Defense Secretary Hegseth Enters the Sept. 11 Case Fray
The new Pentagon chief got a look at Guantánamo Bay’s most infamous inmate in his recent visit to the wartime prison.
Defense Department
Trump Team Tightens Control Over Government Lawyers Who Might Say ‘No’
At the Justice Department and the Pentagon, the administration is curtailing the ability of lawyers to raise internal objections to the president’s use of power.
Trump Officials Split Over How Hard to Go on Mexican Cartels
A Mexican delegation will meet in Washington on Thursday to finalize a security deal, as White House officials debate a strategy for fighting cartels and stemming the flow of drugs across the border.
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s Defense Secretary, to Visit Guantánamo Bay
Mr. Hegseth served at the U.S. Navy base as a National Guard lieutenant. The base is now being used to hold some migrants who face deportation.
Trump’s Frustration With Generals Led to Picking Dan Caine for Joint Chiefs Chairman
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, a retired three-star Air Force officer, quickly moved up the list of candidates to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Some Agencies Urge Staff Not to Comply With Elon Musk’s Performance Email
The F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and others told employees not to respond to a directive from Mr. Musk to summarize their accomplishments.
Hegseth Fires Military’s Top JAG Lawyers in Pursuit of ‘Warrior Ethos’
The defense secretary has repeatedly derided the military lawyers for war crime prosecutions and battlefield rules of engagement.
Trump’s Firing of Gen. Charles Q. Brown May Have Roots in George Floyd Protests
A four-minute video appears to have been a turning point for the president and Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the ousted Joint Chiefs chairman.
Firing of Joint Chiefs Chairman and Others Draws Criticism
Democratic lawmakers and retired military officers expressed concern about the politicization of the military under President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Dan Caine, Trump’s Joint Chiefs Pick, Had Unusual Path to Command
The general made an impression on the president in 2018 when he said the Islamic State could be defeated in a week, according to the president.