Xi Jinping will skip UN ahead of Trump summit
Xi will forego an opportunity to speak at the U.N. General Assembly the same week that he’ll meet with President Donald Trump in Washington.
Defense
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Top US Middle East commander visits long-deployed aircraft carrier
Adm. Adam Cooper met with those on board the Abraham Lincoln.
Trump has a plan to break China’s mineral grip. It needs workers first.
A White House spending pledge is no "quick fix" in reviving a worker-starved sector that’s key to challenging China’s global monopoly on critical minerals
Trump demands threaten Navy's progress
The president’s interest in the service has brought it more attention but could also be its downfall.
Republicans fear Hegseth’s Democrat brushoff could backfire
GOP lawmakers are urging the Pentagon to change course, or risk alienating Democrats whose votes could prove critical for a record-breaking defense budget.
Hegseth can’t persuade Republicans to back his big budget
Senators are leaving town no closer to enacting the crown jewel of the Defense secretary’s agenda.
Pentagon policy chief can’t get invited to Beijing
Anger over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan appears to have played a role in China's decision.
Pentagon ends leadership of Ukraine aid group as US distances from Europe
The move follows numerous changes the Trump administration has made to the decades-old alliance.
Senate Dems see momentum despite repeat losses on Iran war votes
At least one Republican, Sen. Thom Tillis, has said he will reconsider his stance in September if the war continues.
Hegseth is the new Dem campaign trail villain
The Defense secretary’s public persona and controversial decisions make him an easy, highly visible target for aspiring lawmakers.
US launches strikes on Iran in retaliation for failed attack on American troops
The Pentagon said Tuesday that it successfully intercepted an Iranian missile attack on U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East.
Momentum shifts for Zelenskyy in Washington
Senators who attended a closed-door meeting with the Ukrainian leader said his pitch is starting to have an impact.
Iran launched 'attempted surprise attack' on US forces, CENTCOM says
The two countries have returned to open conflict after a temporary peace framework collapsed earlier this month.
Allies shrug as US pushes for Strait of Hormuz patrol
The Trump administration is urging the U.K. and France to lead a naval coalition to secure the strait, but allies want to see a ceasefire first.
House and Senate split on votes to rebuke Trump on Iran war
House lawmakers voted to cease the conflict, while the Senate stalled a similar effort just hours later.
Trump says Iran will be held responsible for future Houthi attacks
Trump predicted grave consequences for Tehran if the Houthis remained on the offensive.
Trump’s air war in Iran may be reaching its limits
President Donald Trump is trying to put more pressure on Tehran — but the regime isn’t budging, so far, and there’s no clear endgame for the war.
House Republicans pass hard-right defense bill, handing wins to Trump
The GOP-led bill authorizes over $1 trillion for the military and would codify President Donald Trump's rebranding of the Pentagon as the Department of War.
Hegseth says Iran is weakened, but won’t give timeline for war’s end
The administration is seeking tens of billions to cover the cost of the conflict, but Democrats are opposed to the idea.
NASA’s nuclear Mars mission to cost over $2 billion
The price tag doesn't include the cost of the science mission the new spacecraft would ferry to the Red Planet.
Pentagon’s budget troubles reverberate across the Atlantic
Democrats search for options to halt Trump’s renewed attacks on Iran
Democrats are rallying behind several efforts to kill high-profile defense legislation as a way to protest the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Trump’s $1.5T defense budget is in trouble
Republicans’ slimmed down reconciliation effort undercuts President Donald Trump’s push for an extra $350 billion for defense.
GOP concerns grow after 2 ICE shootings in a week
Lawmakers in both parties are concerned that officers in Maine and Texas lacked body cameras, months after Congress allocated funds for them to be deployed to ICE officers.
Ukraine and its allies hope Graham isn’t their last friend with Trump’s ear
Some argue that Ukraine’s agenda in Washington will suffer, others that there are other interlocutors to Trump who can step up.
DOD to screen testosterone of soldiers over 30, Hegseth says
The initiative comes after the Defense secretary last September rolled out a new set of standards for combat roles across the military.
The military benefits bill that’s tearing the veterans community apart
The Take Care of America's Veterans Act may not get a House vote this week because of ongoing controversy surrounding the measure.
US launches new strikes on Iran
The U.S. has sought to limit Iran’s ability to control the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump announced the temporary ceasefire was “over” a week ago.
No end in sight for new Iran war
There was little hope in the region for a swift resolution to the fighting as the two sides remain unable to resolve control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Senate Dems block defense bill in protest of Iran war
A $1.15 trillion Pentagon policy bill was handily rejected, a blow to Republicans who had sought to deliver on President Donald Trump’s record-shattering defense budget ambitions.