The order directs the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance security for the execution of federal immigration laws and protection of federal property. It calls for the temporary deployment of at least 2,000 National Guard personnel for a duration of 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense. It also allows for the deployment of additional regular Armed Forces personnel as deemed necessary by the Secretary of Defense. [Editor's note: Lawfare provides a close reading of the directive, specifically what authority the National Guard will have (it may provide protection of federal agents and property, but cannot perform law enforcement) and the law and constitutional interpretation the order leans on.]

The order directs federal agencies to enhance the security of American airspace from potential threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones. A Federal Task Force, led by the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, is established to review and propose solutions to UAS threats. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is instructed to establish a process for restricting drone flights over fixed site facilities and to make national security assessments in coordination with relevant agencies. The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security are directed to ensure enforcement of laws against drone operators endangering public safety or violating airspace restrictions.

The order directs federal agencies to expedite the integration of drones, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), into the National Airspace System, scale up domestic production, and promote the export of American-made drone technologies. The Secretary of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is tasked with issuing rules and guidelines for routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations, implementing artificial intelligence tools to expedite UAS waiver applications, and publishing an updated roadmap for UAS integration. The aim is to strengthen the domestic drone sector and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

The U.S. Department of Defense is placing new restrictions on where journalists may roam within the Pentagon, unless accompanied by an approved DOD escort. The restricted areas include the offices of the Secretary of Defense, his aides, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In the memo announcing the new restrictions, the Secretary of Defense also announced that journalists would need to undergo a new credentialing process in the coming weeks.

The order directs federal agencies to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security purposes. It instructs the Department of Defense (DoD), specifically the Secretary of the Army, to establish a program for the use of nuclear energy and to begin operation of a nuclear reactor at a domestic military base by September 30, 2028. The Department of Energy (DoE) is directed to provide technical advice on the design, construction, and operation of these reactors, and to initiate the process for designating AI data centers as critical defense facilities. The order also aims to enhance the export of U.S. nuclear technology to allies and commercial partners.

The order directs federal agencies to revitalize the U.S. nuclear energy industrial base. The Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, is instructed to prepare a report with recommendations for supporting the management of spent nuclear fuel, developing advanced fuel cycle capabilities, and expanding domestic uranium conversion and enrichment capabilities. The order also emphasizes the need to secure civil nuclear supply chains and improve the efficiency of advanced nuclear reactors.

Waited to include this one in the list until it became official because surely it couldn't possibly become official, could it? It has and the Defense Department will get to work renovating the 'luxury' gift jet so that it can be flown as Air Force One.

This week a federal judge ordered that criminal trespassing charges be dropped on dozens of migrants caught along the border in New Mexico. The Trump II administration had declared a 60 foot strip of land along the border a military zone and that anyone caight there would be charged with trespassing on military property. The judge dismissed the charges because the migrants would have to know they were entering a restricted area beforehand, which prosecutors were unable to demonstrate.

Newly created "national defense areas" along New Mexico's border with Mexico is sowing confusion among immigrants, lawyers, and judges. The 60-foot wide strip of territory was declared a military defense zone by Trimp administration officials. Secretary of Defense Hegseth announced the new prosecutions in April.

The order directs Federal agencies, specifically the Department of Defense, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Homeland Security, to take appropriate actions to secure the southern border of the United States. This includes providing for the use and jurisdiction by the Department of Defense over necessary Federal lands for military activities, such as border-barrier construction and the emplacement of detection and monitoring equipment. The Secretary of the Interior is also directed to allow the Department of Defense to use portions of the Roosevelt Reservation and may make withdrawals, reservations, and restrictions of public lands to enable the Department of Defense to address the emergency at the southern border.

The head of a U.S. military base in Greenland was fired after she wrote and sent an email critical of Vice President Vance's comments during his visit to the base on March 31.

The order directs Federal agencies to modernize defense acquisitions and stimulate innovation within the defense industrial base. The Secretary of Defense is ordered to submit a plan for reforming the Department of Defense's acquisition processes within 60 days, prioritizing speed, flexibility, and execution. Furthermore, within 120 days, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and Component Acquisition Executives, is directed to develop a plan to reform, right-size, and train the acquisition workforce.

The order directs Federal agencies to revitalize and rebuild domestic maritime industries and workforce for national security and economic prosperity. The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), in coordination with the Secretaries of State, Defense, Commerce, Labor, Transportation, Homeland Security, the United States Trade Representative, and other relevant executive departments, is required to submit a Maritime Action Plan within 210 days. Additionally, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of Commerce, Transportation, and Homeland Security, is tasked with providing an assessment of investment options for the expansion of the Maritime Industrial Base within 180 days.

Trump Fires Top General, Other Leaders, Nominates New Joint Chiefs Chairman. General Brown, three top JAG officers, Chief of Naval Operations all out. Retired USAF General Dan Caine is the new nominee. Replacements for the others TBD.

Fox News Personality Pete Hegseth Picked to Lead Trump II DOD.