menu_open Columnists
Ellen Mitchell

Ellen Mitchell

The Hill

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Vance trains with Navy SEALs: 'Feel like I got hit by a freight train'

Vice President Vance on Monday joined Navy SEALs in a beach workout that he said left him feeling like he “got hit by a freight train,” in a post...

24.12.2025 20

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Republicans reticent on removal of Maduro 

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Republicans...

24.12.2025 3

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Trump unveils ‘Golden Fleet’ class of Navy battleships named for himself

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Trump unveils...

23.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

China blasts US seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers: 'Grossly violates international law'

China on Monday accused the U.S. of violating international law in seizing oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela, appearing to take the side of...

23.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Putin aide contradicts Witkoff, calling Miami talks 'rather unconstructive'

A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday contradicted U.S. claims that three days of peace talks in Miami went well, calling several...

22.12.2025 3

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Miami talks don't look promising as Putin spurns compromise

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security   The Big Story Miami talks don't look promising as Putin...

20.12.2025 3

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

What will Trump's response be to deadly ISIS attack?

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security   The Big Story What will Trump's response be to deadly ISIS...

19.12.2025 4

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Senators hold Coast Guard admiral promotion over swastika, noose classification in policy manual

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) has placed a hold on the nomination of Adm. Kevin Lunday to serve as head of the Coast Guard after the service backtracked...

18.12.2025 40

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

As Pentagon escalates Kelly investigation, Senate GOP grows uneasy 

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story As Pentagon...

18.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

No Sept. 2 boat strike video release for you

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story No Sept. 2 boat...

17.12.2025 20

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

A deadly weekend attack in Syria

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story A deadly weekend...

16.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

A demilitarized zone in Ukraine? Zelensky appears open 

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story A demilitarized...

13.12.2025 6

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Zelensky appears open to demilitarized zone in lieu of territorial concessions

Ukraine included the establishment of a demilitarized zone in the Donbas region as part of its latest proposal to end its war with Russia, an apparent...

12.12.2025 4

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

General contradicts Trump on 'enemy within' during National Guard hearing

The head of U.S. Northern Command on Thursday contradicted President Trump’s assertion that an “invasion [from] within” or an “enemy within”...

12.12.2025 60

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Trump's National Guard deployments get Congressional scrutiny

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Trump's National...

12.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

General contradicts Trump on 'enemy within' during National Guard hearing

The head of U.S. Northern Command on Thursday contradicted President Trump’s assertion that an “invasion within” or an “enemy within”...

12.12.2025 50

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Trump escalates tensions with seized oil tanker near Venezuela

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Trump escalates...

11.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth, Bradley and the Venezuela boat strikes: Who is legally responsible?

Amid intensifying scrutiny over U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, questions are emerging over who in the Trump...

11.12.2025 8

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Senate Democrats press Navy secretary to drop Hegseth's probe of Sen. Mark Kelly

Every Democrat on the the Senate Armed Services Committee, with the exception of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), has expressed their “serious concerns”...

10.12.2025 5

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth highlights US-first national defense strategy

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday took the podium at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum to attack post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy,...

07.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

What's in Trump’s new national security strategy?

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story What's in...

06.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Marine dies in Camp Pendleton training exercise

A U.S. Marine died during a training exercise Wednesday at Camp Pendleton in Southern California, military officials said Thursday. Around 1:45 p.m....

05.12.2025 9

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

New details on boat strike on survivors after Navy commander briefs Congress

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story New details on...

05.12.2025 3

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth ousted Navy admiral who raised concerns about boat strikes

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked the four-star Navy admiral overseeing the U.S. military’s strikes against boats in the Caribbean to step down...

05.12.2025 400

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth in hot water again for endangering troops with Signal messages

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Hegseth in hot...

04.12.2025 7

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Navy admiral taking fall for Trump administration boat strikes, Dems say

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security   The Big Story Navy admiral taking fall for Trump...

03.12.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth in hot water amid fallout from boat strike

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Hegseth in hot...

02.12.2025 5

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Fears grow inside military over illegal orders after Hegseth authorized follow-up boat strike

There is an increasing apprehension among service members that they may be asked to carry out an illegal order, amid reports Defense Secretary Pete...

02.12.2025 400

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Who is Adm. Frank Bradley, commander who issued second boat strike order

The White House placed the decision to launch a second, follow-up Sept. 2 strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea at the feet of the...

02.12.2025 60

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

A 'targeted shooting' that has 2 National Guard members in critical condition

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story A 'targeted...

27.11.2025 3

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Retired general: 'Illegal orders' video 'an insult to our chain of command'

A retired Army general on Tuesday criticized Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and the other Democratic lawmakers who released a video last week urging...

26.11.2025 4

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth to travel to Dominican Republic amid US military buildup in Caribbean

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is traveling to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday to meet with his counterpart and Dominican...

26.11.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Pentagon goes after Mark Kelly 

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Pentagon goes...

25.11.2025 3

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Russia hawks not pleased with Trump plan for Ukraine

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Russia hawks not...

22.11.2025 20

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Coast Guard scrambles on swastika, noose symbol policy reversal

The Coast Guard is scrambling to insist it is not changing its policy after it was set to downgrade the swastika and noose to “potentially...

22.11.2025 60

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Dem leaders up in arms at Trump for touting death penalty for lawmakers

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Dem leaders up in...

21.11.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

US Army chief ‘optimistic’ as Trump, Zelensky expected to discuss 28-point peace plan

The White House says Army Secretary Dan Driscoll felt optimistic following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is now planning...

21.11.2025 4

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Trump's surprise 28-point Ukraine peace plan

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} View Online Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story ...

20.11.2025 20

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

How the government shutdown hurt military personnel

Hundreds of thousands of military personnel were set to return to work this week after the government shutdown ended Thursday following a historic 43...

16.11.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Largest US aircraft carrier reaches Latin American region

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Largest US...

12.11.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Trump meets Syria’s leader at White House in historic visit

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security   The Big Story Trump meets Syria’s leader at White House...

11.11.2025 40

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth unveils ‘agile’ weapons acquisition reform in speech to defense industry leaders

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday unveiled a sweeping overhaul to how the Pentagon buys weapons, a restructuring aimed at having the U.S....

08.11.2025 3

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth promises faster weapons buying with sweeping reforms

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Hegseth promises...

08.11.2025 20

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Hegseth jokes with Waltz about Signalgate: 'Too soon?'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth poked fun at Signalgate on Thursday, referencing the scandal earlier this year in which he shared sensitive military...

07.11.2025 2

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

GOP sinks Senate resolution to block potential strikes on Venezuela

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story GOP sinks Senate...

07.11.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Tuberville backs sending US troops into Nigeria to protect Christians

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said Wednesday that he would support President Trump should he follow through on his earlier threat to send U.S. troops...

06.11.2025 20

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

3 ways Dick Cheney shaped US foreign policy

Dick Cheney, who rose to become one of most powerful figures in American politics as the 46th vice president of the United States, made an indelible...

05.11.2025 2

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Trump’s military threats in Nigeria - what to know

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Trump’s military...

04.11.2025 4

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

Military families face food insecurity cliff amid shutdown, SNAP uncertainty

Thousands of military families who receive government benefits are facing a food insecurity cliff with uncertainty over funding for the Supplemental...

01.11.2025 40

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell

US strikes within Venezuela coming? Trump denies it.

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story US strikes within...

01.11.2025 10

The Hill

Ellen Mitchell