Defense

Hegseth gives Defense leaders less than two weeks to lay out staffing cuts, changes

A Friday memo opens a new phase in the Defense secretary’s hurried effort to shrink the department's workforce.

Defense

Judge orders agencies to preserve discussions in airstrike Signal chat 

The directive targets communications in a Signal chat with top intelligence and national security officials between March 11 and March 15 that discussed strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief was inadvertently added to that chat.

Defense

Intelligence officials remain defensive on Signal debate

House testimony followed release of full group-chat transcript — including attack times and weapons.

Defense

DOD cuts $580M in programs, contracts and grants

The latest round of Pentagon spending cuts — which include a delayed HR software program — brings the department’s running total of eliminated programs to $800 million since the start of the Trump administration. 

Defense

Trump ban on transgender troops blocked in court

A federal judge criticized the Trump administration for lack of data proving claims made in a Jan. 27 executive order.

Defense

Pentagon hiring freeze holds previously approved job moves hostage

Civilians have sent their belongings overseas but are trapped at their duty stations.

Defense

‘5 bullet points’ email now a weekly task for Pentagon civilians

A short explanation of recent achievements is due every Tuesday, SecDef says in additional guidance.

Exclusive Defense

Pentagon is placing probationary employees on leave in advance of mass firings

The terminations are expected within weeks under plans to fire nearly one-tenth of DOD’s 55,000 “probies.”

Defense

At least one Pentagon agency has begun firing probationary workers

The Defense Logistics Agency has begun dismissing its share of the Defense Department’s 5,400 targeted employees.

Defense

Comply with the next ‘what you did last week’ email, Hegseth tells Pentagon civilians

Defense secretary’s memo aims to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s confusion and stress.

Defense

Defense Department police officers can’t get proper credentials nearly 2 years after Congress required them

An officer said they’ve run into issues questioning witnesses, registering for trainings and purchasing necessary equipment because they can’t easily prove they’re a federal law enforcement officer.

Breaking News Defense

Bloodbath: Joint Chiefs chair, CNO, Air Force vice chief, three top JAGs to be replaced

Trump, Hegseth announce plans to oust several of the military’s top officers amid larger DEI purge.

Breaking News Defense

Pentagon to fire up to 61,000 workers, starting with 5,400 next week, says DOD

After the first round of firings, the Defense Department will launch a review intended to cut the civilian workforce by 5 to 8%, an official said.

Defense

Lawmakers to DOGE: Use a scalpel, not a sledgehammer at the Pentagon

Cutting first and asking questions later could hurt national security, House Armed Services committee members say.

Defense

Hegseth stands up anti-DEI task force

Some of the task force’s targets, like quotas and discriminatory promotion policies, don’t exist.

Defense

Tracking Trump’s national-security conflicts of interest

Experts say the businessman-turned-president has even more entanglements this time around.

Defense

What does the head of Homeland Security do?

The job of the homeland security secretary is to adapt almost continuously to pressures from the department, the public and the world at large.