Senior Defense Reporter at the Washington Examiner.
Washington, DC
Joined February 2017
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I spoke with Acting @DIU_x Director Travis Metz to learn about how he's thinking about autonomous systems as it relates to a potential future conflict in Pacific against Beijing.
@dcexaminer
washingtonexaminer.com/polic…
Some takeaways:
- He thinks there will be 2-4 companies that will mass produce hundreds of thousands of the Group 1 drones
- Ukraine has produced 8 million (!) quadcopters this year (he doesn't think the US will need that many due to the geography of the Pacific vs Europe).
Ukraine's top diplomat in Washington says the military has confirmed Starlink and Starshield operational speeds have been restored.
Monitoring systems of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence have officially confirmed the restoration of Starlink/Starshield operational speeds, with connectivity remaining stable at speeds exceeding 400 kph.
We are grateful to everyone who helped restore the service and for your important contribution to saving Ukrainian lives.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence will continue monitoring performance, as reliable Starlink/Starshield connectivity plays a critical role in intercepting Russian drones and protecting Ukrainian lives.
Mike Brest retweeted
🚨Scoop: U.S. intelligence finds Iran has "substantially increased" its efforts to target American diplomats & officials in the Middle East and beyond, with lethal plots reaching "advanced stages," per memo to Secretary of State Rubio. My story on @axios
axios.com/2026/10/24/iran-wa…
"NORAD F-16 fighter aircraft intercepted a general aviation aircraft over Clemson, South Carolina, on Oct. 21, 2026, at approximately 5:39 p.m. EST.
The aircraft landed safely at a nearby airfield while being monitored by NORAD aircraft."
dvidshub.net/news/577578/nor…
Mike Brest retweeted
BREAKING: Detained American Stephen Hubbard is released by Russia after President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff meets Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to reports in Russian state-run media. abcnews.link/4Ht4Kur
The cost of US war in Iran is believed to be north of $40 billion and that does not include the cost to repair damaged US bases overseas because the Pentagon says they do not yet know exactly how they will rebuild them and whether the host countries will contribute funding.
New: A Navy sailor was found dead on Sept. 14, during their deployment in the Middle East. The service has not shared their identity or what happened citing an ongoing Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation.
@dcexaminer
washingtonexaminer.com/polic…
Wapo reported the sailor committed suicide.
Acting Navy Sec. Hung Cao told Sen. Gillibrand last month eight sailors aboard the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group alone tried to commit suicide during their 11-month deployment.
washingtonpost.com/national-…
Secretary Hegseth hosted Wes Streeting, the UK's defense secretary, at the pentagon today, where he brought up "NATO 3.0."
"It's been very encouraging under President Trump's leadership to watch NATO step up," Hegseth said, "...commend the U.K. for projecting to do just that."
CENTCOM confirms the M/V GFS Pride was hit by an IRGC projectile and sank while being towed to shore.
Three FALSE Iranian claims in the past 24 hours:
🚫 CLAIM: The IRGC has continued to falsely claim control of the Strait of Hormuz.
✅ FACT: The United States and regional partners control the strait as commercial vessels continue to transit despite unwarranted IRGC aggression.
🚫 CLAIM: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed a Singapore-flagged container ship struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. This is FALSE.
✅ FACT: The civilian container ship M/V GFS Pride was hit by an IRGC projectile. The vessel sank while being towed to shore. Despite the attack, commercial ships continue to flow through the Strait of Hormuz (whose primary routes remain clear of mines), with more than 40 ships moving in the last 24 hours.
🚫 CLAIM: The IRGC claims they killed hundreds of U.S. service members in Jordan. This is FALSE.
✅ FACT: Three American service members were killed in action in July as partner forces defended against Iranian attacks. We honor the memories of all U.S. service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice and represent America's best.
"President Trump and Secretary Hegseth spoke about the decision to not livestream Hasan's execution ahead of the Truth Social announcement. The Secretary supports the President's decision, and they are completely aligned," top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the @dcexaminer.
New: President Trump calls off the livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution scheduled for Dec. 3.
"He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed," Trump said on Truth Social.
Mike Brest retweeted
SACEUR described his Theory of Victory at @WarsawForum today, outlining how Allies will block, blunt &, if necessary, break any attack against NATO.
The ultimate goal is to not get to that point & to maintain deterrence.
NATO is ready either way.
🔗 shape.nato.int/page11283634/…
Mike Brest retweeted
NEW: Ukraine has no information as of now about Trump’s proclaimed energy ceasefire. “Just now our repair teams are restoring electricity and water supplies in Kyiv [after Russian strikes moments ago],” a senior Ukrianian official close to President Zelenskyy tells @FT. “Nobody has heard [of the ceasefire].”
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to not strike each other's energy facilities, Trump says a day after expressing frustration at Zelenskyy for hitting Russian refineries, one factor in higher diesel prices ahead or midterms
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine agreed to an energy ceasefire on strikes against each other's facilities, but Ukrainian officials said it was news to them with no confirmation from either side.
cnn.com/2026/10/11/pol…
theguardian.com/us-news/live/2…
nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/…
kyivpost.com/post/86743
jpost.com/international/…
"Combined, the five decisions by three military judges constitute a sweeping repudiation of the system developed by the George W. Bush administration to turn the page on a legacy of torture..."
Guantanamo Dispatch: All Four Defendants’ Confessions Are Now Suppressed in the 9/11 Case at justsecurity.org/160118/guan…
Mike Brest retweeted
SCOOP: Kalshi has launched an investigation into a series of suspicious trades on their platform on President Trump's selection of Katie Zacharia to be his next White House press secretary.
Zacharia was at about a 1% odds favorite to becoming press secretary prior to today's developments but at least three traders placed "yes" bets on her getting the job prior to any news of Trump selecting her.
Story w/ @PhilipWegmann and @KThomasDC
wsj.com/finance/regulation/k…
“Broadcasting Hasan’s execution would give jihadist propagandists ready-made material,” @LucasADWebber told the @dcexaminer, later adding, "...a livestream adds little beyond the punishment while handing adversaries a durable shareable asset.”
washingtonexaminer.com/polic…
Mike Brest retweeted
VP Vance says he's not sure that the scheduled execution of the Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan will be live-streamed, and if it is, he will not be watching
"I don't know that that's actually going to happen,” Vance told reporters
"If it's all through live stream, I'm not going to be watching it,” Vance said