Top 5     Hegseth confirmed as next defense secretary by narrow Senate vote (Military Times) Iraq War veteran and former Fox News Host Pete Hegseth was confirmed as the next defense secretary by a narrow, partisan margin Friday, allowing the divisive nominee to assume leadership of Pentagon operations early next week.       Trump order blocks families of US troops from leaving Afghanistan (Military Times) Families of U.S. service members who live in Afghanistan are stuck in the country and blocked from relocating to the United States due to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump this week.       VA places 60 staff on leave after shutting down DEI offices (Military Times) At least 60 Veterans Affairs employees have been placed on administrative leave following the closure of multiple diversity, equity and inclusion offices across the department, part of a government-wide crackdown on the issue.       Air Force pulls class with Tuskegee Airmen video after DEI order (Military Times) The Air Force has pulled and is reviewing a basic military training course that includes videos on the history of pioneering Black and female pilots during World War II, following President Donald Trump’s order to halt diversity, equity and inclusion programs.       Power generation challenges could overshadow Stargate AI initiative (Defense News) While the Defense Department is likely to benefit from OpenAI’s announcement this week that it would invest half a trillion dollars to build new artificial intelligence data centers around the country, Pentagon officials warned that the U.S. lacks the energy resources and computing power to support the new infrastructure — and solving that problem won’t be easy.   Overseas Operations     101st Airborne, other Army units deploying to Europe, Middle East and South Korea (Task & Purpose) Four U.S. Army units, including the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division and a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Battalion will deploy overseas this spring.       Trump aims to cut US force in Europe by 20,000, compel subsidies from allies, Italian report says (Stars & Stripes) President Donald Trump wants to withdraw 20,000 U.S. troops from Europe and demand a subsidy from allies to pay for the remaining American military presence on the Continent, Italy’s leading news agency reported this week.   Ukraine     Ukrainian winemaker and US veterans team up to show the best of Ukraine, a glass at a time (The Associated Press) In a wine shop an hour outside of Washington, owner Arthur Lampros sampled a wine from a part of the world that was totally new to him, racking his brain to pin down the tastes on his tongue.       US has not stopped military aid to Ukraine, Zelenskyy says (The Associated Press) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday the U.S. has not stopped military aid to Ukraine after newly sworn in U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would pause foreign aid grants for 90 days.   Pentagon     No schedule yet for service secretary confirmation hearings (Military Times) With a new defense secretary confirmed, Senate officials can now turn their attention to considering President Donald Trump’s picks to lead the individual military services. But exactly when those hearings will take place is unclear.       Military troops provide deportation support and construction efforts at southern border (Stars & Stripes) Military troops arrived to the southern border over the last few days for a deployment to provide deportation support and construction efforts, ordered by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20.       Pete Hegseth, Trump’s new defense secretary, issues message vowing to ‘rapidly’ field emerging tech (DefenseScoop) Newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a message to the military on Saturday that expressed his intent to quickly field emerging capabilities to deter China and others.   Congress & Politics     Trump tariffs could backfire on military, some experts warn (Military Times) The Trump administration’s plans to impose tariffs on a wide swathe of products and materials — reportedly including materials critical to the nation’s defense supply chain — could drive up some military programs’ costs and cause delays, analysts told Defense News.       White House says Colombia agrees to take deported migrants after Trump tariff showdown (The Associated Press) The White House claimed victory in a showdown with Colombia over accepting flights of deported migrants from the U.S. on Sunday, hours after President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs on imports and other sanctions on the longtime U.S. partner.       Trump fires multiple agency inspectors general—without proper notice, watchdogs say (Defense One) At least a dozen were removed, including the IGs for the departments of Defense, State, and Energy, the Washington Post reported.       How Trump’s end to federal remote work could affect Redstone Arsenal (AL.com) President Donald Trump’s order this week for federal employees to return to in-person work covers tens of thousands of personnel at Redstone Arsenal, though its daily impact might be relatively minimal.   Navy     Sailor who once ‘came up short’ on ASVAB graduates as top recruit (Military Times) A sailor who once doubted his ability to succeed in the service graduated with a prestigious military award, according to the Navy.       New Navy video imagines high-tech warfare in 2043 (Task & Purpose) The Navy's new sci-fi short "Sea Strike" showcases how new tools including artificial intelligence, drone wingmen and, yes, lasers could help in future peer-to-peer conflicts.   Marine Corps     Marines take aim with new high-tech anti-drone system in Hawaii (Stars & Stripes) Marines used their new hunter-killer system to blast dozens of target drones out of the sky Saturday over a training ground on the Big Island of Hawaii.       Marine Corps tests tactical 5G, looks at wider adoption for communication (DefenseScoop) Asmall unit of Marines recently experimented with new 5G networking capabilities as the Corps is expanding its adoption of the technology to enable nimbler operations in more complex environments.       Second oil spill reported at site of future Marine Corps airfield on Okinawa (Stars & Stripes) A construction vessel spilled oil at the site of a future Marine Corps airfield in northern Okinawa over the weekend, the second such incident in 10 days.       US Marines, Japanese Forces to drill in Southwestern Japan in Iron Fist exercise (USNI News) U.S. Marines and the Japanese Ground Self Defense will join for a bilateral exercise on Japan’s southwest islands, Japanese officials announced on Friday.       San Diego judge rules on effort to cut prison time for Marine veteran who dismembered girlfriend (The San Diego Union - Tribune) A federal judge in San Diego has denied a retired Marine’s request to reduce his 26-year prison sentence for killing and dismembering his girlfriend and then hiding her body in the Panamanian jungle.   Air Force     Sewer issue shutters elementary, middle schools at Air Force base on Okinawa (Stars & Stripes) An elementary school and a middle school at the home of the 18th Wing canceled classes Monday due to a sewer line issue that was resolved that afternoon.       Pilot shortage: new report calls for more Air Force fighters and larger Reserve (Defense One) The Air Force has long struggled with a shortage of fighter pilots, with 1,150 empty billets in 2024, and aviators leaving the service in droves. How can they turn things around? Buy more planes and keep more pilots in its reserve component, says a new policy paper from a prominent aerospace think tank.       Air Force puts fighter jets, airmen through dispersal drills in Japan, South Korea (Stars & Stripes) Air Force wings in Japan and South Korea dispersed aircraft and airmen during weeklong rehearsals this month for flying and fighting on the move.       Air Force C-17s conduct first deportation flights, two not allowed to land (Air & Space Forces Magazine) Two U.S. Air Force C-17 flights carrying out deportation missions turned around after being denied diplomatic clearance to land in Colombia, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine on Jan. 26.       Air Force shutters quality of life working groups as Trump takes over the Pentagon (Defense One) The Air Force has scrapped efforts aimed at improving life for servicemembers, following President Donald Trump’s direction to weed out diversity, equity, and inclusion groups in government.   Space Force     Space Force expects to spend 40% more on commercial SATCOM this year (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The Space Force’s Commercial Satellite Communications Office is forecasting a busy 2025, with somewhere nearly $2.4 billion dollars in contracts not only for USSF, but also combatant commands and every other military service.   Pay & Benefits     Problems with Tricare contract transition 'actively harming' Military, lawmaker tells Pentagon (Military.com) A Washington state lawmaker is seeking answers on the problematic transition this month of the Defense Department's contract for managing the Tricare West Region.   Veterans     Released Army vet in Jan. 6 case must get court permission to enter DC (The Associated Press) A federal judge on Friday barred Army veteran and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes from entering Washington, D.C., without the court’s approval after President Donald Trump commuted the far-right extremist group leader’s 18-year prison sentence for orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Capitol four years ago.   Military Culture & History     The real ‘Viper’: This Top Gun instructor notched a rare combat feat (Military Times) Randall H. Cunningham, the sole U.S. Navy ace pilot of the Vietnam War, called him “the greatest guy I trained under,” and subsequently flew practically alongside him during Operation Linebacker. In the 1986 film ‘Top Gun,’ he served as a consultant and made an appearance, although his call sign, “Viper,” was sported by another actor.       Nuclear Bombs fell on North Carolina 64 years ago. How disaster was narrowly averted (The News Tribune) Two nuclear bombs fell from the sky 64 years ago, putting North Carolina one step from disaster.       Russian troops get the worst food issued by any military ever (Military.com) It is the God-given right of any soldier in any armed force in history to complain about their food, especially when it comes to field rations -- and they will, no matter how good it might be. Even the famed chili and macaroni MRE, with its Skittles and jalapeño cheese spread, is still a Meal, Ready-to-Eat and will plug you up like Elvis in his final days.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     NRO, Navy launch experimental Otter CubeSat (DefenseScoop) The National Reconnaissance Office and the Naval Postgraduate School recently put a new CubeSat into low-Earth orbit to conduct experiments and reduce risk for future programs of record.       Trump team signals defense acquisition overhaul (SpaceNews) A new guard of tech billionaires and venture capitalists is mobilizing to overhaul the Pentagon’s multi-billion dollar space acquisition process as Donald Trump begins his second term at the White House. They’re expecting to work with an administration stacked with like-minded reformers: commercial space advocates and Silicon Valley veterans, all of whom want to take on legacy defense contractors.   International     Leonardo, drone maker Baykar seek ‘synergies’ on battlefield sensor (Defense News) Italy’s Leonardo and Turkish drone maker Baykar are discussing a team-up which could see Leonardo’s electronics and radar mounted on Baykar’s drones.       State Department freezes new funding for nearly all US aid programs worldwide (The Associated Press) The State Department ordered a sweeping freeze Friday on new funding for almost all U.S. foreign assistance, making exceptions for emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt.       KNDS, Rheinmetall, Thales move ahead on next-generation tank project (Defense News) Armored-vehicle makers KNDS and Rheinmetall and defense-electronics firm Thales signed the shareholder agreement for the project company that will develop a future main battle tank for Germany and France, moving a step closer to starting actual work on a program held up for years by wrangling between various partners.       Hamas frees 4 female Israeli soldiers in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners as ceasefire holds (The Associated Press) Four female Israeli soldiers who were taken in the attack that sparked the war in Gaza returned to Israel on Saturday after Hamas militants paraded them before a crowd of thousands in Gaza City and handed them over to the Red Cross. Israel later released 200 Palestinian prisoners in the second exchange of a fragile ceasefire.       Key EU military official urges sharpening of mutual-defense clause (Defense News) A senior military official of the European Union has urged the bloc to refine its mutual-defense clause and start considering the division of labor in the event of a conflict.       US military personnel in Germany conclude support role in Afghan SIV program (Stars & Stripes) The last Afghan special immigrant visa applicants housed at Rhine Ordnance Barracks have departed, effectively ending the involvement of the U.S. military in Germany in their resettlement, according to an American advocate with knowledge of the situation.       North Korea says it tested cruise missile system and vows ‘toughest’ response to US (The Associated Press) North Korea said Sunday it tested a cruise missile system, its third known weapons display this year, and vowed “the toughest” response to what it called the escalation of U.S.-South Korean military drills that target the North.       Trump’s aid suspension: Which African countries stand to lose the most (The Africa Report) Barely inaugurated, the US president called for an evaluation of development aid programmes. How much is allocated to the continent? Which sectors are funds earmarked for, and in which countries? We offer an analysis in infographics.       22 reported killed in Lebanon before agreement to extend deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw (The Associated Press) Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on Sunday opened fire on protesters demanding their withdrawal in line with a ceasefire agreement, killing at least 22 and injuring 124, Lebanese health officials reported.       Auschwitz’s sole Jewish resident reflects on modern antisemitism on 80th anniversary of Auschwitz camp’s liberation (CNN) Among 34,000 people in the town of Auschwitz is just one Jew – a young Israeli named Hila Weisz-Gut. It’s an interesting choice of residence, given the most famous feature of the town is its proximity to the Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz – where at least 1.1 million people, mainly Jews, died between 1940 and 1945.       Trump wants Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians from Gaza. Here’s why the idea is rejected (The Associated Press) President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinians from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip was met with a hard “no” Sunday from the two U.S. allies along with the Palestinians themselves, who fear Israel would never allow them to return.       Rubio’s criticism of Algeria buoys Berber separatists (The Africa Report) The Kabyle independence movement is banking on Trump’s new secretary of state to get behind its political aspirations.       Ships, sea drones and AI: How NATO is hardening its defense of critical Baltic undersea cables (CNN) On Christmas morning, Estonia’s power grid operators got an unwanted surprise: The Estlink 2 power cable linking them to Finland had failed.   Video     Get all the angles of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star tearing through icy waters (Military Times) Get all the angles of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star tearing through icy waters       Could repurposed oil rigs become the Navy’s new floating logistics hubs? (Military Times) Could repurposed oil rigs become the Navy’s new floating logistics hubs       US special forces train with NATO to protect underwater infrastructure (Military Times) US special forces train with NATO to protect underwater infrastructure       Oil rigs as Navy logistics hubs? | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 1.25.25 (Military Times) A defense company floats a novel idea for future Navy reload and logistics hubs by converting oil rigs. Plus, the pick for VA secretary heads to Congress.       Trump pick to run VA pledges more care options, upgrade (Military Times) Veterans affairs secretary nominee Doug Collins said in his confirmation hearing he wanted to evolve care for vets, and tussled with democrats over abortion.       Trump White House releases video of Marines at southern border (Military Times) Trump White House releases video of Marines at southern border       Check out the Navy’s Hollywood-level preview of how it wants to fight in the 2040s (Military Times) AI, airborne lasers, talking drones and submarine-based hypersonic warhead launches - the Navy of 2043 is gonna have it all, if this preview comes true.   Commentary & Analysis     As a Coast Guard harassment survivor, I support Admiral Fagan’s firing (Military Times) Earlier this week, President Donald Trump fired Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, for mishandling Operation Fouled Anchor, a yearslong investigation into sexual assault and harassment at the Coast Guard Academy that top leadership hid.       The US should stop holding back its military potential in space (SpaceNews) Five years after the creation of the Space Force, the United States hasn’t quite unlocked the full military potential of space, continuing perennial efforts to normalize space as an operational domain. However, to realize its vision of seamlessly operating across all domains, the U.S. military should urgently rethink its approach to space power, maximizing and diversifying the types of space weapons brought to bear across the joint force. Senior Pentagon and Space Force leaders should reverse policies that seem to automatically rule out developing and using kinetic counterspace weapons and reassess the feasibility and military advantages of space-to-ground weapons.       It's time for a new Key West agreement (Defense One) Roles and missions for the U.S. military were laid down in 1948 at Key West at a conference chaired by James Forrestal, the first Secretary of Defense. Subsequently approved by President Truman, these accords have remained in place ever since, despite extraordinary changes in the national-security environment. The end of the Cold War, the unification of Germany, the Goldwater-Nichols legislation, the rise of China, NATO expansion, 9/11 and the Global War on Terror, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine all represented seismic shifts. Rapid and dramatic advances in technology do as well. While the basic roles of the military services are fundamentally sound, service missions should be revisited in light of these changes. It’s time for a reboot.       An early, easy, and essential win for Trump on defense acquisitions is within reach (War On The Rocks) A defense tech CEO shared a memorable insight with me over coffee last year: “Selling to government is like fighting a toddler.” Just as a toddler needs food and sleep to survive and thrive, the Defense Department has clear requirements for what it needs to deter and win wars, and thereby allow the country to survive and thrive. Yet, navigating that process is exasperating and maddening — like negotiating with a toddler in the middle of a tantrum.