| TRUMP TO IRAN: 'NO NUCLEAR AND STOP KILLING PROTESTERS': As President Donald Trump's "beautiful armada is floating beautifully toward Iran," as he described it to an Iowa audience this week, Trump is reportedly considering a major strike against Iran, given there has been little progress in talks with Tehran. Speaking to reporters last night at the red carpet premiere of the documentary Melania, Trump said he has been talking to Iran's leaders and plans to speak with them again. His message, he said, is twofold. "I told them two things. Number one, no nuclear. Number two, stop killing protesters. They're killing them by the thousands," Trump said. "You know I stopped 837 hangings two weeks ago, but they're going to have to do something." As the naval buildup continues, with the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its escort destroyers now in the Arabian Sea, Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday that the U.S. military is ready to salute smartly and carry out any orders from the president. "They have all the options to make a deal. They should not pursue nuclear capabilities," Hegseth said at yesterday's Cabinet session at the White House. "We will be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects of the War Department, just like we did this month [in Venezuela]." MULLING OPTIONS: Multiple media reports, citing unnamed U.S. officials, said Trump has been presented with an "expanded list of potential military options" which the New York Times noted includes possible raids by U.S. special operations forces inside Iran. The plans drawn up by the Pentagon include options designed to further degrade Iran's nuclear and missile facilities or weaken Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Times report. "The options go beyond the proposals that Mr. Trump was considering two weeks ago as a means of following through on his promise to stop the killing of protesters by Iranian government security forces and affiliated militias," the report said. Among the options is what the Wall Street Journal called "the big plan," which would target regime and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities in a large-scale bombing campaign. "Less-involved options include strikes on symbolic regime targets, allowing space for the bombings to ramp up if Iran doesn't agree to end its nuclear work, or options such as cyberattacks on Iranian banks or tougher sanctions," the Journal said, citing U.S. officials. In his Wednesday Truth Social post, Trump warned Iran's leaders, "The next attack will be far worse!" than last year's B-2 bombing of nuclear sites. "Don't make that happen again." So far, there's no indication Tehran is willing to accept any U.S. demands, which include ending all efforts to enrich uranium and giving up the more than 960 pounds of uranium already enriched to near-bomb-grade levels. That could be a problem considering much of Iran's stockpile is believed to be under the rubble left by the B-2 strikes in June. GETTING OUR SHIPS TOGETHER: Besides the aircraft carrier Lincoln, the U.S. has positioned at least eight other warships in the region. "We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn't have to use them," Trump said last night. Three destroyers, USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., USS Spruance, and USS Michael Murphy, are in the Arabian Sea near the mouth of the Gulf. Another U.S. destroyer, the USS Delbert D. Black, is in the Red Sea. Two other destroyers, the USS McFaul and the USS Mitscher, were near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to Washington Post reporter Dan Lamothe. A post on Truth Social cited a long list of attack and support planes that have been moved to the region in preparation for possible military action. The U.S. has also moved at least a dozen Air Force F-15E "Strike Eagle" attack planes to Jordan. "Satellite images show the jets are in the same spot at an air base in Jordan as they were in June 2025 during 'Operation Midnight Hammer,'" the New York Times reported. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Good Friday 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: President Trump's public schedule lists two events that are closed to the press, including an 11 a.m. session in which he's signing executive orders, something where Trump usually likes to spar with reporters. Trump answered a few questions from reporters on news of the day at last night's Kennedy Center premiere of the new Amazon documentary "Melania." However, at the White House yesterday, he uncharacteristically took no questions during or after his Cabinet meeting, nor at a later announcement on battling drug addiction. Why the sudden lower profile? SCRAMBLE TO AVERT MIDNIGHT SHUTDOWN: Trump was busy yesterday hammering out an agreement with Senate Democrats to prevent a partial shutdown of the government at midnight tonight, and by days end he signed a compromise that would pass five of six appropriations bills — including funding the Defense Department — while using a two-week continuing resolution to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded while new restrictions of ICE are debated. "Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan 'YES' Vote." "We need a uniform code of conduct for ICE, and all federal agents, just like state and local law enforcement have," Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who struck the deal with Trump, said on the Senate floor. "Masks must come off, and body cameras must stay on. Agents need to carry clear identification. The public deserves transparency, as it has always asked for with law enforcement." Schumer had hoped the Senate would give the compromise a quick vote last night, but Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) put a hold on the vote, expressing displeasure with House language repealing a new law that gives senators the ability to sue the government for millions of dollars if their personal or office data is accessed without their knowledge. The Senate is scheduled to reconvene today. "Hopefully, people will be of the spirit to try and get this done," said Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). PUTIN THE MERCIFUL? President Trump boasted at yesterday's Cabinet meeting that it only took a simple phone call for him to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a one-week bombing pause to give Ukrainian citizens a break as they deal with brutal cold, with temperatures plunging below zero. "Because of the cold, extreme cold …, I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week … And he agreed to do that. And I have to tell you, it was very nice," Trump said. "A lot of people said, 'Don't waste the call, you're not going to get that.' And he did it and we're very happy that they did it … and Ukraine, they didn't believe it but they were very happy about it because they are struggling badly." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Trump for what he called the "possibility" of providing security "for Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine from Russian strike." Meanwhile according the the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia fired 111 drones and one ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight, injuring at least three people. Ukraine's General Staff said on its Facebook page, "The zagarbniki [invaders] carried out 41 aviation strikes on the territory of Ukraine, dropping 123 controlled aviation bombs," and said the towns and village hit included "Gavrilivka, Pokrovsk Dnipropetrovsk region; Upper Tersa, Barvinivka, Vozdvizhivka, Kushugum, Malokaterinivka of the Zaporizhia region." It turns out that, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, Trump's request came days ago and only applied to the Ukrainian capital. "President Trump did indeed personally appeal to President Putin with a request to refrain from carrying out strikes on Kyiv for one week, until February 1, in order to create favorable conditions for holding negotiations," Peskov said, according to a post on X. TRUMP SAYS PUTIN AGREED TO PAUSE UKRAINE BOMBINGS FOR A WEEK AT HIS URGING THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Trump declares national emergency over Cuba's support for 'malign actors' Washington Examiner: Trump threatens Canada with 50% tariff in Gulfstream certification dispute Washington Examiner: Trump says Putin agreed to pause Ukraine bombings for a week at his urging Washington Examiner: UK and China establish 'more sophisticated' relationship that will stand 'test of history' as Starmer cozies up to Xi Washington Examiner: US special envoy to Greenland reveals key details on new deal Washington Examiner: Four takeaways from first Trump Cabinet meeting of the year Washington Examiner: Trump puts Noem in the doghouse at first Cabinet meeting of 2026 Washington Examiner: Trump says intel chief Gabbard at Georgia FBI raid to 'keep the election safe' Washington Examiner: RIP the 'rules-based international order' Washington Examiner: Opinion: In 2020, it was vilify and defund the police. In 2026, it's vilify and defund ICE Washington Examiner: Tom Rogan Opinion: Is the UAE really a superb ally? Washington Post: Russia's top diplomat rejects key part of deal to end war with Ukraine AP: Iranian protesters speak of hope and defiance as crackdown sweeps the country Washington Post: A U.S. letter opposed Iraqis' choice of prime minister. They went ahead anyway. Financial Times: Trump officials met group pushing Alberta independence from Canada Wall Street Journal: Ukraine Can No Longer Spare Its Youngest Soldiers from the Front Lines The Hill: Lockheed Martin to Quadruple Production of THAAD Missile Interceptors for Pentagon Air & Space Forces Magazine: Defense Primes 'Committed to the Dividend' but Pledge More Production Reuters: Taiwan completes first undersea trial for domestically made submarine Defense One: Lockheed CEO: Air Force RQ-170 Drones Used in Mission to Capture Maduro Breaking Defense: Army Eyes More HADES Jets, but Program Isn't 'Full Steam Ahead' Air & Space Forces Magazine: In Wake of Venezuela, Nonkinetic Effects 'at the Forefront of Everything We Do': Official Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Orders No-Notice Readiness Inspections to Hold Commanders to Account Defense News: US Air Force Looking for Contractors to Train Foreign Pilots DefenseScoop: US Africa Command Prioritizes Technology as 'an Enabler of African-Led Security' Air & Space Forces Magazine: Readiness Is ACC Commander's Top Priority, But Not His Sole Focus Federal News Network: Air Force Ends Hearings for SAP Appeals, Raising Due Process Questions Air & Space Forces Magazine: Space Command Puts 2-Star in Charge of New Office to Oversee HQ Move THE CALENDAR: FRIDAY | JANUARY 30 9 a.m. — Atlantic Council Eurasia Center virtual discussion: "How Russia Winter Warfare Strategy Targets Ukrainian Civilians," with Yulia Burmistenko, head of international affairs at DTEK; Ivan Fedorov, head of the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration; and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, senior director of the Atlantic Council Eurasia Center https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/how-russias-winter-warfare-strategy 9:15 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies summit: "Exploring Global AI Policy Priorities Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit," with French Ambassador to the U.S. Laurent Bill; Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Vinay Kwatra; Russ Headlee, senior bureau official in the State Department Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy; and Poornima Shenoy, U.S. representative for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry https://www.csis.org/events/exploring-global-ai-policy-priorities-ahead-india-ai-impact-summit 10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: "Reflections on Russia Nuclear Behavior: Doctrine vs. Reality," with Mark Schneider, senior analyst, National Institute for Public Policy; and Stephen Blank, non-resident senior fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/reflections-on-russias-nuclear-behavior 11 a.m. — Physicists Coalition for Nuclear Threat Reduction virtual discussion: "Assessing 80 Years of Diplomatic Efforts for Nuclear Disarmament: Marking the Legacy of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 1, 1946," with UN Undersecretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu; Patricia Lewis, former director of the U.N. Institute for Disarmament Research; Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Nonproliferation Program; and Zia Mian, co-director of Princeton University Program on Science and Global Security https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register 11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "North Korea in 2026: Intentions, Realities, and Response," with Patrick Cronin, Hudson Institute Asia-Pacific security chair; and Sydney Seiler, CSIS Korea Chair https://www.csis.org/events/impossible-state-live-podcast-north-korea-2026-intentions 12:45 p.m. 1957 E St. NW — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs Sigur Center for Asian Studies discussion: "Making Sense of Japan Defense Policy: Continuities, Changes, and Challenges," with Ryo Kiridori, research fellow, National Institute for Defense Studies; and Kuniko Ashizawa, professional lecturer, GWU Elliott School of International Affairs RSVP: [email protected] TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 3 9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: "Strategic Competition in an Unconstrained, Post-New START Treaty Environment," with testimony from retired Adm. Charles Richard, former commander, U.S. Strategic Command and incoming CEO of the Institute for Defense Analyses; Rose Gottemoeller, lecturer, Center for International Security and Cooperation and Hoover Institution research fellow at Stanford University; and Timothy Morrison, former deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute http://www.armed-services.senate.gov 10 a.m. 310 Cannon — House Homeland Security Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee hearing: "Frontline Defenders: How the Coast Guard Deployable Specialized Forces Combat Narcoterrorists and other Maritime Threats on the High Seas" http://homeland.house.gov 2:30 p.m. 419 Dirksen — Senate Foreign Relations Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism Subcommittee hearing: "Countering Terrorism in North Africa: Opportunities and Challenges," with testimony from Robert Palladino, senior bureau official in the State Department Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; and retired Army Lt. Col. Joel Borkert, deputy coordinator for programs and military coordination at the State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism http://foreign.senate.gov WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 4 10 a.m. — Foundation for Defense of Democracies virtual discussion: "Reimagining Mediterranean Security with Greek Minister for National Defense Nikos Dendias," with FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer https://www.fdd.org/events/2026/02/03/reimagining-mediterranean-security 2:30 p.m. 419 Dirksen — Senate Foreign Relations Europe and Regional Security Cooperation Subcommittee hearing: "A Pathway to European Energy Security," with testimony from Geoffrey Pyatt, senior managing director for energy and critical minerals, McLarty Associates and fellow at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center.; and Dan Byers, vice president of policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute, Washington, D.C. http://foreign.senate.gov TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 10 10 a.m. 310 Cannon — House Homeland Security Committee hearing: "Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security: ICE, CBP, and USCIS," with testimony from Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Rodney Scott, commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Joseph Edlow, director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services http://homeland.house.gov WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 113 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee hearing: "Senior Enlisted Leaders on Servicemember and Family Quality of Life," with testimony from Fleet Master Chief David Isom, senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer; Master Chief Petty Officer John Perryman; Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz; Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Wolfe; and Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna http://www.armed-services.senate.gov | | | | "I don't want to see anybody die. Even the people we're looking for. I don't want to see anybody die. And despite what people think of Tom Homan, I say a prayer every night that everybody goes home safe. This isn't good. But I think my conversations the last two and a half days are leading us to a safer community." | | Border Czar Tom Homan, speaking to reporters in Minneapolis Thursday |
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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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