Nation Jan 14

U.S. officials say the number of National Guard troops coming to Washington by Inauguration Day has grown to 26,000. Some will be armed.

Politics Oct 25

The U.S. will send armored reinforcements into eastern Syria to bolster defenses against a potential move by Islamic State militants on oil fields controlled by U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday.

World Oct 24

Mark Esper said the invasion of northeastern Syria jeopardizes gains made in in recent years as the U.S.-led coalition and allied Syrian Kurdish forces battled the Islamic State group.

World Oct 23

Mark Esper has said that under the current plan, all U.S. troops leaving Syria will go to western Iraq and the military would continue to conduct operations against the Islamic State.

World Oct 21

The Pentagon chief said the plan was still in the discussion phase and had not yet been presented to Trump, who has repeatedly said the Islamic State has been defeated.

Politics Oct 20

Mark Esper sought a firsthand assessment Sunday of the U.S. military's future role in America's longest war as he made his initial visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief.

Nation Oct 20

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says that under current plans all U.S. troops leaving Syria will go to western Iraq and the American military will continue to conduct operations against the Islamic State group to prevent its resurgence.

World Oct 11

Washington is "greatly disappointed" by the Turkish incursion, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told a Pentagon news conference.

World Oct 11

Esper announced the deployment of several dozen fighter jets along with other aircraft and additional air defenses hours after Iran said two missiles struck one of its oil tankers traveling through the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia.

Nation Oct 10

The two men killed a number of people including journalist James Foley and fellow Americans Steven Sotloff and Peter Kassig.