Pentagon - Page 23

KABUL, Afghanistan — Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller said on a recent trip to Afghanistan that American special operations forces will likely be the “last out” of Afghanistan.

Miller said after a visit to Afghanistan this week that he feels confident that Trump’s drawdown to 2,500 troops there is the right call.

The Pentagon lost track of nearly $1 billion in military hardware in the fiscal year 2020, including equipment for Syrians fighting the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and over 100 drones in Afghanistan, home to one of the largest concentrations of terrorist groups in the world, an annual government waste report Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) released on Wednesday revealed.

Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) on Wednesday struggled to defend his decision to nominate Army Gen. (Ret.) Lloyd Austin as his defense secretary, amid rising opposition from Senate Democrats at the prospect of another retired general at the helm of the Defense Department.

The Pentagon finally issued an on-the-record statement that defended Defense Secretary Chief of Staff Kash Patel against false allegations.

The DOD refuted an NBC News report claiming Patel has been blocking access to officials and documents requested by the Biden transition team.

(AFP) – President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of most US military and security personnel from Somalia, where they have been conducting operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group, the Pentagon said Friday.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah resigned Thursday, eight months after she took the position in the West Wing.

Distribution of the Chinese coronavirus vaccine could begin by the third week of this month, several top officials said this week.

The Pentagon will keep its decades-old tradition of ensuring troops deployed overseas, including war zones, get a taste of home with all the trimmings this Thanksgiving.

Mattis prompted a backlash from conservatives after he calling to eliminate “America First” from the nation’s national security strategy.

Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Adam Smith (D-WA) on Tuesday applauded President Donald Trump’s decision to reduce U.S. troops in Afghanistan from approximately 4,500 down to 2,500 by January 15.

Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller announced a U.S. troop withdrawal down to 2,500 in Afghanistan and Iraq, consistent with President Trump’s promises to bring U.S. troops home and in furtherance of his goal to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Trump can cement his legacy as the president who ended America’s longest war, said his nominee for Ambassador to Afghanistan, William Ruger.

President Donald Trump is expected to issue a formal order soon to draw down U.S. forces in Afghanistan to 2,500 by January 15.

Miller issued a memo on Saturday to the entire Defense Department that hinted of a coming U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump now has a team in place at the Pentagon that can execute a drawdown from Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday, in a long-anticipated move.

Joe Biden is promising to revive former President Barack Obama’s Pentagon transgender policies that require female servicemembers to declare that men become women once the men declare themselves to be transgender.

General Mark Milley, America’s top military officer, and other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have gone into self-quarantine after attending meetings with the Coast Guard’s vice commandant, who has now tested positive for the coronavirus.

Banks warned if the Pentagon does not innovate beginning now, the U.S. military will not be able to win a future war with China.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry on Monday complained about a “high frequency of harassment and threats” from the Chinese military throughout 2020 and asserted its right to “self-defense and to counter attack,” although it pledged to avoid escalation.

Sources “familiar with the discussions” told Reuters on Wednesday that Taiwan will purchase up to seven major weapon systems from the United States, a “Fortress Taiwan” strategy (as the Pentagon calls it) guaranteed to enrage Communist China.

President Donald Trump remembered the fallen heroes of the 9/11 terror attacks on Friday, urging Americans to do the same.

Former Vice President Joe Biden tried to use military deaths from coronavirus to bash his rival, President Donald Trump, but botched the numbers badly.

Three members of Congress announced the Trump administration has agreed that Cashe’s Silver Star should be upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

The U.S. Navy reportedly plans to use Google’s cloud and machine learning technology alongside drone imagery to improve its process for repairing vessels.

Two unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday that several American soldiers were injured during an “interaction” with Russian troops in northern Syria this week.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) attacked President Donald Trump on the last night of the Democratic National Convention for not publicly confronting Russian President Vladimir Putin for uncorroborated reports that Russia put bounties on U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

“I consider firing everybody,” Trump said when asked if he would fire Defense Secretary Mark Esper. “At some point, that’s what happens.”

Two defense officials told CNN that the Pentagon will imminently unveil a new task force specifically investigating military UFO sightings.

Harris, who was tapped Tuesday as Joe Biden’s vice presidential pick for 2020, recently voiced support for defunding the Pentagon.

For all its energy and bravado, the left’s vaunted efforts to block Trump’s construction of the border wall have largely been a failure.

Trump appointed Tata to a senior policy role, after Senate Democrats and Republicans fought his nomination into the top policy job.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced at a Pentagon briefing Wednesday that approximately 11,900 United States troops will leave Germany, reducing the U.S. troop presence from approximately 36,000 to 24,000.

Buck slammed Pichai for the cancellation of a contract to help the Pentagon, yet continuing to work with the Communist Chinese Party.