REPEAL OR VETO: In a pair of late-night tweets, President Trump issued a new ultimatum in his quest to force Congress to repeal the federal law that absolves social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter from liability for the way they regulate content on their platforms.
“If the very dangerous & unfair Section 230 is not completely terminated as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), I will be forced to unequivocally VETO the Bill when sent to the very beautiful Resolute desk,” Trump tweeted, calling Section 230 “a liability shielding gift from the U.S. to ‘Big Tech,’” “corporate welfare,” and “a serious threat to our National Security & Election Integrity.”
Trump has already threatened to veto the $740 billion defense policy bill over a bipartisan provision that would require the Army to strip the names of Confederate Civil War generals from 10 Army bases in the United States.
The annual authorization bill, known as the NDAA, is necessary to unlock millions in new military spending above last year’s level, including money for military pay raises, construction projects, shipbuilding, and technology and innovation investments.
NDAA VOTE EXPECTED: House and Senate conferees have been hammering out differences in the two versions of the NDAA for two weeks now and were expected to finish work as early as this week.
Currently, the bill has no language addressing the debate over Section 230, which some Republicans believe is used as a cover for censoring conservative debate on the internet.
The Washington Post reported this week that some Republicans have suggested trading language reforming Section 230 in exchange for dropping the base renaming provision, which President Biden’s Army secretary could order, without the need for legislation. So far, Democrats have refused to budge on either proposal.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is known to be averse to allowing votes on bills that face a presidential veto, and if no resolution is found, the NDAA may have to wait until the next Congress and the next president.
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 Victor I. Nava. 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 us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley, who has been outspoken in recent months about the apolitical ethos of the U.S. military, is scheduled to sit down with Michael O’Hanlon of the Brookings Institution at 11 a.m. for an hourlong conversation. Topics are expected to include the status of the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, tensions with Iran, the future of U.S. troops in Iraq, countering Russia and China, and how the military supports the Constitution, not the president. Register for the webcast at https://www.brookings.edu/events
FLYNN’S ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ TWEET: Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser pardoned by President Trump just before Thanksgiving, retweeted a press release from the Tea Party-affiliated “We the People Convention,” which is calling for Trump to invoke “limited martial law in order to allow the U.S. military to oversee a new free and fair federal election.”
In a full-page ad in the Washington Times, the group likens the move to “the Extraordinary Executive actions implemented by President Abraham Lincoln in his efforts to save the Union during the Civil War.”
“It is OUR EXCLUSIVE RIGHT to elect our President and that sacred right has been infringed by the massive, planned, illegal election fraud conducted by corrupt Democrat/Socialist Party operatives across our nation to steal our vote,” wrote Tom Zawistowski, president of We the People Convention.
The group’s ad calls upon Trump, like Lincoln, “to temporarily suspend the Constitution and civilian control of these federal elections in order to have the military implement a national re-vote that reflects the true will of the people.”
NO WIDESPREAD FRAUD: Meanwhile, in an interview with the Associated Press, Attorney General William Barr said so far the Justice Department has uncovered no voter fraud “on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.”
Specifically, Barr refuted the allegations of a mysterious algorithm that allegedly switched votes from Trump to Biden. “There’s been one assertion that would be systemic fraud, and that would be the claim that machines were programmed essentially to skew the election results. And the DHS and DOJ have looked into that, and so far, we haven’t seen anything to substantiate that,” Barr said.
GIULIANI’S RESPONSE: President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani said in a statement that the Justice Department has failed to find fraud because it’s not looking very hard.
“With all due respect to the Attorney General, there hasn’t been any semblance of a Department of Justice investigation. We have gathered ample evidence of illegal voting in at least six states, which they have not examined. We have many witnesses swearing under oath they saw crimes being committed in connection with voter fraud. As far as we know, not a single one has been interviewed by the DOJ. The Justice Department also hasn’t audited any voting machines or used their subpoena powers to determine the truth.”
THORNBERRY’S HASC REPLACEMENT PICKED: Widely-respected Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry’s decision no to run for reelection after 25 years in Congress resulted in his Texas seat going to retired Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, who served as White House physician for Presidents Obama and Trump from 2013 to 2018.
But Thornberry’s seat as ranking member (and potential chairman, if Republicans flip the House in 2022) on the important House Armed Services Committee will be filled by Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers, who was elected yesterday by the House GOP Steering Committee.
Rogers edged out Ohio Rep. Mike Turner, ranking member of the Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, and Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman.
RYAN ON BOARD: The Center for Strategic and International Studies has announced that former House Speaker Paul Ryan has joined its board of trustees.
“Paul has a tremendous track record of public service, leadership, and intellectual vigor,” said CSIS president and CEO John Hamre. “I am thrilled to welcome him to our Board of Trustees and look forward to his contributions to the Center.”
Ryan served as speaker from October 2015 to January 2019.
INDUSTRY WATCH: The State Department notified Congress yesterday of pending arms sales to six countries, with an estimated total of over $1.5 billion. The countries include Saudi Arabia, Croatia, Canada, Brazil, Lebanon, and South Korea.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Trump: Section 230 is a ‘serious threat to our national security & election integrity’
Washington Examiner: Marco Rubio: Twitter’s tolerance of China’s graphic attack on Australia shows bias
Washington Examiner: China lets North Korean weapons dealers and money launderers operate in country, State Department charges
Washington Examiner: China lands unmanned spacecraft on moon in bid to become third nation to bring lunar samples back to Earth
AP: Disputing Trump, Barr says no widespread election fraud
Newsweek: China Media Boasts PLA Warplanes Set ‘New Record’ for Taiwan Intrusions As War Looms
Military.com: Navy Grounds New Fire Scout Helicopter Drone After Back-To-Back Mishaps
Reuters: Russia Deploys Advanced S-300 Missiles To Disputed Islands Near Japan
19fortyfive.com: How Russia’s Military Is Modernizing
Popular Mechanics: The Navy Is Firing A Mysterious Weapon Today. It Sure Sounds Like A Railgun.
USNI News: ‘Selective Disclosure’ Can Serve As Counter To Russia And China, Says Report
AP: Iran’s parliament approves bill to stop nuclear inspections
Defense Daily: Another Democrat Lawmaker Pushes for Biden Nuclear Posture Overhaul
Breaking Defense: Pentagon CIO Defends JEDI To Key Senator
The Hill: Oversight panel slams Pentagon for $700M loan
Wall Street Journal: The Myth of ‘War Weary’ Americans
Military Times: This retired three-star falsely claims US soldiers died attacking a CIA facility in Germany tied to election fraud
Military.com: Thousands of Marines Tested for LSD After Drug Problem Emerges at Infantry Unit
Marine Corps Times: New Cold Weather Boots To Hit The Marine Fleet In 2021
Forbes: U.S. Navy Welcomes New Robotic Overlords
USNI News: This Sailor Is Working On New Rating: Chess Master
Calendar
WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 2
8 a.m. — Atlantic Council virtual forum with current and former U.S. and South Korean officials on “issues facing the bilateral security alliance and economic partnership,” with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Korea and Japan Marc Knapper. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event
9:15 a.m. G50, Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support hearing on Navy and Marine Corps readiness, with Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday, and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
10:30 a.m. — George Washington University Project for Media and National Security Defense Writers Group conversation with Adm. Craig Faller, commander, U.S. Southern Command. https://nationalsecuritymedia.gwu.edu
11 a.m. — Brookings Institution webcast: “A conversation with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.” https://www.brookings.edu/events
12 p.m. — Association of the U.S. Army “Noon Report” webinar on Army National Guard operations, with Command Sgt. Maj. John Sampa, the senior enlisted leader of the Army National Guard. https://info.ausa.org
THURSDAY | DECEMBER 3
9:30 a.m. — Carnegie Europe, in partnership with NATO, hosts the public launch of the NATO 2030 Expert Group’s Report: “United for a New Era,” with keynote address by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Livestream at https://carnegieeurope.eu
12 p.m. — Hudson Institute virtual discussion: “Competing with Great Powers at the ‘Speed of Relevance,” with Ellen Lord, defense undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment. https://www.hudson.org/events
2 p.m. — R Street Institute and National Taxpayers Union webinar “Pentagon Purse Strings Episode 1: What is a Contingency? Exploring the OCO Account and Reform in the 117th Congress,” with Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.; Andrew Lautz, National Taxpayers Union, Jonathan Bydlak, R Street Institute; and Wendy Jordan, senior policy analyst, Taxpayers for Common Sense. https://www.rstreet.org/event
1 p.m. Rayburn 2118 & Cisco Webex — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness hearing: “Review of the Findings and Recommendations of the National Commission on Military Aviation Safety,” with retired Army Gen. Richard Cody, chairman, National Commission on Military Aviation Safety; and Richard Healing, vice chairman, National Commission on Military Aviation Safety. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
2 p.m. — Brookings Institution webcast: “The Future of U.S. Alliances in the Indo-Pacific,” with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. https://www.brookings.edu/events
5 p.m. — National Security Institute at George Mason University “NatSec Nightcap” conversation: “Advancing Diplomacy Aboard, a Deep Dive into U.S. Foreign Policy,” with Elliott Abrams, special representative for Iran and Venezuela; and Jamil Jaffer, founder and executive director, National Security Institute. https://nationalsecurity.gmu.edu/natsec-nightcap
FRIDAY | DECEMBER 4
9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webcast with former CIA Director John Brennan on the top national security priorities for a new Biden administration. https://www.csis.org/events/online
10 a.m. — Association of the U.S. Army “Thought Leaders” webinar with former national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to discuss his book, Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. https://www.bigmarker.com/ausaorg
1:30 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webcast: “Reflecting America’s Diversity in its Military,” with Army Maj. Gen. Tammy Smith; retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden, former NASA administrator; and Alice Hunt Friend, senior fellow in the CSIS International Security Program. https://www.csis.org/events
3 p.m. — Woodrow Wilson Center Kissinger Institute on China and the United States virtual book discussion on “Where Great Powers Meet,” focusing on the rivalry between the United States and China in Southeast Asia, with author David Shambaugh, director of the George Washington University China Policy Program; Robert Daly, director of the Kissinger Institute; and J. Stapleton Roy, director emeritus of the Kissinger Institute. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event
3 p.m. — Hudson Institute webinar: “Diplomacy, Deterrence, and Disruption: Navigating North Korea Policy in 2021,” with Jihwan Hwang, associate professor at the University of Seoul; Andrea Mihailescu, fellow in residence at Pepperdine University; Won Gon Park, professor of international studies at Handong Global University; Brad Roberts, director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Center for Global Security Research; and Patrick Cronin, senior fellow at Hudson. https://www.hudson.org/events
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“ … to date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.”
Attorney General William Barr, in an interview with the Associated Press
