Trump Fully Purging Pentagon’s Woke/Marxist Agenda

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) — CONGRATS! Matthew Lohmeier, the former Space Force lieutenant colonel who was relieved of command after publicly blasting the military’s Woke DEI programs and Marxist ideology, was confirmed as the Air Force’s next undersecretary.

Lohmeier was fired from command of the 11th Space Warning Squadron in 2021 after appearing on a podcast to discuss his self-published book, “Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest and the Unmaking of the American Military.”

During that podcast, Lohmeier decried diversity initiatives, critical race theory and Marxism, saying they were anti-American and divisive. He alleged those ideas were spreading throughout and weakening the military.

Lohmeier voluntarily separated from the military in September 2021. The Air Force had been investigating his comments but closed that investigation once he left active duty.

In his comments Lohmeier did not publicly criticize his chain of command.

Meanwhile, Pentagon suspends participation in all think tank events. The move comes a week after DOD pulled out of the Aspen Security Forum due to “the evil of globalism.”

“In order to ensure the Department of Defense is not lending its name and credibility to organizations, forums, and events that run counter to the values of this administration, … Public Affairs will be conducting a thorough vetting of every event where Defense officials are invited to participate.” 

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:    

NATIONAL SECURITY

It’s time to think about (and fear) drones and psychological operations. The mere sound of drones has become a source of PTSD — a strong indicator of drones’ psychological potency. 

General in charge of new Golden Dome missile defense system will rely on existing technology.

Trump’s sprawling ‘America’s AI Action Plan’ features 19 recommendations that involve the DOD, including the creation of a “virtual proving ground.”

Unless Congress intervenes and adequately funds science and technology, the U.S. is risking strategic failure, argues former Air Force Secretary.

HOMELAND SECURITY

20-year-old man who killed Idaho firefighters before killing himself had been turned away from the Army twice. He had also tried to join the fire department and became angry when told he would need to go through training and testing. 

A Mexican woman detained at a citizenship appointment in May will not be deported following a judge’s ruling this week barring her removal, but her Marine Corps veteran husband said she remains in ICE custody.

DEFENSE POLITICS

Trump’s nominee to be chief of naval operations, says the sea service needs to field a sixth-generation fighter (F/A-XX) as quickly as possible or risk losing its edge over adversaries. 

Nominee to be Navy’s top admiral says loosened enlistment requirements have not lowered standards.

Congressional Foreign Arms Sales Task Force’s six legislative proposals would codify reforms to the government’s procedures for selling or transferring weapons and other defense assets to allies and international partners. 

Bill seeks to expand research on health effects of low-level blasts from military weapons. Brain injuries and mental health problems diagnosed in veterans exposed to repeated low-level blasts from firing their own weapons would be closely tracked and studied under proposed legislation.

US POWER OVERSEAS

U.S. Marine F-35s will be operating on UK carrier HMS Prince of Wales on its Pacific deployment. 

U.S. and South Korean militaries have agreed to allow a South Korean defense firm to service the T-55 engines on U.S. Army Chinook helicopters. 

Army wants a common launcher that could be used across the European alliance to fire a wide variety of weapons.

IRAN THREAT/MIDDLE EAST

Navy warship had a “safe and professional interaction” with Iranian naval forces, disputing claims in an Iranian state media report, according to a U.S. defense official. 

Ahead of a key meeting with European officials, Iran says it’s ready for nuclear talks with the U.S. but only if Washington takes meaningful steps to rebuild trust. 

CHINA THREAT

U.S. and Australian troops are spearheading a large-scale logistics operation to feed, fuel and arm more than 35,000 service members across the southern continent as the allies seek to counter growing Chinese threat. 

‘Large-scale casualties.’  The number of casualties the U.S. military would suffer in a war against China could be unlike anything it has experienced during the post-9/11 wars, says deputy commanding general for U.S. Army Pacific. 

China has made it a national priority to catch up with SpaceX’s nearly 8,000 Starlink internet-providing satellites in low-Earth orbit, which it regards as a military threat. 

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Ukraine proposes summit to be held between Zelensky and Putin, that would include the “participation” of the U.S. and Turkish presidents. 

Volodymyr Zelensky reversed course, but it is unclear if that will quell the anger that erupted when he stripped anticorruption agencies of independence. 

In a political U-turn, Slovenia has scrapped a referendum on the country’s plans to increase its defense spending to 3% of its GDP by 2030, seeks new military kit with eye on NATO. 

SPACE THREAT

Space Systems Command: Highly anticipated first launch of a U.S. national security payload aboard a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket is only ‘weeks’ away. 

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Armed clashes on the remote, disputed border between Cambodia and Thailand killed at least 12 people, in a dramatic escalation that threatens to erupt into a broader conflict. 

Spy cockroaches and AI robots: Germany plots the future of warfare with tech startups. 

Despite U.S. warnings, an Indian company shipped $1.4 million worth of an explosive compound with military uses to Russia in December.

Less than a year after inviting tenders to rapidly acquire a suite of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (drone-killer) capabilities, Australia has issued an initial rolling wave of contracts.

Australia and UK’s defense and foreign ministers will hold talks in Sydney on boosting cooperation. 

US MILITARY

‘Innovation Corps’ tech execs are in Army training, but don’t have assignments yet. The first round of Army detachment members include Palantir’s chief technology officer; Meta’s CTO; OpenAI’s chief product officer; and an advisor at Thinking Machines Lab and OpenAI’s former chief research officer. 

What the Army is doing to keep its tanks alive against drones. Army wants new tech — from radar jammers to thermal paint — to save its tanks from obsolescence. 

Recently awarded Army contract aims to provide more weapons that use high-powered microwaves to help soldiers take down drone swarms in one swoop. 

Meet the ‘cobots’ that could lower the cost of building submarines. Electric Boat’s production line finds robots cutting steel and even welding. 

Air Force on the hunt for a new, relatively cheaper and “lugged” cruise missile weapon that could enter production as quickly as next year. 

Air Force is asking to get rid of 153 facilities and other infrastructure next year to shift spending toward modernization and the development of priority systems. 

What pistol will bomber crews with the Air Force’s Global Strike Command fly with now that the Sig M18 is pulled from use?

New control system will ‘vastly reduce’ anti-missile salvos and require fewer Patriot missiles to down incoming threats, conserving interceptors as stocks dwindle.

END of PDB