| PROTESTS, BOYCOTT AWAIT NETANYAHU: Protesters are gathering, dueling news conferences are planned, impassioned floor speeches have been delivered — all as a prelude to this afternoon's address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a joint meeting on Congress. The invitation extended by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to Netanyahu has intensified the partisan divide, with a raft of Democrats announcing they will boycott the 2 p.m. speech in protest of what they call Netanyahu's radical policies, which have strained relations with the United States. Among the missing will be Vice President Kamala Harris, who has a campaign event planned today, an absence Johnson called "outrageous to me and inexcusable." "This is an historic moment. It’s an important moment for the country … The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. And yet Kamala Harris will abandon her seat," Johnson said. "As you all know. As the vice president and as serving as the president of the Senate, she is supposed to be seated next to me at the rostrum. She will not be there because she refuses to attend. She needs to be held accountable for that." Netanyahu is scheduled to meet one-on-one with Johnson at 12:45 p.m. at the Capitol, followed at 1 p.m. by a private meeting with all four leaders of the House and Senate, Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). DEMOCRATS: SPEECH 'SENDS A TERRIBLE MESSAGE': As protesters gather at 11 a.m. for an "Arrest Netanyahu" rally calling for Netanyahu's arrest for "war crimes and crimes against humanity," Democrats have been trying to make a distinction between America's support for Israel, and their opposition to Netanyahu's hard-right governing coalition. "Those bonds between the people of Israel and the people of the United States remain strong today," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said in a floor speech yesterday. "But the actions and words of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his ultra-right extremist coalition, both before and since the October 7th attacks, have weakened the ties between the United States and the government." "It sends a terrible message to bring him here now to address a joint session of Congress," Van Hollen said. "Netanyahu remains the leader of the most extreme right-wing government coalition in the history of Israel. It is the coalition he personally assembled in a desperate bid to regain power and to prevent a possible prison sentence." One prominent Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said in a floor speech that he would attend the speech, even as he harshly criticized Netanyahu for opposing a two-state solution and standing in the way of peace. "His leadership is eroding Israel's security, health, and democracy. In March, I came to the floor to call for new leadership for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. I stand by that call," Reed said. "The United States is Israel's oldest friend. But as a friend, we must insist that Prime Minister Netanyahu fundamentally change the path he has put his country on. The eyes of the world, and history, are upon him." FAMILIES OF HAMAS HOSTAGES URGE LAWMAKERS TO GET NETANYAHU TO AGREE TO DEAL TRUMP: 'LOOKING FORWARD TO ACHIEVING PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST': In a post on his Truth Social site and campaign emails, former President Donald Trump said he is "looking forward to welcoming Bibi Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago" on Friday. In a separate post, Trump shared an image of a letter he received from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the failed assassination attempt. On the letter, he had inscribed in Sharpie, "Mahmoud, So Nice. Thank You. Everything will be good. Best Wishes." Trump said he was looking "even more forward to achieving Peace in the Middle East." "During my first term, we had Peace and Stability in the Region, even signing the historic Abraham Accords – And we will have it again," Trump said. "Just as I have said in discussions with President Zelensky and other World Leaders in recent weeks, my PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH Agenda will demonstrate to the World that these horrible, deadly Wars, and violent Conflicts must end." "Millions are dying, and Kamala Harris is in no way capable of stopping it," he added. Harris and President Joe Biden are scheduled to meet with Netanyahu separately tomorrow. OPINION: SNUBBING NETANYAHU'S ADDRESS, KAMALA HARRIS SHOWS CHILDISH PARTISANSHIP 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 Christopher Tremoglie. 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 me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will take a two-day break this week and won't publish tomorrow, July 25, or Friday, July 26. We'll be back in your inbox and online on Monday, July 29. HAPPENING TODAY: In a historic presidential address from the Oval Office tonight, Joe Biden will explain why he decided to step aside in favor of his vice president and what he hopes to accomplish in the last six months of his term. "Tomorrow evening at 8 PM ET, I will address the nation from the Oval Office on what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people," Biden posted on X, yesterday. "The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn't changed at all," Biden said when he called in to Harris's first campaign event Monday in Wilmington, Delaware. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to be out there on the campaign with her, with Kamala. I'm going to be working like hell both as a sitting president, getting legislation passed, as well as in campaigning." A Reuters/Ipsos poll just out shows Kamala Harris with a 44% to 42% lead over Trump, well within the margin of error. This is a four-point pickup over the last Reuters poll, in which Biden trailed Trump by two points. ALSO TODAY: TRUMP ON THE STUMP: In Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump is holding his first public campaign rally since Biden dropped out and Harris became the presumptive nominee. Trump carried North Carolina both in 2016 and 2020, but in the last election, it was close, with only a 1.5% edge for Trump. Trump is expected to pivot his attacks from calling Biden too old to labeling Harris too radically left. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is among the Democrats that Harris' campaign is vetting as a possible running mate. In an audio interview, Trump told Fox correspondent Bill Melugin he wouldn't shy away from debating Harris, a former federal prosecutor. "If Kamala Harris does end up being the Democrats' nominee, will you commit to debating her at least one time?" Melugin asked Trump. "Oh, yes, absolutely. I'd want to. I think it's important," Trump replied. "I'm not thrilled about ABC because they're truly fake news. I watched last night. They're actually trying to make a hero out of Joe Biden, when he was the worst president in history." UPDATE ON SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR KIMBERLY CHEATLE: Under withering criticism for the abysmal security lapses that almost cost former President Trump his life, she resigned. "In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Director," Cheatle wrote in a letter to her staff. "I do not want my calls for resignation to be a distraction from the great work each and every one of you do towards our vital mission." "The Secret Service's solemn mission is to protect our nation's leaders and financial infrastructure. On July 13th, we fell short on that mission. The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases," she wrote. "As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse." SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR KIMBERLY CHEATLE RESIGNS IN WAKE OF TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT CONGRESS DEMANDING 'FULL TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY': "I am pleased that Director Cheatle finally did what she should have done days ago — resign," said Mark Green (R-TN), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. Cheatle's resignation will do nothing to stop our oversight efforts or the broader Congressional investigation — nor does it magically resolve all the problems and lapses that led to the massive security failure of July 13." "That is why this committee is demanding full transparency and accountability," Green said. "While Director Cheatle's resignation is a step toward accountability, we need a full review of how these security failures happened so that we can prevent them going forward," said James Comer (R-KY), House Committee on Oversight and Accountability in a statement. "Egregious security failures leading up to and at the Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally resulted in the assassination attempt of President Trump, the murder of an innocent victim, and harm to others in the crowd. "As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service," President Biden said in a statement. "We all know what happened that day can never happen again." "The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions," Biden said. "I wish Kim all the best, and I will plan to appoint a new Director soon." SECRET SERVICE: ENOUGH WITH THE OUTDOOR RALLIES: In the wake of the close call in Butler, the Secret Service is reportedly advising the Trump's campaign to schedule future rallies indoors where crowds can be more closely controlled. The Secret Service "communicated their concerns about large outdoor rallies going forward" according to the Washington Post, who cited "three people familiar with the matter." The restriction on outdoor venues could reduce the size of the audience, something Trump often likes to boast about, although areas with television screens could accommodate overflow crowds. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns in wake of Trump assassination attempt Washington Examiner: Netanyahu faces chaos in US, anger in Israel, and threats from Iran Washington Examiner: Families of Hamas hostages urge lawmakers to get Netanyahu to agree to deal Washington Examiner: Opinion: Snubbing Netanyahu's address, Kamala Harris shows childish partisanship Washington Examiner: Hamas and Fatah sign agreement in Beijing Washington Examiner: Three Army Reserve officials disciplined after review of Card shooting Washington Examiner: Iran protests 'protection' of Israel's athletes at Olympics Washington Examiner: Does China's airfield strike training suggest a Pearl Harbor-style attack? Washington Examiner: Bob Menendez to resign following guilty verdict Washington Examiner: Opinion: The scientific problem with 'Nope-It's Never Aliens' New York Times: Israel Orders New Evacuation in Gaza as Aid Workers Say Bombing Kills Dozens The Hill: US Invites Warring Parties in Sudan to Cease-Fire Talks AP: Trash dropped by a North Korean balloon falls on South Korea's presidential compound AP: Officers left post to go look for Trump rally gunman before shooting, state police boss says The War Zone: Next-Generation Air Dominance Fighter Uncertainty Tied to Sentinel ICBM Woes Air & Space Forces Magazine: B-2 Test Launches New Low-Cost Anti-Ship Weapon at Warship in the Pacific USNI News: U.S., Partners Experiment With New Weapon Systems During RIMPAC 2024 SINKEX Aviation Week: DOD Acquisitions Boss: NGAD, F/A-XX Will Continue Defense One: Boeing Might Put a Drone Operator in the F-15EX's Back Seat Air & Space Forces Magazine: Minihan: AMC Will Fall Short of '25 by '25' Goal to Better Mobility Aircraft Connectivity Breaking Defense: Airbus Launches A330 MRTT+ to Deliver Extended Range Defense News: Pentagon Creates Regional Partnerships to Sustain Gear Far from Home Air & Space Forces Magazine: USAF Moves Fighters to Create a 'Super Squadron' of F-16s near North Korea Breaking Defense: RTX Ramps Up Missile, C-UAS Production as Global Weapon Demand Soars Inside Defense: A Decade After Canceling JLENS, Lawmakers Now Interested in Dirigibles for Air Defense Air & Space Forces Magazine: Defense Leaders: We Need to Invest in Space, Unmanned Systems for the Arctic Air & Space Forces Magazine: Why Mobility Airmen May Need a Unique Deployment Schedule THE CALENDAR: WEDNESDAY | JULY 24 9 a.m. — American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research virtual discussion: “Delivering on a Shared Vision with America’s Indo-Pacific Allies and Partners,” with Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs; Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs; and Mira Rapp-Hooper, National Security Council senior director for East Asia and Oceania https://www.aei.org/events/delivering-on-a-shared-vision 10 a.m. 2141 Rayburn — House Judiciary Committee hearing: “Oversight, Federal Bureau of Investigation,” with testimony from FBI Director Christopher Wray http://judiciary.house.gov 12 p.m. — RAND Corporation virtual discussion: “Reconstructing Ukraine,” with Howard Shatz, senior economist and professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School https://www.rand.org/events/2024/07/rand-policy-lab-reconstructing-ukraine 10 a.m. 310 Cannon — House Homeland Security Committee hearing: "From Drug Interdictions in the Caribbean to National Security Patrols in the Arctic: Examining U.S. Coast Guard's Role in Securing the Homeland," with testimony from Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard https://www.youtube.com/watch 10 a.m. 2154 Rayburn — House Oversight and Accountability National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing: “Wasteful Spending and Inefficiencies: Examining DoD Platform Performance and Costs,” with testimony from Moshe Schwartz, senior fellow of acquisition policy at the National Defense Industrial Association; Mackenzie Eaglen, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; and Bryan Clark, senior fellow and director, Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology http://oversight.house.gov 11:30 a.m. — Washington Post Live virtual discussion: "Cyber landscape, terrorism threat, and transnational repression," with Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2024/07/24/matt-olsen 2 p.m. House Chamber — Joint meeting, House and Senate to receive address from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu THURSDAY | JULY 25 10 a.m. 538 Dirksen — Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing: “Advancing National Security through Export Controls, Investment Security, and the Defense Production Act,” with testimony from Thea Kendler, assistant commerce secretary for export administration; Paul Rosen, assistant treasury secretary for investment security; Grant Harris, assistant commerce secretary for industry and analysis; and Laura Taylor-Kale, assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy http://banking.senate.gov 12 p.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “U.S.-Israel Relations After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Visit,” with Aaron David Miller, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow; David Schenker, director, Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s Arab Politics Program; Shira Efron, Israeli Policy Forum director of research; and Brian Katulis, MEI senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register 2 p.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discussion: “The Future of U.S. Nuclear Arms Control Policy," with Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary of state for arms control, deterrence, and stability, and George Perkovich, CEIP vice president for studies https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2024/07/the-future-of-us-nuclear-arms-control-policy 2 p.m. CVC-268, U.S. Capitol — Middle East Policy Council Capitol Hill Conference: “Conflict in the Red Sea: The Role of Great Power Actors,” with Bradley Bowman, senior director, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Center on Military and Political Power; Jeffrey Wood, economic security analyst at Systems Planning and Analysis; Nada al Hajjri, president, Yemen Information Center; Khalid Alwan, MEPC board member; and Bassima Alghussein, MEPC executive director https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conflict-in-the-red-sea-the-role-of-great-power-actors FRIDAY | JULY 26 9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual book discussion: The Boiling Moat: Urgent Steps to Defend Taiwan, with editor Matt Pottinger; Ivan Kanapathy, CSIS nonresident senior associate; and Jude Blanchette, CSIS chairman in China studies https://www.csis.org/events/countering-china-gray-zone-lessons-taiwan 10 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: “How Strong is China’s Navy?” with Thomas Shugart, adjunct senior fellow, Center for a New American Security Defense Program, and Emma Salisbury, associate fellow in military innovation, Council on Geostrategy https://www.brookings.edu/events/how-strong-is-chinas-navy/ 7 p.m. 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW — Politics and Prose Bookstore book discussion: Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World, with author Anne Applebaum, staff writer at the Atlantic https://www.politics-prose.com/anne-applebaum TUESDAY | JULY 30 2 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Association of the U.S. Army virtual and in-person Strategic Landpower Dialogue: "The Defense of Guam," with Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch, director, Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office and executive officer, Joint Program Office for the Guam Defense System; and Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, program executive officer, Missiles and Space. | 
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