The trial of James W. Fondren Jr., a retired USAF lieutenant colonel and former Pentagon civilian employee who is accused of passing classified information to Tai Shen Kuo, an agent of China, began Sept. 21 in US District Court in Alexandria, Va. The Examiner reports that convicted spy Kuo, a naturalized US citizen, testified against Fondren and that the prosecution introduced e-mails that showed Fondren knew the information he passed was classified and was going to the Chinese government. Fondren’s attorney has maintained Fondren did not know Kuo was a spy. (Justice Department release on Fondren’s indictment)
House lawmakers unveiled a new reconciliation package July 15 with $60 billion for defense, $290 billion less than the Pentagon has been seeking, a day after a Senate vote to advance the annual defense policy bill failed—developments that show the perilous state of the Pentagon’s ambitious plans for fiscal 2027.