Evening Brief: Trump Orders Armed National Guard Patrols in D.C., Iran Presses Europe to Avoid UN Sanctions Reinstatement

· Guy D. McCardle

Soldiers from the South Carolina National Guard patrol the streets of the District of Columbia near the US Capital. (DVIDS)

As the week winds down, here’s what’s making news this Friday, August 22, 2025.

 

Trump Orders Armed National Guard Patrols in D.C. Amid Law Enforcement Crackdowns

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., to carry firearms while on patrol, marking an escalation in President Donald Trump’s law enforcement campaign in the capital.

Nearly 2,000 troops are already deployed in the city, with additional support from six Republican-led states.

The Pentagon gave no specifics on the change, though Hegseth called it “common sense” in a social media post.

No troops have yet been seen carrying weapons, as of writing, and their mission continues to focus on landmark protection and crowd control. Critics, including D.C. officials, have condemned the move, warning it risks militarizing the city. Trump has floated the possibility of deploying similar operations in Chicago and New York.

Trump claims his efforts have made D.C. safer and now plans to request $2 billion from Congress to improve city infrastructure.

The shift comes despite earlier Pentagon statements that troops would remain unarmed. Critics warn that arming troops, who lack specialized law enforcement training, risks escalating tensions and creating political flashpoints.

 

DIA Chief Fired Over Iran Strike Assessment That Clashed with Trump Narrative

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) after the agency’s initial assessment of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites contradicted claims by President Donald Trump, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The DIA’s assessment, leaked earlier this year, concluded that the strikes had only set back Iran’s nuclear program by a few months. This undercut public statements from Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who asserted the attacks had caused severe long-term damage.

Kruse’s removal marks another shake-up within military and intelligence leadership. It follows the early retirement announcement of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and major staff cuts at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Hegseth, during a press conference after the June strikes, criticized media outlets but offered no specific evidence of extensive damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed the reason for Kruse’s dismissal, as of writing.

 

FBI Raids John Bolton’s Home and Office in Classified Documents Probe

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents searched former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington office Friday as part of a criminal investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified information, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Bolton has not been charged and was not detained.

The Justice Department (DOJ) has not commented on the search, which follows long-standing tensions between Bolton and President Donald Trump. The operation was reportedly authorized by a federal magistrate judge and marks the most visible move yet in the administration’s campaign against former officials viewed as critics.

Bolton’s previous book about his time in the Trump White House triggered a now-closed DOJ probe over alleged disclosure of classified material. He has denied wrongdoing.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi signaled support for the search, with FBI Director Kash Patel referencing it on social media, stating “NO ONE is above the law.”

The move comes amid other DOJ actions against Trump critics and follows high-profile investigations involving classified documents held by Trump, Biden, and Pence.

Bolton served as national security adviser for 17 months and clashed with Trump over foreign policy.

 

Pentagon to Appoint Three-Star Officer as ‘Submarine Czar’ to Fix Delays and Oversee Nuclear Fleet Construction

The Pentagon plans to appoint a Senate-confirmed three-star officer to lead all US Navy submarine construction, acquisition, and maintenance, USNI News reported Friday.

The new Deputy Secretary of Defense-level direct reporting program manager (DRPM) role will oversee the nuclear submarine portfolio for four years, bypassing traditional Navy acquisition channels to speed delivery and accountability.

The officer will manage submarine program offices, collaborate with the director of naval reactors, and jointly shape future submarine requirements with the Chief of Naval Operations. The role will also share oversight of the Maritime Industrial Base office and work with the Navy’s R&D and acquisition staff.

The decision follows delays in building Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines, threatening US commitments under the AUKUS deal with Australia. The Navy currently produces only 1.3 Virginia-class submarines per year — well short of the 2.3 needed. Columbia-class subs are also running up to two years behind schedule.

The move is part of a broader Pentagon effort to tighten control over major defense programs. Similar DRPM roles have been created for the Space Force’s Golden Dome missile defense system and the Air Force’s Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program.

 

Trump’s Ukraine Peace Push Hits Setback as Russia Refuses Zelenskyy Talks Without Concessions

US President Donald Trump’s plan to broker direct peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stalled Friday after Moscow demanded concessions before agreeing to a summit.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a meeting was off the table until unresolved issues are addressed, undercutting Trump’s earlier claims of a diplomatic breakthrough.

Trump, who pledged to end the war quickly, now says he will decide within two weeks whether to escalate pressure on Moscow with new sanctions or tariffs. Ukraine and European leaders, initially hopeful after Trump’s announcement, now face renewed uncertainty.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to reject postwar security guarantees for Ukraine that exclude Moscow.

Putin signaled defiance by visiting a key nuclear weapons facility, while Russia launched one of its largest airstrikes this year, targeting western Ukraine.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that pushing Ukraine to concede territory is a trap and said Putin has made no moves toward peace.

Zelenskyy echoed the concern, saying Moscow wants to avoid any real negotiations and continue its war.

 

Iran Presses Europe to Avoid UN Sanctions Reinstatement Over Nuclear Program

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held urgent talks Friday with his French, German, and British counterparts to prevent the reimposition of UN sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal’s “snapback” clause.

The call comes days ahead of the August 31 European deadline to reach a satisfactory resolution over Iran’s nuclear activities.

The European nations cite Tehran’s cutoff of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following the June Iran-Israel war and its continued enrichment of uranium to 60 percent as grounds for reimposing sanctions. Iran claims its program remains peaceful and rejects the legitimacy of the European threat.

French and German officials confirmed the talks and warned time is short. Restoring IAEA access is central to resolving the standoff.

Iran has escalated tensions by threatening IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi and blaming the agency for the conflict with Israel.

Iran downplayed the threat, signaling it may turn to China and Russia—likely to veto future sanctions—if the snapback clause expires in October without resolution.

Meanwhile, IAEA officials continue talks with Iranian counterparts in Vienna.

 

UN Condemns RSF Atrocities in Darfur, Citing Summary Executions and Ethnic Killings

The UN human rights office condemned Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacks in Sudan’s Darfur region that killed at least 89 civilians between August 11–20.

Among the dead were 16 summarily executed in Abu Shouk displacement camp, mostly from the African Zaghawa tribe. Another man was executed in el-Fasher for identifying as Berti.

UN officials warned the attacks may be ethnically motivated and violate international humanitarian law.

The RSF, descended from the Janjaweed militias, has bombarded el-Fasher—North Darfur’s last military stronghold—for over a year and imposed a total blockade on the city. The paramilitary also targeted the famine-hit camps of Abu Shouk and Zamzam, displacing hundreds of thousands.

Sudan’s civil war, ongoing since April 2023, has killed over 40,000 people and displaced more than 14 million.

The International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 

Interpol Cybercrime Operation Nets Over 1,200 Arrests, Recovers $97M Across Africa

Interpol announced Friday that Operation Serengeti 2.0 led to the arrest of 1,209 suspects across 18 African nations and the UK, disrupting cybercrimes that targeted nearly 88,000 victims and recovering $97.4 million.

The operation ran from June to August and tackled inheritance scams, ransomware, and business email compromise.

Authorities in Angola dismantled 25 illegal cryptocurrency mining sites operated by 60 Chinese nationals, seizing over $37 million in equipment. In Zambia, police broke up a fraudulent crypto investment scheme that defrauded 65,000 people of $300 million and uncovered a linked human trafficking network.

In the Ivory Coast, investigators shut down an inheritance scam originating in Germany that caused $1.6 million in losses.

Interpol emphasized that even long-running scams remain profitable for criminal groups. The crackdown follows last year’s first Operation Serengeti, which netted over 1,000 arrests tied to 35,000 victims.

 

US and Philippines Plan 500+ Joint Military Activities in 2026 to Counter China

US and Philippine defense officials have agreed to conduct over 500 joint military activities in 2026, including exercises, patrols, and deployments aimed at strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

The agreement, finalized during this month’s Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board meeting in Hawaii, reflects an ongoing shift in Manila’s defense focus from internal to external threats.

The partnership has grown since 2022 following Chinese maritime confrontations in the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

Joint drills now emphasize coastal defense, anti-ship tactics, and air defense, with deployments of US missile systems capable of striking targets in the South China Sea and Luzon Strait.

The US has also expanded its presence in the Philippines, establishing a Marine Corps prepositioning program and considering Subic Bay for a regional munitions plant.

Beijing has condemned the moves, labeling them destabilizing and responding with counter-exercises.

Both nations say the military cooperation enhances regional security and ensures freedom of navigation.

 

Thailand’s Former PM Thaksin Acquitted of Royal Defamation Charge

Thailand’s Bangkok Criminal Court acquitted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Friday of a royal defamation charge that could have carried a 15-year sentence.

The court found insufficient evidence and questioned witness credibility, citing possible political bias.

The case stemmed from Thaksin’s 2015 remarks in South Korea but had been dormant until his return from exile in 2023.

Thaksin, ousted by a 2006 coup, had faced multiple charges but avoided prison, receiving a pardon after serving part of an eight-year sentence in a hospital. He remains politically active, drawing scrutiny from the royalist establishment. His daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, faces her own ethics case and awaits a court ruling that could remove her from office.

Thailand’s courts have repeatedly removed elected leaders seen as threats to the military-backed royalist order.

 

Sources: News Agencies