The Pentagon says it's investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers in a video that called for U.S. troops to defy "illegal orders." The Pentagon's statement Monday cited a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other measures. Kelly said he "upheld" his oath to the Constitution and dismissed the Pentagon investigation as the work of "bullies." It's extraordinary for the Pentagon to directly threaten a sitting member of Congress with investigation.

The Tomahawk cruise missile has been in the U.S. military's inventory since the 1980s. While slow by missile standards, the cruise missile flies around 100 feet (about 30 meters) off the ground, making it harder to detect by defense systems. The missile also boasts an impressive range of around 1,000 miles and precision guidance systems that make it the go-to weapon for striking targets that are deep inland or in hostile territory. President Donald Trump has hinted that he might give Tomahawks to Ukraine, which could make a key difference for Kyiv in its war with Moscow. While the United States launched Tomahawk missiles almost exclusively from ships or submarines, Ukraine doesn't possess a Navy with ships capable of carrying the 20-foot-long missile.

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families because those in uniform are working without pay. While they would receive back pay once the impasse ends, many military families live paycheck to paycheck. During previous shutdowns, Congress passed legislation to ensure that troops kept earning their salaries. Time is running out before they miss their first paycheck in less than a week. Payday is supposed to be Wednesday, but the House isn't expected to be back until Monday. Support for military families is available through various nonprofits and charities. And some financial institutions are offering zero-interest loans. But families and advocates say that help can only do so much.

President Donald Trump is proposing using American cities as training grounds for the armed forces. He's suggesting U.S. military might be deployed against what he describes as the "invasion from within." Addressing military brass abruptly summoned to Virginia on Tuesday, Trump outlined a muscular and at times norm-shattering view of the military's role in domestic affairs. He was joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who declared an end to "woke" culture and announced new directives for troops that include "gender-neutral" or "male-level" standards for physical fitness. The messages underscored the Trump administration's efforts not only to reshape contemporary Pentagon culture but to enlist military resources in the president's priorities and in everyday American civic life.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War. Some of Trump's Republican supporters in Congress have proposed legislation to make the name change official. Without a change in law, Trump plans to authorize the Pentagon to use secondary titles. The Department of War was the original name from 1789 until it was changed in 1947, two years after World War II ended. Trump has expressed a preference for the original name, saying it "just sounded better."

A congressional investigation finds the Pentagon has funded research involving collaboration with Chinese entities linked to China's defense sector. Many of these entities are blacklisted by the U.S. government. The report by House Republicans on the Select Committee on China warns U.S. technological know-how is being diverted to modernize China's military. Friday's report highlights concerns about the Defense Department's research policies, which it says have allowed foreign adversaries to exploit American research. Committee Chairman Rep. John Moolenaar has proposed a bill to prohibit defense funding for projects involving problematic Chinese entities. Beijing has said science and tech cooperation is mutually beneficial and helps the two sides cope with global challenges.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is appearing to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary. His comments came Thursday during a hotly combative congressional hearing, where he refused to answer repeated questions about his use of a Signal chat to discuss military operations. Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee got into heated exchanges with Hegseth, demanding yes or no answers as he tried to avoid direct responses about his actions as Pentagon chief. Asked whether the Pentagon has plans to take Greenland or Panama by force if necessary, Hegseth responded that "our job at the Defense Department is to have plans for any contingency."

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says that most allies endorse President Donald Trump's demand that they invest 5% of gross domestic product on their security needs. Speaking Thursday after chairing a meeting of NATO defense ministers, Rutte said he has "total confidence that we will get there" by the next NATO summit in three weeks. The aim would be to spend 3.5% on defense budgets and an extra 1.5% on things like the roads, bridges, airfields and seaports needed to deploy armies more quickly. The ministers also approved purchasing targets to stock up on more weapons and military equipment to better defend Europe, the Arctic and North Atlantic.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending himself against a second assertion that he shared classified material through an unapproved and unsecured network. This time, taking airstrike information from a military communications channel and sharing it in a chat with his wife, his brother and others. Hegseth pulled the information he posted in the Signal chat from a secure communications channel used by U.S. Central Command. NBC News first reported that the launch times and bomb drop times of U.S. warplanes about to strike Houthi targets in Yemen were taken from communications used by what is known as CENTCOM. A person familiar with the chat confirmed that to The Associated Press.