Threats

USAID shutoff will hurt US interests around the globe, including Ukraine

The end of USAID is a win for China and Russia.

  • Patrick Tucker
Policy

Ethics concerns surround Musk's dual role as defense CEO, federal employee

The SpaceX leader's DOGE work may violate criminal conflict-of-interest statutes, one ethics expert said.

  • Natalie Alms and Nick Wakeman
Threats

The D Brief: China’s retaliatory tariffs; ‘Constitutional crisis’ in DC; ‘No improvement’ in F-35 software; Latest natsec nominees; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Policy

‘Offensive bullshit’: Dem lawmakers slam Trump's ‘illegal’ USAID moves

Elon Musk's attempt to gut the congressionally established U.S. Agency for International Development is "unconstitutional," Democratic lawmakers said.

  • Frank Konkel
Ideas

Trump’s tariffs fit a growing global trend of hardball migration diplomacy

Such diplomacy works both ways, but richer countries by and large have the upper hand.

  • Nicholas R. Micinski, The Conversation
Threats

The D Brief: Crash update; May or June for next budget?; Navy’s nimble combat tuneups; China’s big new military HQ; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Science & Tech

Trump’s ‘Iron Dome for America’ plan would put weapons in space, at a big cost

It’s a Cold War concept for a mission whose threats and tools have long since changed.

  • Patrick Tucker
Threats

The D Brief: Army helo, airliner collide; Trump orders Gitmo expansion; Natsec moves, polled; How DeepSeek may change military AI; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Policy

Feds shouldn't take ‘deferred resignation’ offer, warn employee groups, Democrats, experts

They say the purported severance package may lack a legal underpinning—and that Trump and Musk have been accused of reneging on promises to employees.

  • Eric Katz and Erich Wagner
Threats

The D Brief: WH offers buyout to Feds; F-35 crash in Alaska; Army contracting update; Trump and Hegseth vs. Milley; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Audrey Decker
Policy

Trump offers a buyout to all Defense civilians, other federal workers

How such a massive "deferred resignation" program would work in practice is unclear, both logistically and legally.

  • Erich Wagner
Threats

The D Brief: NATO’s Baltic problem; Denmark ups military spending; MADIS vs. drones; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Meghann Myers and Audrey Decker
Policy

Air Force promises it’s ‘faithfully’ executing Trump’s orders

Gen. Allvin aimed to “dispel a rumor” regarding the removal of training materials related to Tuskegee Airmen and WASPs.

  • Audrey Decker
Threats

The D Brief: SecDef Hegseth’s first day; Trump’s deportation spat with Colombia; Trump’s DOD vs. DEI; Ukraine’s front-line shakeup; China’s new AI ‘breakthrough’?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Patrick Tucker and Bradley Peniston
Policy

Trump fires multiple agency inspectors general—without proper notice, watchdogs say

At least a dozen were removed, including the IGs for the departments of Defense, State, and Energy, the Washington Post reported.

  • Sean Michael Newhouse
Policy

Hegseth confirmed as defense secretary in tie-breaker vote

The controversial Pentagon chief has pledged to be “laser-focused on warfighting.”

  • Meghann Myers
Policy

Memo details DOD's 10-day social-media pause

Border-related posts are excepted during the hiatus, which will be used to “refocus communications” around Trump’s priorities, the memo says.

  • Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Hegseth’s $50K payout; Trump to NATO: spend 5% of GDP; DOD telework, cancelled; Boeing’s new losses; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Policy

NATO spending increase could help Ukraine, and possibly US armsmakers

Biden, Trump teams reportedly discussed an arrangement under which NATO's European members would buy U.S.-made arms for Ukraine.

  • Patrick Tucker
Policy

Pentagon, agencies must end telework, remote work in 30 days, OPM says

There are exceptions for military spouses and employees with disabilities in the policy, which DOGE leaders have touted as a way to shrink the federal civilian workforce.

  • Erich Wagner
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