 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
|
|
US chases down oil tanker in Indo-Pacific |
The U.S. military intercepted an oil tanker it said was operating in defiance of President Trump's quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Indian Ocean overnight Monday. |
The Pentagon did not clarify if U.S. forces seized the ship, the Aquilla II, after it tracked the vessel from the Caribbean Sea. U.S. personnel have seized at least seven other tankers in the Caribbean that it says are linked to Venezuela. They described the most recent operation as a "right-of-visit, maritime interdiction" that took place without an incident in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (IndoPaCom) area. "No other nation on planet Earth has the capability to enforce its will through any domain. By land, air, or sea, our Armed Forces will find you and deliver justice," the Pentagon said in a Monday post on social platform X. "You will run out of fuel long before you will outrun us." "The Department of War will deny illicit actors and their proxies the ability to defy American power in the global maritime domain," the Pentagon added. The Aquilla II was one of the tankers that left Venezuela after U.S. forces captured the country's strongman leader Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, according to TankerTrackers.com. The ship was partially laden and her "zombie alias at the time was 'CAPE BALDER' as you can see in a photo we took from the shores of #Venezuela ahead of her departure," the website said on Monday. U.S. personnel have seized at least seven oil tankers in the Caribbean as the Trump administration continues to enforce its quarantine of sanctioned vessels. 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. |
|
|
How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future: |
|
|
The Pentagon held off on naming "underperforming" defense contractors for now as it continues to review their performance to ensure the businesses are prioritizing the supply of weapons systems to U.S. warfighters. The Defense Department (DOD) completed its initial review of defense contractors to determine whether companies were investing in their own production capacity or engaging in dividend payments and stock buybacks, … |
| |
|
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday praised Turning Point USA for an alternative Super Bowl halftime show meant to compete with the official performance by Bad Bunny. "From the War Department, we salute Turning Point USA and every American who still believes freedom is worth defending," Hegseth said in the clip on the YouTube livestream before the concert began. "Thank you for your courage as an organization, your clarity … |
| |
|
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Sunday said he fears that the United States doesn't have the "full power of pressure" against Iran. His comments coincide with the Trump administration's push to dismantle Tehran's nuclear development program after striking three of their facilities last year. President Trump sent the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the region in late January, escalating tensions and the possibility of future … |
| |
|
Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
- The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace will host a discussion on "Bluff or Death: How to Assess Nuclear Threats," at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
- The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on "Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security: ICE, CBP, and USCIS," tomorrow at 10 a.m.
- The House Foreign Affairs Committee will have a hearing on "Syria at a Crossroads: U.S. Policy Challenges Post-Assad," at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
- Hudson Institute will have a talk on "Year One of Trump Foreign Policy," with Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
- The National Press Club will host a conversation on "How Allied Command Transformation is helping ensure the Alliance remains ready for the challenges ahead," with NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation Adm. Pierre Vandier, tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.
- Foreign Policy will hold a discussion on "Will the U.S. and Iran Escalate?" at 12 p.m. tomorrow.
|
|
|
Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
|
|
Officials deny seeking quick end to asylum claims for the Minneapolis family of 5-year-old |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal authorities have denied attempting to expedite an end to asylum claims by the family of a 5-year-old boy who was detained with his father during the immigration crackdown that has shaken the Minneapolis area. Images of Liam Conejo Ramos wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man … |
|
|
News we've flagged from other outlets: |
- National Guard members shot in DC will receive Purple Hearts (Military Times)
- Veterans could get overdose reversal meds without a prescription under proposed law (Task & Purpose)
- Mexican cartels overwhelm police with ammunition made for the U.S. military (The New York Times)
|
|
|
Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
|
|
Conservatives are battling one another over Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance and the political wisdom of President Trump's criticism of the Puerto … Read more |
| Billionaire Elon Musk is back in the political fray, giving Republicans a boost in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections. The Tesla CEO had … Read more |
|
|
Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: |
|
|
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
400 N. Capitol St. NW Suite 950, Washington, DC 20001 |
Copyright © 1998 - 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
|
If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.
No comments:
Post a Comment