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The Duffel Brief · the free edition, Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Vol. 15 · No. 134 · Monday, 9 November 2026

Pentagon

Hegseth asks staff to make next execution more like ‘The Running Man’

Pentagon says condemned prisoners could compete for freedom in televised death matches

Pete Hegseth picks wrong week to stop drinking

Pentagon confident U.S. will be ready for 2027 war with China by 2035

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Vol. 15 · No. 134

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Vol. 15 · No. 134 · Deployed worldwide

Monday

9 November 2026

2100 Zulu

Next edition Wednesday

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· Page 2

Trump gives Putin full control of US military

Filed · 1532

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he agreed to provide Vladimir Putin "full and ultimate control" over the entire U.S. military while he met privately with the Russian president earlier this week in Helsinki, Finland, sources confirmed today.

The joint international security agreement, which makes Putin commander-in-chief of the Russian and U.S. Armed Forces, was discussed during a closed-door meeting between the two world leaders with only translators present. After it was announced, many Congressional Republicans applauded the move.

“I have full and ultimate trust in the brilliant President Putin that he will use our brave men and women wisely,” Trump said. "I think the Russians will use our military against our real foes like the European Union, China, Canada, and that other country with the kangaroos and dingos. I don’t trust them.”

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