Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
but leader pentagon There has been a significant change in the way one interacts with military officers Congress That follows a pair of new memos released last week.
In a memorandum dated October 15, the Secretary of Defense pete hegseth And his deputy, Steve Feinberg, ordered Pentagon officials — including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — to get permission from the department’s chief legislative affairs office before making any communications with Capitol Hill.
The memo was issued the same day that most Pentagon reporters walked out of the building rather than agree to new Defense Department restrictions on their work, and it appears to be part of a broader effort by Hegseth to establish tighter controls over the department’s communications with the outside world.
According to the memo, a copy of which was certified by a Pentagon official, “Unauthorized engagement with Congress by (Pentagon) personnel acting in their official capacity, no matter how well-intentioned, could undermine Department-wide priorities critical to achieving our legislative objectives.”
Here’s the latest:
Putin directs exercises of Russian nuclear forces after summit with Trump postponed
Russian President Vladimir Putin The country’s strategic nuclear forces carried out guided missile launches on Wednesday, an exercise that came as his planned summit with US President Donald Trump on Ukraine was put on hold.
The Kremlin said that as part of the maneuvers involving all parts of Moscow’s nuclear triad, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was test-fired from the Plesetsk launch facility in northwestern Russia, and a Sineva ICBM was launched by a submarine in the Barents Sea. The exercise also included Tu-95 strategic bombers firing long-range cruise missiles.
The exercises tested the skills of military command structures, the Kremlin said in a statement.
▶ Read more about Russia’s nuclear drills
north korea Ballistic missiles tested ahead of Trump’s Asia trip
North Korea conducted its first ballistic missile test in five months on Wednesday, days before President Trump and other leaders meet in South Korea.
South Korea’s military said it detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles that were launched from an area south of Pyongyang and flew about 350 kilometers (220 miles) to the northeast. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not release more specific flight details, but said the missiles did not fall into the sea.
Trump is scheduled to leave for Asia at the end of the week as part of his first visit to the region in his second term. He plans to visit Malaysia first for a regional summit, and then Japan before heading to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, an annual summit aimed at promoting economic integration and trade.
▶ Read more about tensions between North Korea and South Korea
Japan says it plans to tell Trump it will build up the military and upgrade security strategy
Japan’s new foreign minister said Wednesday that his country plans to show its determination to further strengthen its defense to rapidly adapt to the changing realities of war and rising tensions in the region when US President Donald Trump visits Tokyo next week.
Trump is expected to hold talks next Tuesday with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takachi, who took office on Tuesday after being elected Japan’s first female leader.
Takachi, who had spent the past few weeks embroiled in internal political wrangling, faced major diplomatic tests within days of taking office – Trump’s visit and two regional summits.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said, “We are preparing vigorously for President Trump’s visit.”
▶ Read more about US relations with Japan