NBC News Correspondent covering National Security & the Pentagon. Links & re-tweets not endorsements. Opinions my own & yours are yours so keep it pleasant plz.
BREAKING: hundreds of active duty 82nd Airborne soldiers on standby in the DC area all week are heading home to Ft Bragg tonight, per a senior defense official. They were never called in to DC to respond to civil unrest. Decision made in the last hour. Developing ...
Exclusive: The US military is planning to move US Navy ships and US military aircraft closer to Israel as a show of support, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning. Movements could start immediately but all the assets will not be in place for several days.
A sailor from the USS Teddy Roosevelt was found unresponsive in isolation on base in Guam & transferred to ICU today. Sailor tested positive for COVID-19 on March 30. As of today 416 sailors on the ship have tested positive.
@TheRealCVN71
@USNavy
@NBCNews
Well, 2020 you continue to surprise us. The latest is another baby boy, due around New Year’s! The twins are thrilled to become big brothers and have claimed naming rights. Mom & dad are thrilled and feeling very blessed.
#boymom
The US is deploying 3,500 more troops from the 82nd Airborne to the CENTCOM region, according to defense & military officials. They will be a response force to threats throughout the region, officials say.
@CENTCOM
More than 200 retired generals, admirals endorse Biden, including some who served in senior positions during the Trump administration via
@nbcnews
@dandeluce
Nine senior military leaders, including nearly the entire Joint Chiefs of Staff in quarantine after tank meeting with admiral who tested positive via
@nbcnews
The US is also working through plans for a possible non-combatant evacuation - helping Americans get out of Israel. Nothing has been decided or ordered but they are working through options, including one that involves putting some Americans on Navy ships to get them to safety.
NEW details: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was in the intensive care unit while hospitalized this week. Deputy Secretary Hicks assumed his duties while she was vacationing in Puerto Rico. via
@nbcnews
@carolelee
@dennisjromero
USFOR-A spokesman, Colonel Sonny Leggett says “A combined U.S. and Afghan force conducting an operation in Nangarhar Province was engaged by direct fire on Feb. 8.” US military officials are working through details but confirm there are casualties.
He was relieved at the direction of
@SECNAV
, who said during a Pentagon briefing that Crozier exercised a lapse in judgment by sending his letter to too many people. Btw, one of the most awkward, uncomfortable briefings I’ve ever been in.
BREAKING: US Navy is expected to announce that it has relieved the captain who sounded the alarm about a coronavirus outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, according to two US officials.
Exclusive: Trump falsely characterized Israel's role in his administration's hit on Iran's Soleimani, say former U.S. officials. Israel was never part of the operation, they say. via
@nbcnews
@katiadoyl
Acting Navy Secretary Modly apologized in a statement tonight, saying he want “to apologize directly to Captain Crozier, his family, and the entire crew of the Theodore Roosevelt for any pain my remarks may have caused.”
@TheRealCVN71
@USNavy
Acting Navy Sec resigns amid flap over COVID-hit ship. Army Undersecretary to be Acting Navy Sec - just one week after he was sworn in at Army! via
@nbcnews
@MoshehNBC
Exclusive: Two Ukrainian pilots are at a U.S. military base in Arizona to assess their skills and “familiarize” them with other platforms. And more Ukrainian pilots are expected to follow. via
@nbcnews
@carolelee
Exclusive: Sens Warren, Shaheen and Duckworth want to know if Musk limited Ukraine's Starlink access at a crucial point in war with Russia and what the Pentagon can do about it via
@nbcnews
BREAKING: Bradleys & infantry troops from the 30th Armored Brigade Combat team, a National Guard unit from South Carolina, arrived in the Deir ez Zour region in Syria in the past few hours, according to CG of Operation Inherent Resolve, Lt Gen Pat White.
Al Asad airbase in western Iraq is under attack, according to US military officials. Multiple rounds have hit - not clear if it’s rockets or missiles yet.
@CENTCOM
@OIRSpox
Exclusive: Top officials were briefed on active threat against Pentagon leaders - includes details of a “concerning” incident involving a senior pentagon leader last month via
@nbcnews
@carolelee
Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne packing up to leave Ft Belvoir tonight. They’ve been here since Monday night, waiting for the call to respond to unrest in DC. It never came & the soldiers I’m speaking to are happy to be heading home to Fort Bragg.
@82ndABNDiv
Exclusive reporting from my colleague
@annaschecter
- top secret Hamas documents show terrorists intentionally targeted elementary schools and a youth center. Hamas went looking for little kids to kill and take hostage, according to these documents.
New: The USS Dwight D Eisenhower and elements of the carrier strike group have been extended in CENTCOM according to three defense officials. They’ve been underway since Oct 14 and for months have served under a crushing operational tempo in the Red Sea.
@TheCVN69
Multiple US troops were killed and wounded in an attack in eastern Afghanistan today, according to US military officials. Tune in to
@NBCNightlyNews
tonight for the latest.
New story with
@carolelee
about the White House accusing Lt Col Alex Vindman of creating a hostile work environment while at NSC. A military inquiry did not substantiate the allegations against him.
Exclusive from
@carolelee
and
@ckubeNBC
After Lt. Col Alex Vindman testified in Trump's impeachment, the White House sent a document to the Pentagon criticizing him as he awaited promotion.
While President Trump has said that ISIS has been defeated, NBC News has learned that the terrorist group has already found a safe haven in an ungoverned part of Iraq, and has ambitious new plans.
@ckubeNBC
has more.
Chairman of
@thejointstaff
Gen Mark Milley says Afghanistan has been in a “state of strategic stalemate” for the past 5-7 years & that after 20 yrs of consistent effort there the US has “achieved a modicum of success” in Afghanistan. Wow.
Pentagon Chief of Staff & Trump loyalist Kash Patel - in the building for less than one month - is controlling access to the Biden transition team. New details from
@carolelee
and I.
From
@ckubeNBC
and
@carolelee
Pentagon chief of staff Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist, is controlling the Biden transition's access to Defense officials, even blocking some from sharing info.
Winner of tonight’s debate? Only one answer:
@kwelkernbc
! She kept the candidates on track and gave Americans a real debate. Not a surprise to anyone who knows her - she is brilliant and works harder than almost anyone I know. Congrats
@kwelkernbc
!!!!!!
Two U.S. troops were killed and six others injured in an attack Saturday in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. While U.S. and Afghan forces were conducting a joint operation, someone in an Afghan military uniform opened fire.
@ckubeNBC
has more.
22 years ago an infant was kidnapped from a hospital room. That baby is now a US Marine and today he reunited with the rookie FBI agent who found him via
@nbcnews
@NBCNightlyNews
US officials believe China may be providing Russia non-lethal military assistance in Ukraine war and they may be considering lethal aid. via
@nbcnews
#MSC2023
A senior Syrian opposition fighter was killed when she and two others were targeted by a Turkish drone. She was known for supporting women in uniform and is credited with saving American lives in Syria.
A renowned female commander of Kurdish opposition forces in Syria, credited by the U.S. military with saving American lives in the battle against ISIS, has been killed by a Turkish drone strike. By
@ckubeNBC
The “hero dog” that was injured in the raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is back with its handler and recuperating from its injuries, Pentagon officials said:
@ckubeNBC
has the story now.
Starting Tuesday, U.S. military veterans in suicidal crisis will be eligible for *free* care at any VA or private facility for up to 120 days even if they’re not enrolled in VA healthcare.
@DeptVetAffairs
GOP House Appropriations Committee members aim to ban release of basic military service info about an individual. This will have a chilling effect on the ability to verify someone’s military service.
#stolenvalor
via
@nbcnews
Acting Navy secretary rips into Capt Crozier as either “too naive or too stupid” to be CO of a ship & trashes the media who he says intend to “embarrass” the Navy. The sailors quickly released Modly’s audio .. to the media. via
@nbcnews
@TaskandPurpose
Not only is
@idreesali114
a credentialed member of the Pentagon press corps, but he’s also a talented, respected reporter & dear friend. Does the Biden administration support this policy? It happened on
@DepSecDef
plane without her intervening - does she agree with this?
Yesterday on an official trip with Deputy U.S. Defense Secretary Hicks, my phone was confiscated by a DoD official, locked up and I was stopped from using electronics because of a new policy that bars non-US reporters from using devices on govt planes. (Pic taken by US citizen)
Last fall I was in Syria with the North Carolina National Guard - this year I spent the day with them as they traveled to help local state election officials with cyber security ahead of the election. Our story from this week on
@NBCNightlyNews
.
In an effort to protect the nation’s voting systems from interference, some National Guard members are stepping in. A team of cyber experts has made its way to North Carolina to scan election systems for security vulnerabilities.
@CKubeNBC
reports:
The US is moving some troops from Baghdad to other locations. Milley & Esper deny its a drawdown but it looks like the military is preparing to leave ...
@MoshehNBC
The government is instituting a mandatory tax deferral for many US military members & DOD civilians from Sept to Dec 31. But some military experts warn it will cause financial hardship when it time to repay those taxes in 2021.
From
@ckubeNBC
Service members and Defense Department civilians will get a tax break beginning this month, but they will have to pay all the money back in 2021.
This is why we need investigative journalists! Under Ben Carson, more families live in HUD housing that fails health and safety inspections via
@nbcnews
@strickdc
@stephgosk
@HRappleye
Happy 100th Birthday to the sweetest woman on the face of the earth - Grandma Arlene Kube! We love you so much, Grandma! TODAY celebrates 100th birthdays: Nov. 20, 2023 via
@TODAYshow
This
@politico
story that the Pentagon is considering slashing military medical benefits comes after
@EsperDoD
virtually eliminated childcare for military retirees, including combat wounded retirees, and gold star spouses. He said it was to improve readiness.
@laraseligman
This is a deliberate misrepresentation of the story.
We never said Esper had directed the cut, but that it was a proposal in the works. I also contacted him about this story at 7am on Thursday, so he knew it was coming. We stand by our story.
The U.S. military has shot down two drones near al Tanf garrison in southern Syria this week, after not seeing threats like that for the past two months. The drones weren’t assessed to be targeting the U.S. personnel there but were deemed a possible threat.
.
@EsperDoD
calls reporting about proposal to cut $2.2 billion from military healthcare “inaccurate.” Then
@realDonaldTrump
tweets he “firmly & totally” rejected the Pentagon proposal to slash $2.2 billion. Proposals don’t make it to the Oval Office without Secretary’s consent.
I find it hard to believe that
@NPRKelly
pointed to Bangladesh when
@SecPompeo
asked her to identify Ukraine on a blank map ... and isn’t yelling and swearing at someone violating the basic rules of decency?
@NPR
Reports of a coordinated attack by ISIS in Raqqa. If confirmed this could be the first indications ISIS wants to exploit security lapses while the SDF is forced to focus on an imminent attack by Turkey in the north.
@mustefabali
@cmoc_sdf
@shervanderwish
WATCH: Pentagon denies ordered departure of U.S. troops from Iraq but memo provided to Iraqis meant there will be movement in and out,
@ckubeNBC
reports on
#MTPDaily
.
"It's a combination of factors. ... Why keep them around in Baghdad when they're, candidly, just a target?"
This includes thousands of US military service members, the USS Gerald R Ford carrier strike group (carrier, cruiser, destroyers and aircraft), and additional USAF F35s, F15s, F16s, and A10s all to the region. The US will also supply Israel with more munitions and equipment.
EXCLUSIVE: The U.S. plans to move Navy ships and aircraft closer to Israel as a show of support, as it weighs plans to evacuate American civilians, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning.
US military vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Kandahar today. Awaiting word on any casualties. “A U.S. vehicle struck an IED this morning. We are assessing the situation and will provide more information as it becomes available,” according to a Resolute Support spox in Kabul.
Sec Pompeo on
@MeetThePress
downplays possible Iranian retaliation to strike on Soleimani: there may be “a little noise here in the interim, that the Iranians make a choice to respond.” A little noise.
@NBCNews
@chucktodd
Breaking: the civilian contractor believe killed outside Bagram yesterday was found alive today, according to a military official. The contractor is a local national. Developing...
Modern parenting— The winner of the day is
@ckubeNBC
who managed to entertain her 4 year old twin boys in her office while waiting to ask questions of the defense secretary during a Pentagon briefing on Iran.
#supermom
US military wants to boost efforts to track U.S. weapons sent to Ukraine & is discussing sending a small number of U.S. troops with specific expertise for the mission via
@nbcnews
@carolelee
Saturday in Munich Ukrainian Foreign Minister
@DmytroKuleba
told us he spent much of his 30 min meeting with
@SecBlinken
urging the U.S. to give Ukraine long range ATACMS - now U.S. officials tell us they are leaning towards sending them.
@carolelee
@MunSecConf