National Security

National

Trump Restores CIA Power To Launch Drone Strikes

5:20pm March 14, 2017

by David Welna

President Trump has reportedly reversed an Obama-era policy of giving more responsibility for terrorist drone strikes to the Pentagon. The CIA will resume more responsibility for not only generating intelligence but also conducting strikes — and reaction in the national security world is mixed.

Queue Listen Now

National

ICE Agents' Tactics Raise Concerns About Migrants' Access To The Justice System

8:42am March 14, 2017

by Conrad Wilson

Lawyers and judges in some parts of the country say that for the first time Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents are coming inside courthouses to question people about their immigration status.

Queue Listen Now

National

State Department Halts Special Visa Program For Afghans

7:00pm March 13, 2017

by Quil Lawrence

The State Department is running out of visas to offer Afghans who worked with American troops, and the prospects appear dim for offering more. The end of the visa program for Afghans is taking place at the same time the U.S. is tightening other restrictions on travel, especially from mostly-Muslim countries.

Queue Listen Now

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter patrol flies over a border fence by a bridge between the United States and Mexico on Oct. 18, 2016 in Hidalgo, Texas.

On Both Sides Of The Mexican Border, Fear Grows For U.S.-Bound Migrants

4:53pm March 12, 2017

Officials say Trump's tough stance has led to fewer apprehensions at the border. But amid heightened threats of family separation and terrorization, some think the journey is still worth the risks.

Queue Listen Now

The Morale Inside U.S. Intelligence Agencies

8:30am March 11, 2017

Scott Simon talks with former senior CIA lawyer John Rizzo about how the intelligence community is reacting to new leaked documents from the group WikiLeaks, and President Trump's frequent criticism.

Michael Flynn Admits Lobbying May Have Benefited Turkish Government

6:38pm March 10, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with Chad Day, investigative reporter for the Associated Press, about Michael Flynn's retrospective registration as a foreign agent, and the details of his lobbying efforts in the interest of the Turkish government.

Queue Listen Now

National Trade Council head Peter Navarro (right) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (center) await President Trump's signing executive orders at the White House on Jan. 23.

Trump Adviser's Warning About Food Supply Takeover Met With Skepticism

4:39pm March 10, 2017

by Chris Arnold

Peter Navarro, top trade adviser to the president, worries that foreign takeovers of U.S. food and defense companies could make America less secure. But economists see no signs of that happening.

Queue Listen Now

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Paul Selva (left) confirmed longstanding suspicions that Russia's new intermediate-range missile was operational. He told a House Armed Services Committee hearing this week that it can threaten alm

National

U.S. Confirms Russian Missile Deployment Violates Nuclear Treaty. Now What?

11:15am March 10, 2017

by David Welna

A U.S. general says Russia has violated a longstanding arms control treaty by deploying new missiles. It was the first official, public assertion that these missiles are fully operational.

Queue Listen Now

National

WikiLeaks Reveal Demonstrates Encryption Apps' Vulnerabilities

6:19am March 10, 2017

The CIA can hack into smartphones and read messages as they're being typed on encrypted messaging apps. David Greene talks to Moxie Marlinspike, founder of the encrypted messaging app Signal.

Queue Listen Now

Trump's Military Strategy Reflects A More Aggressive Stance

5:42am March 10, 2017

As the U.S. prepares to send more troops to tackle ISIS and the Taliban, David Greene talks to NPR's Tom Bowman and Robert Ford, ex-ambassador to Syria and now a fellow at the Middle East Institute.

Queue Listen Now