United States: Defence Department leadership supports new and existing defense contracts to grant the Army authority for weapon repairs with plans to decrease maintenance costs and speed through the elimination of manufacturer-only servicing requirements, as reported by Reuters. 

Boosting Operational Efficiency Through Self-Sufficiency 

A right-to-repair directive included in an April 30 memo signed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will improve Army maintenance processes while reducing dependence on original manufacturers and improving system operational effectiveness. 

Reducing Dependence on Major Contractors 

The government currently pays Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), Boeing Co (BA.N), and RTX Corp (RTX.N) contractors to use original equipment and expensive installers for part service while limiting military maintainers to obtain 3D printing and faster, cheaper installation in the field. 

The Army requests permission through this provision to perform maintenance while accessing necessary software, tools, and data without any intellectual property limitations blocking their access. 

Pentagon to seek 'Right to Repair' provisions in Army contracts https://t.co/dgl1jd7205

— Michelle (@saintsfanIL) May 1, 2025

“While preserving the intellectual capital of American industry,” according to Hegseth’s memo, the contracts should relax limits. 

Senator Warren Advocates for the Change 

Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts is leading demands for the right to repair provisions at the Pentagon as a Democratic Senator. 

“This reform means the Army will be more resilient in future wars, and it will end the days of soldiers being dependent on giant defense contractors charging billions and taking months and months to get the equipment they need to be repaired,” she said. 

The transformation represents a strategic move to quicken acquisition efficiency and modernization processes. The Pentagon received a request from Hegseth in March for software acquisition restructuring to gain access to broader commercial as well as nontraditional software vendors as the service seeks faster system modernization, as reported by Reuters. 

Looking Towards the Future: Enhancing Modernization 

This week Hegseth instructed the Army to make investments that should maximize long-range precision fires along with air and missile defense systems and cyber capabilities and electronic warfare systems and space countermeasures. 

United States: The Trump administration received a federal court order from Judge Brian Murphy on Wednesday to grant detention facility migrants at Guantanamo Bay the opportunity for safe communication before taking them to El Salvador or other international destinations, as reported by Reuters. 

Deportation to El Salvador Challenged 

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy granted this order when immigrants’ rights organizations demonstrated that the Trump administration breached his courtroom directive through its Department of Defense-run flight deportation of four Venezuelans in the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to El Salvador. 

Deportation to El Salvador Challenged 

In late March, Judge Brian Murphy issued a temporary restraining order and afterward converted it into an injunction that stopped Homeland Security from expediting removal flights to countries different from migrants’ homes without giving them a chance to express torture concerns or guarantee their safety. 

TRUMP IS A GENIUS!
Liberal Judge Murphy ordered DHS not to deport; so Trump turns it over to the DOD!

COURT CANNOT DICTATE MILITARY OPERATIONS!

It also includes a sworn declaration from a DHS official, who stated that every person deported after Murphy’s court order was sent… pic.twitter.com/pDD0zYlwPe

— TRUTH NOW ⭐️⭐️⭐️🗽 🎺 (@sxdoc) April 24, 2025

The Trump administration defended its actions before the judge since the injunction targeted only the U.S. Homeland Security Department overseeing ICE operations while the Department of Defense remained unaffected, as reported by Reuters. 

Legal Tensions Between Federal Agencies 

Justice Department officials characterized three out of four migrants as Tren de Aragua members before Defense Department personnel transferred them to El Salvador without consulting Homeland Security. 

United States: The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initiated polygraph testing as part of its effort to determine the leak origin within the law enforcement agency. 

“We can confirm the FBI has begun administering polygraph tests to identify the source of information leaks within the bureau,” the bureau’s public affairs office told Reuters in a statement. 

The Washington Post originated the story about the FBI conducting polygraph examinations even though they are officially known as “lie detector” tests. 

Trump Administration Targets Media Leaks 

The Trump administration launched its campaign to suppress journalistic leaks after Donald Trump returned to power in January. 

The U.S. Justice Department established new procedures during the past week that allow investigators to detect news media leaks by using journalist subpoenas and witness testimonies. 

BREAKING: The FBI has begun administering polygraph tests to employees to identify the source of leaks to media at the direction of Director Kash Patel. pic.twitter.com/2yvuwwpyDQ

— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) April 29, 2025

Pentagon Leaks Under Scrutiny 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced his intention to provide evidence supporting possible prosecutions of former senior advisors who lost their positions due to investigations of Pentagon media leaks to the Department of Justice after the probe finished. The investigation request memo from Hegseth permitted the use of polygraph tests while providing no definite scope of examination. 

Intelligence Director Vows Legal Action 

U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard declared in March to pursue recent intelligence agency leakers aggressively because unauthorized releases require legal action, as reported by Reuters. 

Gabbard declared two criminal intelligence referrals to the Department of Justice before revealing plans to file one more. 

Gabbard declared her readiness to cooperate with FBI and Justice Department investigations into prosecuting criminal leakers, who she called “criminals.”