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CBS News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Sens. Warren, Sheehy team up on bipartisan military bill backed by Trump administration
Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, one of the most liberal members of the U.S. Senate, is teaming up with Montana Republican Tim Sheehy, one of the upper chamber's most conservative, to advance a new Pentagon policy that has earned support from top Trump administration officials. Warren and Sheehy are introducing legislation on Tuesday that would give the Department of Defense the "right to repair" its own military equipment — a policy that could save the Pentagon money, resources and, most critically, time. The legislation, called "The Warrior Right to Repair Act", has bipartisan support and is expected to be included in the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act, which approves funds and policy for the DOD. Traditionally, defense contractors who provide the U.S. military with equipment often restrict the DOD's ability to conduct its own repairs, leading to higher costs, delays and waste. Warren and Sheehy pointed to instances where the Navy had to fly contractors out to sea to perform routine fixes or Marines in Japan had to send engines back to the U.S. for repair instead of on site, and Marines in Korea having to choose between violating contracts or delaying training exercises because machinery was inoperable. And, they said, in some instances, the Army can't write its own training manual without sign off from a contractor. The senators also note the exorbitant costs of repair by a contractor compared to that by a service member, and that many defense contracts prohibit sharing intellectual property and technical data with the DOD that would enable service members to repair their own equipment. Warren and Sheehy both sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and are concerned about the impact on military readiness and flexibility as well as on national security. And each has a unique approach to the policy. Warren has long advocated for this change, and views it as fighting against consolation and for more competition. Warren pushed the issue during Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's confirmation hearing, and he agreed with her concerns. In April, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Army to include right-to-repair provisions in all new and existing contracts. "To build a leaner, more lethal force, the Army must transform at an accelerated pace by divesting outdated, redundant, and inefficient programs, as well as restructuring headquarters and acquisition systems," Hegseth wrote in a memo to Pentagon leadership. The Secretary of the Navy has also expressed support for a similar policy. The Warren-Sheehy legislation would not only codify that into law, but would also apply across military branches. "It's common sense for members of our military to be able to fix their own weapons. Sen. Sheehy and I are fighting to improve military readiness and save taxpayers billions," Warren said in a statement to CBS. "It's about time we stand up to Pentagon contractors that are squeezing every last cent from us at the expense of our national security." Sheehy is a former Navy SEAL officer, who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and earned the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He approaches the issue as having served on the battlefield. "For decades, American service members have been forced to rely on a broken status quo to repair equipment on the battlefield, threatening our readiness and costing taxpayers billions," he said. "Our warfighters – and the American public – deserve better, and I'm proud to lead this bipartisan legislation to streamline bloated bureaucracy, increase competition, and provide our warfighters with the quality and quantity of equipment they need to win the next fight." Driscoll, the Army Secretary, also supports the legislation. "Over the last few decades, the Army has signed away its ability to repair its own equipment. Through the Army Transformation Initiative we are going to ensure that every contract going forward will enable our soldiers to repair their own equipment," he said in a statement. "Doing this will save taxpayer dollars and get equipment back on the battlefield faster. I'm thrilled this important issue has bipartisan support in Congress."
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
U.S.' NATO Envoy STUNS Zelensky On Military Aid Amid Putin's War
The U.S. has confirmed the suspension of military aid to war-battered Ukraine, marking a major blow to Kyiv's defence efforts. U.S. envoy to NATO Matthew Whitaker said the decision aligns with 'America First' policy. Whitaker stressed the need to ensure the U.S. has enough defense systems, like Patriot missiles, for its own military readiness. Watch #UkraineWar #USMilitaryAid #AmericaFirst #NATO #UkraineConflict #DefensePolicy #Biden #MilitarySupplies Read More
Japan Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Pentagon denies report of U.S. troop withdrawal plan for South Korea
The Pentagon's top spokesman on Friday denied a report that the U.S. is considering the withdrawal of thousands of U.S. troops from South Korea. "Reports that the DoD will reduce U.S. troops in the Republic of Korea are not true," chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote on X, using the acronym for the Department of Defense and the formal name for South Korea. The remarks came after The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House is considering an option to pull out roughly 4,500 troops and relocate them to areas in the Indo-Pacific region, including the U.S. territory of Guam. Such a move would further fuel concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump's commitment to Asia and his transactional approach to American alliances in the region. Citing unidentified defense officials familiar with the discussions, the Journal reported Thursday that the idea of moving the troops is being prepared for consideration by Trump's administration as part of an informal policy review on dealing with nuclear-armed North Korea. The proposal has yet to reach Trump's desk and is one of several ideas under discussion, the officials cautioned. The U.S. currently stations 28,500 troops in South Korea. Parnell said, however, that Defense Department officials "always evaluate force posture." "That said, the U.S. remains firmly committed to the ROK," he added. "Our alliance is iron clad." South Korea's Defense Ministry also said Friday that it has not held talks with the Pentagon over any potential troop withdrawal. "As the core strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the USFK, alongside our military, has contributed to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and in the region by maintaining a firm combined defense posture and deterring North Korea's invasion and provocation," the Yonhap news agency quoted the South Korean Defense Ministry as saying. "We will continue to cooperate with the U.S. side to advance in such a direction," it added. Trump has a history of labeling the U.S.-South Korea alliance as an 'unfair' partnership and during his first term threatened to remove American troops there or slash their numbers unless Seoul coughed up more money for hosting them. The revelations also come as Trump is seeking to seal an agreement on tariffs that could include cost-sharing measures. The U.S. president said last month that he had discussed a 'one-stop shopping' deal that included the issue of 'payment for the big time Military Protection' the U.S. provides to South Korea with then-acting President Han Duck-soo. 'We are bringing up other subjects that are not covered by Trade and Tariffs, and getting them negotiated also,' Trump wrote on social media. ''ONE STOP SHOPPING' is a beautiful and efficient process!!!' Seoul has denied that the cost-sharing issue is on the table in the trade talks.
Bloomberg
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Kori Schake on Trump Retreats From Ukraine Peace Talks
Kori Schake, Senior Fellow & Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, shares her thoughts on talks between President Trump & President Putin and states President Putin is setting the cadence of Ukraine peace talks. She also discusses how additional sanctions will not apply added pressure on Russia, what needs to happen to help support Ukraine, and her thoughts on Trump's announcement of a 'golden dome' missile shield. Kori Schake speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg's "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)
