Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Trump administration goes nuclear on AI firm Anthropic The Pentagon is designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk after President Trump directed
President Trump told FBI Director Kash Patel that he was disappointed by Patel's behavior while partying with the U.S. men’s hockey team during the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, NBC News reported Friday. The team had won the gold medal after defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime.
Democrats say the depositions pave the way for slapping Trump with a subpoena. Republicans say they point to his exoneration.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday warned that more Iranians face the risk of being executed after widespread anti-government protests last month. "I am horrified by reports that at least eight people, including two children, have been
{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story FEMA OKs billions in disaster assistance The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in disaster aid that was previously awaiting approval from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. © Valerie
Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, who is also the wife of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, criticized President Trump for getting “too cozy” with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, calling the leader a “communist.” “We’re getting a little too cozy with Delcy
Both Republicans and Democrats said former President Clinton was “very cooperative” in a historic deposition with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday that set a new precedent for how congressional investigators treat former presidents. “He did attempt
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in an interview that aired Friday that President Trump’s order bolstering the controversial herbicide glyphosate was “not something that I was particularly happy with.” Kennedy’s remarks to podcaster Joe Rogan
Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith on Thursday addressed rumors that he could launch a bid to run for president in 2028 but said he needs to think up of a way for him to keep his money. "I’m telling you, if there was a way for me to be on that big debate stage and...
President Trump gave shoutouts to the three Republicans running the Texas Senate primary race during a speech in which they were all in attendance in Corpus Christi on Friday, but he stopped short of endorsing in the race. “We have a great Attorney General Ken Paxton. Where’s
Hillary Clinton’s spokesperson, Nick Merrill, said Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is “full of s‑‑‑” for alleging the former secretary of State was “screaming” and “unhinged” during a deposition she gave related to an investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “Was
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon is designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk shortly after President Trump directed all federal agencies to cease using the company’s technology amid an ongoing feud with the Department of Defense (DOD). “Effective
Oman’s foreign minister said Friday that Iran is offering to give up stockpiling enriched uranium as part of a deal with the U.S. related to its nuclear program. Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi is serving as the mediator between U.S. and Iranian officials in Geneva. “Now we
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is endorsing Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) ahead of her high-profile Senate primary Tuesday. Harris lent her voice for a robocall urging Democrats to vote for Crockett, who is running against state Rep. James Talarico for the Democratic
The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in disaster aid that was previously awaiting approval from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. A source familiar with the situation told The Hill that billions in combined public assistance and hazard mitigation
Anti-voting activists are circulating an unconstitutional executive order draft that they argue could allow Donald Trump to take control over the country’s electoral systems ahead of the 2026 midterms. The 17-page order , titled “Establishing Security, Integrity, and
The Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against an additional 30 protesters who mounted an anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, last month. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on X Friday that federal agents had already arrested 25 of the 30 new
Attorney General Pam Bondi said 30 more people have been charged in connection with an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota that interrupted a church service. Bondi added that 25 of the 30 indicted people have already been arrested. On Jan. 18, protesters interrupted a service at
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday suggested people eat liver or "cheap cuts" in response to the high cost of beef. "This is true all over the country. There's a lot of good food in grocery stores that goes away. Most of the cheap cuts of meat
Polling released Friday reveals that more Americans say they sympathize with Palestinians than they do with Israelis, a new statistic coming several months after Israel and Hamas struck a deal to pause their devastating war in the Gaza Strip. Gallup found that 41 percent of
Click in for more news from The Hill {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story Trump’s surgeon general nominee short on votes to win confirmation Following her confirmation hearing this week, President Trump’s surgeon general nominee Casey Means has yet to shore up the
National concern is mounting as the White House mulls over a possible attack on Iran, though JD Vance isn’t worried in the slightest. The vice president told reporters aboard Air Force Two Thursday that there’s “no chance” the U.S. will get sucked into a long, drawn-out
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the cancellation of members of the military attending some of the country's top-ranked colleges and universities on Friday, beginning academic year 2026-27, arguing the schools are teaching the “enemy's wicked ideologies” to service
President Trump on Friday directed federal agencies to “immediately cease” using Anthropic technology amid an escalating feud between the AI company and the Pentagon. “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) announced Friday that they are reviewing a counteroffer from the White House on how to end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is about to stretch into
House Oversight Democrats believe they have the votes to force Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify before the committee regarding his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and the lies he told about it. “We also need other people, part of the Epstein class, to come before
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced Friday it has recommended Moderna's combined mRNA COVID-19 and flu vaccine be granted market authorization in the European Union, marking the first time the combined respiratory viral vaccine will be approved. "EMA has recommended
U.S. Women’s National Team former captain Megan Rapinoe spoke out against President Trump’s recent comments on the Olympic U.S. women’s hockey team. The president made the remarks after the men’s hockey team’s recent win in the gold medal Olympic game against Canada. FBI
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday the U.S. needs to drop its "excessive demands" while the two countries hold talks regarding Iran's nuclear program, as President Trump considers military action if a deal is not reached. Araghchi made the remark during a phone
President Trump will give remarks on energy and the economy Friday afternoon from Texas, just days before voters in the Lone Star State hit the polls in one of the nation's first 2026 midterm primary elections. While Trump is visiting the state in an official capacity,
Conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to “make an example” of actor Robert De Niro by investigating and possibly jailing him for his recent commentary against President Trump. In an interview with Nicolle Wallace, the host of MS NOW’s “The
President Trump told reporters on Friday that he was “not happy” to see former President Clinton deposed as the former president was testifying behind closed doors to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as apart of the panel's investigation into files linked to
Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo had to be reminded that the Second Amendment exists while defending the federal immigration agents who shot and killed American citizens. Speaking with Bartiromo Friday, Representative Ro Khanna defended his congressional colleagues’ decision not to
It’s not just that Donald Trump cannot explain why he is about to start a war with Iran; the worst part is that he is not even trying. Trump has hardly said a word about Iran over the past week, even in his State of the Union address. Congress is a bystander. There are no
President Trump on Friday shrugged off reports that he could consider declaring a national emergency around the midterm elections. “Who told you that?” Trump told reporters, when asked about the possibility. “No,” he said when asked if he was looking at the idea. “I’ve never
A senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said this week he would block the nomination of President Trump’s pick to lead the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command (Cybercom). Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in a letter submitted to the Congressional Record
President Trump’s choice to serve as surgeon general has not cobbled together enough votes to win confirmation as a pair of centrist Senate Republicans have yet to give her their support. Casey Means, the nominee for the position, is facing an uphill climb to make it through
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy is addressing the affordability crisis by asking Americans to eat more liver and less steak. “There’s a lot of good food in grocery stores that goes to waste. Most of the cheap cuts of meat are very inexpensive. If you buy a
President Trump told reporters Friday he has not made a final decision on whether he will strike Iran, but he said he was not happy with the way Tehran was negotiating in talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program. “We haven’t made a final decision [on strikes.] We’re not
Paramount Skydance successfully outbid Netflix Thursday, paving the way for the media behemoth to merge with its Burbank, California, neighbor, Warner Bros . Discovery—but local officials caution that the acquisition still has a long way to go before it’s official.
Donald Trump told reporters Friday that he thinks the U.S. could have a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, alluding to the blockade the U.S. has currently placed over the island. “The Cuban government is talking with us, they’re in a big deal of trouble as you know, they have no
President Trump on Friday suggested the U.S. could carry out a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, as the president has used a fuel blockade to increase the pressure on the communist regime in Havana. "The Cuban government is talking with us. They’re in a big deal of trouble, as you
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declined to attend Donald Trump's inaugural Board of Peace meeting, signaling that sovereign survival cannot be bought or sold, and that the U.S. is treating European security as a bilateral matter between Washington and Moscow.
Hundreds of employees at Google and OpenAI are backing artificial intelligence technology company Anthropic, which faces a Friday evening deadline to give the Pentagon permission to use its AI system as it wishes or face repercussions from the department. Employees who signed
Former President Bill Clinton called out Republicans in his opening statement to the House Oversight Committee Friday for bringing in his wife, former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to testify about Jeffrey Epstein. Clinton said in his own testimony that his
The Trump administration has turned out the lights on greenhouse gas emissions data.
The Texas State Board of Education voted to approve changes to the Bible-infused curriculum some schools are offering in the state, fixing errors caught by teachers in its first year in circulation. The curriculum, which is optional for schools although those who adopt it
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) praised the AI company Anthropic for rejecting the Pentagon’s demands on how its technology is used by Friday evening. The company and the U.S. government have been in a battle for weeks over Anthropic’s AI policy, which blocks its AI model Claude