Rowan Scarborough
Articles by Rowan Scarborough
James Mattis delays transgender in military, services to review ‘impact’ on readiness
Defense Secretary James Mattis has delayed allowing transgender people to join the military until Jan. 1, 2018 at the earliest, the Pentagon announced Friday night. Published July 1, 2017
House Republicans aim to repeal Obama-era policy on transgender troops
A House Republican has withdrawn, for now, an amendment to repeal President Obama's lifting of a ban on transgender troops but warned Defense Secretary James Mattis that he must act to restore the longtime exclusion or face a legislative revolt. Published June 29, 2017
House Armed Services Committee to address role of transgender recruits in military
The House Armed Services Committee is likely to take up Wednesday an amendment to address the Pentagon's plans to open the ranks to transgender recruits, as troop training on issues such as how to react to male genitalia in the women's shower is ongoing. Published June 27, 2017
American helicopters to replace Russian models in Afghanistan
The Donald Trump Pentagon, in so many words, is saying that the Obama administration's decision to waive punitive sanctions and buy combat helicopters from Russia was a bad deal. Published June 25, 2017
North Korea helps Iran accelerate ballistic missile buildup, testing
Iran has increased production and testing of ballistic missiles since the 2015 nuclear deal with the U.S. while playing permanent host to scientists from North Korea, which has the know-how to build and launch atomic weapons, a leading Iranian opposition group said Tuesday. Published June 20, 2017
Keith Barry’s sex assault case puts 2 Navy admirals under investigation
The nation's highest military court on Monday sided with a decorated Navy SEAL and ordered an investigation into whether top Navy admiral lawyers at the Pentagon illegally interfered in his case to ensure a conviction on a sexual assault charge. Published June 19, 2017
Noncitizen illegal vote number higher than estimated
A research group in New Jersey has taken a fresh look at postelection polling data and concluded that the number of noncitizens voting illegally in U.S. elections is likely far greater than previous estimates. Published June 19, 2017
Probe ordered for conviction of Navy SEAL in sexual assault case
The nation's highest military court on Monday sided with a decorated Navy SEAL and ordered an investigation into whether top Navy admiral lawyers at the Pentagon illegally interfered in his case to assure a conviction. Published June 19, 2017
James Mattis faces transgender decision for military
Defense Secretary James Mattis is facing his first significant decision in the military's sexual revolution legacy left by the last commander in chief, Barack Obama. Published June 18, 2017
Navy sex assault case may have been meddled in by top brass
Defense attorneys for a decorated Navy SEAL have filed new evidence to bolster their allegation that the sea service's top lawyers at the Pentagon illegally intervened to make sure the sailor's sexual assault conviction stuck. Published June 18, 2017
Pentagon’s LGBT pride ceremony disappoints conservatives
Conservative activists are expressing disappointment that the Trump administration is continuing President Obama's sexual revolution agenda for the military by, among other moves, hosting an LGBT pride celebration on Monday at the Pentagon. Published June 11, 2017
James Comey debunks New York Times story that fueled unproven Trump-Russia collusion
A major New York Times story that helped spawn the unproven Trump-Russia collusion narrative for months in Washington was debunked on Thursday by former FBI Director James B. Comey. Published June 8, 2017
Armed forces plan to celebrate LGBT Pride Month
President Trump has not yet issued a proclamation for Gay Pride Month, but the U.S. Armed Forces are planning celebrations worldwide and will continue the tradition of holding a special event at the Pentagon courtyard on June 12. Published June 5, 2017
Illegal immigrants who vote not tracked
President's Trump's commission plans to place significant reliance on data from the Department of Homeland Security to determine the extent of illegal voting by noncitizens. Published June 4, 2017
National Guardsmen want Army to end probe into recruiting bonus program
A large association of enlisted National Guardsmen is calling on the Army to end its six-year criminal probe into a now-defunct recruiting bonus program, accusing investigators of inflicting "relentless harassment" on targeted soldiers. Published May 29, 2017
John Brennan, Obama loyalist and CIA director, drove FBI to investigate Trump associates
What caused the Barack Obama administration to begin investigating the Donald Trump campaign last summer has come into clearer focus following a string of congressional hearings on Russian interference in the presidential election. Published May 29, 2017
FBI possessed, studied anti-Trump dossier, says former top spy
Former President Barack Obama's former top spy has provided the first public confirmation that the FBI possessed and studied the discredited anti-Trump dossier that made unverified criminal charges against the president's campaign associates and others. Published May 25, 2017
Salman Abedi visited Libya, an ISIS training hotbed
European authorities say Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi recently visited Libya, a chaotic warring country where the Islamic State terror group has beckoned foreign fighters to train and link up with the larger battle in its home base of Syria. Published May 24, 2017
Manchester bombing reveals Europe’s denial of Islamic terror threat
The Manchester massacre underscores complaints from counterterrorism analysts that Europe has fallen into denial about the threat of Islamic terrorism. Published May 23, 2017
Army National Guard recruitment fraud case rests on murky rules
The Army's recruitment fraud case against Sgt. 1st Class Trevor Antoine, an 18-year soldier with a spotless record, rests on a series of sometimes confusing rules that were created, replaced and created again during a dash to sign up thousands of National Guard members for two hot wars. Published May 22, 2017