Putin Is ‘Feeling Good’: Brennan Reacts to Kremlin Saying D.C. Now ‘Largely Aligns’ with Them

Mar 3, 2025 | A U.S. official confirms that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Pentagon to halt offensive cyber operations against Russia. Former CIA Director John Brennan joins Chris Jansing to share his insight.

Hegseth Orders Pentagon to Stop Offensive Cyberoperations Against Russia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The defense secretary’s instructions, which were given before President Trump’s blowup with the Ukrainian president, are apparently part of an effort to draw Russia into talks on the war.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia, according to a current official and two former officials briefed on the secret instructions. The move is apparently part of a broader effort to draw President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia into talks on Ukraine and a new relationship with the United States.

Mr. Hegseth’s instructions, part of a larger re-evaluation of all operations against Russia, have not been publicly explained. But they were issued before President Trump’s public blowup in the Oval Office with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Friday.

The precise scope and duration of the Defense Department order is not clear, as the line between offensive and defensive cyberoperations is often a blurry one.

Still, retaining access to major Russian networks for espionage purposes is critical to understanding Mr. Putin’s intentions as he enters negotiations, and to tracking the arguments within Russia about what conditions to insist upon and what could be given up. » | Julian E. Barnes, David E. Sanger and Helene Cooper | Reporting from Washington | Sunday, March 2, 2025

Pete Hegseth Sworn In as Defense Secretary

Jan 25, 2025 | Pete Hegseth was sworn in as Secretary of Defense. Hegseth said in a statement on X, "Thank you for your confidence Mr. President. Thank you for the tie-breaker Mr. Vice President. Thank you Senators for 50 votes. This is for the troops. For the warriors. For our country. America First. Every day. We will never back down. "

Trump Fires Black Joint Chiefs Chair Hegseth Accused of Promoting Diversity

THE GUARDIAN: US secretary of defense had questioned whether history-making air force general CQ Brown Jr got job because of race

Donald Trump abruptly fired the air force general CQ Brown Jr as chair of the joint chiefs of staff on Friday, sidelining a history-making Black fighter pilot and respected officer as part of a campaign to purge the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks.

The ouster of the second Black general to serve as chair of the joint chiefs comes three months after Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, outlined a plan for ridding the US military of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts during a podcast interview.

“First of all, you’ve got to fire the chairman of the joint chiefs,” Hegseth said during a November interview on the Shawn Ryan Show. “Any general that was involved, general, admiral, or whatever, that was involved in any of that DEI woke shit has got to go.” » | Guardian staff and agencies | Saturday, February 22, 2025

Trump Cozies up to Russia — Why “Nobody Trusts America”

Feb 21, 2025 | As the Russia-Ukraine war stretches into its fourth year, I spoke with former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about the conflict’s global stakes. Following the Trump administration’s divisive peace talks with Russia that sidelined Ukraine, McFaul analyzes the geopolitical fallout, NATO’s future, and the shifting role of the U.S. on the world stage. How will Trump’s relationship with Putin reshape international alliances? And what are the risks of abandoning Ukraine? Don’t miss this deep dive into one of the most pressing global crises of our time.

Thom Hartmann: Why Hegseth Is Trying to Ban Military Religious Freedom w/Mikey Weinstein

Feb 18, 2025 | Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is attacking the religious freedom of America's military by working to ban the military from contacting the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Mikey Weinstein joins Thom Hartmann to let Pete Hegseth know what we think of his Christo-fascist plan.

Steve Schmidt of “The Warning” Fame Tells Us …

… that Pete Hegseth is a ”dipshit”.

'Not Well Received': Hegseth, Vance Embarrass Themselves on International Stage

Feb 15, 2025 | Rachel Maddow reports on Trump defense secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President Vance making ill-considered remarks on the U.S. position on Ukraine and negotiations with Russia, and subsequently having to walk back those remarks. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia discusses with Rachel Maddow.

Rookies speak and behave as rookies speak and behave. – © Mark Alexander

Donald Trump Wants to Take Over the World | The Warning with Steve Schmidt

Feb 14, 2025 | As Donald Trump meets with India's Prime Minister and JD Vance & Pete Hegseth give speeches abroad, it's clear Trump wants to push his MAGA rhetoric around the globe. Steve Schmidt breaks down the most horrifying moments from these media appearances and explains why they can't be ignored.

Rookie Mistake? Hegseth’s Comments on Ukraine Were ‘Concessions to Putin’

Feb 14, 2025 | In a speech earlier today, Vice President Vance downplayed the threat from Russia by warning European leaders they should be more concerned about the "threat from within." NBC News’ Aaron Gilchrist reports the latest. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, joins Chris Jansing to discuss more.

Ukraine Sidelined by Trump and Putin

Fev 14, 2025 | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was “not pleasant” for President Trump to first call Russian President Vladimir Putin in his push to start negotiations to end the war. Anthony Davis reports.

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Hegseth is clueless. He should have stuck with being a host on FoxNews. – © Mark Alexander

Is the US Turning Its Back on Ukraine and Europe with Drastic Shift on NATO? | DW News

Feb 12, 2025 | New US defense chief Pete Hegseth has ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine at a meeting of the military alliance in Brussels.

He also that Kyiv's goal of seeing its borders prior to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea was an "unrealistic objective."

Hegseth made clear as well that Washington's focus was no longer on supporting Europe or Ukraine's security, saying that European countries would have to provide the "overwhelming" majority of funding for Kyiv going forward.

DW spoke to defense analyst Rafael Loss from the European Council on Foreign Relations on what this seismic shift in Washington's stance towards Ukraine all means.

At the same time, Russia has rejected a proposal by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to swap Ukrainian-occupied territory in Russia for Ukrainian soil occupied by Moscow.

DW spoke to Andras Racz from the German Council on Foreign Relations about the significance of the offer from Zelenskyy.

Full Ukrainian Liberation from Russia 'Unrealistic,' Hegseth Tells Allies

Feb 12, 2025 | Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared at his first meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, telling allies that the liberation of all Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory "is an unrealistic objective."

‘Catastrophic Mistakes’: Hegseth Slammed for Telling Ukraine to Give Up Territory

Feb 12, 2025 | American teacher Marc Fogel, who was detained in Russia for nearly four years, returned to the U.S. yesterday and visited President Trump at the White House. NBC News chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander reports more on how this came about and former Amb. Michael McFaul, who is a friend of Fogel, joins Ana Cabrera to react to the release and Defense Secretary Hegseth's comments on Russia's war in Ukraine.

US No Longer ‘Primarily Focused’ on Europe’s Security, Says Pete Hegseth

THE GUARDIAN: US defence secretary argues Europe should take lead in defending Ukraine and says restoring country’s pre-2014 borders is unrealistic

Donald Trump’s newly appointed defence secretary told allies on his first international trip that the US was no longer “primarily focused” on European security and that Europe would have to take the lead in defending Ukraine.

Pete Hegseth, speaking to defence ministers at a lunchtime meeting in Brussels, said Europe had to provide “the overwhelming share” of future military aid to Kyiv – and recognise that restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders was unrealistic.

The Pentagon chief said he was “here today to directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe” – though the language was notably toned down from a draft briefed in advance to the press.

That had said the US was no longer “the primary guarantor of security in Europe” and appeared to suggest a recasting of the 75-year-old Nato alliance, created after the second world war to protect western Europe from the Soviet bloc. » | Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor | Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Hegseth heckled and booed by military families at pro-DEI protest in Germany: Two dozen people chant ‘DEI’ at US defense secretary who has rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives »

Court Blocks Trump's Funding Freeze - AGAIN

Feb 12, 2025 | A federal appeals court today denied the Trump administration's request to lift a lower court's order that blocked the president from unilaterally freezing billions in funding in loans, grants and financial assistance. Anthony Davis reports.

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Pete Hegseth Boots REAL Media Outlets from Pentagon, Replaces Them with Conservative Propaganda

Feb 10, 2025 | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has booted actual media outlets from the Pentagon and replaced them with conservative outlets that serve as nothing but propaganda for the administration. The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, The Hill, NBC, and many others will be replaced by One America News, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, and The New York Post. This is how information gets buried and politicians get a free pass on corruption, as Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains.

Hegseth Uses His First Town Hall to Attack Diversity

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The defense secretary, speaking to the Pentagon work force, defended his “unconventional approaches” to an audience that included women and people of color.

A screenshot taken from this article in today’s New York Times. | I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is ‘our diversity is our strength,’” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday. | Oliver Contreras/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave his first public address to the Pentagon work force on Friday, spending much of the session defending his efforts to dismantle diversity and inclusion policies.

Mr. Hegseth opened his remarks by saying “all glory to God,” and said that President Trump had asked him not to maintain “the status quo.”

“We’re going to take unconventional approaches,” he said.

Speaking to a room filled with African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and white Americans, both men and women, he offered a full-throated attack on the military’s decades-long efforts to diversify.

“I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is ‘our diversity is our strength,’” said Mr. Hegseth, who served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 2001 to 2021 and is a former Fox News host. He later added that he dismantled diversity, equity and inclusion policies at the Pentagon because they “served a purpose of dividing the force as opposed to uniting the force.” » | John Ismay | Reporting from Washington | Friday, February 7, 2025

Thom Hartmann: Was Trump's Secretary of Defense Abuse Hidden by Republicans?

Jan 30, 2025 | Republicans knew about Pete Hegseth, but made sure he was confirmed as Secretary of Defense. You should be absolutely scared, right now.

Hegseth Revokes Security Detail and Clearance for Trump Critic Gen. Mark Milley

Jan 29, 2025 | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the security detail and security clearance for Gen. Mark Milley, according to Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot, an unprecedented move against the former top US general who became a frequent target of President Donald Trump.