Allies use F-35s as leverage against Trump’s tariffs ow.ly/h0W8106iSKE

On 14th & R this morning in DC, officers with vests that said only police detained a man who seemed to have been riding a moped, taking him down as passerby screamed. Officers refused to say what agency they’re with. Their unmarked cars had Maryland plates. The Washington Post

Aug 16 (Reuters) - West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey is deploying 300 to 400 National Guard troops to the District of Columbia at the request of the Trump administration, the governor's office said in a statement on Saturday.

European leaders are debating who to send to Washington for the Trump/Zelenskyy meeting, Finland’s President Stubb and NATO chief Rutte being considered. W/ Felicia Schwartz Jack Detsch politico.com/news/2025/08/1…

I walked with some of the Trump Activated D.C. National Guard. “Then join the Reserve,” a cyclist shouted as he passed by, overhearing the guard soldiers complaining. “You don’t have to do this in the Reserve.” It's still unclear what 'this' is. notus.org/donald-trump/t…

Russian attacks killed 14 Ukrainian civilians hours before Trump and Zelenskyy met at the WH. In April, Trump wrote “Vladimir, STOP!” about the civilian attacks. Vladimir has since ramped up those terror attacks on civilian targets.

The DC National Guard is now patrolling DC metro stations in addition to the National Mall & Union Station, a U.S. Army official confirms to Fox News.

News! From House Oversight Committee chair James Comer: “Officials with the Department of Justice have informed us that the Department will begin to provide Epstein-related records to the Oversight Committee this week on Friday."

Reuters wire: Trump interrupts meeting with european leaders to call Putin - bild newspaper reports

NEWS: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said Monday that he plans to retire in the fall, a surprise move just halfway into his four-year term. He gave no reason for the surprise decision to step down. Jack Detsch subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025/0…

Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also said: "Literally, the industry put Bernie Moreno in the Senate"

Six GOP Governors have pledged to send members of the National Guard from their states to DC: 1. WV - 300-400 service members 2. SC- 200 3. OH - 150 4. MS - 200 5. LA - 135 6. TN - 160

NEW: The White House is planning for a possible trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, according to two people familiar politico.com/news/2025/08/1… Dasha Burns POLITICO

NEW: Chairman of the Joint Chief Gen. Dan Caine is hosting a small group of defense chiefs from UK, France, Germany, and Finland tonight in DC before larger NATO meeting tomorrow to discuss UKR security guarantees, sources say. politico.com/news/2025/08/1…

A U.S. military Humvee T-boned a car in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of DC this morning, a DC Fire spokesperson confirmed to Fox News. The person in the car had to be extracted from the car using the jaws of life and taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

EXCLUSIVE: Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach retired from the Air Force this month after leading Air Combat Command. Sources tell Breaking Defense he's now a leading contender to be the next USAF Chief of Staff following the surprise resignation of Gen. David Allvin. breakingdefense.com/2025/08/exclus…

The House Freedom Caucus set to look quite different in 2027 Chip Roy running for TX AG Byron Donalds running for FL Gov Barry Moore running for AL Sen Ralph Norman running for SC Gov Andy Biggs running for AZ Gov Andy Ogles interested in Senate appointment if Blackburn wins gov

NEW: CA redistricting is about to put Defense Approps Chair Ken Calvert in a pickle. He won two close races after the last rewrite made his district more competitive. The new map splits it up, and he could face GOP Rep. Young Kim in a new R district. More in Morning Defense:

House Republicans are moving to vote on the NDAA the *second week* after recess. Rules has set an Aug. 28 deadline for amendment and is set to meet the week of Sept. 8 on the defense bill. The first week back will be focused on the Energy-Water appropriations bill.

Pentagon list of firings today grows: "Others removed include Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, the chief of the Navy Reserve, and Rear Adm. Milton Sands, a Navy SEAL officer who oversees Naval Special Warfare Command" DIA Chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse was sacked first. W/Warren Strobel