The Pentagon is undergoing a major leadership overhaul under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with Rear Admiral Kurt Rothenhaus, head of the Office of Naval Research, being replaced by 33-year-old Rachel Riley, a former DOGE employee, who lacks military experience. This follows the departure of three-star General Joe McGee, who served on the Joint Staff, amidst reported tension. These moves are part of a broader trend of experienced officials being removed from their positions within the Defense Department under the current administration, alongside previous high-profile dismissals of key military leaders.
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As part of an ongoing initiative, the Pentagon has directed thousands of National Guard personnel to undergo civil unrest mission training in the coming months. This training signals a potential shift, suggesting the Trump administration may be moving toward deploying uniformed military forces in urban areas, a practice previously reserved for extreme emergencies. This decision follows a period of heightened tensions and public demonstrations across the country. The increased focus on civil unrest training indicates a growing concern within the government about potential social instability.
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According to an internal Pentagon directive, all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and US territories have been ordered to create “quick reaction forces” trained in riot control, including the use of various crowd control equipment. The directive, citing a prior executive order, mandates specific training for thousands of National Guard members nationwide, with a goal to be operational by January 1, 2026. This initiative has raised concerns that the forces could be used for political purposes, such as suppressing elections, and recalls the historical use of National Guard troops in quelling civil unrest. Military trainers will be deployed to each state to facilitate the training, and each state is required to report monthly on its progress.
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The Department of Defense, under Pete Hegseth, is reportedly requiring military officials involved in the Trump administration’s Caribbean strikes to sign non-disclosure agreements, even though existing rules already cover national security secrets. These strikes, which have resulted in at least 57 deaths since September, have drawn scrutiny and concerns from lawmakers and human rights groups. The administration defends these attacks as targeting drug traffickers, yet has been criticized for a lack of transparency, including withholding unedited footage and details about the victims. Hegseth has also taken steps to control information, including restricting press access and limiting communication between generals and Congress.
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The Pentagon has accepted a $130 million anonymous donation to aid military personnel pay during the ongoing government shutdown, sparking ethical concerns. Despite the substantial sum, the donation only covers a fraction of the total needed for service member compensation, raising questions about financial sustainability. While President Trump lauded the donor as a “patriot,” details regarding the donation’s legality and potential conflicts of interest remain unclear. Experts are calling for more transparency, particularly regarding the Pentagon’s policies on gift acceptance and potential donor involvement in government matters.
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The Pentagon is restricting nearly all Defense Department personnel from communicating with Congress or state lawmakers without prior approval from the agency’s legislative affairs office. The memo, signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, aims to improve accuracy and responsiveness in communications, with the restriction applying to key figures like civilian leaders and combatant commanders. While a senior official claims the move is consistent with longstanding policy, another suggests it will centralize all communications, requiring even service legislative affairs staff to seek approval. This move follows prior efforts by Hegseth to control information flow and has been met with mixed reactions, with some seeing it as an overreach and others as a necessary measure for coordinated messaging.
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A protest against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new policy restricting press access at the Pentagon, which journalists and media advocates deem criminalization of routine reporting, unfolded with a “journalism is not a crime” flyer and reporters surrendering press passes. News outlets are refusing to comply, choosing to report on Hegseth and the military from outside the Pentagon. While the policy undermines principles of the “free flow of information,” Hegseth controls access, leading to the policy’s implementation, and drawing criticism from press freedom advocates, military officers, and a professional organization who see this as an attack on the First Amendment and the American public.
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Numerous prominent news organizations, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, have publicly rejected a new Pentagon policy. This policy mandates that media outlets pledge not to obtain unauthorized material and restricts access to certain areas without official accompaniment. The policy has sparked widespread criticism, with many outlets arguing it infringes on First Amendment rights and hinders the public’s ability to understand government operations. Pentagon officials claim the policy is necessary for national security, while some conservative outlets have embraced the new rules.
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Several prominent news organizations, including The New York Times, The Associated Press, and Newsmax, have refused to sign a new Defense Department document outlining press rules, potentially leading to the eviction of their reporters from the Pentagon. These outlets argue the policy infringes upon First Amendment rights by restricting access and threatening to punish routine news gathering. The new rules require journalists to acknowledge the policy, which bars access to significant areas of the Pentagon without an escort and allows the Defense Secretary to revoke press access for unauthorized information requests. Pentagon officials maintain the policy establishes “common sense media procedures,” while journalists counter that signing the document implies reporting on unapproved information harms national security, a claim they refute.
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Newsmax has announced it will not sign the Pentagon’s revised media credentialing agreement, becoming the first major outlet to publicly reject the new restrictions. The Pentagon’s updated policy aims to control how information is shared with reporters, but has led to significant pushback from news organizations. The policy change would potentially allow U.S. military personnel to face “adverse consequences” if they make unauthorized disclosures to reporters, thus possibly revoking a reporter’s access. The decision by Newsmax, a right-leaning outlet, may pose a significant challenge to the Trump administration.
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John Q. Hosedrinker