| LOOKING FOR AN OFF-RAMP: Whether President Donald Trump orders the massive build-up of military forces he has arrayed against Iran to take action may well hinge on the outcome of this week's next round of nuclear talks in Geneva. In response to a shouted question at a working breakfast with nation's governors at the White House Friday, Trump confirmed he is considering an initial limited military strike to increase pressure on Tehran to make, as the Wall Street Journal reported last week. "I guess I can say I am considering that." Trump said as reporters were ushered out of the room. In a Saturday interview with Fox News host Lara Trump, President Trump's special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said the president is "curious" why Iran doesn't just make a deal, and bring the standoff to a peaceful end. "Why haven't they capitulated? Why under this sort of pressure, with the amount of sea power, naval power, that we have over there, why they haven't come to us and said, we profess that we don't want a weapon?" Iran has said repeatedly it doesn't want a weapon, but it also doesn't want to give up its uranium enrichment program, which it insists is for peaceful generation of electricity through nuclear power plants. "They say that it's all about their civil program, and yet, they've been enriching well beyond the number that you need for civil nuclear. It's up to 60%. They are probably a week away from having industrial grade bomb making material, and that's really dangerous. So, we can't have that." ARAGHCHI: 'THE U.S. SIDE HAS NOT ASKED FOR ZERO ENRICHMENT.' While publicly Trump administration officials say any deal must include constraints on Iran's ballistic-missile program and an end of support for regional armed proxies, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the discussions have been limited to the nuclear issues, and don't require Iran to forsake nuclear power generation. "The U.S. side has not asked for zero enrichment," Araghchi said on MS Now in a Friday morning interview with Joe Scarborough. And in an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation Sunday, Araghchi expressed optimism that a"diplomatic solution, which is based on a win-win game … is at our reach." "Right now, we are negotiating only nuclear, and there is no other subject," Araghchi told CBS's Margaret Brennan. "We can agree on basic things, and we can make sure that Iran's program, nuclear program, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever, and at the same time more sanctions would be lifted." "We are trying to make it something which consists of elements which can accommodate both sides' concerns and interests," Araghchi said. "And I believe that, when we meet, probably this Thursday in Geneva, again, we can work on those elements and prepare a good text and come to a fast deal." JUST HAS TO BE BETTER THAN OBAMA'S DEAL: Top Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committees are urging Trump to hold his fire while diplomacy is given a real chance to resolve the showdown. "We strongly oppose preemptive U.S. military action against Iran, which endangers U.S. personnel and risks drawing Israel and Gulf partners into a wider conflict," Reps. Gregory Meeks D-NY), Adam Smith (D-WA), and Jim Himes (D-CT), said in a statement Friday. "Renewed talks with Tehran show that a diplomatic path remains open, which President Trump should not abandon for a short-term, unauthorized show of military force that leaves Americans less secure." Meanwhile the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), is pessimistic that Iran will come to terms in time to avert a military strike. "Here's the off-ramp. You have to end nuclear enrichment. You have to end [the] ballistic missile program. Stop having the ayatollah kill your people. Stop threatening the United States of America," Mast told Maria Bartiromo on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures program. "I don't think they will take that off-ramp. I think we end up using the capabilities of our two carrier battle groups that are in the region when that timeline hits to say, the threat to America comes to an end. It's destruction or diplomacy," Mast said. "It's one or the other. And I think they choose destruction." But on CNN, Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, said he thinks Trump is just as anxious for an off-ramp as Iran. "My sense is this administration thought of themselves as masters of the universe. All they need to do is threaten, put together an armada, and the Iranians would back down. It didn't work. And now they're kind of stuck," he told CNN's Fareed Zakaria. "I think we could see a situation where the administration defines success down, and we get some version of a nuclear deal. People will compare it to the one the Obama administration negotiated. The administration will claim it was better." "Maybe at most, a limited exchange of force," Haass said. "But my guess is this massive armada is not going to engage in a large, prolonged conflict. Neither side wants it." IRAN TALKS TO RESUME AFTER TRUMP GOES PUBLIC ON STRIKE OPTION 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 Keely Bastow. 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. You can follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE HAPPENING TODAY: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is scheduled to travel to Denver, Colorado, today, weather permitting, as he continues barnstorming the country with his "Arsenal of Freedom" tour aimed at "revitalizing" America's manufacturing might. Assuming he was able to beat the snow out of Washington, he plans to visit True Anomaly and Sierra Space, both companies that make space systems. "Our ability to project power, secure Peace Through Strength, and establish deterrence relies on the swift production and deployment of next-generation satellites, launch vehicles, and space-based assets," the Pentagon said in a statement. "The Arsenal of Freedom tour champions a radical new approach to defense acquisition, one built to win the space race, by prioritizing and awarding speed, innovation, and a "commercial-first" mindset." US PLAYING UNDICLOSED ROLE IN CARTEL RAID: The killing yesterday of a cartel leader, who was America's most wanted list by the Mexican army comes a month after the creation of a joint U.S.-Mexico task force, including U.S. troops from the U.S. Northern Command. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, died in a raid in which Mexican troops were attempting to capture him. Known as "El Mencho," the cartel leader had a $15 million U.S. bounty on his head, and was considered the country's most powerful drug lord. A U.S. defense official told the Washington Post, that the Mexican operation included participation from a newly established task force that "regularly works" with the Mexican military. The unit, known as Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, is designed to "to identify, disrupt, and dismantle cartel operations posing a threat to the United States along the U.S.-Mexico border," according to a news release from NORTHCOM. It is based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. It's not clear if any U.S. forces were on the ground for the raid, which resulted in a wave violence across Mexico from members of the New Generation Cartel. The release from NORTHCOM seemed to indicate the primary U.S. role in the task was to provide intelligence. MEXICAN SECURITY FORCES KILL LEADER OF JALISCO NEW GENERATION CARTEL 'EL MENCHO' TRUMP'S CURIOUS GREENLAND POST: Nobody seems to know what President Trump was thinking when he announced out of the blue Saturday that in response to some imaginary crisis in Greenland he was dispatching emergency medical assistance to the Arctic island. "Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there," Trump posted on Truth Social, adding "It's on the way!!!" The U.S. has two hospital ships, the USNS Mercy and the USNS Hope, but neither one is "on its way." Both of the ships are undergoing maintenance at the Alabama Shipyard in Mobile. And the Mercy, which was depicted in an image along with the post, is in dry dock. There is no urgent need for a U.S. hospital ship, according to the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen "I am grateful to live in a country where there is free and equal access to healthcare for everyone. Where it is not insurance coverage or personal wealth that determines whether you receive proper treatment," she posted on social media. "That will be 'no thanks' from us," Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote on his Facebook page: "President Trump's idea to send a US hospital ship here to Greenland has been duly noted. But we have a public health system where care is free for citizens." GREENLAND REJECTS TRUMP'S HOSPITAL SHIP: 'NO THANKS' THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Iran talks to resume after Trump goes public on strike option Washington Examiner: Inside the Trump administration's efforts to pressure Cuba's communist regime out Washington Examiner: Trump raises new 'worldwide tariff' to 15% in wake of 'anti-American' Supreme Court ruling Washington Examiner: Kim Jong Un declares 'everything has fundamentally changed' as world watches Workers' Party Congress for clues Washington Examiner: Greenland rejects Trump's hospital ship: 'No thanks' Washington Examiner: Army's first drone warfighter competition crowns winners Washington Examiner: Army to include foreign allies in online drone marketplace for soldiers and units Washington Examiner: Why the Trump administration is focused on the defense industrial base Washington Examiner: How ICE will dramatically expand immigrant detention in 2026 Washington Examiner: Detroit police officers suspended for contacting Border Patrol during traffic stops Washington Examiner: Mexican security forces kill leader of Jalisco New Generation Cartel 'El Mencho' Washington Examiner: What is this mysterious 'Discombobulator' that neutralized Venezuela's defenses? Washington Examiner: Opinion: The battle between Kari Lake and her Iran broadcasting critics Washington Examiner: Opinion: Trump's UFO order will mean videos and reports, but no alien cover-up Washington Examiner: Opinion: India's shift from Russia is a historic win for America Washington Examiner: Opinion: How the Iran deployment proves America is dangerously overstretched AP: Mexico fears more violence after army kills Jalisco cartel's powerful 'El Mencho' New York Times: Russia Attacks Ukraine Ahead of Invasion's 4th Anniversary New York Post: ISW analysis: Putin is Bluffing New York Times: Inside Iran's Preparations for War and Plans for Survival The War Zone: F-16s Heading to Middle East Equipped with Angry Kitten Electronic Warfare Pods New York Times: For Iran's Rulers, Refusing U.S. Demands Is a Risk Worth Taking Wall Street Journal: Iranian Protesters Recount the 'War Zone' That Left Thousands Dead Washington Post: U.S. officials struggle with how to spend $500B more on military Breaking Defense: Forthcoming U.S. Arm Sales Changes Leave Unanswered Questions Washington Post: After a deadly raid, an AI power struggle erupts at the Pentagon AP: U.S. Military Strikes Another Alleged Drug Boat in Eastern Pacific, Killing 3 DefenseScoop: Space Force's Role in Iran, Venezuela Raids Fueling Push for More Resources Wall Street Journal: The U.S. Is Hunting the Shadow Fleet. This Is What It's Up Against AP: Kim reelected to top post of North Korea's ruling party as it hails his nuclear buildup AP: New Dutch coalition government led by youngest premier has been sworn into office Breaking Defense: Air Force to Approve T-7 Trainer Production Within Days Air & Space Forces Magazine: DARPA's New X-Plane: Meet the X-68A LongShot Drone Air & Space Forces Magazine: DIU Eyes First Launch for Its Commercial Hypersonic Testbed Air & Space Forces Magazine: Life or Death Over Yemen: How 2 F-16 Pilots Survived a Houthi SAMbush Air & Space Forces Magazine: Last A-10 to Leave Depot, Maintenance Squadron to Deactivate Air & Space Forces Magazine: Boeing Adds Production Line to Boost Space Force's Missile Warning Push THE CALENDAR: MONDAY | FEBRUARY 23 11 a.m. — Center for the National Interest and the Nuclear Energy and National Security Coalition virtual discussion: "U.S.-Saudi Arabia Civil Nuclear Agreement: U.S. Interests and Priorities," with Robert Einhorn, senior fellow, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Initiative and the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, Brookings Institution; Daniel Poneman, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, Stephen Rademaker, Of Counsel, Covington & Burling, and Paul Saunders, president, Center for the National Interest https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ 3:30 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program virtual discussion: "Four Years of the War in Ukraine," with Michael Kimmage, Director, Kennan Institute; Max Bergmann, director, CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center; Marla Snegovaya, senior fellow, CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program; Hanna Notte, senior associate (non-resident), CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program; and Jason Paul "JP" Gresh, senior associate (non-resident), CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program https://www.csis.org/events/four-years-war-ukraine 3:30 p.m. Aurora, Colorado — Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium: "Integrated Superiority and Security: Aligning Spacepower and Airpower to Win," with Air Force Secretary Troy Meink; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman https://26ws.expotracker.net/index.aspx 7 pm. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: "Nuclear Threats and the Limits of International Law," with Anna Hood, University of Auckland associate professor; Marianna Hanson, co-chair, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons; Carrie McDougall, Melbourne University associate professor; Paul Davis, RAND Corporation adjunct principal researcher; Kazuko Hikawa, vice director, Nagasaki University Research Center for Nuclear Weapon Abolition; Andy Shichen Tian, founder and president of the Global Governance Institution; Peter Hayes, director, Nautilus Institute; and George Perkovich, senior fellow, CEIP Nuclear Policy Program https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2026/01/nuclear-threats TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 24 3:30 a.m. EST Brussels. Belgium — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte makes remarks at a ceremony at NATO headquarters marking the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine Livestream at https://www.nato.int/en 6 a.m. EST London, England — International Institute for Strategic Studies releases "The Military Balance 2026," with Douglas Barrie, IISS senior fellow for military aerospace; and Henry Boyd, IISS senior fellow for military capability and data assessment https://www.iiss.org/events/2026/02/the-military-balance-2026-launch/ 9:30 a.m. 216 Hart — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: "Rebuilding American Critical Minerals Supply Chains," with testimony from Michael Cadenazzi, assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy; and Acting Assistant Deputy Defense Secretary for Industrial Base Resilience Jeffrey Frankston https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-receive-testimony-on-rebuilding-american-critical-minerals-supply-chains 10 a.m. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: "Russia's War Against Ukraine: Four Years and Counting," with former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk, nonresident scholar, CEIP Russia and Eurasia Program; Eric Ciaramella, senior fellow, CEIP Russia and Eurasia Program; Alexandra Prokopenko, fellow, CEIP Russia Eurasia Center; and Aaron David Miller, senior fellow, CEIP American Statecraft Program https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2026/02/russias-war-against-ukraine 10 a.m. 2247 Rayburn — House Oversight and Government Reform Government Operations Subcommittee hearing: "An Update on DoD's Struggling Background Check System" https://oversight.house.gov/hearing/an-update-on-dods-struggling-background-check-system/ 10:30 a.m. Aurora, Colorado — Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium: "Integrated Superiority and Security: Aligning Spacepower and Airpower to Win," with Air Force Chief of Staff Kenneth Wilsbach https://26ws.expotracker.net/index.aspx 2 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee and Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee hearing: "Modernization of the Organic Industrial Base," with testimony from Brent Ingraham, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology; and Army Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, commanding officer, Army Materiel Command http://www.armedservices.house.gov 3 p.m. Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "Assessing the Scope and Impacts of Xi's Military Purges," with Sheena Chestnut Greitens, associate professor, University of Texas at Austin School of Public Affairs; John Culver, nonresident senior fellow, Brookings Institution China Center; Jon Czin, fellow, Brookings Institution's China Center; and Taylor Fravel, director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Security Studies Program https://www.csis.org/events/assessing-scope-and-impacts-xis-military-purges 9 p.m. House floor, U.S. Capitol — President Donald Trump delivers 2026 State of the Union Address to a joint meeting of Congress 10 p.m. — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) delivers the Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union Address 10:15 p.m. — Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) delivers the Democratic Spanish-language response to President Trump's State of the Union Address WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 25 10 a.m. 562 Dirksen — Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing: "The Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Projects, Programs, and Priorities," with testimony from Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works; and Lt. Gen. William Graham Jr., chief of engineers and commanding general, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers http://epw.senate.gov 5 p.m. 1521 16th St. NW — Institute of World Politics lecture: "Peace Through Strength: The Path Forward in Russia-Ukraine," with Gentry Beach, founder of America First Global; Glenn Corn, IWP faculty member; and James Robbins, IWP faculty member https://www.iwp.edu/events/peace-through-strength 8 p.m. — Jews United for Democracy and Justice virtual discussion: "What is the Endgame? U.S. Policy and the Future of Venezuela and Beyond," with Max Boot, senior fellow in national security studies, Council on Foreign Relations and contributor to the Washington Post; and Larry Diamond, senior fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies https://www.jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/blog/event THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 26 8 a.m. 1800 Presidents St., Reston, Va.— Potomac Officers Club GovCon Executive Leadership Summit discussion: "Digital Warfighters: The New Power Players in Defense Tech" www.potomacofficersclub.com/events/2026-govcon-executive-leadership-summit/ 8 a.m. 11493 Sunset Hills Rd., Reston, Va.— Government Executive Media Group forum: "Cybersecurity Futures: Built on Zero Trust," with William Streilein, former principal staff at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory and former inaugural chief technology officer, Defense Department Chief Digital and AI Office https://events.atarc.org/built-on-zt25/home/ 9 a.m. — Peterson Institute for International Economics virtual discussion: "Will Europe Ever Get its Defense Act Together?" with Cornelia Woll, professor of international political economy and president of the Hertie School, Berlin https://www.piie.com/events/2026/will-europe-ever-get-its-defense-act-together 9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on Mark Ditlevson to be assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs; and Brian Birdwell to be an assistant secretary of defense for sustainment. http://www.armed-services.senate.gov 5:30 p.m. 2300 N St. NW — Aspen Institute book discussion: Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World, with author Dennis Ross, Washington Institute for Near East Policy fellow https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/ FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 27 9:30 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW —Brookings Institution in-person and virtual discussion: "U.S. policy in a changing nuclear landscape," with Michael O'Hanlon, Philip H. Knight chair in Defense and Strategy, senior fellow and director, Talbott Center, Brookings; Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), ranking member, Armed Services Committee; Suzanne Maloney, vice president and director, foreign policy, Brookings; Tom Wright, senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; Andrew Yeo, SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies and senior fellow, Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies; Mara Karlin, visiting fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; Bruce Jones, senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; Caitlin Talmadge, nonresident senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; and Melanie Sisson, senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings https://connect.brookings.edu/register-to-watch-us-nuclear-landscape 9:30 a.m. 775 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Brookings Institution discussion: "U.S. Policy in a Changing Nuclear Landscape, with Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), Armed Services ranking member https://www.brookings.edu/events/us-policy-in-a-changing-nuclear-landscape ] 10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: "Nuclear Testing Explained: History, Risks, and the Road Ahead," with Henry Sokolski, executive director, Nonproliferation Policy Education Center; Don Cook, former deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration; and James Petrosky, NIDS president https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event 1 p.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: "Reporters at risk: Navigating Iran's internet blackout," with Holly Dagres, senior fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy; Nate Swanson, resident senior fellow and director, Atlantic Council Iran Strategy Project, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, Rafik Hairi Center and Middle East Programs; Adrienne Arsht, executive vice chair, Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative; and Andrew Peek, director, Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/reporters-at-risk-navigating-irans-internet-blackout/ QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Peace cannot be postponed. It is an urgent necessity that must find space in hearts and be translated into responsible decisions. For this reason, I firmly renew my appeal. May the weapons fall silent. May the bombings cease. May an immediate ceasefire be reached." Pope Leo XIV, in his weekly Vatican address, calling for an immediate end to the fighting in Ukraine after four years of war. | 
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