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Lauren Toms

lmeier@washingtontimes.com

Lauren Toms is a national security reporter for The Washington Times, covering national security committees on Capitol Hill, foreign affairs, defense, and diplomacy. She began covering politics at CNN during the 2016 presidential election, working closely with the national security and justice teams, and later joined Axios as an editor specializing in international and military coverage.
Lauren holds a master's degree in U.S. law from Washington University in St. Louis school of law, and a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications from the George Washington University school of media and public affairs. She can be reached at ltoms@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Lauren Toms

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer is shown in this undated file photo. (Associated Press/File) **FILE**

Senate gives big backing to wide-ranging $750 billion defense policy bill

The Senate on Thursday pushed through a wide-ranging $750 billion budget for the Defense Department by a 86-8 margin, giving President Trump victories on the top-line spending and on backing for his proposed Space Force, while blocking the contentious sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey if Ankara goes through with a deal to buy a Russian air defense system.

June 27, 2019
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described the White House as "afflicted by mental retardation" on Tuesday. Mr. Rouhani and President Trump have been exchanging escalating rhetorical jabs at one another. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) **FILE**

House Democrats question Trump authority for war with Iran

A pair of Democrats on the House Foreign Relations Committee is demanding the State Department provide a legal explanation to cite the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to justify any military action against Iran.

June 26, 2019
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described the White House as "afflicted by mental retardation" on Tuesday. Mr. Rouhani and President Trump have been exchanging escalating rhetorical jabs at one another. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) **FILE**

Iran war fight snags Senate debate over massive defense bill

As President Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani exchanged escalating rhetorical jabs Tuesday, the Senate fell into a bitter divide of its own over a provision in a massive new defense authorization bill that would block any Pentagon money for Mr. Trump to start a war with Tehran unless Congress gave the green light.

June 25, 2019
FILE - In this April 2, 2019, file photo, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper speaks during a House Armed Services Committee budget hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump on June 18, named Esper as acting Defense Secretary. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Mark Esper reaffirms Pentagon direction, priorities

New acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday said he does not plan to make changes to the Defense Department as he gears up to receive the formal nomination from President Trump to permanently lead the Pentagon, according to a memo sent to the department and shared with reporters.

June 24, 2019
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban group's top political leader, second from left, arrives with other members of the Taliban delegation for talks in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, May 28, 2019. Baradar and a team of 14 Taliban are in Moscow where they are scheduled to meet other Afghans including former President Hamid Karzai and some of the candidates in the presidential elections. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Talks with Taliban said to focus on U.S. withdrawal schedule

Peace talks between the U.S. and Taliban are moving forward with a new round of talks focusing on a timeline for the ultimate withdrawal of U.S.-led forces out of Afghanistan, signaling new progress in the seventh-round of ongoing negotiations to end an 18-year war.

June 24, 2019
Protesters hold signs spelling out, 'No War' outside the White House, Thursday June 20, 2019, in Washington, after President Donald Trump tweeted that 'Iran made a very big mistake' by shooting down a U.S. surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz in Iran. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Liberal Hill caucus hits Trump’s handling of Iran crisis

The Congressional Progressive Caucus on Friday slammed the Trump administration's handling of escalating tensions with Iran after the president said he stopped a planned U.S. military strike against Iran 10 minutes before it was to be launched Thursday night.

June 21, 2019
In this March 20, 2018 file photo, President Donald Trump shows a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington. There is little enthusiasm among U.S. allies for Jared Kushner's planned Mideast conference at the end of June, 2019. The conference, presented as phase one of his long-awaited plan for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, has put pro-Western countries like Jordan and the Saudi Arabia in a difficult position. They can't afford to snub an invitation from their American benefactors but are wary of endorsing a plan that does not include Palestinian independence. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) **FILE**

House Democrats demand probe of U.S. arms deals to Saudis

A group of Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee has called for an investigation into the Trump administration's decision to invoke a "national security emergency" last month to skip a congressional review process for the sale of $8 billion of weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

June 21, 2019
Secretary of the Army Mark Esper speaks to soldiers and family members in Ft. Bragg, N.C., Monday, April 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) ** FILE **

Mark Esper tapped to replace Patrick Shanahan at Pentagon

President Trump on Tuesday tapped Army Secretary Mark T. Esper to lead the Pentagon at least temporarily after acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan abruptly withdrew his name from consideration to be the next permanent chief, saying the confirmation process is proving too difficult for his family.

June 18, 2019