Latest news with #DefenseDepartment
NBC News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Trump weighs Iran action and appeals court rules on California National Guard: Morning Rundown
Donald Trump said he would decide whether the U.S. should take action in Iran within two weeks. An appeals court ruled the deployment of California National Guard troops was within the president's rights. And the parents who were jailed in their 7-year-old son's traffic death speak out from jail. Here's what to know today. Trump weighs potential action in Iran with small circle of advisers President Donald Trump will decide within two weeks whether the U.S. should get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, the White House said yesterday. This is "based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future," he said in a message read to reporters in the White House by press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister is set to hold talks in Geneva today with his counterparts from the U.K., France and Germany. Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, won't be in attendance. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. As he weighs what to do, Trump is increasingly relying on a small group of advisers for critical input, according to two defense officials and a senior administration official. While the president routinely asks a broader group of people what they think he should do, including officials in his own administration as well as foreign leaders and contacts outside the government, Trump tends to make many decisions with just a handful of people. That includes Vice President JD Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump also leans on Witkoff when he weighs decisions that fall under his portfolio, an official said. But the president has sidelined National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and has not been routinely turning to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to two defense officials and a senior administration official. A Defense Department spokesperson denied the assertion about Hegseth. More coverage of the Israel-Iran conflict: Israel's Air Force and Navy have successfully intercepted hundreds of missiles launched toward the country, military officials say. And key buildings at an Iranian heavy water reactor were damaged, a U.N. nuclear watchdog said. Follow our live blog for the latest updates. Entire neighborhoods in Tehran are emptying out amid the barrage of missiles, and residents who remain in Iran's capital are mostly staying indoors. Appeals court backs California National Guard deployment An appeals court ruled that Trump is within his rights to deploy the California National Guard amid immigration protests in Los Angeles, allowing the president to keep control of the troops. The ruling last night from a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined the federal government made a required 'strong showing' in arguing it would prevail against California's challenge to the legality of the deployment of troops usually under the governor's control. However, the court said it disagreed with the administration's stance that the federalization of National Guard Troops is 'completely insulated from judicial review.' Read the full story here. Earlier Thursday, the Los Angeles Dodgers said it blocked federal immigration agents from entering their stadium after agents 'requested permission to access the parking lots.' ICE responded to the Dodgers on social media, saying, 'False. We were never there.' But a source familiar with Dodgers operations said that after the agents were denied entry E, they processed multiple detainees just outside the ballpark. Meanwhile, demonstrators outside the stadium's gates, including a Los Angeles City Council member, held signs and chanted 'ICE out of L.A.' More immigration news: 'Border czar' Tom Homan said the Trump administration will keep conducting immigration raids at worksites, including farms and hotels, but that criminals will be prioritized. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from forcing 20 Democratic-led states to cooperate with immigration enforcement in order to receive billions of dollars in transportation funding. Latino Trump voters who participated in focus groups observed by NBC News said they approve of Trump's handling of illegal immigration, and most approved of his actions broadly as president. But a small divide is emerging among these voters over how deportations are being carried out. Surgeon's UnitedHealthcare clash shows insurer's hardball tactics When Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealthcare experienced a massive hack in February 2024, the subsidiary shuttered its systems and halted all reimbursements owed to hospitals and doctors. To help medical providers stay afloat, Optum, another UnitedHealth subsidiary that includes a bank, began offering 'temporary' no-interest loans. Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Catherine Mazzola was among those tapping into the program and her practice in New Jersey received $535,000, documents show. Mazzola's practice began repaying the loans, but in January of this year, Optum demanded that it repay the money in full and within five business days. Mazzola pleaded for more time, but by mid-February, she stopped receiving reimbursements. Months later, she learned UnitedHealthcare had drawn up reimbursement checks payable to her practice and then deposited those checks into its own bank account, records shared with NBC News show. Her case sheds light on something few patients know about: the behind-the-scenes battles doctors say they must wage with insurers over reimbursements and the increasingly aggressive tactics taken by huge payers like UnitedHealthcare. Mazzola, as well as other doctors who spoke to senior financial reporter Gretchen Morgenson, said they were never reimbursed for many claims, and some say they are out millions as a result. On top of that, patients were hurt by the hack, too. Read the full story here. Singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to a charge in connection with an alleged 2023 London nightclub attack and will face trial later this year. Brown appeared in person at London's Southwark Crown to enter a not guilty plea to one count of attempting to cause "grievous bodily harm" in connection with a February 2023 altercation, where he allegedly attacked a music producer with a bottle. Brown is also charged with one count of assault and one count of possessing an offensive weapon and will enter pleas on those charges at a later hearing. Omololu Akinlolu, an American rapper who performs under the name 'Hoody Baby,' also pleaded not guilty to the same charge of attempting to cause 'grievous bodily harm.' Akinlolu and Brown are both accused of attacking music producer Abe Diaw at Tape nightclub in London's upmarket Mayfair district. Brown, 36, faces a possible prison sentence of between two and 16 years if he is convicted. Read the full story here. Read All About It Trump extended a potential TikTok ban by another 90 days, until Sept. 17, to give parent company ByteDance more time to find an American owner. The NBA Finals are going to Game 7 for the first time since 2016 after the Indiana Pacers staved off elimination and won 108-91 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. A 9-year-old Florida girl who is recovering from surgery after a shark nearly bit her hand off recalled the attack: 'I didn't see anything. … something hard bit me.' Some ready-to-eat fettuccine Alfredo meals sold at Walmart and Kroger were voluntarily recalled after a listeria outbreak linked to three deaths and 17 illnesses. Earlier this month, NBC BLK reporter Curtis Bunn wrote about a child whose parents were arrested after he accidentally stepped out into traffic and was fatally struck by a car. Curtis's initial reporting raised more questions, so we knew we needed to find out more. After Curtis made contact with the family, he headed to North Carolina to spend time with people who were both grieving the loss of a bright 7-year-old family member and advocating for the child's parents, who are in jail and face multiple charges in his death. (The unnamed 76-year-old woman who hit the child has not been charged.) In addition to the faithful grandparents, aunties and friends who are stepping up to care for the couple's remaining six children, Curtis spoke with the two parents trying to be strong for their family from behind bars. — Michelle Garcia, NBC BLK editorial director NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified Talking Shop is an NBC Select series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. We recently spoke with prima ballerina Tiler Peck about her favorite facial cleanser, protein bars, hairspray and much more. Plus, the NBC Select team asked dermatologists about the best UPF clothing, which adds a layer of defense against UV rays, for the whole family. here.
Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
The awful optics of uniformed troops cheering Trump's partisan applause lines
This past week Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump spoke at a rally. Trump's speech seemed familiar: Disparage Los Angeles ('trash heap'). Criticize Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass ('incompetent, and they paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists'). Restate grievances about the 2020 election ('rigged and stolen'). Chide the crowd to support the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' ('You better push your favorite congressmen'). But this speech was different from his others. The location was Ft. Bragg in North Carolina — and the audience was mostly soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, the 'All Americans.' Internal unit communications revealed soldiers at the rally were screened based on political leanings and physical appearance. 'If soldiers have political views that are in opposition to the current administration,' the guidance advised, 'and they don't want to be in the audience then they need to speak with their leadership and get swapped out.' So what followed was to be expected. A sea of young soldiers in uniform — selected for their preference for the president — cheering and clapping for partisan commentary. This obviously violates Defense Department regulations. Heck, it's even spelled out in a handy Pentagon FAQ: Q. Can I ever wear my uniform when I attend political events? A. No; military members must refrain from participating in political activity while in military uniform in accordance with both DoDD 1344.10 and DoDI 1344.01. This prohibition applies to all Armed Forces members. But what happened during Trump's appearance at the Army base is worse than breaking regs. The commander in chief forced an important unit to choose sides. He broke the All Americans in two. In essence, his statement to the troops there was: 'Those who like me and my politics, come to my rally. The rest of you — beat it.' (Maybe we should start calling them the 'Some Americans.') Imagine what it was like the day after. The soldiers who chose not to attend wondered how their next rating would go. Some lieutenant from California worried if his commander now has a problem with where he's from — and is checking whether he was at the rally. Maybe it's better if he wasn't, and he instead chose to abide by Defense regulations? No matter which way you lean, that speech injected partisan acid into the 82nd Airborne. And it will drip down and corrode from the stars at the top to the lowest-ranking private. Militaries require extraordinary cohesion to function in combat. For those of us who've chosen this profession, one thing is burned into our brains from that very first day our hair's shorn off: We're all we've got. There's nobody else. When you are hundreds and thousands of miles away from everyone else you've ever known, and you're there for weeks and months and a year, you realize just how important the person next to you is, regardless of where they've come from, who their parents are, or whether their community votes red or blue. Fighting units are like five separate fingers that form a fist. Partisan acid burns and weakens our fist. Then there are the indirect effects. This speech damaged the military's standing with a large swath of America. The image of soldiers cheering the partisan applause lines of a commander in chief who just sent thousands of troops to Los Angeles over the state's objections? Not a good look. These optics risk ruining the military's trust with roughly half of America. The military is the last remaining federal institution that a majority of Americans trust 'a great deal.' But it's been slipping since the last Trump administration and may fall under 50%. Yet the military requires firm trust to fund and fill critical needs. That's important because not everyone wants to serve in the military. Many would prefer not to think about the expected self-sacrifice, or the daily discomforts of military discipline. Moreover, not everyone is even able to serve in the military. Roughly three-quarters of young Americans can't qualify. What if someone who would have been the next Mike Mullen — Los Angeles native, Navy admiral and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs — gets turned off by this rally and opts against the Naval Academy? Then zoom out a little. What if much of California takes offense at this speech, not to mention at the soldiers and Marines so recently forced upon the local and state governments? California hosts more active-duty troops than any other state — by a wide margin. It's also the biggest donor state in the country, contributing $83 billion more to the federal government than it receives. The bases and other strategic locations up and down the Pacific Coast are beyond value. California is America's strong right arm. To sever California's support for the military is simply unthinkable. It just can't happen. We've got to fix this. The first fix is simple. Hold troops to the accepted standards. Hegseth's most recent book argued that the Defense Department has 'an integrity and accountability problem.' Here's the secretary's chance to show America he stands for standards. But we know mistakes happen, and this could become a powerful teachable moment: When the commander in chief orders troops to such an event, the only acceptable demeanor is the stone cold silence the generals and admirals of the Joint Chiefs display at the State of the Union, regardless of their politics and regardless of what the president is saying. Just a few years ago, two Marines in a similarly awful situation did just this right thing. A further fix calls for more individuals to act: The roughly 7,500 retired generals and admirals in America need to speak up. The military profession's nonpartisan ethic is at a breaking point. They know the old military saying: When you spot something substandard, and you fail to correct it, then you've just set a new standard. The reason many of these retired senior officers often don't speak out is their fear that defending neutrality risks having a political impact. Yet their continued silence carries a grave institutional effect — the slow-motion suicide of the profession that gave them their stars. The president mentioned Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in his speech, and it's too bad his speechwriter didn't include a certain anecdote that would've fit the occasion. When the Civil War was over and terms were being agreed upon at Appomattox Court House, Lee noticed Col. Ely Parker, a Tonawanda Seneca man serving on Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's staff. Lee quipped, 'I am glad to see one real American here.' To which Parker replied, 'We are all Americans.' Since that very moment, we've been one country and one Army, All Americans, indivisible and inseparable from society. If only we can keep it. ML Cavanaugh is the author of the forthcoming book 'Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before.' @MLCavanaugh
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Major anomaly': Elon Musk's Starship rocket blows up again
STORY: SpaceX called it a 'major anomaly'… One of Elon Musk's giant Starship rockets has exploded again. This eyewitness video released Thursday shows the moment of the incident, which occurred late at night the day before. SpaceX says the explosion happened during preparations for the rocket's tenth test flight. It said no personnel were injured, and it had teams working to ensure safety in the area surrounding the site in Brownsville, Texas. The firm said there was no hazard to local communities, but asked people not to approach the area. It's all the latest setback for Musk's ambitions to mount a mission to Mars. And it adds to a very bad year for the Starship program. In January, one of the rockets broke up after launch, raining debris over the Caribbean. In March, one exploded in space, forcing aviation watchdogs to halt air traffic over parts of Florida. Then in May, another one spun out of control halfway through its mission. Posting on X, Musk said the new failure appeared to be connected to an onboard nitrogen gas storage system. Now it all comes at a bad moment for the billionaire, after his spectacular public falling out with U.S. President Donald Trump. Reuters sources say the White House subsequently ordered the Defense Department and NASA to conduct a review of their multi-billion dollar contracts with SpaceX. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NBC News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Trump is relying on a small circle of advisers as he weighs Iran strikes
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is increasingly relying on a small group of advisers for critical input as he weighs whether to order U.S. military action in Iran targeting its nuclear program, according to two defense officials and a senior administration official. At the same time, another senior administration official said, Trump has been crowdsourcing with an array of allies outside the White House and in his administration about whether they think he should greenlight strikes in Iran — a question that has divided his core supporters. Despite routinely asking a broader group of people what they think he should do, Trump tends to make many decisions with just a handful of administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also the interim national security adviser, the senior administration official said. Trump also leans on his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, when he weighs decisions that fall under his portfolio, the official said. As he decides whether to directly involve the United States in a war with Iran, Trump has expanded his circle in some ways while shrinking it in others. He has sidelined National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who opposes U.S. strikes in Iran, and he has not been routinely turning to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of his decision-making process, according to the two defense officials and the senior administration official. Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell pushed back against the notion that Hegseth has not been heavily involved. "This claim is completely false. The Secretary is speaking with the President multiple times a day each day and has been with the President in the Situation Room this week," Parnell said in a statement. "Secretary Hegseth is providing the leadership the Department of Defense and our Armed Forces need, and he will continue to work diligently in support of President Trump's peace through strength agenda." Trump is listening to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command; and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, the two defense officials and a former administration official said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that Trump will decide whether the United States should get involved in the Israel-Iran conflict within the next two weeks. In contrast to virtually every president before him since World War II, Trump does not rely on senior officials to carefully prepare foreign policy and military options and then discuss them with him in a structured, deliberate way, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. He discusses foreign policy with officials in his administration, as well as a myriad of foreign leaders and contacts outside the government. But those discussions are more informal and freewheeling. As a result, there are arguably fewer opportunities for officials or senior military commanders to question his assumptions or raise concerns about a course of action, the two sources said. When Trump announced last month that he was lifting sanctions on Syria after he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, senior officials were taken by surprise, the two sources with knowledge of the matter said. Treasury Department officials had no warning that he would make such an announcement, and no technical preparations had been made to carry out a step that required discussions with foreign banks and Syrian government officials, the sources said. Since he returned to the White House in January, Trump has drastically scaled back the National Security Council, which traditionally collaborates with other federal agencies to craft policy options and outline their possible consequences, particularly when it comes to possible military action.
The Independent
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Pete Hegseth urged his staff to take a ‘passive' approach to celebrating Juneteenth, report claims
The message was relayed by the Pentagon's Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, Rolling Stone reports. The message added that the office wasn't planning to publish Juneteenth-related content on the Pentagon's website, according to the outlet. Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, has long been commemorated but didn't become a federal holiday until 2021 under President Joe Biden. A Pentagon official told Rolling Stone that the Defense Department 'may engage celebrations that build camaraderie and esprit de recognition of historical events and notable figures where such recognition informs strategic thinking, reinforces our unity, and promotes meritocracy and accountability.' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also noted Thursday that she's 'not tracking the president's signature on any proclamation' related to Juneteenth. The Defense Department declined to comment when contacted by The Independent. Shortly after he was confirmed, Hegseth declared that there would be 'no more' diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Pentagon. This followed President Donald Trump's executive order ending DEI programs across government. The Pentagon went on to cancel a slew of historical and cultural annual events, including observances of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Pride Month, Holocaust Days of Remembrance, National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Women's History Month. The Defense Department also marked thousands of files for deletion in a purge of so-called DEI content, the Associated Press reported in March. This included documents and photos referencing a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the Enola Gay aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan, and the first women to pass Marine infantry training. Hegseth has even targeted so-called 'DEI programs' that Trump and his allies helped create. In late April, Hegseth announced he 'proudly ENDED' the Pentagon's Women, Peace & Security program. Trump signed the Women, Peace & Security Act into law during his first term. The law vowed to ensure the U.S. 'promotes the meaningful participation of women in mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then a Florida senator, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, then a South Dakota congresswoman, also cosponsored the legislation.
