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Defense Department

All articles tagged with #defense department

politics7 hours ago•7 min saved

Hegseth Pushes to Slash Civilian-Protection Program as Casualties Mount

ProPublica reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked top commanders to vote on drastic cuts to the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) program; commanders largely rejected eliminating it, with some urging full staffing. Hegseth ultimately gutted CHMR, cutting funding, but follow-up memos and rising civilian casualties in Yemen and Iran have spurred a partial revival and reboot at reduced staffing, signaling a potential return of the program amid congressional pressure and debates over legal and moral obligations to minimize civilian harm.

via ProPublica|

#central-command #chmr #civilian-casualties

politics5 days ago•199 min saved

Iran War casualties rise: Pentagon updates U.S. wounded past 750

The Defense Department says more than 750 U.S. service members have been wounded since the Iran conflict began on Feb. 28, with the latest totals showing 18 killed and 757 wounded when combining the DCAS Overseas Operations and Operation Epic Fury data. The Pentagon created the Overseas Operations category on July 7 to capture such casualties, and past reporting disruptions had briefly altered tallies. The update comes as talks with Tehran stall and President Trump pauses negotiations while tensions remain high.

via CNN|

#casualties #defense-department #iran-war

politics7 days ago•109 min saved

Hegseth Eyes 2028 Run, Sparking GOP Tension Beyond the Pentagon

Sources say Pete Hegseth is plotting a future White House bid, with his Iowa trip fueling speculation after he campaigned for GOP candidates in Iowa, South Carolina, and Kentucky. The Defense Secretary’s office says the trip was in a personal capacity, but the idea of a sitting cabinet member pursuing a political campaign is unusual. The story also frames potential tensions with Trump within MAGA politics and notes past controversies surrounding Hegseth as he weighs a possible run.

via The Daily Beast|

#defense-department #donald-trump #pentagon

politics12 days ago•103 min saved

Tillis Demands Bipartisan Pentagon Briefings After Hegseth Exclusion

Sen. Thom Tillis criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for excluding Democrats from classified Pentagon briefings, warning that such brevity could backfire if Democratic votes are needed to pass funding; Tillis urged a bipartisan briefing for all 100 senators as Hegseth pushes large defense-budget requests amid Iran-related tensions, while noting Tillis’s own role in a forthcoming memoir critical of Trumpworld. The Pentagon says it works with Congress to fund the armed services and that Hegseth and other senior officials regularly engage with lawmakers, with the department seeking roughly $1.5 trillion from Congress.

via The Daily Beast|

#defense-department #democrats #pentagon

politics19 days ago•106 min saved

Pentagon Pete Faces Fire Over Alleged Yemen Civilian-Casualty Cover-Up

The Daily Beast reports that NBC sources say three April Yemen airstrikes, part of Operation Rough Rider, likely killed around 150 civilians and wounded 200, contradicting the Pentagon’s public denial of civilian casualties. Amnesty International condemns the White House and Pentagon for a lack of transparency as lawmakers press for answers, and leaked documents show casualty tallies being revised or reclassified in a way that could obscure the true toll amid Trump-era military actions. The piece frames Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as central to the controversy and notes the Pentagon’s ongoing comment requests.

via The Daily Beast|

#amnesty-international #defense-department #donald-j-trump

politics20 days ago•104 min saved

Pentagon Pete Pushes for More Cash as Iran War Drains U.S. Stockpiles

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pressing Congress for additional funding after the Pentagon says the Iran war has exhausted its stockpiles and long-range missiles, with about $67 billion requested to replace losses; Republicans were briefed in a closed session while Democrats were largely left out, as officials warn that readiness could suffer as the conflict drags on far beyond the president’s initial promise of a quick “few weeks.”

via thedailybeast.com|

#defense-department #donald-j-trump #iran

politics20 days ago•108 min saved

Trump’s Iran War drains U.S. missile stockpiles as Pentagon scrambles for funds

The Daily Beast reports that Trump’s war with Iran has nearly exhausted the U.S. stockpile of long-range missiles, with anonymous Defense Department sources warning this could jeopardize future readiness as Russia and China grow more capable. While Trump touts abundant munitions and has halted strikes, officials say the Pentagon is scrambling for money and ideas, pressing Congress for about $67 billion to plug the budget hole. Iran denies cooperation with the talks, and the situation has sparked market reactions and ongoing tit-for-tat attacks, illustrating mounting strain on U.S. military planning and credibility.

via The Daily Beast|

#defense-department #donald-j-trump #iran

us-news29 days ago•98 min saved

Panetta Slams Trump’s Iran War Secrecy as Deliberate Cover-Up

Former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta alleges the Trump administration is deliberately withholding information about Iran-war casualties, calling the secrecy shameful as the Pentagon releases only partial casualty figures amid calls from lawmakers for greater transparency.

via The Daily Beast|

#defense-department #donald-j-trump #iran-war

politics1 month ago•104 min saved

Data Glitch Shrinks Iran War Death Toll, Prompting Political Firestorm

The Defense Casualty Analysis System briefly removed four U.S. service members’ names from its Iran-war casualty tally, leaving 14 total (7 hostile, 7 non-hostile) instead of the previously reported 18. Pentagon officials cited a “temporary data disruption,” while others said deaths after Trump’s cease-fire may have influenced the changes, prompting renewed criticism of war reporting and political messaging during a dignified transfer ceremony.

via The Daily Beast|

#defense-department #donald-trump #iran

world1 month ago•2 min saved

Queens sergeant now believed to be third U.S. service member killed in Jordan base attack

A 28-year-old Army sergeant from Ozone Park, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, is now believed to be the third U.S. service member killed in the July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. Two other service members, 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, were previously confirmed dead. Rampersad, who enlisted in 2019, served with the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, part of the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade under the 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command in Germany. New York officials mourn her loss; neighbors described her as a church-going, family-oriented person who served her country.

via Gothamist|

#defense-department #jordan-attack #ozone-park

military2 months ago•2 min saved

Military Leaders Sought Flu Shots Ahead of Training-Base Outbreak

Weeks before a flu outbreak swept through an Air Force basic training wing in San Antonio, leaders from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for permission to vaccinate recruits after he lifted the flu vaccine requirement in April; approval arrived on June 16, by which time the outbreak was already underway.

via The New York Times|

#basic-training #defense-department #flu-outbreak

us-military2 months ago•186 min saved

Air Force Restores Flu Shot Mandate as Boot-Camp Flu Surge Unfolds

Amid a growing flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base that sickened about 275 recruits and involved a fatal medical event, the Air Force moved to reinstate the mandatory flu vaccine for basic training after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reversed the policy in April. Exemption requests slowed the process; the mandate was approved on June 11, but the outbreak was already underway, and officials learned June 18 that shots would be required again for incoming trainees.

via CNN|

#basic-training #defense-department #exemptions

politics2 months ago•2 min saved

White House seeks $87.6B in supplemental funding to sustain Iran war and domestic priorities

The White House asked Congress for $87.6 billion in supplemental funding to cover the Iran war and other priorities, including $21B for the Defense Department, $1.4B for Ebola response, $768M for energy security, plus funds for farmers, Penn Station renovations, and DC projects, drawing swift Democratic criticism and requiring congressional approval to any disbursement.

via CNBC|

#congress #defense-department #ebola-response

politics2 months ago•107 min saved

GOP Fumes Over Mormon Church Exclusion From Pentagon Religion List

The Defense Department narrowed its registry of servicemember religious identities from more than 200 to 31, omitting Mormonism, a move that triggered outrage from Utah Republicans including Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. John Curtis who urged a reversal. Pentagon officials said the change is intended to streamline support for chaplains and avoid implying any faith is more legitimate, while critics argued it marginalizes LDS believers and misportrays the church.

via The Daily Beast|

#defense-department #mike-lee #mormon-church

politics2 months ago•10 min saved

Kaitlan Collins Sets Record Straight on White House UFC Memo

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins rebuts Scott Jennings after he downplays a Washington Post report about a Defense Department memo for attendees at Trump’s White House UFC event. The memo allegedly requires ticket recipients to meet a waist-to-height ratio below 0.55 and to satisfy service-specific fitness standards, prompting debate over whether the military would be restricted or used as props and illustrating ongoing contention around the memo’s implications.

via HuffPost|

#defense-department #kaitlan-collins #politics