Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
President Trump Just Nominated the First African-American Woman For Marine Brigadier General
Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced this landmark move from President Trump. According to ABC News, Marine Corps Col. Lorna M. Mahlock would be the first African-American female to serve as Brigadier General if she is confirmed.
Currently, Mahlock is the Deputy Director of Operations, Plans, Policies and Operations Directorate at the Marine Corps’ headquarters in Washington D.C.
But this is a historic move. The Marine Corps has the fewest female service members of any branch, with women only making up eight percent of the Marine Corps.
Just last year, according to ABC News, the Marine Corps welcomed its first female infantry officer, and she was the first female to complete training for a military occupational specialty.
Congratulations to Mahlock on this historic nomination!
President Trump Tells Russia to “Get Ready” for U.S. Airstrike on Syria
After a Russian diplomat said that Russia would shoot down any American missiles that were fired at Syria, along with their launch sites, President Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to warn Russia to “get ready,” NBC News reports.
“Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!” Trump wrote.
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018
Following the chemical attack that took place in Syria on Saturday, Russia had warned the United States that military assets would be targeted if an attack was launched against Syria.
“If there is a strike by the Americans, then we refer to the statements of President [Vladimir] Putin and the chief of staff that the missiles will be downed and even the sources from which the missiles were fired,” Alexander Zasypkin, Russian ambassador to Lebanon, told Hezbollah's al-Manar TV.
Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, responded to Trump’s Twitter post, writing, “Smart missiles should be aimed at terrorists, not at the legitimate [Syrian] government that is fighting international terrorism on its territory.”
Zakharova also asked whether the U.S. was trying to sabotage the investigation on the suspected chemical attack. “Is that the actual plan — to cover up all evidence of this fabricated attack with smart missile strikes, so that international inspectors have no evidence to look for?” she asked.
Trump recently told reporters that all options were on the table in regards to the response to the Syrian chemical attack. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders reiterated the president’s remark on Wednesday. She defended Trump’s comments, saying that his tweets did not actually share explicit military actions. Sanders added that the president is withholding any sort of timeline on military action, and that his options are still open, with missiles being one of those options, NBC News reports.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters on Wednesday, “We are still assessing the intelligence — ourselves and our allies. We’re still working on this.”
CA Gov. Jerry Brown Says That He’ll Comply With the National Guard Order, With a Condition
California Governor Jerry Brown said that he will comply with President Trump’s National Guard order, saying he would accept federal funds to add hundreds of new members to the National Guard to support California’s “ongoing program to combat transnational crime,” The Huffington Post reports. However, he emphasized that these troops would not enforce any federal immigration policies.
Brown’s announcement comes after Trump ordered the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to work with governors to deploy National Guard troops to the southern border to assist with border patrol.
Brown, in a letter to Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, wrote that he would accept funding to increase the state guard by 400 troops, and only some of those troops would be sent to the southern border, with other troops being sent to the coast and other parts of the state, HuffPost reports.
“Let’s be crystal clear on the scope of this mission,” Brown wrote. “This will not be a mission to build a new wall. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. And the California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws.”
The California governor did not indicate how many national guard troops would be sent to the border, but his spokesperson told HuffPost, “The location of Guard personnel – and number specifically working in support of operations along the border, the coast and elsewhere in the state – will be dictated by the needs on the ground.”
There has been growing tensions between California and the Trump administration, however. Brown pointed out in his letter that the number of undocumented immigrants apprehended by border patrol is already the lowest that it has been in decades.
“Here are the facts: there is no massive wave of migrants pouring into California,” Brown wrote.
What to look out for...
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