Skip to main content

Newsletter

Sent Wednesdays

The Bunker

A cheat sheet for what you need to know about the Department of Defense, how we’re waging our wars, and how the Pentagon spends our taxpayer dollars. The Bunker is both pro-troop and pro-taxpayer. 

Written by

The Bunker logo, done in military stencil, in front of the Pentagon building

The Bunker: Arming the Heavens

This week in The Bunker: the Pentagon’s fledgling U.S. Space Force issues its marching orders on how to plan for war in space; the Defense Department backs tiny nuclear reactors to power its U.S. bases; the Pentagon declares victory in its battle to eradicate efforts to embrace diversity; and more. 

The Bunker: Keys to the Kingdom

This week in The Bunker: New Navy chief stunned over cost of new barracks compared to the luxury Hawaiian hotel his company built; White House’s mixed messages when it comes to retooling the Pentagon; land mines return; and more. 

The Bunker: The USS Diego Garcia

This week in The Bunker: The Pentagon has dispatched half of its operational B-2s to the Indian Ocean to keep Iran in check; SECDEF MIA on Ukraine; a new way to keep V-22s flying; and more.

The Bunker: Green All Over

This week in The Bunker: The U.S. push to swallow Greenland; the strange way the Air Force’s newest fighter became the F-47; the Signal snafu proves once again it’s not the initial stupidity that wreaks havoc but the fumbles that follow; and more.

The Bunker: Blowbacks

This week in The Bunker: There’s really only one way to make major cuts in the defense budget, but it’s hardly popular; U.S. allies are drifting away from the F-35 as the U.S. government drifts away from them; nuclear proliferation is on the rise, alas; and more.

The Bunker: Special no-Trump edition!

This week in The Bunker: The Pentagon, with Ukraine’s help, is seeking a better way to fight future wars; the Army wants to reduce the load its soldiers carry into battle; a Marine who dishonors the corps; and more. 

The Bunker: Reruns

This week in The Bunker: Trump’s plans to build an even Starrier Wars missile shield is pie-in-the-sky zany, but his ship-building push makes sense; erasing history has nothing to do with lethality; and more.

The Bunker: U.S. Pulls a 180

This week in The Bunker: In a breath-taking reversal of U.S. tradition and history, President Trump cuts Ukraine off at the knees and embraces Russia; why the Navy can’t build ships; Army endangers recruits; and more. 

The Bunker: The Caine Mutiny

This week in The Bunker: President Trump roils the Pentagon by purging generals for gaseous reasons; a new Navy shipbuilder wants to build a fleet filled with ghost sailors; another startup rachets up rhetoric as it assumes command of a major Army program; and more. 

The Bunker: Getting out (in front) of DOGE

This week in The Bunker: The Pentagon readies its non-sacred cows for Elon Musk’s DOGE marauders; fixed-price contracts are on the rise; Hegseth’s Braggadocio hype; and more. 

The Bunker: $200 billion more for the military?

This week in The Bunker: there’s a new push underway to fatten up an already-bloated Pentagon; the soaring costs of care for U.S. veterans (which should be included as part of the defense budget); the SECDEF’s new government-supplied house gets a $50K “emergency” coat of fresh paint; and more. 

The Bunker: Iron Dumb

This week in The Bunker:  The U.S. launches another futile effort to render itself invulnerable to “all” overseas aerial threats; latest actions by commander-in-chief petty officer; The Bunker turns five today!; and more. 

Oversight in your inbox

Weekly newsletter and updates

Hand holding a phone displaying POGO's Weekly Spotlight email on screen

Get the latest

Join our fight for a more effective and accountable government. Sign up for our Weekly Spotlight newsletter and occasional updates on POGO's work.

See our privacy policy

Oversight in your inbox

Join our fight for a more effective and accountable government. Sign up for our Weekly Spotlight newsletter and occasional updates on POGO's work.

See our privacy policy