Duffy: Pentagon not responding to helicopter inquiries
When Fox News host Martha MacCallum asked if he had any additional information from the Pentagon on the flyover, Duffy said, 'I don't.
MacCullum noted that she didn't understand why the Pentagon 'hasn't gotten back to you on this yet. But we hope they sure do soon.'
'So do I,' Duffy replied.
U.S. Army spokesperson Capt. Victoria Goldfedib told The Hill that while conducting flight operations into the Pentagon in accordance with published FAA flight routes and DCA Air Traffic Control, a UH-60 Blackhawk initiated a 'go-around' after Pentagon Air Traffic Control told them they were not cleared to land, overflying the Pentagon helipad while maintaining all approved flight procedures.
As a result, DCA Air Traffic Control issued a 'go-around' to two civil fixed-wing aircraft to ensure the appropriate deconfliction of airspace.
'The United States Army remains committed to aviation safety and conducts flight operations within all approved guidelines and procedures,' Goldfedib said.
Some reports said VIPs were on board the aircraft which is why it was approved to enter airspace by Reagan Washington National Airport.
'But who qualifies for a VIP? Is it a two-star general, a three-star general?' Duffy asked in the segment.
Helicopter operations near the airport were restricted in March after a deadly collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane killed 67 people in January.
'I want to commend Secretary Hegseth. He closed down those HELO missions for two weeks,' Duffy told Fox.
'We're going to look at it together and figure out what is the pathway forward. So they're not flying right now. And we should know as Americans, again, it's a civilian military,' he added.
'They're supposed to work for all of us. We should know who qualifies for that VIP mission. And if you're going to train, why are you training in the middle of the day? Maybe you should train at 2 o'clock in the morning or 3 o'clock in the morning.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
6 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump administration imposes fresh sanctions on ICC officials
The Trump administration announced fresh sanctions on International Criminal Court officials on Wednesday and accused the ICC of being a "national security threat" and "instrument for lawfare" against the U.S. and Israel. The big picture: The intergovernmental organization and international tribunal in a statement called the latest U.S. sanctions that affect two judges and two prosecutors "a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution." Driving the news: Rubio said in a statement posted to the State Department's website that the sanctions were in response to the "ICC's Ongoing Threat to Americans and Israelis." The sanctioned officials "directly engaged" in ICC efforts "to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation." The latest penalties that effective freeze assets and bar officials from entering the U.S. affect ICC judges Kimberly Prost, of Canada, and Nicolas Guillou, of France, and prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan, of Fiji, and Mame Mandiaye Niang, of Senegal, according to the statement. State of play: President Trump first imposed sanctions on ICC officials in a February executive order, some three months after the court that neither the U.S. nor Israel recognizes issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in Gaza. In June, Rubio announced sanctions on four ICC judges over the arrest warrants and also due to the court's investigation into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. Zoom in: "Prost is being designated for ruling to authorize the ICC's investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan," per a State Department statement. Guillou was targeted for ruling to authorize the ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, while the statement said Shameem Khan and Niang were being designated "for continuing to support illegitimate ICC actions against Israel." This included the upholding of the arrest warrants.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
MAGA Rep Gets Torn to Shreds in Disastrous Post-Budget Town Hall
Now that Congress is in summer recess, homebound Republican lawmakers are learning just how much their constituents hate the president's policies. In his first town hall since voting in favor of Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' Nebraska Representative Mike Flood had no remedy for the fire and fury of his base, who practically roasted him alive Monday night for Flood's ongoing support for Trump. Flood faced a barrage of excoriating questions during the jam-packed town hall, in which voters demanded to understand why their local lawmaker would vote in favor of the president's tax bill and his immigration policies, accusing him of supporting a 'fascist machine.' At one point, the crowd broke into a furious chant: 'Tax the rich.' 'My question is fiscal. With 450 million FEMA dollars being reallocated to open Alligator Alcatraz, and 600 million taxpayer FEMA dollars being used to now open more concentration camps, and ICE burning through 8.4 million dollars a day to illegally detain people—how much does it cost for fascism?' one woman pressed Flood as the crowd behind her cheered. 'How much do the taxpayers have to pay for a fascist country?' But Flood's response was no different from the party line, effectively echoing Trump's 'mandate from the people' ideology to advance undemocratic ideals. 'Americans went to the polls in November, and they had a choice between a Democratic candidate that had an open border, no enforcement, fentanyl, drugs, human trafficking, and they had a choice between that and a candidate that said close the border, get illegal immigrants out of our country, stop the fentanyl, stop the human trafficking, stop the drugs, stop the crime, stop the violence,' Flood said. 'That's what Americans voted for. 'Americans voted for a border that is secure, and I support the president enforcing our immigration laws, which, by the way, were written by Congress,' he added. Flood's constituents also harangued him for failing to protect SNAP benefits, veterans' programs, and health care access, and for supporting Trump as the president circumnavigates and avoids his own home-brewed Epstein scandal. 'Let's be very clear—at the next pro forma session of the Congress, you will find my name as a sponsor on a resolution from the House Rules Committee to release the Epstein files to protect the victims and not re-victimize them again,' Flood said, stating that he was for the release of the records despite the fact that he—along with every other Republican in the House—voted against a Democrat-led effort last month to make the files public. The crowd, which at 750 people was the largest at one of Flood's town halls yet, repeatedly booed the lawmaker almost from the very start. At one point, unsatisfied with his answers, constituents broke out into chants of, 'Vote him out!' Flood is unlikely to be the only conservative facing enormous backlash at home. Republicans have been instructed by the National Republican Congressional Committee to focus their time at home in August on selling Trump's agenda to voters.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gov. Newsom reacts to Bed Bath & Beyond's refusal to open stores in California
LOS ANGELES – Bed Bath & Beyond announced that its comeback will not include locations in the largest state in the nation. Marcus Lemonis, Bed Bath & Beyond Executive Chairman said in a statement issued Aug. 20 that the company will not open a brick-and-mortar location in California. Lemonis said that the state, home to over 39 million people, will be served solely through delivery. "We're taking a stand because it's time for common sense," the statement reads. "Businesses deserve the chance to succeed. Employees deserve jobs that last. And customers deserve fair prices. California's system delivers the opposite." The company is attempting to make a comeback after filing for bankruptcy and closing all its stores in 2023. It reopened its first Bed Bath & Beyond Home near Nashville on Aug. 8. "After their bankruptcy and closure of every store, like most Americans, we thought Bed, Bath & Beyond no longer existed," California Gov. Gavin Newsom's press office said in response to the announcement on X. "We wish them well in their efforts to become relevant again as they try to open a 2nd store." Lemonis replied to a post from the governor's personal X account proposing pro-business reforms for the state. "We will target opening 300 small to midsize neighborhood stores thru our Kirklands investment," Lemonsis wrote. "You are a smart man and I know the post below is out of frustration." California critic claims Bed Bath & Beyond decision 'isn't about politics' In the statement, Lemonis claimed that the decision "isn't about politics." However, the statement repeatedly attacked regulatory policies passed in the state. "California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky environments for businesses in America," Lemonis wrote. In a Feb. 5 appearance on Fox Business, Lemonis called a California law requiring corporations with revenues of more than $1 billion to report their greenhouse gas emissions a "crazy law." 83387715007 Lemonis also fought San Joaquin County when Camping World, for whom Lemonis serves as CEO, installed an oversized flag pole to fly an American flag without proper permits – county officials told the Los Angeles Times in 2024. "Camping World has a habit of installing flagpoles that are quite large in size, but they do it without pulling permits," San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti told the Times. "This is a self-inflicted issue, but as a business owner and someone who understands marketing, it's brilliant." The Times reported that the flag in front of the location in the Northern California town of French Camp had been taken down from the 130-foot flagpole during the permitting process for an undisclosed amount of time. Lemonis told Sacramento Fox affiliate FOX40 that he ordered the store to fly the flag again in August 2024 saying, "If we felt like we were putting people in danger or causing any issues with air traffic, which would absolutely not be okay, then I wouldn't do it." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California won't have any Bed Bath & Beyond stores. Find out why. Solve the daily Crossword
