Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Hegseth promises faster weapons buying with sweeping reforms Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday unveiled a sweeping overhaul to how the Pentagon buys weapons, a restructuring aimed at having the U.S. military more quickly acquire new...
A federal judge ruled on Friday that the Trump administration violated the First Amendment by sending automated emails and messages blaming the government shutdown on Democrats. In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said the Department of Education (DOE) cannot compel federal workers to engage in partisan speech. The American Federation of Government Employees...
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to immediately halt a judge’s ruling that requires full Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) November payments be made to states by Friday. An appeals court declined to block the ruling ahead of the deadline, and the administration warned it is “untenable at every turn” and will “sow further...
The State Department announced on Friday that the United Nations Security Council lifted the terrorist designation of two Syrian officials, including the country's new president Ahmed al-Sharaa. The adoption of a resolution "championed by the United States" to delist al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattub "sent a strong political signal that further recognizes Syria's...
Republican Sen. John Kennedy (La.) said the Senate has done “zero, zilch, nada” since it passed President Trump’s "big, beautiful bill" in July and that leadership “ignores me” when he proposes solutions to bypass Democrats. “Every time I brought up the idea of doing a second reconciliation bill where we don’t need Democrats, our leadership...
The Trump administration on Thursday asked for additional time to determine whether a group of about 200,000 student loan borrowers are entitled to loan forgiveness. Under Cardona v. Sweet, the Biden administration agreed to settle student loan relief applications under Borrower Defense filed before June 22, 2022, in three different groups within a certain timeline. The...
Democratic strategist James Carville said Thursday the next White House occupant will be a Democrat following the 2028 election. In the latest episode of his "Politics War Room" podcast with co-host Al Hunt, Carville answered a listener question by saying he's going to "bet a lot of money" on his 2028 prediction. “I’m going to...
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday unveiled a sweeping overhaul to how the Pentagon buys weapons, a restructuring aimed at having the U.S. military more quickly acquire new technology. Addressing industry leaders and military officials at the National War College in Washington, D.C., Hegseth detailed his vision for the Defense Acquisition System, which he said...
President Trump and Democrats are fighting over affordability after voters delivered a major rebuke to the Republican Party in key elections this week. Democrats notched blowout victories in the New Jersey and Virginia governors races Tuesday, flipping state legislative seats in red districts and recapturing areas that shifted rightward along the way. Strategists in both...
President Trump welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to the White House in what has been billed as a consequential meeting for the two conservative leaders nearly a year into Trump’s second administration. Much of the visit centered around Orbán’s request that Trump provide Hungary with an exemption to continue importing Russian oil not subject...
Applicants for immigrant visas to the U.S. could be rejected if they have certain medical conditions under a new State Department directive, the agency confirmed. The policy would allow officers to deny visas to immigrants deemed more likely to rely on public benefits should they have medical issues. Sent to State Department employees through an...
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday told states in a memo that full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits would be provided in November after a federal judge rejected plans by the Trump administration to offer partial benefits. In a letter to regional SNAP directors, USDA's Food and Nutritional Services said, "FNS...
Senate Republicans are lambasting an offer by Democrats to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies for one year as part of a deal to reopen the government, arguing there is little to no appetite for such an agreement. Multiple members of the Senate GOP were quick to pan the proposal — which Senate Minority Leader Chuck...
