| 'THIS IS OUR HEMISPHERE': In a social media post Monday, the State Department distilled the "Donroe Doctrine" to a single sentence: "This is OUR Hemisphere, and President Trump will not allow our security to be threatened." The post on X came on the day deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro professed his innocence in a Manhattan courtroom, declaring he's been "kidnapped." President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela and that he was in charge of the South American country. His Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, Stephen Miller, asserted that Greenland was up for grabs and could become a U.S. territory at any time. "The United States should have Greenland as part of the United States," Miller said on CNN, laying out an expansive view of the "Trump corollary" to the 1823 Monroe Doctrine. "Nobody's going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland." "The Monroe Doctrine and the Trump Doctrine is all about securing the national interests of America," Miller said in a contentious back-and-forth with CNN anchor Jake Tapper. "The future of the free world, Jake, depends on America being able to assert ourselves and our interests without apology." "We're a superpower. And under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower," Miller said, defending the snatch mission that ended Maduro's rule, while suggesting that the future of Greenland would be "a conversation that we're going to have as a country … a process we're going to have as a community of nations." "It wouldn't be military action against Greenland," Miller said, seeming to suggest Denmark could be pressured to just hand over the Arctic Island to the U.S. "Greenland has a population of 30,000 people, Jake. The real question is, by what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim? What is their basis of having Greenland as a colony of Denmark? The United States is the power of NATO. For the United States to secure the Arctic region, to protect and defend NATO and NATO interests, obviously, Greenland should be part of the United States." PAUL SAYS TRUMP 'UNDER THE THRALL' OF GRAHAM AS PRESIDENT THREATENS SEVERAL COUNTRIES DANISH PM: SEIZING GREENLAND WOULD BE THE END OF NATO: Given that Denmark is a founding member of NATO, and that its bedrock principle is that attack against one is an attack against all, any attempt by the U.S. to simply assume control of Greenland against the wishes of Denmark would fracture the alliance, which would be faced with the prospect of going to war with the alliance's most powerful military force. "If the United States were to choose to attack another NATO country, then everything would come to an end," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in an interview with a Danish news channel. "The international community as we know it, democratic rules of the game, NATO, the world's strongest defensive alliance — all of that would collapse if one NATO country chose to attack another." "I have to say this very directly to the United States: It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland," Frederiksen said in a televised statement Sunday. "The United States has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Commonwealth. The Kingdom of Denmark — and thus Greenland — is part of NATO and is therefore covered by the alliance's security guarantee. We already have a defense agreement between the Kingdom and the United States today, which gives the United States wide access to Greenland." "I don't want to talk about Greenland now. I'll just say this. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and the European Union needs us to have it. And they know that," Trump told reporters on Air Force One Sunday, while complaining Denmark is not defending the strategic island from Chinese and Russian interference. "You know what Denmark did recently to boost up security in Greenland? They added one more dog sled. It's true. They thought that was a great move." TRUMP SIGNALS HE COULD TAKE ACTION ON CUBA, COLOMBIA, AND OTHER COUNTRIES AFTER VENEZUELA TRUMP INSISTS HE'S IN CHARGE OF VENEZUELA, BUT WE'RE NOT AT WAR: In a roughly 20-minute phone interview with NBC News yesterday. President Trump gave a one-word answer to the question of who's in charge in Venezuela: "Me." But he said he's delegated much of the responsibility to what he called a "group of all," which includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller, and Vice President J.D. Vance — who will help oversee America's involvement in Venezuela. "They have all expertise, different expertise," he said. Trump would not say if he had talked directly with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in Monday as Maduro's successor, but said that Rubio "speaks to her fluently in Spanish" and that their "relationship has been very strong." Trump did not rule out a second wave of attacks, even as he insisted the U.S. was not in a state of war with Venezuela. "No, we're not," Trump said. "We're at war with people that sell drugs. We're at war with people that empty their prisons into our country and empty their drug addicts and empty their mental institutions into our country." Trump said new elections could not be held until the country is "nursed back to health." "We have to fix the country first. You can't have an election. There's no way the people could even vote," he said. "It's going to take a period of time." Both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported that a classified CIA assessment concluded that, in the interest of stability, Rodríguez was the best choice to lead a temporary, transitional government. The Times also reported that opposition leader María Corina Machado's relationship with Trump officials had been "souring for months." EUROPE PUSHES VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION TO LEAD AS TRUMP SEEKS TO PUPPET MADURO'S VICE PRESIDENT Good Tuesday 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 Christopher Tremoglie. 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 HAPPENING TODAY: This is the fifth anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, the day an angry mob, having been told by President Trump that the 2020 election was about to be stolen from him, stormed the U.S. Capitol, engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police, and vandalized offices in an attempt to stop the certification of votes. There will be no official event to recognize what happened that day, as President Trump continues to argue that the election was rigged and he was the rightful winner. House Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to hang an official plaque honoring the police who defended the Capitol that was authorized by Congress. Democrats are holding an unofficial hearing to allow witnesses to the events of that day to testify, while President Trump will deliver remarks at a House GOP member retreat, which is listed on the White House schedule as happening at 10 a.m. at the "Trump Kennedy Center." Some 1,500 people were charged with federal crimes in the 2021 attack. All were pardoned by Trump on his first day back in office in January. DEMOCRATS TO RECONVENE JAN. 6 COMMITTEE ON FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF CAPITOL RIOT DISGRUNTLED DEMOCRATS: The so-called "Gang of Eight" split into two gangs of four after last night's classified briefing by Trump Cabinet members on the U.S. military operation that captured Nicolas Maduro — with Republicans voicing satisfaction and support for the president's unilateral action, and Democrats expressing dismay. "We are not at war, we do not have U.S. armed forces in Venezuela, and we are not occupying that country," House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said after the closed-door session, calling the operation "a decisive and justified action," and arguing it did not require congressional authorization. "This is not a regime change," he said. "This is a demand for change of behavior by a regime." While calling the military operation "remarkably successful," Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) bristled at the fact that Congress was kept in the dark. "I mean, the administration made no effort to tell anyone in Congress in advance," he said on CNN. "And imagine if the Congress woke up and it had gone wrong, and we hadn't even been [informed]." Himes said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unable to give a clear answer on what the next steps are, given that the repressive apparatus of the Maduro regime remains, minus Maduro. "Until we get in and empty the shark tank, all we've done is take the biggest shark out of the tank. And I just don't know what that gets you." "It's not so much a question of whether [Rubio] has the answers. No, he doesn't have the answers because he doesn't know what's going to happen tomorrow or the next day," Himes said. "What's really concerning is that he doesn't have a plan. And this is, of course, what hurt us in Iraq and Afghanistan, Libya, there's no plan for the day after." DEMOCRATS LEAVE VENEZUELA BRIEFING WARY OF FURTHER TRUMP UPHEAVAL ABROAD HEGSETH v. KELLY: War Secretary Pete Hegeth's campaign of retribution against decorated combat pilot and astronaut Sen. Mark Kelly took another turn yesterday with Hegseth, apparently unable to bring court martial proceedings, using his administration authority to try to bust Kelly down a rank, and thus reduce his military pension. Hegseth said Kelly — by taking part in a video that reminded U.S. troops of their statutory responsibility to refuse unlawful orders — engaged in "reckless and seditious" behavior "that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline." "The department has initiated retirement grade determination proceedings under 10 U.S.C. § 1370(f), with reduction in his retired grade resulting in a corresponding reduction in retired pay," Hegseth posted on social media. "To ensure this action, the Secretary of War has also issued a formal Letter of Censure." "Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn't like, they will come after them the same way. It's outrageous, and it is wrong," Kelly responded in a social media post of his own. "There is nothing more un-American than that. If Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country's history, thinks he can intimidate me with a censure or threats to demote me or prosecute me, he still doesn't get it," Kelly said. "I will fight this with everything I've got — not for myself, but to send a message back that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don't get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government." HEGSETH MOVES TO DEMOTE MARK KELLY AND ISSUES CENSURE OVER 'SEDITIOUS SIX' VIDEO THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Maduro pleads not guilty in New York on drug charges: 'I am a decent man' Washington Examiner: Hegseth says Trump 'sets the terms' for the future of Venezuela Washington Examiner: Hegseth moves to demote Mark Kelly and issues censure over 'seditious six' video Washington Examiner: Europe pushes Venezuelan opposition to lead as Trump seeks to puppet Maduro's vice president Washington Examiner: Democrats leave Venezuela briefing wary of further Trump upheaval abroad Washington Examiner: Johnson says all-member briefing on Venezuela operation to be held 'midweek' Washington Examiner: Paul says Trump 'under the thrall' of Graham as president threatens several countries Washington Examiner: Oil industry winners from Maduro capture Washington Examiner: Appropriators unveil three-bill package in bid to stave off shutdown 2.0 Washington Examiner: Trump signals he could take action on Cuba, Colombia, and other countries after Venezuela Washington Examiner: Opinion: Trump's righteous warning to Iran's leaders Washington Examiner: Opinion: Will Trump make Cuba the next Haiti or Puerto Rico? Washington Examiner: Opinion: The real 'international law' has always been that might makes right NBC: Trump says the U.S. isn't at war with Venezuela Wall Street Journal: Trump's Hint to Oil Executives Weeks Before Maduro Ouster: 'Get Ready' New York Times: Why Trump Refused to Back Venezuela's Machado: Fears of Chaos, and Fraying Ties Fox News: Maria Corina Machado: Maduro thought by banning me, he would stop us from winning New York Times: Venezuela's Machado Praises Trump in Fox News Interview Wall Street Journal: CIA Concluded Regime Loyalists Were Best Placed to Lead Venezuela After Maduro The Economist: Donald Trump's great Venezuelan oil gamble New York Times: After Venezuela, Trump Says Cuba Is 'Ready to Fall' Politico: Venezuela Operation Magnifies Pentagon's Shift West—and away from China AP: Progress for Ukraine talks in Paris uncertain with US focus on Venezuela and Greenland tension AP: North Korea Says Latest Tests Involve Hypersonic Weapons System Washington Post: Hegseth announces censure and potential demotion of Sen. Mark Kelly Air & Space Forces Magazine: F-22s Leave Caribbean as Trump Administration Maps Out Venezuela Strategy Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Signs $2 Billion Deal to Re-Engine Two B-52s for Testing Breaking Defense: With New Defense Business, Electra Pitches EL9 Plane as Pentagon 'Sprinter Van' Air & Space Forces Magazine: Vandenberg Explores More Launch Pads, Including One for Super Heavy Rockets Defense News: Space Warfare in 2026: A Pivotal Year for US Readiness Air & Space Forces Magazine: Procedural Failures, Poor Supervision Led to F-22 Maintainer Death: Report THE CALENDAR: TUESDAY | JANUARY 6 1 p.m.1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council in-person and virtual discussion: "The next chapter of transatlantic affairs," with Maxime Prevot, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, European affairs and development cooperation of the Kingdom of Belgium; and Jorn Fleck, senior director at the Atlantic Council's Europe Center https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/belgiums-foreign-minister WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 7 11 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and American Enterprise Institute virtual discussion: "Battlefield Lessons from Ukraine: Rethinking Defense Production," with Kori Schake, AEI director of foreign policy studies; William Greenwalt, AEI senior fellow; Mariano-Florentino "Tino" Cuellar, CEIP president; and Dara Massicot, senior fellow at the CEIP Russia and Eurasia Program https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/12/battlefield-lessons-from-ukraine THURSDAY | JANUARY 8 8:45 a.m. 11493 Sunset Hills Rd., Reston, Virginia — Naval Submarine League 43rd annual Symposium and Industry Update, with Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby; Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Director Adm. Bill Houston; Naval Submarine Forces Commander Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher; Naval Submarine Forces Commander Rear Adm. Rick Seif; Attack Submarines Program Executive Officer Rear Adm. Jon Rucker; Strategic Submarines Program Executive Officer Rear Adm. Todd Weeks https://navalsubleague.org/events/asiu 2 p.m. — Washington Institute for Near East Policy virtual forum: "Crisis Diplomacy in the Middle East: Insights from the Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden Teams," with former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; former Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS James Jeffrey, WINEP fellow; Robert Satloff, WINEP executive director; and former Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for the Middle East Dana Stroul, WINEP senior fellow https://washingtoninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register 3 p.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council event: "Cosmic coordination: Space diplomacy in an era of strategic competition," with Michael Overby, deputy director of space affairs at the State Department; Taylor Jordan, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Space Commerce; and United Arab Emirates Commercial Attache to the U.S. Jawaher Al Mheiri RSVP: [email protected] FRIDAY | JANUARY 9 7 p.m. 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW — Politics and Prose book discussion: Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th, with author Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press reporter https://politics-prose.com/mary-clare-jalonick FRIDAY | JANUARY 16 3 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave., NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies Defense and Security Department U.S. Naval Institute Maritime Security Dialogue in-person and virtual event: "The Status of the Force," with Vice Adm. Brendan McLane, commander, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet; retired Rear Adm. Raymond Spicer, chief executive officer and publisher, U.S. Naval Institute; and Jerry McGinn, director of CSIS Center for the Industrial Base https://www.csis.org/events/status-force-vadm-brendan-mclane | | | | QUOTE OF THE DAY: "If the United States were to choose to attack another NATO country, then everything would come to an end. The international community as we know it, democratic rules of the game, NATO, the world's strongest defensive alliance — all of that would collapse if one NATO country chose to attack another." | | Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in an interview with a Danish news channel, in reaction to President Donald Trump's repeated claims that the U.S. needs to acquire Greenland for its national security |
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Megyn Kelly -> Pete Hegseth responds to 2017 rape accusation. 🔥 vol. 3, issue 13 | December 6, 2024 Quick Hits All the news you need in...
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