Pentagon

Three senior Pentagon officials appointed under President Trump have been suspended amid an internal investigation into national security leaks.

Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been placed on administrative leave and escorted from the Pentagon as part of an ongoing investigation into unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information within the Department of Defense.

The Department of Defense (DOD) cut $5.1 billion in non-essential contracts in its commitment to "strategically rebuild our military, restore accountability to the Department, cut wasteful spending, and implement the President's orders," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in a memo.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has removed U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield from her position as the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee.

A federal judge in New Jersey has issued a temporary injunction preventing the Trump administration from discharging two transgender service members from the U.S. Air Force.

The Pentagon plans to reduce its civilian workforce by 5% to 8%, equating to approximately 50,000 to 60,000 positions.

Vice President J.D. Vance visited Capitol Hill to support Elbridge Colby's nomination for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Pentagon Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell outlined several accomplishments from the Department of Defense in its first weekly situation report.

President Donald Trump has initiated a significant overhaul of the Pentagon’s leadership, resulting in the dismissal of several top military officials. On February 21, 2025, Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was removed from his position. Brown, who had served as chairman since 2023, was the second African American to hold this esteemed role. His tenure was marked by involvement in key operations, including the Ukraine conflict and Middle East engagements. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously criticized Brown, accusing him of advancing personal interests by "playing the race card" and failing to uphold traditional military values.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a firm warning to Pentagon officials, making it clear that those who refuse to follow President Donald Trump’s directives will be removed from their positions. During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Hegseth addressed growing speculation about a list of personnel slated for termination, denying the existence of a formal list but reiterating that officers unwilling to carry out lawful orders would be dismissed. His remarks underscore the administration’s intent to enforce strict discipline and realign the Pentagon’s priorities with the president’s defense strategy.