Saturday, May 17, 2025
Key Issues Army UAS focus Project Convergence FTUAS capabilities
Tony Bertuca is chief editor of Inside the Pentagon, the flagship publication of InsideDefense, where he focuses on defense budget and acquisition policy. He previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and at the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, NH. Tony has also served as managing editor of Inside the Army. He has a master's degree in journalism from Boston University.
The Republican and Democrat leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee have sent a letter to the Defense Department inspector general asking for an investigation in the Signal group chat controversy that has ensnared senior Trump administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Defense Department has paused the work of its advisory boards pending a 45-day review, though a committee dedicated to military diversity, equity and inclusion has already been terminated, according to a new memo from Joe Kasper, chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on April 1 to consider the nomination of retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, whom President Trump has picked to return to service as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) want the Pentagon’s inspector general to conduct an expedited investigation of the Signal group text in which senior Trump administration officials inadvertently shared plans related to an airstrike against Houthi militants with a journalist.
Congress has approved a Defense Department request to reprogram funding to purchase four anti-drone weapon systems mounted to shipping containers for U.S. Central Command.
An annual threat assessment from the U.S. government's top spies has identified criminal drug cartels as the Trump administration's No. 1 concern, followed by the individual and collective threats posed by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, though a hearing meant to discuss the report today mostly spotlighted the growing controversy surrounding senior officials' mistaken sharing of secret war plans against Houthi militants in Yemen with a journalist.
Senior Trump administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are under fire today for allegedly disclosing highly classified U.S. plans to launch airstrikes against Yemen's Houthi militants on an encrypted commercial messaging service text chain that included a journalist.
The Association of the United States Army hosts its annual conference in Huntsville, AL, this week. Meanwhile, senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several events around Washington.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is slated to hold a hearing next week to consider nominees for several top Pentagon jobs.
Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations committees have sent a blueprint to the Defense Department for how they would like to see funding spent in fiscal year 2025, though the Pentagon, which is operating under a yearlong continuing resolution, is in uncharted territory, according to documents obtained by Inside Defense.
The Defense Department is just beginning to wrestle with the challenges associated with the "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative ordered by President Trump, including who will lead it, according to a senior Pentagon official.
Because of recent litigation, the Defense Department has had to pause its effort to terminate around 5,400 probationary civilian employees, but senior officials said today the Pentagon still plans to cut between 5% and 8% of its total civilian workforce one way or another.
Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several events around Washington this week.
The Senate voted 54-46 today to pass a yearlong continuing resolution that averts a government shutdown tonight but doesn't keep pace with inflation, thereby reducing Pentagon buying power.
The Senate voted 59-40 today to confirm billionaire financier Stephen Feinberg as deputy defense secretary.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the disestablishment of the Pentagon's storied Office of Net Assessment with the intent to "rebuild it." (UPDATED)
The GOP's yearlong continuing resolution that narrowly passed the House this week includes a variety of features -- like the authority to start some new programs and reallocate a greater amount of money during the fiscal year than previously allowed -- that were enough to win the support of defense advocates, though it amounts to a multibillion-dollar cut in military spending because it doesn't keep pace with inflation.
The Pentagon is telling the House Armed Services Committee that it cannot provide senior lawmakers with lists they requested identifying potential cuts to defense programs, but to instead wait for the rollout of the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget request, according to a letter obtained by Inside Defense.
The House voted 217-213 today to pass a yearlong continuing resolution that faces an uncertain future in the Senate in advance of Friday night's shutdown deadline.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has voted to advance the nominations of Stephen Feinberg, whom President Trump has picked to be deputy defense secretary, and John Phelan, who has been tapped to serve as Navy secretary.