 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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Another Pentagon official out |
Former top Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot is resigning from the Defense Department at the end of this week, marking another shake-up in the building. |
Ullyot was the acting assistant to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for public affairs until February, when Sean Parnell, a former U.S. Army airborne ranger and ex-Senate candidate, was selected as the Pentagon's chief spokesperson. "I made clear to Secretary Hegseth before the Inauguration that I was not interested in being number two to anyone in public affairs, but I would be happy to stand up the Pentagon press operation on an acting basis for two months and get President Trump's pick up to speed once he came on board," Ullyot wrote in a statement to The Hill on Thursday. "Last month, as that time approached, the Secretary and I talked and could not come to an agreement on another good fit for me at DOD, so I informed him today that I will be leaving at the end of this week," Ullyot said. "It's been an honor to serve alongside him as part of President Trump's team, and I remain one of the Secretary's strongest supporters going forward." A defense official told The Hill on Thursday that Ullyot "was asked to resign." Ullyot's departure comes as three top Defense Department officials — two of Hegseth's aides and the chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve A. Feinberg — were escorted out of the Pentagon earlier this week and placed on administrative leave as part of an investigation into information leaks at the department. Ullyot was defending DOD as it removed scores of military web pages related to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. A department page dedicated to baseball legend Jackie Robinson was briefly taken down, prompting strong backlash in March. Robinson broke the color barrier in the sport in 1947. Shortly after the article celebrating Robinson was removed, Ullyot was reportedly sidelined by the Trump administration. Read the full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future: |
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U.S. forces on Thursday hit a major fuel port in western Yemen used to supply Houthi rebels, the first such airstrike publicly announced since Washington began an air campaign against the militant group in March. "Today, U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue," read a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. … |
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The fight over the location of the U.S. Space Command headquarters chugs on after a new report from the Pentagon's watchdog revealed uncertainty behind the scenes in choosing the permanent spot and several major questions left unanswered. In a heavily redacted 54-page report, released Tuesday by the Defense Department's Office of Inspector General (IG), investigators found a break between then-Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today welcomed to the Pentagon France's Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.
- The next talks between U.S. and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program will be held in Rome on Saturday.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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House Democrat requests congressional delegation visit Salvadoran prison |
Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) has requested a congressional delegation to visit a prison in El Salvador where the Trump administration has sent numerous people it has deported. In a Wednesday letter addressed to House Homeland Security Committee Chair Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Ramirez asked "that … |
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Events in and around the defense world: |
- George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs will discuss "Russia as a Semi-Closed Society" and "War Transformations in Russia," at 9 a.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Military families challenge Trump's stricter federal voting rules (Military Times)
- Army to soldiers: Reenlist by Monday if you want to claim incentives (Military.com)
- New Air Force Academy mission statement drops 'educate,' adds a different focus (The Gazette)
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday declined to lift a judge's order that the Trump administration "facilitate" the return of Kilmar … Read more |
| Barack Obama has clearly lost his touch and politics have moved on. It is past time for the ex-president to pack his bags and leave town. Read more |
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Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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