American special operations forces are ready to step up warfighting-readiness exercises with counterparts in the Philippines and other countries in Asia to further strengthen a security alliance and help deter a major conflict in the region, a US military official said Thursday.
Admiral Frank Bradley, commander of the US Special Operations Command, is in the Philippines after a trip to South Korea. He will then head to Japan for talks with military officials.
He is the latest American military top brass to visit key Asian allies in recent weeks to reassure them of Washington’s commitment to the region given the US preoccupation with the war in Iran .
Bradley’s command, which has about 80,000 personnel and is based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, undertakes the US military’s most sensitive and dangerous covert operations. The majority of his forces are deployed in more than 80 countries worldwide, Bradley said.
Russia believes the United States is deeply involved in Ukrainian attacks against it and has raised the issue with Washington, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in comments broadcast on Friday.
He said that the alleged US support included the supply of intelligence.
“We have submitted a series of questions to the State Department requesting comment, including on the matter of intelligence data and the fact that the U.S. is far more deeply involved in organizing and executing strikes deep within Russian territory against civilian targets. We await a response,” Lavrov told state TV.
No immediate comment was available from the US.
Donald Trump to give speech on crime and safety during New York visit
Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.
President Donald Trump plans to highlight his record on crime and safety during a visit to New York on Friday, pivoting to one of his strongest issues as he looks to boost Republicans in battleground races ahead of the November midterms.
Trump is visiting the Nassau County Police Academy in suburban Long Island, where the White House said he will release new FBI crime statistics showing a decrease in violent crime for 2025.
“President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. “Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump will always stand with our law enforcement officers and deliver safer American neighborhoods.”
Trump’s visit is aimed at boosting Republican candidates in closely contested races across his home state, but just how much his presence will help is in question as he faces lagging approval ratings and a deeply unpopular war in Iran with no end in sight.
Trump narrowly won Nassau County in 2024, flipping it for Republicans for the first time in more than two decades. It’s home to two Democratic House seats that Republicans now see as winnable this fall, and it’s home turf for Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, the Trump-endorsed Republican challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul.
In other developments:
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Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down a health insurance executive, is due in federal court on Friday for a hearing where he is expected to plead guilty to stalking or similar charges. There is more on the story here.
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The battle over the Kennedy Center’s future escalated Thursday as President Donald Trump’s allies on the board took new steps to commemorate him with physical changes to the iconic performing arts institution that could defy a federal court order.
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The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington began heading toward the Middle East as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.
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White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker is leaving the Trump administration in the coming weeks, Axios reported on Friday. The White House did not respond to a request for comment outside business hours. The report has not been independently verified.
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Tropical Storm Lala formed Thursday in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to become a hurricane while approaching the Big Island of Hawaii, where it could bring heavy rain and flooding this weekend, forecasters said. The storm is forecast to bring rain to the Hawaiian Islands starting late Friday as well as high winds and dangerous surf, the National Hurricane Center said.
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