Lolita C. Baldor

U.S. Secretary for Defense Mark Esper ...

U.S. troops, armored vehicles going to Syria oil fields, Esper says

October 25, 2019 at 2:55 p.m.

The United States will send armored vehicles and combat troops into eastern Syria to keep oil fields from potentially falling into the hands of Islamic State militants, U.S. Defense Secretary...

Syria’s opposition flag flies on a pole in Tal Abyad, Syria, as seen from the town of Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet Tuesday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the conflict between Turkey and the Kurds is expected to be the focus of their discussions. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Departing U.S. troops pelted with potatoes by residents of northeast Syria city

October 21, 2019 at 6:45 a.m.

Angry over the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, residents of a Kurdish-dominated city pelted departing American military vehicles with potatoes Monday as they drove through. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said U.S....

American military convoy stops near the ...

U.S. troops in Syria going to Iraq, not home as Trump claims

October 20, 2019 at 5:05 p.m.

While President Donald Trump insists he's bringing home Americans from "endless wars" in the Mideast, his Pentagon chief says all U.S. troops leaving Syria will go to western Iraq and...

Defense chief: U.S. troops leaving Syria to go to western Iraq

October 19, 2019 at 9:18 p.m.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper says that under the current plan all U.S. troops leaving Syria will go to western Iraq and the military will continue to conduct operations against the...

President Donald Trump speaks during a ...

AP FACT CHECK: Trump muddles facts on U.S. Syria withdrawal

October 16, 2019 at 8:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump muddled the facts Wednesday on America's withdrawal from Syria and the conditions on the ground there, as he distanced himself and the U.S. from the ongoing Turkish...

President Trump defends decision to abandon Kurdish allies in Syria

October 7, 2019 at 6:29 p.m.

President Donald Trump on Monday cast his decision to abandon Kurdish fighters in Syria as fulfilling a campaign promise to withdraw from "endless war" in the Middle East, even as...

Military sees frustrating trend as suicides spike

September 27, 2019 at 11:33 a.m.

Military suicides have surged to a record high among active duty troops, continuing a deadly trend that Pentagon officials say is frustrating and they are struggling to counter.

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, June 20, 2019, in Washington.

Trump called off Iranian strikes, citing potential deaths

June 21, 2019 at 8:11 a.m.

President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. was ready to retaliate against Iran for downing an American drone, but he canceled the missile strikes 10 minutes before.

In this June 18, 2019 photo, President Donald Trump speaks during his re-election kickoff rally at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Trump declared Thursday that “Iran made a very big mistake” in shooting down a U.S. drone. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. prepped for strikes on Iran before approval was withdrawn

June 20, 2019 at 10:26 p.m.

A U.S. official said the military made preparations Thursday night for limited strikes on Iran in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, but approval was abruptly withdrawn...

FILE – In this Feb. 14, 2019 file photo, acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan speaks about the situation in the Persian Gulf region during a meeting with Portuguese Minister of National Defense Joao Cravinho, at the Pentagon. President Donald Trump announced on June 18 that Shanahan will not move forward with the confirmation process to be Defense Secretary. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Shanahan drops bid to lead Pentagon, citing “painful” past

June 18, 2019 at 10:16 p.m.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan stepped down Tuesday before his formal nomination ever went to the Senate, citing a "painful" family situation that would hurt his children and reopen "wounds...

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