Policy
Trump promises Ukraine aid on Europe’s dime, with heavy penalties for Russia
Trump’s back-and-forth Ukraine policy finds solid direction.
Drones are now bullets: How a new Pentagon policy may accelerate robot warfare
The new policy also allows more units to buy drones, which should boost the demand signal to industry.
State Department lays off 1,350 employees
The department says the cuts are needed to tame bureaucracy. Critics say they will weaken U.S. strength at a critical time.
SASC to Pentagon: you need a new cyber-deterrence plan
Trump-administration nominees and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee recently traded views on how to deal with rising threats to critical infrastructure.
Mass layoffs are imminent, State Department tells employees
The diplomatic agency is poised to be the first to move forward with SCOTUS-blessed RIFs.
Allies struggle to work with US military in space operations, GAO finds
An excess of overlapping roles, classification, and unfilled jobs are hurting U.S. collaboration with partners in space.
DHS intelligence office halts staff cuts after stakeholder backlash
Pushback from law enforcement associations and Jewish orgs came after Nextgov/FCW first reported plans to shed most staff within a core DHS intelligence unit.
Pentagon to become rare-earth mining company's largest stockholder
The Defense Department will buy a 15% stake in MP Materials and fund the construction of a magnet-making facility, all to reduce its reliance on China.
Plan to slash DHS intel office faces multi-front pushback
Jewish-community and law enforcement organizations have asked Trump administration security chiefs to preserve the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis.
Pentagon gets millions for cyber in GOP reconciliation act
But the law’s deep cuts to Medicaid will lower cyberdefenses around rural hospitals targeted by data thieves.
Civilian intel analysts get relocation tax break long given to troops
The measure is part of the "Big, Beautiful" policy-and-spending bill passed last week.
Thousands of Pentagon civilians and other feds are still waiting for their 2025 pay raise
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision last spring to shutter a slew of advisory committees has imperiled already-enacted pay raises for 60,000 federal employees in blue collar jobs.
Pentagon confirms it’s holding up weapons promised to Ukraine
Spokesman declined to say which weapons affected, when munitions review began, or who recommended the pause.
Air Force wants to retire the rest of its A-10s in 2026
The proposal is sure to get pushback from Congress.
DOD’s budget request finally drops, combining a real decrease with a one-time boost
Officials are relying heavily on Congress to pass the reconciliation bill.
NATO isn’t a ‘rip-off’: Trump says he’s leaving Europe feeling ‘different’
Trump also seemed to change his tune on Ukraine, saying Putin needs to end the war.
NATO chief to Europe: ‘Stop worrying’ about US, just increase spending
European officials hope the 5% defense-spending pledge will placate Trump.
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Hegseth says chief of naval operations nomination is coming ‘in due time’
Lawmakers question firings of, and lack of replacements for, senior military leadership.
Lawmakers rip into defense secretary over flat Pentagon budget
The Pentagon is counting on one-time funds from a reconciliation bill to fund investments in shipbuilding and missile defense.
USAF slashes F-35 buy, boosts next-gen fighter in unconventional 2026 budget proposal
The Pentagon’s spending request includes not just the usual appropriations, but also the still-under-debate reconciliation bill.
