Latest news with #Pentagon
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Hegseth Cuts Staff at Pentagon's Independent Test Office
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered staff cuts at the congressionally mandated Pentagon office that oversees tests of major weapons systems, to ensure they're effective and maintainable, before billions of dollars are spent on them. Hegseth framed the decision to scale back the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation as a cost-cutting move that would save $300 million each year. An internal review identified redundant and nonessential functions that affect the department's 'ability to rapidly and effectively deploy the best systems to the warfighter,' he said in a memo on Wednesday.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump pardons former Army officer court-martialed for refusing COVID shot, rules
President Trump on Thursday pardoned a former Army officer who was convicted by a military court martial for refusing to follow the Pentagon's COVID-19 safety rules. Former Lt. Mark Bashaw was discharged from the Army in 2022 during the Biden administration after he would not take the COVID-19 shot and then refused to work remotely. Bashaw also would not submit a coronavirus test before reporting for office, and he would not wear a face mask indoors. The Pentagon had required such measures of all service members should they decline the mandated vaccine, and Bashaw was found guilty by a military judge for failing to comply. But Trump on Thursday pardoned Bashaw along with a slew of other individuals, including a former Chicago gang leader and reality TV stars convicted on tax evasion and bank fraud charges. Starting in August 2021, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin required the COVID-19 shot for troops, sailors and airmen, arguing at the time that the mandate was critical to keeping U.S. forces healthy and ready to fight. The Pentagon later dropped the rule in January 2023 as the pandemic waned. The mandate forced out thousands of service members who were involuntarily discharged after refusing the shot, but Bashaw — at the time company commander of the Army Public Health Center's headquarters at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. — marked the first service member to be tried by a court martial over the Pentagon's rules. He claimed the court martial happened because he 'refused to participate with lies,' according to a 2023 post to social platform X. Though the judge who oversaw his trial didn't hand down any punishment, the conviction gave Bashaw a criminal record. Trump's pardon wipes out that record. Weeks after his inauguration, Trump took executive action in January to begin reinstating service members who refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as mandated by the Defense Department under former President Biden. Trump in a Jan. 27 executive order stipulated that the booted service members could be brought back with full back pay and benefits, with an easier medical screening. The Pentagon last month started to try to woo back to the military the service members who left. 'They never should have had to leave military service, and the department is committed to assisting them in their return,' said Tim Dill, the Defense Department's acting deputy undersecretary of personnel and readiness. The former military members dismissed from the ranks have the option to be reinstated, but it's unclear how successful the effort will be given that the military branches found that many of the veterans who left had moved on with their lives. As of early April, only about 100 of the more than 8,700 individuals ousted chose to rejoin. It is not clear if Bashaw is seeking to be reinstated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump is getting the military parade he wanted in his first term
A member of the US Army 'Golden Knights' parachute team descends onto the Ellipse in front of the White House in Washington, July 4, 2020. (NYT) WASHINGTON: In President Donald Trump's first term, the Pentagon opposed his desire for a military parade in Washington, wanting to keep the armed forces out of politics. But in Trump's second term, that guardrail has vanished. There will be a parade this year, and on the president's 79th birthday, no less. The current plan involves a tremendous scene in the center of Washington: 28 M1A1 Abrams tanks (at 70 tons each for the heaviest in service); 28 Stryker armored personnel carriers; more than 100 other vehicles; a World War II-era B-25 bomber; 6,700 soldiers; 50 helicopters; 34 horses; two mules; and a dog. But critics say it is another example of how Trump has politicized the military. The Army estimates the cost at $25 million to $45 million. But it could be higher because the Army has promised to fix any city streets that the parade damages, plus the cost of cleanup and police are not yet part of the estimate. While $45 million is a tiny fraction of Trump's proposed Pentagon budget of $1.01 trillion for fiscal year 2026, it comes as the administration seeks to slash funding for education, health and public assistance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo "It's a lot of money," the Army spokesperson Steve Warren acknowledged. "But I think that amount of money is dwarfed by 250 years of service and sacrifice by America's Army." The Army is not calling the event a birthday parade for Trump. It is the Army's birthday parade. The Continental Army was officially formed on June 14, 1775, so June 14 will mark 250 years. That also happens to be Trump's birthday. There was no big parade in Washington back when the Army turned 200 in 1975, when Vietnam War scars were still raw. While smaller commemorations were held at Army bases around the country, complete with dinner dances, barbershop quartets and cake cutting, few people were looking to glorify the military so soon after the Kent State shootings. Besides, the country was gearing up for big bicentennial celebrations the next year. If things were going to be similarly low-key this time around, Fort Myer, across the Potomac in Arlington, Virginia, might be an ideal location, "where the Old Guard could march with some veterans," said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the leading Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, in a reference to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Army's oldest active duty infantry unit. "But this is Trump," Reed added, speaking to reporters last week at the Defense Writers Group. "It's consistent with so much of what he's doing." Army officials say the parade will cross in front of Trump's viewing stand on Constitution Avenue, near the White House, on the evening of Saturday, June 14, part of a big bash on the National Mall. There will be marching troops who will be housed in two government buildings, officials say. They will sleep on military cots and bring their own sleeping bags, a topic of much merriment on late-night television. There will be Paladins, the huge self-propelled howitzers, and nods to vintage style. Army officials want to outfit some troops in uniforms from the wars of long ago, like the one in 1812 or the Spanish-American War. For more than two years, the Army has been planning national, global and even interstellar aspects of the celebration -- an Army astronaut on the International Space Station will be phoning in, Warren said. But those planned celebrations focused on festivals, a postal stamp, various fun runs, military bands and the like. At some point this year, Army officials said, a military parade in Washington appeared in the plans. Still, officials say there are no plans at the moment to sing "Happy Birthday" to Trump, or to the Army, during the parade. One plan does, however, call for paratroopers from the Golden Knights, the Army parachute team, to land amid the festivities and hand Trump a flag. In 2017 during his first term, Trump watched the Bastille Day parade in Paris with President Emmanuel Macron of France and returned home wanting his own. But the Trump 1.0 Pentagon shut him down. Jim Mattis, the defense secretary at the time, said he would "rather swallow acid," according to "Holding the Line," a book by Guy Snodgrass, Mattis' former speechwriter. "We're all aware in this country of the president's affection and respect for the military," Mattis said tersely when reporters asked about Trump's wishes. "We have been putting together some options. We will send them up to the White House for decision." Gen. Paul J. Selva, then the vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Trump during a meeting at the Pentagon that military parades were "what dictators do," according to "The Divider," by Peter Baker, a New York Times reporter, and Susan Glasser. When Mattis was gone, Trump brought up the idea again. Mattis' successor, Mark T. Esper, responded with an "air parade" as part of July 4 celebrations in 2020, Pentagon officials said. An array of fighter jets and other warplanes flew down the East Coast over cities that played roles in the American Revolution, including Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Officials in Trump's first Defense Department resisted his parade suggestion -- it was never a direct order -- because they viewed it as putting the military in the middle of politics, something the Pentagon historically has been loath to do. But now Trump has Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and military leaders who have been more willing to put his musings into action. This "raises the question, 'Is the U.S. military celebrating Trump?'" said Risa Brooks, an associate professor of political science at Marquette University. "Having tanks rolling down streets of the capital doesn't look like something consistent with the tradition of a professional, highly capable military," Brooks said in an interview. "It looks instead like a military that is politicized and turning inwardly, focusing on domestic oriented adversaries instead of external ones." There have been big American military parades in the past, but the last one was almost 35 years ago, to commemorate the end of the first Gulf War. Military parades in the United States have traditionally followed the end of major conflicts, such as the Civil War and the two World Wars. There were also military parades during three presidential inaugurations during the Cold War. And small-town festivities also sometimes commemorate the military with a few armored vehicles and troops. "I don't actually see the problem with a military parade," said Kori Schake, a former defense official in the George W. Bush administration who directs foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Schake said more Americans need to see the troops who serve the country. "If seeing our fellow Americans in uniform encourages public knowledge and connection, or inspires volunteering, it would be beneficial," she said. At the end of the day, "the military won't die on this hill even if they do not like it," said Peter Feaver, a political-science professor at Duke University who has studied the military for decades. "Trump's 2.0 team is better at giving the president what he wants whether or not it is best in the long run."
Korea Herald
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Pentagon chief Hegseth stresses focus on deterring China ahead of Singapore visit
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday reiterated America's push to work together with Indo-Pacific allies to achieve "peace through strength" and deter an assertive China while stressing the United States seeks "no conflict with anybody." Hegseth made the remarks at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland as he departed for Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual premier defense forum, and other bilateral and multilateral meetings on its sidelines in the city-state. "We seek no conflict with anybody, including the communist Chinese, but we will deter that," the secretary told reporters. "We will stand strong for our interests, and that's a big part of what this trip is all about." The Pentagon chief underscored Washington's focus on working together with regional allies to promote peace while noting, "The ambitions of the communist Chinese grew. "Under this administration, we will achieve peace and deterrence through strength," he said. "That's by working by, with and through allies and partners, specifically in the Indo-Pacific. It's been a focus of ours from the beginning, and it will continue to be." The Financial Times reported that Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun will not join the Shangri-La Dialogue. On Saturday, Hegseth plans to deliver plenary remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue. With the forum to take place just days ahead of South Korea's June 3 presidential vote, Seoul's acting Defense Minister Kim Sun-ho decided not to join it. Instead, Deputy Defense Minister for Policy Cho Chang-rae is expected to partake. Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun has reported that the United States, Australia, Japan and the Philippines have been in talks to arrange a four-way defense ministerial meeting on the margins of the forum in the city-state. (Yonhap)
The Hill
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump escalates war of words on Putin
The Big Story President Trump and Russian officials are engaged in a war of words, a sign of escalating tensions between the two powers. © Illustration / Courtney Jones; Associated Press; and Adobe Stock The tit-for-tat comes as Trump grows increasingly frustrated over the lack of progress toward a ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump has posted in recent days on social media that Russian President Vladimir Putin had gone 'absolutely CRAZY' and warned he was 'playing with fire' with continued strikes on Ukrainian cities. Moscow, meanwhile, has issued coy responses to Trump as it carries out deadly strikes against Kyiv, cautioning the U.S. president against 'emotional overload' and warning that the only bad outcome would be 'WWIII.' Lawmakers from both parties have used the shift in tone to urge Trump to take a tougher stance through sanctions on Russia, while experts argue it is still unclear whether the president will match his stronger rhetoric with action. 'We're going to find out whether he's tapping us along or not. And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently. But it will take about a week and a half, two weeks,' Trump told reporters Wednesday when asked if he thought Putin wanted to end the war. Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022 after amassing troops near the border for weeks. Tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides of the conflict have been killed in more than three years since. Trump campaigned in 2024 on a pledge that he would end the war in Ukraine before even taking the oath of office. But he has found it more difficult than expected to strike a peace deal, and he has lashed out in recent months at both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump aides have met separately with officials from both Russia and Ukraine, and Russian and Ukrainian officials spoke directly earlier this month for the first time since the war began. While Ukrainian leaders have said they would back a 30-day ceasefire, Russia has not shown a serious interest in any kind of pause in fighting. In recent days, Trump's ire has been directed mostly at Putin. Trump has in the past drawn intense scrutiny from Democrats for his friendly approach to the Russian leader and his desire for good relations with Moscow. But Trump's patience appeared to be wearing thin as Putin launched a barrage of strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent days while the U.S. pushed for a detente. 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: Trump pardons former Army officer court-martialed for refusing COVID shot, rules President Trump on Thursday pardoned a former Army officer who was convicted by a military court martial for refusing to follow the Pentagon's COVID-19 safety rules. Former Lt. Mark Bashaw was discharged from the Army in 2022 during the Biden administration after he would not take the COVID-19 shot and then refused to work remotely. Bashaw also would not submit a coronavirus test before reporting for office, and he would not … Hegseth orders review of military homeschooling support Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed a review of the Pentagon's support for military families who choose to homeschool their kids, according to a memo released Tuesday. The review, ordered May 15, calls for officials to look at 'current support for homeschooling military-connected families, as well as best practices, including the feasibility of providing facilities or access to other resources for those students.' Hegseth … Defense Department ends DOGE-initiated weekly activity reports Defense Department civilian employees will no longer have to submit a weekly 'five things' productivity reports that were imposed in February, during billionaire Elon Musk's run overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency. Instead of the reports, the Pentagon told employees in an email on Friday, they must submit by Wednesday each week at least one idea to either curtail waste or help improve efficiency in the … Trump: Canada 'considering' free Golden Dome for its statehood President Trump said on Tuesday that Canada is 'considering' his offer of joining the United States as the 51st state in exchange for no-cost protection by the proposed 'Golden Dome' missile defense system. 'I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: FBI investigating leaked Supreme Court decision, cocaine at White House The FBI's No. 2 official said Monday the agency had either reopened or shifted resources toward 'a number of cases of potential public corruption,' including the leaked Supreme Court draft decision on abortion and an incident involving cocaine found at the White House during former … 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: Court of International Trade blocks Trump's tariffs in sweeping ruling A federal court ruled Wednesday that an emergency law does not provide President Trump with unilateral authority to impose tariffs on nearly every … Read more Rubio says US will be revoking Chinese student visas, those with 'Chinese Communist Party' ties or 'studying in critical fields' Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday announced the United States will begin revoking visas from Chinese students, including 'those with … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. 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