|
From the SitRoom to the E-Ring, the inside scoop on defense, national security and foreign policy. | | | | |  | | By Daniel Lippman, Lawrence Ukenye, Matt Berg and Ari Hawkins | |  In recent months, some within IFES have been arguing that Ken Blackwell (left), pictured in 2005, worked to undermine and possibly threaten U.S. democracy and shouldn’t be allowed to stay in the organization. | Will Shilling/AP Photo | With help from Nahal Toosi, Maggie Miller, Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Connor O’Brien and Alex Ward. Subscribe here | Email Alex | Email Matt Frustration is growing inside the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, an organization that promotes democracy and election integrity abroad, over the endorsement by one of its leaders of false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. The organization’s co-chair, KEN BLACKWELL, was singled out at a hearing of the Jan. 6 committee in June for supporting former President DONALD TRUMP’s assertion that the election was stolen. Blackwell signed a letter urging swing states Trump lost to toss out their election results and promoted JOHN EASTMAN’s “fake electors” idea. In recent months, some within IFES have been arguing that Blackwell worked to undermine and possibly threaten U.S. democracy and shouldn’t be allowed to stay in the organization. “It’s damaging to the organization to have someone who is the spokesperson for free and fair elections around the world be someone who tried to overturn the election in the United States. It’s pretty simple,” a person in the discussions told NatSec Daily. “It undermines the message of that mission. … It’s pretty straightforward.” Two IFES board members expressed similar sentiments. One said several other board members are also “concerned because they don’t think it reflects the values of IFES” but are hopeful that he will just finish his term and leave the organization. All three people were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record on behalf of the organization. IFES told NatSec Daily that it expects and wants board members with a variety of political views. "The International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ directors come from across the political and policy spectrum,” WILLIAM EACHO, IFES’ lead board chair, said in an emailed statement. “This diversity is a source of the board’s strength—the variety of perspectives and experiences at the table helps us give IFES the best guidance we can. We do have a strong tradition: when directors enter the board room, we leave politics at the door, and focus on helping IFES fulfill its mission.” When asked for comment, Blackwell said in a text message: “The IFES chairman’s response is sufficient.” Other groups that provide support for foreign elections have dealt with similar tensions. Rep. ELISE STEFANIK (R-N.Y.) frustrated staffers of the National Endowment for Democracy — where she has served as a board member since 2019 — by making statements questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Former House Majority Leader DICK GEPHARDT (D-Mo.), a former NED board member, claimed her efforts countered the group’s mission. IFES is a non-profit with a range of funding sources, including the U.S. government, other Western governments and private donors. The conflict inside IFES hasn’t reached everyone on the upper levels. One board member said they’d been unaware of Blackwell’s statements. “Oh my God,” the member said. “I think the most important thing is transparency and if we have someone on the board with problems, it’s difficult for us.” (Blackwell condemned the Capitol riots on Jan. 7, 2021.) Some point out that the organization has taken action against others for political statements. The organization fired GINA CHIRILLO, who previously served as the IFES’ senior global gender specialist, on March 10 after she posted a strongly-worded tweet calling out President JOE BIDEN for vetoing Washington D.C.’s new crime bill. IFES told Chirillo she violated the organization’s social media policy by tweeting a “disparaging” post. IFES spokesperson ANDREW KOLB said the organization expects employees to be respectful and civil when publicly voicing their views, but declined to speak to Chirillo’s specific case.
| | A message from Lockheed Martin: Enabling a world of unlimited possibility and 21st century security.
Lockheed Martin employees and customers are bound by a common cause. Ennobled by our shared patriotism, we will do all that is necessary to protect American and allied interests. Together, we will strengthen deterrence and help ensure mission readiness today. Learn more. | | | | | DOC LEAK DRAMA: Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are demanding answers about the Pentagon document leak that has unveiled critical U.S. intelligence, our own ANTHONY ADRAGNA and KATHERINE TULLY-MCMANUS report. Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER has requested classified briefings for members on the leak after Congress returns to Washington next week, and leaders of the House and Senate intelligence panels also said they’ve been briefed on the matter. Despite National Security Council spokesperson JOHN KIRBY’s insistence that the leaked docs have “no business, if you don’t mind me saying, on the … front pages of newspapers or on television,” reporters have uncovered major insights into the secret trove. The latest include U.S. doubts that Ukraine’s spring counteroffensive will achieve more than “modest” success, Egypt’s plans to secretly ship Russia some 40,000 rockets, and deepening intel ties between the U.A.E. and Russia. Kirby told reporters the U.S. is reaching out to allies about the leaks, but wouldn’t provide details. As more details from the leak emerge, South Korean officials said documents showing Seoul had reservations about supplying the U.S. with ammunition that could be sent to Ukraine were “untrue,” The Washington Post’s MIN JOO KIM reports. The allies “have a shared assessment that much of the information disclosed is altered,” Seoul’s Deputy National Security Adviser KIM TAE-HYO said, without specifying what parts of the report were changed or incorrect. The breach has made Pentagon officials’ lives difficult, to say the least: “I’m sick to my stomach,” one official told our own LARA SELIGMAN on Monday. Another said “the mood is anger” inside the Defense Department, as the leak is “a massive betrayal.” As the situation unravels, Pentagon officials are still unsure exactly what information, and how much of it, is out there. Kirby told reporters it would be “foolish” for anyone to guess how long it would take to track down the source of the breach, which experts believe has the potential to be even more impactful than the leak by EDWARD SNOWDEN a decade ago, particularly because the information is so recent. “Way too many people have access to very sensitive information,” a senior U.S. official told CNN, noting that “thousands” of people likely saw the docs before they were posted online. Scroll down to Keystrokes and On the Hill for even more on the leak. Read Alex’s poem about the matter, it’s really good. Read: The Real Scandal Behind the Pentagon Leaks by JACK SHAFER HUGE DRILLS: The U.S. and Philippines began the largest joint combat exercises in decades on Tuesday, performing drills that are expected to anger an already disgruntled China. The annual exercises, which will continue through April 28, will include live-fire drills such as a boat-sinking rocket assault in waters across the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, the Associated Press reports. More than 17,600 military personnel will take part in the drills. “We are not provoking anybody by simply exercising,” Col. MICHAEL LOGICO, a Philippine military spokesperson, told reporters. “This is actually a form of deterrence. Deterrence is when we are discouraging other parties from invading us.” BIDEN CALLS WSJ FAMILY: Biden spoke with imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter EVAN GERSHKOVICH’s family on Tuesday, assuring them that the U.S. is “doing everything in its power” to bring him home from Russia, according to a statement. NENTANYAHU THINKS TWICE: Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU reversed his decision to fire Israeli Defense Minister YOAV GALLANT on Monday, about two weeks after ousting him for criticizing the PM’s judicial overhaul plan. The firing was never formally confirmed, but it sparked a resurgence of nationwide protests and caused Israel to postpone its judicial overhaul plan until the summer, The New York Times’ PATRICK KINGSLEY and HIBA YAZBEK reported. While announcing that Gallant will remain in his post, Netanyahu mentioned “disagreements between us, even serious disagreements on some issues, but I decided to leave the disagreements behind us.” The prime minister’s remarks underscore a push among Israeli leaders to convey a sense of unity among the nation’s leaders, as fears rise that Israel’s enemies have been emboldened to attack amid domestic chaos. IT’S TUESDAY: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily. This space is reserved 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 gets made. Aim your tips and comments at award@politico.com and mberg@politico.com, and follow us on Twitter at @alexbward and @mattberg33. While you’re at it, follow the rest of POLITICO’s national security team: @nahaltoosi, @PhelimKine, @laraseligman, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @leehudson, @magmill95, @johnnysaks130, @ErinBanco, @Lawrence_Ukenye, @reporterjoe and @_AriHawkins.
| | | | The McCain Institute will convene its 10th annual Sedona Forum on May 5-6, featuring lawmakers, journalists, military leaders, business executives, and more. This year’s theme, “Indispensable Power,” will examine the diplomatic, military, and economic means employed to protect democracy, human rights, and the global competitive edge. Established by Senator John McCain, the Sedona Forum is held each spring in the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona, to advance the mission of the McCain Institute – fighting for democracy, human dignity, and security. Visit TheSedonaForum.org to register for the livestream today. | | | | | | | | HALEY: CURB CHINA’S ACCESS TO U.S. FARMLANDS: On her third campaign swing through Iowa last night, Republican presidential candidate NIKKI HALEY called to ban Beijing from buying American agricultural land citing security concerns. “China knows exactly what they are doing … The way we will deal with it is by looking at it through a national security lens. If it’s something related to national security like buying up farmland, you stop it,” said Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, referring to Beijing’s increased agricultural investments abroad in the past decade. Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS, a likely 2024 GOP contender, said in July that companies with “ties to the CCP” should not be allowed to buy up American real estate, and Trump said he would ban Chinese nationals from buying U.S. farmland if he retakes the White House.
| | | |   | | | | | NOTHING TO SEE HERE: The leaked Pentagon documents pointed to a cyberattack on a Canadian gas pipeline company by suspected Russia-linked hackers. But this may be a case of more smoke than fire, our own MAGGIE MILLER writes in Morning Cybersecurity (for Pros!). The pro-Russia hacktivist group that the documents say is behind the alleged attack is known as Zarya — a splinter group of the notorious Russian hacking group KillNet. Zarya allegedly shared screenshots proving it had access to critical systems at an unnamed Canadian gas pipeline company, with the Russian Federal Security Service showing that the group could have caused serious disruptions to the pipeline. But whether this attack actually took place remains unclear (and that’s for reasons beyond the concern that some of the docs have been altered). Experts believe members of the Zarya group may have been overstating their abilities, given their history of inflating their actions in the past. MARK PLEMMONS, senior director of threat intelligence at cyber group Dragos, said that Dragos is “unaware of evidence that substantiates the claims made for either the access or the ability” to compromise the gas company. TIMOTHY EGAN, president and CEO of the Canadian Gas Association, similarly denied that any gas-related critical infrastructure in Canada had been compromised. 503 ERROR: It's not often that Canadian Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU's website goes offline. But Ukrainian Prime Minister DENYS SHMYHAL's bilateral visit to Toronto may have been a motivating factor for Russian hackers, our own NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY writes in. As Shmyhal and Trudeau inked a renewed trade agreement at a signing ceremony in Canada's biggest city on Tuesday, the Canadian leader's site wouldn't load. Trudeau laughed off the apparent attack to reporters: "In case anyone's wondering, Russia being able to bring down an official Government of Canada website for a few hours is in no way going to dissuade us from our unshakeable support for Ukraine,” he said, adding that cyberattacks tend to follow Ukrainian officials on visits to allied countries. The federal agency charged with safeguarding Canada’s cybersecurity systems also downplayed the outages. ROBYN HAWCO, a spokesperson for the Communications Security Establishment, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: "While these incidents draw attention, they have very little impact on the systems affected."
| | JETS TO ROMANIA: Romania will purchase F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to deter Russian aggression and bolster the country’s air capabilities, President KLAUS IOHANNIS’s office said in a statement. Bucharest made the move after Iohannis met with the nation’s defense council, according to the statement. The number of jets that will be purchased was not specified, but it’ll set up Romania — a NATO ally that shares a border with Russia — to join the 17-member global Joint Strike Fighter enterprise.
| | | | GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World, will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat. | | | | | | | | CALL TO CURTAIL EGYPT AID: Rep. DON BEYER (D-Va.) believes new leaked documents showing that Egyptian President ABDEL FATTAH EL-SISI secretly sought to produce rockets for Russia “should lead to a major rethink” of Washington's ties with Cairo, if true, our own CONNOR O’BRIEN writes in. "I have long criticized the appalling human rights record of the Egyptian government, but such behavior should raise profound questions for all who have hitherto defended the status quo," said Beyer, who co-chairs the Egypt Human Rights Caucus in the House and has pushed the Biden administration to curtail military assistance, in an emailed statement. "How can you provide military assistance to a nation that turns around and supplies rockets to VLADIMIR PUTIN? If true, this is an unacceptable breach," he added. ACCESS GRANTED: The Department of Justice has granted access to classified documents recovered from the homes of Biden and Trump to some lawmakers after months of feuding with the White House, Punchbowl’s ANDREW DESIDERIO reports. The development comes after Senate Intelligence Committee Chair MARK WARNER (D-Va.) and Vice Chair MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) mounted a pressure campaign on the Biden administration, where they argued they need access to perform their oversight duties, and accused the Biden administration of stonewalling their requests. The Gang of Eight — which includes the chair and vice chair of both the House and Senate Intelligence committees and the top four leaders in both chambers — first received documents from the Biden administration last week.
| | | | FENTANYL SANCTIONS: The Biden administration will widen its efforts to crackdown on the fentanyl crisis, announcing increased sanctions targeting drug traffickers on Tuesday, Matt reports. “The nature of these drugs, and their ease of access and potency, presents a national security, public safety and public health threat,” the White House said in a statement, outlining a global coalition to combat the illicit synthetic drug trade and efforts to stymie drug traffickers’ access to the U.S. financial system. The sanctions come as Mexican President ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR and members of his security cabinet plan to meet with U.S. officials this week about fentanyl and arms trafficking, as Reuters’ BRENDAN O’BOYLE reported. It also coincides with GOP critiques that his administration has not done enough to stem the tide of drugs flowing from Mexico, with several Republicans calling for military action against the southern neighbor. FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — NUCLEAR ‘PLAN B’ FOR IRAN: Some two dozen non-proliferation advocates are urging Biden to find a new diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear crisis. In a letter sent today and obtained by our own NAHAL TOOSI, the advocates appear to suggest that the U.S. consider a “freeze-for-freeze” option. That means offering Tehran a temporary deal to stop, and perhaps reverse, some nuclear activities in return for limited sanctions relief. “The most feasible option might be a combination of reciprocal, unilateral measures that ensure the [U.N. nuclear watchdog agency] has sufficient access and insight to monitor Iran’s activities and to freeze (or roll back) Iran’s most proliferation sensitive activities, such as the further accumulation of uranium enriched to 60 percent and introduction of additional advanced centrifuge cascades,” the letter states. U.S. efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear progress have been largely unsuccessful since then-President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018. The Islamist regime in Tehran’s recent crackdown on popular protests has made the idea of diplomacy with Iran even more toxic than usual in Washington.
| | | — MARK LEWIS has been named as the first CEO of its Purdue Applied Research Institute. He was previously a former chief scientist of the Air Force and deputy undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. — LEILA ELMERGAWI is now senior adviser in the Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology at the State Department. She most recently was economic policy adviser to the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. — ANNE KEAST-BUTLER was named as the first female director of Britain’s intelligence communications agency GCHQ. She currently serves as deputy director general at Britain's domestic intelligence agency, known as MI5.
| | — JACOB HEILBRUNN, POLITICO: TUCKER CARLSON’s New Favorite Foreign Policy Thinker — ANJAN SUNDARAM, The New York Times: He’s a Brutal Dictator, and One of the West’s Best Friends — MITCHELL ZUCKOFF, The Atlantic: ‘Screw the Rules’
| | — The SETA Foundation, 10 a.m.: NATO's Enlargement: Assessing the Cases of Finland, Sweden and Ukraine — The Wilson Center Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, 1 p.m.: Ukraine's Cultural Response to War with PBS's "Culture Quest" creator IAN GRANT — FORUM and G2Xchange, 2 p.m.: Disruptive Tech Summit with CTO of U.S. Customs and Border Protection SUNIL MADHUGIRI and a Homeland Security Department senior adviser POLLY HALL — The Wilson Center's Asia Program, 4 p.m.: U.S.-East Asia Relations with University of Pennsylvania prof. JACQUES DELISLE — The Aspen Institute, 6:30 p.m.: The Susan and John Klein Book Series with former U.S. Ambs. to Ukraine MARIE YOVANOVITCH and former Ukrainian Finance Minister NATALIE JARESKO Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, who suspects either Matt, Lawrence or Ari to be the leaker. We also thank our producer, Greg Svirnovskiy, who will solve the mystery.
| | A message from Lockheed Martin: Enabling a world of unlimited possibility and 21st century security.
Lockheed Martin is helping you outpace evolving threats by accelerating our digital transformation. That means simulating wear-and-tear with digital twins so you can anticipate maintenance and reduce downtime. It means deep knowledge of your missions. It means industry-wide experience and next-gen technologies. We do it all to help you prevent and deter emerging threats sooner and faster than ever. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
