Jack Detsch
Verified
As seen in:
POLITICO,
MSN,
MSN Deutschland,
MSN UK,
Yahoo News,
Die Welt,
U.S. News and World Report,
Yahoo Finance,
Bild,
Slate,
Flipboard
and
Bringing you stories from the Pentagon. Defense reporter @politico. Tell me something new: Signal → 510-439-7894 / email → jack.detsch (at) gmail
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Jack Detsch
Hegseth Blurs Pentagon and Campaign Lines as Midterms Loom Amid Iran Conflict
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is leveraging military policy for midterm campaigning, drawing Democratic fire over the ongoing Iran conflict and politicization concerns. SN How Streamline reports this story Build your reading streak0/3 today·Counts at 25% No sign-in required. Choose up to two. This captures your response to the story—it is not a vote on whether the reporting is true. 2 source references Sources linked in this article’s evidence ledger.
Trump turns defense into midterm campaign pitch — never mind Iran
Administration officials are focusing on defense manufacturing, not the Iran war, to influence voters ahead of the midterms. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appears at a campaign event for Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 17, 2026. | Hannah Fingerhut/AP 10/30/2026 5:00 AM EDT Share Most Republican candidates don't want to talk about the Iran war.
Trump turns defense into midterm campaign pitch — never mind Iran
Most Republican candidates don't want to talk about the Iran war. Instead, the president and his allies are pitching a different security message to voters — the economic benefits of American military might. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has spent the closing stretch before the midterms crisscrossing swing states like Ohio and Wisconsin to promote a renewed defense industrial base. Vice President JD Vance declared a "manufacturing renaissance" at a defense tech factory in Maine.
Trump pressures Lithuania to crack EU potash sanctions on Belarus
The Trump administration is pressing Lithuania to open a central Baltic Sea port to potash exports from Belarus, despite European sanctions, as the U.S. looks to reduce its reliance on Canada for the critical fertilizer ingredient and help drive down costs for American farmers.
The Pentagon is quietly building an elite new tech sabotage agency
The Pentagon has spent months quietly building an elite new tech agency to help covertly disrupt and sabotage foreign technology programs considered threats to American military superiority.
The Pentagon is quietly building an elite new tech sabotage agency
The creation of the Technology Support Office signals the Defense Department's intent to ramp up a range of aggressive covert activities abroad. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg quickly established TSO without attracting outside scrutiny by largely reorganizing two existing classified Pentagon intelligence programs.
Europeans aren't betting on a Democratic Congress to save Ukraine
Even a congressional shift in power won't significantly change Ukraine's future. President Donald Trump, right, shakes the hand of Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 15, 2025. | Jae C. Hong/AP 10/22/2026 11:00 AM GMT+2 Share European officials are resigning themselves to the fact that a Democratic victory in the midterms won't rescue Ukraine from the Trump administration's shift toward Russia.
Europeans aren’t betting on a Democratic Congress to save Ukraine
European officials are resigning themselves to the fact that a Democratic victory in the midterms won't rescue Ukraine from the Trump administration's shift toward Russia. Democratic leaders have vowed to investigate President Donald Trump's recent pro-Moscow actions and pass legislation to bolster Ukraine on the battlefield.
Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood shooter's execution
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plans to livestream the scheduled Dec. 3 firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan had drawn widespread backlash. This undated photo provided by the Bell County Sheriff's Department shows former Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan.
Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood shooter’s execution
Follow Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood shooter’s execution Jack Detsch and Gregory Svirnovskiy Thu, October 15, 2026 at 10:24 AM EDT Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood shooter’s execution President Donald Trump on Thursday called off livestreaming the execution of the convicted Fort Hood shooter, following widespread backlash to the plan to broadcast his death.
Zelenskyy's dilemma on energy strikes
With help from Nahal Toosi, Daniella Cheslow and Leo Shane III The energy-strikes ceasefire President DONALD TRUMP declared between Russia and Ukraine ended before it had really started. But it still puts Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY in an awkward spot with Trump that could complicate Kyiv's campaign to fend off Russia. Russian strikes pounded 26 energy facilities and four oil and gas sites overnight and this morning, leaving some 600,000 without power.
The global race for counter-drone supremacy
The U.S. Army's biggest weapons systems still command attention at the service's annual conference — with tanks, missiles and artillery guns all spotlighted. But the battle for drone supremacy — and who can stay ahead of the latest innovations in relatively micro-weapons — is all anyone can talk about here in Washington.
Hegseth battles over the Pentagon's future
The U.S. Army's biggest event of the year hasn't started yet, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has already crashed the party. He's remade the U.S. Army, firing top leaders, including former Secretary Dan Driscoll, who had been popular with AUSA attendees from around the world, and built entire new military commands from scratch. But now those same foreign officials are trying to strike a delicate balance with Hegseth firmly in control at the Pentagon.
EU, Canada and Lithuania pull out of disinformation conference after US pressure
The Trump administration pressured diplomatic officials from the EU, Canada and Lithuania to pull out of an international conference on disinformation after organizers announced panels warning of the threat posed by American government officials and the country's influence broadly, according to excerpts of a State Department cable seen by POLITICO.
"Rozkład i oligarchia opanowały nasz rząd". Nowa misja Muska budzi niepokój w Pentagonie
Inicjatywa sekretarza obrony, nazwana Projektem Meridian, zakłada, że dyrektor generalny SpaceX Elon Musk i założyciel firmy Anduril Palmer Luckey — wraz z byłym republikańskim przewodniczącym Izby Reprezentantów Newtem Gingrichem — "nakreślą trajektorię przyszłych działań wojennych". Sprawozdanie mają przedstawić za cztery miesiące.
Musk-led war commission triggers alarms in Pentagon
Dermatologists Say This Is What Really Happens When You Shave Your Face Experts explain the myths you should ignore and how to do it safely. We’ve all seen the nearly instant glow and baby soft skin that’s revealed after a …
Musk-led war commission triggers alarms in Pentagon
Pentagon officials warn that Pete Hegseth's plan for a pair of billionaire defense contractors to help steer the military's future will produce conflicts of interest that threaten the long-term integrity of the department. The Defense secretary's effort, dubbed Project Meridian, asks SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Anduril founder Palmer Luckey — along with former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich — to "map the trajectory of future warfare." They are supposed to report back in four months.
US-Regierung lädt zu Diskussion über Zukunft der NATO – doch wichtige Verbündete fehlen
Einige zentrale europäische Nato-Länder wurden von den USA nicht zu einem Treffen eingeladen, bei dem über die Zukunft des Bündnisses beraten werden soll. Unter Diplomaten wächst die Sorge vor einer Spaltung der Nato. Die Trump-Regierung schließt mehrere wichtige Verbündete von einem Treffen der Nato-Mitglieder im kommenden Monat aus.
Verteidigungsbündnis: US-Regierung lädt zu Diskussion über Zukunft der Nato – doch wichtige Verbündete fehlen
Klicken Sie hier, um sich Artikel von WELT in der Google-Suche bevorzugt anzeigen zu lassen. Die Trump-Regierung schließt mehrere wichtige Verbündete von einem Treffen der Nato-Mitglieder im kommenden Monat aus. Bei dem geplanten Treffen in Polen, das von Staatssekretär Elbridge Colby federführend organisiert wird, handelt es sich laut sechs mit den Planungen vertrauten Diplomaten im Wesentlichen um eine Arbeitsgruppe zur Zukunft der Nato.
Hegseth vows to shrink the Pentagon — and then announces plans to grow it
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday pulled together hundreds of troops to lay out cuts to the Pentagon's bureaucracy — and ended up announcing major plans to add to it.
Hegseth vows to shrink the Pentagon — and then announces plans to grow it
The Defense secretary announced several major initiatives that appear to contradict his efforts to cut the department's bloat. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gives a "State of the Force" address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Quantico, Virginia, on Sept. 30, 2026. | Alex Wong/AP 09/30/2026 06:09 PM EDT Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday pulled together hundreds of troops to lay out cuts to the Pentagon's bureaucracy — and ended up announcing major plans to add to it.
Hegseth vows to shrink the Pentagon — and then announces plans to grow it
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday pulled together hundreds of troops to lay out cuts to the Pentagon's bureaucracy — and ended up announcing major plans to add to it.
Administracja Donalda Trumpa dzieli sojuszników NATO. Kilka państw wykluczonych z ważnych obrad
Niektóre z europejskich państw wydających najwięcej na obronność, a zarazem będących amerykańskimi sojusznikami, nie zostały zaproszone na spotkanie organizowane przez Pentagon poświęcone przyszłości sojuszu. Administracja Trumpa wyklucza kilku ważnych sojuszników ze spotkania członków NATO zaplanowanego na przyszły miesiąc, po tym, jak groziła wprowadzeniem "listy wzorcowych i niepokornych" wobec rządów, które nie spełniają priorytetów prezydenta.
Key allies left out of Trump’s new in-crowd NATO group
; ; ; Continue reading More for You ; ; ; Continue reading More for You
Key allies left out of Trump's new in-crowd NATO group
Some of Europe's biggest defense spenders — and U.S. allies — were not invited to a Pentagon-led meeting to discuss the alliance. Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby waits for the start of a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Feb. 12, 2026.
Key allies left out of Trump’s new in-crowd NATO group
The Trump administration is excluding several major allies from a gathering of NATO members next month — after threatening to deploy a "naughty and nice list" against governments that have run afoul of the president's priorities. The planned meeting in Poland, which Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby has spearheaded, is essentially a working group focused on NATO's future, according to six diplomats familiar with the planning.
Trump floats setting up Army base in Poland
; ; Continue reading More for You Continue reading More for You
Trump floats setting up Army base in Poland Original
“Thanks to the bold leadership of my friend, Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland, major progress is being made toward establishing a U.S. Army base in Poland,” Trump said in a social media post. “If this happens, the location will be announced very soon. This will be a historic step for our Great U.S./Polish Alliance.” The Polish Embassy did not respond to a request for comment, and it was not immediately clear how far along the countries were in the process.
Hegseth allies campaign to put loyalist in Army secretary job
Pentagon officials are pushing spokesperson Sean Parnell for the position and launching attacks against other candidates. Sean Parnell's controversial past and lack of Pentagon experience would make a tricky path to confirmation. | Alex Brandon/AP 09/14/2026 05:31 PM EDT Pete Hegseth's Pentagon allies are waging a behind-the-scenes campaign against administration officials vying for the Army Secretary job — an unprecedented effort to get the Defense secretary's spokesperson nominated for the role.
Hegseth allies campaign to put loyalist in Army secretary job
Pete Hegseth's Pentagon allies are waging a behind-the-scenes campaign against administration officials vying for the Army Secretary job — an unprecedented effort to get the Defense secretary's spokesperson nominated for the role.
Hegseth is winning the battle over the Pentagon's future Original
Dan Driscoll's effort to modernize the service was a large part of his undoing. President Donald Trump, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speak with soldiers at Pope Army Airfield on June 10, 2025 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images 09/01/2026 06:54 PM EDT Army Secretary Dan Driscoll wanted to transform the service into a modern, tech-oriented force. Pete Hegseth made that almost impossible.
Urzędnicy Pentagonu skaczą sobie do gardeł. Wojna w Iranie to nie jedyny problem dowództwa USA
Driscoll, bliski sojusznik wiceprezydenta J.D. Vance’a, rozmawiał w poniedziałek z prezydentem i poruszył kwestię swoich obaw związanych z kierunkiem, w jakim zmierza armia — podają dwie osoby zaznajomione z sytuacją. Konflikty między Driscollem a Hegsethem dotyczyły inicjatyw mających na celu modernizację armii oraz dążeń sekretarza obrony do usunięcia kluczowych oficerów, w tym byłego szefa armii, gen.
Angeschlagene Supermacht: Wo die USA an die Grenzen ihrer Macht stoßen
Die US-Armee ist weltweit geschwächt, sie zieht sogar Munition aus befreundeten Ländern ab. Hinter vorgehaltener Hand äuÃern Verbündete Zweifel, ob Amerika die groÃen Bedrohungen überhaupt noch kontrollieren kann.
"To już się stało". Za zamkniętymi drzwiami dyplomaci szepczą o USA "głęboko niepokojące" rzeczy
Wojna z Iranem osłabia zdolność Pentagonu do projekcji siły w innych regionach świata i sprawia, że sojusznicy oraz byli urzędnicy resortu obrony nie są przekonani, że Waszyngton jest jeszcze w stanie skutecznie powstrzymać swoich przeciwników. Aby skoncentrować zasoby na Bliskim Wschodzie, Pentagon wycofał z Pacyfiku kluczowe systemy obrony powietrznej oraz swój ostatni pozostały lotniskowiec.
How the Iran war has made the US more vulnerable
The Pentagon's inability to subdue Tehran, dwindling weapons stockpiles and distancing from allies have led U.S. military officials to question whether America maintains its clout. South Korean troops take part in an anti-terror drill as a part of the Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 19, 2026.
How the Iran war has made the US more vulnerable
The Iran war is undermining the Pentagon's ability to project power in other regions of the world — and leaving allies and former defense officials questioning whether Washington can effectively deter its adversaries. To focus resources in the Middle East, the Pentagon has pulled key air defenses and its last remaining aircraft carrier out of the Pacific. It has largely stopped maritime missions in the South China Sea aimed at curbing China's territorial ambitions.
Pentagon policy chief can't get invited to Beijing
Anger over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan appears to have played a role in China's decision. Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 3, 2026. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images 08/06/2026 04:45 AM EDT Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby , a longtime China hawk, wants to play nice with an official visit to Beijing. The Chinese government is making it clear he's not welcome.
Pentagon rezygnuje z dowództwa grupą NATO w Niemczech. Głos z Ukrainy: dla nas lepiej
Według amerykańskiego urzędnika oraz trzech osób zaznajomionych z planem, kierowanie Grupą Koordynacji Wsparcia i Bezpieczeństwa Ukrainy (SAG-U) przejmie ostatecznie inny członek NATO. Grupa ta odgrywa kluczową rolę w wyposażaniu i szkoleniu ukraińskich żołnierzy od momentu rozpoczęcia pełnej inwazji rosyjskiej. Wycofanie się USA z kierowania tym programem na kontynencie podkreśla, w jakim stopniu Ameryka dystansuje się od europejskich partnerów.
Pentagon ends leadership of Ukraine aid group as US distances from Europe
The Pentagon is giving up leadership of a U.S.-led NATO command in Germany that coordinates military aid to Ukraine, the latest sign of a broader American withdrawal from its closest allies. Another NATO member will eventually take over running the Security Assistance Group, according to a U.S official and three people familiar with the plan, which has played a central role in equipping and training Ukrainian troops since the full-scale Russian invasion began.
Pentagon ends leadership of Ukraine aid group as US distances from Europe
The Pentagon is giving up leadership of a U.S.-led NATO command in Germany that coordinates military aid to Ukraine, the latest sign of a broader American withdrawal from its closest allies. Another NATO member will eventually take over running the Security Assistance Group, according to a U.S official and three people familiar with the plan, which has played a central role in equipping and training Ukrainian troops since the full-scale Russian invasion began.
Pentagon ends leadership of Ukraine aid group as US distances from Europe
The move follows numerous changes the Trump administration has made to the decades-old alliance. A British paratrooper, right, lays prone with a Finnish soldier and Italian forces as NATO troops take part in Exercise Northern Star at an undisclosed training ground in southeastern Finland near the border with Russia, on May 27, 2026.
Donald Trump miota się w sprawie Iranu. Europa może przyprzeć go do muru
Wielu sojuszników USA na całym świecie coraz chętniej przyjmuje postawę wyczekującą w sprawie wojny z Iranem. Z kolei administracja Donalda Trumpa twierdzi, że ich pomoc jest niezbędna do zakończenia konfliktu, który szybko wymyka się spod kontroli. Czytaj nas częściej w Google W ostatnim czasie Teheran zaatakował Jordanię, Egipt i Kuwejt. Wspierani przez Iran Huti w Jemenie wystrzelili rakiety w kierunku Arabii Saudyjskiej.
Amid escalation, US allies hang back on intervening in Iran war
; ; ; ; Continue reading More for You ; ; ; ; Continue reading More for You
Amid escalation, US allies hang back on intervening in Iran war Original
Traditional U.S. partners are wary of any direct support until they receive reassurances of a lasting ceasefire — or other promises. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) conducts U.S. blockade operations related to the Strait of Hormuz on April 16, 2026, in the Arabian Sea.
Europe's military buildup earns rare American praise
The U.S. posture review in Europe won't be done until the end of the year, but NATO's top military commander told POLITICO he's confident allies will be able to stand up their own defenses to make up for any American departures. Despite President Donald Trump's love-hate relationship with the alliance, the dual-hatted NATO Supreme Allied Commander and U.S. European Command chief Gen.
Pentagon's budget troubles reverberate across the Atlantic
With Mason Boycott-Owen and Chris Lunday WELCOME TO GLOBAL SECURITY. We're examining the transatlantic ripple effects of the Pentagon's budget debate, Germany's efforts to stay in the Trump administration's good graces, and the push to speed up consideration of Lindsey Graham's Russia sanctions bill. Read more about our mission . We'll publish daily for free during major industry events but our otherwise weekly newsletter is behind the paywall for U.S. and EU Pro subscribers.
America’s reassurance mission at Farnborough
The people, policies, and power shifts shaping today’s international security landscape. By JACK DETSCH OI THERE MATES, AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL SECURITY. After another big day of travel — and a few golf cart rides — we’re coming to you from the Farnborough Air Show just outside of London. Stop by and say hi.
Ukraine and its allies hope Graham isn't their last ally with Trump's ear Original
Some argue that Ukraine's agenda in Washington will suffer, others that there are other interlocutors to Trump who can step up. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), right, adds Russia's name to the State Sponsors of Terrorism Under U.S. Law list during a press conference, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Sept. 11, 2025, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).
E&E News: Graham’s final Russia sanctions bill would broaden scope of measures against Moscow
The late Sen. Lindsey Graham said just days before he died that the Trump administration had agreed to back the revised bill, which casts a wider net on mandatory sanctions across Russian entities and sectors. E&E DAILY | The revised text of a Russia sanctions bill that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham long sought to advance broadens the groups that would be subject to mandatory sanctions, but also gives the president broad authority to apply waivers.
Nowy cios USA w Rosję. "Miesiące burzliwych negocjacji". Odsłaniamy kulisy
Poprawiony projekt ustawy jest zwieńczeniem długotrwałych ponadpartyjnych wysiłków, na czele których stał zmarły republikański senator Lindsey Graham. Celem jest ograniczenie przepływu środków finansowych do moskiewskiego funduszu wojennego przeznaczonego na działania wojenne Rosji w Ukrainie. Jednocześnie ustawa przyznaje prezydentowi szerokie uprawnienia do stosowania wyjątków.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Jack
Contact Jack, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack