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Presented by Lockheed Martin: From the SitRoom to the E-Ring, the inside scoop on defense, national security and foreign policy. | | | | | |  | | By Daniel Lippman, Nahal Toosi and Quint Forgey | | | With help from Lara Seligman Welcome to National Security Daily , POLITICO’s newsletter on the global events roiling Washington and keeping the administration up at night. I’m Nahal Toosi, POLITICO’s foreign affairs correspondent, filling in as your guide to what’s happening inside the Pentagon, the NSC and D.C.’s foreign policy machine. Your regular host, Alex Ward, will be back tomorrow. National Security Daily arrives in your inbox Monday through Friday by 4 p.m.; subscribe here. Aim your tips and comments at award@politico.com and @alexbward on Twitter. Make sure to follow @dlippman, @nahaltoosi and @QuintForgey, too! SUPER-SIZING THE NSC : The National Security Council has significantly increased its staff in the first six months of the Biden administration, adding between 50 to 70 more staffers than under the Trump administration, two people familiar with the matter tell Daniel. The NSC’s staff roster is now between 350 to 370 people, according to the sources, an increase of roughly 20 percent from what the NSC looked like in the summer and fall of the last year of the DONALD TRUMP administration, when it stood at around 300. The increase in staff is due to the addition or reconstitution of six new policy directorates focused on Biden administration priorities and the staffing growth of other directorates like the China and cyber directorates, whose head ANNE NEUBERGER also carries the title of deputy national security adviser. (There are now four deputy national security advisers.) “We have needed to rebuild the scaffolding of how the national security policy process should work,” a senior administration official said. The numbers haven’t previously been reported. — The NSC has reconstituted a pandemic response team after it was dissolved under the Trump administration before Covid. That directorate — one of the NSC’s larger teams — is built not just for Covid, but for a whole-of-government approach to prevent and handle future pandemics.
— ERIC GREEN, a career Foreign Service officer, has been made head of a new directorate primarily focused on Russia (affairs regarding Moscow were formerly part of the Europe team).
— National Security Adviser JAKE SULLIVAN created a new directorate focused on emerging technologies, led by TARUN CHHABRA , to coordinate policy around tech competitiveness such as addressing the semiconductor shortage and improving U.S. policy on issues like AI and quantum computing.
— The Biden White House has also reconstituted teams devoted to climate, democracy and development Around half of the NSC staff under Biden is focused on enabling roles: such as security, IT and facilitating core NSC processes like policy paper coordination and secure video conference capabilities. The vast majority of the 350 to 370 staffers are detailees from other agencies, whose salaries continue to be paid by their home agency. The current staffing size of the NSC, which includes people supporting the White House Situation Room whose numbers grew in the Obama and Trump administrations, is roughly comparable to what it was during the Obama administration, although at times the overall NSC staff under Obama was higher than it is now. Trump and former National Security Adviser ROBERT O’BRIEN shrunk down the size of the NSC because of GOP concerns about a bloated bureaucracy but also after some of its current and former employees, like FIONA HILL, testified against Trump in his first impeachment. “There were great staffers on the prior NSC, but you had a White House leadership who often didn’t want it to carry out its proper function,” the senior administration official said. “There were real gaps when we walked in. When you’re actually using the NSC and not making foreign policy by tweet, it’s gonna require a different footprint.” | | A message from Lockheed Martin: Going beyond manufacturing optimization to the next digital revolution.
Lockheed Martin’s mission-driven transformation includes the entire system lifecycle to connect everything with a digital thread—from early design and rapid prototyping through to production and sustainment. The result? Faster deliveries, agile responsiveness and data-driven insights for the warfighter. Learn More | | | FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — CUBA’S TOP ENVOY IN D.C. SPEAKS: The past six years have seen wild swings in U.S.-Cuba relations, from BARACK OBAMA’s rapprochement to Trump’s reversal to JOE BIDEN’s something-in-the-middle plan. Recently, Cuban crackdowns on rare protests and resulting U.S. sanctions have spiked tensions. Still, the two countries haven’t entirely severed the diplomatic ties that Obama agreed to restore. That suggests both see value in maintaining a direct channel of communication, even as they trash each other publicly on social media and beyond. Nahal caught up today with LIANYS TORRES RIVERA, the new top diplomat at the Cuban embassy. Torres Rivera has yet to present her credentials to Biden as ambassador, so she’s technically still the chargé d’affaires at the embassy. She stuck tightly to her government’s talking points, even when challenged. In her stated view, Cuba’s communist leaders are striving to serve their people well, but the U.S. embargo (the Cubans call it a blockade) makes it impossible for Cubans to escape economic distress. A few highlights: On reports that hundreds of Cubans have been detained and put on sham trials over the protests, Torres Rivera insisted that people had been held over “social disturbances” and that they have the right to due process. She drew a parallel to the Americans who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. “There are no missing persons in Cuba as the press is saying, there’s no torture in Cuba, there are no executions in Cuba,” she said. “Nobody can present any credible evidence on this, because this is against the nature of the Cuban political system.” Will the Cuban government be responsive to its people’s demands for more economic and political freedom? “The essence of our system is to take care of the demands of our people,” Torres Rivera said. She defended Cuba’s response to the pandemic in particular, saying the main hindrance is the U.S. embargo. What if the embargo isn’t the problem? What about the Cuban government’s repressive security forces and bad policies? Torres Rivera denied claims of police repression in Cuba, saying it’s worse in the U.S. and other countries. She insisted the Cuban government wants to improve people’s lives, but again said that’s hard to do in the face of the U.S. embargo. “If the blockade is [an] excuse, why don’t you lift the excuse and give us time to see if it’s our fault or the blockade’s fault?” she said. On the Biden administration plans to help Cubans gain more Internet access, Torres Rivera said Cuba’s leaders have been trying to widen such access for years: “But we have a great obstacle to advance in this objective: It is the blockade because we cannot buy any equipment in any country, [even] a third country, that has more than 10 percentage of U.S. components.” Is she in touch with the Biden administration and can she describe any discussions? Torres Rivera said there are ongoing Cuban-U.S. discussions at the working level — the “normal daily life of our embassy” — but that there’s “no high-level talks.” She declined to describe the working-level talks. “Cuba has always had the will to advance with the U.S., even with the Trump administration,” she said. “The only thing we ask is respect to our sovereignty, to our self-determination and not interference in our internal affairs.” Is Cuba’s government weaker now without a Castro at the top? “Well, I don’t think so,” she said, insisting that Cuban President MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, who recently acknowledged that his administration is not without its failings, is in touch with the Cuban people and that the government has broad support. “He represents continuity … with our revolution,” she said. | | | SULLIVAN TO SOUTH AMERICA: Sullivan plans to visit Argentina this week, according to Argentine news outlet Clarín . A U.S. official also confirms to NatSec Daily that Sullivan is planning a visit to the country. The White House hasn’t released Sullivan’s schedule yet, but it’s likely he’ll make other stops in the region. One report from O Globo says Brazil is on the agenda. MORE AFGHANS ELIGIBLE FOR RESETTLEMENT: The Biden administration is broadening the opportunity for Afghans affiliated with the U.S. war effort, the U.S. government or U.S. media organizations to permanently resettle in the United States, Quint reports — citing ramped up violence by the Taliban as the reason for the expansion. But unlike the effort to evacuate and resettle endangered interpreters under the Special Immigrant Visa program, these newly eligible Afghans must receive a referral from a current or former employer before the State Department can begin processing their cases. And crucially, they are also responsible for getting themselves and their families out of Afghanistan and into a third country without any U.S. assistance. WELCOME TO NATIONAL SECURITY DAILY. Thanks for tuning in to POLITICO’s newsletter on the national security politics roiling Washington. NatSec Daily is for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage is made. Please share this subscription link with a colleague or friend. Follow the whole team here: @alexbward, @nahaltoosi, @woodruffbets, @politicoryan, @PhelimKine, @BryanDBender, @laraseligman, @connorobrienNH, @paulmccleary, @leehudson and @QuintForgey. MORNING D IS BREAKING NEWS LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTCOM: Coming at Pro s bright and early every a.m., if you’re not getting Morning D, you’re missing out. Learn more about our best-in-class insider reporters and sign up here. Don’t let your competition be the first to act on industry scoops, breaking Pentagon news, the latest aerospace developments, defense acquisitions and influence plays. | | | IRAN THE PARIAH?: Just as Iran’s new president is due to take office, his country’s relationship with major powers is taking a hit. And maybe that’s the way EBRAHIM RAISI likes it. Over the weekend, the United States joined Britain and Israel in blaming Iran for a recent drone strike that killed two crew members of an oil tanker near Oman, per JON GAMBRELL of The Associated Press . On Monday, the U.K. summoned Iran’s ambassador to discuss the attack, for which Iran denies responsibility. The U.S. and Britain have indicated they’re looking at other options for response. Meanwhile, hopes that the Iran nuclear deal can be saved are dwindling by the day as Iranian officials have delayed talks and cast doubt on the possibility the agreement can survive. Raisi, the newly elected president, takes office Tuesday at a time of severe economic and pandemic-related distress in Iran. Raisi is a hard-liner in Iranian politics: He may view Iran’s nuclear and other activities as key to enhancing Iran’s stature — or he may want to take credit for any diplomatic or other moves that can ease tensions in the coming months. VIOLENCE IN ZAMBIA AHEAD OF VOTE: Zambian police have arrested four suspects in connection with the murders last week of two supporters of the ruling Patriotic Front party, according to TAONGA CLIFFORD MITIMINGI and PATRICK MCHALE of Bloomberg News. The killings came amid reports of clashes between the Patriotic Front and its main opposition, the United Party for National Development, in the weeks before Zambia’s general election on Aug. 12. President EDGAR LUNGU has deployed the army and other security forces to help maintain order in the south African nation. BRAZIL’S JUSTICES BACK ELECTION SYSTEM: Eighteen current and former Brazilian Supreme Court justices are defending the South American nation’s election system from President JAIR BOLSONARO’s evidence-free claims of voter fraud, reports LISANDRA PARAGUASSU of Reuters. Bolsonaro has advocated the use of paper ballots as opposed to electronic voting in elections, threatening that he might not accept the results of the 2022 presidential election. But the justices — who also act as judges in the Superior Electoral Court — maintain that fraud would be more likely if Brazil returned to counting printed ballots manually. | | | |   | | | | | | NSA WARNS AGAINST PUBLIC WI-FI: The National Security Agency is urging National Security System, Defense Department, and defense industrial base users to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi, according to Defense One’s MILA JASPER — instead advocating personal or corporately owned hot spots with strong authentication and encryption capabilities. That advice is part of an eight-page “Cybersecurity Information Sheet” released by the NSA last week. The new guidance also cautions that “keeping a device’s Bluetooth feature enabled in a public setting can pose a cybersecurity risk.” | | | JOINT CHIEFS CHAIR ON CHINA: Not for the first time, Gen. MARK MILLEY warned of China’s rising military might during the annual Navy League conference today, saying that Beijing now has a “world-class navy” with surface, undersea and naval air capability. “China will be a major agent of change to the current international order — of that, there is little doubt,” Milley said. His comments come after Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN recently returned from his second trip to the Asia Pacific, which the Pentagon chief used to bolster ties with allies in the region and warn Beijing against continuing its aggressive moves in the South China Sea and beyond. | | | DEFENSE BUDGET BOOST: Senate Armed Services Chair JACK REED (D-R.I.) — whose panel voted last month to increase the budget top line of the National Defense Authorization Act by $25 billion — predicts the final price tag for the annual defense policy legislation “will probably go up” to attract Republican lawmakers and win final passage, per JOE GOULD of Defense News. “People are looking ahead at the final budget resolution, and the Republicans have made it clear that they’re not satisfied with the defense number and they would require more,” Reed said. The senator also projected that the $25 billion his committee tacked onto the NDAA top line “will be part of the [Senate] approps bill.” | | | MENENDEZ SAVAGES NORD STREAM PACT: Senate Foreign Relations Chair BOB MENENDEZ (D-N.J.) — along with several of his counterparts in other national legislatures — has released a statement opposing a recent agreement between the U.S. and Germany that would allow for the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Some excerpts: “We consider Nord Stream 2 a geopolitical project geared towards expanding Russia's influence on Europe by dominating the energy market. The completion of the pipeline will strengthen the impact of Russian gas in the European energy mix, endanger the national security of EU member states and the United States, and threaten the already precarious security and sovereignty of Ukraine ... “The likely repercussion of the completion and operation of Nord Stream 2 is to undermine the development of a single, liberalized, and open European market by consolidating sources of supply in the Nord Stream 2 system and deterring investment in alternatives. We expect a clear commitment from Germany to reduce dependency on gas imported from Russia and move towards green energy. We presume that Germany will handle its responsibility towards these goals with the utmost dedication.” Aside from Menendez, lawmakers who signed on to the statement hailed from Estonia, Czech Republic, Ireland, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Lithuania. | | | FOGGY BOTTOM FAREWELL: JULIE CHUNG, President JOE BIDEN’s nominee to serve as U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka , has completed her assignment as acting assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Foreign service officer RICARDO ZÚÑIGA will take over Chung’s duties temporarily while BRIAN NICHOLS — the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe — awaits Senate confirmation to replace Chung as assistant secretary. | | | ALEXANDER VINDMAN, The Atlantic: “What I Heard in the White House Basement” VICTORIA COATES, National Review: “ How America Should Deal with Iran’s New President” KAI EIDE and TADAMICHI YAMAMOTO, The New York Times: “Opinion: We Cannot Stand By and Watch Afghanistan Collapse” | | | — The 2021 Aspen Security Forum, 8 a.m.: “Day One” — Observer Research Foundation, 8 a.m.: “BRICS Academic Forum 2021” — Senate Armed Services Committee, 9:30 a.m.: “Nomination Hearing: Lt. Gen. LAURA RICHARDSON to be general and commander, U.S. Southern Command” — The Migration Policy Institute, 10 a.m.: “ Mobilizing an International Solution to Support Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees” — Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 10 a.m.: “Full Committee Hearing: Authorizations of Use of Force: Administration Perspectives; with Deputy Secretary of State WENDY SHERMAN” — The Heritage Foundation, 10:30 a.m.: “Policy Pulse: Enhancing Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific” — The Hudson Institute, 12 p.m.: “Gaining Advantage Through Mission Integration” — New America, 12 p.m.: “PETER BERGEN, The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden” Have a natsec-centric event coming up? Transitioning to a new defense-adjacent or foreign policy-focused gig? Shoot us an email at award@politico.com or qforgey@politico.com to be featured in the next edition of the newsletter. | | A message from Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin’s mission-driven transformation embraces disruptive processes, technology and tools to drive faster deliveries, agile responsiveness and data-driven insights for the warfighter, including:
• Digital Engineering Model-based engineering optimizes design and links design, manufacturing and sustainment teams on a common digital thread to save costs and speed program lifecycles.
• Next-Gen Software A company-wide Software Factory is deploying DevSecOps approaches and enabling fast development and continuous deployment of software to advance customer missions.
• Digital Enablement Company-wide investments in process reinvention, business system modernization, 5G networking, cyber and cloud are laying the foundation for transformational capabilities.
• Data as a Strategic Asset Building the global infrastructure to share data instantly and securely, and the AI-powered, predictive analytics to glean insights that advance performance.
• Advanced Production Revolutionizing factories with smart tools, connected machines, networked supply chains and mixed reality tools for technicians to speed production and improve quality.
See our transformation in action | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
