North Korea fires a ballistic missile as Trump prepares to host China’s Xi

North Korea fires a ballistic missile as Trump prepares to host China’s Xi

North Korea fired another ballistic missile Wednesday morning, apparently testing a land-based version of its rocket that can be fired from a submarine, in a development that nonproliferation experts called “scary.” The launch comes days after Pyongyang said it planned to mark two key anniversaries this month as “big” political events and days before President […]

Trump hosts Egyptian president al-Sisi in effort to renew U.S.-Egypt ties

Trump hosts Egyptian president al-Sisi in effort to renew U.S.-Egypt ties

President Donald Trump welcomed the president of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to the White House today, drawing pointed criticism from those who say the meeting validates the Egyptian leader who rose to power following a military ouster of a democratically elected president. Before the meeting between the heads of state, protesters gathered near the Washington […]

U.S. Africa Command authorized by White House to conduct offensive airstrikes in Somalia

U.S. Africa Command authorized by White House to conduct offensive airstrikes in Somalia

President Trump has signed off on a proposal which allows the U.S. Africa Command to launch its own offensive airstrikes against militants in Somalia. The move extends authority to launch strikes down the chain of command to the regional military commander. In the Obama administration, authorization for such uses of force resided solely in the […]

US announces a new series of sanctions on North Korea’s WMD program

US announces a new series of sanctions on North Korea’s WMD program

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, under direction from the White House, announced a new series of sanctions being levied against one North Korean organization and 11 individuals with ties to North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. According to a press release provided by the Treasury Department, the 11 individuals cited have been working as agents […]

Boeing smells blood in the water and is coming for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 business

Boeing smells blood in the water and is coming for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 business

It’s no secret that Lockheed Martin’s F-35C naval variant has been plagued by cost overruns and setbacks throughout it’s production, but now it seems Boeing, Lockheed’s main rival, smells blood in the water and is capitalizing on the aircraft’s troubles. The F-35C promised to revolutionize carrier aircraft by becoming the first stealth plane to launch from […]

Tillerson to attend his first NATO meeting, push allies to increase defense spending

Tillerson to attend his first NATO meeting, push allies to increase defense spending

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives in Brussels for his first NATO meeting on Friday pushing the U.S. agenda of increased defense spending by member states and a greater role in the fight against terrorism before President Trump arrives in May. NATO member countries have until 2024 to meet a shared pledge to spend 2 […]

SECDEF James Mattis weighs in on the need for Trump’s defense spending hike

SECDEF James Mattis weighs in on the need for Trump’s defense spending hike

Secretary of Defense James Mattis appeared before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on Wednesday to emphasize the importance of President Trump’s proposed $30 billion defense spending increase for fiscal year 2017.  Defense Secretary Mattis was joined for the hearing by Marine Corps General and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joe Dunford. Mattis […]

Republicans growing frustrated that ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis is too liberal

Republicans growing frustrated that ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis is too liberal

Out of all of Donald Trump’s Cabinet appointees, it was a soldier [Marine] nicknamed “Mad Dog” whose nomination to lead the Department of Defense that prompted an unusual sigh of collective relief. Unlike the other neophytes and extremists in his White House menagerie, renowned general James Mattis was received with bipartisan affirmation, hailed by Democrats […]