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Donald Trump names a new pick for attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration. And President-elect Donald Trump has a new pick for who he wants to be the next attorney general. Russia’s use of such a missile, which can strike far beyond Ukraine and can carry a nuclear warhead, is a warning to Ukraine, Washington and other NATO states, analysts said. Staff Pick: Denzel Washington brings his charm to ‘Gladiator II’Denzel Washington as Macrinus in a scene from "Gladiator II." The best Advent calendars on Amazon include options with chocolate, beauty and skin care products, Legos, dog treats and more.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Putin, Trump, Pam Bondi, Gaetz, Bondi, Ballard, “, Vance, Republicans ”, ”, Read, Vladimir Putin, Yesterday’s, Jussie, Jair Bolsonaro, Bolsonaro, Max Verstappen, Denzel Washington, Aidan Monaghan, Paramount Pictures Denzel Washington, ” Washington, smirk ”, Washington, Ronda Racha Penrice, — Michelle Garcia Organizations: Ballard Partners, Justice Department, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Prisons, Trump, Republicans, Department, Gaetz, DOJ, West, Defense, NATO, Justice, Chicago police, Former, Paramount Pictures, Ronda Racha, NBC Locations: Ukraine, Bondi, West Russian, Russia, Washington, Illinois, Chicago, Wisconsin, Uzbekistan, Las Vegas, Ronda

Senate Republicans offered mixed responses Thursday to President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he will nominate Pete Hegseth, a Fox News personality accused of sexual assault, to lead the Defense Department following the release of a police report concerning sexual assault allegations against him. Some senators defended Trump's pick, while others voiced some trepidation, and a senator told NBC News "I don't care" when approached about a police report released Wednesday tied to an allegation of sexual assault against Hegseth in 2017. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., also defended Trump's pick, saying he had reviewed the report and would push for Hegseth's confirmation. Two other picks to serve in top jobs in Trump's Cabinet have also faced potentially damaging allegations of sexual misconduct. After Gaetz withdrew his name, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told NBC News that there were “similar, challenging allegations” with Hegseth.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Pete Hegseth, Sen, Kevin Cramer, Cramer, I’m, Hegseth, Karoline Leavitt, Markwayne Mullin, Trump's, Mullin, “, Trump, ” Mullin, Bill Hagerty, Lindsey Graham, Joe Biden, Biden, That’s, Graham, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Chris Coons, ” Coons, Josh Hawley, “ Let’s, ” Hawley, let’s, they’ve, ” Organizations: Fox News, Defense Department, Trump's, NBC, Hegseth, Cabinet, Armed Services Committee, Trump, Pentagon, Republican, White, NBC News, Human Services Department Locations: America, California, Washington, Florida

She wrote two more bills that same week supporting Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, who were behind two of the biggest US national security leaks of the 21st Century. Both men are broadly seen as enemies of the state within the intelligence community. Gabbard proposed repealing Patriot ActIf confirmed, Gabbard will be the most markedly anti-surveillance official to lead the intelligence community in the post-9/11 era. Some prominent Republicans like former Trump national security adviser John Bolton and former Trump UN ambassador and 2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley have come out against her. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesGabbard is in many ways a stranger to the intelligence community.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, spymaster, Tulsi Gabbard, Daniel Ellsberg, Gabbard, ”, Ellsberg, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, It’s, MAGA, Trump, Assange, Marco Rubio, Elise Stefanik, Mike Waltz, she’s, scot, Jamil Jaffer, George W, Bush, White, George Mason University’s, Snowden, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Assange —, Sen, Rand Paul, Justin Amash, Matt Gaetz, Gabbard’s Snowden, Bill Pugliano, Tulsi, Drew Angerer, Glenn Gerstell, —, Gerstell, ” Gerstell, She’s, neocons, ” “, Vladimir Putin’s, Biden, “, Hannity, Steven Ferdman, cynically, John Bolton, Nikki Haley, DNI, ” Haley, Hillary Clinton, Assad, Obama, Tom Williams, CNN Gabbard, Bashar Assad, Nancy Pelosi, Gabbard’s, we’ve, Trump’s, Qasem Soleimani, ” ‘, Donald Trump, Scott Olson, Democratic Sen, Chuck Schumer, ” Gabbard Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Pentagon, The New York Times, Washington Post, US, National Intelligence, Republican Party, WikiLeaks, National Security Institute, George, National Security Agency, — Democratic, Trump, FBI, Fox, Patriot, Foreign Intelligence, Congress, Capitol, Defense Department, Democrat, Republican, NATO, Fox News Channel Studios, Trump UN, GOP, blindsided, Hawaii National Guard, House Armed Services Committee, Syrian, ISIS, Democratic Party, Lawmakers, Gabbard Locations: Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Alexandria, —, Washington, Detroit , Michigan, Gabbard, Washington ,, China, Hawaii, American, Moscow, New York City, Kremlin, Iraq, Lebanon, Ohio, La Crosse , Wisconsin, United States

By the end of the day, Trump had announced a new pick for attorney general: Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida. One by one, the senator wanted to know who had told Gaetz “yes” they were with him. After being asked for comment for CNN’s story, Gaetz announced his withdrawal as Trump’s nominee for attorney general. “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. Some lawmakers have already asked the parliamentarian to weigh in and clear up the confusion, one source told CNN.

Persons: JD Vance, Matt Gaetz, they’d, Vance, “, Donald Trump, Trump, Gaetz, Gaetz —, he’d, Department —, ” Gaetz, Pam Bondi, Gaetz’s, Republican Sen, Kevin Cramer of North, ” Cramer, wouldn’t, ’, Trump’s, Gaetz couldn’t, Matt, ” Trump, Karoline Leavitt, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kevin McCarthy, Kentucky Sen, Mitch McConnell, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, Oklahoma Sen, Markwayne Mullin, Dakota Sen, Mike Rounds, “ I’m, Rounds, ” Sen, Roger Wicker, Cynthia Lummis, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, ”, Will Gaetz, preemptively, Michael Guest, , CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Senate, Trump, Department, DOJ, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Justice Department, Administration, “, Department of Justice, Fox News, Defense Department, Department of Health, Human Services, Hill, Oklahoma, Mississippi Republican, Wyoming Republican, Democrats Locations: Florida, Washington, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Gaetz, Kentucky, Maine, Dakota, Mississippi, Wyoming

President-elect Donald J. Trump has so far told advisers that he is standing behind Mr. Hegseth as his pick for defense secretary. The woman’s allegation, the outlines of which surfaced last week, have complicated Mr. Trump’s intention to have Mr. Hegseth lead the Defense Department next year. Mr. Trump has told advisers that he is standing behind Mr. Hegseth, a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The complainant told authorities that she could not recall how she got to Mr. Hegseth’s hotel room or whether intercourse occurred. Mr. Hegseth told the police that he was “buzzed” but not intoxicated that night.

Persons: Pete Hegseth, Donald J, Trump, Hegseth, Jane Doe, ejaculating, “, Hegseth’s, Karoline Leavitt, Trump “, Pete, Hegseth “, Mr, Knuckles, ”, “ Jane Doe, Hegseth ejaculated, Orlando Mayorquín Organizations: National Council of Young Israel, California Federation of Republican Women, Hyatt Regency Monterey, Defense Department, Fox News, Knuckles Sports, Kaiser Permanente, Office Locations: New York, Monterey, Calif, Hegseth’s, Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel, Spa, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kaiser, Monterey County

Of course, these basic rules of political decorum are ones Donald Trump has rarely followed. He’s been accumulating political capital, and his victory only gives him an opening to accumulate more ... if he chooses to. On some level, I accept the notion that one person’s revenge is another person’s “reform,” so I’m sure Trump could argue he’s appointing reformists. What will ultimately matter is whether these folks can govern like reformers or end up simply as conduits for Trump’s revenge. Here’s the political problem Trump is creating for himself: He’s taking full ownership of the entire bureaucracy now.

Persons: Donald Trump, He’s, Trump, acquiesce, Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, let’s, Nancy Mace's, Hegseth, “, wasn’t, Harris, Joe Biden, Biden, I’ve, didn’t, Barack, Biden’s Organizations: —, Justice Department, Fox, Defense Department, Department of Health, Human Services, GOP, Pentagon, “ DEI, Biden, Democratic, Trump Locations: Russia, Oklahoma, Afghanistan, overreach

☆ Zhuhai airshow: Stealth fighters and a massive mothership drone: the high-tech weapons China has unveiled
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

J35-A stealth fighterMore than a decade in the making, China’s much-anticipated new stealth fighter jet, the J-35A, is widely seen as part of Beijing’s bid to match the United States’ stealth fighter capabilities. The HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system is among the most anticipated new weapons displayed at the airshow in Zhuhai, China. The Chinese military's new unmanned aerial vehicle, "Jetank," is displayed at the Zhuhai airshow on Nov. 12, 2024. It comes with folding tailfins, a design that allows for more compact stowage to fit the country’s stealth fighter jets. A Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft flies during the airshow in Zhuhai, China on November 14, 2024.

Persons: –, Xinzhi, ”, Wei Dongxu, Du Wenlong, Zhuhai . Long Wei, Zou Wei, Russian Sukhoi Su, Hector Retamal, Sergei Shoigu Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, PLA Air Force, CCTV, US, Air Defense, US Defense, PLA, PLA Academy of Military Sciences, Kyodo, Future Publishing, China Military, China Military Online, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Air Missile, International Institute for Strategic Studies, AIM, Getty, Tass Locations: Hong Kong, China, Zhuhai, United States, Beijing, Asia, Ukraine, Taiwan, States, Zhuhai . Long, Air Missile China, Russian Sukhoi, AFP, Russia, Russian

☆ Biden, Xi agree that humans, not AI, should control nuclear arms
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons," the White House said in a statement. But it marks a first-of-its-kind step between the two countries in the discussion of two issues on which progress has been elusive: nuclear arms and artificial intelligence. Washington has been pushing Beijing for months to break a longstanding resistance to nuclear arms talks. Formal nuclear arms control negotiations have not been expected any time soon, despite U.S. concerns about China's rapid nuclear weapons build-up, even though semi-official exchanges have resumed. The U.S. defense department estimated last year that Beijing has 500 operational nuclear warheads and will probably field more than 1,000 by 2030.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden Organizations: Economic Cooperation, White, U.S, United, Pentagon Locations: Asia, Lima , Peru, Washington, Beijing, China, United States, Geneva, U.S, Russia, North Korea

☆ Biden authorizes Ukraine to use powerful ATACMS to strike inside Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-17 | by ( Katie Balevic | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementPresident Joe Biden will allow Ukraine to strike Russia with US-provided long-range missiles. The US previously restricted Ukraine from striking Russia with the powerful ATACMS. President Joe Biden has authorized the use of powerful, US-provided long-range missiles for Ukraine to strike inside Russia, according to multiple reports. Biden's decision will allow Ukraine to train its sights on some 245 Russian targets using ATACMS. Beyond the US-provided missiles, Kyiv also fields long-range cruise missiles that the UK and France provided.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Biden, Zelenskyy Organizations: Army Tactical Missile Systems, New York Times, Kyiv's, ATACMS, Military, The Defense Department, White House National Security Locations: Ukraine, Russia, North Korea, Russia's Kursk, Sunday, Kursk, Kyiv, Russian, United States, France

☆ Elon Musk downsized Big Tech. Can he do the same to Big Government?
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-17 | by ( Amanda Hoover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

And to run the new cost-cutting department, Trump tapped the businessman he calls the world's "greatest cutter" — Elon Musk. If you're looking to take a chainsaw to the federal government, Musk seems perfectly suited to the job. When it comes to federal spending, one person's waste is another person's bread and butter. And his massive investments in electric vehicles and social media are dependent on all sorts of federal spending and oversight. Musk has acknowledged that Americans will feel "hardship" as a result of the cuts he wants to see implemented.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Elon Musk, Musk, cochair, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ronald Reagan —, There's, Michael Morris, Morris, it's, Andy Wu, Linda Bilmes, Ronald Reagan, Joel Friedman, Brian Hughes, DOGE, Reagan, Ramaswamy, It's, Sam, Uncle, Elon Organizations: Department of Government, Twitter, Tesla, SpaceX, Defense Department, IRS, Columbia Business School, Harvard Business School, Government, Harvard Kennedy School, Office, GAO, Fox News, Budget, Federal Aviation Administration, Veterans Administration, — Locations: Ecuador, Independence

☆ Elon Musk is looking for trillions in government waste, and defense is a massive potential target
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Elon Musk to help spearhead cuts to government spending, and the defense sector could be a prime target. But Musk's past comments hint at one area he could target: defense contracts. Musk built SpaceX's business model around fixed-price contracts. Musk's new initiative could recommend exactly this: a move away from cost-plus contracts toward fixed-price contracts. An aerial view of the Pentagon AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, FileMusk's new initiative may target other areas of Pentagon spending, as well.

Persons: Donald Trump, Elon, Elon Musk, It's, Trump, Musk, Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Clayton Swope, Walter Isaacson's, Swope, John Raoux Overspending, Gerald R, Mike Gallagher, Gallagher, Ford, Steve Helber, Bryan McGrath, Todd Harrison, —, Harrison, Michael Bohnert, they've, Archer Macy, Patrick Semansky, John Harvey Jr, Mississippi Sen, Roger Wicker Organizations: Defense, Pentagon, Department of Government, SpaceX, NASA, AP, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Services, International Space, Kennedy Space Center, Littoral, Ford, DoD, Republican, Palantir Technologies, Newport News Shipbuilding, American Enterprise Institute, Shipbuilding, BAE Systems, RAND Corporation, CSIS, US Air Force, Navy, Senate Armed Services Committee Locations: Pennsylvania, Columbia, China, Wisconsin, Virginia, Mississippi

☆ Defense tech companies like Anduril hope Trump can streamline military contracts
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-16 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Others in the defense industry are less optimistic. Tech billionaire Palmer Luckey's bet on the defense industry is paying off at Anduril, the drone-making company he founded. AdvertisementSacknoff said that procurement reform in the defense industry is not a new concept and that the Defense Department is always restructuring its contracting process. Richard Aboulafia, managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a consulting firm, said that reforming the defense industry will take time. AdvertisementSacknoff said the military defense business is always looking for a "counter" to the newest technology and that the growth of autonomous drones would likely bring more innovations to stop them.

Persons: Palmer Luckey, Anduril, Palmer Luckey's, Donald Trump's, Brian Schrimf, Schrimpf, Scott Sacknoff, Sacknoff, Richard Aboulafia, Abaulafia, DefenseScoop, Tesla, Eric Schmidt, Schmidt Organizations: Tech, Yahoo, Spade, Defense Department, Teledyne, Defense, Google Locations: Anduril, United States, Saudi Arabia

“We know they can do it.”More than 300,000 women served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Manning said. More than 9,000 women received Army Combat Action Badges for “actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy,” according to a 2015 report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. Two were given a Silver Star, the third-highest military combat decoration, for “gallantry in action,” the report said. Manning said another 383 women were awarded a Purple Heart — the nation’s oldest military award, which recognizes sacrifice and heroism. “To cast this wide net and say women shouldn’t serve in combat — well, guess what?

Persons: Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s, ”, hasn’t, ” Hegseth, Shawn Ryan, Ben Shapiro, “ I’m, Ash Carter, Shapiro, “ shouldn’t, Lory Manning, Manning, “, Allison Jaslow, Jaslow, ” Jaslow, Trump, Hegseth, Steven Cheung, Trump’s, Sen, Tammy Duckworth, ” Duckworth, Raquel Durden, shouldn’t Organizations: U.S, Army, NBC News, Fox News, Pentagon, Army Rangers, Green Berets, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, ”, Defense Department, Service, Congressional Research Service, Star, Afghanistan Veterans, Army’s Ranger, Republican, Army National Guard, CNN Locations: U.S, America, Iraq, Afghanistan, California, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

☆ The House GOP is more aligned with Trump than ever: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

In today’s edition, national political reporter Ben Kamisar examines how House Republicans are growing increasingly aligned with Donald Trump. Plus, "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker looks back at how Trump's Cabinet announcements from right yers ago compare to now. The House GOP is more aligned with Trump than everBy Ben KamisarPresident-elect Donald Trump and the GOP believe Americans delivered them a mandate last week when they handed the party unified control of Washington. Newly elected Senate GOP leader John Thune certainly isn’t a Trump antagonist, but he’s a descendent of the institutional Republican Party. It’s a dynamic worth keeping tabs on, especially as Senate Republicans begin the process of vetting Trump’s Cabinet picks.

Persons: Ben Kamisar, Donald Trump, Kristen Welker, Trump, ” Rep, Troy Nehls, Kyle Stewart, “, John Thune, Trump’s, Sen, John Barrasso, Donald Trump’s, ”, — Trump, Marco Rubio, Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Doug Burgum, Tulsi Gabbard, James Mattis, John Kelly, Jeff Sessions, —, Steve Bannon, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Todd Blanche, Doug Collins, 🗞️, Jo Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Republicans, GOP, Trump, NBC News, ”, Senate, Republican Party, Press, State Department, Justice Department, Defense Department, Department of Health, Human Services, Interior Department, Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security, RFK Jr, Department, Former Trump, Republican, Health, Elon, Department of Veterans Affairs, Sena Locations: Washington, Texas, Pennsylvania, Gaetz, California, Iraq

☆ Pentagon received hundreds of new UAP reports, but says no evidence of extraterrestrial activity
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Of those, 485 UAP reports occurred within that reporting period, and another 272 occurred between 2021 and 2022 but hadn't been included in previous annual UAP reports. Overall, the AARO has received 1,652 UAP reports total as of Oct. 24, 2024. “It is important to underscore that, to date, AARO has discovered no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology,” the report said. Of the UAP reports, 81 originated from U.S. military operating areas. Of the new reports, 392 were from the Federal Aviation Administration and make up all of the FAA’s UAP reports since 2021.

Persons: UAPs, hadn't, ”, AARO, Jon Kosloski, ” Kosloski, ” Luis Elizondo, ” Elizondo, Robert Garcia, Garcia, Tim Gallaudet, “, Jon T, Kosloski, it’ll, “ AARO Organizations: Pentagon, Defense, Defense Department, National Intelligence, UAP, U.S . Navy, Ocean, Consulting, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Congress, U.S, Cape Canaveral , Florida

☆ Trump Defense pick Hegseth investigated in 2017 for alleged sex assault; no charges filed
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pete Hegseth, host of Fox & Friends, at the National Council of Young Israel Gala in New York City. Police in California investigated Fox News host Pete Hegseth — who was picked this week by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next Defense Department secretary — in connection with an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in 2017, officials said. Hegseth, 44, was not charged after the probe that year by the Monterey Police Department. The spokesperson said the full police report on the alleged incident is exempt from public disclosure. Hegseth's attorney, Timothy Parlatore told CNBC, "The police department confirmed last night that it was fully investigated and he was cleared."

Persons: Pete Hegseth, Pete Hegseth —, Donald Trump, Hegseth, Timothy Parlatore, Parlatore Organizations: Fox & Friends, National Council of Young Israel, New York City . Police, Fox News, Defense Department, Monterey Police Department, NBC News, Hyatt Regency Monterey, National Federation of Republican Women, CNBC Locations: New York City, California, Monterey, Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel, Spa

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, has said that he believes women should not serve in combat and that he wants to see the military purged of “woke” officials who support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Neither Fox News nor Trump’s transition team immediately responded to requests for comment about Hegseth’s on-air remarks about the military. Hegseth was an Army National Guard infantry officer, serving tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. “I’m straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said on the podcast. “Who?” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said on Capitol Hill when he was asked Tuesday evening about Trump’s picking Hegseth.

Persons: Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s, “, ”, Trump’s, Hegseth, Trump, Pete, Shawn Ryan, CQ Brown, ” Hegseth, hasn’t, Qassam, Edward Gallagher, “ They’re, Gallagher, Richard Spencer, Daniel Penny, Penny, Jeffrey Prosperie, ” Prosperie, Matt Gaetz, Sen, Marco Rubio, Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, I’m, he’s, Gretchen Carlson, Hegseth’s, Brian Kilmeade, ” Sen, Bill Cassidy, “ I’m, Mike Rounds Organizations: Fox News, Trump, “ Fox & Friends, Fox, Army National Guard, Defense Department, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force, Pentagon, U.S, Navy SEAL, Marine, Associated Press, Democrat, Weekend Fox, Defense, Friends, Hegseth’s Fox News, Senate, Capitol Locations: America, Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, U.S, Iran, New York City, Marco Rubio of Florida

☆ Pete Hegseth: Trump’s Pentagon pick aims for clash with top military leadership
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Jeremy Herb | Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

A Princeton and Harvard grad, Hegseth was CEO of the conservative veteran’s advocacy organization, Concerned Veterans for America, beginning in 2006. He has 20 years’ experience in the military, having served in the Army National Guard as an infantry officer from 2002 to 2021 and leaving service as a major, according to military service records. He also worked as a guard at the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from June 2004 to April 2005. Hegseth has been awarded two Bronze Stars from his combat service. In one June interview on Fox, Hegseth bemoaned the state of the US military’s procurement system and the threat posed by China’s growing military.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, CQ Brown, —, “ Fox, ”, Trump, ” John Noonan, ‘ You’ve, Hugh Hewitt, “, they’re, Shawn Ryan, you’ve, ” Hegseth, Brown, Staff —, shouldn’t, Obama, Ben Shapiro, America Allison Jaslow —, who’ve, ” Jaslow, –, Biden, neocon, Hegseth –, neocon ”, he’s, ’, they’ve, Vladimir Putin’s “, Ryan, King, warcrimes, Matthew Golsteyn, Clint Lorance –, Eddie Gallagher, Mark Esper, Gallagher, Golsteyn, Lorance, Jaslow, Tim Parlatore, “ Everyone’s, ” CNN’s Oren Liebermann Organizations: CNN, Fox News, Joint Chiefs, Army National Guard, Star, Pentagon, Trump, Princeton, Harvard grad, Veterans, Republican, Defense Department, Armed, Navy, of Defense, Staff, Air Force, Army Ranger School, Army Special Forces, Naval, Warfare Command, Afghanistan Veterans, Ranger School, Defense, Iraq, Fox, United, “ Fox, ”, warcrimes CNN, United States Senate Locations: China, Ukraine, America, Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Washington, United States, Washington ,, Trump, Europe, Poland

☆ Why Trump is trying to outrage Washington with his controversial Cabinet picks
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Donald Trump’s increasingly provocative Cabinet picks have left some Republican senators aghast and Washington in shock. The dismay engulfing establishment elites contrasted with the euphoria rocketing through conservative networks and social media among Trump fans. News that Hegseth had been picked to lead the Pentagon rocked Washington the night before the Gaetz pick and sparked similar questions about Trump’s motives. And she was accused of “parroting” false propaganda from America’s premier espionage adversary, Russia, by no less than Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney. Not all Trump’s picks are contentious.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, aghast, Florida Republican Matt Gaetz —, Justice Department —, Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s MAGA, Pete Hegseth, Geraldo Rivera, Gaetz —, Trump, ‘, Anthony Scaramucci, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen, John Fetterman, CNN’s Manu Raju, “, —, Gaetz, Elie Honig, Hegseth, Gabbard, ”, Bashar al, Assad, Utah GOP Sen, Mitt Romney, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Rubio, Alaska Sen, Lisa Murkowski, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, Iowa Republican Sen, Joni Ernst, South Dakota Sen, John Thune, Thune, Matt Gaetz, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Republicans — you’re, ” Tuberville, acquiesce Organizations: CNN, Florida Republican, Justice Department, Democratic, Fox News, Trump, Senate, Pennsylvania Democratic, Gaetz, FBI, CNN International ., Pentagon, Fox, Defense Department, Utah GOP, GOP, Republican Trump, Iowa Republican, South Dakota, Republican, Republicans, Pennsylvania Senate, Treasury, Health, Human Services, Republican Senate Locations: Washington, Florida, Pennsylvania, Russia, America, Iraq, Afghanistan, Hawaii, Utah, China, Alaska, South, Alabama

CNN —When Elisa Smithers was deployed to Iraq in 2005, there was a ban on women serving in ground combat operations. But she returned home to find she wasn’t offered the same support by the US Department of Veterans Affairs that male combat veterans were offered, Smithers said. Women account for roughly 17.5% of the Defense Department’s active-duty force, according to 2022 data from the agency. Hegseth has specifically criticized having women in roles where strength “is the differentiator,” he said on the podcast last week. She also worries any course reversal on women serving in combat will have a sweeping impact on women serving in other government jobs.

Persons: Elisa Smithers, Smithers, wasn’t, Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, –, he’s, ”, Hegseth, “, hasn’t, ” Hegseth, Shawn Ryan, ” Smithers, we’ll, Elizabeth Beggs, Let’s, ” Beggs, Beggs, who’ve, Lory Manning, “ I’m, …, ” Manning, it’s, Manning, we’ve, Brandy Cottrill, Cox, “ It’s, ‘ That’s, Sen, Tammy Duckworth, Anna Moneymaker, Illinois Sen, Duckworth, MAGA, Wendy Coop, Wendy Coop Wendy Coop, ” Coop, Coop, don’t, that’s, she’s Organizations: CNN, National Guard, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Fox News, Army, Defense, Warriors, US Army, Army National Guard, Department of Veterans Affairs, Navy, Army Rangers, Army Special Forces, Marine, “ Seals, Rangers, Green Berets, Service, Action, American Civil Liberties Union, “, National Center for Veterans Analysis, Combat, Veterans Families, US Coast Guard, US Army Special Operations Command, US National Guard, Capitol, US Navy, US Naval Academy Locations: Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Washington , DC, Illinois, St, Augustine , Florida

Four years after the radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico collapsed, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is shining a light on the unprecedented failures that caused its destruction. The zinc gradually lost its hold on the cables suspending the telescope’s main platform over the reflector dish. The telescope was built in the 1960s with money from the Defense Department amid a push to develop anti-ballistic missile defenses. Following a few other cable failures, the federal agency decided to begin a plan to decommission the telescope in November 2020. In 2022, the National Science Foundation said it would not rebuild Puerto Rico's renowned radio telescope.

Persons: Roger L, McCarthy Organizations: Arecibo, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, University of Central, National Science Foundation, Arecibo Observatory, Defense Department Locations: Puerto Rico, University of Central Florida, Puerto

☆ How Trump's Army veteran pick for Pentagon chief, Fox & Friends' Pete Hegseth, sees the world
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementTrump has tapped Pete Hegseth, an Army veteran and Fox News host, to be secretary of defense. US President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Pete Hegseth, a Fox & Friends host and US Army National Guard veteran, to be secretary of defense. Hegseth was considered for Veterans Affairs secretary during Trump's first term and faced pushback from veterans group leaders. All US military combat roles opened to women in 2015. AdvertisementThroughout the war, Hegseth has shifted stances, calling Putin a "war criminal" and criticizing Biden for not getting Ukraine military aid quickly enough.

Persons: Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, Donald Trump, Joe, Trump, Trump's, Brace, Paul Rieckhoff, Adam Smith, Adam Kinzinger, Joe Biden's, Shawn Ryan, he'll, Abreanna Goodrich, we've, Shawn Ryan Show, Genya SAVILOV, AFP Hegseth, He's, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Biden, Israel Trump's, Doug Mills, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel wasn't, he's, Xiang Organizations: Trump, Army, Fox News, Defense Department, NATO, Fox & Friends, US Army National Guard, Israel, Wall Street, Veterans Affairs, SecDef, Independent Veterans of, Fox, Department of Defense, House Armed Services, Air National Guard, Republican, US National Guard, Pentagon, US Army, Spc, AFP, Kyiv, Warriors, Israeli, Getty, US Locations: Ukraine, America, Independent Veterans of America, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jerusalem, Russia, Soviet Union, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Washington, China, Xinhua, Asia, Pacific, Taiwan

FBI Director Christopher Wray and Donald Trump's team are planning for the possibility that the president-elect will replace Wray during the new administration, three people familiar with the matter told NBC News. Wray, whom Trump appointed in 2017 to a 10-year term, enjoys leading the FBI and had intended to serve out his term, a source said. Wray could resign if he was told Trump wants him gone, as is widely expected. “I assume that’s the best apology that we’ll get from Director Wray, but it is fully accepted!” he wrote. Installing a new FBI director would require confirmation in the Senate, where Republicans will be in the majority starting in January.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Donald Trump's, Wray, Kash Patel, Trump, he's, ”, ” Wray, “, we’ll, Susie Wiles, Tom Homan, Patel, He's, ” Patel, ” Trump, Gina Haspel, White, Steve Bannon, Joe Biden, it’s, we’re Organizations: NBC News, Trump, CIA, FBI, Justice Department, White, Senate, and National Security, National Intelligence, Defense Department

☆ Research reveals China has built prototype nuclear reactor to power aircraft carrier
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Story The Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The project at Leshan is dubbed the Longwei, or Dragon Might, Project and is also referred to as the Nuclear Power Development Project in documents. This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows the Nuclear Power Institute of China's Site No. The site is under the control of the Nuclear Power Institute of China, a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation, which is tasked with reactor engineering research and testing. The research does not, however, provide clues as to when a Chinese nuclear-powered carrier could be built and become operational, she said. Matthew Funaiole, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ China Power Project, said he doubts China’s next carrier will be nuclear-powered.

Persons: ”, Tong Zhao, Jeffrey Lewis, Jamie Withorne, Sarah Laderman, ” “, Laderman, Li Gang, Yuan Huazhi, China’s, “, Matthew Funaiole, Nick Childs, ” Childs, Childs, Zhao, ” Zhao, Xi Jinping Organizations: Thailand AP, Associated Press, “, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Washington , D.C, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Nuclear, Development, China’s Defense Ministry, Foreign, Ministry, Planet Labs PBC, Nuclear Power Institute, Middlebury, Nuclear Power Institute of China, China National Nuclear Corporation, China Ship Research, Design Center, Development Project, AP, Oslo Nuclear, Open Nuclear Network, PAX, Shandong, Xinhua, US Navy, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy, Center for Strategic, Studies, Power, Liberation Army Navy’s, International Institute for Strategic Studies, US, International, Pacific, People’s Liberation Army Navy, Defense Department Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, China, Beijing, United States, France, Washington ,, California, Leshan, Sichuan, Mucheng Township, Sichuan Province, Mucheng, Sichuan’s, Chengdu, Soviet Union, Oslo, Vienna, Sanya, Hainan Province, Soviet, Liaoning, Shandong, Fujian, Taiwan, Pacific, South China, China’s

☆ Striking images show the F-35 jump-jet's first trials on a newly converted Japanese aircraft carrier
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-10 | by ( Lauren Frias | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Japan's aircraft carrier JS Kaga completed sea trials off the California coast Friday. The light aircraft carrier was refitted with a flight deck to carry F-35B stealth fighters. The destroyer-turned-flattop is the first carrier to be operated by Japan since World War II. AdvertisementJapan's destroyer-turned-aircraft carrier just completed sea trials off the coast of California on Friday, the country's navy said. The Kaga is the first aircraft carrier to be operated by the Japanese navy since World War II as the country overhauls its maritime forces amid tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

Persons: —, Kaga Organizations: Service, US Defense Department Locations: California, Japan, Central

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