| 'WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE BEING JAMMED': The Senate has postponed its holiday recess as negotiators worked through the weekend to try to nail down a deal on border security that would unlock emergency funds for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other pressing national security needs. But with the House already in recess until January, there's almost no chance the roadblock will be cleared before next year. "The bottom line here is we feel like we're being jammed. We're not anywhere close to a deal. It will go into next year," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on NBC's Meet the Press. "I've been talking to the people at the table. The White House got engaged five days ago. They sent over a supplemental with border security provisions that did nothing to change policy. We've been talking to them since September. Five days ago, they finally sat at this table." Negotiations appear to be centered on raising the standard for migrants to claim they have a "credible fear" of persecution in their home country, as well as expanding the detention and deportation of people judged to have entered the country illegally. "I have spoken with a number of the negotiators. They have been working hard this weekend. I am hopeful that we can reach a conclusion this coming week," Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said on CBS's Face the Nation. "I need to know the final deals, but I am likely to support this. LINDSEY GRAHAM SAYS SENATE 'NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE' TO REACHING BORDER DEAL THE TERRORIST THREAT: Much of the urgency expressed by Republicans has been supercharged by testimony from FBI Director Christopher Wray before the Senate Judiciary Committee two weeks ago, when under questioning from Graham he warned the terrorist threat against the U.S. has never been higher. "While there may have been times over the years where individual threats could have been higher here or there than where they might be right now, I've never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated all at exactly the same time," Wray testified. Asked by Graham if he would say that there are "multiple blinking red lights out there," Wray responded, "I see blinking lights everywhere I turn." The terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians and Israel's response has only inflamed the passions of America's enemies, Wray said. "I thought the threat was elevated before Oct. 7, but post-Oct. 7, you've seen a veritable rogues gallery of foreign terrorist organizations calling for attacks against us," he testified. "We are at an elevated threat environment, a heightened threat environment from foreign terrorist organizations, for a whole host of reasons. And obviously, their ability to exploit any port of entry, including our southwest border, is a source of concern." SENATE BORDER NEGOTIATORS MUST 'SWEETEN THE DEAL' TRUMP: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS 'POISONING THE BLOOD OF OUR COUNTRY': At a rally in New Hampshire on Saturday, former President Donald Trump promised a harsh crackdown on illegal immigration, including an end to allowing entry to asylum-seekers and a massive deportation program. "On my first day back in the White House, I will terminate every open borders policy of the Biden administration, stop the invasion of our southern border, and begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history," Trump said, asserting that terrorists are "pouring into our country." "Nobody is even looking at them. They just come in, and the crime is going to be tremendous — the terrorism is going to be," Trump said. "They're poisoning the blood of our country. That's what they have done. They poison. Mental institutions and prisons all over the world, not just in South America, not just the three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world, they're coming into our country, from Africa, from Asia, all over the world." "The former president would bring in place not these modest changes to asylum policy but radical and dramatic changes to immigration policy," said Coons on CBS, denouncing Trump's comments as "stunning, hateful, fascist rhetoric." A spokesman for the Biden campaign, Ammar Moussa, accused Trump of parroting dictators. "Donald Trump channeled his role models as he parroted Adolf Hitler, praised Kim Jong Un, and quoted Vladimir Putin while running for president on a promise to rule as a dictator and threaten American democracy." HISPANIC DEMOCRATS MEET WITH WHITE HOUSE ON BORDER DEAL AMID CONCERNS ABOUT GOP CONCESSIONS Good Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Conrad Hoyt. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn't work, shoot us an email and we'll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will take a holiday break beginning Friday, Dec. 22, and resume Jan. 2, 2024. While we're gone, you can still get the latest defense and national security news from the Washington Examiner here. Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue! HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown are in Israel, the latest U.S. officials to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant amid U.S. concerns about the high civilian death toll and the humanitarian crisis after more than two months of Israel's military campaign to wipe out Hamas in Gaza. "Wheels down in Tel Aviv," Austin posted on X, formerly Twitter. "I'll meet w/@yoavgallant, @IsraeliPM, & War Cabinet to reiterate America's ironclad commitment to Israel, discuss IDF ops to dismantle Hamas, & underscore the need to protect civilians from harm & enable the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza." Austin's visit comes as the global calls for a ceasefire grow lowder, with some of Israel's closest allies, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, joining the chorus. The Biden administration has made no secret of the fact it wants Israel to increase the precision of its war effort to begin to mitigate the impact on innocent civilians. "President Biden's been absolutely right to stand with Israel in the objective of ending the military threat from Hamas — no more Oct. 7s. But he's also right that how Israel conducts this operation, how the Netanyahu government conducts this operation is important," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said on ABC's This Week. "We see very loose rules of engagement, way looser than anything the United States would exercise. We would not drop a 2,000-pound bomb on a refugee camp to target a Hamas commander." BIDEN WEIGHS MOVE TO THE LEFT IN 2024 AMID OUTCRY ON ISRAEL AND BORDER RED SEA PATROLS: In stops in Bahrain and Qatar, Austin has been consulting with allies about the escalating attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Over the weekend, the U.S. Central Command reported that the U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS Carney shot down a wave of 14 drones fired at commercial ships in the Red Sea from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. This morning, the Carney responded to a distress call from the Motor Vehicle Swan Atlantic, a commercial cargo ship, which was attacked by "multiple projectiles." "These reckless and illegal attacks are an international problem that must be addressed," Austin said last week after consulting with British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps by phone. Austin was expected to announce a coalition of willing countries to protect shipping, but so far, there has been no word. NORTH KOREA FIRES ICBM: In its fifth long-range missile test of the year, North Korea fired two missiles, including an intercontinental ballistic missile with the range to strike anywhere in the U.S. The missile was launched on vertical trajectory, which resulted in it landing in the East Sea, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. The launch prompted urgent consultations between national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yong. "The national security advisors condemned the test, which is a flagrant violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," the White House said in a statement. "Sullivan reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan and the ROK." NATO PROVISION AIMED AT TRUMP: Tucked into the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House and Senate last week by wide bipartisan majorities, was a provision sponsored by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) that would prohibit any president from withdrawing from NATO without the Senate's advice and consent. "The Senate should maintain oversight on whether or not our nation withdraws from NATO. We must ensure we are protecting our national interests and protecting the security of our democratic allies," Rubio said in a statement. The law would require the approval of two-thirds of the Senate or separate legislation for a president to withdraw from the trans-Atlantic alliance and is aimed directly at former President Donald Trump. "We know, when he was president, Donald Trump attacked NATO. He weakened NATO. He called into question the purpose of NATO," Van Hollen said on CNN Friday. "So we just want to make sure that any president in the future cannot unilaterally decide to withdraw from NATO." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The RundownWashington Examiner: Senate GOP tries to slow down 'rushed' border talks as negotiations trudge on Washington Examiner: Lindsey Graham says Senate 'not anywhere close' to reaching border deal Washington Examiner: Senate border negotiators must 'sweeten the deal' Washington Examiner: Hispanic Democrats meet with White House on border deal amid concerns about GOP concessions Washington Examiner: Biden weighs move to the left in 2024 amid outcry on Israel and border Washington Examiner: Viktor Orban helps Russia and hurts America on Ukraine Washington Examiner: Putin warns Finland will have problems with Russia after being 'dragged into' NATO Washington Examiner: Putin floats possibility of Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich deals Washington Examiner: South Korea warns North Korea against possible nuclear attack Washington Examiner: Space Command reaches full operational capacity in Colorado Washington Examiner: Bernie Sanders could force vote to investigate Israel's 'indiscriminate bombing' of Gaza Washington Examiner: GOP senators call to defund UNRWA until proven no ties exist to anti-Israel extremism Washington Examiner: US stresses decreased war intensity to Israel as it continues push for Palestinian Authority to lead Gaza Washington Examiner: IDF accidentally kills three Israeli hostages in Gaza Washington Examiner: UN warns flooding Hamas tunnels could incur 'severe adverse human rights impacts' Washington Examiner: House investigation into military's Afghan withdrawal quietly makes inroads Washington Examiner: How American rescued by nonprofit group led to unprecedented war crimes charges Washington Examiner: Trump inflames worries with calls for revenge and 'retribution,' but there are limits Washington Examiner: Opinion: Why Iran is going on the offensive AP: Austin heads to Israel as US urges transition to a more targeted approach in Gaza New York Times: Netanyahu Vows To Keep Up Fight, Despite Criticism Bloomberg: Arab Divisions Hinder U.S. Efforts To Counter Houthi Ship Attacks AP: How the White House got involved in the border talks on Capitol Hill -- with Ukraine aid at stake AP: A gloomy mood hangs over Ukraine's soldiers as war with Russia grinds on AP: How the White House got involved in the border talks on Capitol Hill -- with Ukraine aid at stake Wall Street Journal: Hostage Deaths at Hands of Israeli Soldiers Raise Questions About War Strategy Washington Times: Increased Military Exercises With Pacific Allies Seek To Deter China, Top U.S. Admiral Says Reuters: Philippines' Marcos Says Tensions In South China Sea Have Increased South China Morning Post: I Wouldn't Say I'm Optimistic' About State of China Relations, Says US Ambassador to Beijing Nicholas Burns Washington Post: Blinken Denounces Hong Kong Government's Bounties On Overseas Activists Politico: Disorganized and Confusing': Lawmakers, Industry Rip Pentagon Plans for Drones Breaking Defense: 5 Companies in Early Running for Air Force's CCA Drone Wingmen Reuters: Russia Loads New Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Into Silo South Of Moscow Task & Purpose: Veteran Homelessness Grew by 7.4% in 2022 Air & Space Forces Magazine: WC-135 'Nuke-Sniffer' Fleet Upgrades Are Complete, USAF Says Air & Space Forces Magazine: Slow Down Armed Overwatch Until SOCOM Justifies Fleet, GAO Says Air & Space Forces Magazine: Shaw Airman Talks Cessna Pilot to Safety After 'Catastrophic' Emergency Forbes: RTX Promotion Of Chris Calio To CEO Is A Vote For Competence And Continuity CalendarMONDAY | DECEMBER 18 9 a.m. Tel Aviv, Israel — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin joint press conference with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events 10 a.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: "Possibilities and Perils of China's Presence in the Middle East," with Yu Jie, senior research fellow at Chatham House; William Figueroa, assistant professor at the University of Groningen; Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute; and Jake Werner, acting director of the Quincy Institute's East Asia Program https://quincyinst.org/event/possibilities-and-perils-of-chinas-presence 2 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion: "Getting on Track: Space and Airborne Sensors for Hypersonic Missile Defense," with John Hill, deputy assistant defense secretary for space and missile defense; Col. Alexander Rasmussen, chief of the tracking layer at the Space Development Agency; Richard Ritter, program executive for sensors, command and control at the Missile Defense Agency; and Ryan Tully, strategic forces lead for majority staff members of the House Armed Services Committee https://www.csis.org/events/getting-track-space-and-airborne-sensors 3:15 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: "The Future of U.S.-Finland Relations," with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen https://www.hudson.org/events/finnish-foreign-minister-elina-valtonen TUESDAY | DECEMBER 19 9 a.m. — Intelligence and National Security Alliance virtual discussion: "Open Source Intelligence and Analytic Tradecraft," with Linda Weissgold, former deputy CIA director for analysis, and Bishop Garrison, INSA vice president for policy https://www.insaonline.org/detail-pages/event 10 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: "Global Actors in the War in Israel and Gaza," with Tanvi Madan, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; Asli Aydintasbas, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center on the United States and Europe's Turkey Project; Angela Stent, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center on the United States and Europe; Patricia Kim, fellow at the Brookings Center for East Asia Policy Studies and the Brookings China Center; and Natan Sachs, senior fellow at the Brookings Center for Middle East Policy https://www.brookings.edu/events/global-actors 11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Alliance Under Trump 2," with Scott Snyder, director of the Council on Foreign Relations's Program on U.S.-Korea Policy, and Victor Cha, CSIS Korea chairman https://www.csis.org/events/impossible-state-live-podcast 11 a.m. — Government Executive Media Group virtual discussion: "Revolutionizing Defense: The DOD's Path Towards Cloud Modernization," with Rob Nolen, Defense Department senior principal solutions architect and chief technologist, and Raj Iyer, global head of public sector at ServiceNow https://events.govexec.com/enhancing-cloud-security-cloned 2 p.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: "The Israel-Hamas War and its Impact on Domestic and Foreign Policy," with Israeli President Isaac Herzog https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/president-isaac-herzog 3 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "After the Coup d'etat, what comes next?" with Niger Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine; Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, director of the CSIS Africa Program; and Cameron Hudson, nonresident senior associate at the CSIS Africa Program https://www.csis.org/events/after-coup-detat-what-comes-next WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 20 10 a.m. 419 Dirksen — Senate Foreign Relations Committee committee hearing: "The Future of Arms Control and Deterrence," with testimony from Bonnie Jenkins, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, and John Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy http://foreign.senate.gov | | | | "On my first day back in the White House, I will terminate every open borders policy of the Biden administration, stop the invasion of our southern border, and begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history." | | Former President Donald Trump at a rally in New Hampshire Saturday |
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