POLICY AND PUBLIC INTEREST
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said efforts at DOD include modernizing the nuclear triad and building an iron dome for the U.S., referring to the iron dome that defends Israel against aerial threats
During a media interview on Sunday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said efforts at the Defense Department include modernizing the nuclear triad and building an iron dome for the U.S., referring to the iron dome that defends Israel against aerial threats.
These and other homeland priorities will be reflected in the fiscal year 2026 defense budget and future defense budgets, he added.
The secretary also addressed defense spending. He said DOD is committed to passing a clean audit across the department, as the Marine Corps has done for the last two years.
“American taxpayers deserve to know exactly how and where their money is spent,” he said. “We need to know when we spend dollars; we need to know where they’re going and why.”
He said the department welcomes Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, which will help identify ways to streamline this process, fast-track acquisitions and cut waste.
The secretary will be traveling to Brussels, Belgium, this week to attend the NATO ministerial meeting. He also will be traveling to Poland and Germany to meet with his counterparts and U.S. service members stationed there.
Hegseth said he especially looks forward to meeting the troops and hopes to do some physical training with them.
“I want to make sure our troops understand how focused we are on their warfighting capabilities,” he said.
But the focus is not just on Europe. It’s also the Indo-Pacific region, he said, mentioning recent phone calls and meetings he’s had with leaders in Australia, South Korea, the Philippines and Japan.
He said the focus there is maintaining a strategic advantage over China. “We want the future of the world to be free.”
“We’re confronting…
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A Global Shift: Why Under-45s Are Driving the Future of Investing
In recent years, young people have become increasingly interested in investing worldwide. However, whether they
Law Firm Takes on Extortion and Blackmail Scam Epidemic
It is an insidious problem – and it comes from people’s own computers and phones.
Hegseth Arrives at Pentagon, Says Warfighters Are ‘Ready to Go’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived at the Pentagon on Monday and said improving lethality, warfighting and readiness are the main lines of effort he will pursue while in office.
Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, greeted Hegseth as he arrived at the Pentagon….
ERO Houston Repatriates Accused Child Rapist to Mexico Who Has Illegally Entered US 4 Times
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston, with assistance from ERO Mexico and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement Task Force, repatriated Nestor Flores Encarnacion, a 58-year-old undocumented alien, to his home country of Mexico Jan. 23. Flores has illegally entered the U.S. four times and…
Marco Rubio Unveils Pragmatic Foreign Policy Focused on National Security, Strength, and Prosperity
In a bold move to redefine America’s foreign relations, 72nd Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined a clear mandate focused on strengthening national interests during a recent address. Under President Trump’s directive, the Secretary emphasized that all diplomatic efforts will now be subjected to a triad of critical questions:…
Pentagon Deploys 1,500 Active-Duty Troops to Southern Border Following Presidential Executive Order
The Defense Department is sending 1,500 active-duty service members and additional air and intelligence assets to the southern border to augment troops already conducting enforcement operations in that region, Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses announced this afternoon via a statement to the media.
The announcement came roughly 36 hours…
NAAUSA President Criticizes Presidential Pardons as Abuse of Authority, Calls for Upholding Rule of Law
Steven Wasserman, President of the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys (NAAUSA) – representing the interests of Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) working in the 94 U.S. Attorney Offices – issued the following statement regarding President Biden’s term-ending pardons and commutations of 2,500 federal drug traffickers and President Trump’s…
FLEOA serves more than 31,000 registered members in the federal law enforcement community, who serve across more than sixty agencies. The organization does not endorse political parties or candidates but serves as a voice of advocacy for federal law enforcement throughout the legislative process
On February 1, 2025, President Trump issued executive orders that imposed an increase in tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China. According to the White House Fact Sheet released that same day, “The extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, constitutes a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.” This is in reference to the lethal drugs and violent aliens stampeding across our nation’s borders, as well as the unconscionable human trafficking driven by the Mexican Cartels.
It is no secret that China and Mexico are responsible for trafficking the vast majority of fentanyl into the United States, and while they profit from killing an average of 75,000 Americans annually, the governments of Mexico and Canada yawn.
After President Trump announced his intention to impose these tariffs, and clearly explained his justification, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum made the delusional statement that our struggles with fentanyl are the result of law enforcement’s failure to “combat the sale of narcotics on the streets of their main cities.” She expanded her denial by further asserting that American law enforcement also failed to stop the Cartels’ money laundering criminal conduct.
Contrary to her pathetic attempt to deflect all responsibility, law enforcement…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he observed a real investment by the service members at the border, and sensed that their morale was further boosted by the realization that they're participating in a real mission with real-world impact rather than just a routine exercise
During a media interview on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said morale is high among U.S. troops currently assisting with enforcement operations at the southern border because they are supporting the strengthening of their own country.
The Defense Department announced, Jan. 22, 2025, that is would be sending an additional 1,500 active-duty service members to the border to bolster the more than 2,500 other active-duty troops and National Guardsmen already in the region.
Hegseth traveled to the border, Feb. 3, 2025, to see operations firsthand and interact with the service members stationed there, many of whom serve in the pay grade of E-6 and below.
“When you’re able to be in your own country not Afghanistan,” he said.
“We’ve spent two decades guarding other people’s borders,” Hegseth said, in reference to the U.S. military’s campaigns in Southwest and Central Asia since 2001.
“And when you meet these men and women on our border in real time, able to defend their communities, their families, their churches their schools, they love that,” he said.
” invested in a…
National Guard Deploys 7,800 Troops for Historic 60th Presidential Inauguration, Ensuring a Safe Transition of Power
Today, about 7,800 National Guard troops are on duty during the 60th Presidential Inauguration, as part of a large interagency presence to ensure the transition of power, continuing a legacy that began in 1789 when their predecessors escorted George Washington to the first inauguration.
Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief,…
U.S. Army South Headquarters Battalion Welcomes New Leadership at Change of Responsibility Ceremony
Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion (HHBN), U.S. Army South (USARSOUTH), conducted a change of responsibility ceremony on January 10, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, marking the transition of senior enlisted leadership within the battalion.
Command Sgt. Maj. Deitra Alam relinquished responsibility to Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Honsinger in a ceremony presided…
Defense Innovation Board Advances Military Innovation With Key Studies and Strategic Recommendations
Over the past three years, the Defense Innovation Board has been a powerful advisory resource to advance innovation within the Defense Department, and to provide the secretary and deputy secretaries of defense with independent, practical, and actionable advice and recommendations about how to make use of that innovation.
“The Defense…
U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $1.89 Billion Loan to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for the Midtown Bus Terminal Reconstruction
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Build America Bureau (Bureau) today announced it provided a $1.89 billion Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to the PANYNJ to modernize the Midtown Bus Terminal, one of the world’s busiest bus terminals, serving 65 million annual passengers. The loan…
California National Guard Mobilizes to Combat Devastating Wildfires as Federal Support Intensifies
Soldiers and airmen from California’s Army National Guard and Air National Guard spent the weekend combating the multiple wildfires that have been wreaking destruction in Los Angeles County for the past week.
“As the situation with the devastating California wildfires continues to evolve, …
United States and El Salvador sign Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation
By Nicole Choquette / Assistant Managing EditorOn Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco of the Republic of El Salvador signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU) with the aim of advancing peaceful nuclear cooperation between the United States and the Republic of El Salvador.
The United States and El Salvador have an enduring diplomatic relationship and long-standing cooperation in the fields of security, energy, and commerce. This NCMOU represents an initial step towards establishing a robust civil nuclear partnership between the United States and El Salvador with the aim of enhancing energy security, promoting mutual prosperity through expanded economic cooperation, and promoting the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.
NCMOUs are important diplomatic tools developed during President Trump’s first term in office that lay the foundation for expanding strategic ties between the United States and its partners thereby making the United States safer, stronger, and more prosperous through the promotion of U.S. industry and workforce.
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Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks spoke about “four lessons” she views as critical for prevailing in the U.S. strategic competition with China during a keynote address yesterday at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.
Titled “Outpacing the PRC: Lessons Learned for Strategic Competition,” Hicks said that…
Padilla, Schiff, Bipartisan California Congressional Delegation Applaud President Biden’s Major Disaster Declaration for Los Angeles County Fires
Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) led 47 bipartisan members of the California Congressional delegation in urging President Biden to grant Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a major disaster declaration in response to the devastating ongoing impacts of the Palisades, Eaton, Franklin, and Hurst fires…
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Attend UDCG Amid $2.5 Billion Aid Package
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is scheduled to travel to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Jan. 7, to attend the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the Defense Department announced.
The UDCG, which was founded under Austin in response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on…
United resumes flights to Israel after pressure from shareholders
After receiving a books and records request from the National Center for Public Policy Research related to United Airlines’ suspension of flights to Israel, United will resume flights between New York and Tel Aviv on March 18, according to sources.
In the letter, the National Center stated:
Stockholder is concerned that United’s refusal to fly to Israel reflects management acquiescing to the woke politics of United’s union leaders, instead of valid safety or business concerns….
Stockholder is concerned that undisclosed union-driven political considerations, particularly from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) and its leader Sara Nelson, may have played a substantial role in the decision to suspend flights, potentially undermining shareholder interests and exposing the Company to financial, reputational and legal risks.
The financial harm caused by this decision is evident. United’s stock price fell by 16.6% following the suspension of flights to Israel, reflecting investor concerns about the rationale and impact of this decision. Competitors like El Al, which continued operating flights during the same period, experienced a 60% increase in stock price from October 7, 2023, to December 15, 2024, by capturing significant market demand….
To determine whether union pressure improperly influenced the decision, Stockholder seeks to review documents and records…
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Defense Secretary Affirms Commitment to Border Security, Plan to House Migrants at Guantanamo Bay
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Integrity Tech for Cyber Intrusions Linked to China
The United States is imposing sanctions today on the Beijing-based cybersecurity company Integrity Technology Group, Incorporated (Integrity Tech), which has links to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of State Security, for its role in multiple computer intrusion incidents against U.S. victims.
Integrity Tech is a large PRC government…
Federal Reserve and FDIC Announce Updated 2025 Asset-Size Thresholds for Community Reinvestment Act Compliance
The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation announced the 2025 updated Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) “small bank” and “intermediate small bank” asset-size thresholds.
The CRA regulations establish the framework and criteria by which the relevant agencies assess a financial institution’s record of meeting the credit needs of…
U.S. Air Force Accessions Center Achieves Rapid Success in Officer Selections and Training Amid Mid-Year Production Increase
Within the first week of declaring Initial Operational Capability, personnel at the Air Force Accessions Center demonstrated their ability to adapt quickly to evolving accession requirements, resulting in dozens of highly qualified cadets being notified of a pilot career field selection.
These additions came after Headquarters Air Force Manpower, Personnel and…