The Department of War accepted a $130 million anonymous donation from billionaire Timothy Mellon on October 23, 2025, to help pay U.S. service members during the government shutdown. Trump announced the donation at the White House, describing Mellon as a ‘great patriot’ and ‘friend …
Timothy MellonTrumpDepartment of DefensePentagonoligarchyprivatizationconflicts-of-interestinstitutional-capture
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally disestablished the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS), a 74-year-old panel established in 1951 following the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. In a September 17 memo, Hegseth accused the committee of ‘advancing a …
Pete HegsethDACOWITSDepartment of Defenseinstitutional-purgemilitary-policygender-discriminationcivil-rightsinstitutional-capture
President Trump signed an executive order rebranding the Department of Defense as the ‘Department of War,’ which the White House claimed would serve as a ‘secondary title.’ Trump told reporters the change was ‘more appropriate’ and criticized the previous name as …
TrumpPete HegsethDepartment of Defenseinstitutional-captureexecutive-overreachmilitarism
Over 2,300 National Guard troops from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana, and Tennessee began patrolling Washington DC streets carrying M17 handguns and M4 semiautomatic rifles, marking an unprecedented militarization of the nation’s capital during peacetime. The armed …
TrumpNational GuardDepartment of DefensemilitarizationPosse-ComitatusNational-Guardauthoritarian-infrastructurecivil-liberties
The U.S. Army awarded Palantir Technologies a decade-long Enterprise Service Agreement worth up to $10 billion for AI-driven battlefield analysis and targeting systems. The contract consolidates 75 existing contracts (15 prime contracts and 60 related contracts) into a single agreement, accelerating …
U.S. ArmyPalantir TechnologiesDepartment of DefenseDonald Trumpinstitutional-capturetechaidefense-industrysurveillance
The Department of Defense awarded xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, a $200 million contract for its Grok AI tool, despite recent controversies involving antisemitic and problematic AI-generated content. The contract is part of a broader DoD AI modernization push, allowing federal agencies to access …
Elon MuskxAIDepartment of DefenseChief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officeregulatory-capturegovernment-contractsai-technologytech-industry
Brookings June 26, 2025, analysis warned Trump’s deployment of 700 Marines and 4,000 federalized National Guard to LA violates Posse Comitatus Act. Trump invoked 10 USC §12406 (not Insurrection Act) claiming “inherent constitutional authority” to protect federal property. …
Brookings InstitutionLegal scholarsDepartment of DefenseDepartment of Homeland SecurityTrump Administrationanalysiscivil-militaryinsurrection-actposse-comitatuslegal-analysis+2 more
A federal district judge in Northern California ruled on June 12, 2025, that the Trump administration’s federalization of California National Guard and deployment of 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles likely violated the Posse Comitatus Act and principles of federalism. The judge found the …
U.S. District Court (N.D. Cal.)State of CaliforniaGovernor Gavin NewsomDepartment of Defense2nd Battalion, 7th Marines+2 morecivil-militarycourtsemergency-powersposse-comitatusfederalism+2 more
The U.S. Department of Defense formally accepted a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar, potentially violating the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause. Despite legal and ethical concerns raised by experts, the Trump administration claims the jet is a gift to the U.S. government, …
Donald TrumpQatar Royal FamilyDepartment of DefenseJamie RaskinDan Goldman+1 moreforeign-influenceconstitutional-crisisemoluments-clausekleptocratic-capture
Ongoing federal court cases challenge the president’s authority to unilaterally federalize state National Guard units, with multiple states filing legal challenges to Trump’s deployment of California’s National Guard. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the president …
Supreme CourtState GovernorsDepartment of DefenseCalifornia GovernorNew York Attorney General Letitia James+1 morenational-guardconstitutional-crisisseparation-of-powersfederal-state-relations
In a landmark ruling on April 22, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals established unprecedented guidelines for presidential authority to federalize state National Guard troops. The decision significantly expanded executive power by upholding the president’s ability to deploy 4,000 …
Federal Appeals CourtGavin NewsomDepartment of DefenseCharles BreyerDonald Trump+1 morenational-guardfederalismmilitary-authorityconstitutional-crisisexecutive-power+1 more
ICE awarded a $3.8 billion contract to Deployed Resources on April 10 for Fort Bliss tent detention camp, then terminated it three days later “for convenience” amid corruption allegations. The contract was then awarded to Acquisition Logistics LLC, a tiny Virginia company with no …
ICEDeployed ResourcesAcquisition Logistics LLCDepartment of Defenseno-bid-contractscorruptiondetention-campsmilitary-integrationcontractor-fraud
SpaceX awarded $5.9 billion for 28 launches through 2029 as largest share of $13.5 billion National Security Space Launch Phase 3 contracts. Award occurred while congressional oversight investigation examined Musk’s $9.5 billion total DoD contracts and potential conflicts with his advisory …
SpaceXU.S. Space ForceElon MuskRep. Stephen LynchRep. Gerry Connolly+1 morespacexgovernment-contractsconflict-of-interestcongressional-oversightelon-musk+1 more
Federal District Court in D.C. issued a landmark ruling challenging Trump administration’s unilateral National Guard deployment powers. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that Trump violated the Posse Comitatus Act by sending National Guard troops to Los Angeles for immigration …
Federal District CourtDepartment of DefenseState GovernorsDonald Trump9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals+5 morenational-guardmilitary-authorityconstitutional-interpretationexecutive-powerjudicial-review+2 more
Trump declared national emergency at southern border citing “invasion” by cartels, criminal gangs, and “unvetted military-age males.” Deployed 1,500 active-duty troops (1,000 Army, 500 Marines) with helicopters and intelligence analysts. Ordered Pentagon to develop 10-day …
Donald TrumpDepartment of DefenseDepartment of Homeland SecurityPentagonMexican President Claudia Sheinbaumimmigrationnational-emergencybordercapture-patternsenergy
OpenAI announced a partnership with Anduril Industries to integrate ChatGPT maker’s AI technology into drone-defense systems sold to the Pentagon, marking OpenAI’s formal entry into military AI applications. The three-year contract embeds OpenAI’s language models and AI …
OpenAIAnduril IndustriesDepartment of DefensePalmer LuckeyAutonomous WeaponsAI WeaponsMilitary-Industrial ComplexTech IndustryDefense Contractors
On October 16, 2024, defense contractor RTX (formerly Raytheon) agreed to pay over $950 million to resolve Justice Department investigations into fraudulent billing schemes, foreign bribery, and export control violations spanning more than a decade. The settlement addressed three major criminal …
RaytheonDepartment of JusticeQatarDepartment of DefenseGreg Hayesraytheonfraudbriberypentagonqatar+3 more
The U.S. Air Force selected Anduril Industries and General Atomics to develop Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) autonomous fighter jets, beating defense giants Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing. The CCA program aims to deliver at least 1,000 unmanned combat aircraft equipped with …
Anduril IndustriesU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefensePalmer LuckeyGeneral AtomicsAutonomous WeaponsMilitary-Industrial ComplexAI WeaponsDefense ContractorsPentagon Contracts
Elon Musk’s xAI faced intense scrutiny after releasing Grok AI without comprehensive safety documentation, including generating antisemitic content and pulling opinions directly from Musk’s social media posts. Despite these controversies, xAI secured a $200 million Pentagon contract in …
Elon MuskxAIAI Safety ResearchersGSA AI Safety TeamDepartment of Defense+1 moreai-safetytech-communicationcorporate-accountabilityelection-technologygovernment-ai-contracts+1 more
Oracle announced on August 15, 2023, that its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) received authority to operate Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) from the 18-agency Intelligence Community, marking a major expansion of Oracle’s access to the nation’s most classified …
OracleIntelligence CommunityDepartment of DefenseCIAintelligence-agenciessurveillancecloud-computingoracleclassified-information+1 more
By 2023, Amazon Web Services has consolidated its position as the dominant cloud infrastructure provider for the U.S. government, with multi-billion dollar contracts across the intelligence community, Department of Defense, and civilian agencies creating unprecedented government dependence on a …
Amazon Web ServicesCIANSAPentagonDepartment of Defensegovernment-contractssurveillance-infrastructurecloud-computingintelligence-agenciesaws+1 more
The U.S. Department of Defense granted Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) authority to operate (ATO) for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) and Special Access Program (SAP) missions on February 15, 2022, authorizing Oracle to host and process some of the Pentagon’s most …
OracleDepartment of DefenseU.S. Air ForceDefense Information Systems Agencyintelligence-agenciessurveillancecloud-computingpentagonoracle+1 more
The Ukrainian military began operating Anduril Industries’ Ghost-X autonomous drones in 2022, shortly after Russia’s February invasion, making Ukraine a testing ground for Silicon Valley’s AI-powered weapons systems. Anduril drones demonstrated ability to operate in contested …
Anduril IndustriesUkraineDepartment of DefensePalmer LuckeyUkraine WarAutonomous WeaponsMilitary AidAI WeaponsDefense Contractors
Palantir Technologies and Amazon Web Services announce a formal strategic partnership to optimize Palantir’s Foundry and Gotham platforms for deployment on AWS cloud infrastructure, integrating two of the most powerful surveillance and data analytics systems used by U.S. intelligence and …
Palantir TechnologiesAmazon Web ServicesCIADepartment of Defensesurveillance-infrastructuredata-analyticsintelligence-agenciesgovernment-contractspalantir+2 more
The Department of the Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $13.3 billion contract on September 8, 2020, to develop the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent intercontinental ballistic missile system, initiating the engineering and manufacturing development phase of a program estimated to cost between …
Northrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefenseBoeingOrbital ATKMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsNuclear WeaponsPentagon ContractsICBMs+1 more
President Trump’s systematic firing of Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson on April 3, 2020, followed by systematic purge of independent oversight officials, represents the acceleration of WHIG oversight destruction precedent enabling constitutional crisis operations …
Donald TrumpMichael AtkinsonGlenn FineMitch BehmChristi Grimm+4 moreinspector-general-purgewhig-template-implementationoversight-destruction-accelerationsystematic-institutional-captureconstitutional-crisis-operations+4 more
Northrop Grumman received a contract as part of a potential $217 million five-year U.S. military cyber warfare program called Unified Platform, which aims to develop a coordinated cyber weapons infrastructure enabling U.S. Cyber Command to conduct offensive and defensive cyber operations independent …
Northrop GrummanU.S. Cyber CommandNational Security AgencyDepartment of DefenseCyber WeaponsSurveillance StateMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsNSA+2 more
Northrop Grumman completed its $9.2 billion acquisition of Orbital ATK on June 6, 2018, gaining control of the premier supplier of solid rocket motors essential for missile systems and creating anticompetitive market dominance that the Federal Trade Commission warned would “reduce competition …
Northrop GrummanOrbital ATKFederal Trade CommissionDepartment of DefenseBoeingMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsMonopoly PowerMergers and AcquisitionsAntitrust+2 more
The U.S. Defense Department awarded Northrop Grumman a development contract for the B-21 Raider Long Range Strike Bomber on October 27, 2015, with an initial value of $21.4 billion that could eventually reach $80 billion over the program’s lifetime, representing one of the largest defense …
Northrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefenseBoeingLockheed Martin+1 moreMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsPentagon ContractsStealth TechnologyNuclear Weapons+1 more
Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drone program experienced massive cost escalation, with per-unit costs exploding from an initial $60.9 million in 2001 to $222.7 million per aircraft (including development costs) by 2013—a nearly four-fold increase that forced the Air Force to …
Northrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefenseGovernment Accountability OfficeMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsCost OverrunsSurveillance StateDrone Warfare+2 more
U.S. Army Private First Class Bradley Manning (later Chelsea Manning) was arrested at Forward Operating Base Hammer in Iraq for allegedly leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks, including evidence of war crimes and civilian casualties. The arrest initiated what would …
Chelsea ManningWikiLeaksU.S. ArmyDepartment of Defensewhistleblower-prosecutionwikileaksiraq-warafghanistan-warwar-crimes
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber’s operating costs reached approximately $150,000 per flight hour according to U.S. Department of Defense estimates, making it the most expensive military aircraft to operate in history and generating massive ongoing revenue for Northrop Grumman …
Northrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefenseMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsCost OverrunsPentagon ContractsStealth Technology+1 more
Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, a 24-year-old Green Beret from Pittsburgh, was electrocuted in a shower at Radwaniyah Palace Complex near Baghdad on January 2, 2008, when an improperly grounded water pump installed by KBR short-circuited and sent electrical current through the shower water. Pentagon …
Ryan MasethKBRHalliburtonDepartment of DefenseDefense Contract Management Agency+2 moreprivate-militarycorporate-impunityaccountability-crisiswar-crimescorporate-negligence
Blackwater private military contractors’ killing of 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad’s Nisour Square exposes systematic corporate-state fusion accountability crisis where privatized government military functions operate beyond constitutional and legal constraints. The massacre demonstrates …
Blackwater WorldwideErik PrinceState DepartmentCentral Intelligence AgencyIraqi Government+3 moresystematic-corporate-capturesystematic-constitutional-violationblackwaterconstitutional-constraint-bypassprivatized-government-functions+10 more
In 2006, Palantir Technologies secured one of its first major government contracts with the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), marking the company’s transition from CIA-backed startup to operational defense contractor. The contract focused on using Palantir’s data analysis platform …
Palantir TechnologiesJoint IED Defeat OrganizationDepartment of Defensepalantirdefense-contractsjieddoiraq-warafghanistan-war+1 more
President George W. Bush appointed James G. Roche as Secretary of the Air Force in 2001 despite—or perhaps because of—Roche’s 17-year career as a top executive at Northrop Grumman, one of the Air Force’s largest contractors, exemplifying the revolving door that enables defense industry …
James G. RocheNorthrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefenseGeorge W. BushRevolving DoorMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsCorruptionConflicts of Interest+1 more
The U.S. Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber program, built by Northrop Grumman, reached a staggering total program cost of $44.389 billion in then-year dollars by 1997, according to Government Accountability Office reports. This represented a dramatic escalation from original estimates and …
Northrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefenseU.S. CongressGovernment Accountability OfficeMilitary-Industrial ComplexDefense ContractorsCost OverrunsPentagon ContractsStealth Technology+1 more