| 'THIS IS NOT THE WAY BUSINESS HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST': Watching Pete Hegseth's arrival for his first full day at the Pentagon, you had to wonder what was going through the mind of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, whose face remained expressionless and eyes fixed unblinkingly on the former Army National Guard major as he stood on the River Entrance steps expressing his unabashed enthusiasm for President Donald Trump’s orders to change the culture of priorities of the U.S. military. "It’s an honor to salute smartly, as I did as a junior officer and now as the secretary of defense, to ensure these orders are complied with rapidly and quickly," Hegseth told reporters, "We are reorienting. This is a shift. This is not the way business has been done in the past." Brown smiled when he welcomed to the Pentagon, the man who just before the election said that "any general that was involved in any of the DEI s*** has to go," and specified that Brown, a former F-16 pilot, should be the first go — apparently in part because of his efforts to increase the small number of black pilots in the Air Force. And what was Brown thinking when he heard Hegseth refer to two renamed Army bases, Fort Moore and Fort Liberty, by their old names honoring Confederate generals Benning and Bragg? Asked about his relations with the chairman and other Joint Chiefs of Staff members, Hegseth leaned over, gave Brown a couple of pats on the shoulder, and said, "I’m standing with him right now. Look forward to working with him.” HEGSETH GIVES JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN NOD OF APPROVAL AFTER PREVIOUS CRITICISM THEN CAME THE ORDERS: Hegseth said President Donald Trump is "hitting the ground running" and that he's all in on anything he can do to support the president's priorities, including invoking the Insurrection Act to use active-duty troops in law enforcement operations, something he predecessor balked at. "Those will be decisions made by the White House. I look forward to conversations about anything we need to do to ensure we’re securing our southern border." "Whatever is needed at the border will be provided," Hegseth said. "The Defense Department will support the defense of the territorial integrity of the United States of America at the southern border to include reservists, National Guard, and active duty in compliance with the Constitution, with the laws of our land, and the directives of the commander in chief." Hegseth previewed the executive orders Trump signed last night, and said more would be coming. "This is happening quickly … removing DEI inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of COVID mandates, the Iron Dome for America." When asked about transgender troops, Hegseth responded, "There’ll be an executive order on that right now." TRUMP REINSTATES SERVICE MEMBERS DISMISSED OVER COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATE THE BIG FOUR: As promised, Trump issued four executive orders last night. Here they are in a nutshell: Reinstating Covid vaccine refuseniks: "The military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received," Trump's order stated. The order specified that anyone discharged solely for refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine may request and be granted reinstatement at their former rank with full back pay and benefits, including those who left voluntarily. Ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: This order defines DEI as "invidious race and sex discrimination" and orders the "abolishing" of DEI bureaucracy and any of its vestiges, including so-called "gender ideology." The order stated, "No individual or group within our Armed Forces should be preferred or disadvantaged on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color, or creed," and that "every element of the Armed Forces should operate free from any preference based on race or sex." Banning Transgender troops: Trump's order paving the way for the expulsion of transgender service members doesn't use the word "transgender," instead referring to "gender dysphoria" as a condition inconsistent with the military's "high standards for troop readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity." "A man's assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member," the order stated. "Beyond the hormonal and surgical medical interventions involved, adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual's sex conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life." "For the sake of our Nation and the patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve it, military service must be reserved for those mentally and physically fit for duty." Iron Dome for America: While Israel's Iron Dome air defense system is designed specifically for short-range rockets, Trump loves the name and has used it repeatedly to refer to a strategic missile defense system that would cover the entire United States. "President Ronald Reagan endeavored to build an effective defense against nuclear attacks, and while this program resulted in many technological advances, it was canceled before its goal could be realized," the order stated. "And since the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 and initiated development of limited homeland missile defense, official United States homeland missile defense policy has remained only to stay ahead of rogue-nation threats and accidental or unauthorized missile launches." "To further the goal of peace through strength, it is the policy of the United States" to deploy and maintain a next-generation missile defense shield, deter and defend against "any foreign aerial attack," and "guarantee its secure second-strike capability." The order stated the desire for a nationwide missile shield as a policy statement without any mention of cost or technical feasibility. TRUMP ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER FOR 'IRON DOME FOR AMERICA' Good Tuesday 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 (@chriswtremo). 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 HAPPENING TODAY: MORE MASS DEPORTATION ARRESTS: President Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan said the roundup of immigrants in the United States illegally is continuing full force, and while the initial focus is on criminals — no one without legal status is safe. "We’re focusing on criminals … but, in sanctuary cities, you’re going to see a higher number of collateral arrests," Homan said on CNN last night. "We’re not going to instruct ICE agents to ignore their oath, ignore the law. If they’re here illegally, they’re going to go, and they’re going to go to jail too." More than 1,000 people were arrested yesterday, a spike since Trump authorized ICE to conduct raids at schools, churches, or hospitals. Homan says since they are targeting criminals, the safest place to make arrests is to deport people already arrested. "And that’s why I’m imploring the sanctuary cities, let us in the jail, arrest the bad guy in the jail, where the community is safe, the officer is safe, the alien is safe." ICE ARRESTS 2,373 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACROSS US IN TRUMP'S FIRST WEEK WHO BACKED DOWN IN THE COLOMBIA STANDOFF? White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s initial statement announcing the end of a standoff with Colombia over a military deportation flight portrayed the resolution as a complete capitulation by President Gustavo Petro in the face of Trump's tariff threat. "The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump's terms," Leavitt said in a release last Sunday night. "Today's events make clear to the world that America is respected again." But it turns out the U.S. also gave a little ground, agreeing to better treatment of the Colombians being returned. Petro, apparently unaware that the Trump administration had switched from charter planes to military cargo planes to transport the deportees, objected to the treatment of its citizens who were handcuffed and photographed. The New York Times reported Petro relented and agreed to the military flights only after "U.S. officials assured them that Colombians aboard deportation flights would not be placed in handcuffs after they were returned and would be escorted by Department of Homeland Security officials, not military personnel." TRUMP: 'DID YOU EVER SEE THE MOVIE, CON AIR'? In remarks at the House GOP issues conference in Florida yesterday, Trump defended the treatment of the Colombian deportees, calling them "murderous drug lords, gang members, just the toughest people you’ve ever met or seen." "We were being scolded because we had them in shackles in an airplane," Trump said. "How would you like to be the pilot of a plane – you’ve got two pilots up there, and you’ve got 300 people sitting in a plane, every one of them either a murderer, a drug lord, a kingpin of some kind, the head of the mob, or a gang member, and you’re flying that plane? It’s not going to end well. Did you ever see the movie, Con Air?” "Except here’s the difference: the people in Con Air were actors. They weren’t nearly as tough as these guys. I would say that that plane would be gone before it ever left – those pilots would be gone before it ever left," Trump sad. "So they don’t want us to shackle them? I don’t want to be in that plane." HOMAN RIPS ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS FOR 'LYING' ABOUT ICE CONDUCTING OPERATION AT CHICAGO SCHOOL TRUMP ON DEEPSEEK 'I VIEW THAT AS A POSITIVE': At that same conference in Florida, Trump had nice things to say about DeepSeek, the Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot that upended tech stocks yesterday and sent Nvidia plunging 16%, erasing more than $600 billion in value in one day. Trump showed little sympathy for the tech company or the U.S. investors who lost money, at least on paper, citing the Chinese startup as an example of innovation that U.S. companies should follow. "Over the last couple of days, I’ve been reading about China and some of the companies in China, one in particular coming up with a faster method of AI and a much less expensive method. And that’s good because you don’t have to spend as much money. I view that as a positive," Trump said. "The release of Deep Seek AI from a Chinese company should be a wakeup call for our industries, and we need to be laser-focused on competing to win because we have the greatest scientists in the world." “That could be very much a positive development,” he said. “So instead of spending billions and billions, you’ll spend less, and you’ll come up with hopefully the same solution.” CHINESE AI COMPANY DEEPSEEK HAS US SPOOKED AS POWERFUL NEW COMPETITOR THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Hegseth gives Joint Chiefs chairman nod of approval after previous criticism Washington Examiner: Trump issues executive order for 'Iron Dome for America' Washington Examiner: Trump reinstates service members dismissed over COVID-19 vaccine mandate Washington Examiner: List: The executive orders, actions, and proclamations Trump has made as president Washington Examiner: ICE arrests 2,373 illegal immigrants across US in Trump's first week Washington Examiner: Homan rips Illinois Democrats for 'lying' about ICE conducting operation at Chicago school Washington Examiner: Suspected Mexican cartel gunman opens fire at US Border Patrol Washington Examiner: Chinese AI company DeepSeek has US spooked as powerful new competitor Washington Examiner: Palestinians return to Gaza as Trump urges Egypt and Jordan to take refugees Washington Examiner: Israel says 18 of the remaining hostages expected to be released in first phase are alive Washington Examiner: Netanyahu skips Auschwitz ceremony amid ICC arrest concerns and criminal trial Washington Examiner: Trump touts aggressive executive actions first week to House GOP conference Washington Examiner: GOP senators discuss opening Gabbard committee vote as outside pressure rises Washington Examiner: Air Force reinstates Tuskegee Airmen training following backlashWashington Examiner: Washington Examiner: Opinion: Trump's clarity and a culture shift led to DEI's demise Breaking Defense: New SASC Chair Sets Sight on $200B Defense Boost, Major Acquisition Reform Push AP: What is DeepSeek, the Chinese AI company upending the stock market? Inside Defense: New Acting DOD Inspector General Named After Trump Firings AP: At least 11 Baltic cables have been damaged in 15 months, prompting NATO to up its guard Air & Space Forces Magazine: New Air Force Plan: Just 7 Aircraft Maintenance AFSCs The War Zone: Billions for Next Generation Fighter Jet Engines Greenlit by Air Force Air Force Times: Air Force Needs More Fighter Pilots for More Airpower, Report Says Air & Space Forces Magazine: The Truth About Air Force Basic, Tuskegee Airmen, and Trump's DEI Order Air & Space Forces Magazine: New 'Space Campus' to Boost Space Force in Middle East Breaking Defense: Space Force Zeroed Out Funding for In-Space Mobility in FY26 Budget Request: Sources Defense News: Pentagon Prepares to Expand In-Theater Data Processing Pilot THE CALENDAR: TUESDAY | JANUARY 28 8:30 a.m. 4301 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia — Intelligence and National Security Alliance discussion: “Fast-Tracking Innovation: Cyber Command’s New Acquisition Authorities,” with Khoi Nguyen, command acquisition executive and director of the U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber Acquisition & Technology Directorate; Joshua Stiefel, professional staff member at the House Armed Services Committee; and retired Army Col. Candice Frost, vice chair of Nightwing https://www.insaonline.org/detail-pages/event/2025/01/28 9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Defense Innovation and Acquisition Reform." with testimony from James Geurts, former assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition; Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer and executive vice president of Palantir Technologies; and Nathan Diller, CEO of Divergent Technologies Inc. http://www.armed-services.senate.gov 10 a.m. 253 Russell — Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing: “Examining the Panama Canal and Its Impact on U.S. Trade and National Security," with testimony from Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Louis Sola; former Federal Maritime Commission Commissioner Daniel Maffei; Eugene Kontorovich, professor, George Mason University Scalia Law School; and Joseph Kramek, president and CEO, World Shipping Council http://commerce.senate.gov 11 a.m. — Wilson Center Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies virtual discussion: “The North Caucasus and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine,” with Marat Iliyasov, visiting scholar, George Washington University Global Academy; Christine Le Jeune, Ph.D. candidate in sociocultural anthropology, University of Florida; and Jean-Francois Ratelle, professor of conflict studies, University of Ottawa Graduate School of Public and International Affairs https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/north-caucasus-and-russias-invasion-ukraine 2 p.m. — Defense One virtual discussion: “Artificial Intelligence in the Skies: The U.S. Air Force’s Path to next-Gen Air Superiority,” with Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel, director of force design, integration and wargaming at Air Force Futures; Joseph Wingo, director of DOD business strategy at Armis; and Audrey Decker, air warfare reporter at Defense One https://www.govexec.com/events/ 2:30 p.m. 1957 E St. NW — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs discussion: “The Future of Syria,” with Natasha Hall, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Steven Heydemann, chair in Middle East studies at Smith College https://calendar.gwu.edu/event/the-future-of-syria WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 29 7:15 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia — Association of the U.S. Army "Coffee Series" discussion with Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George https://www.ausa.org/events/coffee-series/gen-george 9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “The Future of Uranium to Jumpstart Nuclear Power in the 21st Century,” with Miriam D’Onofrio, acting senior director for energy and investment at the National Security Council; and Gracelin Baskaran, director of the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program https://www.csis.org/events/future-uranium-jumpstart-nuclear-power 10 a.m. — Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition discussion: “The Future of Syria’s Chemical Weapons Stockpile,” with Natasha Hall, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Middle East Program; and Gregory Koblentz, deputy director, George Mason University Biodefense Graduate Program https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register 11 a.m. 1700 Richmond Hwy., Arlington, Virginia — Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, delivers remarks at the Exchange Monitor 2025 Nuclear Deterrence Summit https://www.exchangemonitor.com/go/nuclear-deterrence-summit-2025/agenda/ THURSDAY | JANUARY 30 9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Trump 2.0 and the Two Koreas,” with Michael Allen, managing director and partner at Beacon Global Strategies; Hans Nichols, political reporter at Axios; and Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation https://www.csis.org/events/trump-20-and-two-koreas-capital-cable-105 9:30 a.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies virtual book discussion: Russia’s Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine, with author Eugene Finkel, professor of international affairs at Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events 10 a.m. 106 Dirksen Senate— Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence http://intelligence.senate.gov 10 a.m. — Wilson Center Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies virtual discussion: “Belarus After Its Presidential Election,” with Victoria Leukavets, post-doctoral researcher, Stockholm Center for Eastern European Studies; Alesia Rudnik, director, Center for New Ideas; and Artyom Shraibman, founder, Sense Analytics Consultancy https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/belarus-after-its-presidential-election 10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “AFRICOM at 17: Shaping U.S.-Africa Relations,” with Army Brig. Gen. Rose Lopez Keravuori, director of intelligence, U.S. Africa Command https://www.csis.org/events/africom-17-shaping-us-africa-relations 11:15 a.m. 1777 F St. NW — Council on Foreign Relations discussion: “Securing Ukraine’s Future: What Should the United States Do?” with Karen DeYoung, Washington Post senior national security correspondent; Paul Stares, director, CFR Center for Preventive Action; Heidi Crebo-Rediker, senior fellow, CFR Center for Geoeconomic Studies; Liana Fix, CFR fellow for Europe; and Thomas Graham, CFR distinguished fellow https://www.youtube.com/watch 12 p.m. — RAND Corporation virtual discussion: “Artificial Intelligence and Homeland Security,” with Benjamin Boudreaux, professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School; and Douglas Yeung, associate director of the RAND Homeland Security Research Division’s Management, Technology, and Capabilities Program https://www.rand.org/events/2025/01/ai-and-homeland-security.html 1 p.m. — Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies virtual discussion: “In the Aftermath of the Syrian Revolution,” with Muzna Dureid, advocacy and partnership manager at the Nobel Women’s Initiative; and former Syrian political prisoner Yassin al-Haj Saleh https://georgetown.zoom.us/webinar/register FRIDAY | JANUARY 31 10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “The Middle East Missile Update and the Iranian Nuclear Threat,” with Shoshana Bryen, senior director, Jewish Policy Center; and Ilan Berman, senior vice president, American Foreign Policy Council https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event | 
Megyn Kelly -> Pete Hegseth responds to 2017 rape accusation. 🔥 vol. 3, issue 13 | December 6, 2024 Quick Hits All the news you need in...
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