Us Pentagon

Don't know if Claude AI used in strike at Iran school: Anthropic CEO

Dario Amodei said the use case in this instance didn't violate the company's policies, arguing military decision makers make terrible mistakes even at the best of times

Why the US now sees China's tech giants as a national security risk

The Pentagon's latest designation of Alibaba, BYD and Baidu reflects a broader US concern that technologies such as AI, batteries and cloud computing could strengthen China's military capabilities

Pentagon names WuXi AppTec on Chinese military firms list, raising concerns

Any restriction that stems from the designation could have broader implications because WuXi AppTec helps conduct research and development efforts on behalf of many US drugmakers

US Pentagon adds Alibaba, BYD and Baidu to list of Chinese military firms

The Pentagon has added several prominent Chinese businesses, including tech giant Alibaba, electric car maker BYD and search engine Baidu, to its list of Chinese military companies, preventing them from getting US defense contracts. The list, updated and published Monday by the Pentagon, now sanctions well-known, non-state-owned Chinese companies that are not traditionally considered to be in the defense or security sector. It reflects growing wariness of Beijing's strategy of tapping the strength of non-state businesses for military purposes. Created in 2021 by a congressional mandate, the list seeks to identify Chinese companies that the Pentagon considers to have links to the Chinese military -- not only those directly controlled by the Chinese military and security forces but also those contributing to the country's defense industrial base. When updating the list last year, the Pentagon said the Chinese military sought to acquire advanced technologies and expertise developed by

US Defence Dept slashes its religious designations list from 200 to 31

The Department of Defense has announced that a significant reduction in the number of religious affiliations it officially recognises. The new list of 31 is down from more than 200 previously recognised traditions that troops could choose from. The list no longer includes atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans. "This decrease in religious affiliation codes is not designed to make any claims on the legitimacy of any faith or religious belief, nor is it intended to provide a list of officially approved' religions," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement. "Rather, it is designed to allow chaplains to quickly look at the religious composition of their units and determine how they structure resources to best provide for warfighters of all faith groups." Parnell added the department values the free exercise of religion and chaplains facilitate service members' "ability to freely exercise their religion of choice, or no religion at all." The list creates bro

'Now a classified space': Pentagon bars journalists from its press office

In another of a series of moves restricting media access at the Pentagon, the Defense Department has declared that its press office is now a classified space inaccessible to journalists. On X, acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez confirmed the move, saying there was "nothing controversial" about it and that it came because speechwriters, who use classified material, were now occupying the space. "The Pentagon Press Office has been redesignated as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility due to speechwriters from the Office of the Secretary of War sharing the facility," Valdez wrote. "These speechwriters routinely handle classified material as a result, journalists will no longer be permitted to enter the office space. There's nothing controversial about that." The latest move, first reported by The Washington Post, took place against a backdrop of escalating tensions between the U.S. media and the second Trump administration, which has played out both in the public ar

NYT sues Pentagon for second time over Hegseth's media restrictions

The New York Times sued the Defence Department on Monday for the second time in five months, arguing that a requirement that journalists be escorted while on Pentagon grounds violates the First Amendment. The escort policy is "an unconstitutional attempt by the Pentagon to prevent independent reporting on military affairs," a Times spokesman, Charlie Stadtlander, said in an email to The Associated Press. "As we have said before: Americans deserve visibility into how their government is being run, and the actions the military is taking in their name and with their tax dollars." On X, Defence Department spokesperson Sean Parnell called the Times' latest lawsuit "nothing more than an attempt to remove the barriers to them getting their hands on classified information." Continuing tension between the administration and the media ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Times lawsuit is another salvo in what has become an escalating tension between the U

Crew members eject safely after 2 US Navy jets crash during Idaho air show

All four crew members ejected safely after two Navy jets collided and crashed Sunday during an air show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho, officials said. The collision involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said Cmdr Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet. The aircraft were performing an aerial demonstration when the crash occurred, Umayam said in a statement. The four crew members from both jets safely ejected, and the crash was under investigation, she said. The crew members were in stable condition, base officials said. Nobody at the military base was hurt, said Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show. "Everyone is safe, and I think that's the most important thing," Sykes said. Planes fell to the ground together ----------------------------------- The base said in a social media post that it was locked down .

Pentagon halts deployments to Poland, Germany to reduce troops in Europe

The Pentagon is drawing down thousands of troops in Europe by cancelling deployments to Poland and Germany as opposed to yanking forces already stationed there, US officials say, as President Donald Trump has tussled with allies over the Iran war and called for changes. Several U.S. officials confirmed that 4,000 troops from the Army's 2nd Armoured Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were no longer en route to Poland this week. The Trump administration had previously said it was cutting US forces only in Germany, and the decision spurred questions and criticism in both Warsaw and Washington. Two officials told The Associated Press that the deployments were canceled after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo directing the Joint Chiefs of Staff to move a brigade combat team out of Europe. One of them said the choice of which unit was left to military leaders. Besides the Army combat team based in Fort Hood, Texas, the memo also led to the cancellation of an upcoming ...

US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in 6-12 months amid Nato feud

The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon said Friday, fulfilling President Donald Trump's threat as he clashes with the German leader over the US war with Iran. Trump had threatened to withdraw some troops from the NATO ally earlier this week after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being "humiliated" by the Iranian leadership and criticised Washington's lack of strategy in the war. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that the "decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theatre requirements and conditions on the ground." The US has several major military facilities in Germany, including the headquarters for US European Command and US Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American hospital outside the United States. The number of troops leaving Germany would be 14 per cent of the 36,000 .

Tech giants Microsoft, Amazon hand Pentagon more control over AI systems

Nvidia Corp., Microsoft Corp., Reflection AI Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. have all newly struck agreements with the US Defence Department 'for lawful operational use' of its AI systems

Pentagon claims US blockade has cost Iran nearly $4.8 bn in oil revenue

The Department of War assessment suggests Iran has been denied close to $5 billion in oil earnings due to disruptions linked to US enforcement operations in the region

Pentagon pegs Iran war cost at $25 bn as Hegseth slams US Congress critics

During his first public appearance on Capitol Hill since the war began, the defence secretary lashed out at lawmakers in both parties who have questioned the conflict

US Navy Secretary ousted after infighting with top Pentagon leaders

A White House official said Trump and Hegseth agreed new leadership was needed over the Navy

US Navy Secretary John Phelan exits abruptly in latest Pentagon shake-up

Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving his job, the Pentagon abruptly announced Wednesday, the first head of a military service to depart during President Donald Trump's second term but just the latest top defense leader to step down or be ousted. No reason was given for the unexpected departure of the Navy's top civilian official, coming as the sea service has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports and is targeting ships linked to Tehran around the world during a tenuous ceasefire in the war. Another Trump loyalist is taking over as acting head of the Navy: Undersecretary Hung Cao, a 25-year Navy combat veteran who ran unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate and House in Virginia. Phelan's departure is the latest in a series of shakeups of top leadership at the Pentagon, coming just weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Army's top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George. Hegseth also has fired several other top generals, admirals and defense leaders since taking office ..

US judge finds Pentagon violating order to restore access to reporters

A US federal judge on Thursday ruled that the Defence Department is violating his earlier order to restore access to the Pentagon for reporters. US District Judge Paul Friedman sided with The New York Times earlier this month in deciding that the Pentagon's new credential policy violated journalists' constitutional rights to free speech and due process. He sided again with the Times in saying that the Pentagon had tried to evade his ruling by putting in new rules that expel all reporters from the building unless guided by escorts. "The department simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking new action and expect the court to look the other way," Friedman wrote. Friedman had ordered Pentagon officials to reinstate the press credentials of seven Times reporters and stressed that his decision applies to "all regulated parties". The Pentagon building serves as the headquarters for US military operations.

Foreign Secretary Misri reviews defence, trade ties with US officials

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met senior US defence official Michael Duffey and discussed ways to further deepen the defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between the two countries. Misri, who is on a three-day visit here, had a "fruitful interaction" with Duffey, the Under Secretary in the Department of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment at the Pentagon near here. "Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had a fruitful interaction with the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition & Sustainment Mike Duffey @USDASDuffey at the Pentagon," the Indian Embassy in the US said in a post on X. "The two principals discussed ways to further deepen the defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between India and the US, in line with the ambitious goals laid out in the Framework for the bilateral Major Defence Partnership signed last year," the embassy said. Misri also met under secretaries Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt in the Department of ...

Iran begged for ceasefire, says Hegseth, declares US victory in conflict

Hegseth said the United States had met its key military objectives, including targeting Iran's missile capabilities, naval forces, and defence infrastructure

Britain woos Anthropic to expand after clash with Pentagon: Report

The US government blacklisted Anthropic,designating the company a national-security supply-chain risk after it refused to allow the military to use AI chatbot Claude for US surveillance

Pentagon rejects claim of Hegseth's alleged investment, seeks retraction

According to reports, a broker representing US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth sought to invest in a major US defence-focused fund in the weeks leading up to the US-Israeli military action against Iran