White House Says DC Will Not Transfer F-16s to Maryland as Part of RFK Stadium Agreement
A deal last year to transfer an F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron from the District of Columbia Air National Guard to Maryland, which emerged amid talks last year to redevelop the city's RFK Stadium is off the table, the White House said.
"The F-16s will stay with the DC ANG," the White House said in an unsigned email statement to Military.com. "The Trump administration will continue to prioritize readiness and warfighting to achieve peace through strength for the United States."
A military official familiar with the situation, who spoke with Military.com on condition of anonymity to provide insight into the discussions, said the adjutant generals of D.C. and Maryland had been stuck in a stalemate over terms of the deal.
Read Next: Bodies of 3 US Soldiers Recovered from Swamp in Lithuania; Search for Last Missing Soldier Ongoing
The agreement, reached late last year, was initially praised by Maryland lawmakers as a common-sense way to retain a flying mission as the 175th Wing from the state's Air National Guard starts to divest its fleet of 21 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, leaving it without a flying squadron. It came amid ongoing discussions for D.C. to gain control of the land around the city's aging RFK Stadium in an effort to win the Washington Commanders football team back to the district.
Separately, former President Joe Biden signed the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act in early January, shortly before he left office, allowing redevelopment control and oversight of the stadium site.
Last week, Maryland's 175th Wing divested its first A-10 Thunderbolt from Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport. It was announced last year that the wing would transition to a cyber wing mission pending the outcome of an environmental analysis slated to be complete this fall.
The whole A-10 fleet should be sent to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona -- the final resting place for retired jets and planes.
"While this divestment is part of an Air Force-wide modernization effort, we remain fully committed to fighting for a future flying mission in Maryland," Maj. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, the adjutant general of Maryland, said in a statement. "Our airmen deserve the opportunity to continue demonstrating their world-class skill in the air as well as in cyberspace."
In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this month, Maryland's congressional delegation expressed concerns over the A-10 divestment, particularly that talented pilots and maintainers may leave the service if they don't stay on for another flying mission.
"We ask that you immediately pause the divestment of the A-10s at Warfield Air National Guard
Base until the Air Force finalizes a replacement flying mission," the letter reads. "We also ask that you work with the delegation to ensure a clear and reasonable timeline for the growth of Maryland's cyber mission is provided to Congress, but not at the expense of a future flying mission for Maryland."
The White House, the Department of Defense and the Air Force did not answer questions asking about the new administration's timeline to divest A-10s or whether they want to continue utilizing the aircraft.
Notably, the Air Force began divesting its first A-10s in 2022 after years of fierce opposition from members of Congress and advocates of the hefty close-support aircraft known as the "Warthog."
Military.com previously reported that the military had retired at least 39 A-10s to the boneyard in 2024, but was still using the aircraft in training and as a show of force against enemies.
Most recently, more than 300 airmen and several A-10s from Idaho's 12th Fighter Wing deployed Saturday to support U.S. Central Command, according to a news release. Maryland's military leadership said their A-10 wing has been crucial to national security.
"The 175th Wing has proven time and again that we are capable of adapting, leading and excelling in every mission we're given," Brig. Gen. Drew Dougherty, Maryland's assistant adjutant general, said in a statement. "But our airmen -- and the state of Maryland -- should not be left as the only state without a flying mission. It's more than tradition; it's a critical component of our national security."
Related: DC Air National Guard Will Lose Fighter Jet Squadron to Maryland as Part of Government Funding Deal
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cathie Wood says the Musk-Trump feud reveals how much Musk's companies rely on the government
Ark Invest's Cathie Wood has weighed in on the public feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Wood said the feud reveals how much Musk's companies rely on the US government. Trump said Saturday he had no desire to fix his relationship with the Tesla CEO. The public feud between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has shown investors just how much control the US government has over Musk's companies, Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood says. "I think the way this is evolving is Elon, Tesla, and investors are beginning to understand more and more just how much the government has control here," Wood said in a video posted to the company's YouTube channel on Friday. Many of Musk's companies have key links to the government and have received billions of dollars in federal loans, contracts, tax credits, and subsidies over the years. "Elon is involved in companies that are depending on the government," Wood said, pointing to Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink as examples. SpaceX's COO, Gwynne Shotwell, said last year that the company has $22 billion worth of federal contracts. Neuralink, Musk's brain chip company, is subject to FDA regulation, and a less friendly regulatory environment could impact Tesla's robotaxi rollout plans. Tesla stock fell more than 14% on Thursday after Musk and Trump became locked in a series of increasingly bitter clashes. The feud appeared to begin, at least publicly, on Tuesday, after Musk criticized Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill." He called it a "disgusting abomination" and said it would increase the national budget deficit. Tensions rose fast between the once-close allies on Thursday. Trump threatened to cut Musk's government contracts and Musk said SpaceX would immediately begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft — which returned stranded NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station in March. Musk later retracted that threat, which Wood said was a sign he was "beginning to walk this back." Wood said the rift with Trump could, in part, be Musk's attempt to further decouple himself from the Trump administration. Musk announced in April that he would be stepping back from his government work. "One of the hypotheses out there is that what has happened was partly — not entirely — orchestrated," Wood said. "Clearly, there has been some brand damage to Tesla, which he readily admits, and I think he's trying to disengage from the government and being associated with one party or the other." Moving forward, Wood said neither Trump nor Musk needed to get "bogged down" with a fight and that she believed both would eventually heed that reasoning. She also appeared to be confident that Musk could make the situation work for him. She said Musk "works really well under pressure" and that "he creates a lot of that chaos and pressure himself." Trump, however, signaled Saturday that he had no desire to fix his relationship with the SpaceX CEO anytime soon. "I have no intention of speaking to him," Trump told NBC News. "I think it's a very bad thing, because he's very disrespectful. You could not disrespect the office of the President," he added. Vice President JD Vance struck a somewhat friendlier tone when asked about the possibility of reconciliation during a Thursday interview with podcaster Theo Von. Vance said that while he thought it was a "huge mistake" for Musk to "go after the president," he hoped Musk "figures it out" and "comes back into the fold." Read the original article on Business Insider
Politico
32 minutes ago
- Politico
‘Not just a party:' World Pride celebrations end with defiant politics on display
After the raucous rainbow-hued festivities of Saturday's parade, the final day of World Pride 2025 in the nation's capital kicked off on a more downbeat note. Thousands gathered under gray skies Sunday morning at the Lincoln Memorial for a rally and protest march, as the community gathers its strength for a looming fight under President Donald Trump's second administration. 'This is not just a party,' Ashley Smith, board president of Capital Pride Alliance. 'This is a rally for our lives.' Smith acknowledged that international attendance numbers for the bi-annual World Pride were measurably down, with many potential attendees avoiding travel to the U.S. due to either fear of harassment or in protest of Trump's policies. 'That should disturb us and mobilize us,' Smith said. Protesters cheered on LGBTQ+ activists taking the stage while waving both traditional Pride flags and flags representing transgender, bisexual, intersex and other communities. Many had rainbow glitter and rhinestones adorning their faces. They held signs declaring 'Fight back,' 'Gay is good,' 'Ban bombs not bathrooms' and 'We will not be erased.' Trump's campaign against transgender protections and oft-stated antipathy for drag shows have set the community on edge, with some hoping to see a renewed wave of street politics in response. 'Trans people just want to be loved. Everybody wants to live their own lives and I don't understand the problem with it all,' said Tyler Cargill, who came wearing an elaborate costume with a hat topped by a replica of the U.S. Capitol building. Wes Kincaid drove roughly 6 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina to attend this year. Sitting on a park bench near the reflecting pond, Kincaid said he made a point of attending this year, 'because it's more important than ever to show up for our community.' Reminders of the cuts to federal government programs were on full display, Sunday. One attendee waved a pole bearing a massive rainbow flag along with a large USAID flag; another held a 'Proud gay federal worker' sign; and a third held an umbrella with the logos of various federal program facing cuts — including the PBS logo. Trump's anti-trans rhetoric had fueled fears of violence or protests targeting World Pride participants; at one point earlier this spring, rumors circulated that the Proud Boys were planning to disrupt this weekend's celebrations. Those concerns prompted organizers to install security fencing around the entire two-day street party on a multi-block stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue. But so far, the only clear act of aggression has been the vandalizing of a queer bar last week. Late Saturday night, there was a pair of violent incidents near Dupont Circle — one of the epicenters of the World Pride celebrations. Two juveniles were stabbed and a man was shot in the foot in separate incidents. The Metropolitan Police Department says it is not clear if either incident was directly related to World Pride. A cold rain began falling around noon Sunday as the rally speakers cut short their comments and prepared to march. Some attendees filtered away while others huddled under umbrellas and ponchos. 'Rain will not stop us, and after rain comes rainbows,' said one speaker from the stage. The speeches didn't just target the Trump administration or the Republican Party. Some turned their ire on Democratic politicians, who they say have wilted under the pressure of Republican control of the White House and both houses of Congress. 'We have to call out people who have abandoned our movement,' said Tyler Hack of the Christopher Street Project. 'Being a Democrat is more than carrying the party affiliation,' Hack added. 'It's about unapologetic support for the trans community.' While the main march headed toward the U.S. Capitol, a separate group splintered off and headed toward the White House, unfurling a large 'TRUMP MUST GO NOW' banner. Those who stayed to brave the weather said their presence amid less-than-ideal circumstances was vital. 'People are still out here, despite the rain, despite their exhaustion,' said Gillian Brewer, a university student studying physics from Silver Spring, Maryland. 'We're not going anywhere.' Brewer expressed some frustration that the turnout for Sunday's protest march was lower than for the World Pride parade the day before, which she decided to skip. 'This is more important,' Brewer added. 'You can party all you want but at the end of the day, the protest is why we can party.' Natalie Farmer, who traveled from San Diego with her wife, attributed the difference in numbers between the march and Saturday's parade to people being tired from celebrating the previous night. 'Some of us have to do the rallying to keep the party going,' Farmer said. 'We all fight in different ways.'
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gavin Newsom Demands Trump Remove National Guard From LA Immigration Protests: ‘Breach of State Sovereignty'
Gov. Gavin Newsom has formally requested that Donald Trump recall the National Guard from Los Angeles and other areas where Californians are protesting the ongoing immigration raids, calling the federal deployment 'a serious breach of state sovereignty.' Newsom shared his official letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday afternoon in an Instagram post, saying, 'I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County and return them to my command. We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they're actually needed. Rescind the Order. Return order to California.' I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command. We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while… — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 8, 2025 In a Saturday night memorandum, Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to aid federal law enforcement officers battling growing unrest in downtown L.A. and surrounding areas. More to come … The post Gavin Newsom Demands Trump Remove National Guard From LA Immigration Protests: 'Breach of State Sovereignty' appeared first on TheWrap.
