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The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Democrats unveil air safety bill after deadly crash
The Big Story Seven Democratic lawmakers unveiled legislation Thursday outlining updated air safety regulations after a deadly passenger plane collided with an Army helicopter in January. © Photo Credit The proposed bill would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to do safety reviews after commercial airline accidents while requiring companies to use advanced aircraft-tracking technology known as ADS-B. Democratic Sens. Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Raphael Warnock (Ga.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Mark Warner (Va.) and Ed Markey (Mass.) introduced the Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 'to strengthen aviation safety at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), airports across the nation, and the Federal Aviation Administration,' according to a press release. Both President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have called for major reform for airlines after several deadly plane crashes at the beginning of the year. Complications continued in early May, as two commercial passenger jets landing at National Airport last week needed to shift course because of an Army helicopter taking a 'scenic route' near the airport. Duffy, in part, said incidents occurred due to a dwindling air traffic control staff, outdated communication technology and a lack of clear guidance on military flights. However, lawmakers say Thursday's legislation will help close the gap in aviation regulations. 'The DCA tragedy claimed 67 lives and exposed critical gaps in aviation safety oversight—over 15,000 near-misses should have been a glaring warning sign,' Cantwell said in the release. 'This legislation closes dangerous loopholes that allowed aircraft to operate without essential safety technology, mandates modern surveillance systems that enhance pilot awareness of nearby aircraft, and ensures the FAA finally acts on the data instead of ignoring it.' Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and in the future: Hegseth could be 'on the hook' for hundreds of millions on Qatari jet, says Raskin The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee has warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that he could be 'on the hook' for hundreds of millions of dollars for having accepted a luxury jet from the Qatari government. In a letter sent Wednesday, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) argued that Hegseth's formal acceptance of the Boeing 747 jetliner last month — a move made so the Air Force can upgrade its security measures … Pentagon watchdog investigates if staffers were asked to delete Hegseth's Signal messages WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon's watchdog is looking into whether any of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's aides were asked to delete Signal messages that may have shared sensitive military information with a reporter, according to two people familiar with the investigation and documents reviewed by The Associated Press. The inspector general's request focuses on how information about the March 15 airstrikes … Bannon: Musk should be 'deported from the country immediately' MAGA insider and former White House adviser Steve Bannon called on President Trump to investigate Elon Musk's immigration status and deport the South African tech billionaire after the bitter implosion of the president's relationship with Musk on Thursday. 'They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported … US sanctions four International Criminal Court judges The U.S. on Thursday said it is sanctioning four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges via a part of a prior executive order President Trump issued in February. The four judges that the U.S. said it is sanctioning are Reine Alapini-Gansou, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Solomy Balungi Bossa and Beti Hohler, according to a fact sheet from State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce's office. 'We do not take this step lightly. … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: DHS orders officers to focus on overstayed visas The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ordered the staff of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to focus on overstayed visas, according to a Wednesday press release from USCIS. Over the weekend, an attack … On Tap Monday Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: Supreme Court hands DOGE big wins in Social Security, records cases The Supreme Court on Friday handed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) two major victories in its expanding legal battle over drastic efforts … Read more 5 winners from the Trump-Musk breakup The vicious blowup between President Trump and Elon Musk has shaken up the power dynamics in Washington, D.C. As Musk burns his bridges to the White … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you next week!
The Hill
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Ukraine, Russia peace talks: POW deal, but no ceasefire
The Big Story Delegations from Russia and Ukraine wrapped up peace talks Monday with plans to swap prisoners, but no breakthrough on a proposed ceasefire. © AP Ukrainian officials and Russian state media reported the second round of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow since March 2022 yielded pledges to return the bodies of dead soldiers to the other side, in addition to a large swap of prisoners of war (POWs). More than a dozen people on each side attended the talks at Istanbul's Ciragan Palace, with the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and the Russian team led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But the gathering broke up in just more than an hour, with both sides still deeply divided on how to bring about an end to the war, which has seen the Kremlin gain control of about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine is insisting on a 'full and unconditional ceasefire' for at least 30 days on land, in air and at sea to 'end the killings now,' Umerov told reporters after the meeting. He noted that Ukraine had given Russia a truce proposal a few days ago, but Moscow had not reciprocated and instead presented its plan at Monday's talks. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of not wanting a quick end to the war so it can make further advances on the battlefield. Kyiv is demanding war reparations, no restrictions on its military forces after any peace deal, and that the international community not recognize Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine it currently claims or occupies. Russia, meanwhile, said it wants a long-term settlement versus a pause in attacks, rejecting an unconditional ceasefire that doesn't address its maximalist demands such as that the Ukrainian military withdraw from its four partly occupied regions in the southeast (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia); Kyiv not be allowed in any military alliances; limits on the size of the its army; and lifted international sanctions. One positive takeaway from the negotiations — Russian and Ukrainian officials said they had agreed to exchange more POWs and return the bodies of 12,000 dead soldiers, or 6,000 for each side. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said Ukraine could return up to 1,200 POWs, with an expected 1,000-for-1,000 format that could be increased. The talks come after Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Russian air bases Sunday that damaged or destroyed more than 40 warplanes, including nearly a third of Moscow's strategic bomber fleet, according to Kyiv. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: What to know about Ukraine's stunning 'Operation Spider Web' Ukraine this weekend struck one of its most devastating blows in its grinding war against Russia's invading army, using smuggled drones to target bombers on air bases deep inside Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly took credit for what he called 'Operation Spider Web,' a contrast with many of Ukraine's attacks inside Russia. He said 117 drones were used in the attack Sunday, each with … Bannon: Graham should be arrested if he keeps 'stirring it up' in Ukraine MAGA insider and former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said Monday that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Kyiv's strongest backers in Congress, should be 'arrested' if he doesn't stop traveling overseas and 'stirring it up' in Ukraine. Bannon expressed his frustration over Ukraine's stunning drone attack on Russia's strategic bombing fleet, which destroyed 40 aircraft deep inside Russian territory, … Rubio leading negotiations with Bukele on returning migrants The Justice Department disclosed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading negotiations for the return of a Venezuelan man sent to a Salvadoran prison. The disclosure, made in Monday court filings, is no guarantee the Trump administration will secure the return of a man known only in court documents as Cristian, who was deported in spite of court-ordered protections. But it strikes a less aggressive tone as the Trump administration … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: DHS explains to Mass. governor it 'never intended to apprehend' high schooler The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday explained in a reply to a post by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) that it 'never intended to apprehend' a high schooler. In a statement posted to the social platform X on Sunday, Healey said she was 'disturbed and outraged by reports that a … On Tap Tomorrow Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: Kavanaugh signals Supreme Court will soon decide constitutionality of banning AR-15s The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case that involves whether possessing AR-15s is protected by the Second Amendment, but the court's … Read more GOP beats down key budget office over tax plan projections Republicans are using Congress's official budget scorer as a whipping boy, as they argue a major package of President Trump's tax priorities is … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
The Hill
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump says Russia-Ukraine direct talks to ‘begin immediately'
PRESENTED BY BOEING The Big Story President Trump on Monday said Russia and Ukraine will immediately begin negotiations on a ceasefire, following phone calls with the leaders of each country. © (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, left and center, Pavel Bednyakov, right The White House said Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for about two hours, after speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier in the day. The president also noted the Vatican has offered to host the negotiations. Trump has been pushing for a 30-day ceasefire in the war, and the White House said before Monday's calls that he was frustrated with both sides. The president called for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine before entering office, and more than two months of direct diplomacy has failed to get Putin to agree to even basic terms. The announcement of direct negotiations comes after Putin last week skipped appearing at direct talks in Istanbul that he proposed. While Zelensky traveled to Turkey in a bid to entice Putin, the Russian leader sent a low-level delegation to meet with the Ukrainian team. Agreement on a ceasefire was not reached, but the two sides agreed on a swap of 1,000 prisoners and committed to keep talking. On Monday, Trump described the tone and spirit of his conversation with Putin as 'excellent.' Trump also said he spoke with the leaders of the European Union, France, Italy, Germany and Finland immediately after his call with Putin and said the Vatican 'would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!' Putin, in remarks reported by Russian state media, said Russia was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum on a future peace treaty. But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed expectations of quick agreement, saying ending the Ukraine war would require 'rather painstaking and, perhaps, prolonged work,' Russian state media reported. Zelensky, speaking at a press conference Monday evening, rejected Putin's demands to withdraw Ukrainian troops from four partially occupied regions. Russian negotiators reportedly raised those conditions during the talks in Istanbul. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: Retired 4-star Navy admiral found guilty in bribery case The Navy's former No. 2 officer on Monday was found guilty of bribery and other counts related to steering work to a company in exchange for a job after leaving the service, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. Retired Adm. Robert Burke, former Navy vice chief of naval operations, was convicted of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, performing acts affecting a personal … Pentagon touts major defense partnership with United Arab Emirates The Trump administration plans to establish a 'Major Defense Partnership' with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), bilateral cooperation that could mean joint weapons development and closer military collaboration between the United States and the wealthy Gulf nation. The letter of intent, signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and UAE Defense Minister Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei on Friday in Abu Dhabi, sets in motion a 'roadmap … Rubio says 'we'll find out pretty soon' if Russia is 'tapping us along' in Ukraine talks Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday expressed cautious optimism about the Kremlin's commitment to brokering peace with Ukraine as the U.S. continues to press for an end to the war that's stretched on for nearly three years. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with Rubio on Saturday and, per Rubio, Lavrov said Russia is in the process of drafting a ceasefire proposal. 'He communicated in our call, … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Comey calls Trump seashell photo backlash a 'distraction' after Secret Service scrutiny Former FBI Director James Comey on Monday called the recent backlash to his '8647' seashell photo a 'distraction' and maintained that his intentions were 'totally innocent' behind the now-deleted post. In an interview on MSNBC's 'Deadline: White House,' host Nicole Wallace asked … A MESSAGE FROM BOEING Our air dominance systems deliver the decisive edge against the threats of today and tomorrow. Learn more. On Tap Tomorrow Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: First Trump $1,000 'self-deport' flight conducted by DHS The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has conducted its first charter flight for migrants who agreed to 'self-deport' after starting … Read more Nearly 80 more Big Lots stores to reopen in June: Here's where More than 100 Big Lots stores have reopened this year. Now, 80 more are preparing to reopen soon. Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
The Hill
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
DHS wants 20,000 National Guard troops to help with immigration crackdown
The Big Story The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has requested 20,000 National Guard troops to help with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. © Associated Press The department requested the Guard members from the Pentagon 'to help carry out the President's mandate from the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Hill Thursday. A Defense official also told The Hill that the Pentagon 'received a request' this week but was not able to share the contents because planning is in the initial stages and predecisional. The New York Times first reported on the request and was told Pentagon lawyers were reviewing it along with 'interior immigration enforcement.' It is unknown what role National Guard members would take in the immigration crackdown, such as whether they would be involved in rounding up and arresting people for deportation or just transportation or security. It's also unclear whether state governors would have to approve the plan or if President Trump would move to federalize the National Guard to take control of its troops. The last time the U.S. government did so was in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots, sparked by the police beating of Rodney King. The plan was quickly bashed by Democratic lawmakers including Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who said she was 'deeply disturbed' by Trump's 'abuse and misuse' of the U.S. military. 'Trump's DHS is asking for 20,000 National Guardsmen to assist with immigration enforcement within our nation's borders—something they've never been asked to do before and that is not part of the National Guard's mission,' she said in a statement. 'Not only does this undermine readiness and our national security, it also means Trump is testing the limits of how he can misuse our military against the American people,' Duckworth added. 'No one should believe that he will stop at immigrants if this plan moves forward.' National Guard troops at the state level have previously been asked to assist in deportations — notably in Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in February gave his Guard members the authority to arrest migrants — but this would mark the first time Guard troops at the national level have been asked to do so. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: Military adds gender dysphoria screening to troops' annual physical amid transgender ban The Defense Department will start screening troops for gender dysphoria during their annual physicals as part of the agency-wide effort to kick transgender service members out of the U.S. military, according to a new memo published Thursday. The document, signed by the Pentagon's acting head of personnel and readiness, orders senior officials to 'immediately commence the identification of affected Service members' via … Murphy, Democrats take aim at Qatari jet gift with push to block Middle East arms sales Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and a group of Senate Democrats on Thursday moved to block $3.5 billion worth of arms sales to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as President Trump nears the end of his weeklong trip in the Middle East. Murphy filed a pair of joint resolutions Thursday afternoon: one aimed at blocking a $1.9 billion sale to Qatar and a second item that would block three arms deals with the UAE to the tune … US space chief warns China, Russia are greatest risks to space defense capabilities Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman warned Chinese and Russian technologies, especially Beijing's ''kill web,' present the greatest risks to the U.S.'s space defense capabilities. 'The PRC [People's Republic of China] has developed what we've kind of, you know, tongue in cheek, called a 'kill web,' and it's nothing more than a series of hundreds of satellites that are a sensor … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: House Democrat: DHS 'going to come after US citizens' Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) suggested Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) could start deporting U.S. citizens with the expanded budget requested for fiscal 2026. During an interview with MSNBC's 'All In with Chris Hayes,' Garcia was asked about the Trump administration's request … On Tap Tomorrow Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: 5 takeaways from birthright citizenship argument at Supreme Court The Supreme Court mulled whether judges should be allowed to extend injunctive relief to the entire country in a lively argument Thursday stemming … Read more Tiffany Trump gives birth to first child It's a 'sweet baby boy' for Tiffany Trump, who's announcing the birth of her first child. 'Welcome to the world our sweet … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! 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The Hill
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
New Pentagon directives ban certain books, affirmative action at military academies
The Big Story The Pentagon has ordered military leaders to remove and review all library books that relate to diversity, anti-racism or gender issues within the next two weeks, and banned affirmative action at military academies. © Alex Brandon, Associated Press One order, signed Friday by acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel Timothy Dill, marks the most wide-reaching directive in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's effort to eradicate diversity and equity programs, policies and reading material across the military. The U.S. Naval Academy earlier this spring removed nearly 400 books that promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from its library after a review, with the West Point Military Academy and Air Force Academy conducting similar reviews of their books and curriculum. But the new directive goes far beyond that effort, ordering all military educational institutions such as war colleges and military service academies to 'identify library materials that may conflict with our core mission' and 'appropriately sequester those materials' by May 21, according to the order. Hegseth also put out a memo Friday ordering the service academies to admit students 'based exclusively on merit,' with 'no consideration of race, ethnicity, or sex,' underlining the word 'no' on the document. Academies must confirm within 30 days that they are adhering to those standards. 'This ensures only the most qualified candidates are admitted, trained, and ultimately commissioned to lead the finest fighting force in history,' Hegseth writes. 'Selecting anyone but the best erodes lethality, our warfighting readiness, and undercuts the culture of excellence in our Armed Forces.' The directives are the latest steps in the Trump administration's sweeping effort to eliminate DEI content across the federal government, which has included attempts to remove DEI content from the Defense Department websites and social media pages. The memo on library books says that a temporary Academic Libraries Committee – comprised of 'knowledgeable leaders, educators, and library professionals' from across the military – will provide information on which books to review and how to decide if they should ultimately be removed. The panel provided a list of search terms to use in the initial identification of the books to be pulled and reviewed, including affirmative action, allyship, anti-racism, critical race theory, discrimination, DEI, gender dysphoria, gender identity, gender transition, transgender, transsexual and white privilege. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: Pentagon orders swift review, removal of library books that address diversity, anti-racism The Pentagon has ordered military leaders to remove and review all library books that relate to diversity, anti-racism or gender issues within the next two weeks, according to a new memo issued Friday. The order, signed by acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel Timothy Dill, marks the most wide-reaching directive in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's effort to eradicate diversity and equity programs, policies and reading … Vance: War between India, Pakistan would be 'none of our business' Vice President Vance acknowledged Thursday that a full-scale war between India and Pakistan would be 'disastrous' but said the United States shouldn't get involved in the escalating conflict. 'Look, we're concerned about any time nuclear powers collide and have a major conflict,' Vance told Fox News's Martha MacCallum. 'What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit, but we're … Hegseth memo sets swift timeline to get transgender troops out of military Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to start removing transgender troops from the military in early June if they do not exit voluntarily, according to a new memo. Hegseth outlined in the Thursday memo that transgender active service members are eligible to 'separate voluntarily' until June 6 and could be eligible for voluntary separation pay. For reserve forces, the deadline is … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: {{if !contains( Report')} {/if}} In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: DHS sued over lifting deportation protections for Afghans, Cameroonians Immigration advocates are suing on behalf of Afghans and Cameroonians set to lose protections from deportation after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it plans to let their temporary protected status (TPS) expire. 'Each designation was first made in 2022, in response to the prolonged … On Tap Monday Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: White House 'actively looking' at suspending habeas corpus in immigration crackdown White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said Friday that President Trump and his team are 'actively looking at' suspending habeas corpus as … Read more What is Trump even doing any more? Everyone can see that Grandpa Trump has become a menace, but no one is doing anything to limit the damage, much less to take his car keys away. Sooner, … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you next week! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
