Department of Defense

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Hegseth: Musk Didn't See 'Secret' War Plan on China

President Trump also denies that DOGE leader was privy to classified plan

(Newser) - A Thursday report in the New York Times claiming Elon Musk would be briefed by the Pentagon on top-secret war plans against China is now getting pushback, including from President Trump. First, per the Guardian , Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday denied Musk saw any such plans during an early...

Report: Pentagon Is Cutting Up to 60K Jobs

Official says thousands of veterans could be among those let go from civilian jobs

(Newser) - Roughly 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs will be cut in the Defense Department, but fewer than 21,000 workers who took a voluntary resignation plan are leaving in the coming months, a senior defense official told reporters Tuesday. To reach the goal of a 5% to 8% cut...

Report: Trump Asks Pentagon to Look at Panama Canal Options

Administration wants DOD to draw up 'credible military options' for 'unfettered' US access to canal

(Newser) - Panama's leader has been pushing back hard on President Trump's insistence on "reclaiming" the Panama Canal for the United States, going so far as to accuse him of lying, but that hasn't stopped Trump from moving forward with his ultimate plans for the Central American waterway....

Pentagon: Hegseth Didn't Halt Cyber Ops Against Russia

Reports claimed defense secretary told US Cyber Command to stand down

(Newser) - The Pentagon on Tuesday denied reports that Pete Hegseth has ordered US Cyber Command to cease its cyberoffensive against Russia, the Hill reports. "TO BE CLEAR: @SecDef has neither canceled nor delayed any cyber operations directed against malicious Russian targets and there has been no stand-down order whatsoever from...

Pentagon Reverts Another Military Base's Name

Fort Moore is once again Fort Benning (but not that Benning)

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has, for the second time , reversed the renaming of a US military base, saying that Fort Moore in Georgia should revert back to being called Fort Benning, the AP reports. The move reflects an ongoing effort by the Pentagon to overturn the Biden administration's 2023...

Former Defense Secretaries Slam Trump's Pentagon Firings

Letter to Congress requests hearings into 'purely partisan' dismissals

(Newser) - A bipartisan group of past defense secretaries has called on Congress to hold hearings into President Trump's firing of several senior military leaders, saying the officers were fired "for purely partisan reasons." Their open letter says, "We write to urge the US Congress to hold Mr....

Trans Troops Only Number a Third of What We Thought: DOD

Meanwhile, NYT profiles transgender service members and others who've served with them

(Newser) - As the Defense Department prepares to boot all transgender service members who don't qualify for an exemption, after a recent executive order from President Trump claiming their presence harms military readiness, new figures have been released that show a much lower number of trans troops currently serving than previously...

Trump's Appointees Put Musk's Power to the Test

Patel, Gabbard among agency leaders telling employees not to justify their roles to Musk

(Newser) - Multiple government agencies run by Trump-appointed leaders have told employees not to respond to an email from Elon Musk , demanding they provide five bullet points explaining the work they got done over the past week. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," Musk wrote Saturday on...

Report: Pentagon Ordered to Prepare for Budget Cuts

Hegseth wants proposals for 8% cuts over each of the next 5 years: memo

(Newser) - Even the Pentagon is not immune as the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency overhauls the federal government. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week ordered leaders at the Pentagon and within the US military to draw up proposals for cutting 8% from their budgets for each of the next...

Julianne Moore: My Kids Book About Freckles Was Banned

Actor says it was 'great shock' to learn Freckleface Strawberry was pulled from Defense Dept. schools

(Newser) - Last week, the Defense Department issued a memo noting it had started reviewing books in schools for military families operated by the DoD—and now an Oscar-winning actor says her children's book is one that's been pulled from library shelves. "It is a great shock for me...

Army May Resurrect 'Fort Bragg'
Fort Liberty Is
Once Again Fort Bragg
UPDATED
Feb 11, 2025 12:00 AM CST

Fort Liberty Is Once Again Fort Bragg

Though it's now named after a different Bragg

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday signed a memorandum making good on one of President Trump's campaign promises: Fort Liberty is once again Fort Bragg. The memo declared the Army would rename it as such, though it's now named after Private First Class Roland L. Bragg, who won...

Trump Plans More Executive Orders on Military

On Hegseth's first day at work, president says he'll 'get transgender ideology the hell out of our military'

(Newser) - On Monday—Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's first day of work at the Pentagon—President Trump said he would sign multiple executive orders on the military. The president, speaking to House Republicans at a Florida conference, said he will offer "full reinstatement to any service member who was expelled...

'I Do Not Believe That You Are Qualified'

Pete Hegseth, defense nominee grilled at Senate hearing, cites a 'smear campaign' against him

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth was getting grilled on Capitol Hill Tuesday in his confirmation hearing to be the next defense secretary. At the same time, the former Fox host defended himself against what he calls a "smear campaign" by the media. Some early highlights:
  • Critic: "I do not believe that
...

Hegseth: I'll Restore 'Warrior Ethos' to Pentagon
Hegseth: I'll Restore
'Warrior Ethos' to Pentagon
the rundown
Jan 14, 2025 6:34 AM CST

Hegseth: I'll Restore 'Warrior Ethos' to Pentagon

Confirmation hearings begin Tuesday for controversial nominee

(Newser) - The confirmation hearing for one of the highest-profile of President-elect Trump's nominees gets underway in DC on Tuesday—former Fox host Pete Hegseth, who may become the next defense secretary.
  • 'Warrior ethos:' The 44-year-old Army vet will promise to restore "the warrior ethos to the Pentagon"
...

Graham: Hegseth to Free Accuser From NDA

SC senator says he's a tentative 'yes' on ex-Fox News host leading DOD, despite sex assault claim

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth's path to becoming secretary of defense has seen multiple obstacles, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation and an unflattering email from his own mother . On the latter, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham says Hegseth is ready to make a big move—releasing his accuser in that case from...

Senators Back Hegseth as Another Controversy Is Revealed

Member of Trump's inner circle was apparently no fan of Hegseth's years back

(Newser) - The controversy around Pete Hegseth is growing. Sources tell CBS News that back in 2016, allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual misconduct, a toxic workplace environment, and alcohol problems including public intoxication led to a group of Republicans pushing to remove Hegseth as head of a charity for veterans. Hegseth started...

Defense Chief Pick Not a Fan of Women in Combat
Potential Defense Chief:
No Women in Combat
the rundown
Nov 14, 2024 10:55 AM CST

Potential Defense Chief: No Women in Combat

It's not clear if Pete Hegseth would attempt to reverse Pentagon rule

(Newser) - "I'm straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles," Fox News host Pete Hegseth declared on a recent podcast. The reason his view is gaining attention, of course, is because Hegseth is President-elect Trump's choice to be the next defense secretary...

'Closure and Relief' as Soldier Killed in 1945 Identified

For decades, 19-year-old from Chicago was interred as Unknown X-6379

(Newser) - The body of US Army Pvt. Jeremiah P. Mahoney has been identified almost 80 years after he was killed during fierce fighting in northeast France. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency confirmed last month that the body of the 19-year-old from Chicago was among dozens of sets of remains recovered from...

Watchdog: Air Force Bought Some Expensive Soap Dispensers

AF paid $1M more than it should've for dispensers, other spare parts from Boeing, per DOD agency

(Newser) - A new report from a Department of Defense watchdog claims Boeing managed to slip a few pricey items through, reports Reuters , inflating the cost of a dozen spare parts for C-17 transport planes used by the Air Force to the tune of almost $1 million. According to the DOD's...

Prosecutors Urge Next Step on Boeing

Justice Department has until July 7 to decide whether to prosecute

(Newser) - Federal prosecutors have recommended that the Justice Department bring criminal charges against Boeing over its failure to keep the terms of an agreement sparing the company from legal action in crashes that killed a combined 346 people. The department found last month that Boeing had violated provisions of the deferred...

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