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From the SitRoom to the E-Ring, the inside scoop on defense, national security and foreign policy. | | | | |  | | By Matt Berg | |  Last year, House Speaker Mike Johnson voted against sending Kyiv a $40 billion package, saying it could be better spent on priorities at home. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | Subscribe here | Email Alex | Email Matt With help from Maggie Miller Just a few days ago, Rep. MIKE JOHNSON was a little-known member who served on the House Armed Services Committee. Now, he’s tasked with leading a dysfunctional Congress through two wars abroad. With such a low profile, it’s hard to predict exactly how the Louisiana Republican will steer lawmakers. But it might not be good for Ukraine. “We want our allies around the world to know that this body of lawmakers is reporting again to our duty stations. Let the enemies of freedom around the world hear us loud and clear: The people's House is back in business,” Johnson said during his post-election speech on Wednesday. He mentioned the ongoing Israeli conflict and the southern border security among other foreign policy and national security issues — but not the war in Ukraine. A major challenge Johnson faces is how to proceed with President JOE BIDEN’s $106 billion request to Congress linking Israeli and Ukrainian aid together, which several Republicans staunchly oppose, as a potential government shutdown approaches. Soon after the votes were counted, signs of the struggle to come became apparent. Rep. MATT GAETZ (R-Fla.) said Johnson won’t be allowed to bring up a bill linking the two wars because “more than half the conference opposes it,” according to NBC News. “I support Israel. Haven’t we done enough for Ukraine?” Gaetz told NatSec Daily in a statement. Rep. DUSTY JOHNSON (R-S.D.) offered a different perspective, telling CNN this morning there’s a “strong majority of lawmakers in both the House and the Senate that understand this world is a lot more dangerous when America recedes from leadership. Clearly,” he added, “we want to help our allies like Israel and Ukraine.” Following Johnson’s speech, the House overwhelmingly passed a resolution standing with Israel. Johnson’s voting record also doesn’t bode well for Ukraine. He received an F on the Republicans for Ukraine advocacy group’s report card and has argued that there’s insufficient oversight of the money. Last year, he voted against sending Kyiv a $40 billion package, saying it could be better spent on priorities at home. Former Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY, on the other hand, received a B- grade from the advocacy group. But in recent months, Johnson seems to have changed his tune somewhat. While he hasn’t expressed willingness to greenlight multi-billion dollar aid packages to Kyiv, he did tell The Daily Beast last month that “Ukraine has to prevail.” Asked whether he supports more assistance to Ukraine on Wednesday, he was surprisingly clear: “We all do. We are going to have conditions on that, so we’re working through,” he said. “We want accountability, and we want objectives that are clear from the White House.“ These are pretty standard asks for a House Republican, many of whom support Ukraine’s battle against Russia but are worried about American assistance pouring in unchecked. However, Johnson’s record has been further to the right on Ukraine than many of his colleagues, voting in favor of three amendments that would’ve limited assistance to Kyiv in the annual defense authorization bill. Johnson’s office didn’t respond to NatSec Daily’s request today for comment on his views. His position on the war in Ukraine, “if we're being polite, has been evolving,” BRADLEY BOWMAN, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ center on military and political power, told NatSec Daily. But the conflict between that record and his statements means it's hard to know what Johnson’s current position really is. Read: ‘Who’s Mike Johnson?’: Diplomats scratch their heads at new speaker by your anchor, DAN BLOOM, SHAWN POGATCHNIK and ESTHER WEBBER.
| | A message from Lockheed Martin: Our mission is to prepare you for the future by engineering advanced capabilities today.
Many of today’s military systems and platforms were designed to operate independently. Through our 21st Century Security vision, Lockheed Martin is accelerating innovation, connecting defense and digital to enhance the performance of major platforms, to equip customers to stay ahead of emerging threats. Learn more. | | | | | MULTIPLE INVASIONS? Israeli ground troops made a big incursion into the Gaza Strip overnight and Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU said there could be several ground invasions into the walled territory, Reuters’ NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI reports. "I will not elaborate on when, how or how many,” Netanyahu said in a Wednesday evening address, speaking of the expected ground invasion — which has been delayed, at least partially due to U.S. officials’ concerns. It’s at least the second time Israeli forces have raided Gaza on the ground since fighting began. Israel’s military said it sent tanks inside that helped troops “prepare the battlefield” but didn’t give details, The New York Times’ NADAV GAVRIELOV reports. As Israeli airstrikes continued to bombard Gaza today — among the most intense bombings conducted by the nation in a century, hitting some 7,000 targets — criticism of Israel’s actions mounted at the United Nations. “Israel cannot remain above the law,” Jordan’s representative to the U.N., MAHMOUD HMOUD, told the General Assembly, per the Times’ ANUSHKA PATIL. “The right to self defense is not a license to kill with impunity … Collective punishment is not self defense — it is a war crime.” More than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Hamas’ militant group’s surprise attack in Israel, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Those figures have been widely cited and trusted by news organizations, but Biden says those numbers can’t be trusted. "What they say to me is I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I'm sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war," the president said Wednesday, per Reuters. TROOPS DEPLOYED: 900 U.S. troops have deployed or are in the process of deploying to U.S. Central Command, Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. PATRICK RYDER announced today, LARA SELIGMAN writes in. This includes a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery from Fort Bliss, Texas, Patriot missile defense batteries from Fort Sill, Okla., and Patriot and Avenger batteries from Fort Liberty, N.C. Ryder declined to say exactly where in the Middle East the forces were headed, but said they were not going to Israel. The intent is to “support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities,” Ryder said. He also announced that the U.S. would send two Iron Dome air defense systems to Israel, in addition to interceptor missiles. CAPITOL HILL MEETS UKRAINE: A group of leading members of the Ukrainian parliament have been meeting with U.S. lawmakers this week to discuss issues including pushing Congress to approve new funding for munitions in Ukraine’s war with Russia, Maggie writes in. The Ukrainian parliamentarians had conversations with certain Republican lawmakers who have been increasingly skeptical of giving Ukraine any further aid, according to participants in a roundtable about the talks in Washington today — all of whom were granted anonymity to speak freely about private conversations. The Ukrainian representatives got many questions during the meetings about what the end game of the war is, something Ukrainian officials have struggled to answer as the conflict drags on. The Ukrainian delegation is fighting particularly hard to get further aid for Ukraine tied to a funding package to support Israel in its conflict with Hamas, though Republicans have not been receptive to that idea. The delegation also is using its time in Washington to make the case to the private sector and the U.S. government that it can cut costs by producing weapons on the ground in Ukraine. They are asking for the blueprints and are willing to pay licensing fees or take further steps. The officials said the delegation has been met with a brick wall on that idea in the U.S., though has made some progress in the United Kingdom. As the winter months creep in, a time when ground fighting typically slows down and efforts like cyberattacks and missile launches can be more common, the delegation is also warning that Russia has stepped up its missile production efforts. They are expecting missiles to rain down on Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities in the winter months, and are using this to push for more assistance from Capitol Hill. The parliamentarians have reason to see a small glimmer of progress. The State Department announced today that the U.S. is committing a further $150 million to Ukraine in military assistance. PROPAGANDA DOWN SOUTH: State Department officials believe there’s a covert operation in South and Central America to spread Russian propaganda by making it appear that articles written by the Russian government are from local news outlets, The New York Times’ STEVEN LEE MYERS reports. The operation appears to be just beginning, but State’s Global Engagement Center is going public with the influence campaign with the goal of lessening its impact in a region where the Kremlin has long tried to erode support for Washington, U.S. officials told the Times. “What we’re trying to do is expose Russia’s hidden hand,” JAMES RUBIN, the center’s coordinator, told the Times. Pre-empting the propaganda operation is a new tactic for the center, underscoring the difficulty of stopping the spread of misinformation once it’s out there. IT’S THURSDAY: 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 X 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, @reporterjoe, and @JGedeon1.
| | | | GET READY FOR POLITICO’S DEFENSE SUMMIT ON 11/14: Russia’s war on Ukraine … China’s threats to Taiwan … a war in Gaza. The U.S. is under increasing pressure to deter, defend and fight in more ways — but not everyone agrees how. Join POLITICO's 3rd Annual Defense Summit on November 14 for exclusive interviews and expert discussions on global security and the U.S.'s race to bolster alliances and stay ahead of adversaries. Explore critical topics, including international conflicts, advanced technology, spending priorities and political dynamics shaping global defense strategies. Don’t miss these timely and important discussions. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | DESANTIS’ ISRAELI ANGLE: Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS has been coordinating flights from Israel to the Sunshine State to evacuate Americans, likely a strategic move as voters increasingly consider presidential candidates’ stances on the Israel-Hamas war. “Florida's Israel Rescue Operation has completed four rescue flights bringing nearly 700 Americans home from Israel. Two cargo planes with 85 pallets of donated supplies have also arrived in Israel,” DeSantis tweeted Wednesday night. Since Israel’s war began, Florida has also seen about a dozen arrests for threats against the Jewish community, the disbandment of two Students for Justice in Palestine student groups at universities in the state and legislative proposals to strengthen sanctions against Iran. As one of two GOP presidential candidates currently holding a political office, DeSantis’ moves are similar to Sen. TIM SCOTT (R-S.C.)’s push to crack down on Iran using his post as ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee.
| | BAD CYBER NEWS FOR UKRAINE: Ukrainian cyber defenders battled an almost 50 percent increase in cyberattacks during the third quarter of 2023, many linked to Russian-affiliated hackers, a report published today found. Ukraine’s Cyber Incidents Response Operational Center processed more than 350 major cyberattacks during Q3 of 2023, an increase from the number faced during the second quarter of the year. These cyberattacks were largely aimed at the financial, government, telecommunications, education and civil society sectors in Ukraine, and more than half of the attacks were linked to pro-Russian hacktivist groups. While the findings show that a cyberwar is ongoing in Ukraine, it’s only likely to intensify as the weather turns colder. The winter has typically seen the worst Russian-linked cyberattacks on Ukraine, including attacks in 2015 and 2016 that temporarily turned off the lights for sections of the nation. Key U.S. lawmakers are on alert for this trend to continue. “When the ground freezes, it’s a little harder to fight over there and so forth, and so it becomes less kinetic and more cyber-oriented,” Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) told Maggie. “That’s just an ongoing threat and it’s going to be a part of every large-scale armed conflict for the rest of our lives.” Senate Intelligence Chair MARK WARNER (D-Va.) told Maggie that while he has not seen intelligence indicating that winter will lead to more “cyber torture” for Ukraine, he was “surprised we haven’t seen the ultimate Russian cyber tools.” CISA’S SWEATING: Speaker Johnson’s no friend of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and with his new powerful position, it’s possible he could crack down on the agency even more. As our friends at Morning Cybersecurity (for Pros!) report, Johnson is a member of the House Judiciary select subcommittee on the weaponization of the federal government, which published a scathing report this summer bashing CISA’s election security work. (Not surprising since he’s a staunch DONALD TRUMP supporter and a key figure behind false claims the 2020 election was stolen.) Johnson then joined more than 100 Republican colleagues in voting last month to slash CISA’s $3 billion budget by 25 percent.
| | | | PLAYBOOK IS GOING GLOBAL! We’re excited to introduce Global Playbook, POLITICO’s premier newsletter that brings you inside the most important conversations at the most influential events in the world. From the buzzy echoes emanating from the snowy peaks at the WEF in Davos to the discussions and personalities at Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to the heart of diplomacy at UNGA in New York City – author Suzanne Lynch brings it all to your fingertips. Experience the elite. Witness the influential. And never miss a global beat. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | | IRAN TROOPS UPDATE: Nineteen American service members stationed in Iraq and Syria have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after rocket and drone attacks from Iran-backed militants last week, a Defense Department official told Lara. Fifteen troops at Al Tanf garrison in Syria and four at Al Asad air base in Iraq were diagnosed with the injury, the official said today. Two additional service members at Al Tanf sustained other minor injuries, the official said, and all have returned to duty. SLOVAKIA STOPS MILITARY AID: Slovakia's newly elected Prime Minister ROBERT FICO pledged today to stop delivering weapons to Ukraine, just one day after taking office, according to French newswire AFP. "I will support zero military aid to Ukraine ... An immediate halt to military operations is the best solution we have for Ukraine," said Fico, who has had a fractious relationship with Ukraine going back over a decade. "The EU should change from an arms supplier to a peacemaker.”
| | | RED TAPE TANGLING: A pair of Republican lawmakers are faulting the Navy for “alarming delays” in delivering Taiwan’s long-sought anti-ship missiles, meant to deter China from a potential invasion, our own JOE GOULD reports (for Pros!). China Committee Chair MIKE GALLAGHER (R-Wis.) and Indo-Pacific Subcommittee Chair YOUNG KIM (R-Calif.) blasted the Navy for tangling the sales in red tape in a letter Tuesday to Navy Secretary CARLOS DEL TORO obtained by Joe today. Despite fears Beijing may attempt to invade Taiwan, shipments of U.S. arms aimed at deterring China won’t arrive for years, the lawmakers say. “At this hour of danger … bureaucratic delays within the Navy are impeding the timely production and delivery of key weapons to Taiwan — including critical anti-ship missiles — and undermining efforts to prevent war,” the lawmakers wrote. ICYMI — Senators prep proposal to go around Tuberville's holds by Joe, CONNOR O’BRIEN and BURGESS EVERETT
| | SUNAK SLAP DOWN: Senior British lawmakers have blasted U.N. Secretary-General ANTÓNIO GUTERRES amid an escalating dispute between the top official and Israel over his comments on the conflict with Hamas, our own ANDREW McDONALD reports. Israel has already called for Guterres to resign, after he said during a U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday that Hamas’ attack on Israel “did not happen in a vacuum.” On Wednesday he sought to clarify those comments, adding that the “grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the horrific attacks by Hamas.” Today, Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister OLIVER DOWDEN called on Guterres to further clarify his comments — a call which his boss, Prime Minister RISHI SUNAK, later backed. “There’s one person responsible for what happened and that’s Hamas,” Sunak said after a speech today. “They perpetrated an appalling attack of terrorism which has harmed very many people and they alone are responsible for that.” HATE CRIMES UP: The FBI warned that Israel’s ongoing war with Palestinian militants could encourage more hate crimes in the United States, our own ERIC BAZAIL-EIMIL reported Wednesday evening. The FBI said in a statement that it “has seen an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions” and said that “recent events have increased the possibility of potential attacks against individuals and institutions in response to developments in the Middle East.”
| | | | — Sen. Warner tapped WILLIAM WU to serve as staff director and MARIA MAHLER-HAUG as deputy staff director of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Wu was previously the committee’s deputy staff director, and Mahler-Haug was a professional staff member and designee to Sen. MICHAEL BENNET (D-Colo.) on the committee. — CHRISTOPHER O’LEARY was tapped to become senior vice president for global operations of The Soufan Group, a global intelligence and security consultancy. He previously served as director of hostage recovery for the U.S. government.
| | — HANNA NOTTE, The New York Times: Putin is getting what he wants — JAMES GOLDSTON, POLITICO: Don’t let Gaza be another example of International Criminal Court double standards — Government Accountability Office: National security snapshot: oversight of the DOD nuclear enterprise
| | | |   | | | | | — The Washington International Trade Association, 10 a.m.: Trade and national security: China and outbound investment in the crosshairs — The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, 12 p.m.: Russia's economic occupation of Ukraine: new insights into Russia's strategies in the occupied territories — The Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, 12:30 p.m.: Israel-Gaza war with journalist MOUIN RABBANI, co-editor of Jadaliyya magazine — The Atlantic Council, 2:45 p.m.: Indo-Pacific strategy with Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs CAMILLE DAWSON Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, whose views on this newsletter are evolving for the worse. We also thank our producer, Gregory Svirnovskiy, whose views toward us have been consistently positive.
| | A message from Lockheed Martin: Our mission is to prepare you for the future by engineering advanced capabilities today.
Many of today’s military systems and platforms were designed to operate independently. Through our 21st Century Security vision, Lockheed Martin is accelerating innovation, connecting defense and digital to enhance the performance of major platforms, to equip customers to stay ahead of emerging threats. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
