Rappler's latest stories on Pentagon
Pentagon: China military exercises will 'further destabilize' South China Sea
Washington rejects Beijing's territorial claim to much of the South China Sea, including the Paracels
Pentagon surplus handouts stoke the militarization of U.S. police
Camouflage uniforms and combat gear, heavily armored anti-mine vehicles, and high-powered assault weapons – they aren't there by accident
Trump to address West Point amid tensions with Pentagon
The event is clearly important to Trump, who wants to be seen as a tough leader as he battles for reelection in November against Democrat Joe Biden, who Trump labels 'weak'
Amid protests, Pentagon squirms under pressure to do Trump's political bidding
'America is not a battleground. Our fellow citizens are not the enemy,' says retired General Martin Dempsey
Pentagon releases 'UFO' videos taken by U.S. Navy pilots
The grainy black and white footage had previously been leaked and the Navy had acknowledged they were Navy videos
Pentagon downplays Iran military satellite as 'tumbling webcam'
'#spaceishard," the head of the US Space Command tweets
Pentagon says successfully tested hypersonic missile
The Pentagon says a test missile flew at hypersonic speeds – more than 5 times the speed of sound, or Mach 5 – to a designated impact point
Pentagon downplays new Taliban attacks
'There's no high profile attacks, there's no suicide bombers, there's no vehicle-borne suicide, no attack against the US forces, no attack against the coalition,' says General Mark Milley
Pentagon shifts $3.8 billion to Mexico border wall construction
The move takes to $9.9 billion the total the Pentagon has been forced by President Donald Trump to reallocate to the barrier, after Congress repeatedly blocked funding
Pentagon contradicts Trump, says attacking Iran cultural sites would be war crime
Trump tweets the US would attack sites 'very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture'
Amazon says 'bias' in Pentagon awarding $10-B contract to Microsoft
'It's critical for our country that the government and its elected leaders administer procurements objectively and in a manner that is free from political influence,' a spokesperson for Amazon Web Services says
Pentagon releases video, photos of Baghdadi raid
The US Defense Department releases a grainy black-and-white footage of troops approaching on foot the high-walled compound in northwestern Syria where Baghdadi was holed up
No Syria-type pullout planned for Afghanistan – Pentagon chief
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper also hints that some sort of residual US force might remain in Syria to protect oil fields, but stresses no decision has been taken
Greenland isn't for sale but it is increasingly valuable
Greenland has untapped natural resources like oil, minerals and valuable rare earth elements that China, the United States and other major tech economies covet
U.S.-South Korea military exercises still on despite North's warnings
Despite North Korea saying its missile launches are a 'solemn warning to the South Korean warmongers', a Pentagon official says there is 'no adjustment or change in plans'
Xi Jinping broke promise on South China Sea, says top U.S. general
General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, says Chinese President Xi Jinping reneged on promises not to militarize the South China Sea
[ANALYSIS] Huawei and the Shangri-La Dialogue
The Pentagon sets its eyes on Beijing in a new Indo-Pacific security strategy that is expected to be unveiled at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, which begins Friday, May 31
U.S. lawmakers challenge Pentagon diversion of $1 billion for border wall
Less than one day after acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan authorizes moving the funds from existing Defense Department projects to border construction, the US House Armed Services Committee says it is not permitted
Pentagon authorizes $1 billion for Trump's border wall
(3rd UPDATE) The White House lays out a 2020 budget proposal which contains $8.6 billion in new wall funding, above the $5.7 billion Trump sought for this year
ISIS loss affirms Pentagon plan, but end game vague as U.S. pulls out
But ISIS still has thousands of battle-hardened fighters across several countries, and questions loom over whether the group's territorial loss can be parlayed into an enduring defeat
Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan meets Afghan president in Kabul
(3rd UPDATE) Shanahan meets General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, before visiting Camp Morehead where Americans train Afghan special force
U.S. extends troop deployment at Mexico border
The unusual deployment was supposed to end in mid-December, but the Department of Homeland Security asked that it be extended until January, a date which is now further prolonged
Shanahan takes Pentagon helm as Trump blasts Mattis
'I'm not happy with what [Mattis has] done in Afghanistan and I shouldn't be happy,' says US President Donald Trump
Satellite images show activity at North Korean missile base – CNN
According to CNN, Pyongyang has upgraded the Yeongjeo-dong missile base in North Korea's mountainous interior and has built up another facility that has not previously been publicly identified
Thousands of U.S. troops head for southern border
The move represents a massive military buildup along the border, where some 2,000 National Guardsmen are already working to provide assistance to overwhelmed authorities
Pentagon to send about 800 troops to US-Mexico border
The move comes as thousands of Central American migrants are crossing Mexico toward the United States in a slow-moving caravan.
Man arrested for sending suspicious packages to Pentagon
The Pentagon's mail screening facility intercepts at least two packages – addressed to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Navy chief Admiral John Richardson – that authorities suspect to have contained ricin
Defense chiefs of Philippines, U.S. tackle ISIS in Pentagon meet
The two defense chiefs – Delfin Lorenzana of the Philippines and James Mattis of the United States – discuss 'combating ISIS and other violent extremist networks'
Admiral who blasted Trump steps down from Pentagon body
Admiral William McRaven, who supervised the 2014 Special Forces raid in Pakistan that killed Al-Qaeda kingpin Osama Bin Laden, has resigned last month from the Defense Innovation Board
China rejects 'irresponsible' Pentagon report on bombers
Beijing's military development was defensive in nature and intended to safeguard its territorial integrity, says foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang
Chinese bombers likely training for U.S. strikes – Pentagon
A Pentagon report says the People's Liberation Army may demonstrate the 'capability to strike US and allied forces and military bases in the western Pacific Ocean, including Guam'
Tech titans jostle for Pentagon's 'JEDI' cloud contract
JEDI stands for Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure
North Korea begins dismantling rocket test site – analysts
(UPDATED) If confirmed, the analysis by respected US-based website 38 North could signal a step forward after the landmark summit between Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump
Xi Jinping, U.S. defense chief meet amid troubled security relations
US Defense Secretary James Mattis, visiting Beijing to take the measure of China's global security ambitions, especially in the South China Sea, tells Xi Jinping he wants to keep the bilateral military relationship on an even keel and find areas to cooperate
U.S., Chinese defense chiefs talk cooperation despite tensions
US Defense Secretary James Mattis is expected to meet President Xi Jinping late Wednesday, June 27, after talks with other senior officials. His 4-day trip to Asia will include visits to regional allies Seoul and Tokyo.
Google rules out using artificial intelligence for weapons
The tech giant will not be renewing its contract with the Pentagon
Pentagon warns Syria's Assad against attacking Kurdish-led forces
Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie's remarks come after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Russian broadcaster RT he would not hesitate to use force to retake the 3rd of the country held by the Syrian Democratic Forces
Taliban, Afghan officials in ceasefire talks – U.S. general
'A lot of the diplomatic activity and dialogue is occurring off the stage, and it's occurring at multiple levels,' General John Nicholson says in a teleconference with reporters at the Pentagon
China rejects US military claims of laser attacks on pilots
Beijing, which operates a naval base in the Horn of Africa country, denies Pentagon accusations that Chinese personnel have targeted US pilots with the beams
Military vehicles to roll through Washington in parade
The idea for a parade appears to have been rekindled when the president visited Paris for Bastille Day in July and made no secret of his awe for the pomp and ceremony of the occasion
Iran says U.S. nuclear policy brings world 'closer to annihilation'
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's comments come a day after the Pentagon revealed plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal
Mattis wants to keep pressure on North Korea
'Diplomacy should repose reason on Kim's reckless rhetoric and dangerous provocations,' says Pentagon chief Jim Mattis
'The Post': a Hollywood ode to journalism
Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, and Tom Hanks star in 'The Post,' a movie about how 'The Washingon Post' published the Pentagon Papers
U.S. Defense Department admits funding secret UFO-hunting program
A New York Times reports says the so-called Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program operated from 2007 to 2012 and had $22 million a year budget
Pentagon chief says U.S. admin backs Tillerson's North Korea effort
Pentagon chief Jim Mattis tries to clear up doubts about the US administration's North Korea strategy, backing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's effort to find a diplomatic solution to the nuclear stand-off
Trump warns North Korea of 'fire and fury'
UPDATED Trump: North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen
Anti-ISIS operations enter 4th year
In the 3 years since the campaign began 70 of the territory ISIS once held in Iraq has been recaptured and 50 in Syria
Trump bans transgender people from U.S. military
UPDATED The announcement serves as a stunning reversal of an Obama era policy and leaves unanswered a slew of questions including whether transgender personnel currently serving may soon face getting booted from the military
WATCH: Inside Super Pop Con 2017
Seven emerging K Pop acts perform for fans in Manila including the first Filipina K Pop idol Kriesha Tiu
China’s navy targets building bases overseas – Pentagon
The Pentagon cites cases in 2016 of China using its intelligence services and employing other illicit technologies controlled equipment and other materials
