Connor O'Brien

Washington, D.C.

Senior Defense Reporter at POLITICO

Defense reporter covering Congress for @politico. Markup enthusiast. Self-described Huguenot. Send me your tips and sage grouse gifs: [email protected]

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Articles

How Congress could crush Trump's Qatari plane gift

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Joe Gould |Connor O'Brien

Lawmakers are weighing everything from sticking amendments in defense legislation to holding up nominees as they try to stop the president from accepting the foreign-owned aircraft. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One to begin his Middle East visit. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) | Getty Images President Donald Trump’s desire to accept a luxury jet from Qatar has hit political turbulence, scrambling the usual battle lines on Capitol Hill as lawmakers weigh action.
How Congress could crush Trump's Qatari plane gift

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Joe Gould |Connor O'Brien

11 hours agoSenate confirms Charles Kushner to become ambassador to FranceThe Senate on Monday confirmed the nomination of Charles Kushner to become the ambassador to France, cementing a family member of President Trump to …11 hours agoRep. LaMonica McIver charged with assault over ICE facility visitThe U.S. Attorney for New Jersey announced charges against Rep.
How Congress could crush Trump's Qatari plane gift

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Joe Gould |Connor O'Brien

President Donald Trump's desire to accept a luxury jet from Qatar has hit political turbulence, scrambling the usual battle lines on Capitol Hill as lawmakers weigh action. Trump's move is deeply unpopular — a gift for Democrats and a reckoning for Republicans. Critics, including within his own party and among MAGA allies, cite security risks, taxpayer costs and ethical concerns. Democrats are weighing tools to block the deal, such as sticking amendments into defense legislation to stymie it.
More calls and no deal on Ukraine talks

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Robbie Gramer |Connor O'Brien

Vladimir Putin told Russian media his call with Donald Trump was "very informative and very open and overall, in my opinion, very useful.” | Pool photo by Mikhail Metzel With help from Phelim Kine and Maggie MillerSubscribe here | | President DONALD TRUMP wants to make a deal. VLADIMIR PUTIN offered him a memo instead.
Former NASA chief: Trump's budget takes ‘a chainsaw and a meat-ax’ to space agency

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Connor O'Brien

Former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Thursday ripped President Donald Trump's proposed multi-billion-dollar cut to the space agency — arguing the administration is taking "a chainsaw and a meat-ax" to its mission. Nelson — a former Democratic senator who led the space agency during the Biden administration — issued strong warnings against gutting NASA's science budget at POLITICO’s Security Summit.
Republicans want Congress involved in Trump's Qatar jet push

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Connor O'Brien

GOP leaders, speaking at POLITICO’s Security Summit, highlighted ethical and financial concerns around the potential gift. POLITICO reporter Joe Gould and Sen. Deb Fischer speak at the POLITICO Security Summit on May 15, 2025.
Republicans want Congress involved in Trump's Qatar jet push

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Connor O'Brien

Senior Republican lawmakers Thursday insisted Congress should insert itself into President Donald Trump's push to accept a luxury jet from Qatar for use as Air Force One — piling on increasing GOP pushback about the cost and ethics of the gift. "I have some concerns about an aircraft coming to the United States from the Qataris, both from a security aspect ... [and] all the the questions too of accepting gifts from foreign governments," senior House Armed Services member Rep.
Trump’s free plane could cost taxpayers millions

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Joe Gould |Connor O'Brien

President Donald Trump insists he’s getting a “free, very expensive airplane” from Qatar’s royal family. But it’s not much of a gift for the American taxpayer. The Qatari Defense Ministry is talking to the White House about transferring the luxury-configured Boeing jet to the Pentagon, which would oversee its retrofitting into a makeshift Air Force One.
Will the real Iran policy stand up?

1 month ago | politico.com | Eric Bazail-Eimil |Connor O'Brien |Felicia Schwartz

President Donald Trump said Wednesday, “We haven’t made that decision yet,” as to whether Iran could enrich uranium for a civil nuclear program. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images With help from Nahal Toosi, Joe Gould and Daniel LippmanSubscribe here | | The Trump administration isn’t shying away from discussing the technical details of its desired nuclear deal with Tehran. But top officials are causing some confusion about where exactly the White House stands on enrichment.
Don't Forget! Today (5/1) Is The Deadline To File Annual Reports For Florida Entities

1 month ago | mondaq.com | Andrew Kelly |Connor O'Brien

Each year, all Florida corporations, limited liabilitycompanies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships(either domestic entities or foreign entities qualified to dobusiness in Florida) are required to file an annual report with theFlorida Department of State's Division of Corporations,together with the associated annual fee that varies based on thetype of entity.