As Biden eyes her for possible VP, Tammy Duckworth emerges as Trump’s chief antagonist on military issues

“Trump has made it more likely that other hostile powers will work with other terrorist networks to exchange other American lives for stacks of cash. He has made it more likely that more spouses will be widowed, and more moms and dads turned into Gold Star parents,” she writes. “In the face of all he has done and all he refuses to do, how dare he still call himself our commander in chief?”

‘WE HAVE FOUGHT THE TALIBAN HARDER’: While Trump was not briefed on what was described as “unverified” intelligence, administration officials insist it was not ignored. The U.S. military increased its force protection measures, and the intel was also shared with U.S. coalition partners.

“I can assure every one of your viewers that this administration acted in a way to protect every American who was serving in Afghanistan,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox’s Laura Ingraham Monday night. “We have fought the Taliban harder than the previous administration ever dreamed about fighting them. And now, President Trump is going to protect our soldiers by working to get a peace and reconciliation deal that allows them to come home.”

NO AMERICANS KNOWN TO HAVE DIED: Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, who heads the U.S. Central Command, told reporters traveling with him to Qatar that while U.S. intelligence assessed that Russia had offered to pay Taliban militants to kill American service members, there was no evidence the scheme resulted in any U.S. troop deaths, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“I found it very worrisome,” said McKenzie. “I didn’t find that there was a causative link there.”

SHOWDOWN OVER VINDMAN: Duckworth has placed a hold on more than 1,000 military promotions in a parliamentary move aimed at ensuring that Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is not denied a promotion by the White House in retribution for his testimony during last year’s House impeachment hearings.

“I’m afraid that the White House is pressuring the DOD to take Lt. Col. Vindman’s name off the list after he’s earned his way onto it based on his job performance, as he was evaluated by his supervisors,” Duckworth told MSNBC this week. “In order to get on the promotion list, you have to have been recommended to be on there by your rater, your intermediate rater, and your senior rater. So, three officers above you have to concur that you should get on the list.”

Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican and member of the Armed Services Committee, is accusing Duckworth of playing politics in a statement to the Washington Examiner.

“It’s unacceptable that Sen. Duckworth is willing to hold up important military confirmations and play politics with our men and women in uniform,” said Scott. “I hope my colleague decides to put the security of our nation first and drops her holds on the confirmations of these military promotions.”

On CNN, former national security adviser John Bolton said that from what he saw of Vindman’s service before Trump fired him from the National Security Council staff, he deserves a promotion.

“Based on not just his service but his twin brother’s service at the NSC, both of whom were pushed out of their assignments early, I think they certainly deserve promotion, based on what I saw. They shouldn’t be discriminated against,” Bolton said last week. “I hope there’s nobody in the White House who’s holding this up or putting bureaucratic obstacles in the way. I think it would be a terrible signal.”

TRUMP CAMPAIGN COUNTERATTACK: In a statement Tuesday, the Trump campaign zeroed in on Duckworth’s weekend comments on CNN, in which she did not rule out the idea of removing some statues of George Washington as the nation confronts its history of slavery and slave owners.

“George Washington, I don’t think anybody would call him a traitor, and there are moves by some to remove statues of him. Is that a good idea?” asked CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday’s State of the Union.

“I think we should listen to everybody. I think we should listen to the argument there,” Duckworth replied.

“After saying she was open to tearing down statues of George Washington, Tammy Duckworth is now using her military service to deflect from her support for the left-wing campaign to villainize America’s founding,” said Scott O’Grady, a former F-16 pilot co-chairmen of Veterans For Trump, and retired Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady. “If she can’t defend George Washington, our first Commander-in-Chief, those of us who still respect our Founding Fathers’ immense sacrifice and think America is worth fighting for will hold her accountable for cowering to the far-left fascists in the Democrat Party.”

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 David Sivak and Tyler Van Dyke. 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: Trump welcomes Mexican President Manuel Lopez Obrador to the White House.

ALSO TODAY: Nand Mulchandani, acting director of the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, briefs reporters on the department’s recent initiatives with artificial intelligence. Streamed live on Defense.gov.

HOUSE SPENDING BILL ATTEMPTS TO CLAW BACK WALL MONEY: The House Appropriations Committee has released a draft of its version of the fiscal year 2021 defense funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee Wednesday.

The bill provides $694.6 billion in new discretionary spending authority, an increase of $1.3 billion above the FY 2020 enacted level but $3.7 billion below the president’s budget request.

The bill includes language aimed at forcing the Pentagon to return money shifted from military construction accounts for border wall construction. “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds made available to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2020 that were transferred by such Department on February 13, 2020, and remain unobligated as of the date of the enactment of this Act shall be returned to the original account or accounts and may not be used for any purpose other than the original purposes for which they were appropriated by the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020.”

“We have the most capable and advanced military in the world, and this bill honors their mission by adequately funding programs to care for service members and their families, and by including provisions to end the Trump administration’s theft of defense funds to pay for a wasteful border wall,” said Rep. Nita Lowey, chairwoman of House Appropriations Committee, in a press release.

BY THE NUMBERS: Here is the breakdown of the budget that would fund active-duty end strength of 1,351,500, an increase of 12,000 above current year, as well as key readiness programs:

Military Personnel

• Base: $157.7 billion
• Overseas Contingency Operations: $4.6 billion
• Total: $162.3 billion

Operation and Maintenance

• Base: $196.7 billion
• Overseas Contingency Operations: $57.8 billion
• Total: $254.5 billion

BANNING TIKTOK? In his interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox Monday night, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he’s seriously considering banning TikTok, a wildly popular Chinese social media app that is used by some 30 million people in the U.S.

“It’s been banned now by India, and Australia is considering the same action, saying that TikTok was full of mass surveillance and propaganda and also that the app had the ability to feed information straight to Beijing,” said Ingraham. “If all that’s the case, shouldn’t we be considering right now, tonight, a ban on Chinese social media apps, especially TikTok?

“We’re taking this very seriously. We’re certainly looking at it,” replied Pompeo. “With respect to Chinese apps on people’s cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too, Laura. I don’t want to get out in front of the president, but it’s something we’re looking at.”

“Would you recommend that people download that app on their phones — tonight, tomorrow, anytime currently?” Ingraham followed up.

“Only if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Pompeo.

ESPER’S REPORT CARD: Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has released a video address to the Pentagon’s military and civilian workforce to congratulate them on achieving many of the goals he set when he first took office a year ago.

“As my one-year anniversary as Defense Secretary nears, I want to take a look back over the past 12 months and thank you for all that we accomplished together,” Esper says as he claimed success in meeting 10 targeted goals designed to implement the National Defense Strategy. “I am proud to report that we’ve made real progress on these goals, with most on track to be accomplished on time.”

You can read the goals in the transcript of Esper’s address here.

INDUSTRY WATCH: Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Stratford, Connecticut, and General Electric Aircraft Company in Lynn, Massachusetts, have received approval to sell a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter and related equipment to Jordan to be used to “facilitate the movement of the Jordanian Royal Family in a safe and efficient manner.”

The State Department has approved the possible foreign military sale, which is valued at $23 million, according to a release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” DSCA said.

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: ‘They can’t compete’: US flexes bombers that can strike mainland China

Washington Examiner: FBI director: China seeks to become sole superpower ‘by any means necessary’

AP: China Calls U.S. Invite To Nuclear Talks A Ploy To Derail Them

AP: North Korea Rejects Talks As U.S. Envoy Arrives In Seoul

AP: CENTCOM Commander Sees Smaller But Enduring Troop Presence In Iraq

Washington Examiner: Scott slams Duckworth on military promotions holdup

Washington Examiner: Trump Confederate monument nostalgia clashes with younger conservative’s views

Air Force Magazine: Senators Want to Speed Turkey’s F-35 Ouster

Naval News: Russia Is Using Treaty Clause To Change Submarine Balance In Mediterranean

Breitbart: First Female Receives Special Forces Tab Ahead of Graduation

Military.com: Military’s Top Appeals Court to Consider Whether Retirees Can Be Court-Martialed

Washington Post: Killing Exposes Deep Scars In Military

USNI News: Pre-Boot Camp Quarantine for Navy, Marines May Continue Into Next Year

Stars and Stripes; Navy Cancels Fall Fitness Tests, Details Changes For Senior Enlisted Academy Students

Washington Post: Gen. Robert E. Lee is the only Confederate icon still standing on a Richmond avenue forever changed

Forbes: Expanded Cargo Preferences May Be The Easiest Way To Rebuild The U.S. Maritime Industry

Calendar

WEDNESDAY | JULY 8

9 a.m. — Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program, and the European Union Delegation to the United States hold the EU Defense Washington Forum via webcast, with EU Ambassador to the U.S. Stavros Lambrinidis, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Marshall Billingslea. https://www.brookings.edu/events/webinar

9:30 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace webinar: “The Scramble for Libya: A Globalized Civil War at Tipping Point,” with Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center; Sinan Ulgen, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe; Jalal Harchaoui, research fellow at the Clingendael Institute’s Conflict Research Unit; Khadeja Ramali, Libyan researcher; and Frederic Wehrey, senior fellow at CEIP. https://carnegieendowment.org

10 a.m. — The Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies releases its latest policy paper: “Resolving America’s Defense Strategy-Resource Mismatch: The Case for Cost-Per-Effect Analysis,” by retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation

11 a.m. — German Marshall Fund of the United States debate: “Does Libya Need European Boots on the Ground?” with German Bundestag member Franziska Brantner; Nathalie Tocci, director of Istituto Affari Internazionali; and Kristina Kausch, GMF Brussels senior resident fellow. https://www.gmfus.org/events

1 p.m. — Center for Security Policy online discussion: “From Elections to Electrons – Cybersecurity Threats to America’s Infrastructure,” with George Cotter, former National Security Agency CIO; and Tommy Waller, CSP director of infrastructure protection. https://register.gotowebinar.com/register

2:30 p.m. Pentagon Briefing Room 2E973 — Nand Mulchandani, acting director of the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center briefs reporters on the department’s recent initiatives with Artificial Intelligence. Streamed live on Defense.gov.

THURSDAY | JULY 9

9 a.m. — Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program, and the European Union Delegation to the United States hold the EU Defense Washington Forum via webcast, with European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for European and NATO Policy Michael Ryan, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Security Policy James Appathurai, and Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas. https://www.brookings.edu/events/webinar

12 p.m. — SETA Foundation webinar: “What’s at Stake for Turkey in Libya?” with Talha Kose, chair of the Ibn Haldun University’s Political Science and International Relations Department; Murat Yesiltas, director of the SETA Security Studies Program; and Kadir Ustun, executive director of SETA. https://setadc.org/events

1 p.m. Capitol Visitor Center Auditorium/Virtual — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of Defense Authorities and Roles Related to Civilian Law Enforcement,” with Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

1 p.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Twitter, and the Partnership for Countering Influence Operations webcast: “Understanding Information Operations,” with Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensics Research Lab; Ben Nimmo, head of investigations at Graphika; Martin Innes, director of the Crime and Security Research Institute; and Kate Starbird, associate professor at the University of Washington; Renee DiResta, research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory; Camille Francois, chief innovation officer at Graphika; Dhiraj Murthy, associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin; and Jake Shapiro, professor at Princeton University. https://carnegieendowment.org

1 p.m. — Woodrow Wilson Center Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies book discussion on “How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict,” with author Nina Jankowicz, disinformation fellow in the WWC’s Science and Technology Innovation Program; Asha Rangappa, senior lecturer at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs; and Matthew Rojansky, director of the WWC Kennan Institute. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event

1 p.m. — Atlantic Council webinar: “Challenging Convention: Charting a Course for the New American Engagement Initiative,” with Susan Eisenhower, CEO and chairman of the Eisenhower Group Inc.; Edward Luce, associate editor of the Financial Times; Christopher Preble, co-director of the Atlantic Council’s New American Engagement Initiative; Mathew Burrows, co-director of the Atlantic Council’s New American Engagement Initiative; Gina Wood, vice president for foundational and institutional giving at the Atlantic Council; and Damon Wilson, executive vice president of the Atlantic Council. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event

No time given — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies conversation with Lt. Gen. Warren Berry, deputy Air Force chief of staff for logistics, engineering and force protection. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation

FRIDAY | JULY 10

4:30 p.m. — Intelligence and National Security Alliance symposium: “The New IC (Intelligence Community): Empowering Women and Engaging Men,” with Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Ellen McCarthy; and Stacey Dixon, deputy director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. https://www.insaonline.org/event

TUESDAY | JULY 14

No time given — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Aerospace Nation conversation with Uzi Rubin, former director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation

WEDNESDAY | JULY 15

No time given — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Aerospace Nation conversation with Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, commander, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber). https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation

TUESDAY | JULY 21

3:30 p.m. — Johns Hopkins SAIS Merrill Center for Strategic Studies webinar: “The State of the U.S. Air Force,” with Gen. David Goldfein, chief of staff; and Prof. Mara Karlin, director, Strategic Studies Program and Merrill Center for Strategic Studies. Register at https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register