| CONFUSION, LACK OF COORDINATION, OVER EL PASO: What may have been an incursion from a Mexican drug cartel drone, or sources say, more likely, a mylar party balloon floating harmlessly over the skies over El Paso, Texas, triggered a high-tech response that resulted in massive confusion. Since neither the U.S. Northern Command, the Pentagon, nor the Department of Homeland Security has been very forthcoming with the sequence of events that led the FAA to take the drastic and unprecedented step of closing the airspace over El Paso — closing the airport, grounding medical evacuation flights, and stranding hundreds of traveling, we're left to piece together what happened from multiple media reports. Fox News, quoting a U.S. official, reported that last month, Secretary Pete Hegseth signed off on lending a high-tech counter-drone system that uses directed energy to deal with repeated incursions from Mexican drones near the border city of El Paso. Earlier this week, the platform was used to shoot down a suspected cartel drone, which, according to sources, turned out to be a "party balloon." The problem was that Border Patrol had failed to coordinate with the FAA, which they were supposed to do, at a meeting planned for later this month. When the FAA learned the weapon platform had been employed in airspace used by commercial air traffic, it immediately ordered a closure as a safety measure to last 10 days, until the date of the planned coordination meeting. Mass confusion ensued, leaving city and state officials, the U.S. military, and commercial airlines in the dark. The airspace was reopened after a few hours, but the episode exposed a shocking lack of basic communication and coordination on a serious matter of public safety. CUE THE OUTRAGE: To say the incident baffled and angered public officials would be to risk serious understatement. "This morning, one part of the Trump administration did something that caused another part of the Trump administration to shut down a large civilian commercial international airport," Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said in a statement. "The Armed Services Committee has yet to hear an explanation directly from the Department of Defense. This display of incompetence and lack of transparency to the public or congressional committees is troubling." "If press reporting is accurate, and a counter-unmanned aircraft system was used in the United States without proper coordination with civilian authorities, they owe an explanation to Congress and the public," Smith said. El Paso's mayor, Renard Johnson, was even more irate. "This unnecessary decision has caused chaos and confusion in the El Paso community," Johnson said at a news conference. "I want to be very, very clear that this should have never happened. You cannot restrict airspace over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, the hospitals, the community leadership. That failure to communicate is unacceptable." "These types of decisions have consequences. Medical evacuation flights were forced to divert to Las Cruces. All aviation operations were grounded, including emergency flights," he said. "El Paso is not just a dot on a map. We are a major, major city. We are. We are the sixth largest city in the state of Texas, and we are the 22nd largest city in the United States." STICKING TO THEIR STORY: In its few public statements, the FAA has insisted the use of the directed energy weapon against a suspected drone was a successful defense against a legitimate threat. "The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X. "The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted, and normal flights are resuming." Texas lawmakers are not buying it. "The information coming from the federal government does not add up," said Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), whose district includes El Paso. "I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation as to why this happened so suddenly and abruptly and was lifted so suddenly and abruptly." Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) has made a formal request for a briefing from the FAA on the incident, in the wake of reporting that suggested the abrupt closure may have been more about disagreements between the Pentagon and FAA about the testing of U.S. counter-drone weapons in the vicinity of civilian aircraft. "The airspace closure over El Paso triggered immediate chaos and confusion and cannot be dismissed as a minor misunderstanding," said Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), senior Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. "A ten-day shutdown of a major U.S. air corridor is an extraordinary step that demands a clear and consistent explanation. The conflicting accounts coming from different parts of the federal government only deepen public concern and raise serious questions about coordination and decision-making." CAUSE OF EL PASO AIRSPACE CLOSURE IN DISPUTE AS CONGRESS QUESTIONS CARTEL DRONE EXPLANATION Good Thursday 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 NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will not publish Monday, February 16 as we observe the Presidents Day federal holiday. HAPPENING TODAY: NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS MEET: The meeting of defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels wraps up today, after a brief one-day session, as the focus shifts tomorrow to the Munich Security Conference in Germany. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is scheduled to hold a news conference at 9 a.m. EST (3 p.m. CET), which will be livestreamed at nato.int. Pete Hegseth skipped the meeting with his NATO counterparts, and the U.S. was represented instead by Elbridge Colby, U.S. undersecretary of war for policy. When asked about the absence of a Cabinet member at the meeting, Rutte brushed it off, saying he understood NATO is not always America's top priority. "Of course, NATO is important, but they also have to work on the Western Hemisphere. They have to work on the Indo-Pacific. So, I totally accept that not always the most senior ministers can be here," Rutte said. "And Bridge Colby is a very important guy. He is the undersecretary of war. He is very much responsible for policy. We have become close friends, good friends, over the last 18 months. So, I'm very happy he's here, and we have the opportunity to engage with him." Rutte also warned the allies that they must do more to prepare for a future where America's role is greatly diminished. "We know that the United States has to take care, being the most powerful nation on Earth with the most powerful military, has to take care of multiple theatres at the same time," he said. "We see the rapid buildup of the Chinese armed forces and the challenges that presents when it comes to the Indo-Pacific." President Trump likes to boast that he got the NATO allies to all "pay" 5% of GDP for defense. The reality is that the 5% pledge is for all NATO members to spend 5% on defense by 2035, nine years from now. "Europe is stepping up, step by step, doing more to make sure that we are able in Europe here and together with Canada and the U.S. to take care of our defense," Rutte said, warning the U.S will "ultimately, over time," pivot away from Europe. "It's totally clear, it's totally acceptable. It's not new," Rutte said, while conceding Europe will always need a "strong presence" from the U.S. for its security, "not only nuclear as the ultimate guarantor of our freedom — the nuclear umbrella here in Europe from the U.S. — but also when it comes to the conventional forces." NATO ENHANCES MILITARY DEFENSE OF ARCTIC REGION AFTER AMICABLE MEETING WITH TRUMP IRAN: TRUMP 'INSISTS' TALKS CONTINUE: President Donald Trump didn't take any questions from reporters after his private meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House yesterday, but in a post on Truth Social, he said he is not ready to give up on the possibility of a new nuclear deal with Iran. "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference," Trump posted on Truth Social. "If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible." Citing Israeli media reports that Iran is refusing to include its ballistic missile program in the current round of negotiations, the Institute for the Study of War suggested Iran may be using the prospect of a future deal covering missiles as a bargaining chip in the nuclear talks. "Iran may be floating the possibility of talks about Iran's ballistic missile program in an effort to delay possible U.S. military action and extract concessions from the United States in nuclear negotiations," the ISW said in its latest analysis. "This signaling may also be intended to drag out the current talks by leaving open the possibility for discussions about other issues apart from the nuclear issue. Iran may calculate that continuing to reject any possibility of discussing its ballistic missile program with the United States could increase the risk of U.S. or Israeli military action against Iran." TRUMP PRESSES FOR IRAN DIPLOMACY IN MEETING WITH NETANYAHU ZELENSKY BRISTLES AT REPORT U.S. PUSHING FOR ELECTIONS: A report in the Financial Times that the Trump administration is pressuring Volodymyr Zelensky to hold presidential elections and a referendum on any peace deal with Russia by May 15 or risk U.S. losing security guarantees has the Ukrainian president in a lather. "They say that they want to do everything by June . . . so that the war ends," Zelensky said, citing the White House's desire to shift focus to the midterm elections in November. But in a post on X, the story's author, Christopher Miller, said in response to the FT article, Zelensky indicated he was blindsided by the demands. "This is the first time I am hearing about it. I first heard it from the Financial Times. Now I am hearing it for the second time from you," Zelensky told Miller, while insisting elections cannot be held until after a ceasefire and security guarantees are in place. "We move to elections when there are all the appropriate security guarantees," Zelensky said. "I said it very simply — establish a ceasefire, and there will be elections." Zelensky denied that the U.S. is "threatening to refuse security guarantees." "They do not link elections with security guarantees," he said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Cause of El Paso airspace closure in dispute as Congress questions cartel drone explanation Washington Examiner: Trump presses for Iran diplomacy in meeting with Netanyahu Washington Examiner: Netanyahu signs Israel onto Board of Peace in meeting with Marco Rubio Washington Examiner: NATO enhances military defense of Arctic region after amicable meeting with Trump Washington Examiner: China is already waging war on American soil Washington Examiner: Slotkin mocks 'good boy' Mike Johnson after failed DOJ indictment: 'Take a beat' Washington Examiner: Qatar and China revealed as top foreign spenders on American universities Washington Examiner: NATO enhances military defense of Arctic region after amicable meeting with Trump Washington Examiner: Tom Rogan Opinion: Pentagon relocates Havana Syndrome team, raising victim concerns Wall Street Journal: Pentagon Prepares Second Aircraft Carrier to Deploy to the Middle East Politico: US Signals Limited Military Pullback from Europe New York Times: US Brings Dozens of Foreign Military Chiefs to Washington AP: EU leaders meet to counter pressure from Russia, China and Trump Financial Times: Zelensky planning elections in Ukraine and vote on peace deal AP: Europe warily awaits Rubio at Munich Security Conference as Trump roils transatlantic ties AP: Deaths in Iran's crackdown on protests reach at least 7,000, activists say Air & Space Forces Magazine: F-35s Flying Toward Middle East as Trump Presses Iran for Nuclear Deal The War Zone: USAF Ready to Make All B-52s Nuclear-Capable, Load ICBMs with Multiple Warheads if Directed Washington Post: Trump orders Pentagon to buy coal power as the polluting fuel struggles to survive Defense News: US Navy on the Hunt for Strike Drones That Can Launch from Any Warship Defense One: Marines Will Use Air Force-Tailored Drone to Help Develop Its Robot Wingman Air & Space Forces Magazine: NASA Administrator Eyes Greater Collaboration with Pentagon Breaking Defense: A 'Shooter' as CYBERCOM Chief: Former Officials See Risks, Opportunity in Rudd's Nomination Air & Space Forces Magazine: Where Things Stand with Every Planned V-22 Fix Air & Space Forces Magazine: Comms Problems Hold Up C-130J Deliveries Task & Purpose: Recruits Will No Longer Need a REAL ID to Fly to Basic Training AP: Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych out of Winter Olympics over banned helmet honoring war dead THE CALENDAR: THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 12 9 a.m. EST (3 p.m. CET) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte holds closing press conference nato.int 9 a.m. Women Foreign Policy Group virtual discussion: "Greenland: Examining Arctic Geopolitics and the Transatlantic Relationship," with Sherri Goodman, fellow, Atlantic Council Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative and Transatlantic Security Initiative; Julia Nesheiwat, fellow, Atlantic Council Global Energy Center; Heather Conley, nonresident senior fellow, American Enterprise Institute; and Michelle Jamrisko, White House and national security editor at Bloomberg News https://wfpg.memberclicks.net/greenland#/ 9:30 a.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies virtual discussion: "Transatlantic Turbulence: What Next for Europe?" with Justin Frosini, SAIS Europe adjunct professor; Michael Plummer, SAIS Europe professor, international economics; and Nathalie Tocci, SAIS Europe professor, practice https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events 9:45 a.m. EST (3:45 p.m. CET) Brussels, Belgium — United Kingdom and Germany convene the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at NATO Headquarters, following a meeting of NATO defense ministers https://www.nato.int 11 a.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: "Deterring Aggression Against Taiwan," with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), chairman of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/congressman-john-moolenaar 12 p.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: "Will Carney Davos Speech Help Build a Better International Order?," with Canadian Ambassador to the U.N. David Lametti; and Zachary Paikin, deputy director, Quincy Institute Better Order Project and research fellow in the Quincy Institute Grand Strategy Program https://quincyinst.org/events/will-carneys-davos-speech 2 p.m. Government Executive Media Group Defense One virtual discussion: "From Skies to Seas: How Drones are Reshaping the INDOPACOM Mission," with Ed Barnabas, vice president and Indo-Pacific chief technologist at Booz Allen https://events.defenseone.com/from-skies-to-seas 2 p.m. 37th and O Sts. NW — Georgetown University book discussion: Decoding Iran Foreign Policy, with author Ross Harrison, Middle East Institute senior fellow https://events.georgetown.edu/sfs/event/37010-book-talk FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 13 Munich, Germany — The 62nd Munich Security Conference at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof and Rosewood Munich, with nearly 50 heads of state and government attending. The conference runs through Sunday, February 15 https://securityconference.org/en/msc-2026/ 10 a.m. — Georgetown University Center for Jewish Civilization virtual discussion: "Israel and the Middle East: Understanding a Changing Strategic Landscape," with Ksenia Svetlava, executive director, Regional Organization for Peace, Economics and Security; and Hesham Youssef, senior adviser, European Institute of Peace https://events.georgetown.edu/event/37574-israel-and-the-middle-east 3:30 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "Golden Dome One Year In," with Melissa Dalton, nonresident senior adviser, CSIS Aerospace Security Project; Daniel Karbler, nonresident senior adviser, CSIS Missile Defense Project; Kari Bingen, director, CSIS Aerospace Security Project; and Tom Karako, director, CSIS Missile Defense Project https://www.csis.org/events/golden-dome-one-year WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 18 10 a.m. — Center for European Policy Analysis Zoom press briefing discussing two reports, "Ukraine 2036: How Today Investments Will Shape Tomorrow Security" and "Wartime Assistance to Ukraine." with Marianna Fakhurdinova, coordinator, EU–Ukraine Partnership Program, Transatlantic Dialogue Center; Uliana Movchan, Ax:son Johnson Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis; Kseniya Sotnikova, Ax:son Johnson Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis; and moderator: Elina Beketova, fellow, Democratic Resilience, Center for European Policy Analysis https://cepa.rsvpify.com/cepapressbriefingukraine TUESDAY | MARCH 3 226 Dirksen — Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: "Oversight of the Homeland Security Department," with testimony from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem http://judiciary.senate.gov WEDNESDAY | MARCH 4 10 a.m. 2154 Rayburn — House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing: "Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II," with testimony from Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) http://oversight.house.gov | | | | QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I think this year we actually have a good message to say which is now it's time to March out together to be pragmatic to be focused on the kind of flexible realism … that's based a partnership rather than dependency and really a return to what NATO was originally intended for." | | U.S. Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby, speaking at the meeting of NATO defense ministers on Thursday in Brussels |
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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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