Department of Defense Archives - TPR: The Public's Radio

The Pentagon is seen from an airplane, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington.

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OpenAI says it shares Anthropic’s ‘red lines’ over military AI use

by Shannon Bond February 27, 2026February 27, 2026

OpenAI’s Sam Altman says he shares the “red lines” set by rival Anthropic restricting how the military uses AI models, amid Anthropic’s escalating feud with the Pentagon.

A 2011 file photo of the Pentagon. The Defense Department has threated This picture taken 26 December 2011 shows the Pentagon building in Washington, DC. The Pentagon, which is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense (DOD), is the world's largest office building by floor area, with about 6,500,000 sq ft (600,000 m2), of which 3,700,000 sq ft (340,000 m2) are used as offices. Approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel work in the Pentagon. AFP PHOTO (Photo by STAFF / AFP) (Photo by STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)

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Hegseth threatens to cancel Anthropic’s $200 million contract over “woke AI” concerns

by Bobby Allyn February 24, 2026February 24, 2026

The company’s Claude chatbot is one of the few AI systems cleared for use in classified settings. But a standoff between Anthropic and the Trump administration is putting its government work at risk.

People stand in line at check-in counters at El Paso International Airport, Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration closed the airspace around the area for a few hours.

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The airspace around El Paso is open again. Why it closed is in dispute

by Joel Rose February 11, 2026February 11, 2026

The Federal Aviation Administration abruptly closed the airspace around El Paso, only to reopen it hours later. The bizarre episode pointed to a lack of coordination between the FAA and the Pentagon.

FILE - Merit badges and a rainbow-colored neckerchief slider are affixed on a Boy Scout uniform. The U.S. organization, which now welcomes girls into the program and allows them to work toward the coveted Eagle Scout rank, announced May 7, 2024, that it would change its name to Scouting America as it focuses on inclusion.

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U.S. ready to cut support to Scouts, accusing them of attacking ‘boy-friendly spaces’

by Graham Smith November 25, 2025November 25, 2025

Documents show the U.S. Military is planning to sever all ties with the organization formally known as the Boy Scouts

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Sept. 30, in Quantico, Va. In an unprecedented gathering, almost 800 generals, admirals and their senior enlisted leaders have been ordered into one location from around the world on short notice.

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Hegseth orders troops to watch his speech decrying a ‘woke’ military

by Tom Bowman October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

During the speech last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lectured senior military officials on the “warrior ethos,” focusing on fitness and grooming standards, and calling out “fat generals.”

Hurricane Erick hit Oaxaca, Mexico, in June.

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Defense Department will stop providing crucial satellite weather data

by Rebecca Hersher June 28, 2025June 28, 2025

Hurricane forecasters rely on weather data collected and processed by Department of Defense satellites. That data will no longer be available as of Monday, June 30.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon awarded the Medal of Honor to then-Lt. Col. Charles C. Rogers, for his courage and leadership in defeating repeated attacks in southern Vietnam. A Defense Department web page honoring Rogers was briefly taken down.

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Pentagon website removes, then restores, page honoring Black Medal of Honor recipient

by Bill Chappell March 17, 2025March 17, 2025

Charles C. Rogers was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon in 1970. But a profile of the Vietnam War veteran was caught in an “auto removal process,” the Defense Department says.

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Fort Bragg 2.0: Army base reverts to its old name, but with a new namesake

by Rachel Treisman February 11, 2025February 11, 2025

A U.S. Army base originally named after a Confederate general, then renamed Fort Liberty, will revert to the name Fort Bragg. Its new namesake is WWII hero Roland Bragg — unbeknownst to his family.

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Is Trump pick Pete Hegseth ready to run Defense? A former defense secretary weighs in

by Mary Louise Kelly November 20, 2024November 20, 2024

Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel says “a lack of any government experience is an issue” when leading the largest institution in the world.