CHRISTOPHER MILLER

Trump keeps claiming he requested 10,000 troops to protect the Capitol on Jan. 6, but interviews show that's not true.

The DOJ hopes to squeeze testimonies out of key witnesses for its probe into Trump's handling of White House documents, The New York Times reported.

None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. CLAIM: Former President Donald Trump signed an order to deploy 20,000 National Guard troops before his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but was stopped by the House sergeant at arms, at the behest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi. THE FACTS: While Trump was involved in discussions in the days prior to Jan. 6 about the National Guard response, he issued no such order before or during the rioting.

The House Jan. 6 committee has interviewed former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and is in negotiations to talk to several other former members of Donald Trump’s Cabinet.

The House Jan. 6 committee tweeted a clip featuring former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller's testimony.

The House Jan. 6 committee tweeted a clip featuring former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller's testimony.

The committee investigating the insurrection will focus on what Trump was doing on Jan. 6, 2021. This is the story of what happened without him.

Ben & Jerry's has called on its 8 million Facebook fans and 515,000 Twitter followers to lobby lawmakers for stronger gun safety laws.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky celebrated Kalush Orchestra’s win in the Eurovision song contest as the war raged at home.

Russia wants some form of victory before backing down from the war in Ukraine, and escalation in the war is still possible at this point, political analysts say.

Stop the Steal organizer Ali Alexander also spoke to the panel for nearly 8 hours.

The subpoenas compel four former officials to produce sought-after documents, relevant to the Jan. 6 attack, by Oct. 7 and then sit for a deposition the following week.

One Administration agreed to and the other completed a full withdrawal of U.S. troops without securing the release of a Navy veteran held captive by the Taliban.

Pentagon Austin Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, about the end of the war in Afghanistan. The 16 boards being reinstated so far include many of the more prominent panels, including the Defense policy, business, science and health boards. After taking office, Austin in early February, ordered a review and said hundreds of Pentagon advisory board members had to resign, incuding more than 30 of Miller’s last-minute replacements. And all committee members whose appointment comes from the defense secretary were ordered to resign by Feb. 16. The 16 that will be able to begin again are: Defense Business Board, Defense Policy Board, Defense Health Board, Defense Board of Actuaries, Medicare-Eligible Board of Advisors, Defense Science Board, Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces, Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel, Inland Waterways Users Board, Defense Department Wage Committee, Board on Coastal Engineering Research, Marine Corps University Board of Visitors, Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group, Army Science Board and the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has agreed to restart 16 defense advisory boards, after halting activity by all the Pentagon panels in February and essentially purging a number of members who were appointed in the final days of the Trump administration.

Experts dispute Donald Trump's assertion that things would have turned out differently in Afghanistan if he were still in charge.

Former president claims Biden able announce Afghanistan troop withdrawal because he ‘built train that couldn’t be stopped’

As the city's luxury real estate market reaches new heights, these high-end homes won't be around for long Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

Attorney General Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas say white supremacist extremists pose the biggest threat to the U.S.

Attorney General Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas say white supremacist extremists pose the biggest threat to the U.S.

Republican House members downplayed the attack and denied that it was an insurrection.

Some menacingly called out for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and chanted for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence. Comer said it’s “hypocritical” that Pelosi and Democrats are focused on Jan. 6 instead. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told Miller that he has “never been more offended” by a witness statement than he was at Miller’s testimony defending his own actions. “No, that is not the case.”Under questioning from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Miller said he agreed at 3 p.m. to move guardsmen to the Capitol. Miller testified that D.C. National Guard Commanding Gen. William Walker was preparing a formal plan — a “concept of operations” — for the Guard to enter the Capitol.

A House hearing on the Capitol insurrection has wrapped up after harsh words from lawmakers.

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Latest on congressional testimony about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot (all times local):3:20 p.m.A House hearing on the federal response to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has concluded after more than five hours of testimony that exposed stark partisan divisions. The hearing elicited little new information about the preparations and response to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Rosen would not answer Wednesday in response to questions from Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia at a hearing on the deadly Capitol insurrection. Rosen says Justice Department officials and federal law enforcement officials “moved with urgency” to assist the U.S. Capitol Police to clear the Capitol. Maloney says it's clear Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot.

Former Trump officials testified before Congress for the first time on the Jan. 6 insurrection. The proceedings were dominated by the role of former President Donald Trump and his supporters that day.

But the hearing soon devolved into partisan bickering about how that day unfolded, with Democrats accusing Republicans of rewriting history and GOP lawmakers insisting their party had been unfairly vilified for objecting to election results. Instead, they suggested that Democrats had failed to forcefully condemn violence in American cities last summer during periods of civil unrest. One Capitol Police officer who was injured while confronting rioters suffered a stroke and died a day later of natural causes. Miller denied that Trump had any involvement in the Defense Department's response, saying the men did not speak that day. “What is wrong is when individuals take to crime, violence and mob tactics,” said Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the committee’s top Republican.

In testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen sought to defend their response to the deadly insurrection.

The Justice Department hasn't responded to questions about whether Rosen was instructed not to answer questions about his conversations with Trump. Rosen testified Wednesday before a House panel examining the federal response to the deadly Jan. 6 riot by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Rosen insists the Justice Department “took appropriate precautions” ahead of the riot and put tactical teams and other elite units on standby. Rosen says Justice Department officials and federal law enforcement officials “moved with urgency” to assist the U.S. Capitol Police to clear the Capitol. Maloney says it's clear Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot.

Capitol Breach Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., listens during a House Oversight and Reform Committee regarding the on Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 12, 2021. Gosar called Babbitt “a young lady, a veteran, wrapped in an American flag that was killed in the U.S. Capitol.”House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney says former President Donald Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot. Rosen says Justice Department officials and federal law enforcement officials “moved with urgency” to assist the U.S. Capitol Police to clear the Capitol. Maloney says it's clear Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot. The top Republican on the panel, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, says Democrats “continue to demonize tens of millions of Americans who support President Trump."

Garland told the Senate Appropriations Committee that it has only been a “relatively short” period since the riot by supporters of President Donald Trump sought to overturn the results of the November election. It is not clear whether that means the pipe bombs were unrelated to the next day’s riot or were part of the riot planning. Rosen testified Wednesday before a House panel examining the federal response to the deadly Jan. 6 riot by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Maloney says it's clear Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot. The top Republican on the panel, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, says Democrats “continue to demonize tens of millions of Americans who support President Trump."

The former leaders of the Pentagon and Justice Department defended their response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, despite delayed deployment of troops.

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Latest on congressional testimony about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot (all times local):11 a.m.Former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen says he is “proud” of the Department of Justice's response to the Capitol insurrection. Rosen testified Wednesday before a House panel examining the federal response to the deadly Jan. 6 riot by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Rosen says Justice Department officials and federal law enforcement officials “moved with urgency” to assist the U.S. Capitol Police to clear the Capitol. Maloney says it's clear Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot. The top Republican on the panel, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, says Democrats “continue to demonize tens of millions of Americans who support President Trump."

Capitol Breach House Oversight and Reform Committee Ranking Member James Comer, R-Ky., speaks during a House Oversight and Reform Committee regarding the on Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 12, 2021. Miller's testimony amounts to the most thorough explanation of Pentagon actions after months of criticism that it took hours for the National Guard to arrive. Democrats intend to press Miller on why it took so long for the National Guard to arrive despite urgent plans for help. Miller says he authorized the deployment of 340 National Guard personnel, the total amount Walker had said would be necessary. In his opening statement, Miller says he believes Trump “encouraged the protesters" but declined to say if Trump bears responsibility.

Capitol Breach Officer Killed FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2021 file photo, an American flag flies at half-staff in remembrance of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick above the Capitol Building in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Latest on congressional testimony about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot (all times local):10:55 a.m.Former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller says criticism about the response from the military to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection “is unfounded.”Miller testified Wednesday at a House Oversight Committee hearing about the federal government’s response to the deadly riot by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Miller and other military officials have been criticized in the months following the riot, with congressional leaders and others questioning why it took hours for the National Guard to respond to the Capitol as the mob descended on the Capitol. Maloney says it's clear Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot. The top Republican on the panel, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, says Democrats “continue to demonize tens of millions of Americans who support President Trump.“

Capitol Breach Officer Killed FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2021 file photo, an American flag flies at half-staff in remembrance of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick above the Capitol Building in Washington. Maloney made the comments Wednesday as she opened a hearing with former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, both of whom were involved in the response. Maloney says it's clear Trump is responsible for the Capitol riot. Republicans immediately tried to change the subject of the hearing to protests in several cities over the last year in response to the death of George Floyd. The top Republican on the panel, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, says Democrats “continue to demonize tens of millions of Americans who support President Trump.“

A House hearing on the federal response to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has concluded after more than five hours of testimony that exposed stark partisan divisions.

Former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen won't answer questions from Congress about whether then-President Donald Trump instructed him to take any action to try to advance Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud. Rosen would not answer Wednesday in response to questions from Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia at a hearing on the deadly Capitol insurrection. Rosen was asked specifically whether Trump had asked or instructed him to take any action at the Department of Justice "to advance election fraud claims or to seek to overturn any part of the 2020 election results.”

The Associated Press obtained prepared remarks by former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen.

Sparks flew between Democrats on the House Oversight Committee and the Trump appointees.

Capitol Breach Defense Secretary FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2020, file photo, then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller speaks during a meeting at the Pentagon. Miller says he authorized the deployment of 340 National Guard personnel, the total amount Walker had said would be necessary. Miller served as a White House counterterrorism adviser under Trump before being tapped as acting defense secretary for the final months of the Trump administration. He replaced Mark Esper, who was fired as defense secretary after the election after being seen by Trump as insufficiently loyal. In his opening statement, though, Miller says he believes Trump “encouraged the protesters" but declines to say if Trump bears responsibility.

Republicans are seeking to rewrite the history of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

Two senior Trump administration officials plan to defend their actions during the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol when they appear before Congress, with former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller standing behind every decision he made that day. Miller will tell the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday that he was concerned before the insurrection that sending troops to the building could fan fears of a military coup and cause a repeat of the deadly Kent State shootings, according to a copy of prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press. Miller will be joined by former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, who is also testifying for the first time about the Justice Department's role in the run-up to the riot.

Former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller is set to testify that he was cautious about allowing military intervention during the siege on Jan. 6.

Ex-Deputy Atty. Gen. Jeffrey Rosen and ex-acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller will testify before a congressional panel examining the Capital insurrection.

Capitol Breach Defense Secretary FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2020, file photo, then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller speaks during a meeting at the Pentagon. Christopher Miller's testimony is aimed at defending the Pentagon's response to the chaos of the day and rebutting broad criticism that military forces were too slow to arrive even as pro-Trump rioters violently breached the building and stormed inside. The sessions have been characterized by finger-pointing by officials across agencies about missed intelligence, poor preparations and an inadequate law enforcement response. Miller's testimony will amount to the most thorough explanation of Pentagon actions after months of criticism that it took hours for the National Guard to arrive. In his remarks, he defends his resistance to a heavy military response as being shaped by public “hysteria” about the possibility of a military coup or concerns that the military might be used to help overturn the election results.

President Donald Trump's acting defense secretary during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots is defending his response to the attack.

Capitol Breach Security FILE - In this Jan. 6. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (John Minchillo)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Capitol Police force was hobbled by inadequate intelligence gathering ahead of the Jan. 6 siege, a watchdog says in a new internal report, alarming lawmakers who are concerned for their own safety amid rising threats against members of Congress. Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton will testify Monday in the first of three House hearings this week on what went wrong during the Jan. 6 insurrection. Many lawmakers are receiving threats and worry for their safety after the U.S. Capitol was so easily breached on Jan. 6 by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who wanted to overturn the election. All three were part of frantic meetings that day as Capitol Police begged for backup.

The Capitol Police force was hurt by inadequate intelligence gathering ahead of the January 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol.

Capitol Breach Plea Deals FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021 file photo, Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington. With riot cases flooding into Washington’s federal court, the Justice Department is under pressure to quickly resolve the least serious cases. Miller is expected to appear Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee alongside former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen in a hearing titled, “The Capitol Insurrection: Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions." It is one of several Jan. 6-related hearings scheduled for next week. Miller denied in a Vice News interview in March that the response was unduly slow, saying, “It comes back to understanding how the military works."

“If this plays out and somebody is attacking Americans [even] with a nonlethal weapon … we owe it to our folks that are out there,” said Christopher Miller.

As Congress pushes for a return to normalcy months after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, an internal report about the deadly siege is painting a dire picture of the Capitol Police’s ability to respond to threats against lawmakers.

New details from the deadly riot of Jan. 6 are in a previously undisclosed document prepared by the Pentagon for internal use.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to reporters after arriving on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at sea. Austin told sailors on the USS Nimitz Thursday that he hopes to avoid long ship deployments like the more than 10 months they just spent at sea. (AP Photo/Lolita Baldor)Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told sailors on the USS Nimitz Thursday that he hopes to avoid long ship deployments like the more than 10 months they just spent at sea. Standing in the ship's hangar bay, Austin said he will make a decision soon on whether to send a carrier back to the Middle East, where the Nimitz had been. The Nimitz’s lengthy deployment was largely due to decisions to keep it in the Middle East last year and this year to serve as a deterrent to Iran.

During the last two months of his tenure, former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller removed a number of longtime members from several defense policy, health, science and business boards and replaced many with loyalists of former President Donald Trump. And he ordered all committee members who were appointed by the defense secretary to resign no later than Feb. 16. In November, however, Trump appointed him to that same post, just days after firing then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper and putting Miller in the job. Miller appointed Tata to the Defense Policy Board on Jan. 19, his last full day on the job. AdOne new congressionally mandated commission is also being purged of the four members that Miller appointed in early January.

Michael Ellis, the recently installed general counsel at the National Security Agency, was placed on administrative leave Wednesday because his appointment is now the subject of an investigation by the Defense Department Inspector General, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Last week, acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller directed that the position be filled by Ellis, a last-minute move that quickly sparked criticism from Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday denounced the hire in a letter to Christopher Miller, the acting Defense Secretary under former President Trump. "The efforts to install him or 'burrow' him into a highly sensitive intelligence position 72 hours prior to the beginning of a new Administration manifest a disturbing disregard for our national security," Pelosi wrote. A spokesperson for the NSA said, "It's not our policy to comment on personnel issues."

Michael Ellis, the recently installed general counsel at the National Security Agency, was placed on administrative leave Wednesday because his appointment is now the subject of an investigation by the Defense Department Inspector General, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Last week, acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller directed that the position be filled by Ellis, a last-minute move that quickly sparked criticism from Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday denounced the hire in a letter to Christopher Miller, the acting Defense Secretary under former President Trump. "The efforts to install him or 'burrow' him into a highly sensitive intelligence position 72 hours prior to the beginning of a new Administration manifest a disturbing disregard for our national security," Pelosi wrote. A spokesperson for the NSA said, "It's not our policy to comment on personnel issues."

Rehearsal resumed not long afterward, accompanied by frequent passes by a helicopter patrolling the skies over the Capitol. Law enforcement officials said there was no threat to the public and the fire was not believed to be a threat to the inauguration. Lt. Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard, said such vetting “is standard” and that he was “not concerned about” insider threats in the Guard. The Associated Press obtained the “all concerned” message sent to all the National Guard troops coming to Washington. People involved in the rehearsal said security officials yelled “this is not a drill.”The lockdown was lifted about an hour later.

“If anybody is to be called a hostage taker, it is the South Korean government that has taken our more than $7 billion hostage under a futile pretext,” spokesman Ali Rabiei said. As the vessel's captain spoke to company security officials back in South Korea, armed Iranian troops stormed the tanker as an Iranian helicopter flew overhead, the official said. The crew included sailors from Indonesia, Myanmar, South Korea and Vietnam, according to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday it views Iran’s ship seizure “very gravely.”Foreign Ministry's spokesman Choi Young-sam said Iranian officials have assured South Korea that the ship’s crew were all safe. He said an Iran-based South Korean diplomat has been dispatched to the location of the detained ship.

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said Sunday he'd reversed his decision to bring the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz home from the Persian Gulf. He cited "recent threats" from Iran. The Nimitz has been patrolling Gulf waters since late November, but Miller said Friday he'd ordered the vessel to "transit directly home to complete a nearly 10-month deployment." "Due to the recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other U.S. government officials, I have ordered the USS Nimitz to halt its routine redeployment," he said. "The USS Nimitz will now remain on station in the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

WASHINGTON – Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Tuesday, meeting top leaders during the American troop withdrawal. The Pentagon said Miller met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in the country. There are now about 4,000 U.S. troops in the country, and military leaders say they will reach the 2,500 target on time. The Pentagon said the acting secretary met his military leaders to discuss the Taliban violence and the continuing U.S. mission there. He visited U.S. troops and military leaders at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath.

A U.S. official confirmed Saturday that the Pentagon has a plan for separating the National Security Agency and Cyber Command. In his letter to Miller, Smith said the Pentagon has not met conditions set by the 2017 defense bill for severing the NSA from Cyber Command. The notion of splitting NSA from Cyber Command goes back to the Obama administration, which proposed to elevate the status of Cyber Command by making it a unified military command, taking it from under the purview of U.S. Strategic Command. That move was approved by President Donald Trump in 2017, and it was foreseen that at some point Cyber Command would split away from the NSA, although such a move had strong opponents in Congress. It's not clear who the Trump administration might install as head of the NSA if it were split from Cyber Command before President-elect Joe Biden takes office Jan. 20.

FILE - This March 27, 2008 file photo shows the Pentagon in Washington. – President-elect Joe Biden's transition team expressed frustration Friday with the level of cooperation they're getting from political appointees at the Department of Defense, saying there has been “an abrupt halt in the already limited cooperation there." Yohannes Abraham, executive director of the transition, told reporters that Biden agency review teams at DOD learned Thursday of meetings “being pulled down" and immediately reported it. Abraham made it clear that Biden's transition team was not satisfied with that decision. “There have been many agencies and departments that have facilitated the exchange of info and meetings over the past few weeks,” Abraham said.

WASHINGTON – Tensions between President-elect Joe Biden's transition team and political appointees at the Pentagon erupted on Friday over acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller's abrupt decision Thursday to cancel transition team meetings with Pentagon officials for the rest of the year. But a spokesman for the Biden transition team said that no such mutual agreement had ever existed. "Let me be clear: there was no mutually agreed upon holiday break," transition spokesman Yohannes Abraham told reporters on Friday afternoon. Miller, however, insisted that at no time had the Pentagon "canceled or declined any interview" with Biden transition officials. Miller was named acting secretary of Defense on Nov. 9, after Trump abruptly fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

FILE - This March 27, 2008 file photo shows the Pentagon in Washington. – President-elect Joe Biden's transition team expressed frustration Friday with the level of cooperation they're getting from political appointees at the Department of Defense, saying there has been “an abrupt halt in the already limited cooperation there." Yohannes Abraham, executive director of the transition, told reporters that Biden agency review teams at DOD learned Thursday of meetings “being pulled down" and immediately reported it. Abraham made it clear that Biden's transition team was not satisfied with that decision. “There have been many agencies and departments that have facilitated the exchange of info and meetings over the past few weeks,” Abraham said.

The Pentagon has endorsed a new slate of initiatives to expand diversity within the ranks and reduce prejudice, including in recruiting, retention and professional development across the force. After extensive wrangling and debate, Esper this summer issued a directive that banned the display of the Confederate flag, without mentioning the word “ban” or that specific flag. Confederate flags, monuments and military base names became a national flashpoint in the weeks after Floyd's death. Ten major Army installations are named for Confederate Army officers, mostly senior generals, including Robert E. Lee. Among the 10 is Fort Benning, the namesake of Confederate Army Gen. Henry L. Benning, who was a leader of Georgia’s secessionist movement and an advocate of preserving slavery.

The Pentagon has authorized nearly 50 top civilian and military leaders to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks to prove to the shots are safe and effective. Indoor restaurant dining will continue to be barred under the new state health department order that takes effect Monday. Laura Kelly is expressing little concern over a smaller-than-expected second shipment of a coronavirus vaccine for the state. The state also reported total 2,341 COVID-19 deaths, adding 88 to the tally since Wednesday. ___BERN — The Swiss government is ordering the closure of restaurants, bars, cultural venues and sports facilities next week because of increasing coronavirus cases.

Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller told CBS senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge in his first network television interview that he's getting directly involved in the case. Miller said he hopes to provide help for K-2 veterans by January 20, 2021 by drafting an executive order for President Trump's consideration. Miller, who is working with the Veterans Affairs Department, said the executive order he drafted would add Uzbekistan to the toxic exposure registry, alongside Afghanistan. This would allow K-2 veterans, like Jackson and Miller, to access preventive screenings and financial support. Both Jackson and Wilson told CBS News they would support an executive order.

White House weighs executive order for veterans who served at toxic Uzbek base Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller has drafted an executive order after a CBS News investigation revealed new evidence of toxic exposure at a remote military base in Uzbekistan that was used after September 11. CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge, who spoke to Miller, has the details.

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool, File)KANSAS — A western Kansas mayor announced Tuesday that she is resigning, effective immediately, because of threats she has received after she publicly supported a mask mandate. Brian Kemp and Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey visited Savannah as the first four shots were administered to local health care workers. ___TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida’s largest hospital system said it was on track to immunize nearly 20,000 health care workers against COVID-19 as Gov. He traveled to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on Monday and was given the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine. Several health care workers at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in the eastern part of the state also received injections.

The vaccinations will be voluntary because the Pfizer vaccine initially is to be made available on an emergency use basis. The timing depends on when the FDA gives the go-ahead for distribution and use of the Pfizer vaccine. The initial 16 sites are:—Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, Texas. —Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. —Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda, Maryland (which will distribute to the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C).

Former Trump 2016 campaign officials Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie are among the 11 new members. WASHINGTON — Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller dismissed nine Defense Business Board members and replaced them with 11 new appointments on Friday, the latest shakeup in the Pentagon aimed at installing Trump loyalists. "However, board members receive reimbursement of travel and per diem during dates of travel for board business," the official added. Last month, the Pentagon elevated three Trump loyalists to powerful positions a day after the sudden termination of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Replacing Jen Stewart, the chief of staff to the Defense secretary, is Kash Patel, a member of the National Security Council.

FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2020, file photo Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller walks down the steps at the Pentagon during a ceremony welcoming in Washington. The Pentagon said in a statement that Miller, on Monday, Nov. 30, accepted the resignation of Christopher Maier, who had provided policy oversight of the military's counter-IS effort since March 2017. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)WASHINGTON – The civilian official overseeing the Pentagon's campaign to defeat the Islamic State group in the Middle East was forced to resign in the latest jolt to Pentagon leadership in the waning weeks of the Trump administration. The Pentagon said in a written statement that the acting defense secretary, Christopher Miller, on Monday accepted the resignation of Christopher Maier, who had provided policy oversight of the military's counter-IS effort since March 2017. The counter-IS campaign began during the Obama administration and in some respects was accelerated by Trump.

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon's acting defense secretary has made a rare visit to Somalia, a conflict-plagued nation in the Horn of Africa where American forces have been assisting in the fight against al-Qaida affiliate al-Shabab. Just hours after Miller's visit, the Somali government announced that a suicide bombing in Mogadishu killed at least seven people, and the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility. Trump is expected to order a withdrawal of most or all of the 700 U.S. troops based in Somalia before he leaves office Jan. 20. Miller has been in the Middle East and parts of north Africa this week on his first international trip as acting defense secretary. Miller, who previously headed the National Counterterrorism Center, has not been nominated by Trump for Senate confirmation as Pentagon chief.

WASHINGTON – A Pentagon official installed in a top policy job last week has tested positive for COVID-19, the Pentagon said Thursday, just days after he met with the Lithuanian defense minister, who had contracted the virus. Jonathan Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, said Anthony Tata, who is serving as the undersecretary of defense, was tested Thursday after learning that Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis had tested positive. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tested positive after attending an election night party at the White House. Others who were at the party also tested positive, including White House political director Brian Jack, former White House aide Healy Baumgardner and Trump campaign advisers David Bossie and Corey Lewandowski. The assistant commandant of the Marine Corps later also tested positive, and all the chiefs were forced to quarantine at home for at least 10 days.

Trump has refused to concede his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, who takes office Jan. 20, just five days after the troop withdrawals are to finish. Miller, who refused to take questions from reporters after reading a prepared statement before TV cameras at the Pentagon, said the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500, and in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500. It also runs counter to his guidance that troop withdrawals be based on the conditions on the ground, not a date on the calendar. He has accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of setting a timetable for troop withdrawals in Iraq and Afghanistan that worked against the achievement of military goals. Biden has sounded less absolute about troop withdrawal.

Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller speaks during a meeting with Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis at the Pentagon, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. “We support the Afghanistan peace process, and as part of it, we continue to adjust our presence,” Lungescu said. At least two government security troops were killed and four others wounded on Friday in a suicide car bomb attack in Kabul. Last week, Trump fired U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, installing three staunch loyalists in top defense jobs, with Miller, who mostly recently served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, as acting defense secretary. Esper had worked with military leaders to talk Trump out of complete troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Syria.

Flournoy, a politically moderate Pentagon veteran, is regarded by U.S. officials and political insiders as a top choice for President-elect Joe Bide to choose to head the Pentagon. Michele Flournoy, a politically moderate Pentagon veteran, is regarded by U.S. officials and political insiders as a top choice for the position. If confirmed, Flournoy would face a future that is expected to involve shrinking Pentagon budgets and potential military involvement in the distribution of a coronavirus vaccine. She has been outspoken on American foreign and defense policy, particularly over the past year. The Defense Department is one of three Cabinet agencies — the others being Treasury and Veterans Affairs — that have never been led by a woman.

Esper also had worked with military leaders to talk Trump out of complete troop withdrawals from Syria and Afghanistan. And top military leaders — including Milley — are counseling patience and stability. But on other policy matters, Pentagon leaders saluted and marched forward. The abrupt personnel changes this week, however, have amped up the anxiety of civilian and military staff in the five-sided building. James Anderson, who had been acting undersecretary for policy, and Joseph Kernan, who was undersecretary for intelligence, both resigned Tuesday.

(Tom Williams/Pool via AP, File)WASHINGTON – A day after President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper, three staunch loyalists to the president were named to top defense jobs. Patel and Cohen-Watnick are both considered staunchly loyal to Trump and previously worked at the National Security Council. He also is a former prosecutor in the national security division of the Department of Justice and former staff member on the House Intelligence Committee. Cohen-Watnick was a protégé of Trump’s initial national security adviser, Michael Flynn, but was replaced in the summer of 2017 by Flynn’s successor, H.R. McMaster, as part of a string of shakeups at the White House and National Security Council.

President Donald Trump has fired Esper. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday, an unprecedented move by a president struggling to accept election defeat and angry at a Pentagon leader he believes wasn't loyal enough. I would like to thank him for his service.”In a letter to Trump, Esper referred to his efforts to keep the Pentagon apolitical -- a resistance that often angered Trump. Esper didn't thank Trump, but he also did not openly criticize the president or his policies. “President Trump’s decision to fire Secretary Esper out of spite is not just childish, it’s also reckless.”Former military leaders also weighed in.

(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday, an unprecedented move by a president struggling to accept election defeat and angry at a Pentagon leader he believes wasn't loyal enough. Miller has most recently served as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center and before that was a deputy assistant Defense Secretary and top adviser to Trump on counterterrorism issues. Since the creation of the Defense Department and the position of defense secretary in 1947, the only three presidents to lose election for a second term — Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Did you call him ‘Yesper?’” Trump said, in what appeared to be an allusion to suggestions that Esper was a yes man for the president. Asked if he was considering firing Esper, Trump said, “At some point, that’s what happens.”

(Greg Nash/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON WASHINGTON (AP) Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley says he is blocking two Trump administration nominees until the White House provides adequate reasons for the termination of two inspectors general. Grassley has been seeking answers on President Donald Trump's recent firings of several inspectors general, including Michael Atkinson, inspector general for the intelligence community, and State Department Inspector General Steve Linick. Atkinson, who was fired as intelligence community inspector general in April, advanced a whistleblower complaint that resulted in the presidents impeachment. A 2008 law requires the president to provide Congress with a written explanation at least 30 days prior to removing an inspector general. The law is intended to prevent politically motivated terminations, although there is little Congress can do to block an IGs firing.