Policy
Trump Just Killed His Own Defense Strategy
The commander in chief has torn up 17 years of counterterrorism plans, offering instead his strange mix of talking points and lies.
Policy
GOP Lawmakers: Shutdown Could Last for Weeks
Trump summoned House and Senate leaders to the White House but failed to persuade them to fund the border wall.
Policy
Goodbye, Mattis. Goodbye, Syria. Hello, 2019
Dramatic shifts abound as Trump puts US military’s war plans in doubt, Democrats resurge in Congress, and the Pentagon gets a new boss.
Policy
Vladimir Putin’s Busy, Bloody, and Expensive 2019
Russia experts look at recent events and peer into the future.
Policy
Trump Kicks Mattis Out Early, Names Shanahan Acting Defense Secretary
The abrupt decision comes amid a growing crescendo of criticism of the president’s snap decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.
Policy
Hard-Nosed Pentagon Negotiator Removed From Job; Racked Up Huge Travel Costs
Shay Assad also backed a controversial plan to slow payments to defense contractors.
Policy
The ‘Nightmare Scenario’ Has Happened and You’re to Blame
Trump’s withdrawal from from Syria is what military leaders feared — and exactly what he promised.
Policy
Mattis Resigns Over Disagreements with Trump
In two-page resignation letter, defense secretary cites need to treat allies with respect, potential adversaries with resolve.
Policy
Trump’s Abrupt Syria Reversal Confounds His Own Administration, GOP Allies
Hours later, White House officials had more questions than answers about the withdrawal.
Threats
ISIS Is Not Defeated. Pulling US Troops From Syria Would Jeopardize Everything
I just returned from my fifth trip to Northeast Syria in 18 months. If the US quits now, there are four winners: ISIS, Assad, Russia, and Iran.
Policy
Trump’s Space Force Request Is Coming — But Final Form Remains Hazy
Will his proposed space organization more resemble the Air Force or the Marines? Pence didn’t say.
Policy
The Biggest Difference Between Inhofe and Smith? How Much Danger They Think the US Faces
The incoming SASC chair says “we live in the most dangerous world of my lifetime.” His HASC counterpart calls that “simple paranoia.”
Policy
New Armed Services Chair Says He Will Fund Military, Not Drive Foreign Policy ‘Like McCain Did’
'My job is to make sure we have the resources...I try not to get into debates,’ Inhofe says in an exclusive interview.
Policy
Senate Votes to Curtail Yemen Involvement in Rebuke of Trump
The 56-41 vote is largely symbolic — for now — but it shows that congressional outrage with Riyadh is unlikely to cool.
Policy
Trump’s New Africa Plan: Fewer US Troops and Aid, More Investment and Deals
To compete with China in Africa, the White House aims to encourage U.S. investment but will continue a troop drawdown and plans a harsh re-evaluation of foreign assistance.
Policy
From Small Wars to Great Power, Trump’s Africa Reset Could Change US Military’s Role
The U.S. is cutting 10 percent of its counterterrorism troops in Africa. Will China and Russia fill the gap?
Policy
Who Is Paying for the War in Yemen?
The Pentagon says that “errors in accounting” mean Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have not been properly charged for refueling.
Policy
Trump Taps Loyalist Fox News Veteran as UN Ambassador
Heather Nauert, currently the State Department’s chief spokesperson, is not known for challenging her superiors.
Policy
Nikki Haley Touts Values-Based Foreign Policy, Showing Daylight with Trump
In an interview with The Atlantic, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to the UN made the case for a values-driven foreign policy, and acknowledged daylight between her and the president.
Policy