Sean Parnell

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell issued a statement announcing the conclusion of the U.S. military mission in Iraq. The announcement was published by the U.S. Department of War and marks an official end to the American military mission in the country. Details on the timeline, the future of U.S. troops in Iraq, and the terms of any continued presence were not included in the statement itself, and reaction from Iraqi officials has not yet been reported.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is preparing to double cuts to generals and admirals as part of a major Pentagon restructuring, according to reports. Meanwhile, Hegseth said US forces will guard election computer systems during the midterms following changes to election monitoring, and senators are resisting his Army secretary nominee Sean Parnell, leaving the confirmation an uphill battle.