Policy
Trump: US To Withdraw 4K Troops From Afghanistan By Election
“It’s already planned,” the president said in an interview with Axios.
Policy
Trump Sidesteps Congress To Install Controversial Pentagon Nominee
A legal loophole may allow Tata to take the top job without Senate confirmation at all.
Policy
GOP Senators Stall Tata Nomination for Top Pentagon Post
After Islamophobic remarks, Trump’s controversial pick to be Defense Department’s policy chief is in troubled waters.
Science & Tech
Busting Up Big Tech is Popular, But Here’s what the US May Lose
Lawmakers don’t like them, but what they bring to the competition with China may be too valuable to break up.
Ideas
Will Trump ‘Wag the Dog’ to Win Reelection?
Americans are worried, but history shows the popular belief is wrong.
Threats
US to Begin Removing 12,000 Troops From Germany ‘Within Weeks’
The Pentagon says this is about Russia. Trump says it’s about Germany.
Ideas
We Need a Better China Policy in the Middle East
With allies and direct lines to Beijing, Washington must do more to keep China’s presence in the region from becoming a threat.
Policy
National Guard Commander To Testify ‘Excessive Force’ Used on White House Protesters
Officer on the scene saw spent tear gas canisters, contradicting key details of Attorney General Barr’s account of the controversial night.
Policy
Trump Eases Restrictions On Armed Drone Sales Abroad
US says changes needed to compete with China, but critics say it may only alienate allies.
Policy
With Cold War Language, Pompeo Defines Trump’s Plan for ‘Totalitarian’ China
In the fourth major China policy speech by administration leaders in the past month, Pompeo says the US can’t go back to the era of engagement.
Policy
Trump Sending ‘Surge’ of Federal Forces Into Chicago; More Cities to Come
Attorney General Barr said Operation Legend would be different than last week’s crackdown on protesters in Oregon.
Policy
Top Intel Dem Demands Information On DHS Surveillance Of Protesters
Heavy-handed tactics by the DHS in Portland, where protests have gripped the city for almost two months, have drawn intense scrutiny in Washington.
Policy
Expect More Wargames, Attention & Allies in the Arctic, Say Air and Space Force Chiefs
The first Arctic strategy of the Space Force era declares the region vital for US satellites and nuclear missile defenses — and in need of a lot of foreign help.
Policy
DHS’s Portland Stunt Could Undermine the Agency For Years, Former Officials Warn
"This is well outside the bounds of what the intent is of the federal protective services mission."
Policy
Ban by Omission: US Military Leaves Confederate Flag Off Approved List
Esper’s order seems designed to bar the flag from display without provoking the president.
Policy
To Block Trump’s Troop Withdrawals, Congress Turns An Old Tactic Upside Down
Congress historically has tried to force presidents to bring troops home. But in the last three years, lawmakers have repeatedly tried to make laws to do the opposite.
Ideas
The US Needs a Global Coalition to Defeat COVID
Only a multinational effort can meet this unprecedented threat, say the authors, who led U.S. troops and international coalitions in the Middle East and Asia.
Policy
Top US General Slams Confederacy As ‘Treason’, Signals Support For Base Renaming
“Those generals fought for the institution of slavery,” Gen. Mark Milley told a House hearing.
Policy
Army Was Reviewing More Than Confederate Base Names, Officials Reveal
Among the potential friction points eyed were Army National Guard units with nicknames honoring Confederate leaders.
Business