| TRUMP: 'WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!': President Donald Trump has never been a fan of NATO, viewing the 77-year-old alliance as a protection racket in which the U.S. gets little in return for spending billions to protect ungrateful allies. During his first term, Trump contemplated withdrawing from NATO, and now, during his second term, his frustration has boiled over as European allies rebuffed his entreaties to join a U.S.-led coalition to restore the free flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. "We no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance — WE NEVER DID!" Trump ranted in an angry sour grapes post on Truth Social. "I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us." Asked during an Oval Office St. Patrick's Day meeting with Ireland's prime minister, Trump was asked if he was rethinking the U.S. relationship with NATO and "possibly getting out," Trump replied. "I mean, it's certainly something that we should think about … but you know, when you say rethink, I'm not, I have nothing currently in mind." "I just think that it's not good for a partnership when they say, 'What you're doing is a great thing, but we're not going to help," Trump said. "And I'm disappointed in NATO, very disappointed." THERE'S A LAW ABOUT THAT: In 2023, when Trump was running for president for a third time, Congress, well aware of his antipathy for NATO, included a provision in the annual defense policy bill to prevent any future president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO. The bipartisan amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, authored by then-Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) law requires either a two-thirds Senate approval or a separate act of Congress to exit the treaty. But the constitutionality of the law is untested, and President Trump seems to believe — as he did with tariffs — that he alone has the power to make or break treaties. "I don't need Congress for that decision, as you probably know. I can make that decision myself," Trump said yesterday. "I work with some very smart people. And I'd always deal with Congress anyway, but I don't need Congress for that decision." Trump has reframed his request for ships to help in the Arabian Gulf as a test that the allies have failed. "This was a great test, because we don't need them, but they should have been there." While Trump says he thinks "NATO is making a very foolish mistake," Democrats in Congress say it's Trump who is alienating valuable allies who have fought and died alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Look, he's belittled and insulted all of those allies. He's threatened them, he's threatened Canada, he's threatened Denmark through Greenland. He constantly mocks them and insults them. I mean, that's not a recipe for a healthy relationship, no matter what is going on, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said on CNN last night. "I think we were headed in a bad direction." "It fundamentally changes it, and it weakens the most successful military alliance that the United States of America has ever been a part of, and that's a big problem." 'I HAVE NEVER HEARD HIM SO ANGRY IN MY LIFE': One of the key voices urging Trump to launch the war against Iran in conjunction with Israel was Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). But Graham is now channeling Trump's growing disenchantment with NATO, posting on X that after speaking to Trump yesterday, "I have never heard him so angry in my life. I share that anger given what's at stake." "The arrogance of our allies to suggest that Iran with a nuclear weapon is of little concern and that military action to stop the ayatollah from acquiring a nuclear bomb is our problem, not theirs, is beyond offensive," Graham wrote. "The European approach to containing the ayatollah's nuclear ambitions have proven to be a miserable failure. The repercussions of providing little assistance to keep the Strait of Hormuz functioning are going to be wide and deep for Europe and America." "I consider myself very forward-leaning on supporting alliances, however at a time of real testing like this, it makes me second guess the value of these alliances," Graham said. "I am certain I am not the only senator who feels this way." FRANCE WILL 'NEVER' AID IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ MILITARY OPERATIONS: EMMANUEL MACRON Good Wednesday 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 take a one-week spring break hiatus beginning Monday, March 30. We will return Monday, April 6. HAPPENING TODAY: In back-to-back hearings before the Senate and House intelligence committees today and tomorrow the nation's top intelligence officials will give their annual assessment of "Worldwide Threats." Testifying beginning at 10 a.m. will be Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, acting National Security Agency Director Lt. Gen. William Hartman, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. James Adams. Gabbard will lead off and will no doubt be asked about the resignation of Joe Kent as Trump's director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who, in a letter posted on X, wrote, "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby." In a post of her own on X, Gabbard said as commander in chief, Trump alone "is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary." "After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion." Both Democrats and Republicans have sharply criticized his views as anti-Semitic. "This is a guy who went on Nazi sympathizer podcasts. This is someone who has espoused pro-Kremlin talking points, thinks that Putin had some justification to go into Ukraine," Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) said on CNN. "He's not exactly the messenger here that I think we should be putting up, even if you agree with some of his points in the letter." Asked about Kent yesterday, Trump called him a "nice guy" who was " very weak on security." "I didn't know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy, Trump said. "But when I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat." JOE KENT, TRUMP'S COUNTERTERRORISM DIRECTOR, BECOMES FIRST ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TO RESIGN OVER IRAN WAR WHO'S IN CHARGE? Another likely line of questioning will be about who is running the war in Iran now that Ali Larijani, the Iranian security official who was believed to be the de facto leader, was killed in an Israeli strike Tuesday. And senators will be looking for some clarity about the status of the new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who some reports suggest was gravely wounded and secretly airlifted to Moscow to undergo surgery under the protection of Vladimir Putin. Khamenei, whose wife and son were killed in the opening hours of the war, has only been heard from in a written statement read over state television in his name. But his face has not been seen, nor his voice heard. Israel, meanwhile, continues its methodical campaign to assassinate all of Iran's senior leaders. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today the latest "elimination" was Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, killed in an Israeli strike overnight. WHAT ALI LARIJANI KILLING SAYS ABOUT THE STATE OF IRAN'S SENIOR LEADERSHIP ALSO TODAY: The House Armed Services Committee will hear from NATO's top commander and a senior Pentagon official on national security challenges in Europe. Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who is also U.S. European commander, will testify at 10 a.m. alongside Daniel Zimmerman, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. In testimony last week before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Grynkewich observed that the idea of bombing an enemy into submission rarely works, if it makes life more dangerous for innocent civilians. "What I've observed over the course of studying air power in history is that anytime you attack a civilian population, you usually end up finding that it just hardens their resolve. We take this all the way back to the London Blitz in World War II. The Brits just had a stiff upper lip and kept on fighting." Grynkewich was talking about Ukraine, not Iran. He also testified that "whatever is going on politically, military-to-military level, I can assure you that our relationship remains strong." THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: France will 'never' aid in Strait of Hormuz military operations: Emmanuel Macron Washington Examiner: Joe Kent, Trump's counterterrorism director, becomes first administration official to resign over Iran war Washington Examiner: Iran's leaders don't need to hide, envoy insists, despite MIA Khamenei and dead officials Washington Examiner: Iran says projectile hit nuclear power plant as IAEA chief urges 'maximum restraint' Washington Examiner: Two dead in Israel after Iranian missile attack near Tel Aviv Washington Examiner: Qatari state outlet Al Jazeera runs op-ed proclaiming US-Israel 'war strategy is working' Washington Examiner: Pentagon's 'Golden Dome' estimate increases by $10 billion to $185 billion Washington Examiner: Pentagon touts decreased drug movement in Western Hemisphere Washington Examiner: Texas Democrats and Republicans unite to block border wall in Big Bend National Park Washington Examiner: USS Gerald Ford heads to port for repairs after fire aboard aircraft carrier Washington Examiner: Opinion: What Ali Larijani killing says about the state of Iran's senior leadership Washington Examiner: Opinion: New report on Iran war shows Democrats and legacy media have been lying about US progress AP: About 90 ships cross the Strait of Hormuz as Iran exports millions of barrels of oil despite the war Washington Post: Israel urges Iranians to revolt but privately assesses they'll be 'slaughtered' New York Times: Trump's Next Decision: Whether to Retrieve Iran's Nuclear Fuel, Whatever the Risk Politico: Pentagon Says Lethal Boat Strikes Are 'Just the Beginning' in South, Central America Air & Space Forces Magazine: Defense Budget Release Weeks Away, but $1.5 Trillion Topline Faces Pushback Defense One: Record-Smashing $1.5-Trillion Spending Proposal Will Fund Only the 'Most Essential Things': Comptroller Wall Street Journal: Why Defense-Contractor Stocks Aren't Rallying Defense Scoop: DOD's Arsenal of LUCAS Drones 'in the Dozens' amid Their Combat Debut Air & Space Forces Magazine: F-47 Won't Be Available Until Mid-2030s, Top Lawmaker Says Breaking Defense: UK Defense Official: Boeing Has Been 'Troubled Partner' in Much Delayed E-7 Program Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Revisiting Production Goals for CCA with Eye Toward 'Scale' Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Scales Back B-52 Radar Upgrade Program, Plans New Engine Testing Breaking Defense: New Space Force Acquisition Portfolios Include Space Control, Orbital Warfare Air Force Times: SEAL Influencer David Goggins, 51, in Air Force Special Ops Training Air & Space Forces Magazine: Gen. John Shaud, Former AFA Boss and SHAPE Commander, Dies at 92 THE CALENDAR: WEDNESDAY | MARCH 18 9 a.m. 3351 Fairfax Dr., Arlington, Va. — National Defense Industrial Association Human Systems Conference panel discussion: "Human Side of AI Tools, Tutors, and Teammates" https://www.ndia.org/events/2026/3/17/human-systems-conference 9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — CrowdStrike Fal.Con Gov Conference: "Cybersecurity Is National Security," with U.S. National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross; Nick Andersen, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; and Defense CIO Kirsten Davies delivers closing keynote remarks https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/events/fal-con/gov/ 10 a.m. 216 Hart — Senate Intelligence Committee hearing: "Worldwide Threats," with testimony from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; FBI Director Kash Patel; acting National Security Agency Director Lt. Gen. William J. Hartman; and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. James Adams, testify http://intelligence.senate.gov 10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: "U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in Europe," with testimony from Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander, U.S. European Command; and Daniel Zimmerman, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs http://www.armedservices.house.gov 10 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: "War, Peace, and the Future of the U.S.-Israeli Relationship," with Yael Lempert, Middle East Institute vice president for outreach; Daniel Kurtzer, Princeton University professor of Middle East policy studies; Daniel Shapiro, fellow, Atlantic Council's Middle East Security Initiative; and Aaron David Miller, senior fellow, CEIP American Statecraft Program https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2026/03/war-peace-and-the-future 10 a.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW — Henry Stimson Center discussion: "New Frontiers for North Korean Surveillance and Repression," with Hanna Song, executive director, Database Center for North Korean Human Rights; Rose Adams, communications manager of Unification Media Group; Martyn Williams, senior fellow, Stimson Center and the Stimson Center's 38 North Program; and Jenny Town, senior fellow and director, Stimson Center's 38 North Program https://www.stimson.org/event/new-frontiers-for-north-korean-surveillance 10:30 a.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: "How spacepower is evolving to meet emerging challenges," with Maj. Gen. Samuel Keener, director of joint forces development and training in the U.S. Space Command; and Jennifer Reeves, senior resident fellow for spacepower studies at the Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center for Excellence https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events 10:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion: "Implementing a U.S. Cyber Force," with Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX); retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Ryan Heritage, commissioner, CSIS Commission on Cyber Force Generation; and Lauryn Williams, deputy director, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program https://www.csis.org/events/implementing-us-cyber-force 1 p.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual discussion: "Project Maven: Artificial Intelligence in Warfare," with Katrina Manson, reporter, Bloomberg and author, Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare; and Paul Scharre, executive vice president, Center for a New American Security https://www.cnas.org/events/project-maven 1 p.m. Washington Institute for Near East Policy virtual forum: "Great Power Competition During (and After) the Iran War," with Anna Borshchevskaya, WINEP senior fellow; Souhire Medini, WINEP visiting fellow; Grant Rumley, WINEP senior fellow; and Henry Tugendhat, WINEP fellow https://washingtoninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register 2 p.m. 2141 Rayburn — House Judiciary Committee Oversight Subcommittee hearing: "The Legal Basis for Action Against Venezuelan Drug Traffickers." http://judiciary.house.gov 3 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee and Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee joint hearing: "Posture and Readiness of the Mobility Enterprise," with testimony from Gen. Randall Reed, commander of U.S. Transportation Command; and Stephen Carmel, administrator, Transportation Department's Maritime Administration http://www.armedservices.house.gov 3:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee hearing: "U.S. Special Operations Forces and Command – Challenges and Resource Priorities for FY2027," with testimony from Derrick Anderson, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict; and Adm. Frank Bradley, commander, U.S. Special Operations Command http://www.armedservices.house.gov 5:45 p.m. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum virtual book discussion: Rogue States: The Making of America's Global War on Terror, with author Matthew Frakes, assistant professor at the Ohio State University Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society; and Anthony Eames, director of scholarly initiatives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum https://roguestateslaunchvirtual.rsvpify.com 6 p.m. 1957 E St. NW — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs Korea Policy Forum: "The Future of U.S.-ROK Nuclear Cooperation: National and Economic Security at the Intersection." https://calendar.gwu.edu/event/korea-policy-forum-the-future-of-usrok-nuclear-cooperation THURSDAY | MARCH 19 9 a.m. 1789 Massachusetts Ave. NW — American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in-person discussion: "Poland, Northeastern Europe, and the Future of the Transatlantic Partnership," with Erik Brattberg, nonresident senior fellow, Atlantic Council; Ian Brzezinski, senior fellow, Atlantic Council; Heather Conley, nonresident senior fellow, American Enterprise Institute, Robert Doar, president, American Enterprise Institute; Radosław Fogiel, Member, Sejm of the Republic of Poland; Anniken Huitfeldt, Ambassador of Norway to the U.S.; Igor Janke, president, Warsaw Freedom Institute; Paweł Kowal, member, Sejm of the Republic of Poland; Andrew Michta, professor of strategic studies, University of Florida; Dalibor Rohac, senior fellow, American Enterprise Institute; Kori Schake, director of foreign and defense policy, American Enterprise Institute; and Rep. Michael Turner (D-OH) https://www.aei.org/events/poland-northeastern-europe-and-the-future-of-the-transatlantic-partnership/? 11 a.m. — Arab Center Washington D.C. virtual discussion: "Unpacking the War on Iran: Political Implications and Global Repercussions," with Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics; Negar Mortazavi, editor and host of "The Iran Podcast";Barbara Slavin, Stimson Center fellow; and Youosef Munayyer, Arab Center senior fellow https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register 11 a.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: "How Badly Could the War Against Iran Hurt the Global South?" with Greg Priddy, senior fellow for the Middle East at the Center for the National Interest; Rachel Ziemba, adjunct senior fellow, Center for a New American Security; Karthik Sankaran, senior research fellow in geoeconomics, Quincy Institute Global South Program; and Sarang Shidore, director, Quincy Institute's Global South Program https://quincyinst.org/events/how-badly-could-the-war-against-iran-hurt-the-global-south/ 1 p.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW — Henry L. Stimson Center book discussion: West Asia: A New American Grand Strategy in the Middle East, with author Mohammed Soliman; Daniel Markey, senior fellow, Stimson Center; and Emma Ashford, senior fellow, Stimson Center https://www.stimson.org/event/the-middle-east-is-asian FRIDAY | MARCH 20 10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: "Nuclear Strategy at a Crossroads," with Franklin Miller, former senior director for defense policy and arms control at the National Security Council; and Eric Edelman, counselor at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/nuclear-strategy-at-a-crossroads2 p.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: "The fight for influence in Venezuela against Russia, China, Iran and Cuba," with former assistant Homeland Security secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention Samantha Vinograd, nonresident senior fellow, Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security; Sebastian Arcos, interim director at Florida International University's Cuban Research Institute; Sergey Sukhankin, senior fellow, Jamestown Foundation and senior fellow, Saratoga Foundation; and Nikolas Foster, nonresident senior fellow, Atlantic Council's Global China Hub; and Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director, Atlantic Council's Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/the-fight-for-influence-in-venezuela | | | | "Look, if we left right now, it would take 10 years for them to rebuild. But we're not ready to leave yet, but we'll be leaving in the near future. We'll be leaving in pretty much the very near future." | | President Donald Trump, Tuesday, in answer to a reporter's question about his "day-after plan for Iran" |
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