theft Auto VI upon its release in November as a reenlistment incentive. The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion has seen 20 of …

Germany has faced a series of suspicious incidents, including drones found at airports, aircraft collisions with unknown objects, and election interference, likely orchestrated by Russia. These gray-zone tactics avoid co…

A Ukrainian widow named Ulyana is fighting for compensation after her husband, a soldier, died by suicide while on duty. Ukraine's payment rules for fallen soldiers often exclude suicide cases, leaving families without s…

President Trump said North Korea has 57 powerful nuclear weapons, adding that his good relationship with Kim Jong Un is beneficial. He also revealed he has ordered a reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea…

Democratic members of Congress are increasingly voicing complaints about the ongoing Iran war, citing poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, President Trump's threat to strike Oman, and the collapse of a 60-day …

Senator Rick Scott stated that President Trump will likely need to resume full-scale military operations against Iran after a ceasefire deal collapsed. He argued that diplomacy has failed and that the administration may …

The Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging 17 Iranian nationals with conducting a coordinated cyber theft campaign on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The alleged scheme targeted over 300 u…

The United Kingdom reaffirmed its commitment to supply long-range drones to Ukraine on Tuesday, despite a Russian embassy statement accusing London of escalating the conflict and warning of consequences. The Russian mess…

In the sixth month of the conflict, Vice President J.D. Vance said the primary goal is keeping oil and gas affordable for Americans, with preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon as the secondary objective. President Trump l…

U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby toured Southeast Asia to promote the Trump administration's new defense strategy, which emphasizes burden-sharing and shared interests over shared values. The stra…

President Trump has ordered a return to steam catapults and a possible relocation of the command tower on Ford-class carriers, but experts say these changes are unlikely to be implemented. The Navy may conduct studies an…

The U.S. Navy announced a $22.9 billion contract with Raytheon on Monday to accelerate Tomahawk missile production, aiming to increase annual output from 60 to over 1,000 missiles. The move addresses a munitions shortage…

President Trump on Monday rejected CNN's reporting about poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, calling it a fake report and telling a reporter to be quiet. He cited a retired general's positive assessment of th…

President Trump ordered the Pentagon to significantly scale back the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises with South Korea, citing costs and provocativeness, just before they were set to begin. The move, announced on Truth Soc…

President Trump on Monday threatened to bomb Oman and ordered the Pentagon to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, according to remarks reported by The Hill. He also claimed U.S. control over the Strait of H…

Fifteen Democratic senators, including all minority members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have demanded answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln. They cite reports…

Retired Air Force Col. Cedric Leighton said President Trump's order to reduce joint exercises with South Korea could harm U.S. alliances and give North Korea an advantage. He noted that South Korea pays for a large porti…

Fifteen senators sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting information about the USS Abraham Lincoln's deployment, citing reports of low morale and mental health issues among the crew. The carrier has be…