President Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prepare a plan for replacing the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, better known as EMALS, with traditional steam catapults aboard the future USS Doris Miller. The same directive calls for replacing the carrier’s electromagnetic weapons elevators with hydraulic systems. Despite some of the broader headlines, Trump hasn’t ordered sailors…
Turkey, the F-35, and the Price of Alliance Trust
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…
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:…
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…
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