Hegseth’s War Department Slashed Civilian Protection Staff, Brought in AI Assessments

Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon reduced staff at the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence from 40 to nine, eliminated a civilian harm records database, and introduced AI assessments for civilian casualty reviews. The cuts, confirmed by defense officials, have limited the center’s ability to investigate incidents like the February U.S. attack on an Iranian elementary school that killed over 150 people.