Defense & Military

The Donald Trump administration’s outline for a $1 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2026 received swift pushback from senior Republicans for the decision to include anticipated reconciliation funds to reach the record topline. While the White House touted an “unprecedented” 13% boost in defense spending, the base defense budget, released on Friday, would remain flat […]

After his recent reelection victory, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said he received a positive phone call from President Donald Trump, according to an Australian publication Monday. “We talked about AUKUS and tariffs and will continue to engage,” Albanese said, adding the two leaders would have a “face-to-face” meetup at “some time in the future.” […]

The Donald Trump administration’s outline for a $1 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2026 received swift pushback from senior Republicans for the decision to include anticipated reconciliation funds to reach the record topline. While the White House touted an “unprecedented” 13% boost in defense spending, the base defense budget, released on Friday, would remain flat […]

After his recent reelection victory, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said he received a positive phone call from President Donald Trump, according to an Australian publication Monday. “We talked about AUKUS and tariffs and will continue to engage,” Albanese said, adding the two leaders would have a “face-to-face” meetup at “some time in the future.” […]

During the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term he has moved aggressively to reduce the federal workforce and the Department of Energy’s nuclear weapons complex has not been immune. Trump’s second term, which started Jan. 20, hit the 100-day mark this week on April 30.  One of Trump’s initiatives has been the […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Armed Services Committee voted 35-21 on Tuesday to advance a $150 billion defense spending plan as part of the forthcoming reconciliation bill. The committee’s markup of the legislation included voting down a slew of Democrat-proposed amendments aimed at placing limits on the spending. These included one from Rep. John Garamendi […]

The National Academies’ Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board will discuss topics including the consequences of attacks on nuclear plants, during a two-day meeting starting May 15 in Washington, D.C. “The military threats to Ukrainian nuclear power plants as well as the Chernobyl shelter have raised renewed concerns about the vulnerability of these systems,” according to […]

The National Academies’ Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board will discuss topics including the consequences of attacks on nuclear plants, during a two-day meeting starting May 15 in Washington, D.C. “The military threats to Ukrainian nuclear power plants as well as the Chernobyl shelter have raised renewed concerns about the vulnerability of these systems,” according to […]

The National Academies’ Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board will discuss topics including the consequences of attacks on nuclear plants, during a two-day meeting starting May 15 in Washington, D.C. “The military threats to Ukrainian nuclear power plants as well as the Chernobyl shelter have raised renewed concerns about the vulnerability of these systems,” according to […]

The U.S. Navy this week released a draft Request for Solution to design a prototype for a “survivable sea-based capability” for the nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile flight system. Capability requirement responses are due by May 5 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. A planned nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) would be deployed on the Virginia-class submarines […]

A senior member of the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees has raised concerns that the Trump administration’s widespread tariffs policy will lead to a spike in defense acquisition costs and negatively impact the industrial base. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who is also the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to […]

The Defense Innovation Unit announced April 10 next steps in its Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program to deploy microreactor nuclear systems for power reliability at select military locations. The companies selected are: Antares Nuclear BWXT Advanced Technologies General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems Kairos Power Oklo Radiant Industries Incorporated Westinghouse Government Services X-energy These companies are […]

U.S. Strategic Command is looking into potential impacts of President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense to the nation’s nuclear deterrence, the commander said in a fiscal 2026 Strategic Forces Posture hearing April 9.  “We’re looking at some of the things that came from the SDI [Strategic Defense Initiative] initiatives, some of the talking points, […]

President Donald Trump said Monday his administration’s forthcoming defense budget proposal will have a topline of around $1 trillion, a record first for the Pentagon. “$1 trillion and nobody’s seen anything like it,” Trump said in remarks from the Oval Office. In an email to investors, a TD Cowen analyst noted that while the majority […]

The House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee will hear from Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, and others on the country’s strategic forces posture for fiscal 2026. Cotton, the military’s top uniformed nuclear official, is one of four witnesses to testify Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time in Rayburn House Office Building, […]

While Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) are pulling for President Donald Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense against nuclear adversaries, others are saying it is not cost effective. “We need to protect the homeland from as many dangers as are out there,” Wicker told the Exchange Monitor in the halls of the Capitol […]

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) Wednesday told the commander of the Strategic Command Gen. Anthony Cotton that he thinks adding a nuclear warhead to the nation’s submarines could be “disruptive” to the maritime program. A planned nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) would be deployed on the Virginia-class submarines and would include a variant of the W80-4 […]

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) Wednesday told the commander of the Strategic Command Gen. Anthony Cotton that he thinks adding a nuclear warhead to the nation’s submarines could be “disruptive” to the maritime program. A planned nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) would be deployed on the Virginia-class submarines and would include a variant of the W80-4 […]

WASHINGTON — With a shutdown deadline fast approaching, Democrats not showing their cards, and no vote scheduled for the stopgap bill, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) expressed frustration in a subcommittee meeting and to reporters Wednesday. Wicker, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said at the beginning of a hearing Wednesday morning in the readiness […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration partnered with other government agencies to conduct an exercise on how a team would gather evidence to support the president make decisions in a nuclear attack scenario. The Prominent Hunt exercise series, which the recent exercise was part of, took place Jan. 26 to 31 around Schenectady, N.Y., the Pentagon […]

The Defense Department last week said it expects to cut its civilian workforce between 5-8%, adding that beginning this week it will start to lay off 5,400 probationary workers followed by a hiring freeze.  The department is “re-evaluating our probationary workforce” as it complies with President Donald Trump’s direction for a more efficient and productive […]

The House on Tuesday evening narrowly passed a budget resolution that sets a blueprint for passing Trump administration priorities via the reconciliation process, to include spending $100 billion on defense over four years. The 217-215 vote along party lines to pass the measure followed uncertainty in the House over Republican holdouts who sought deeper spending […]

The Defense Department last week said it expects to cut its civilian workforce between 5-8%, adding that beginning this week it will start to lay off 5,400 probationary workers followed by a hiring freeze.  The department is “re-evaluating our probationary workforce” as it complies with President Donald Trump’s direction for a more efficient and productive […]

The Senate early on Feb. 21 voted 52-48 to pass a budget resolution that sets a blueprint for passing Trump administration priorities via the reconciliation process, to include spending $150 billion on defense over four years.  “This budget resolution directs other Senate committees to find spending cuts to fully pay for the much-needed funding for […]

The Republican chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday voiced support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to “review the entire budget” at the Pentagon to find about $50 billion that can be cut and shifted to President Donald Trump’s priorities. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) spoke following the Pentagon’s confirmation on Wednesday evening that […]

Senate Republicans on Friday unveiled a budget resolution that sets a blueprint for passing President Donald Trump’s policy priorities via the reconciliation process, to include adding $150 billion in defense funds over four years. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chair of the Senate Budget Committee, detailed the proposal that also calls for $175 billion in homeland […]

The Senate last week narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth as the new secretary of defense with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie breaking vote on a Friday evening. Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon was approved largely along party lines while three Republicans, Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), joined […]

The Senate on Friday evening narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth as the new secretary of defense with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie breaking vote. Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon was approved largely along party lines while three Republicans, Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), joined all Democrats in […]

Arlington, Va. — Gen. Anthony Cotton, the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command is expected to give a fireside chat on the weapons complex during the annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit that begins Monday morning in Arlington, Va. Cotton is one of many players in the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the nuclear weapons enterprise […]

WASHINGTON — Jill Hruby, ex-administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, said last week the B61-12 gravity bombs have been “fully forward deployed,” meaning stationed by a potential conflict area to respond to threats. “The new B61-12 gravity bombs are fully forward deployed, and we have increased NATO’s visibility to our nuclear capabilities through visits […]