Today’s headlines span rising regional tensions and shifting defense strategies. Israel launched strikes in Syria following deadly clashes, while Gaza continues to face high casualties and critical fuel shortages. In the US, a Senate hearing awaits Trump’s UN nominee amid past security concerns, and Fort Rucker receives a new namesake. Ukraine steps up drone attacks in Russia, … [Read more...] about Morning Brief: Israeli Strikes Kill 31 in Gaza Amid Fuel Crisis and Ceasefire Deadlock, US Army’s Fort Rucker Renamed Again
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Loyalty in Crisis: Civil-Military Tensions in the Second Trump Presidency
Throughout our military careers, we were proud to serve under the authority of civilian leadership. That leadership, however, was always understood to be subordinate to the Constitution, not above it. Our oaths made that distinction clear to us. Today, we are gravely concerned. The return of former President Donald J. Trump to office, following his conviction on 34 felony … [Read more...] about Loyalty in Crisis: Civil-Military Tensions in the Second Trump Presidency
Evening Brief: Iran to Hold Crisis Talks with Europe as Trump Mulls Military Strike, US Aircraft Withdrawn from Qatar Base
Good evening! Welcome to your SOFREP Evening Brief for Friday, June 20, 2025, your end-of-day snapshot of key moves in global security. Tensions are peaking as Iran heads into crisis talks with European Union leaders while Trump weighs a strike on its Fordo site. The US quietly pulled aircraft from Qatar, Houthis confirmed joint attacks with Iran on Israel, and Hungary’s Orbán … [Read more...] about Evening Brief: Iran to Hold Crisis Talks with Europe as Trump Mulls Military Strike, US Aircraft Withdrawn from Qatar Base
No More Weak Sauce: Army Recruiting Crisis Ends as Trump and Hegseth Light a Fire Under the Pentagon’s Backside
Well, Iraq just froze over—and apparently so did the Army’s recruiting deficit. After years of pink PowerPoint warrior culture and a Pentagon that looked more like HR at Facebook than a warfighting machine, the tide is finally turning. And guess what? It’s not diversity panels or TikTok influencers that fixed it. It’s morale. It’s a mission. And yeah—like it or … [Read more...] about No More Weak Sauce: Army Recruiting Crisis Ends as Trump and Hegseth Light a Fire Under the Pentagon’s Backside
The Rot at the Top: Admiral Burke and the Navy’s Ethical Crisis
Retired Admiral Robert P. Burke’s conviction on federal bribery charges in May 2025 was less a shock than a grim confirmation of the cultural rot within the U.S. Navy. Burke, once the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer, was found guilty by a Washington, D.C. jury of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealing material … [Read more...] about The Rot at the Top: Admiral Burke and the Navy’s Ethical Crisis
SOFREP Morning Brief: US Military Spent Over $6 Billion to Tackle Recruiting Crisis, North Korea Arrests Four Officials Over Failed Destroyer Launch
Good morning! Start your week with SOFREP’s morning brief, bringing you the latest updates on defense and global affairs for Monday, May 26, 2025. Here are your morning headlines at a glance: Gang attacks killed nearly 30 in Nigeria. Israeli airstrikes killed 22 in Gaza as fighting intensifies. The US is shifting its Africa strategy to push allies to handle more security, while … [Read more...] about SOFREP Morning Brief: US Military Spent Over $6 Billion to Tackle Recruiting Crisis, North Korea Arrests Four Officials Over Failed Destroyer Launch
The Bolduc Brief: The Military’s Recruitment and Retention Crisis – Reflections on Leadership and Policy
The United States military is at a crossroads, grappling with a recruitment and retention crisis that threatens its operational effectiveness and future readiness. Despite optimistic proclamations from political leaders and military officials, the stark reality is that recruiting numbers are not as robust as portrayed, and retention rates are troublingly low. In an era when … [Read more...] about The Bolduc Brief: The Military’s Recruitment and Retention Crisis – Reflections on Leadership and Policy
Former Guardsman Arrested For Plotting ISIS Inspired Attack on Michigan Military Facility
A Homegrown Threat Emerges In a chilling reminder that the call to jihad can echo loud and clear even in suburban America, 19-year-old Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, was arrested on May 13, 2025, for plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at the U.S. Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) facility in Warren, … [Read more...] about Former Guardsman Arrested For Plotting ISIS Inspired Attack on Michigan Military Facility
Suspected ISIS Operative Arrested in Iraq in Connection to New Year’s Day New Orleans Bourbon Street Killings
At 3:15 a.m. on January 1, 2025, the French Quarter's festive atmosphere turned into a blood-splattered nightmare. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Texas, drove a rented Ford F-150 into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring 57 others. After the vehicular assault, Jabbar exited the truck and opened fire on police officers before being … [Read more...] about Suspected ISIS Operative Arrested in Iraq in Connection to New Year’s Day New Orleans Bourbon Street Killings
Remembering Navy SEAL Charlie Keating: Killed by ISIS in 2016
This is going to be a different kind of article for me. Back in 2012, about the same time Brandon founded SOFREP, I began answering military-type questions on Quora. If you are not familiar with the platform, it was started back in 2010 by two former Facebook employees to be a place where people could go to ask questions and provide answers on a wide range of topics. In time, I … [Read more...] about Remembering Navy SEAL Charlie Keating: Killed by ISIS in 2016
The Navy’s Information Warfare Command Crisis: A Third Commander Fired
If you are a Navy information warfare officer these days, chances are you are about as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. The axe had has come out again, and this time, it was used to relieve Commander Christopher D. Johnson of his duties as the commanding officer of the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Colorado. This marks the third … [Read more...] about The Navy’s Information Warfare Command Crisis: A Third Commander Fired
Iraqi Forces Take Out ISIS Terrorist Abu Khadija in Targeted Strike
In a blow to the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS), Iraqi national intelligence operatives, in collaboration with U.S.-led coalition forces, have eliminated Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, infamously known as "Abu Khadija," an influential operative in the terror group in Iraq and Syria. This operation reflects the relentless pursuit of global security forces used to … [Read more...] about Iraqi Forces Take Out ISIS Terrorist Abu Khadija in Targeted Strike