Defense Secretary Ash Carter this week admitted to using his private email account for work-related purposes, a move he said was “entirely my mistake; entirely on me.” Carter told reporters on Dec. 17 in Iraq that he never used his personal account for classified information. He said he used his iPhone to forward administrative messages to his office. The Pentagon on Friday released 34 pages of Carter’s emails, which largely included administrative tasks, and a five-page discussion of cyber?security. The emails released were from late April. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he plans to have the Senate Armed Services Committee investigate Carter’s use of personal email. “With all the public attention surrounding the improper use of personal email by other Administration officials, it is hard to believe that Secretary Carter would exercise the same error in judgment,” said McCain.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.