The photo that Jenine (Meryl Streep) observes on Senator Irving's (Tom Cruise's) office wall of him dressed as a young cadet is a still photo from Cruise's role in Taps (1981).
In an interview to the Variety magazine, Tom Cruise said he had made the film out of deep respect for Robert Redford's body of work, which he said had inspired him since Ordinary People (1980).
The state flag in Irving's office is Illinois.
The screenplay for this film was featured in the 2006 Blacklist; a list of the "most liked" unmade scripts of the year.
The combat patch worn by many of the special forces soldiers (including Lieutenant Colonel Falco) is from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which is garrisoned at Fort Irwin, California.