Politico | Defense
Frustration roils lawmakers briefed on Pentagon's war request
2 July 2026 at 01:38

Frustration roils lawmakers briefed on Pentagon's war request

By: By Katherine Tully-McManus， Connor O'Brien， Meredith Lee Hill and Mia McCarthy

2 July 2026 at 01:38

Even Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee emerged from the classified briefing urging Pentagon officials to give them more information.

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) speaks as Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) listens at a House Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing for the Department of Defense on May 12, 2026, in Washington.

Politico | Defense
Judge blocks Pentagon’s press escort policy
1 July 2026 at 04:45

Judge blocks Pentagon’s press escort policy

Politico | Defense

By: By Gregory Svirnovskiy

1 July 2026 at 04:45

It’s the latest legal victory for The New York Times against the Defense Department’s press crackdown.

The Pentagon is seen following a “hazardous materials incident" on June 11, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia.

Politico | Defense
GOP infighting threatens critical defense bill
30 June 2026 at 03:13

GOP infighting threatens critical defense bill

Politico | Defense

By: By Connor O'Brien

30 June 2026 at 03:13

The annual defense policy legislation, one of the few measures almost guaranteed to pass each year, is held hostage by a Republican battle over an elections overhaul.

House Speaker Mike Johnson departs the Capitol on June 25, 2026, after meeting earlier in the day with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Politico | Defense
NATO chief’s playbook with Trump: Show him the money
26 June 2026 at 17:00

NATO chief’s playbook with Trump: Show him the money

Politico | Defense

By: By Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch

26 June 2026 at 17:00

Mark Rutte's visit to Washington foreshadows the upcoming alliance summit, which will likely try to paper over U.S. antagonisms.

Mark Rutte doubled down on a familiar strategy this week to keep the relationship with the U.S. calm.

Politico | Defense
House GOP presses ahead with Trump's Department of War name change
25 June 2026 at 06:35

House GOP presses ahead with Trump's Department of War name change

Politico | Defense

By: By Connor O'Brien and Leo Shane III

25 June 2026 at 06:35

The House Appropriations Committee became the third committee to endorse the Pentagon rebrand.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has adopted the title Secretary of War, has already moved to change numerous signs and stationery within the Pentagon to reflect the preferred Department of War name, despite the lack of official congressional approval.

Politico | Defense
Hegseth’s budget sales pitch falls flat with GOP lawmakers
25 June 2026 at 03:49

Hegseth’s budget sales pitch falls flat with GOP lawmakers

Politico | Defense

By: By Leo Shane III

25 June 2026 at 03:49

Some of the president’s biggest supporters in Congress expressed concern about the impact of increased military spending on the national debt.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth heads to a meeting at the Capitol on June 22, 2026, to sell lawmakers on the Pentagon's budget request.

Politico | Defense
Rutte’s balancing act between Trump and 31 NATO allies
24 June 2026 at 17:00

Rutte’s balancing act between Trump and 31 NATO allies

Politico | Defense

By: By Paul McLeary and Victor Jack

24 June 2026 at 17:00

The two leaders have a history of working well together, but Rutte has a narrow lane to work with between Trump’s demands and the alliance’s fiscal realities.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with NATO's Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026.

Politico | Defense
Senate threatens to freeze Hegseth’s travel in bid for boat strike videos, Iran school strike probe
17 June 2026 at 22:29

Senate threatens to freeze Hegseth’s travel in bid for boat strike videos, Iran school strike probe

Politico | Defense

By: By Connor O'Brien and Leo Shane III

17 June 2026 at 22:29

Major defense legislation approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee freezes three quarters of the Defense Secretary’s travel budget until Congress gets what it wants.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, talks with Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) following the committee's hearing on the Department of Defense budget, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

NYT | Top Stories
A Bystander at a ‘No Kings’ March Was Killed. Did the Shooter Commit a Crime?
15 June 2026 at 22:38

A Bystander at a ‘No Kings’ March Was Killed. Did the Shooter Commit a Crime?

NYT | Top Stories

By: Kurt Streeter

15 June 2026 at 22:38

A gunman believed he was defending the crowd, then killed an innocent protester. The legal case is complicated.

Politico | Defense
Hegseth's timeline for Strait of Hormuz is a bit murky
15 June 2026 at 00:44

Hegseth's timeline for Strait of Hormuz is a bit murky

Politico | Defense

By: By Cheyanne M. Daniels

15 June 2026 at 00:44

The Secretary of Defense initially stated that the waterway would reopen "immediately" after a deal was signed, only to clarify his comment moments later.

"Ultimately the blockade will stay as the strait opens. And then the blockade will open and then the straits open," Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said.

Politico | Defense
Ukraine is winning the drone war. Now it needs to win over Trump.
14 June 2026 at 19:00

Ukraine is winning the drone war. Now it needs to win over Trump.

Politico | Defense

By: By Felicia Schwartz， Megan Messerly and Nicholas Vinocur

14 June 2026 at 19:00

Battlefield gains and drone deals with Europe have given Kyiv rare leverage heading into the G7 world leaders’ summit, even as Washington's attention is elsewhere.

Ukrainian troops load their comrade into a land combat drone during a training in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on June 10, 2026.

NYT | Top Stories
Anthropic Blocks Foreigners From Using Mythos and Fable AI
13 June 2026 at 11:48

Anthropic Blocks Foreigners From Using Mythos and Fable AI

NYT | Top Stories

By: Cade Metz and Dustin Volz

13 June 2026 at 11:48

The company said on Friday night that the federal government had ordered limits on its Mythos and Fable 5 A.I. systems, citing national security concerns.

Anthropic’s Mythos A.I. model has raised worries that it could be used to attack computer networks.

Politico | Defense
Trump’s missile diplomacy strategy backfires
12 June 2026 at 05:10

Trump’s missile diplomacy strategy backfires

Politico | Defense

By: By Paul McLeary， Nahal Toosi and Jack Detsch

12 June 2026 at 05:10

“You’re bombing what to get what at this point?” said a former Trump administration official.

A Hezbollah supporter chants slogans while holding an Iranian flag during a gathering against the U.S.-Israeli military operation with Iran in Dahiyeh, Lebanon on June 10, 2026.

Politico | Defense
Pentagon resumes normal operations after lockdown
12 June 2026 at 01:56

Pentagon resumes normal operations after lockdown

Politico | Defense

By: By Gregory Svirnovskiy and Daniel Lippman

12 June 2026 at 01:56

The Hazardous Materials Team from the Arlington, Virginia, Fire Department was on the scene to assist Pentagon officials, the department wrote on X.

The Pentagon is seen on May 19, 2026, in Washington.

Politico | Defense
Pentagon locks down over ‘air quality issue’
12 June 2026 at 00:01

Pentagon locks down over ‘air quality issue’

Politico | Defense

By: By Gregory Svirnovskiy and Daniel Lippman

12 June 2026 at 00:01

The Hazardous Materials Team from the Arlington, Virginia, Fire Department was on the scene to assist Pentagon officials, the department wrote on X.

Politico | Defense
Trump says US will resume 'attacking' Iran as negotiations stall
10 June 2026 at 22:27

Trump says US will resume 'attacking' Iran as negotiations stall

Politico | Defense

By: By Cheyanne M. Daniels

10 June 2026 at 22:27

“They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!” Trump posted to social media Wednesday.

President Donald Trump watches the start of Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on June 8, 2026, in New York City.

Politico | Defense
After Trump's Director of National Intelligence pick, knives are out for the whole office
10 June 2026 at 04:59

After Trump's Director of National Intelligence pick, knives are out for the whole office

Politico | Defense

By: By Daniella Cheslow， John Sakellariadis and Gregory Svirnovskiy

10 June 2026 at 04:59

The nomination of housing official Bill Pulte has stirred wider discussions about trimming the office back — or getting rid of it.

President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal last week he’d told Bill Pulte the ODNI was "unnecessary and/or too big.”

Politico | Defense
More women, Democratic veterans running for Congress this year
9 June 2026 at 19:00

More women, Democratic veterans running for Congress this year

Politico | Defense

By: By Leo Shane III

9 June 2026 at 19:00

The number of veterans running for federal office this cycle is up 47 percent from 2024.

Reps. Marianette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), center, and Jennifer Kiggans (R-Va.), right, are two of the 95 women veterans running for federal office this election cycle.

Politico | Defense
NASA quietly talking to Congress about more moon money
9 June 2026 at 04:58

NASA quietly talking to Congress about more moon money

Politico | Defense

By: By Audrey Decker

9 June 2026 at 04:58

The agency has begun reaching out to lawmakers as it pushes to meet President Trump’s moon landing timeline.

The lunar surface is seen during the Artemis II lunar flyby, captured on April 6.

Politico | Defense
Pentagon walks back Latter-day Saints Church classification after pushback from Utah lawmakers
9 June 2026 at 03:32

Pentagon walks back Latter-day Saints Church classification after pushback from Utah lawmakers

Politico | Defense

By: By Cheyanne M. Daniels

9 June 2026 at 03:32

In an update to faith codes, the Pentagon had classified the religion as separate from Christianity.

The temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Kensington, Maryland is pictured on April 18, 2022.

Politico | Defense
House GOP endorses Trump's Department of War renaming
5 June 2026 at 20:52

House GOP endorses Trump's Department of War renaming

Politico | Defense

By: By Connor O'Brien

5 June 2026 at 20:52

The move by the House Armed Services Committee injects another partisan wedge issue into an already fraught defense bill.

Defense Secretary Hegseth took on the title secretary of war last year, but the Pentagon's legal name remains the Department of Defense until Congress signs off.

Politico | Defense
Ukraine aid package passes House, bucking GOP leaders and Trump
5 June 2026 at 08:32

Ukraine aid package passes House, bucking GOP leaders and Trump

Politico | Defense

By: By Connor O'Brien

5 June 2026 at 08:32

Eighteen Republicans broke ranks to help pass the military assistance and Russia sanctions.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol on April 19, 2023.

Politico | Defense
Pentagon likely to cancel missile deal with Germany over fears of Russia
5 June 2026 at 03:30

Pentagon likely to cancel missile deal with Germany over fears of Russia

Politico | Defense

By: By Paul McLeary， Stefanie Bolzen and Chris Lunday

5 June 2026 at 03:30

The decision is part of a broader American retrenchment from the NATO alliance.

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner fires a Tomahawk missile at sea on March 1, 2026 during the Iran war.

Politico | Defense
House panel demands more information on military firings
5 June 2026 at 00:23

House panel demands more information on military firings

Politico | Defense

By: By Leo Shane III and Connor O'Brien

5 June 2026 at 00:23

The move comes after the dismissal of multiple uniformed military leaders since President Donald Trump took office.

The provision represents a rebuke of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s personnel moves.

Trump Is Finally Facing Reality on A.I.

NYT | Opinion

By: Jen Easterly

4 June 2026 at 17:03

A.I. will upend cybersecurity as we know it. The president’s new executive order is a good first step in creating a safer tech ecosystem.

Politico | Defense
Iran vote caps Trump’s congressional losing streak
4 June 2026 at 05:24

Iran vote caps Trump’s congressional losing streak

Politico | Defense

By: By Connor O'Brien and Leo Shane III

4 June 2026 at 05:24

The House vote to halt the Iran war, while largely symbolic, further stymies the administration's political priorities during a week where the GOP has already scuttled several of the president’s goals.

A worker raises a pole bearing the Iranian flag at Enghelab Square in Tehran on June 3, 2026.

Politico | Defense
Trump’s intel pick delights MAGA and shocks nation’s spies
3 June 2026 at 05:38

Trump’s intel pick delights MAGA and shocks nation’s spies

Politico | Defense

By: By Daniella Cheslow

3 June 2026 at 05:38

Bill Pulte, the head of a housing agency, is set to take the reins as the Director of National Intelligence — raising alarms on the Hill even as it delights the MAGA faithful.