President Trump’s reported push to reopen the door for Turkey to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program has revived one of NATO’s messier family arguments. And yes, this is very much a “family argument” situation: Turkey is a NATO ally, the U.S. wants strong partners against Russia and Iran, Israel is raising alarms, Congress has…
Trump, Ukraine, and the Delayed Drone Deal
The Trump administration’s hesitation over a major drone deal with Ukraine comes down to a simple question: Is America willing to learn from the country currently fighting the most drone-intensive war on earth? Ukraine wants a broad framework deal that would combine its hard-earned battlefield drone experience with American technology, money, manufacturing capacity, and artificial…
The Major Richard Star Act: Weighing Promise, Principle, and Price
The fight over the Major Richard Star Act is one of those rare Washington debates where the moral case is pretty simple, even if the budget math isn’t. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently voiced support for the bill during Senate questioning, saying the administration supports the Act after Sen. Richard Blumenthal pressed him on the…
Trump, Germany, and the Cost of a Feud
When foreign policy starts to look less like long-range strategy and more like a high-stakes personality clash, it’s worth pausing and asking whether the adults are still in the room. That’s the uncomfortable backdrop to President Trump’s reported order to withdraw roughly 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, a move unfolding amid a heated dispute with…
The “Golden Fleet,” Deism, and the Perils of Designing a World You Refuse to Govern
The U.S. Navy’s so-called Golden Fleet initiative sketches a vision that is at once ambitious and revealing. At the surface level, the story is about ships: numbers, readiness, industrial capacity, and the strategic anxieties of an increasingly dangerous world. But beneath the steel and spreadsheets lies a deeper question about how America understands power, responsibility,…
Trump’s Nuclear Sub Deal with South Korea
When President Trump announced that the United States would share nuclear-powered submarine technology with South Korea, jaws hit the floor faster than a dropped anchor. It’s not every day that the world’s most guarded military technology gets a ticket across the Pacific. But in classic Trump fashion, it’s a move that’s both audacious and strategic:…
Should We Swap ‘Defense’ for ‘War’?
President Trump recently signed an executive order that dusted off an old name from America’s past: the Department of War. Under this order, the Department of Defense is now permitted to use its original, historical title as a kind of “second name.” And in a nod to tradition, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is also cleared…
Shields Up, Anchors Down: A Look at the One Big Beautiful Bill’s Defense Provisions
As we continue wading through the legislative leviathan that is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it’s time to steer away from social spending and chart a course into deeper waters: defense spending. Buried within this multi-trillion-dollar behemoth is a powerhouse provision that allocates nearly $150 billion to shore up America's national defense. Now, this…
Restoring U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine: A Vital Course Correction in the Face of Russian Aggression
On Tuesday, the United States and Ukraine issued a joint statement announcing the resumption of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing. This decision came after Ukraine signaled its willingness to support Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. While the restoration of aid is a step in the right direction, it is also a…
Trump’s Military Shake-Up: Restoring Readiness or Rewarding Loyalty?
President Trump’s decision to fire Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C.Q. Brown, along with five other top military leaders, has sent shockwaves through Washington. Some see it as a necessary course correction for a military that has lost its focus. Others see it as a dangerous power grab, replacing independent-minded leaders with…
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