Latest news with #nationalsecurity


New York Times
2 hours ago
- Science
- New York Times
In the Quest to Shrink NASA, Trump Forgets National Security
On a crisp evening in December 2023, I received an urgent alert: a swarm of unidentified drones had been detected above Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, inside highly restricted airspace. As NASA administrator at the time, I was immediately concerned. Langley is one of the most sensitive sites in the United States — home to F-22 Raptors, supersonic stealth fighters with highly classified capabilities and NORAD operations. It also happens to neighbor NASA's Langley Research Center, where our experimental technology had spotted the drones. Isolated drone sightings around military bases weren't unheard-of, but nothing like this swarm had ever happened before. I called senior Pentagon officials twice and raised the issue with staff at the National Security Council. I noted it was NASA technology that was able to see the drones, and based on our observations, this activity wasn't random: It's plausible the drones launched from a ship or submarine lurking as little as three miles offshore in international waters, or perhaps from trucks or trailers concealed in nearby woodlands. The incursion by the drones lasted 17 days. To my knowledge, we still do not know their origin or purpose, or how much of a threat they posed. But it was thanks to NASA technology that they were even picked up in the first place. The Air Force base did not have that capability. If a drone incursion could do something like this at Langley, what would stop a determined adversary from launching a flock of spacecraft-downing drones at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station? Or Vandenberg Space Force Base in California? Or Wallops Island off Virginia? These aren't just sites for launching rockets into space and delivering NASA payloads into orbit — they're strategic targets vital to the defense of our homeland. The events at Langley underscore how although NASA is a civilian agency for space exploration, its role stretches beyond that. Its study of the environment of space makes it possible for the United States to launch and operate satellites vital for spotting unusual things that NASA calls 'anomalies' and allowing communications across the globe. Its technological advancements have made it possible to develop state-of-the-art rockets and aircraft that few other countries can match. Winning the race to the moon bolstered national prestige and geopolitical dominance that helped the United States win the Cold War. NASA's fleet of Earth observation satellites gives vulnerable communities the information they need to plan for an uncertain future under climate change. And its scientific research into the furthest reaches of the solar system and beyond opens our eyes to the awesome nature of the universe, reminding us of our shared humanity. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

RNZ News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
NZSIS head reminds ethnic communities to be vigilant about foreign interference
Andrew Hampton, director-general of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen The head of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) has reminded people to stay vigilant to foreign interference and ask questions if in doubt. About 300 ethnic community leaders from across the country gathered in Auckland on Saturday for the fourth Ethnic Advantage Conference organised by the Ministry for Ethnic Communities. The discussions were centred around social cohesion with foreign interference as one of the featured topics. In a panel discussion, director-general of NZSIS, Andrew Hampton, explained what foreign interference was and reminded people to be vigilant. Ethnic community leaders at the Ethnic Advantage Conference on 28 June, 2025. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen Hampton said remembering democratic principles could be helpful, for example, people can have different views but working for a foreign state to influence New Zealand was problematic. He said community leaders had an important role to play in maintaining dialogue between each other and sharing information. His department would continue to build trust and relationships with the ethnic communities, Hampton said. "It's not a destination, it's a journey, but the consequences of us not continue this journey are dire when it comes to national security." NZSIS would continue to shed light on foreign interference, provide information to community leaders, make sure the department was accessible and approachable, and its workforce reflected the communities, Hampton said. Mark Mitchell and ethnic community leaders at the Ethnic Advantage Conference. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen Mark Mitchell, the minister for ethnic communities said New Zealand can't be naive and believe that it's invincible from foreign inteference. "We do have countries that try to interfere with their diasporas," he said. "But here in New Zealand, we have to make sure as a government we're doing everything we can do to protect them and to call out those nations when they engage in that sort of behavior." Speaking of social cohesion, the minister called for people to endorse peace and tolerance. Mitchell said with the current geopolitical tensions, New Zealand was facing serious headwinds and was in a more challenging environment compared with decades ago. Ethnic community leaders at the Ethnic Advantage Conference. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen "One of the primary messages that we have had ministry and myself, is that we're entering a phase now where our conversation should be around social cohesion and peace and tolerance," Mitchell told the audience. He alluded to the Destiny Church march in central Auckland a week ago, and said people should be united, condemn and not buy into the provocation it tried to incite. He said New Zealand should be proud of where it was but people needed to make sure they don't lose ground. "...Recognising always the ability to engage in peaceful protest and freedom of speech, but with that comes great responsibility, and with that also comes a clear message to do it whilst in a peaceful and tolerant way." Individuals should also take responsibility for the way they receive and process information, as there was a lot of disinformation and misinformation around, he said. Chief executive at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Mervin Singham Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen Chief executive at the ministry, Mervin Singham, said social cohesion and countering foreign interference are interconnected. "From my perspective, the first line of defense [against] foreign interference is community cohesion," Singham said. "So if people in New Zealand, wherever they come from in the world, if they feel they belong here, they matter, they enjoy the equitable environment that they live in..., then they will be less susceptible to being influenced to doing things that they shouldn't in this country and that's not in the interest of New Zealand." Singham said people could be a little bit nervous about this topic because their connection with a foreign country or their sense of pride in their country of origin. "What we don't want as the panel just discussed is people becoming involved in coercive activities that are not in the interest of the country," he said. "For example, stealing intellectual property, not for New Zealand's interest, for foreign state or pressuring people to doing things that they don't want to do, but they feel they're obliged because of the threat of oppression from an offshore state." There were resource tools on the ministry's website which people could use to educate themselves about the topics, for example where to go to report an interference, Singham said. Soon, the tools, launched earlier this year, would be available in 30 languages, he said. "They might be able to be more vigilant about how influence is slowly leading into interference, those sorts of things. This is where the power of the community lies." Community advocate Eva Chen. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen Community advocate Eva Chen said the discussion on foreign interference was a good reminder, but more information and clarity was needed from the government. "I always felt that the topic of foreign interference is far away from our day-to-day lives but today hearing from the panel, I got to know that it isn't that far away." However, she would appreciate more guidance from the officials about the specific activities and what kind of information they need from the community. "It's good that we're reminded to be vigilant, but for grassroots people like us, it feels far away and something that isn't likely to happen... we might not know how to be vigilant." Chen agreed social cohesion and foreign interference were interlinked. "If we're living in a loving society, being helpful to each other, then there is less likelihood of foreign interference. "However, if we have our own agendas... especially when the New Zealand government is not providing us with enough resources, and we need to seek help from the outside world, we might be susceptible to foreign interference when we're not vigilant enough." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.


Bloomberg
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Trump Eyes Cuts to Top Spy Agency as He Downplays Iran Intel
President Donald Trump is pressing ahead with plans to slash staff at the top US spy agency, determined to act at a time when he's openly challenged its director and rejected intelligence findings that contradict his public statements. Trump has openly discussed dismantling the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, including when he nominated Tulsi Gabbard to lead it, according to people familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. He's floated the idea again more recently, they said.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘You have been the worst': Secretary Hegseth blasts former Fox colleague
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had harsh words for his former Fox News colleague, who asked him a question on Thursday about the Trump administration's recent strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Jennifer Griffin, Fox's chief national security correspondent, asked Hegseth about the effectiveness of the strikes and if he was certain there was highly enriched uranium inside the Fordow mountain in Iran. She referenced satellite photos that showed more than a dozen trucks at the site two days in advance. 'Are you certain none of that highly enriched uranium was moved?' Griffin asked Hegseth. Hegseth, a former host on 'Fox & Friends,' responded by criticizing Griffin and her reporting. 'Of course we're watching every single aspect. But Jennifer, you've been about the worst, the one who misrepresents the most intentionally what the president says,' Hegseth said. In response, Griffin defended her reporting. 'I was the first to describe the B-2 bombers, the refueling, the entire mission with great accuracy,' she said. 'So I take issue with that.' Hegseth then said that the strikes on Iran were 'the most complex and secretive military operation in history.' 'I appreciate you acknowledging that this is the most successful mission based on operational security that this department has done since you've been here,' he told Griffin, 'and I appreciate that.' Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume defended his colleague and said that Hegseth's comments were 'unfair.' 'Her professionalism, her knowledge, her experience at the Pentagon is unmatched, and I have had and still have the greatest regard for her,' Hume said on the network. 'The attack on her was unfair.' Following the U.S.'s strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities on Saturday, President Donald Trump claimed that the strikes 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear program. The following week, CNN and The New York Times reported that the strikes had set Iran's nuclear program back only by a few months. Trump, for his part, lashed out at the outlets on Truth Social, with one post claiming that their reporting on Iran was 'fake.' 'FAKE NEWS REPORTERS FROM CNN & THE NEW YORK TIMES SHOULD BE FIRED, IMMEDIATELY!!!' Trump wrote in another post. 'BAD PEOPLE WITH EVIL INTENTIONS!!!'' The New York Times reported on Thursday that Trump is threatening to sue the paper and CNN. A personal lawyer for Trump sent a letter to The New York Times, stating that the paper had damaged Trump's reputation, according to the paper. The lawyer demanded the Times 'retract and apologize for' their piece on Iran, The New York Times reported. 'No retraction is needed,' responded the New York Times's lawyer, David McCraw. 'No apology will be forthcoming. We told the truth to the best of our ability. We will continue to do so.' Trump admin appeals federal judge's decision rejecting ban of foreign Harvard students 2028 Dem frontrunner beating Kamala Harris has 0% Black support, poll finds Chicopee's next budget is 6% hike from this year. Here's where spending has increased Trump says he's terminating trade talks with Canada over tax on technology firms Mass. lawmakers get a deal; gun for first on-time (ish) state budget in years Read the original article on MassLive.


Bloomberg
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Trump Eyes Cuts to Top Spy Agency as He Sweeps Aside Iran Intel
President Donald Trump is pressing ahead with plans to slash staff at the top US spy agency, determined to act at a time when he's openly challenged its director and rejected intelligence findings that contradict his public statements. Trump has openly discussed dismantling the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, including when he nominated Tulsi Gabbard to lead it, according to people familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. He's floated the idea again more recently, they said.