NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!: Over the weekend, President Donald Trump caromed from insisting talks with Iran are “working out very well,” even though “they got a little cute,” by opening and closing the Strait of Hormuz, to venting his frustration that Iran fired on French and British ships and has yet to agree to his key demands. “Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a Sunday morning Truth Social Post. “That wasn’t nice, was it?” “Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it,” Trump mused, before mocking Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC for “always wanting to be ‘the tough guy!’” “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” Trump threatened. Trump has dispatched Vice President JD Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner to resume negotiations with Iran. But, as of early this morning, it was not clear if they left for Islamabad or whether the Iranians would show up. TRUMP RENEWS THREAT AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS IF ISLAMABAD TALKS FIZZLE A SIX-HOUR SHOWDOWN: A dramatic confrontation played out in the Gulf of Oman Sunday, as an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempted to run the U.S. Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to get to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. Video posted by the U.S. Central Command showed the Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance as it radioed “multiple warnings” to the Motor Vessel Touska to turn back, before giving a final warning. “Motor Vessel Touska, Motor Vessel Touska, Vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room,” a U.S. sailor radioed from the bridge of the Spruance. “We are prepared to subject you to disabling fire.” “The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The Spruance — in what CENTCOM called a “deliberate, professional, and proportional” action “to ensure compliance” — opened fire with its 5-inch MK 45 gun. CENTCOM posted a second video showing U.S. Marines from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli rappelling onto the disabled ship from Sea Hawk helicopters and seizing the vessel. “The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity,” Trump said. “We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board! “Since the blockade’s commencement, U.S. forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port,” CENTCOM said in its post on X. TRUMP SAYS US CAPTURED IRANIAN-FLAGGED CARGO SHIP AFTER IT TRIED TO BREAK BLOCKADE IRAN VOWS RETALIATION, OIL PRICES RISE: World oil prices took a sharp jump, and U.S. stock futures are down, as Iran is vowing to retaliate for the seizure of its cargo ship. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a military spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Iran will soon carry out a retaliatory strike in response to what it called “a recent act of piracy by U.S. forces.” In response to Trump’s latest threat to “knock out every power plant and bridge in Iran,” Zolfaghari said yesterday. “Any attack on our infrastructure will trigger a crushing retaliation. Our forces are fully prepared.” As of this morning, Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, has no plan for another round of negotiations with the Americans, stating, “If the U.S. sends a team to Islamabad, that is a matter that concerns them.” “The Islamic Republic of Iran does not accept any deadlines or ultimatums to safeguard its national interests. We have clearly stated our red lines from the beginning, and we will not change our principled positions,” Baqaei said. He also denied Trump’s claim that Iran has agreed to turn over what he calls Iran’s “nuclear dust,” between 900 and 1000 pounds of highly enriched uranium. “In none of the stages of current or previous negotiations was the issue of transferring Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles to the U.S. or any other country raised, and fundamentally this option is not on the agenda of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” At an event in Arizona Friday night, Trump repeated his claim that “most of the points are already negotiated and agreed to,” adding, “You’ll be very happy. The USA will get all the nuclear dust.” “We’re going to get the dust, right, Iran? We were going to take it anyway, but taking it that way is slightly more dangerous.” WHY IT’S SO HARD TO NAIL DOWN A REAL NUCLEAR AGREEMENT WITH IRAN 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 Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE TRUMP WORRIED ABOUT ENDING UP LIKE JIMMY CARTER? In what the White House will no doubt dismiss as “fake news” and “total fiction,” the Wall Street Journal published what is purported to be a portrait of President Trump’s angst as he wrestles with the vicissitudes of a war he can’t totally control. “He is veering between belligerent and conciliatory approaches and grappling behind the scenes with just how badly things could go wrong,” the article states. According to the report, Trump was so stressed out by the downing of a U.S. F-15 that he “screamed at aides for hours,” complaining that “the Europeans aren’t helping,” and haunted by the echoes of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis and the failed rescue mission. “If you look at what happened with Jimmy Carter … with the helicopters and the hostages, it cost them the election,” Trump had said in March. “What a mess.” Trump was said to be so agitated that aides kept him out of the command center as the rescue of the second pilot was underway because “they believed his impatience wouldn’t be helpful.” Instead, they reportedly updated him at “meaningful moments.” “The president’s impulsive style has never before been tested during a sustained military conflict. Unlike the successful operation in Venezuela, which buoyed his confidence, Trump is confronting a more intractable foe in Iran, which is so far unwilling to bend to his demands,” according to the account, which also said Trump vetoed an option to use U.S troops to take control of Kharg Island, worried there would be unacceptably high American casualties. “They’ll be sitting ducks,” the president reportedly said. TRUMP APPROVAL HITS NEW LOW AS OVER HALF OF US ‘STRONGLY’ OPPOSES IRAN WAR WHAT’S THE DEAL? Democrats in Congress — and the president of Ukraine — are livid that just two days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. would not extend sanctions relief for Russian oil, the Treasury Department did just that. “This decision is shameful and a 180-degree reversal,” Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said in a joint statement. “Make no mistake, Putin has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of President Trump’s war against Iran, as Russia saw oil revenues nearly double in March.” “This week, Putin launched the largest aerial attack of the year so far on Ukraine, killing 18, and the Administration’s response is to relax sanctions on the Kremlin yet again. What kind of message does this move send?” the senators said. On CNN’s State of the Union Sunday show, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, defended the about-face, saying it was at the request of America’s allies in the Group of 7. “We had bankers from around the world basically making pleas, hey, we want to keep energy prices down,” Wright said. “Just help us. Be constructive.” “All that Russian oil, it goes to China anyway,” Wright said. “All we’re doing is temporary — allowing it to flow, instead of all to China, to flow into other Asian refineries. It’s to lower the price of energy in Asia and in Europe.” “The continued easing of sanctions …fuels the Russian leadership’s illusion that they can continue the war,” Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X. “Every dollar paid for Russian oil is money for the war.” “More than 110 tankers from Moscow’s shadow fleet are currently at sea. On board are over 12 million tons of Russian oil, which, due to the easing of sanctions, can once again be sold without consequences,” Zelensky said. “That is $10 billion – a resource that is directly converted into new strikes against Ukraine.” TOO LITTLE TOO LATE: President Trump doesn’t pass up many chances these days to criticize NATO, for “not being there” when he needed them. “How can you have a country, how can you have a group of countries with that attitude?” Trump said on Fox News last week. “Look at Greenland. We should have Greenland to protect the world against Russia and China,” adding, “This country should not be paying trillions of dollars to NATO.” [Editor’s note: The U.S. does not pay trillions of dollars to NATO.] “And now that the Hormuz Strait situation is almost over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would like some help,” Trump said at a Turning Point USA event Friday night, as the audience booed. “I told them I would have liked your help two months ago, but now I really don’t want your help anymore.” “They were absolutely useless when we needed them,” Trump said. “It’s a little bit like if you’re a politician, it’s hard to believe I’m a politician, but after I won, people came up to me, sir, I’d like to make a major contribution to the campaign. And I said, listen, just so you understand, campaign contributions after I won don’t count.” On Fox News last week, former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, now Norway’s finance minister, suggested that if Trump wanted NATO’s help, he should have taken a different approach. “If you want NATO to contribute, then at least you have to sit down with NATO allies, as you did after 9/11,” Stoltenberg said. “You cannot expect us just to be there without any consultations, any discussions in NATO before you take the decision to launch the attack.” NATO’S OFFER TO HELP WITH IRAN DOESN’T ‘COUNT,’ TRUMP SAYS AT TPUSA EVENT THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Trump renews threat against Iranian power plants if Islamabad talks fizzle Washington Examiner: Trump says US captured Iranian-flagged cargo ship after it tried to break blockade Washington Examiner: Iran’s Hormuz blockade restarted over frustration with Trump’s public comments Washington Examiner: Trump approval hits new low as over half of US ‘strongly’ opposes Iran war Washington Examiner: Israel and Lebanon, led by US, look for new future decoupled from Iranian interference Washington Examiner: Trump plays Friday telephone tennis with reporters as he paints rosy picture on Iran deal Washington Examiner: Trump says Israel is ‘prohibited from’ bombing Lebanon Washington Examiner: Trump losing his populist foothold in Europe as Meloni friendship sours and Orban gets ousted Washington Examiner: Opinion: Pete Hegseth’s shallow theatrics are damaging the Trump administration Washington Examiner: Opinion: Trump isn’t looking for an exit in Iran Washington Examiner: Patel cites FBI successes under Trump when asked about reported drinking problem Washington Examiner: Patel threatens to sue Atlantic over story alleging excessive drinking Washington Examiner: Iranian woman arrested at LA airport for allegedly trafficking weapons to Sudan Washington Examiner: The shadow war: Confronting Iran’s playbook Washington Examiner: Macron blames Hezbollah for killing French soldier and wounding three others in Lebanon Washington Examiner: France and UK lead ‘defensive’ mission in Strait of Hormuz to protect shipping New York Times: Why Iran’s ‘Mosquito Fleet’ Remains a Potent Threat in the Strait of Hormuz The Economist: Which Iran is America dealing with? Wall Street Journal: Behind Trump’s Public Bravado on the War, He Grapples With His Own Fears The Atlantic: The FBI Director Is MIA Reuters: MAGA figures are pushing Trump’s campaign to grab Greenland. But it’s tough sledding The Atlantic: Ukraine Has Finally Given Up on Trump Wall Street Journal: Hegseth’s Feud With Army Secretary Spills Into Public View The War Zone: Qatari 747-8i Gifted to Trump for Interim Air Force One Is Undergoing Test Flights Air & Space Forces Magazine: DAF to Double Construction Budget to Ready for B-21, F-47 Defense One: How the MV-75 Cheyenne II Is Pushing the Army to Rethink Its Aviation Lineup Air & Space Forces Magazine: ‘Angry Kitten’ EW Pod Tested on Search-and-Rescue HC-130 DefenseScoop: Air Force Eyeing Robotic Boats for Tyndall AFB Breaking Defense: Air Force Secretary Eyes Multiyear Deals for Satellites, Aircraft Politico: A Depleted Space Force Races to Prepare for Trump’s Spending Spree CBS News: 2 Soldiers Attacked by Bear During Training at Army Base in Alaska THE CALENDAR: MONDAY | APRIL 20 9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Strategic Forces Priorities,” with Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE); Kari Bingen, director, CSIS Aerospace Security Project; Heather Williams, director, CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues; and Tom Karako, director, CSIS Missile Defense Project https://www.csis.org/events/strategic-forces-priorities 11 a.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “The Impact of the Iran War on Turkey,” with Serhat Guvenc, dean of faculty of economics, administrative, and social sciences, Kadir Has University; Jason Campbell, MEI senior fellow; and Gonul Tol, MEI senior fellow https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register 11 a.m. — Georgetown University Institute for Women, Peace and Security virtual discussion: “Meet the Moment: Crisis and Conflict in Iran and the Gulf States,” with Dania Thafer, executive director, Gulf International Forum; Nazenin Ansari, managing editor of Kayhan London and Kayhan Life; and former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer, executive director, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security https://events.georgetown.edu/event 1 p.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: “Current operations and future plans of the Air Mobility Command,” with Lt. Gen. Rebecca Sonkiss, deputy commander, U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command; and retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events/lt-gen-rebecca-j-sonkiss/ 1 p.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “How the Iran War is Shifting Regional Dynamics,” with Yasmine Farouk, director, International Crisis Group Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Project; Mirette Mabrouk, MEI senior fellow; and Kenneth Pollack, MEI vice president for policy https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register 3:30 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing: “The Department of Energy’s Atomic Energy Defense Activities and Department of Defense’s Nuclear Weapons Programs in Review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2027 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from David Beck, deputy administrator for defense programs in the National Nuclear Security Administration; Timothy Walsh, assistant Energy secretary for the Office of Environmental Management; Adm. William Houston, director, National Nuclear Security Administration Naval Nuclear propulsion program; Robert Kadlec, assistant secretary of defense for nuclear deterrence, chemical, and biological defense policy and programs; Air Force Gen. Dale White, director of critical major weapon systems in the Department of the Air Force; Air Force Gen. Stephen Davis, commander, Air Force Global Strike Command; and Navy Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe Jr., director for strategic systems programs in the Department of the Navy http://www.armed-services.senate.gov TUESDAY | APRIL 21 9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion: “Space and the Future of Warfare,” with House Armed Services Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL); and Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander, U.S. Space Command, delivers remarks https://www.csis.org/events/space-strategic-dialogue-space-and-future-warfare 9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “The Posture of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2027 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from Adm. Samuel Paparo Jr., commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; and Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander, U.N. Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea http://www.armed-services.senate.gov 10:30 a.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY2027 Budget Request for the National Guard and Reserves Forces,” with testimony from Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau; Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief, Army Reserve; Rear Adm. Richard Lofgren, acting chief of the Navy Reserve; Lt. Gen. Len “Loni” Anderson, commander, Marine Forces Reserve; and Lt. Gen. John Healy, chief of the Air Force Reserve http://appropriations.senate.gov 10:30 a.m. Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: “The U.S. Space Force Operational Test and Training Infrastructure and their critical mission,” with Col. Corey Klopstein, program executive officer, Space Systems Command Operational Test and Training Infrastructure Program and commander, Space System Command System Delta 81 Unit; Col. Craig Hackbarth, director of capability for the Space Systems Command Operational Test and Training Infrastructure Program; and Charles Galbreath, director and senior resident fellow for spacepower studies at the Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events/col-corey-j-klopstein-col-craig-j-hackbarth/ 2:30 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee hearing: “Maritime Unmanned Surface Vessels,” with testimony from Rebecca J. Gassler, portfolio acquisition executive for Robotics and Autonomous Systems; and Rear Adm. Derek A. Trinque, director, Surface Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations http://www.armed-services.senate.gov WEDNESDAY | APRIL 22 8 a.m. 7920 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, Va. — Potomac Officers Club 2026 Digital Transformation Summit, with Defense Department Chief Information Office Kirsten Davies https://www.potomacofficersclub.com/events 8 a.m. 2799 Richmond Hwy., Arlington, Va. — Defense Logistics Agency Energy Worldwide event, “Strategic Energy for Global Advantage,” with Rebecca Isacowitz, deputy assistant secretary of defense for energy, resilience and optimization; and Deputy Assistant Navy Secretary for Energy Christopher Grisafe https://usea.org/event/our-friends-defense-logistics-agency-dla-energy-worldwide 10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Indo-Pacific Region,” with testimony from Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs John Noh; Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; and Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander, U.N. Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea http://www.armedservices.house.gov 10 a.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual discussion: “Commanding the Air: the Future of Airborne Battle Management,” with retired Lt. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote, former Air Force deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration, and requirements; Kari Bingen, director, Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Philip Sheers, associate fellow with the CNAS Defense Program https://events.cnas.org/commandingtheairthefutureofair 10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion: “Powering Maritime Dominance,” with Adm. William Houston, director, Navy Department and Energy Department Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program; Seth Jones, president of the CSIS defense and security department; and retired Rear Adm. Raymond Spicer, CEO and publisher, U.S. Naval Institute https://www.csis.org/events/powering-maritime-dominance 10:15 a.m. 216 Hart — Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: “Stealth Stealing: China’s Ongoing Theft of U.S. Innovation.” http://judiciary.senate.gov 11 a.m. — Foreign Policy webinar: “What’s Next for Iran?” with Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and advisor to the Aspen Institute Congressional Program on the Middle East https://foreignpolicy.com/live/karim-sadjadpour-cease-fire-next-for-iran/ 3 p.m. 2212 Rayburn — House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing: “FY2027 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities,” with testimony from Brandon Williams, Energy undersecretary for nuclear security; Robert Kadlec, assistant secretary of defense for nuclear deterrence, chemical, and biological defense policy and programs; Gen. Dale White, direct report portfolio manager for critical major weapon systems in the Office of the secretary of defense; Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe Jr., director of strategic systems programs for the U.S. Navy; Lt. Gen. Andrew Gebara, deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration for the U.S. Air Force http://www.armedservices.house.gov 3:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee joint hearing: “Revitalizing Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base,” with testimony from Jason Potter, performing the duties of assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition; Stephen Carmel, administrator, U.S. Maritime Administration; Rear Adm. Mike E. Campbell, director of systems integration and chief acquisitions officer for the U.S. Coast Guard; Eric Labs, senior analyst for naval forces and weapons in the Congressional Budget Office; and Shelby Oakley, director of contracting and national security acquisitions in the Government Accountability Office http://www.armedservices.house.gov THURSDAY | APRIL 23 9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “The posture of the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2027 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from Adm. Brad Cooper, commander, U.S. Central Command; and Air Force Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, commander, U.S. Africa Command http://www.armed-services.senate.gov 9:30 a.m. — Defense Security Cooperation Agency and Defense Security Cooperation University “Defense Security Cooperation Agency Industry Day” https://dscuevaluations.gov1.qualtrics.com 10 a.m. — Center for a New American Security launches a new report: “Hit It With Your Best Shot: An American Doctrine of Economic Pressure,” with author Emily Kilcrease, senior fellow and CNAS program director; Eva Dou, author of House of Huawei; Richard Nephew, senior research scholar at Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy; and Air Force Lt. Col. Mary Hossier, CNAS senior military fellow https://events.cnas.org/hititwithyourbestshotvirtual 10 a.m. — Forecast International virtual discussion: “AI on the Battlefield: From Data to Decision Superiority,” with Roy Ionas, founder, LeadSpotting; Andrew Dardine, lead analyst for military electronics, Forecast International; Vincent Carchidi, industry analyst at Forecast International https://www.linkedin.com/events/aiindefense-wartime-special 4 p.m. 1957 E St. NW — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs Institute for Korean Studies discussion: “The U.S.-ROK Alliance in a Multipolar Era: The Role of Congress,” with Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) https://calendar.gwu.edu/event/the-us-rok-alliance FRIDAY | APRIL 24 8 a.m. — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs virtual conference: “Global Turmoil and Wartime in Ukraine” https://calendar.gwu.edu/event/global-turmoil-and-wartime-ukraine 10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “Nuclear Deterrence Without Full Scale Nuclear Testing: Stockpile Stewardship, Confidence, and Risk,” with George Miller, director emeritus at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/nuclear-deterrence-without-full-scale-nuclear-testing
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| “Many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become our weaknesses. Weaknesses that we must correct. Some believe we should wait it out in the hope the United States will return to normal, that the good old days will come back. But hope isn’t a plan, and nostalgia is not a strategy.” |
| Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a video address telling Canadians they must build a Canada that does not rely on the U.S. |
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