Latest news with #PeteHegseth
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Trump administration removes 2,000 national guard troops deployed in LA
The Trump administration said it would scale down its military operation in Los Angeles with the removal of half of the national guard troops that were deployed to the area last month amid protests over the federal government's mass immigration sweeps. Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, ordered the release of 2,000 national guard troops, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday, significantly reducing the military presence in the city. 'Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding,' Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement. 'As such, the Secretary has ordered the release of 2,000 California National Guardsmen from the federal protection mission.' The deployment, which drew widespread outrage and condemnation, was initiated against the wishes of city leaders, including Karen Bass, the mayor, and Gavin Newsom, California's governor. The president deployed the California national guard troops to Los Angeles in June to quell protests triggered by the administration's large-scale immigration crackdown. In late May, demonstrators took to the streets in response to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents that had flooded the city, raiding workplaces and arresting people off the street. Donald Trump soon called 4,000 national guard troops into federal service and also deployed about 700 US marines in order to protect federal property and personnel, the administration said. Newsom, who said the president's actions amounted to illegal overreach and were unconstitutional, sued to stop the deployment. A US appeals court allowed Trump to retain control of California's national guard. But his decision to send troops into Los Angeles prompted a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and inflamed political tension in the country's second-most-populous city. Along with guarding federal buildings, military personnel accompanied immigration enforcement agents and other federal officials in the region. The Pentagon had defended the deployment, saying safeguarding Ice agents ensures they can do their jobs. The operations have upended life for many in the region, which has large immigrant population. One LA area mayor, a Marine veteran, described Ice activities in the area as a 'campaign of domestic terror' and 'psychological warfare' against residents. Federal immigration authorities conducted mass arrests of immigrants, showing up at parks, car washes and farms, sometimes taking US citizens into custody. Last week a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in seven California counties, including Los Angeles. After the withdrawal of the 2,000 military personnel from Los Angeles, 2,000 national guard troops will remain in the city along with the roughly 700 marines.
Politico
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Dispatch From a Den of Evil Globalism
ASPEN, Colorado — The national security elites gathered in this mountain retreat this week are finding themselves playing defense about their beliefs, motivations and patriotism — and whether they even deserve attention from the people in power. It's a result of the Trump administration's 11th hour decision to pull nearly all of its speakers from the annual Aspen Security Forum, with the Pentagon alleging that the gathering 'promotes the evil of globalism.' Many of the current and former officials I've spoken to here have wielded enough influence and dealt with enough criticism in their careers that at first, they responded to the administration's move with eye-rolls and words such as 'moronic.' Some questioned, in genuine frustration, what the administration means by 'globalism.' That America can ignore the world? Others suggested it is all a performative stunt by the administration, or at least Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to gain favor with a MAGA base angry over issues like the Jeffrey Epstein case. Still, attendees and organizers aren't completely dismissing the Trump attack, which could be just the first of more assaults on the event and those like it. The president has gone after a range of U.S. institutions at an impressive pace, and many are bending, not least because businesses and other factions that care what the U.S. president thinks can pull funding. But the people here are making an argument in return: If President Donald Trump and his team are willing to snub an event like the Aspen forum, it means government officials are increasingly sealing themselves off from outside opinions. Doing so could hamper the administration's efforts to achieve its national security goals. No matter how much the MAGA-heavy administration may dislike the Aspen conference, attendees argue, it is at least a place to stress-test ideas to make sure they're viable. What Trump's team is doing is 'what autocrats do — they don't want to hear criticism,' one foreign lawmaker said. 'I think sometimes they are nervous about engaging in a real debate about their policies,' a former Biden administration official said. 'It's not healthy.' On issues ranging from how Trump's tariffs will affect America's international alliances to the U.S. strategy on Taiwan, many in the national security space fear the president is not receiving the broad spectrum of advice he needs, and that increasingly neither are his underlings. It's especially foolish to reject ideas from the opposing political party, some said. One example is Trump's refusal — until, apparently, recently — to appreciate Russian leader Vladimir Putin's unwillingness to give up his desire to subsume Ukraine. The worries are reverberating in the top echelons of America's overseas allies. 'It's always better to engage, because real life is not binary,' a foreign minister told me. I granted nearly everyone I spoke to anonymity so they could be candid and because many told me they feared the Trump administration would retaliate against them. Some need to engage with the administration professionally; others fear losing clients. Aspen bills itself as America's 'premier national security and foreign policy conference,' and it increasingly is a destination for government officials from all over the world, as well as the D.C. set. More than a dozen Trump administration members had been slated to appear on various panels; most represented the Defense Department in some capacity, including Navy Secretary John Phelan. But on Monday, the day before the four-day conference began, the Pentagon announced it was pulling all of its people. Aside from the globalism claim, the Pentagon accused the forum of showing 'disdain for our great country, and hatred for the president.' Aspen organizers deny such allegations, noting their institution is nonpartisan, and they say their invitation to the Trump officials remains open. Trump aides might even win some converts to their America First views if they showed up, attendees and organizers hinted. The theme of the forum this year revolves around letting go of assumptions, an obvious nod to Trump's earth-shaking second term. 'A lot of what's happening in the world is making all of us who are experts in this field reassess our assumptions, and so actually engaging with people who think differently helps you do that, right?' Anja Manuel, the forum's executive director, told me. Even after the, umm, military withdrawal, the forum could still point to two Trump officials on its agenda: Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey who also is dealing with the Syria file; and Adam Boehler, the special envoy tasked with retrieving American hostages held abroad. But then Barrack pulled out, officially due to a need to respond to new violence in Syria. If Boehler shows up, I guess we should be relieved that there's still bipartisan agreement the U.S. should try to save its hostages. The executive branch presence here is smaller than the norm across past administrations, including during Trump's first term. The secretary of State and the national security adviser tend to show up to Aspen. Not this time, and it's the same guy. The forum in this Colorado ski town is designed to allow for an exchange of views in a relaxing setting. Many of the conversations happen off-stage, and the leafy, mountainous views are indeed calming. The security forum, whose events are live-streamed, is also held right before a meeting of the Aspen Strategy Group where more unfiltered debate can happen. The latter is a private gathering, but it includes people from both political parties, including some Republicans who served in Trump's first term and who for the most part today are not seen as MAGA-worthy. Organizers told me they invited a slew of Trump administration officials to attend the strategy group as well as the forum, but for now, no current administration officials are expected to show up to the strategy group either. Are the public forum and the private strategy group gatherings of elites? Well … yes. Do they skew more left than right? Yes, especially in the Trump era. Something about all that probably frustrates the populist strain that animates much of Trump's MAGA movement. But it's getting harder in an increasingly polarized country to stage any events where top players in the national security field can exchange ideas across ideological lines, particularly in private settings where participants don't have to worry about nasty headlines about their proposals. If Republicans, under pressure from Trump, decide they shouldn't show up to forums such as Aspen, 'where is the place where smart liberals and conservatives can have a debate?' the former Biden administration official asked. Early in the first Trump administration, the Aspen forum drew several top officials, including then-CIA chief (and later Secretary of State) Mike Pompeo. As the years went by, the forum struggled to bring in Trump types, especially as the president's America First MAGA base grew more empowered over the traditional denizens. Pompeo, for instance, was staunchly loyal to Trump but is now viewed with suspicion by the MAGA faction. Republicans still involved in Aspen events, including those who worked for Trump in his first term, tend to be more the George W. Bush-era types who believe the U.S. should not retreat from the world. Aspen organizers told me they tried hard to get as much Trump representation as they could this year. And while most of the Trump military types who'd signed up were likely to be cautious (those in uniform in particular almost never say anything startling), they would nonetheless have offered a window into the administration's thinking, the topic that most interests many in the audience here. The Aspen forum also tends to draw many tech, cyber and other business leaders whose views the Trump administration might find helpful. Besides, had Hegseth's 'warfighters' been allowed to attend, they would have found that the Aspen forum is not exactly the Colosseum of such confabs. Its moderators press panelists, but they rarely go for the kill. I once published a piece suggesting some spicier questions for Aspen's moderators. It's still something of a mystery exactly who in the administration decided to pull the plug on its Aspen line-up. I asked the White House, the Pentagon and the State Department that question. The only real answer I received was from a White House official, granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, who said, 'We did not direct anyone to pull their speakers.' As conference attendees munched on paella and other treats this week, some wondered if the Pentagon, knowing the Trump team lacks a formal national security strategy, was worried that one of its representatives might say something that could irk the president. Others theorized that the Trump administration is trying to send a warning to all such conferences in an effort to reshape their programs more in the MAGA mold. When I asked Aspen organizers if they would change their program in response to a potential such demand, they declined to answer. Either way, the Trump administration's voice is nearly silent at a major gathering of national security thinkers, some of whom might even be useful allies on some issues. It is, a former senior U.S. intelligence official told me, a missed opportunity.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Military Trains To Defend Panama Canal From China Threat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States has trained for the defense of the Panama Canal during a joint exercise with the Central American country amid concerns over China's growing presence in the region. The exercise, code-named PANAMAX-Alpha Phase I and scheduled from July 13 to 18, was designed to "reinforce preparation for threats to the security of the Panama Canal and other strategic infrastructure," according to the National Aeronaval Service of Panama. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth previously warned of China's expanding military and economic presence and influence in the Western Hemisphere—a region long viewed as the U.S.'s backyard, which includes Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The Pentagon chief's warning follows U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that China "operates" the Panama Canal, a waterway vital to global trade. The canal, which the U.S. built, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and has been under Panama's control since 1999. Facing pressure from the Trump administration, Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison agreed in March to sell its stake in Panama's ports at the canal's Pacific and Atlantic entrances to an American-led consortium. Trump later declared victory over the $23 billion acquisition. What To Know The Joint Task Force-Bravo of the U.S. Southern Command deployed three helicopters—two UH-60 Black Hawk and one CH-47 Chinook aircraft—for the exercise, which took place at three air bases in Panama, according to the National Aeronaval Service of Panama. Panamanian soldiers sitting in a United States CH-47 Chinook helicopter during PANAMAX-Alpha Phase I at Panama Pacifico International Airport on July 14. Panamanian soldiers sitting in a United States CH-47 Chinook helicopter during PANAMAX-Alpha Phase I at Panama Pacifico International Airport on July 14. Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert/U.S. Air Force The exercise included boarding and disembarkation operations, fast-rope insertion, rescue crane extraction, and maritime platform communication—all carried out with "full respect for national sovereignty," Panama's National Aeronaval Service said in a statement. In a set of photos released on Monday, Panamanian soldiers were seen riding in a CH-47 helicopter during the exercise. Joint Task Force-Bravo said the drill was designed to enhance the countries' ability to conduct multinational operations, "particularly to defend the Panama Canal." The Southern Command is one of the Pentagon's combatant commands, responsible for "providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation" within its area of responsibility—a region that includes Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The Joint Task Force-Bravo was established to enhance security in Central America and to defend the U.S. homeland and national interests. The unit has been conducting missions for more than 40 years, making it the longest-standing joint task force in the U.S. military. Meanwhile, U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 25th Infantry Division arrived in Panama to advance joint security efforts between the two nations, including site surveys for potential future training locations, the U.S. Southern Command said in a news release on Wednesday. What People Are Saying The Joint Task Force-Bravo of the U.S. Southern Command said in a photo caption on Monday: "By working with partner nations and leadership regionally, the U.S. creates unity of effort in addressing shared challenges such as transboundary and transregional criminality and region security." U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced at the 2025 Central American Security Conference in April: "We're also expanding training—military training, increased military education and exchanges, and conducting more robust joint exercises. We're going to increase cooperation to deter threats, to seize opportunities to bolster our shared defense." What Happens Next It remains to be seen how the U.S. military will further expand its presence across Central and South America. A U.S. naval hospital ship, USNS Comfort, has been conducting a medical mission known as Continuing Promise 2025 in the region since May 30.
San Francisco Chronicle
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Metallica forces Pentagon to remove drone video using ‘Enter Sandman'
Metallica forced the Pentagon to pull a promotional video last week after the band's 1991 hit 'Enter Sandman' was used without permission to promote military drone warfare. The original clip, posted July 10 on X, featured Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declaring, 'We're in the fight to win it,' as he signed a memo titled Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance. 'This afternoon, representatives from X reached out to DoD regarding a video posted to our social media page and asked that the video be removed due to a copyright issue with the song 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica,' a Pentagon spokesperson said. 'The video has been taken down, corrected, and re-uploaded to our page.' Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance @DOGE — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) July 11, 2025 Metallica confirmed the track had been used without authorization. The band, known for fiercely protecting its intellectual property — including its landmark lawsuit against Napster in 2000 — has previously asked the U.S. military not to use its music in interrogations. The incident adds Metallica to a long list of artists, including the White Stripes, Rihanna and Bruce Springsteen, who have objected to the Trump administration's unauthorized use of their work in political or government media. Meanwhile, Metallica's charitable foundation, All Within My Hands, announced a $100,000 grant to support flood relief efforts in Texas. The funds will aid Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen in providing medical supplies and meals to communities devastated by the flash floods that claimed at least 121 lives earlier this month.
Sky News AU
16 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Richard Marles swats away need for meeting with Pentagon policy chief, claims US-Australia relationship ‘strongest it's ever been'
Defence Minister Richard Marles has remained defiant, claiming the United States-Australia relationship is the 'strongest it's ever been' despite mounting pressure from the Pentagon to considerably boost defence spending. As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tours China spruiking increased trade and collaboration on decarbonisation efforts, strategic analysts have argued the US-Australia alliance is in a critical condition, which the government vehemently denies. There is intensifying rancour in Washington over Australia's stagnant defence budget, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly demanding that Australia increase its spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product 'as soon as possible'. Under Secretary of defence policy Eldridge Colby, who is currently leading the Trump administrations review into the AUKUS submarine agreement, also hit the alliance with another curveball after demanding for Australia to pre-commit US-supplied submarines in the event of a potential conflict between China and Taiwan. Mr Colby, who last year labelled himself an AUKUS 'agnostic', has recently met with a range of Asia-Pacific leaders including South Korea, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea with the Defence Minister questioned when he had last spoken to the top US strategist. In response to Sky News host Peter Stefanovic, Mr Marles dismissed why he would hold discussions with the Pentagon policy chief when he had been 'talking with Elbridge Colby's boss', that being Mr Hegseth. 'The answer to that question would be I've met with Pete Hegseth on a couple of occasions and spoken extensively with him about our relationship, including AUKUS,' Mr Marles said. Although Mr Colby is pioneering the US' review into the AUKUS pact, which has now passed its slated 30-day deadline, Mr Marles insisted that: 'I engage with my counterpart, and my counterpart is the Secretary of Defence.' Despite a raft of geostrategic experts sounding the alarm about the dire state of relations between the US and Australia, Mr Marles proceeded to boast that Australia's relationship with the 'United States the strongest it's ever been'. 'I was the first international counterpart that Pete Hegseth the Secretary of Defence met with, the first in the world and I met with him again in Singapore at the Shangri La dialogue,' Mr Marles said. When asked if Mr Colby was deliberately agitating the relationship, the Defence Minister resoundingly rejected the assertion and said there had been 'a lot speculated, but the fundamentals here are that we're talking about three countries who have worked very closely together'. Meanwhile, foreign editor at The Australian, Greg Sheridan, lashed the Prime Minister for opting to travel to China for six days at a time when Australia's relationship with the US is in a precarious position. 'I think what on earth was going through the Prime Minister's mind to agree to a six-day trip to China while Operation Talisman Sabre was being conducted in Australia when the Australia-US alliance is under more strain and under more neglect from both sides,' Mr Sheridan said. The foreign affairs expert also stated that Mr Colby had been 'marginally misinterpreted' on his submarine pre-commitment request, and that he was 'probably asking more for joint planning than a commitment to go to war'. 'All the other questions that Elbridge Colby is asking about AUKUS are valid questions and they're critical of his own nation, he's saying even the Americans are not building enough nuclear submarines," he said.
