GAME ON: When President Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden meet on the debate stage tonight in Cleveland for the first of three presidential debates, U.S. foreign policy and national security will not technically be among the topics on the menu. But these days, almost every issue has some national security ramifications, from violent protests in American cities to the nation’s coronavirus response to election security to Trump’s taxes.
The 90-minute, commercial-free debate airs from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Eastern time and is divided up into six 15-minute segments with topics selected by moderator Chris Wallace, anchor of Fox News Sunday.
HOW NATIONAL SECURITY COULD COME UP: In the opening segments, the candidate will be invited to defend their records and attack their opponents. That could give Biden an opening to bring up the New York Times report about Trump’s finances. Democrats were quick to portray the allegations about Trump’s use of tax laws to wipe out his federal income tax liability and his outstanding debt as a possible national security vulnerability.
“This president appears to have over $400 million in debt,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on MSNBC yesterday. “To whom? Different countries? What is the leverage they have? So, for me, this is a national security question.”
“The fact is, over $400 million in leverage that somebody has over the president of the United States. If he were going to be a president — a federal appointee, that would be a major obstacle,” Pelosi said.
Trump’s defense has been to accuse the New York Times of making up phony stories and the IRS of being out to get him. “It’s fake news. It’s totally fake news. Made up. Fake,” Trump said Sunday after the story broke. “The IRS does not treat me well … They treat me very badly.”
“I’ve paid a lot, and I paid a lot of state income taxes, too,” Trump said. “It’ll all be revealed. It’s going to come out.”
MILITARIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT: Wallace, who says his job as moderator will not be to fact check the candidates, has also picked “race and violence in cities,” as the focus of another segment.
“Joe Biden is weak. He surrendered his party to the flag burners, the rioters, the anti-police anarchists, the radicals,” Trump said at a rally in Newport News, Virginia, Friday, in what could be a preview of the line of attack he will use against Biden.
“I have condemned every form of violence, no matter what the source is, no matter what the source is,” Biden said at a CNN town hall this month. “The president has yet to condemn, as you have probably noticed, the far right and the white supremacists and those guys walking around with the AK-47s, and not doing a damn thing about them.”
COVID RESPONSE: “Tremendous progress is being made. And I say, and I’ll say it all the time: We’re rounding the corner. And, very importantly, vaccines are coming, but we’re rounding the corner regardless,” Trump said yesterday as worldwide deaths from the coronavirus pandemic reached 1 million, and U.S. deaths now exceed 200,000.
Trump insists his quick action, including an early partial travel ban on China and expanded testing, has saved millions of lives. “Last week, we crossed a historic milestone when the United States conducted our 100 millionth test, far more than any other country,” Trump said yesterday. “It’s already setting records, records like nobody has ever seen before.”
Biden is likely to bring up Trump’s words to journalist Bob Woodward, when he said in March that he wanted to play down the virus threat so as not to cause a panic. “But he knew it. He knew it and did nothing. It’s close to criminal,” Biden said this month. “Columbia University Medical School pointed out, if he had just acted one month, one week earlier, he would have saved 37,000 lives.”
PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER: In June, Biden, in an appearance on The Daily Show, hosted by Trevor Noah, said he was “absolutely convinced” the military would escort Trump out of the White House if he refused to accept the outcome showing him losing.
The Pentagon and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley were quick to say the military would play no role in sorting out a disputed election, which would be the purview of the courts.
Trump has said the only way he can lose is if the election is rigged, and he has argued that mail-in voting is rife with fraud. “I’ve been telling you this whole ballot scam is going to cause a lot of problems for our country. I want to see a very peaceful transition, but it’s got to be a legal process,” Trump said over the weekend.
“In North Carolina, voters are reporting receiving two ballots in the mail. Many — many voters. I hear it’s thousands, but they’re getting two ballots. I wonder if those are Democrat areas, because the word is they are,” he said.
Biden says his greatest fear is that Trump will try to steal the election.
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NOT HAPPENING TODAY: Today was scheduled to be the day SpaceX made more history by reusing its Falcon 9 booster to put a Global Positioning System satellite into space under a new contract with the U.S. Space Force.
But the mission was scrubbed early this morning. “SpaceX is standing down from its launch attempt of 60 Starlink satellites … due to weather,” the company said on its website. “SpaceX will announce a new target launch date once confirmed.”
By reusing the Falcon 9 first stage, which was used in the launch of Crew Dragon’s first flight to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts onboard, the military will save $52 million.
“We appreciate the effort that the U.S. Space Force invested into the evaluation and are pleased that they see the benefits of the technology,” said SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell in a press release. “Our extensive experience with reuse has allowed SpaceX to continually upgrade the fleet and save significant precious tax dollars on these launches.”
The GPS III-4 is built by Lockheed Martin.
POMPEO SIDES WITH GREECE: In a dispute between two NATO allies, the U.S. seems to be siding with Greece over Turkey. The two neighboring countries are locked in a confrontation over disputed maritime boundaries and exploration rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In an interview with the Athens News Agency during a visit to Thessaloniki, Greece, Pompeo called on Turkey to de-escalate tensions.
“We’ve said all along, the way conflict is resolved is not through shows of force, it’s not through demonstrations of power, it’s through dialogue. It’s through international systems, agreement, conversations, dialogue. That’s how these maritime disputes ought to be resolved,” Pompeo told Greece’s ANA state news agency. “We’ve watched the Greeks move in that direction trying to achieve that. We hope the Turkish government will see it the same way.”
“Turkey sent a research vessel, accompanied by warships, to prospect for energy resources in an area Greece claims is on its own continental shelf and where it claims exclusive economic rights. Athens sent warships of its own to the area,” reported the Associated Press.
CR EXPECTED TO WIN QUICK PASSAGE: The Senate goes back into session at 3 p.m. to take up the Continuing Appropriations Act, or “CR,” passed by the House last week, with a vote set for around 5:30 p.m.
The bill, which will keep the government and the Department of Defense funded at current levels through Dec. 11, is expected to pass easily, avoiding a shutdown and postponing contentious issues until after the election.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Pompeo backs Greece over Turkey amid dispute over energy-rich Mediterranean
Washington Examiner: Putin to take Russian coronavirus vaccine dubbed Sputnik V
Washington Examiner: ‘What is the leverage they have?’: Pelosi says Trump taxes a ‘national security’ matter
Washington Examiner: ‘Locked safes, lost keys’: Richard Grenell details ‘crazy’ excuses about classified reports
Washington Post: Trump’s debts and foreign deals pose security risks, former intelligence officials say
AP: Top Afghan Negotiator In Taliban Talks Arrives In Pakistan
AP: China Fires Back At U.S. Over Environment, South China Sea
McClatchy: Veteran facing border wall scam charges with Steve Bannon: ‘Not a penny’ was taken
Wall Street Journal: Putin’s Support For Belarus Alarms West
Air Force Magazine: USAF F-16s to Police Bulgaria’s Skies for NATO
Reuters: Threat To Evacuate U.S. Diplomats From Iraq Raises Fear Of War
Stars and Stripes: Carrier-Launched Airstrikes Hit ISIS Targets In Iraq As USS Nimitz Patrols Persian Gulf
AP: United Arab Emirates to launch spacecraft to moon in 2024
Washington Post: As repression mounts, China under Xi Jinping feels increasingly like North Korea
The Hill: Eighth U.S. Service Member Dies From COVID-19
Military.com: Lawsuit Claims Military Families Endured Mold, Roaches In Camp Lejeune Housing
Calendar
TUESDAY | SEPTEMBER 29
9 a.m. — Association of the Old Crows CEMAlite Virtual Summit, with Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commander, Army Cyber Command. https://www.crows.org
9 a.m. — Council on Foreign Relations virtual discussion with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammed Gargash, with Lisa Anderson, professor emerita of international relations at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and former president of American University in Cairo. https://cfr.zoom.us
9 a.m. — IDEEA Inc. virtual ComDef Conference: “Ensuring a Resilient and Agile Defense Industrial Base,” with Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord; and retired UK Air Marshal Simon John Bollom, CEO of the UK Defence Ministry’s Defence Equipment and Support; Principal Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Acquisition Enablers Stacy Cummings; Andrew Forzani, chief commercial officer of the UK Defence Ministry; Kim Herrington, acting principal director of defense pricing and contracting in the Office of the Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition and Sustainment; and Richard Burley, acquisition attache for defense acquisition and technology at the British Embassy in Washington. https://www.ideea.com/comdef20/
9:45 a.m. — Virtual Fires Conference, with Army Gen. Paul Funk, commander, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command; Army Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, commander, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. https://livestream.com/firescenter.
10 a.m. — Afwerx virtual EngageSpace forum, with Joel Mozer, chief scientist at the Space Force; Douglas Terrier, NASA chief technologist; and Air Force Brig. Gen. Steven “Bucky” Butow, director of the Defense Innovation Unit. https://engage.space
11 a.m. — Washington Post Live webinar with former national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, author of Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. https://www.washingtonpost.com
12:50 p.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace webinar: “U.S. Foreign Policy at the Presidential Debate,” with former White House Communications Director Jen Psaki; Amanda Carpenter, political columnist for the Bulwark; Charlie Cook, editor and publisher of the Cook Political Report; and Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at CEIP. https://carnegieendowment.org
1:45 p.m. — Northern California Chapter of the Asia Society book discussion webinar, on The Button: The New Nuclear Arms Race and Presidential Power from Truman to Trump, with former Defense Secretary William Perry, co-author; Tom Collina, co-author and director of policy at the Ploughshares Fund; and former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry. https://asiasociety.org/northern-california/events
9 p.m. 9501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio — Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic host the first presidential debate of 2020, with President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, moderated by Chris Wallace, anchor of Fox News Sunday.
WEDNESDAY | SEPTEMBER 30
9 a.m. — IDEEA Inc. virtual ComDef Conference: “Ensuring a Resilient and Agile Defense Industrial Base.” https://www.ideea.com/comdef20/
10 a.m. — Brookings Institution webinar: “The Future of U.S. Policy in Afghanistan,” with Madiha Afzal, fellow in the Brookings Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence; Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow in the Brookings Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence; Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow in the Brookings Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence; and John Allen, Brookings president. https://www.brookings.edu/events
10 a.m. — Heritage Foundation virtual event: “U.S. Navy Shipyards Are In Crisis – Understanding the Issue and Next Steps,” with Rep. Robert Wittman, ranking member, House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces; Diana Maurer, director, defense capabilities and management team, Government Accountability Office; Maiya Clark, research assistant, Heritage Foundation Center for national defense; Brent Sadler, senior fellow for naval warfare and advanced technology, Heritage Foundation Center for National Defense. https://www.heritage.org/defense/event/virtual
10 a.m. — The Center for Strategic and International Studies webcast: “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the U.S. Navy,” Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Nowell; and retired Vice Adm. Peter Daly, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event
11 a.m. — George Washington University Project on Media and National Security Defense Writers Group conversation with Dana Deasy, DOD chief information officer. https://nationalsecuritymedia.gwu.edu/
1:30 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webcast: “Domestic Terrorism and the U.S. Presidential Election,” with Brian Michael Jenkins, senior adviser to the president of RAND; and former Washington, D.C., Chief of Police Cathy Lanier, senior vice president and chief security officer at the National Football League. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event
2 p.m. — Defense One webcast: “Hyperspeed,” focusing on the future of manned hypersonics providing a route to space exploration, with Mike White, assistant hypersonics director in the Office of the Defense Undersecretary for Research and Engineering; and Thomas Boggs, chief artificial intelligence architect for the Leidos artificial intelligence/Machine Learning Accelerator. https://www.defenseone.com/feature/hyperspeed
4 p.m. — Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library conversation with Matt Pottinger, assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser. https://www.reaganfoundation.org
THURSDAY | OCTOBER 1
9 a.m. — IDEEA Inc. virtual ComDef Conference: “Ensuring a Resilient and Agile Defense Industrial Base,” with Alison Petchell, minister-counselor for defense materiel at the Embassy of Australia; Rutha Astravas, continental materiel cooperation director at the Canadian National Defence Department; Huw Walters, economic security and prosperity director at the UK Defence Ministry; and Assistant NATO Secretary General for Defence Investment Camille Grand. https://www.ideea.com/comdef20/
9:15 a.m. SD-562, Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support hearing on “Supply Chain Integrity,” with Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
10 a.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual rollout of its latest policy paper “Understanding the Promise of Skyborg and Low-Cost Attritable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,” by Mark Gunzinger, director, future concepts and capability assessments and Lukas Autenried, senior analyst at the Mitchell Institute, with discussion by, Gunzinger; retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula; Col. Stryker Haley, deputy division chief, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability Futures and Concepts Division; and Douglas Meador, deputy program manager, Air Force Research Laboratory Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology program. Video available afterward at https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation.
10 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace webinar: “Standoff or Turning Point: Will the Belarus Protests Trigger a Russian Onslaught?” with Bianna Golodryga, senior global affairs analyst at CNN; Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at CEIP; Dmitri Trenin, director of the CEIP Moscow Center; and former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, president of CEIP. https://carnegieendowment.org/2020
11 a.m. — Arms Control Association webinar: “The Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty,” with Ellie Gerenmyah, deputy director of the European Council on Foreign Relations’ Middle East and North Africa Program; Emad Kiyaei, director of the Middle East Treaty Organization; and Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at ACA. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register
2 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webcast: “Department of Defense’s Service Industrial Base,” with David Berteau, president and CEO of the Professional Services Council; Eric Chewning, partner at McKinsey & Co.; and Tina Jonas, nonresident senior adviser in the CSIS International Security Program. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event
3 p.m. — Defense One webcast: “State of the Space Force,” with U.S. Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson. https://www.defenseone.com/feature/state-of-defense
3 p.m. — Council on Foreign Relations virtual U.S. Foreign Policy Forum, focusing on challenges awaiting the winner of the 2020 election, with former U.S. Representative to the African Union Reuben Brigety II; former Homeland Security Council Chair Frances Fragos Townsend, vice chairman, general counsel and chief administrative officer at MacAndrews & Forbes Inc.; and Richard Haass, CFR president. https://www.cfr.org/event/election
FRIDAY | OCTOBER 2
9:15 a.m. — Brookings Institution webinar: “Disinformed Democracy: The Past, Present, and Future of Information Warfare,” with former national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, author of Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. https://www.brookings.edu/events
10 a.m. — National Defense Industrial Association virtual symposium: “Special Operations Forces and Great Power Competition,” with Acting Assistant Defense Secretary for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Ezra Cohen; Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla.; and Air Force Command Sgt. Gregory Smith, senior enlisted leader at the U.S. Special Operations Command; Assistant Defense Secretary for Acquisition Kevin Fahey; Jim Smith, acquisition executive at the U.S. Special Operations Command’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Center; and former Principal Deputy Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Alan Estevez, national security and logistics executive at Deloitte; Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition James “Hondo” Geurts; and Ramon “CZ” Colon-Lopez, senior enlisted adviser to the Joint Chiefs Chairman. https://www.ndia.org/events/2020/10/2/2020-virtual-solic
11 a.m. — Defense One webcast “State of the Navy,” with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday. https://www.defenseone.com/feature
MONDAY | OCTOBER 5
9 a.m. — NVIDIA’s GPU Technology Conference on Artificial Intelligence and the future of work, with retired Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, the first director of the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, among others. https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/gtc
TUESDAY | OCTOBER 6
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with his counterparts from Japan, Australia and India in Tokyo to discuss promoting a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. https://www.state.gov/
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“This president is the commander in chief. He has exposure to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. To whom? The public has a right to know.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arguing that President Trump, by carrying hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, may be a national security risk.
