Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added that “hopefully” governors in other states would mobilize their Guards themselves and took a swipe at California Gov. Gavin Newsom for “playing politics.”
Until recently, the Army’s long-planned birthday celebration did not include a big parade. Added under the Trump administration, the event, featuring hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers, has divided veterans.
According to more than a dozen Guardsmen across four units who spoke to Military.com, none has received formal activation orders, the critical paperwork that not only authorizes their duty status, but also unlocks pay and Tricare health benefits.
Relatives of the late Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams-Earley anticipated it, but when President Donald Trump announced their parents’ names would be stripped from the Virginia base, they were still surprised.
Amid the back-and-forth between Hegseth and Democrats at a House Appropriations Committee defense subpanel hearing, the Pentagon’s acting comptroller also told lawmakers that the LA deployments are expected to cost at least $134 million.
As Trump viciously attacked his perceived political foes, he whipped up boos from the gathered troops directed at California leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Authorities say they believe they spotted Travis Decker, an ex-soldier wanted in the deaths of his three daughters, near a remote alpine lake in Washington state, after receiving a tip from hikers who said they saw a lone person who appeared to be ill-prepared for the conditions.
Until recently, the Army’s long-planned birthday celebration did not include a big parade. Added under the Trump administration, the event, featuring hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers, has divided veterans.
The governor’s request said it was in response to a change in orders for the Guard members, who were originally deployed to protect federal buildings.
President Donald Trump watched the U.S. Army demonstrate a missile strike, a helicopter assault and a building raid at Fort Bragg on Tuesday, celebrating the 250th anniversary of that branch of the military.