Topic: National Security & Foreign Policy

News Roundup: Behind the Scenes at the Postal Service

September 17, 2020
The question of what has been going on at the U.S. Postal Service has been a subject of increasing concern as the election draws nearer and as Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s leadership remains mired in controversy.

DHS Records Regarding Florida County Governments Breached by Russian Intelligence in 2016

September 17, 2020
Records from the Department of Homeland Security in response to American Oversight's request for records to identify Florida county governments breached by Russian intelligence in 2016. The report issued by the Robert Mueller confirmed that the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Army was able to “gain access to the network of at least one Florida county government” in 2016, as part of a Russian effort to influence American elections that year. 

FOIA to USTR Seeking Communications Regarding Brazilian Assistance for Trump in U.S. Elections

September 15, 2020
FOIA request to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative seeking communications about President Trump’s request for election assistance from Brazil using ethanol tariffs.

FOIA to State Seeking Communications Regarding Brazilian Assistance for Trump in U.S. Elections

September 15, 2020
FOIA request to the Department of State seeking communications about Trump’s request for election assistance from Brazil using ethanol tariffs.

Rick Perry’s Energy Industry Connections and the Trump Administration’s Ukraine Policy

September 14, 2020
One of the “three amigos” running shadow Ukraine foreign policy, Perry helped push an energy deal that could benefit his associates, according to new reporting from ProPublica and Time.
(Photo: Gage Skidmore)

DHS Records Related to the Office for Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention

September 11, 2020
Records from the Department of Homeland Security in response to American Oversight's request for records demonstrating the structure, staffing, and funding for the newly announced Office for Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention. These records include memos and budget documents.

News Roundup: What Trump Knew, and What We Know

September 10, 2020
We’ve known for months that President Donald Trump has been downplaying the severity of the coronavirus. In the spring, we knew that Covid-19 wasn’t just like the seasonal flu, despite Trump’s reassurances that it was. And we’ve known that the pandemic won’t just “disappear,” no matter how many times the president insists it will.

In the Documents: The Trump Administration’s History of Anti-Immigrant PR Efforts

September 10, 2020
The Border Patrol’s recent video showing a migrant attacking a man after escaping authorities is just the latest in the efforts by the administration to tie illegal immigration to crime.

Investigations Update: Pompeo’s RNC Speech, DeJoy’s Calendars, and Kentucky’s Voter Fraud Task Force

September 9, 2020
See the latest in our investigations into the administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, Pompeo’s unprecedented convention appearance, the cost of Chad Wolf’s July trip to Portland, and more.

News Roundup: Sowing Confusion and Discord

September 3, 2020
The Trump administration is digging into its usual playbook of unsubstantiated claims and harmful messages.