The D Brief: DOD firings on hold, for now; Acquisition-policy shift; More US-Russia talks; Air Force One, accelerating?; And a bit more.

Pentagon leaders have spent the week drawing up lists of civilian employees, as directed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in preparation for the kinds of mass firings that have recently slashed thousands of workers at other federal agencies. Multiple employees informed of the plans said the dismissals were to begin as early as today, Government Executive’s Eric Katz and Meghann Myers of Defense One report. But now the plan is on hold until “a more thorough review” is con