Jul 13 House rejects ban on transgender surgery for U.S. soldiers By Richard Lardner, Associated Press A Republican proposal to bar the Pentagon from paying for gender transition surgeries drew fierce opposition Thursday from Democrats who called it mean-spirited and discriminatory. Continue reading
Jul 01 AP report: Military chiefs have six more months to review transgender enlistments By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press The delay in allowing the enlistment of new recruits does not affect transgender troops who are already serving openly in the military. Continue reading
Jun 28 Mattis says Syria’s government taking U.S. threat seriously By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Syria's government has taken seriously the U.S. warning against launching another chemical weapons attack, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday. Continue reading
Jun 27 Pentagon says it detected ‘active preparations’ by Syria for chemical attack By Robert Burns, Associated Press The Pentagon said it detected "active preparations" by Syria for a chemical weapons attack, giving weight to a White House statement hours earlier that the Syrian government would "pay a heavy price" if it carried out such an attack. Continue reading
Jun 26 WATCH: President Trump and India PM Modi deliver joint statement By Matthew Pennington and Catherine Lucey, Associated Press President Donald Trump meets for the first time Monday with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and personal chemistry as much as policy could determine the direction of future relations. Continue reading
Jun 21 WATCH LIVE: Tillerson and Mattis to hold joint news conference after talks with China By Associated Press The US and China began high-level security talks Wednesday focused largely on North Korea, amid outrage in Washington over the death of an American college student after his imprisonment in the North. Continue reading
Jun 14 Mattis: Trump has delegated decisions on Afghan troop levels By Robert Burns, Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday he can now set U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan after receiving the authority from President Donald Trump. It's a break from past practice that Mattis said will enable him to more effectively… Continue reading
Jun 03 Pentagon chief turns up heat on North Korea and China By Robert Burns, Associated Press U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis turned up the heat on North Korea and its main benefactor, China, on Saturday, calling the North Koreans a "clear and present danger."… Continue reading
Apr 24 U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis in Afghanistan to discuss war needs By Robert Burns, Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Afghanistan on Monday to assess America's longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending more troops. Continue reading
Apr 23 U.S. officials say pirates have returned to waters off Somalia By Robert Burns, Associated Press Pirates have returned to the waters off Somalia, but the spike in attacks on commercial shipping does not yet constitute a trend, senior U.S. officials said Sunday. Continue reading