Defense

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News

From House amendment to guitar performance, Dems try to put Trump and MAGA on defense over Epstein controversy

Democrats are seizing on the latest controversy facing President Donald Trump as his MAGA supporters express outrage over the Department of Justice’s announcement that it will not be releasing any bombshell report related to the conviction of pedophile sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein. From a legislative procedure and public statements to even an original guitar performance, the minority party is using every lever it has to make the outrage over the Epstein files stick politically for Trump. Republicans are noticeably divided […]

todayJuly 15, 2025

News

Defense Department webpage on Jackie Robinson goes down, then returns amid DEI purge

A Department of Defense webpage describing baseball and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson’s military service was restored Wednesday after it was missing earlier in the day. That development came after pages honoring a Black Medal of Honor winner and Japanese American service members were taken down — the Pentagon said that was a mistake — amid the department’s campaign to strip out content singling out the contributions by women and minority groups, which the Trump administration considers “DEI.” The page on Robinson […]

todayMarch 20, 2025 1

News

Defense Department takes down, then restores ‘DEI’ webpage honoring Black Medal of Honor recipient

The U.S. Department of Defense removed a webpage dedicated to a decorated Black veteran who served in the Vietnam War, characterizing his Medal of Honor as a “DEI” medal, only to later reinstate the page after online fury. The page in question spotlighted Army Maj. General Charles Calvin Rogers, who received the Presidential Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon in 1970. According to the 2021 Defense article spotlight, Rogers remains the highest-ranking Black American to receive the prestigious Medal […]

todayMarch 17, 2025

News

Hegseth confirmed as Trump’s defense secretary in tie-breaking vote despite turmoil over his conduct

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation’s defense secretary Friday in a dramatic late-night vote, swatting back questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behavior toward women. Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behavior as Hegseth, particularly for such a high-profile role atop the U.S. military. But the Republican-led Senate was determined to confirm Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran who has vowed to bring […]

todayJanuary 25, 2025

News

Trump’s Defense cabinet pick Pete Hegseth has a history of hostility toward racial equity

Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of U.S. Defense, Pete Hegseth, was grilled on Tuesday by Democratic senators during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, who pressed him on a range of controversial topics, including allegations of sexual assault, alcoholism, and his hostility toward anything related to DEI. While being questioned by Senate Armed Service Committee ranking member, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., about his stance on diversity, equity and inclusion in the U.S. military, Hegseth, a conservative former Fox News host, […]

todayJanuary 15, 2025

News

‘Totally unacceptable’: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin faces grilling in Congress about secret hospital stay

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under fire for his secret hospital stay last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers Thursday that the Defense Department has made changes to improve the notification process if he must transfer decision-making authorities due to illness or lack of communications. He said there were no gaps in control of the department or the nation’s security because “at all times, either I or the deputy secretary was in a position to conduct the duties of my office.” […]

todayFebruary 29, 2024

News

Defense Secretary Austin hospitalized with bladder issue, transfers powers to his deputy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized again Sunday to address a bladder issue as he continues to recover from prostate cancer and has transferred authorities to his deputy, the Pentagon said. Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December and continues to deal with complications from his treatment. At about 2:20 p.m. Sunday, he was transported by his security detail to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center “to be seen for symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue,” […]

todayFebruary 12, 2024

News

Congressional Black Caucus backs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after calls for resignation

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus support Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, who has faced backlash for not alerting the proper officials after being hospitalized. In a statement obtained by theGrio, CBC Chairman Steven Horsford, D-Nev., stated, “The CBC fully supports Secretary Austin remaining in his role, and we strongly push back against efforts to politicize a deeply personal and private health diagnosis.” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks with reporters after a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact […]

todayJanuary 13, 2024

News

The White House will review Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s lack of disclosure on his hospital stay

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Monday that the administration will review what rules or procedures weren’t followed when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin did not disclose his hospitalization for days to President Joe Biden and top officials at the Pentagon and the National Security Council. “We’ll do what’s akin to a hot wash and try to see if processes and procedures need to be changed at all or modified so that we can learn from this,” John Kirby, the […]

todayJanuary 8, 2024