Eric Schmitt
@EricSchmittNYT
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Senior writer, The New York Times (https://t.co/CRzqpiD0J0) covering terrorism and national security issues. Co-author, Counterstrike
Washington, D.C.
Joined July 2011
The Senate approved a former Green Beret and Jan. 6 conspiracy theorist to head the nation's top counterterrorism agency
nytimes.com
Joe Kent, a former Army Green Beret, had attracted scrutiny over his associations with extremist groups and his promotion of conspiracy theories.
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Even by Washington standards, where “black budgets” are often used as an excuse to avoid revealing the cost of outdated spy satellites & other programs, the means being used to hide the cost of Trump’s "free" Air Force One are inventive w/@SangerNYT .
nytimes.com
To hide the cost of renovating the plane Qatar donated to President Trump, the Air Force appears to have tucked it inside an over-budget, behind-schedule nuclear modernization program.
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Hegseth’s actions could shape the military’s top ranks for years to come. His insistence on absolute loyalty creates uncertainty and mistrust that threaten to undermine the readiness and effectiveness of the force w/@GregJaffe, @helenecooper .
nytimes.com
Suspicions about leaks and a mistrust of senior military officers have defined much of the defense secretary’s first six months on the job.
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How the Air Force is paying to refurbish Trump's "free" Air Force One is tied up in a mysterious, $934 million transfer of funds from one of the Pentagon’s most over-budget, out-of-control projects w/@SangerNYT .
nytimes.com
To hide the cost of renovating the plane Qatar donated to President Trump, the Air Force appears to have tucked it inside an over-budget, behind-schedule nuclear modernization program.
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A standoff over a senior officer's promotion reflects an ongoing clash between Pete Hegseth’s highly partisan worldview and the longstanding tradition of an apolitical military that pledges an oath to the Constitution w/@GregJaffe, @helenecooper .
nytimes.com
Suspicions about leaks and a mistrust of senior military officers have defined much of the defense secretary’s first six months on the job.
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U.S. commandos carry out a rare ground raid in northwestern Syria, killing a senior ISIS leader and his two adult sons
nytimes.com
The military gave few details on the ground operation, but counterterrorism raids have typically involved helicopter-borne Special Operations commandos.
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Pentagon withdraws 700 Marines from Los Angeles just days after pulling out out 2,000 National Guard, scaling back a contentious military deployment w/@ShawnHubler
nytimes.com
The departure of the Marines follows the removal of hundreds of other National Guard soldiers who were part of President Trump’s deployment to Los Angeles.
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Now that Trump supports giving more arms to Ukraine, Hegseth attends a key meeting on military aid to Kyiv after skipping the last session w/@johnismay .
nytimes.com
The defense secretary’s attendance may signal a turnaround as President Trump’s tone shifts on his willingness to support Kyiv against Moscow.
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RT @ACKisling: Andrew was a towering figure at CSIS and in Washington. There was no one like him. He innovated, hustled, and changed public….
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Army Special Operations command warns retired members who served in Iraq and Syria of terror threat w/@julianbarnes .
nytimes.com
The alert, issued to retired service members who served in Iraq or Syria and live in Florida, did not specify what kind of threat or which terrorist group was involved.
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Trump trumpets new arms to Ukraine and potential penalties for Russia, but he is notorious for setting deadlines that he does not enforce, raising questions about whether he will act if the timer he set for Putin expires w/@michaelcrowley, @julianbarnes .
nytimes.com
Pentagon officials said details were still being worked out, and experts doubted Mr. Trump’s threat of huge tariffs for Russian trading partners.
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Trump shifts to support Ukraine and says NATO countries will buy weapons to give to Kyiv w/@jakesNYT, @AndrewKramerNYT .
nytimes.com
If the plan is finalized, it would allow critical aid to flow to Ukraine as it endures one of Russia’s heaviest assaults of the war.
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The U.S. military has conducted at least two tests of a new counter-drone microwave system, including one in the Middle East and one in the Pacific, setting the stage for a bigger Pentagon investment w/@julianbarnes .
nytimes.com
Israel and Ukraine have used drones against their adversaries in audacious ways that have helped the Pentagon see the need for new technology.
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Trump's disenchantment with Putin, along with more positive recent interactions with Zelensky, appears to have driven Trump's decision to resume sending some critical munitions to Ukraine after their delivery was halted last month w/@maggieNYT .
nytimes.com
President Trump lashed out at the Russian leader on Tuesday, signaling a change in his posture toward the conflict.
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RT @WashPostComms: Statement from Executive Editor Matt Murray: . “For three decades, Ellen Nakashima has been one of the most careful, fai….
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The Pentagon is creating two new expanded military zones along the border with Mexico even as the number migrants crossing the frontier has plummeted .
nytimes.com
The plans for strips of land in Texas and Arizona are the latest step to militarize the boundary to stem an already dwindling number of migrant crossings.
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Shifting Views and Misdirection: How Trump Decided to Strike Iran w/@MarkMazzettiNYT, @maggieNYT, @helenecooper & jonathan swan .
nytimes.com
When Israel began its assault on Iran, President Trump kept his distance. But within days he was on a path that led to an extensive bombing mission aided by political and military ruses.
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In meetings at the White House, senior military officials have warned that Iran could mine the vital Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. joined Israel’s attacks on Iran w/@helenecooper, @johnismay .
nytimes.com
Pentagon officials are trying to prepare for all of the ways Iran could retaliate, as President Trump hints at what he might do.
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Attacking Fordo, Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear site, is central to any effort to destroy Iran’s ability to make nuclear weapons w/@helenecooper .
nytimes.com
Only the U.S. military has the 30,000-pound bomb capable of reaching the facility and the bomber that can carry it.
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RT @JimLaPorta: .@SecDef @PeteHegseth who allegedly runs the “most transparent DoD ever”with their one press briefing to date, continues to….
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