Consider scenario one: American assets overseas are under attack and must quickly mobilize a response, but the necessary aircraft carriers cannot deploy until crew members obtain key parts needed for the mission. A mission that should have begun immediately is delayed indefinitely.
Now consider scenario two: immediately following an initial attack, the American response is launched. Aircraft carriers deploy on a moment’s notice because they have the capability to build new parts on the way to their destination.
General George S. Patton always said, “A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.” Even when his men were figuring things out as they went — and things occasionally got a bit messy — there was always a clear advantage to moving forward quickly.
Solving the above problem was recently a key subject at RIMPAC, the largest international military maritime training exercise in the world. A biennial naval exercise, RIMPAC sees some 30 ships and 30,000 service members — in coordination with more than two dozen countries — stress test new technology in the context it would operate under in the real world.
One of those technologies is 3-D printers. They aren&#8217;t new to the world, but ones capable of manufacturing everything from water filtration systems to helicopter parts are new to aircraft carriers.
Morgan Bower, hub director for FLEETWERX, the &#8220;innovation hub&#8221; working to bring this new tech to the U.S. military, said it&#8217;s all about connecting small business innovators with an often slow-moving Pentagon bureaucracy.
“We try to make it a little easier for technology and money to flow in both directions, to help small businesses and government work together to make development work for everyone,&#8221; Bower told The Daily Wire.
“FLEETWERX,” according to its website, “Is an innovation hub established in 2023 through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement between DEFENSEWERX (DWX) 501(c)(3) and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). FLEETWERX cultivates a dynamic environment designed to create purposeful collisions between innovators through ecosystem building and neutral facilitation. By uniting Government, Industry, and Academia, we bring together people to advance solutions for critical issues facing the operator.”
<div id="attachment_1145595" style="width: 932px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1145595" class="wp-image-1145595 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hybrid-x-Print-in-progress-922x576.jpg" alt="Civilian contractor Rogelio Jacobo Martinez operates the ADDITEC Hyper X 3D printer in the hangar bay of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the Pacific Ocean enroute to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2026, June 17, 2026. Thirty nations, over 30 surface ships, five submarines, 15 national land forces, more than 206 aircraft and 30,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 24 to July 31. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2026 is the 30th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Tyler Harstad)" width="922" height="576" srcset="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hybrid-x-Print-in-progress-922x576.jpg 922w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hybrid-x-Print-in-progress-300x188.jpg 300w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hybrid-x-Print-in-progress-768x480.jpg 768w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hybrid-x-Print-in-progress-1536x960.jpg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 922px) 100vw, 922px" />Photo courtesy of FLEETWERX</div>
“When you engage in these exercises, you’re always learning things — taking things out of the lab and putting them in the field,” Bower explained. “We are always looking for what goes right, obviously, but sometimes things go wrong, and the things that go wrong can be the bigger lesson and more important than what goes right. It’s great to identify that problem when it’s a matter of tens of thousands of dollars rather than millions — and early in the process.”
He cited an example from RIMPAC in which planes landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier created vibrations that caused lasers in the metal printers to misalign just slightly — something that never could have been tested in the lab — and the designers were able to recalculate and adjust for the additional vibrations.
And in one case in which something went right, a part from the carrier’s water filtration system broke — and the onboard 3-D printers were able to manufacture a new one without waiting for a traditional resupply.
Another area that was tested at RIMPAC was the use of unmanned surface vessels for supply runs.
<div id="attachment_1145599" style="width: 864px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1145599" class="wp-image-1145599 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Typhoon-bringing-parts-to-CVN-854x576.jpg" alt="A digitally crewed surface vessel heads out to sea from Sand Island near Honolulu, Hawaii, to deliver parts for a 3D printer aboard Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2026, July 7, 2026. Unmanned and remotely operated vessels extend the capability of interconnected manned platform sensors to enhance capacity across the multinational force. Thirty nations, over 30 surface ships, five submarines, 15 national land forces, more than 206 aircraft and 30,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 24 to July 31. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2026 is the 30th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Charles Harbour)" width="854" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Typhoon-bringing-parts-to-CVN-854x576.jpg 854w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Typhoon-bringing-parts-to-CVN-300x202.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Typhoon-bringing-parts-to-CVN-768x518.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Typhoon-bringing-parts-to-CVN-1536x1036.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Typhoon-bringing-parts-to-CVN-2048x1381.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 854px) 100vw, 854px" />Photo courtesy of FLEETWERX</div>
Using unmanned vessels — particularly in rough maritime conditions or through dangerous areas — limits the number of personnel at risk when undertaking any given mission. The success of test runs like these could ultimately lead to unmanned vessels taking on the role of “escort” vehicles in particularly dangerous areas such as the Strait of Hormuz.
The main goal is to streamline the development process so that the maritime military services have access to the best possible technology — and while the Naval Postgraduate School is broadly considered to be the “research” wing of the joint forces, they don’t always have a good bead on where the best innovators are and what they might be building. FLEETWERX is making that connection.

Digitally crewed surface vessel returns to Sand Island during RIMPAC 2026

3-D Printed Helicopters And Self-Repairing Carriers? America’s Navy Tests Wild New Technology

Military

Pentagon

Technology

U.S. Military

U.S. Navy

A senior official in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy has been placed on administrative leave after<a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2080012196784808193"> James O’Keefe released a video</a> showing him criticizing President Donald Trump and stating his intention to reverse administration policies once the opportunity arose.
The footage, recorded with a hidden camera, captures Brandon Newsom speaking during what O’Keefe described as a “gay” date. In the video, Newsom <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/senior-pentagon-official-suspended-bashing-trump-on-hidden-camera-brandon-newsom-12232247">said</a> he wanted to “stay and stick it out” at the Pentagon “so that way, when the time comes, I can undo whatever’s been done.” He referenced “a lot of times” when working at the Pentagon “challenges my morals,” specifically mentioning that he would not have “one specific prayer service” and would undo an employee “schedule policy.”
Newsom also called Trump “a textbook narcissist” and described the Iran war as “completely stupid” and “driven by one man’s ego.” O’Keefe’s accompanying post included additional lines from the conversation: “I’ve seen some things. In true D.C. nature, you don’t always reveal everything in D.C.” and “I have the influence &#8230; I can undo whatever’s been done.” Newsom further remarked, “I mean, you could be a news reporter.”
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao responded the same day. “<a href="https://x.com/SECNAV/status/2080080031947084190">The Department of the Navy</a> takes the conduct shown in this video extremely seriously,” Cao wrote. “Such statements and apparent intent to leverage a position to undermine the policies and direction set by our elected leaders are inappropriate and incompatible with the standards expected of Department personnel. Effective immediately, this individual has been placed on administrative leave while we determine next steps to ensure accountability and protect the integrity of our mission.”
The Daily Wire asked O’Keefe for comment on the implications of the footage and whether or not resistance inside the Pentagon would create real risk to the coherence of U.S. strategy and any potential deals with Iran and its proxies.
O’Keefe&#8217;s reply was simple: “Any official who spills internal government secrets or shows dissent toward the current administration they work for can possibly cause problems for the government entity they work for. It’s not a good idea to spill information to a stranger 15 minutes into the first date who so happens to be James O’Keefe.”
O’Keefe said Newsom did not directly connect his plans to reverse Pentagon policies with the Iran campaign. Instead, he said, Newsom “just gave his opinion on the war and called the war ‘stupid’ and blamed Trump for being a ‘narcissist.’”
As to the deeper question — what it reveals when a senior official says on camera that he intends to undo the administration’s work and whether officials like this pose a bigger threat to national security — O’Keefe answered: “Yes, officials like Brandon Newsom can pose a threat to national security. Based on one date with myself, James O’Keefe, Newsom spilled a lot of information. Newsom was lucky it wasn’t an Iranian spy he was watching the World Cup with. Can you imagine if Newsom went on three dates with a gay Iranian spy?&#8221;
O&#8217;Keefe also argued that the footage reflects a broader pattern he has seen in previous national security investigations.
&#8220;The deep state is real, per one of our other subjects, Byron Cohen, who worked in the early days of the Trump White House,&#8221; O&#8217;Keefe said. &#8220;America is at war with Iran, and the officials inside the Pentagon need to be very careful because our Newsom piece shows a glimpse of how careless these officials can be. Again, Newsom was lucky he wasn&#8217;t talking to an Iranian spy or a Chinese spy.&#8221;
Newsom&#8217;s suspension comes against a backdrop of personnel changes at the Pentagon since Trump’s return to the White House and the start of the Iran war in late February. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was fired in August 2025 after his agency produced an initial assessment finding that U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were less effective than Trump had claimed. In April, three Pentagon officials — Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Darin Selnick, the Pentagon’s deputy chief of staff; and Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg — were put on administrative leave pursuant to leak investigations.
In a joint statement, they wrote they were “incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended” and that “unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.” They said they were never told what the leak investigations were about.
Before those cases, the Department of Defense fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top admiral in the Navy, the head of U.S. Cyber Command, and the top U.S. military lawyers. These moves have been framed as part of a wider reshuffle under Hegseth, who has sought to refocus the department on warfighting.
Hegseth has also introduced monthly voluntary Christian worship services at the Pentagon, all of them presided over by evangelicals. Newsom referred to these in the video as the “prayer service” he would eliminate.
Newsom remains on administrative leave while the Department of the Navy determines its next steps.

Donald Trump

Senior Pentagon Official Placed On Leave After Saying He Would ‘Undo’ Trump Policies

Politics

The Pentagon’s office responsible for <a href="https://defensescoop.com/2026/07/21/pentagon-investigating-ufo-uap-event-near-virginia-coast/">investigating</a> unexplained phenomena is looking into a Navy report describing roughly 100 airborne objects and two likely uncrewed surface vessels operating near the Virginia coastline.
Details were included in the latest annual report, which was released this week, from the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office. <a href="https://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/FY25%20UAP%20Annual%20Report/AARO_FY2025_Consolidated_Annual_Report_on_UAP.pdf">The Fiscal Year 2025</a> Consolidated Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) covers new reports received between June 2, 2024, and May 30, 2025, along with some earlier incidents that had not been included in prior updates.
During that period, the office received a total of 319 reports. Of those, 284 involved events from the current reporting window, while 25 dated back to between 2010 and 2024. Analysts resolved 114 of the 319 cases, linking them to ordinary explanations such as balloons, birds, satellites, aircraft, small drones, a single rocket launch, and one manned jet pack. By the end of May 2025, the office’s full caseload had reached 1,870 reports.
The vast majority of the new sightings occurred in the air domain, with 274 cases, followed by 44 in the space domain and just one in the maritime domain. The lone maritime case came from Navy assets operating off the coast of Virginia. According to the report, the case described &#8220;approximately 100 airborne UAP and two, likely uncrewed, surface systems.” The office added that they are actively investigating the event.
The report notes that such events continue to surface near military installations, training ranges, nuclear power plants, and other sensitive sites. Officials wrote that “AARO received and analyzed several reports describing UAP in or near national security sites or critical infrastructure. Some narrative reports were suggestive of phenomena whose performance characteristics exceed the known state-of-the-art within a given domain. No technical data accompanied these reports.”
They further noted that “If validated, the attendant phenomena underlying these reports may represent a currently unmitigated threat vector.” Two cases from the year involved reported electronic or avionic interference near operational aircraft, but investigators have not yet determined whether the objects caused those effects.
Officials acknowledged ongoing challenges, writing, “A lack of timely and actionable sensor data continues to constrain AARO’s ability to resolve cases.” To improve the situation, the office launched several initiatives focused on multi-domain sensors and algorithms. The report states that the office is “implementing a multi-year investment strategy to improve awareness across the space, air, and maritime domains.” They also added a new capability for advanced three-dimensional modeling and simulation, which helped resolve 238 reports of satellite flaring — a familiar phenomenon in which sunlight reflects off satellite surfaces at certain angles.
The office was established in 2022 under the Biden administration to carry out a requirement in that year’s National Defense Authorization Act. Its mission is to examine objects across air, land, sea, and space domains that could threaten national security or interfere with military operations, and to determine their origins and intent. Congress later directed the production of annual unclassified reports, with classified annexes, for a period of four years.
In the report, as in previous ones, the office stated that none of the resolved cases indicate “advanced foreign adversarial capabilities or breakthrough technologies in any domain.” Officials also revealed they are developing a formal process for handling any physical materials related to these phenomena, should such items ever come into government possession.
A Pentagon spokesperson did not immediately respond to DefenseScoop’s request for more information on the Virginia incident.

USS Tripoli

Massive Swarm Of Mysterious Objects Off U.S. Coast Sparks Pentagon Investigation

WASHINGTON — The United States government is investigating inexplicable &#8220;glowing orbs&#8221; that move at high speeds and have repeatedly appeared around the country over the past few years, newly released Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) documents show.
The Daily Wire was briefed on these Unidentified Aerial Phenomena documents by senior administration officials ahead of the documents&#8217; Friday release. This is the third tranche of documents released as part of President Donald Trump&#8217;s efforts to be transparent with the country on UAP activity.
In the latest drop, numerous documents detail FBI interviews with people describing activity in the northeastern United States. Videos and interviews detail glowing orbs in the sky, both red and white, that move across the landscape.
FBI agents also interviewed a former U.S. Army intelligence officer and four other members of his unit in June 2024 who described seeing a &#8220;potato&#8221; shaped, translucent but shimmering object in the sky that vanished after about two minutes. That incident took place near the Cheyenne Mountains in Colorado.
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In another account, which took place in the west, a currently serving senior U.S. intelligence officer describes how he and two pilots saw &#8220;glowing orbs&#8221; from up close and far away as they sought to investigate the orbs from a helicopter. He also says they saw a high-speed object moving low to the ground, which seemed to split in two and speed off in different directions.
That official&#8217;s account, which was originally released in the first tranche of the UFO files on May 8, includes infrared imagery taken by federal officials from the ground.
<h3>The North East UAP Sightings</h3>
The FBI conducted interviews in February 2026 with two individuals who reported seeing bright orbs outside their home in the northeast in 2025. As one of these individuals was returning to his home around 9pm at night and pulled into the driveway, that person noticed an &#8220;intense bright light hovering below the tree line in the middle of their backyard.&#8221;
That person got out of the car and &#8220;stared at the strange light for a few moments before reaching back&#8221; into their car to get their phone and take a video of what they were seeing.
Inside the house, their spouse was waiting for them to arrive home. When the second individual saw on the security camera that their spouse had arrived and was standing next to their car looking into the sky, the second person went outside to join them and see what they were looking at.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: According to the newly released UAP files, in July 2025, an eyewitness was returning home from work and &#8220;observed an intense bright light in their backyard as they parked their car.&#8221;
&#8220;The light was hovering approximately 25 feet off the ground, below a tree line near the… <a href="https://t.co/KhCKnV2DeN">pic.twitter.com/KhCKnV2DeN</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2065417316091809848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;[Redacted] described the light as a red sphere that was about one meter in diameter,&#8221; the FBI report states. &#8220;[Redacted] described the red color as being brilliant and beautiful, and that [redacted] had never seen anything that color of red before.&#8221;
Inside the sphere, according to the viewers, &#8220;there appeared to be what [he/she] described as a &#8216;white plasma sun&#8217; about the size of a basketball.&#8221;
As they watched, the orb moved up and to their left, they told the FBI. Then they noticed that there was a &#8220;second, identical orb, hovering above the first one.&#8221;
&#8220;The orbs then moved together towards the west above the tree line. [Redacted] stated that from the start of the observation to when the orbs traveled out of sight, they exhibited both a change in altitude and a change in direction. The orbs were silent and moved in a smooth motion. They moved in tandem as if they were flying in formation or were tethered together.&#8221;
As the orbs moved out of sight, the two individuals saw them either merge together or just become so close that they looked like one orb.
The Department of War also released video footage that they captured of the orbs &#8220;beginning at the point when they were above the trees and moving away from their backyard.&#8221;
Some weeks later, they said they saw several white orbs moving over the house from the west to the east, according to the FBI report, at a much higher altitude than the previous red orbs. They described these new ones &#8220;as appearing the size of a dime held at arm&#8217;s length.&#8221;
In another incident, one of the two individuals who spoke to the FBI said they had witnessed something strange near power lines in 1987, describing a &#8220;red light circling around itself at night&#8221; that hovered and then landed near the power station.
&#8220;Since then,&#8221; the report stated, &#8220;[redacted] has always been interested in the topic of UAP.&#8221;
Footage released by the department, which was captured by a private citizen on an iPhone, shows an incident in October 2024 in the northeastern United States where an eyewitness said that he or she observed &#8220;a light source below the horizon, hovering above a pond at an estimated distance of 2,700 feet.&#8221;
&#8220;The luminous object resembled a &#8216;plasma-like sphere&#8217; intermittently changing shape and luminosity,&#8221; the department says. &#8220;At times, the primary light source appeared to separate into smaller luminous points. A luminous point below the primary source hovered just above the water and did not appear consistent with a surface reflection.&#8221;
&#8220;The object remained generally stationary for approximately 45 minutes before disappearing,&#8221; the description adds. &#8220;The eyewitness did not hear any sound from the objects.&#8221;
The FBI found that individual to be &#8220;highly credible,&#8221; the War Department website notes.
<h3>The Western UAP Sightings</h3>
A senior U.S. intelligence officer documented how he and two pilots observed alarming UAP activity in the western United States in 2025. Aboard a helicopter, he was investigating &#8220;loud thuds heard in the mountains on the test range, which coincided with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings reported over the previous several nights.&#8221; They were looking for possible debris or objects that could explain recent &#8220;orb-like sightings.&#8221;
Towards the end of their search, the senior intelligence officer says that he received a message from their Joint Operations Center (JOC) that radar had detected hits a few miles away from their position, where UAP activity had been noticed on previous nights.
&#8220;I relayed this to the pilots, and we altered course to intercept,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;What followed was a series of close UAP encounters lasting over an hour.&#8221;
Ground teams were reporting that they had seen something &#8220;super-hot,&#8221; low to the ground, and moving at a high speed, first east, then south, then splitting in two and changing direction.
When the helicopter arrived, they scanned the area, and then the ground team &#8220;suddenly radioed that the object had risen from the ground, approached within ten feet of the helicopter, dropped below us, and then sped away.&#8221; The pilots watched the object split into two, as a smaller object emerged from it, &#8220;before it accelerated out of sight.&#8221;
&#8220;We briefly pursued but broke off, unable to match its speed,&#8221; the senior intelligence officer wrote. The Joint Operations Center informed them that several fighter jets that were already on a training mission in their area were headed their way to help identify the UAP.
The JOC then directed the helicopter towards more nearby radar detections — and here the senior intelligence officer described something even more alarming.
&#8220;We took up a hovering position at approximately 700 feet above ground level (AGL). In the distance, we saw countless orange orbs swarming in all directions against the backdrop of the mountain.&#8221;
The officer and pilots could see the swarming orbs for several minutes before they faded, he wrote. Then they were redirected to their previous position based on fresh radar hits.
&#8220;I provided the coordinates to the pilots, and we moved to intercept, hovering again at 700 feet AGL. Through NVGx, the pilots and I (using the naked eye) observed two large orbs flare up side-by-side, close to the helicopter — stationary and just above the rotor disk to our right. They were oval-shaped, orange with a white or yellow center, and emitted light in all directions.&#8221;
&#8220;After a few seconds,&#8221; he wrote, &#8221; a third orb flared up below the pair, followed by a fourth below that, forming a total of four or five in a &#8216;T&#8217; formation under the original view. The entire event lasted 10-15 seconds. I didn&#8217;t take photos, as I was focused on assessing what it was and whether it posed a threat.&#8221;
As the pilots considered landing due to the objects&#8217; proximity, they could see the fighter jets approaching by their blinking navigation lights. Just then, the helicopter occupants spotted the orbs appearing again, &#8220;directly above the fighters.&#8221;
&#8220;They flared up one at a time in a horizontal formation, matching the jets&#8217; speed and flight path. After 10-15 seconds, they dimmed sequentially and disappeared. This repeated several times as the jets transited the airspace and eventually landed.&#8221;
&#8220;I remarked to the pilots that it seemed the same orbs flaring up and down around us for several minutes, forming a distinct triangle before vanishing.&#8221;
At this point, low on fuel, the helicopter decided to return to the JOC.
&#8220;After landing, I briefly spoke with them — mostly to express thanks,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We were virtually speechless after these observations. I then entered the JOC for a quick debrief before driving home.&#8221;
<h3>The Cheyenne Mountain Sighting</h3>
Near the Cheyenne Mountains in Colorado in 2022, a former U.S. Army Intelligence officer and four other members of his unit said they observed a UAP as they exited their office building on a 50-degree day when there were no clouds and very little humidity.
&#8220;The object was &#8216;potato&#8217; shaped with distinct edges and appeared to look painted in a creamy/whitish opalescent color,&#8221; says an FBI forensic sketch interview dated June 2024. &#8220;It was somewhat translucent with a slight shimmer.&#8221;
&#8220;The object was made up of what can best be described as articulating fish scales or panels that were non-symmetrical, non-overlapping, and irregular shaped,&#8221; the report continues. &#8220;The object itself was perfectly still but each panel on the object shifted in slow waves starting at different points of origin but at the same time.&#8221;
The object vanished after about two minutes, according to the observers. They told the FBI that in the space of time it took to turn their heads, the object had vanished without a shadow.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1114995" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/could-mysterious-glowing-orb-in-trumps-new-ufo-drop-be-a-breakthrough/screenshot-2026-06-12-at-8-27-00-am" rel="attachment wp-att-1114995"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1114995" class="wp-image-1114995 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-8.27.00-AM-1024x571.png" alt="This image is an artistic interpretation of a 2022 incident potentially involving unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) reported near Colorado Springs, Colorado. This image is derived from the first-hand narrative description contained in “FBI-UAP-D002, FD-1057, Unresolved UAP Report, Colorado Springs, 2022”." width="1024" height="571" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-8.27.00-AM-1024x571.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-8.27.00-AM-300x167.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-8.27.00-AM-768x428.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-8.27.00-AM-1536x857.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-8.27.00-AM.png 1574w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>SCREENSHOT, war.gov/UFO: &#8220;This image is an artistic interpretation of a 2022 incident potentially involving unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) reported near Colorado Springs, Colorado.&#8221;</div>

Screenshot 2026-06-12 at 9.12.03 AM

WATCH: New UFO Release Contains A Potential Breakthrough

Aliens

White House

A hazardous materials incident that triggered a shelter-in-place order and emergency response at the Pentagon on Thursday has been resolved after officials determined there was no threat.
&#8220;Earlier this morning, Pentagon occupants were notified of a potential air quality issue, prompting immediate precautionary safety measures and evaluation,&#8221; Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in an updated statement. &#8220;Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard exists, and normal operations have resumed.&#8221;
Earlier in the day, the Pentagon&#8217;s monitoring systems detected what officials described as an air quality issue, leading the Department of Defense to implement standard safety protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for affected areas of the building. &#8220;The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants,&#8221; Parnell said in a statement. &#8220;Those systems have detected an air quality issue necessitating precautionary measures until we determine its significance. The Department is executing standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area. Response teams are in place and ready to support building occupants.&#8221;
Some of the floors in the Pentagon were evacuated while other parts of the building were locked down, according to CNN. The Arlington County Fire Department confirmed that its Hazardous Materials Team responded to the Pentagon and is assisting the Pentagon Force Protection Agency&#8217;s hazmat unit. &#8220;ACFD units, including our Hazardous Materials Team, are currently operating at the Pentagon in support of PFPA&#8217;s Hazmat Team during a hazardous materials incident,&#8221; the department said. The Pentagon remains under lockdown as authorities work to determine the cause and severity of the incident. No injuries have been reported, and officials have not yet released additional details about the air quality issue.
This is a breaking story. Refresh the page for updates.

Pentagon Building As Senators Warn Of Broken Classification System After Major Leak

Inside The Hazmat Incident That Disrupted The Pentagon

The Pentagon released new UFO footage on Friday that includes dozens of videos as part of a scheduled declassification. 
Friday’s release marked the <a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/">second tranche</a> of records that Trump ordered declassified in his push for transparency on U.S. government information regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). 
One of the new videos shows a U.S. fighter jet shooting down a UAP over Lake Huron in February 2023. The U.S. military shot down the object shortly after a Chinese spy balloon crossed over the entire continental United States in an embarrassing moment for former President Joe Biden.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Pentagon releases wild footage of fighter jet taking down UFO" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LMJNBqPH0hI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
At the time, then-NORAD Commander Gen. Glen VanHerck <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-military-shot-unidentified-object-lake-huron-rcna70289">said</a> officials did not know how the object was able to &#8220;stay aloft&#8221; over Lake Huron.
&#8220;We’re calling them objects, not balloons, for a reason,&#8221; he said.
Other videos released on Friday show aerial views of UFOs in the atmosphere, including two strange objects near a U.S. submarine and another object near Columbus, Ohio. 
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/TBXZaDdFKLUW02AoZqnibQjDBu67wWMrg?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=b8052a61-cfb8-4447-afd0-ffda2804c650&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=UFO%20Columbus%2C%20Ohio&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fa8ede0eb-f4d6-4801-b336-09da937e9065.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/BIbZHbi00q7WTOCbcqm02vZuOQge016M7It?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=d6757644-8bd8-4bb4-8ad9-a7f9a708a0ce&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-05-22%3A%20UFO%20near%20Columbus%2C%20OH&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F8bcab609-6d64-42a3-8971-fb5874cf5702.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is overseeing the process of finding, reviewing, identifying, and publicly releasing unresolved UAP-related records that are in the federal government’s possession. Releasing the files is a difficult process as it requires cross-agency coordination and reviewing tens of millions of records with many existing only on paper from decades ago. Due to the quantity of records under review, the White House developed a plan to release records in phases.
The Department of War said it remains unable to make a &#8220;definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena” due to not having sufficient data. The department added that it welcomes private-sector analysis, information, and expertise to help identify objects released. Along with a desire for private sector analysis, President Trump <a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/">said</a> the files were declassified based on &#8220;tremendous public interest.&#8221;

Pentagon Releases Wild Footage Of Fighter Jet Taking Down UFO

Trump Administration

The White House released the first batch of anticipated UFO files on Friday that have long been hidden from public view. 
“The Department of War is in lockstep with President Trump to bring unprecedented transparency regarding our government’s understanding of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,&#8221; War Secretary Pete Hegseth said. &#8220;These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves. This release of declassified documents demonstrates the Trump Administration’s earnest commitment to unprecedented transparency.”
Over 160 files can be viewed on a new <a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/">webpage</a> from the Department of War. The files include photos, videos, FBI investigative records, eyewitness testimonies, and public reports concerning UFOs. One image was captured during the Apollo 17 moon landing and shows three shining dots in space.
<div id="attachment_1091557" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1091557" class="size-full wp-image-1091557" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Trump-Admin-Opens-Secret-UFO-Vault-Tells-Americans-To-Decide-Whats-Real-1.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Trump-Admin-Opens-Secret-UFO-Vault-Tells-Americans-To-Decide-Whats-Real-1.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Trump-Admin-Opens-Secret-UFO-Vault-Tells-Americans-To-Decide-Whats-Real-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Trump-Admin-Opens-Secret-UFO-Vault-Tells-Americans-To-Decide-Whats-Real-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Trump-Admin-Opens-Secret-UFO-Vault-Tells-Americans-To-Decide-Whats-Real-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />Department of War</div>
Other photos captured by the Apollo 12 mission showed strange lights seen by the astronauts.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1091609" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/MixCollage-08-May-2026-08-24-AM-3741.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/MixCollage-08-May-2026-08-24-AM-3741.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/MixCollage-08-May-2026-08-24-AM-3741-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/MixCollage-08-May-2026-08-24-AM-3741-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/MixCollage-08-May-2026-08-24-AM-3741-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/MixCollage-08-May-2026-08-24-AM-3741-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/MixCollage-08-May-2026-08-24-AM-3741-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></div>
More records are expected to be released on a rolling basis. 
&#8220;For the first time in history, the American people have unfettered access to declassified government files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon — a level of transparency that no prior administration has delivered,&#8221; FBI Director Kash Patel said. &#8220;The FBI remains committed to supporting this rolling declassification effort with the same rigor and integrity we bring to every national security matter.&#8221;
Files and videos from the vault show a <a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/#FBI-Photo-A1">variety</a> of irregular <a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/#FBI-Photo-A2">objects</a> captured in <a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/#FBI-Photo-B12">photographs</a> and videos from the FBI, NASA, and U.S. military.  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/AT024ptvcUBU02Hu5Sr8AgefVMW3Knlcri?metadata-video-content-type=short&amp;metadata-video-id=864e9670-e3d5-426e-a5a8-365b7df22c24&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Aliens%3F%20Never-before-seen%20objects%20near%20moon%20as%20Trump%20admin%20opens%20secret%20UFO%20vault&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fshorts%2F74c7201d-9c56-4f07-9b37-be0aff82b98f.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
One photo from the FBI shows an apparent UFO near a mountain range in the Western United States.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1091579" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.59.36-AM.png" alt="" width="1413" height="726" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.59.36-AM.png 1413w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.59.36-AM-300x154.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.59.36-AM-1024x526.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.59.36-AM-768x395.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1413px) 100vw, 1413px" /></div>
A video submitted by Central Command showed an &#8220;unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office&#8221; captured by &#8220;an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2013.&#8221;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1091571" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.52.07-AM.png" alt="" width="1107" height="736" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.52.07-AM.png 1107w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.52.07-AM-300x199.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.52.07-AM-866x576.png 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-7.52.07-AM-768x511.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1107px) 100vw, 1107px" /></div>
Another image from 2023 shows an FBI lab-rendered graphic of an actual site photo after multiple &#8220;corroborating eyewitness reports&#8221; of an &#8220;apparent ellipsoid bronze metallic object materializing out of a bright light in the sky&#8221; before disappearing.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1091587" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-8.08.10-AM.png" alt="" width="1243" height="798" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-8.08.10-AM.png 1243w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-8.08.10-AM-300x193.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-8.08.10-AM-897x576.png 897w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-at-8.08.10-AM-768x493.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1243px) 100vw, 1243px" /></div>
The release comes after President Donald Trump in February directed the release of government records related to “alien and extraterrestrial life.”
“President Trump directed the Department of War to identify and release government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena, and unidentified flying objects because he is the most transparent president in history,&#8221; White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told The Daily Wire. &#8220;While past administrations have sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, the President is focused on providing maximum disclosure to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files. The American people asked, and President Trump delivered — enjoy!”
Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5842815-burchett-ufo-files/">said</a> last month in an interview with NewsNation that he had seen UFO-related videos that he didn&#8217;t believe could be explained by man-made technology. 
“I’ve seen pictures and video of things that defy any reason that we have, and everybody says, ‘Well, it’s our stuff, it’s the Russians, it’s the Chinese,’” he said. “If it’s the Chinese, ma’am, they would own us. If it was the Russians, they wouldn’t be bogged down in Ukraine.&#8221; 
“If it was ours, we would never risk our military fighting men and women in half-a-billion-dollar aircraft out with these things that they’re spotting. These things can hover for hours on end, then they can just shoot straight up, they can do angles.”
Last week, Trump teased the release of the files during an event at the White House with the Artemis II astronauts. 
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to be releasing a lot of things that we haven&#8217;t,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;I think some of it&#8217;s going to be very interesting to people.&#8221;
In February, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-release-of-any-and-all-info-on-aliens-and-ufos">directed</a> federal government agencies to start the process for identifying and releasing files related to &#8220;alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”

UFO saucer silently hovered over the city

White House Unseals Secret UFO Vault Documenting ‘Extraterrestrial Life’

Tim Burchett

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump alerted Congress to changes in the U.S. approach to Operation Epic Fury in a war powers letter sent Friday afternoon, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Daily Wire.
The letter informs Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Chuck Grassley, president pro tempore of the United States Senate, of &#8220;changes in the posture of the United States Forces&#8221; in the Central Command Area of Responsibility, as part of the president&#8217;s efforts to &#8220;keep Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution.&#8221;
Trump reminded Congress that he reported to them on March 2 that the U.S. had begun Operation Epic Fury by conducting precision strikes against Iran on February 28.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: President Donald Trump&#8217;s war powers letter alerting Congress to changes in the United States approach to Operation Epic Fury.
“Accordingly, the Department of War continues to update its force posture in the AoR in select countries, as necessary and appropriate, to address… <a href="https://t.co/ch6bdl3VHd">pic.twitter.com/ch6bdl3VHd</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2050285769906929695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I ordered that operation consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests at home and abroad, and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests,&#8221; the letter states.
&#8220;On April 7, 2026, I ordered a 2-week ceasefire,&#8221; Trump notes. &#8220;The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.&#8221;
Though the United States has been successful in its operations against Iran, the letter notes, &#8220;the threat posed by Iran to the United States and our Armed Forces remains significant.&#8221;
The letter, by declaring that hostilities with Iran have been &#8220;terminated,&#8221; effectively sidestepped a May 1 deadline to seek congressional approval for the war Trump launched two months ago — preserving his ability to resume strikes without returning to Congress.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-war-powers-letter-to-congress-trump-shares-changes-coming-to-iran-war/screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12-47-06-pm" rel="attachment wp-att-1088185"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1088185 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM.png" alt="" width="920" height="1200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM.png 920w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM-230x300.png 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM-442x576.png 442w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM-768x1002.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 920px) 100vw, 920px" /></a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-war-powers-letter-to-congress-trump-shares-changes-coming-to-iran-war/war-powers" rel="attachment wp-att-1088189"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1088189 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers.png" alt="" width="928" height="1212" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers.png 928w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers-230x300.png 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers-441x576.png 441w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers-768x1003.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 928px) 100vw, 928px" /></a>
&#8220;Accordingly, the Department of War continues to update its force posture in the AoR in select countries, as necessary and appropriate, to address Iranian and Iranian proxy forces&#8217; threats and to protect the United States and its allies and partners,&#8221; the letter continues. &#8220;These changes are more fully outlined in the classified attachment to this letter. I have and will continue to direct United States Armed Forces consistent with my responsibilities and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.&#8221;
Trump concludes the letter by promising to update Congress on any &#8220;noteworthy changes,&#8221; consistent with the War Powers Resolution.
The letter was made public amid murmurs that the president may resume strikes against Iran, which has submitted a new proposal for negotiations with the United States through Pakistani mediators, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
The move comes after President Trump rejected a previous offer and extended the ceasefire indefinitely, citing internal divisions within the Iranian government that have delayed consensus on a deal.
Iran is using the current ceasefire with the United States to recover weapons and rebuild its capabilities, according to NBC News, citing U.S. officials. The report says Iranian forces have intensified efforts to dig out missiles, drones, and other munitions that were hidden underground or buried beneath debris following U.S. and Israeli strikes.
U.S. officials reportedly believe Tehran is trying to quickly restore its missile and drone capabilities in case fighting resumes, allowing it to launch attacks across the Middle East if necessary.
Trump shared Friday afternoon that Iran has offered a new proposal to the United States to end the war. But the president is not satisfied with the terms that Iran offered.
&#8220;We just had a conversation with Iran,&#8221; the president told reporters Friday as he prepared to depart the White House on Marine One, headed to Florida. &#8220;Let&#8217;s see what happens, but I would say that I&#8217;m not happy.&#8221;
&#8220;They&#8217;ve got to come up with the right deal,&#8221; he added. &#8220;At this moment, I&#8217;m not satisfied with what they&#8217;re offering.&#8221;

Donald Trump Delivers Joint Address To Congress

EXCLUSIVE: Trump Signals Legal Path To Restart Iran Fight In Letter To Congress

Congress

Pete Hegseth

Nearly two dozen people were injured, including War Department employees, when two commuter buses crashed head-on at the Pentagon Metro Station Friday morning.
Authorities said that 18 people were transported to the hospital to get evaluated after the crash, and five people were treated on the scene, according to ABC&#8217;s <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/buses-collide-head-on-pentagon-arlington-washington-dc-bus-crash-injuries-fairfax-county-connector-omni-ride-south-parking-lot-bus-terminal">7News DC</a>. Ten of those injured in the crash were War Department employees, authorities said. The crash occurred at around 7:20 a.m. ET at the south parking lot of the Pentagon Metro Station.
The buses were traveling at low speed, and most of the injuries were minor, but at least one passenger was taken to a trauma center with more serious injuries, 7News reported.
Video footage showed one of the buses driving on the left side of the road as the other bus approaches.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="WATCH: Video shows bus crash that hurt 23 people near the Pentagon" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f1uj9Af8EV4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Officials asked commuters to take alternate routes to the Pentagon as first responders and investigators remain on the scene.
The buses involved in the crash were an OmniRide bus and a Fairfax Connector transit bus.
This is a developing story and will be updated.

Pentagon Bus Crash

WATCH: Buses Crash Head-On Near Pentagon, Department Of War Personnel Injured

Car Crash

Department of War

U.S.

Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON—During a January meeting at the Pentagon, Vatican officials met with U.S. military leaders and discussed key national security objectives for the United States, according to a War Department official who was in the room.
Months later, the Free Press published an &#8220;expose&#8221; describing a reportedly contentious January meeting between a Vatican diplomat and Pentagon principal, as rumors of a rift between Washington and Rome have swirled.
But the Vatican, the Pentagon, and the American Ambassador to the Holy See all say the meeting was cordial and respectful. The parties involved have all made a public show of being friendly. And the contentious topic at the heart of the fracas — Pope Leo XIV&#8217;s criticism of military strikes in Iran — seems not to have come up at all.
So, what really happened?
The principals at the meeting were Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, then the Vatican&#8217;s Apostolic Nuncio — functionally ambassador — to the United States. Both Colby and Pierre had staffers with them, The Daily Wire has learned.
American officials conveyed the administration&#8217;s position and intentions on Venezuela, Cuba, and other countries, and listened to the Vatican&#8217;s views on these topics.
&#8220;It was an attempt to engage seriously and respectfully with the Holy See&#8217;s position on matters relevant to the Department of War,&#8221; a War Department official who in the room for the January 22 meeting told The Daily Wire.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby <a href="https://twitter.com/USWPColby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USWPColby</a> had a substantive, respectful, and professional meeting with Cardinal Pierre, the then-Papal Nuncio, and his team on January 22, 2026. During the cordial meeting, they discussed a range of topics, including issues of… <a href="https://t.co/McI0sB2wKC">pic.twitter.com/McI0sB2wKC</a>
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/2042300020494418303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
“We naturally, at the Department of War, in the Policy office, wanted to have a respectful discussion with the Vatican,&#8221; the official said. &#8220;Part of the role of Policy, in the Department of War, is to have dialogue between other nations on military matters.”
This is a stark contrast to The Free Press&#8217;s April 6 <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/why-the-vatican-and-the-white-house">report</a> that the Pentagon had summoned Pierre to the meeting, during which Colby and others chastised the cardinal and insisted that the United States &#8220;has the military power to do whatever it wants — and that the Church had better take its side.&#8221; Citing unnamed sources, the story also notes that Colby invoked the Avignon Papacy, a period in the 14th century in which the Holy See moved from Rome to France, where a series of popes were largely bent to the will of the French monarchy.
Mattia Ferraresi, the freelance contributor who authored The Free Press piece, suggested the Avignon Papacy reference was a veiled threat that the United States was willing to use its military power to &#8220;dominate the papal authority.&#8221;
Ferraresi, who told The Daily Wire on Friday he stands by his reporting, also casts Colby as belonging to &#8220;a cadre of Catholic and ostensibly dovish officials&#8221; allied with Vice President JD Vance &#8220;struggling to reconcile their isolationist instincts with the aggressive posture of a president who, within a single year, has bombed eight countries — with no sign of stopping.&#8221;
The Avignon Papacy storyline was amplified by Democrat operative Christopher Hale, who <a href="https://x.com/ChristopherHale/status/2041959904823366074?s=20">suggested in now viral tweets</a> that &#8220;many in the Vatican saw the Pentagon’s reference to an Avignon papacy as a threat to use military force against the Holy See.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-infamous-meeting-between-the-vatican-and-the-pentagon/under-secretary-of-defense-for-policy-elbridge-colby-testifies-on-national-defense-strategy-during-senate-hearing" rel="attachment wp-att-1075509"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-1075509 size-large aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2264581833-851x576.jpg" alt="" width="851" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2264581833-851x576.jpg 851w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2264581833-300x203.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2264581833-768x520.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2264581833.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 851px) 100vw, 851px" /></a>
In a statement, the Pentagon says Ferraresi&#8217;s characterization of the meeting was &#8220;highly exaggerated and distorted.&#8221;
&#8220;It is not unusual for Mr. Colby to have meetings with ambassadors,&#8221; that official noted, referencing the suggestion that the meeting was unprecedented. &#8220;He has often, at least one or two meetings with ambassadors from other nations a week. It&#8217;s certainly not unusual that we meet with ambassadors on these matters.&#8221;
&#8220;We invited them because we were interested in hearing the Vatican&#8217;s views,&#8221; the official explained, &#8220;and we wanted to convey the administration&#8217;s position, and intentions.&#8221;
&#8220;We talked about key American security objectives. Venezuela had just happened. We talked about that. We talked about this administration&#8217;s approach towards Europe, and NATO, Latin America. Also Cuba, Venezuela; the Vatican&#8217;s obviously very active in both those nations.&#8221;
Brian Burch, the United States Ambassador to the Holy See, spoke with Pierre on Thursday and shared their conversation in a public statement, saying that Pierre told him there was &#8220;no threat of Avignon&#8221; and that a &#8220;frank and cordial meeting that took place two months ago.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
It could be said the US-Holy See relationship is much bigger than mere diplomatic relations. It is rooted in a civilizational idea that the Catholic Church helped advance, which the U.S. proudly inherited, and carries forth today. <a href="https://t.co/V7rfCU1jIY">https://t.co/V7rfCU1jIY</a>
— Ambassador Brian Burch (@BrianBurchUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianBurchUSA/status/2042649298265911391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;As expected, he confirmed that recent media characterizations of his meeting with Undersecretary Colby are &#8216;fabrications&#8217; that were &#8216;just invented,'&#8221; Burch said. &#8220;Given the intelligence and seriousness of Mr. Colby, I was likewise not surprised when His Eminence acknowledged there were no threats of any kind in the meeting.&#8221;
The cardinal and Burch have spoken regularly since Burch was nominated to become ambassador to the Holy See, Burch noted.
&#8220;When we disagree, we have done so with sincerity and respect,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I believe the same could be said of his January meeting with Undersecretary Colby. It’s regrettable that some journalists and online agitators chose to exploit a routine meeting to sow division between the Holy See and the United States.&#8221;
The Pentagon also characterized the meeting as &#8220;cordial,&#8221; &#8220;substantive, respectful, and professional&#8221; in a statement released Thursday — and called The Free Press report &#8220;grossly false and distorted.&#8221; 
&#8220;They discussed a range of topics, including issues of morality in foreign policy, the logic of the U.S. National Security Strategy, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and other topics,&#8221; the Pentagon statement said. &#8220;Cardinal Pierre expressed his appreciation for the outreach and both sides looked forward to continued open and respectful dialogue.&#8221;
And Vice President Vance, asked about the matter on Wednesday, told the press that he had not yet seen the reporting on the meeting: “I’d like to actually talk to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, and frankly, to our people, to figure out what actually happened.&#8221;
Pope Leo has repeatedly weighed in on the conflict in Iran, expressing hopes that the United States and Iran can come to an agreement &#8220;in a peaceful way&#8221; and condemning President Donald Trump for warning that a &#8220;whole civilization&#8221; would be wiped out if Iran did not agree to a peace plan.
But despite that criticism, both the White House and Vatican insist the parties have a positive relationship.
&#8220;Catholic Americans resoundingly supported President Trump in 2024, and the president’s administration has a positive relationship with the Vatican, which was strengthened when Vice President Vance attended the Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass last year,&#8221; White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. &#8220;The President has done more than any of his predecessors to save lives and resolve global conflicts, and following the completion of his military objectives in Iran, he is hopeful that the agreement under discussion can lead to a lasting peace in the Middle East.”
&#8220;We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See,&#8221; the Pentagon added.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni also denied the reporting, <a href="https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2026/04/vatican-denies-media-spin-of-envoy-meeting-at-the-pentagon">saying Friday</a> that, “As confirmed by His Eminence Christophe Pierre … his meeting with Mr. Elbridge Andrew Colby was part of the papal representative’s regular mission and provided the opportunity for an exchange of views on matters of mutual interest.&#8221;
&#8220;The narrative offered by some media outlets about this meeting is completely untrue,&#8221; Bruni added.

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-CONCLAVE

Inside The Infamous Meeting Between The Vatican And The Pentagon

Catholic

The Vatican

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire immediately, marking the latest shakeup at the Pentagon as the Trump administration moves to reshape military leadership.
According to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hegseth-ousts-army-chief-of-staff-gen-randy-george/">CBS News</a>, a senior War Department official said the move reflects a desire for new leadership aligned with the administration’s priorities. “We are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army,” the official said.
George, a career infantry officer and West Point graduate, was nominated by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2023. The position typically carries a four-year term, meaning George would ordinarily have served until 2027. He previously served as vice chief of staff of the Army and as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell <a href="https://x.com/SeanParnellASW/status/2039812664902271107">confirmed</a> George’s retirement, thanking him for his decades of service. George’s career included deployments during Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s current vice chief of staff and a former military aide to Hegseth, will serve as acting chief of staff. Parnell described LaNeve as “a battle-tested leader” trusted to carry out the administration’s vision for the Army.
The decision comes as Hegseth has removed more than a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-orders-chief-of-army-public-affairs-and-top-advisor-out-of-pentagon-staff?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Hegseth+Just+Canned+Top+Pentagon+Official">dozen senior military officers</a> in recent months, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fires-joint-chiefs-chair-taps-air-force-lt-gen-dan-razin-caine-as-replacement">C.Q. Brown</a>, U.S. representative to NATO’s military council Vice Admiral <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pete-hegseth-axes-navy-official-who-promoted-gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment">Shoshana Chatfield</a>, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-dia-iran-intelligence-trump-kruse-5cb1fb89b8f12c3b517f139f6d840b48">Jeffrey Kruse</a>.
While the move follows a recent dispute over an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-sparks-military-investigation-after-wild-stunt-at-southern-white-house">Army helicopter flyover</a> near musician Kid Rock’s Nashville home, where Hegseth overruled the Army and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/army-takes-action-against-air-crews-flying-by-kid-rocks-southern-white-house-over-weekend">halted an investigation</a>, the decision to ask George to retire was not related to that incident.
George’s departure also comes amid a broader stretch of rapid developments inside the administration. On Wednesday, before the Pentagon shakeup came to light, President Donald Trump delivered a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-biggest-takeaways-from-trumps-iran-address-as-he-signals-next-moves">prime-time address</a> touting progress in ongoing operations against Iran, describing significant degradation of Iranian military capabilities while signaling the potential for further escalation, which may include Army operations.
At nearly the same time, Trump moved to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pam-bondi-out-as-ag-following-months-of-epstein-controversy-criticism-over-lack-of-prosecutions">dismiss Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>, another high-profile personnel change that underscores the fast-moving nature of the administration’s second-term agenda. Reports indicate Bondi was informed of her removal shortly before the president’s address on progress in Iran, highlighting the compressed timeline of major decisions unfolding across both national security and domestic fronts.
Taken together, the developments point to an administration operating at an accelerated pace, reshaping leadership across the military and federal government while prosecuting an increasingly assertive foreign policy. George’s ouster, in that context, is not an isolated personnel move, but part of a broader effort to align key institutions with the administration’s strategic vision.
George’s departure underscores ongoing efforts by Pentagon leadership to install officials who will implement the administration’s broader vision for the military, as tensions between civilian leadership and uniformed officials continue to surface.

President Trump Meets With His Cabinet At The White House

Hegseth Removes Army’s Top General, Asks Him To Retire Immediately

Executive

U.S. Army

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revealed Tuesday that he recently made an undisclosed trip to multiple United States military bases throughout the Middle East to meet with troops and observe ongoing operations. 
“Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to visit our troops fighting in Operation Epic Fury,” Hegseth said during a Tuesday morning press briefing. “For reasons of operational security, so those troops are not targeted, the places and bases will not be named.”
“I had a chance to bear witness, and I witnessed the best of America. I witnessed warriors, a brotherhood of men and women, warriors all,” he added. “Active duty, Guard and reserve, united in their love for each other, their shared purpose, and their commitment to the mission.”
After the press briefing, Hegseth posted pictures from the trip on his social media. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I witnessed warriors. A brotherhood of men and women &#8211; warriors all. <a href="https://t.co/S7cDcATpOI">pic.twitter.com/S7cDcATpOI</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2038965468736716939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He described speaking with service members involved in strike missions, as well as personnel tasked with intercepting drones and missiles. 
“I spoke to Air Force and Navy pilots on the flight line who every day both deliver bombs deep into Iran but also shoot down drones defending their base. Many had just returned from the skies of Iran and Tehran,” Hegseth said. “I put on a headset and spoke to one crew in the cockpit, locked and loaded each and every day.”
Hegseth added that he spoke with an Army officer who had learned a new maneuver to neutralize Iranian missiles and another intelligence officer involved in targeting decisions. 
During the same briefing, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan &#8220;Razin&#8221; Caine said American forces have struck more than 11,000 targets since the beginning of the war on February 28. 
Caine added that the Air Force had begun conducting overland B-52 missions and that more than 150 Iranian naval vessels had been destroyed as American forces expanded operations in the region.

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