UP TO THE COURTS, CONGRESS: In a written response to two Democratic members of Congress, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley firmly rejected any suggestion that the military would intervene if an election dispute were to prevent a peaceful transfer of power in January.
“In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law U.S. courts and the U.S. Congress are required to resolve any disputes, not the U.S. military,” said Milley, in answers provided to Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Mikie Sherrill. “We will not turn our backs on the Constitution of the United States.”
Milley also affirmed that the United States would have no role in overseeing or assisting the election process. “I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical U.S. military,” he said, noting that state and federal governments have qualified individuals who oversee elections. “I do not see the U.S. military as part of this process.”
BIDEN FEARS TRUMP WON’T LEAVE: Back in June, Joe Biden said he had no doubt that if Trump refused to accept an election loss, the military would show him the door. “I am absolutely convinced they will escort him from the White House with great dispatch,” Biden said in an appearance on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.
In a virtual address to the National Guard Association of the United States over the weekend, Biden accused the president of politicizing the military, using the National Guard and other troops to settle “personal vendettas.”
“I’ll never put you in the middle of politics and personal vendettas,” Biden told the association’s general conference on Saturday. “I’ll never use the military as a prop or as a private militia to violate the rights of protestors,” Biden said. “You deserve so much better than this.”
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NO MORE ELECTION BRIEFS: Citing leaks from Congress, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has informed congressional leaders that it will no longer brief lawmakers in person on election security.
“In order to ensure clarity and consistency across the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s engagements with Congress on elections, the ODNI will primarily meet its obligation to keep Congress fully and currently informed leading into the Presidential election through written finished intelligence products,” Ratcliffe said in letters obtained by the Washington Examiner.
President Trump, who was touring hurricane damage in Louisiana and Texas on Saturday, suggested that his longtime nemesis Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, may have been to blame for the unauthorized disclosures.
“Director Ratcliffe brought information into the committee, and the information leaked. Whether it was Shifty Schiff or somebody else, they leak the information before it gets in. And what’s even worse, they leak the wrong information. And he got tired of it,” Trump said. “So he wants to do it in a different form because you have leakers on the committee — obviously, leakers that are doing bad things. Probably not even legal to leak. But we’ll look into that separately.”
DENIALS, DENUNCIATIONS: On CNN on Sunday, Schiff denied being a leaker and argued that the idea that written reports would stop leaks was illogical.
“I haven’t. My staff hasn’t. I can’t speak for what all the members of the committee have done or not done, including a lot of the Republican members,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash. “Look, Dana, leaks are always improper, and sometimes, they’re illegal.”
“This is a falsehood, yet again another lie by the president,” Schiff said. “It is a logical inconsistency to say, ‘Well, we’re going to put it on paper so it can’t leak rather than speak to the Congress.’ That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Director Ratcliffe’s outrageous decision to stop providing briefings to Congress is an unprecedented attempt to politicize an issue, protecting our democracy from foreign intervention, that should be nonpartisan,” said Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, in a statement. “Russia interfered in our elections in 2016, and they’re doing it again in 2020. One of the lessons we should draw from what happened in 2016 is that Congress and the American public need to know more information about the election interference threat — not less.”
ESPER SUPPORTS MOH UPGRADE: Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has informed three members of Congress that he supports their efforts to upgrade U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Alwyn Cashe’s posthumous Silver Star to a Medal of Honor, America’s highest award for combat valor.
“After giving the nomination careful consideration, I agree that SFC Cashe’s actions merit award of the Medal of Honor,” wrote Esper in a letter to Reps. Stephanie Murphy, a Florida Democrat; Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican; and Michael Waltz, a Florida Republican, but noted that federal law generally requires that the Medal of Honor be awarded within five years of the actions that are the basis for the award.
“Before we can take further action with this nomination, Congress must waive this [five-year] time limit. Once legislation is enacted authorizing the President of the United States to award, if he so chooses, the Medal of Honor to SFC Cashe, I will provide my endorsement to the President.”
BLACK HAWK CRASH KILLS TWO: The Army has identified two U.S. soldiers who were killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash Thursday night in Southern California.
Staff Sgt. Vincent Marketta, 33, of Brick, New Jersey, and Sgt. Tyler Shelton, 22, of San Bernardino, California, died from injuries sustained when their Black Hawk helicopter went down while conducting aviation training on San Clemente Island, California.
“The loss of Staff Sgt. Marketta and Sgt. Shelton has left a scar in this Regiment that will never completely heal,” said Col. Andrew Graham, commander of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne).
The Rundown
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Washington Examiner: Trump asked John Kelly to be FBI director on condition of loyalty pledge: Book
Washington Examiner: Appeals court says due process clause not applicable to Guantanamo Bay detainees
Washington Examiner: Joe Biden responds to Portland unrest: Trump is ‘recklessly encouraging violence’
Military Times: As Trump’s popularity slips in latest Military Times poll, more troops say they’ll vote for Biden
Wall Street Journal: U.S. To Cut Troop Presence In Iraq By About One-Third, Officials Say
New York Times: With a Wary Eye on China, Taiwan Moves to Revamp Its Military
Japan Times: Kono And Esper Look To Keep China In Check, But Challenges Abound
AP: India says China’s military made moves near disputed border
Forbes: The Chinese Navy Catches A Break As U.S. Marines Retire Anti-Ship Fighters
Washington Post: 3 Afghans accused of links to insider attacks that killed U.S. troops are among Taliban prisoners to be released
New York Times: Taliban Violated Peace Deal With Shelling of Bases, U.S. Officials Say
Air Force Magazine: Brown: ‘Accelerate Change or Lose’
Air Force Magazine: Biden, Loh Praise National Guard at Virtual Conference
AP: Russian Navy Conducts Major Maneuvers Near Alaska
Newsweek: Russian Warships Sailed ‘Right Through’ Alaska Fishing Fleet: Sailors
CNN: U.S. Jets Intercept Russian Military Aircraft Off The Alaskan Coast
Business Insider: As Trump Shakes Up The Military Footprint In Europe, The US And Russia Are Making Moves In The High North
Agence France-Presse: Turkey Launches New Military Drills as East Med Tensions Mount
New York Times: For Third Weekend, Belarus Protesters Keep Pressure On
Forbes: Air Force’s ‘Skyborg’ Robotic Wingman Will Revolutionize How Air Warfare Is Waged—And How Weapons Are Bought
AP: Sources: US stops ex Colombia warlord’s deportation to Italy
New York Times: President Trump, Don’t Leave My Brother, a Hostage, Behind
38 North: Opinion: How to Constructively and Safely Reduce and Realign US Forces on the Korean Peninsula
Calendar
MONDAY | AUGUST 31
9 a.m. — Heritage Foundation webinar: “U.S.-Taiwan Economic Cooperation Looking Ahead, with Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell; Republic of China Economic Affairs Minister Mei-Hua Wang; and Walter Lohman, director of the Heritage Asian Studies Center. https://www.heritage.org/asia/event/virtual-event
12 p.m. — Atlantic Council webinar: “Desert One: How the Hostage Crisis and Failed Rescue Raid Still Cloud U.S.-Iran Relations,” with director Barbara Kopple; Nasser Hadian, professor at the University of Tehran; former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iran John Limbert; retired Marine Corps Col. Ed Sieffert; Barbara Slavin, director of the Atlantic Council’s Future of Iran Initiative; and former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Stuart Eizenstat. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event
12 p.m. — Association of the U.S. Army “Noon Report” discussion on race, with Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston and other Army noncommissioned officers. https://www.ausa.org/events/noon-report
2:30 p.m — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute Aerospace Nation webinar with Maj. Gen. Mark Weatherington, who commands Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org
3 p.m. — Defense One webcast: “Advancing the Future of Aerospace Innovation,” with Richard Aboulafia, vice president for analysis at the Teal Group Corporation; and Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One global business editor. https://www.defenseone.com/feature
TUESDAY | SEPTEMBER 1
11 a.m. — Foundation for Middle East Peace and the Middle East Institute virtual discussion on “The Implications of the Israel-UAE Deal,” with Elizabeth Tsurkov, research fellow at the Forum for Regional Thinking; Sam Bahour, freelance business consultant at Applied Information Management; Marwa Fatafta, Middle East/North Africa policy manager at Access Now; and Lara Friedman, FMEP president; and Khaled Elgindy, senior fellow and director of the MEI Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs. https://fmep.org/event/fmep-mei-webinar-series
12 p.m. — Center for the National Interest webinar: “Will the Israel-UAE Agreement Bring Peace or Instability to the Middle East?” with Dennis Ross, former Middle East envoy to President Bill Clinton; Henri Barkey, former director of the Middle East Center at the Woodrow Wilson Center; Shai Feldman, president, Sapir Academic College, Israel; Geoffrey Kemp, Center for the National Interest. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register
1 p.m. — American Enterprise Institute webinar: “Assessing China’s military: An inside look at the Department of Defense’s China Military Power Report,” Chad Sbragia, deputy assistant secretary of defense for China; and Zack Cooper, research fellow, AEI. https://www.aei.org/events/webinar
WEDNESDAY | SEPTEMBER 2
10 a.m. — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute Nuclear Deterrence Forum with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy Rob Soofer. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org
11 a.m. — Foundation for Middle East Peace webinar: “The Implications of the Israel-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Deal,” with Annelle Sheline, research fellow for the Middle East at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft; Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; James Zogby, managing director of Zogby Research Services; Khaled Elgindy, director of the Middle East Institute’s Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs; and Lara Friedman, president of FMEP. https://fmep.org/event/fmep-mei-webinar
11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Center for a New American Security virtual discussion: “Toward a More Proliferated World?” with Rebecca Friedman Lissner, assistant professor at the U.S. Naval War College Strategic and Operational Research Department; Vipin Narang associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Security Studies Program; Ilan Goldenberg, director and senior fellow at the CNAS Middle East Security Program; and Eric Brewer, deputy director and senior fellow at the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues. https://www.csis.org/events/online
11:50 a.m. — The Institute for Defense and Government Advancement Counter-UAS Summit, beginning with Air National Guard Maj. Casey Robbins, air defense officer for nuclear and homeland defense operations at the Joint Staff’s Homeland Defense Division. https://www.idga.org/events-counteruas-usa
12 p.m. — Association of the U.S. Army Noon Report virtual discussion of racial issues and diversity in the Army with Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; Maj. Gen. John Evans, commanding general of Army Cadet Command; Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Sellers, the senior enlisted soldier in the Army G-4, logistics, who most recently was commandant of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy; and Sgt. Maj. Julie Guerra, the senior enlisted soldier in the Army G-2, intelligence, who previously was the command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Cyber School. https://www.bigmarker.com/ausaorg
12 p.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies virtual discussion: “Addressing Veteran Underemployment,” with retired Army Gen. Jack Keane, former vice chief of staff of the Army; and Thomas Mahnken, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events
2:40 p.m. — NASA holds a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket full-scale booster test, followed by a media teleconference with Bruce Tiller, manager of the NASA SLS boosters office; and Charlie Precourt, vice president of propulsion systems at Northrop Grumman. https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive
THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 3
2:45 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Europe virtual Space Workshop, with the theme “Cybersecurity in and for Space Operations.” Speakers include 3:05 a.m. — Jamie Shea, strategic studies professor at Exeter University; 3:20 a.m. — Gordon Davis, deputy assistant secretary-general at the NATO Defense Investment Division; 3:35 a.m. — French Brig. Gen. Frederic Pesme, deputy director of the NATO International Military Staff’s Policy and Capabilities Division; 3:50 a.m. — Carine Claeys, special envoy at the European External Action Service Space Task Force; 5:05 a.m. — Pierre Delsaux, deputy director-general of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space; 7 a.m. — Kaitlyn Johnson, associate director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Aerospace Security Project; 8:40 a.m. — Martin Ditter, head of the European Space Agency’s European Space Security and Education Center; and 8:55 a.m. — Air Force Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center. https://eu.eventscloud.com/ehome/afceaeuropeworkshop-space2020/programme/
9 a.m. — United States Institute of Peace webinar: “The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Faces the Future: What to Expect from the 27th ASEAN Regional Forum,” with Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell; former Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Pham Quang Vinh; Mely Caballero-Anthony, professor of international relations at Nanyang Technological University Singapore; Byron Chong, research associate at the National University of Singapore’s Center on Asia and Globalization; Drew Thompson, visiting senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s School of Public Policy; and Brian Harding, senior expert for Southeast Asia at USIP. https://www.usip.org/events/asean-faces-future
10 a.m. — Middle East Institute webinar: “Iran, Israel and the Changing Geopolitics of the Middle East,” with Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; Meir Javedanfar, senior research fellow at the Meir Ezri Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies; Ksenia Svetlova, senior research analyst at the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policy; and Alex Vatanka, director of the MEI Iran Program. https://www.mei.edu/events
10 a.m. — George Washington University School of International Affairs webinar: “U.S.-Republic of Korea relations and cooperation,” with Republic of Korea Ambassador to the United States Soo Hyuck Lee. https://elliott.gwu.edu/event-calendar
1 p.m. — U.S. Navy Memorial webinar with the Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Nowell. https://www.navymemorial.org/new-events
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law U.S. courts and the U.S. Congress are required to resolve any disputes, not the U.S. military. … We will not turn our backs on the Constitution of the United States.”
Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a written answer to congressional questions about whether the military might intervene to resolve a disputed presidential election.
