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Thursday

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Jan. 30 in Washington, D.C.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's nominee to be director of national intelligence, testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Jan. 30 in Washington, D.C. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Politics

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's intel chief pick, grilled on Snowden, Russia and Syria

Among the topics that came up: her stance on an electronic surveillance program, her push to drop charges against Edward Snowden and her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In this photo reviewed by U.S. military officials, an Army soldier, right, and a Marine stand in front of the gates that separate the Cuban side from the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, June 6, 2018.

In this photo reviewed by U.S. military officials, an Army soldier (right) and a Marine stand in front of the gates that separate the Cuban side from the Guantánamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, June 6, 2018. Ramon Espinosa/AP hide caption

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Ramon Espinosa/AP

Trump says the U.S. will send the 'worst criminal illegal aliens' to Guantánamo Bay

The president says up to 30,000 criminal migrants deported from the United States could be housed at the facility in Cuba, but it wasn't immediately clear how the plan would be implemented.

Wednesday

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a hearing with the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 19, 2024. The committee held the hearing to question retired U.S. Generals on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a hearing with the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 19, 2024. The committee held the hearing to question retired generals on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Politics

Hegseth strips Milley of his security detail, orders investigation into his conduct

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered an investigation into retired general Mark Milley — who often clashed with President Trump — and determine whether he should be reduced in rank.

Pentagon revokes Gen. Milley’s security detail

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The U.S. conducts some of its most sensitive nuclear weapons research in a laboratory deep beneath Nevada. NPR was recently given a tour.

The U.S. conducts some of its most sensitive nuclear weapons research in a laboratory deep underground in Nevada. NPR was recently given a tour. National Nuclear Security Administration/Nevada National Security Site hide caption

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National Nuclear Security Administration/Nevada National Security Site

Science

Step inside the secret lab where America tests its nukes

A thousand feet beneath the desert, the United States conducts experiments to verify that its weapons work. But some fear a live test could come soon.

How the U.S. determines whether its nuclear weapons still work properly

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Tuesday

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is shown at his confirmation hearing wearing a blue jacket and red tie.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has 30 days to present a plan on how to implement President Trump's executive order on transgender people in the military. Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military

The executive order speaks of transgender identity in sweeping and dismissive terms and sets the stage for a policy that is more restrictive and punitive than the ban from Trump's first term.

Gambling chips stacked around roulette wheel on gaming table.

Gambling chips stacked around roulette wheel on gaming table. Getty hide caption

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Getty

A group of former U.S. spies opposes building a new casino near D.C. Here's why

A new casino could be built less than 20 miles west of Washington D.C. More than 100 former spies and intelligence officers oppose its construction due to concerns it could jeopardize state secrets.

Retired former spies say possible D.C.-area casino could jeopardize national security

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Friday

Pete Hegseth, President Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, speaks during a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Jan. 14.

Pete Hegseth, President Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, speaks during a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Jan. 14. Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images hide caption

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Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

Politics

Pete Hegseth, Trump's embattled pick for defense secretary, wins Senate confirmation

Vice President Vance cast a tie-breaking vote as Hegseth overcame allegations of sexual assault, public drunkenness and questions of financial mismanagement to win Senate approval.

President Trump signs executive actions at the White House after his inauguration Monday. Among those orders is one labeling Mexican drug cartels terrorist organizations.

President Trump signs executive actions at the White House after his inauguration Monday. Among those orders is one labeling Mexican drug cartels terrorist organizations. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Trump wants to label drug cartels terrorist organizations. Here's what that means in practice

The full implications of designating the cartels as terrorist organizations will depend, in large part, to how the administration follows through.

Saturday

The TikTok logo is screened on a mobile phone with U.S. flag in the background for illustration photo in Krakow, Poland, on Jan. 17.

Less than a day from when the popular social media app is set to be banned in the U.S., President-elect Donald Trump spoke on the possibility of delaying the expulsion of TikTok. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption

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Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

National

Trump says he'll likely give TikTok a 90-day extension

President-elect Donald Trump spoke on the possibility of delaying a ban less than 24 hours from when the social media app is expected to shut down.

Thursday

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 29: With wild fire smoke clouding the Washington Monument in the distance, U.S. President Joe Biden walks across the South Lawn as he leaves the White House for a day trip to New York City on June 29, 2023 in Washington, DC. Biden is traveling to New York for campaign fund raising and a television interview. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President Biden will leave office with a mixed legacy on Guantánamo. The prison, down to now down to just 15 prisoners, remains open. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Biden's Guantánamo legacy 'one step forward, several steps backwards'

After some initial momentum and a few successes, Biden leaves office like his predecessors, with the prison at Guantánamo Bay open, and the 9/11 case unresolved.

Biden's Guantanamo Bay legacy

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President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting about cybersecurity in the East Room of the White House on Aug. 25, 2021. On Thursday, Biden signed a sweeping new executive order on cybersecurity.

President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting about cybersecurity in the East Room of the White House on Aug. 25, 2021. On Thursday, Biden signed a sweeping new executive order on cybersecurity. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Biden issues an 11th hour executive order aimed at strengthening U.S. cybersecurity

One of President Biden's final moves in office is aimed at shoring up critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.

BIDEN SWAN SONG CYBER EO

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Tuesday

Keeping America Safe: CIA Director Burns reflects

William Burns, director of the CIA, in his office on Jan. 8, 2025. Dee Dwyer for NPR/NPR hide caption

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Dee Dwyer for NPR/NPR

Consider This from NPR

Keeping America Safe: CIA Director Burns reflects

On a shelf in his office at CIA headquarters, Director Bill Burns keeps a tiny scaled model of a house. It's the house in Kabul, Afghanistan, where Al Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2022.

Keeping America Safe: CIA Director Burns reflects

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Friday

William Burns, director of the CIA, in his office on Jan. 8, 2025.

William Burns, director of the CIA, in his office on Jan. 8, 2025. Dee Dwyer for NPR hide caption

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Dee Dwyer for NPR

Q&A: The CIA chief on how the U.S. intel community handled Russia, China and Mideast

In an exit interview with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, CIA Director William Burns says he still thinks "there's a chance" for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

CIA Chief on how the U.S. intel community handled Russia, China and Mideast

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Thursday

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a February 2024 news conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has tried to end plea deals for the 9/11 defendants. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

Guantánamo plea deals for accused 9/11 plotters are halted by federal appeals court

In a highly unusual legal move, the Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court to stop alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad from pleading guilty this Friday at Guantánamo-- even though two U.S. military courts have already rejected the Defense Secretary's attempt to block KSM's plea.

DOJ tries to block plea agreement for alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad

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