The D Brief: Experts warn of war; Trump’s ‘state terror’; CNO’s upcoming instructions; China’s ‘full-stack’ defense-innovation cities; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 20, 2026

Trump’s Greenland ambitions could wreck alliances that underpin the modern world order

A former diplomat looks at the president's latest ally-shaking outburst.

• Donald Heflin, The Conversation
• January 19, 2026

The D Brief: Lessons from Iraq; Trump’s Insurrection Act-threat; DIU seeks swarm controllers; Russia’s Starlink drones; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 16, 2026

The D Brief: Europe reinforces Greenland; Senate fails to limit Venezuela action; Navy’s next ships; The cost of ‘DoW’; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 15, 2026

European allies dispatch military reinforcements to Greenland

A White House meeting produced plans for a U.S.-Denmark working group, but no change to Trump's designs on the island.

• Patrick Tucker
• January 14, 2026

Trump’s Golden Dome excuse for Greenland grab is ‘detached from reality,’ experts say

Longstanding diplomatic agreements and an existing U.S. base already enable military expansion.

• Thomas Novelly
• January 14, 2026

The D Brief: Greenland discussions; Russian sabotage in Europe; ‘Ideological tuning’ in DOD AI; Some leave Al Udeid; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 14, 2026

The D Brief: ‘Perfidy’ in boat strike?; Pentagon’s new AI plan; Venezuela’s broken air defenses; Quantum space cameras; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 13, 2026

The D Brief: US bombs ISIS in Syria; Iranian protests swell; Execs rebuff oil plan; Meet the Army’s dronemakers; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 12, 2026

The D Brief: Trump: ‘I don’t need international law’; Senate votes to limit Venezuela action; USAF consolidates PEOs; Marines’ own robot wingman; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 9, 2026

The D Brief: Offshore banks to hold seized-oil profits; Pay caps for defense CEOs; Army’s flight-school outsourcing, snagged; Right-to-repair urged; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 8, 2026

The D Brief: Trump plans oil seizure; US forces seize tanker; Greenland seizure floated; Experts pan Maduro seizure; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson
• January 7, 2026

White House floats military action to take Greenland

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt calls acquiring the Danish territory an "important foreign policy goal."

• Ariana Figueroa, Stateline
• January 6, 2026

The D Brief: Post-Maduro moves; Europe unites over Greenland; Marines’ ‘hidden crisis’; Jan. 6, remembered; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 6, 2026

The D Brief: Trump threatens more countries after Maduro abduction; SCOTUS rejects Guard deployment; Nigerian-strike fallout; 2025 scorecard; And a bit more.

• Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
• January 5, 2026

2025 in review: policy

A turbulent first year of the second Trump administration brought precedent-breaking security strategy and hasty cuts to the DOD workforce.

• Defense One Staff
• December 24, 2025

The D Brief: New ‘battleship’ announced; Nigeria, under US surveillance; China’s ICBMs; Boat-strike Qs; And a bit more.

• Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
• December 23, 2025