Trump signs $738B defense bill creating Space Force
President Donald Trump signed a $738 billion defense bill into law, establishing the Space Force in a compromise with Democrats to grant federal employees 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
Pentagon
House Passes $1.4 Trillion Federal Spending Bill
The Democratic-controlled House voted Tuesday to pass a $1.4 trillion government-wide spending package, handing President Donald Trump a victory on his U.S.-Mexico border fence while giving Democrats spending increases across a swath of domestic programs.
Senate sends Trump defense bill with federal parental leave, ‘Space Force’ authorization
The Senate on Tuesday voted to send to President Donald Trump an annual defense policy bill that combines a $738 billion Pentagon budget blueprint with legislation to provide federal employees with 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
Pentagon Tests Long-banned Ballistic Missile over Pacific
The Pentagon on Thursday flight-tested a missile that had been banned under a treaty that the United States and Russia abandoned last summer. Some U.S. arms control advocates said the test risks an unnecessary arms race with Moscow.
House passes ‘progressive’ defense bill, 377-48
In a strong bipartisan vote, the House passed a compromise defense policy bill that authorizes a new Space Force and $738 billion for the Pentagon, but a small but vocal group of Democrats voted against it because of the absence of new war powers restrictions, arms control language and border wall mandates. The vote was 377-48.
Federal judge blocks billions in Pentagon funding from paying for border wall
A federal judge has blocked President Trump from diverting Pentagon funds from various military projects toward building a wall on the United States’ southern border.
Lawmakers Reach Deal on Defense Bill, Establishing US Space Force
Lawmakers reached an agreement on Dec. 9 for a compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes $738 billion for the Department of Defense to set national defense policy—as well as the authorization of the U.S. Space Force.
ISIS rebuilds in Syria after Turkish incursion and U.S. drawdown, Pentagon watchdog says
The Islamic State militant group used the drawdown of U.S. troops from Syria and the Turkish incursion to regroup and strengthen its abilities to plan terror attacks abroad — and will likely rebound from the death of leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a new internal report from the Defense Department’s watchdog says.
U.S. releases Baghdadi raid video, warns of likely retribution attack
The Pentagon on Wednesday released its first images from last weekend’s commando raid in Syria that led to the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and warned the militant group may attempt to stage a ‘retribution attack.’
Pentagon Plans To Bolster Forces In Northeast Syria To Protect Oil Fields From Islamic State
The Pentagon says it will bolster the U.S. military presence in a northeastern region of Syria to prevent potentially resurgent Islamic State (IS) extremists from seizing the oil fields.
US forces unharmed after coming under fire in Syria
U.S. special operations forces located in Syria came under fire Friday but did not sustain any casualties, the Pentagon has confirmed.
F-15s, air defense systems and thousands of U.S. troops heading to Saudi Arabia
The Pentagon is sending Air Force F-15s, new air defense systems and other assets — along with the thousands of U.S. troops needed to operate and maintain them — to Saudi Arabia.
House Democrats Subpoena Pentagon, Prepare to Depose Sondland in Impeachment Inquiry
Three U.S. House of Representatives committees are set to question Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, on Tuesday to find out more about the interactions between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian officials.
US deploys air defense systems, troops to Saudi Arabia
The US is sending a Patriot missile battery and four ground-based radar systems to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said Thursday, in what officials describe as the first steps to help the kingdom protect itself against Iranian attacks.
Military wants to use gene editing to protect troops against chemical and biological weapons
The Pentagon’s research agency wants to explore the possibility of editing a soldier’s genetic makeup to protect against chemical and biological attacks.
U.S. Army banks on artificial intelligence to beat China and Russia
A key piece of the Pentagon’s plan to beat China and Russia in the high-stakes artificial intelligence race lies inside a research facility along the Allegheny River here, where a small but select U.S. Army team has been tasked with creating the weapons, vehicles and sensors needed for 21st-century combat.
White House mulling military options against Iran ranging from cyberattacks to war
A White House meeting Friday will see Pentagon officials present President Trump with ‘a broad range of military options’ targeting Iran, AP reports.
Pentagon to send troops to bolster Saudi defenses after attack
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday approved sending American troops to bolster Saudi Arabia’s air and missile defenses after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom’s oil facilities, which Washington has squarely blamed on Iran.
Pentagon To Brief Trump On Potential Military Responses To Attack On Saudi Oil
The Pentagon is set to present a wide range of military options to President Donald Trump as he considers how to respond to an attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry that many in the administration have blamed on Iran.
Border wall, Iran, Space Force among hurdles for $700 billion U.S. defense bill
Disputes between U.S. Republicans and Democrats over President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, Space Force and his ability to launch a war with Iran are among the biggest obstacles Congress faces in passing a massive annual defense policy bill.