The Trump administration is considering sending 24,000 assault rifles to Israel that had been held up at the State Department on the orders of Antony J. Blinken, the former secretary of state, a U.S. official said. Mr. Blinken had asked the State Department not to move forward with fulfilling Israel’s request, which comprises three tranches … Read more
President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization could have harsh consequences for countries around the world that rely on the agency to achieve important health goals, including routine immunizations, outbreak control and nutrition programs. But it could also have unfortunate, unintended repercussions for Americans. Disengaging from the W.H.O. would … Read more
Pete Hegseth, the newly confirmed defense secretary, has pledged to restore “the warrior ethos” to the U.S. military, which he believes has been weakened by its diversity. His view that the military has diminished standards in welcoming women and racial minorities to the armed forces might run into resistance as he takes the reins at … Read more
Late Friday night, all but three Republican senators voted to confirm President Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, creating a 50-to-50 deadlock that required Vice President JD Vance to come break the tie. But close followers of the Senate likely weren’t surprised to see who had defected. The two most senior Republican women in … Read more
The Senate barreled on Friday toward a late-night vote on whether to confirm Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense, with the outcome still uncertain as a handful of Republicans weighed whether to back President Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon. Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation was further complicated earlier this week, when a former sister-in-law submitted a … Read more
Howard Lutnick, the wealthy Wall Street executive whom President Trump has tapped to lead the Department of Commerce, detailed a complex network of financial holdings on Friday as he prepared to face scrutiny from lawmakers during a confirmation hearing next week. The financial disclosures showed that Mr. Lutnick, who has built a fortune in brokerages, … Read more
The Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe on Thursday to serve as the director of the C.I.A., installing him atop the spy agency that he has pledged to make more aggressive. The vote was 74 to 25, and several Democrats joined all Republicans present in confirming him. The support Mr. Ratcliffe received from Democrats reflects the evolution … Read more
The Justice Department has abruptly rescinded job offers made to dozens of recent law school graduates who were to be placed in entry-level positions in its antitrust, criminal, civil rights, immigration and national security divisions, and at the F.B.I., according to people familiar with the situation. The offers were made through the Attorney General’s Honors … Read more
Andrew F. Puzder, the former chief executive of the corporation that owns the Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. fast-food chains, is President Trump’s pick to be the next U.S. ambassador to the European Union. Mr. Puzder, a frequent commentator on economic and business issues on networks like Fox Business, would not bring foreign policy experience to … Read more
When the career staff of the National Security Council popped onto a video call at 11:30 on Wednesday morning, a sense of dread had already settled in. They knew exactly what President Trump thought of the council: that it was the core of the deep state, whose employees, almost all drawn from the State and … Read more