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Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Battle over Space Command HQ location heats up as lawmakers press new Air Force secretary
Years after the first Trump administration moved to designate Alabama as the home of a permanent Space Command headquarters (HQ), the political tug-of-war for the base continues. Colorado Republicans are urging the president to rethink the decision while Alabama lawmakers insist it will and should move forward. After his May 13 confirmation, new Air Force Secretary Troy Meink can now expect a lot of calls from Capitol Hill pulling him in different directions over the HQ. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said he had already discussed the matter with him. "I look forward to his recommendation that he concur with the last two secretaries of the Air Force and recommend to Huntsville," he said. "And I fully expect, based on our conversation, that's going to be what happens." The Space Force's home for the time being — Colorado Springs, Colorado — makes sense from the money that has already been invested in setting up shop there, according to Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., whose district encompasses the current HQ. Read On The Fox News App "It would mean $2 billion in savings to leave it where it is," Crank told Fox News Digital, pointing to savings from not having to build a new HQ building. China Accuses Us Of 'Turning Space Into A Warzone' With Trump's Golden Dome Missile Defense Project President Donald Trump announced plans to move headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama, in his first term — but former President Joe Biden undid those plans when he came into office. Space Command has operated out of Peterson Space Force base in Colorado Springs since its 2019 inception. The command is responsible for military operations in space and will play a major role in the Golden Dome project. Crank argues that geographically, Colorado makes more sense — it is also home to Northern Command, and the two will need to coordinate over Trump's new Golden Dome missile defense project. "They've got to be seamless in their efforts to communicate," said Crank. "We don't want any delay in getting Golden Dome up and running." He argued that Space Command HQ, nestled into Cheyenne Mountain, is already "one of the most secure facilities" in the country. Being in the middle of the U.S., he added, makes it harder for enemies to attack. "From the standpoint of survivability, having that as an asset right there as well is, is really important." Rogers brushed off the complaints from his Colorado counterparts and argued Alabama had won fair and square. "They're just doing their job, you know, they don't want to see it leave," said Rogers. But, "they lost two nationwide competitions. It's not me saying it should be in Huntsville." Hegseth Orders Sweeping Army Overhaul And Consolidation Aimed At Countering China And Golden Dome Capabilities He argued that right now, the command is spread out across four to five different buildings, some of which are outside the base perimeter. "None of them were built for classified operations," he said. "They just kind of make it work." Rogers pointed to a recent Defense Department inspector general (IG) report examining Biden's 2023 decision not to move the headquarters. That report found that then-Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall recommended that SPACECOM go to Redstone Arsenal, near Huntsville, Alabama, because the move would save $462 million. However, then SPACECOM Commander, Gen. James Dickinson, wanted to keep the permanent HQ in Colorado due to Air Force findings that the Alabama option would not be operational for three to four years. Dickinson and SPACECOM officers also worried that more than half of the highly trained civilian staff in Colorado would quit rather than move to Alabama for the job. "USSPACECOM leadership anticipated that the loss of civilian personnel might occur much sooner than (the Air Force) predicated and that USSPACECOM would be unable to secure the manpower investments needed to mitigate the impact of that loss on the command's readiness," the report states. However, Rogers argued, Colorado has had manpower issues as well. "The reason why Secretary Kendall didn't concur with them and recommended that it still be moved was that over 300 of the current jobs in Colorado Springs couldn't be filled," he said. "They had to contract them out." Crank argued that the cost findings in the IG report were flawed because it assumed Colorado would have to build a new HQ building, which he says it would not. "We don't need to build a new headquarters building," he said. "There is one there. If you say you need to build a new headquarters building, then I think it tips it in the favor of Alabama from a cost perspective by about $400 million." "But if you don't do that, and we don't need it, already have a headquarters building there, it saves the taxpayers $2 billion," he said. The IG report said it "could not determine" why Kendall never made a formal announcement decision for the SPACECOM transition after the September 2022 completion of an environmental impact assessment of the planned headquarters site in Alabama. Without a formal announcement, SPACECOM was able to declare full operational capability in Colorado, the report said. Rogers said the IG report proved the Biden administration's move was political, and predicted in April that Trump would formally name Alabama as the home of the Space Force within the month. However, Crank, along with GOP Reps. Lauren Boebert, Gabe Evans and Jeff Hurd, wrote to Trump and warned him that the move would affect readiness. "Moving the command would disrupt these established capabilities and partnerships, further diminishing our preparedness to face evolving threats," they wrote in a letter dated April 8. However, Rogers seems confident the move will go forward. "There's absolutely no national security implications for moving it," he said. "It needs to be in a permanent headquarters, and it needs to be inside the fence. All that's going to happen in Huntsville."Original article source: Battle over Space Command HQ location heats up as lawmakers press new Air Force secretary
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats bash Netanyahu's escalation in Gaza
Israel's move to occupy large swaths of Gaza has sparked backlash from Democrats on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are warning that the escalation is an impediment — not a pathway — to the end of the Hamas war. The Democrats are quick to endorse Israel's right to self-defense in a hostile region, especially in the wake of the deadly attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Overwhelmingly, the party has voted to support billions of dollars in military aid to Tel Aviv. But the hard-line strategy being advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — not only the occupation of Gaza, but also a months-long blockade on humanitarian aid — is acting only to destabilize the region at the expense of a lasting peace deal, the lawmakers say. 'It's the wrong approach,' Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.), senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said bluntly. 'They need to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza. And they've been saying for at least 15 months now that, 'We're going to come in, we'll control the distribution of that aid.' 'And they've never done it.' Smith said he's been in conversations with Arab leaders in the region, including a recent discussion with Jordan's King Abdullah II, who think they have good-faith Palestinian partners who could replace Hamas and eventually lead a Palestinian state alongside Israel. He's worried that Netanyahu, who opposes the two-state design, is impairing those prospects with a military campaign that's killed more than 50,000 people in Gaza, including thousands of children. 'They think they've got people they can work with who are an alternative to Hamas. And Israel's undermining that,' Smith said. 'If you're going to get to a future without Hamas, you have to have something other than Hamas. So I'm very worried about the plans, and what he's doing and what the impact is going to be. 'It's going to lead to greater instability in the region.' Some of Israel's closest congressional allies are sending a similar message. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who heads the House Abraham Accords Caucus, emphasized that eliminating Hamas is 'critical' to any peace deal. But he also warned that Netanyahu's military strategy is putting the hostages still held by Hamas 'at great risk.' And he rejected any plan to annex the Palestinian territories — Gaza and the West Bank — or force the permanent removal of the Palestinians living there. 'In the same way there can't be peace with Hamas controlling Gaza, there's not going to be peace without the Palestinians having a prospect in the future for self-determination and control of their own destiny,' Schneider said. 'Gaza is a Palestinian territory. I've been clear on that.' 'If you want to get to a long-lasting peace, it's got to be done with the Palestinians eventually having a place that they govern themselves — no Hamas — along with the other countries in the region,' echoed Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved a plan to occupy parts of the Gaza Strip as part of their ongoing fight against the Hamas operatives who carried out the Oct. 7 attack, which left roughly 1,200 people dead and saw hundreds more taken hostage. The move marked a reversal for Netanyahu and the Israeli government, which had vowed for the previous 18 months not to take that step. The turnaround came after the ascension of a new military leader, Eyal Zamir, a former tank commander now overseeing the operations in Gaza, who is taking a more aggressive approach that features the deployment of thousands of Israeli reservists who will remain in Gaza after Hamas militants are rooted out. Palestinian residents would be relocated, as part of the strategy, and Israel would play a much greater role in the delivery of humanitarian aid. On Monday, Netanyahu announced the occupation policy would apply to the entire Gaza Strip. 'This is part of defeating Hamas, in parallel with the tremendous military pressure, our massive entry, to essentially take over all of Gaza and strip Hamas of all ability to plunder humanitarian aid,' Netanyahu said, according to Reuters. 'This is the war and victory plan.' The occupation has been welcomed by a small minority of Democrats, who say it represents the best chance of not only defeating, but also dismantling, Hamas. 'He's had the wrong strategy for a counterinsurgency for a long time. And this is actually part of a successful counter-insurgency strategy,' said one House Democrat, who spoke anonymously to discuss a sensitive topic. 'You can't clear land and leave. You have to actually hold and build. 'It's a lesson we learned time and again in Iraq and Afghanistan.' A much larger number of Democrats, however, are up in arms over Netanyahu's handling of the conflict in Gaza, in general, and the recent escalation, in particular. Some fear it's part of a larger strategy to seize the entirety of Gaza, remove the Palestinians living there and develop it for Western consumption — a plan President Trump has promoted on several occasions since returning to power this year. 'Though there has been some daylight between Trump and Netanyahu on general policy issues, I think they're united on their plan to evict Palestinians — all Palestinians — from Gaza and redevelop it into a luxury development with settlements,' Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said. 'They have no desire for a Palestinian state,' he continued. 'The two-state solution is dead in the eyes of Netanyahu and MAGA.' The escalation has rekindled the focus on the long-standing allegations of corruption facing Netanyahu — charges that are winding their way through Israel's courts. Some Democrats contend the prime minister's instincts for political survival are driving his forceful approach in Gaza even in the face of mounting civilian casualties. 'What [Hamas] did on Oct. 7 was horrendous and not defensible, and I understand that. He's trying to retaliate for that. But there needs to be a point where he stops,' Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) said. 'But I don't think he can stop, politically, because his trial is still hanging over him and he can still be removed from office. 'Politically, I think he's [acting on] self-preservation.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Democrats bash Netanyahu's escalation in Gaza
Israel's move to occupy large swaths of Gaza has sparked backlash from Democrats on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are warning that the escalation is an impediment — not a pathway — to the end of the Hamas war. The Democrats are quick to endorse Israel's right to self-defense in a hostile region, especially in the wake of the deadly attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Overwhelmingly, the party has voted to support billions of dollars in military aid to Tel Aviv. But the hard-line strategy being advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — not only the occupation of Gaza, but also a months-long blockade on humanitarian aid — is acting only to destabilize the region at the expense of a lasting peace deal, the lawmakers say. 'It's the wrong approach,' Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.), senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said bluntly. 'They need to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza. And they've been saying for at least 15 months now that, 'We're going to come in, we'll control the distribution of that aid.' 'And they've never done it.' Smith said he's been in conversations with Arab leaders in the region, including a recent discussion with Jordan's King Abdullah II, who think they have good-faith Palestinian partners who could replace Hamas and eventually lead a Palestinian state alongside Israel. He's worried that Netanyahu, who opposes the two-state design, is impairing those prospects with a military campaign that's killed more than 50,000 people in Gaza, including thousands of children. 'They think they've got people they can work with who are an alternative to Hamas. And Israel's undermining that,' Smith said. 'If you're going to get to a future without Hamas, you have to have something other than Hamas. So I'm very worried about the plans, and what he's doing and what the impact is going to be. 'It's going to lead to greater instability in the region.' Some of Israel's closest congressional allies are sending a similar message. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who heads the House Abraham Accords Caucus, emphasized that eliminating Hamas is 'critical' to any peace deal. But he also warned that Netanyahu's military strategy is putting the hostages still held by Hamas 'at great risk.' And he rejected any plan to annex the Palestinian territories — Gaza and the West Bank — or force the permanent removal of the Palestinians living there. 'In the same way there can't be peace with Hamas controlling Gaza, there's not going to be peace without the Palestinians having a prospect in the future for self-determination and control of their own destiny,' Schneider said. 'Gaza is a Palestinian territory. I've been clear on that.' 'If you want to get to a long-lasting peace, it's got to be done with the Palestinians eventually having a place that they govern themselves — no Hamas — along with the other countries in the region,' echoed Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved a plan to occupy parts of the Gaza Strip as part of their ongoing fight against the Hamas operatives who carried out the Oct. 7 attack, which left roughly 1,200 people dead and saw hundreds more taken hostage. The move marked a reversal for Netanyahu and the Israeli government, which had vowed for the previous 18 months not to take that step. The turnaround came after the ascension of a new military leader, Eyal Zamir, a former tank commander now overseeing the operations in Gaza, who is taking a more aggressive approach that features the deployment of thousands of Israeli reservists who will remain in Gaza after Hamas militants are rooted out. Palestinian residents would be relocated, as part of the strategy, and Israel would play a much greater role in the delivery of humanitarian aid. On Monday, Netanyahu announced the occupation policy would apply to the entire Gaza Strip. 'This is part of defeating Hamas, in parallel with the tremendous military pressure, our massive entry, to essentially take over all of Gaza and strip Hamas of all ability to plunder humanitarian aid,' Netanyahu said, according to Reuters. 'This is the war and victory plan.' The occupation has been welcomed by a small minority of Democrats, who say it represents the best chance of not only defeating, but also dismantling, Hamas. 'He's had the wrong strategy for a counterinsurgency for a long time. And this is actually part of a successful counter-insurgency strategy,' said one House Democrat, who spoke anonymously to discuss a sensitive topic. 'You can't clear land and leave. You have to actually hold and build. 'It's a lesson we learned time and again in Iraq and Afghanistan.' A much larger number of Democrats, however, are up in arms over Netanyahu's handling of the conflict in Gaza, in general, and the recent escalation, in particular. Some fear it's part of a larger strategy to seize the entirety of Gaza, remove the Palestinians living there and develop it for Western consumption — a plan President Trump has promoted on several occasions since returning to power this year. 'Though there has been some daylight between Trump and Netanyahu on general policy issues, I think they're united on their plan to evict Palestinians — all Palestinians — from Gaza and redevelop it into a luxury development with settlements,' Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said. 'They have no desire for a Palestinian state,' he continued. 'The two-state solution is dead in the eyes of Netanyahu and MAGA.' The escalation has rekindled the focus on the long-standing allegations of corruption facing Netanyahu — charges that are winding their way through Israel's courts. Some Democrats contend the prime minister's instincts for political survival are driving his forceful approach in Gaza even in the face of mounting civilian casualties. 'What [Hamas] did on Oct. 7 was horrendous and not defensible, and I understand that. He's trying to retaliate for that. But there needs to be a point where he stops,' Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) said. 'But I don't think he can stop, politically, because his trial is still hanging over him and he can still be removed from office. 'Politically, I think he's [acting on] self-preservation.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Va. GOP congressman's scrutiny on federal cuts, job losses needs company from other Republicans
U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland, speaks during a hearing before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee April 14, 2011 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by) U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, you wrote an op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch this week pushing back against the madness emanating from Washington regarding budget cuts and federal job layoffs. It was welcome, given the chaos in D.C., but what took you so long? Are you, a Republican representing Virginia's 1st Congressional District, really bucking a president from your own party – or is this just PR? Among your column's salient points: Washington should spend taxpayer dollars wisely; even then-President Barack Obama said as much in 2010. The national debt has passed $36 trillion. The massive red ink 'jeopardizes economic opportunity for future generations.' Then the key takeaway: 'We need to pursue targeted savings – not reckless cuts,' you wrote. 'That means using a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, when it comes to rightsizing the federal workforce or realigning federal spending.' Your overall tack surprised me, since many Republicans in Congress – especially the House – have been scared to confront President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, he of the reckless chainsaw and chief of the dubiously named Department of Government Efficiency. Your colleagues have been much too obsequious, placing their jobs over the welfare of the country. What spurred you to speak up now? 'I've spoken up from the beginning,' you said Wednesday in emailed responses to that question and others I asked. You provided links to recent news articles, too. Maybe I missed them, but the op-ed was more prominent. 'I called for a compassionate approach to federal workforce reforms, raised concerns after mass layoffs at the Department of Education, and advocated for Virginia's research institutions to continue receiving federal funding,' you noted. 'I've shared personal stories from Virginia's First District directly with cabinet secretaries and White House officials to ensure the human impact of these policies is fully understood.' We'll see whether those discussions have an impact, but it's good you're making the arguments. Virginians are certainly incensed by the upheaval that the White House, the DOGE service (it's not a real 'department'), and feckless Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate majority have caused. They're all a sop to large corporations and the nation's wealthiest people. Under the ruse of slashing the debt, administration hacks and lawmakers are endangering the poor, disabled, immigrants and many more Americans. More than 341,000 federal employees lived in the commonwealth in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and many could lose their jobs – even when there's been no announced criteria for who stays and who goes, or an objective assessment of how essential their duties are. I'm glad you're publicly questioning the wisdom of what's happening in D.C., Rep. Wittman. You've been in office since 2007, and won many of your electoral contests comfortably, so you can afford to do so. You could, however, do more. You voted a few months ago for a budget blueprint in fiscal 2026 that targeted Medicaid, food stamps and other parts of the social safety net. The bill narrowly passed the House, 217-215, on a mainly party-line vote. Part of the goal is to extend the tax cuts passed in 2017 during Trump's first term that are set to expire this year. Those cuts worsened the situation. Trump's first term saw the national debt rise by $7.8 trillion – a staggering amount. You said your vote this year was procedural and didn't enact any cuts: 'It simply opened the door for future debate on a broader package …' A 'no' vote, however, would've broken with your party, sent a warning shot about the radical nature of this agenda, and forced the Trump-Musk partnership to reassess. Nearly 2 million Virginians receive Medicaid or FAMIS, the state's health insurance for children. Efforts to add work requirements for Medicaid, being debated in the U.S. House, would impact whether low-income Virginians still get health care. When I asked about Medicaid, you replied that after meetings and talks with House leadership, 'I am pleased to see Virginia's vulnerable populations protected in the Medicaid portion of the reconciliation bill. There will be no change to the federal match rate.' You said illegal beneficiaries would be removed from the rolls. We'll see if all that happens. You also skirted a chance to meet with your own constituents in April during a congressional recess, after the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee advised GOP members not to hold in-person town halls. Many Republican lawmakers followed that gutless advice. Politicians don't meet voters when they know their initiatives have incensed the hoi polloi – especially when constituents have no idea why certain jobs and programs are suddenly deemed 'extraneous.' Wittman constituents host town hall in his absence to address immigration, federal funding concerns The Virginia Mercury reported that 150 people showed up to a town hall in Henrico County last month held in your absence. They criticized overbearing immigration crackdowns and spending cuts. The event was mockingly dubbed 'Where's Wittman?' Incidentally, your website earlier this week showed you held three town halls last year. You also held a telephone town hall via Facebook in late March, the Mercury reported. One recent town hall, you said, reached over 9,000 constituents – though that's not the same as facing people in person. Maybe it's easier to meet constituents face-to-face when indefensible policies aren't on the agenda. As I wrote in late March, lawsuits and recalls to work of thousands of employees occurred after some of the initial, poorly planned federal layoffs. I asked Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, what might explain your willingness to speak out so forcefully now. As continued cutbacks are materializing, Farnsworth said, 'People are getting really worried about how that affects them.' Your op-ed, he added, 'speaks to the effectiveness of public opinion in shaping' the policies of lawmakers. 'The reign of Elon Musk has been very bad for the standings of Republicans in public opinion,' the professor said. Rep. Wittman, I'm glad you've spoken out. Your words seem to confirm your commitment to improving the quality of life of the Virginians you represent. The proof, though, will be how everyday Americans are affected following these budget negotiations. Many folks not in the top 1% are frightened by the possible outcome. 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Politico
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
The GOP's patience on Russia is wearing thin
Presented by With help from Connor O'Brien Subscribe here | Email Robbie | Email Eric President DONALD TRUMP is holding out hope for direct talks with Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN to find a way to end the war in Ukraine. But back in Washington, Republicans are losing patience with Moscow. 'Putin has shown, first of all, he's not trustworthy. Second of all, that he's not serious about this. He's slow rolling this,' Rep. ROB WITTMAN (R-Va.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said at the POLITICO Security Summit today. 'There has to be consequences for him not being serious about negotiating peace.' 'Putin has disrespected the US and the goodwill of our President,' Sen. JOHN CORNYN (R-Texas) wrote in a post on X. It's clear Republican lawmakers are champing at the bit to unleash new sanctions on Russia. The big question is whether Trump will reach that point, too. Trump told reporters today that he thinks only a direct meeting with Putin will get results — and that he's not giving up on peace talks yet. 'Look, nothing is gonna happen until Putin and I get together,' Trump told reporters on board Air Force One en route to the United Arab Emirates. Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY has said he would meet Putin face-to-face for talks in Turkey, and Trump, currently on a tour of the Middle East, previously mused about going if Putin would go. But Putin was a no-show, opting instead to send lower-level technocrats to lead the negotiations with Ukrainian counterparts. Trump, from Air Force One, added: 'And he wasn't gonna go. … He wasn't going if I wasn't there. And I don't believe anything will happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together. But we are gonna have to get it solved because too many people are dying.' Zelenskyy was quick to seize on Putin's absence, calling it the starkest sign yet the Russian president isn't genuine in efforts to end the three year-long war against Ukraine, which has taken more than 100,000 lives. Trump's Republican allies on Capitol Hill have a massive new sanctions bill on Russia — with broad bipartisan support — locked and loaded. But so far it hasn't gone to the floor for a vote. The bill was introduced last month by Sens. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) and RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-Conn.) Rep. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-Texas), told our own Phelim Kine at the Security Summit today that he is supporting a version of the sanctions bill in the House. 'Zelenskyy has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. Putin's response is bombing Ukraine on Palm Sunday,' McCaul said. 'There's a pattern here. It doesn't take an expert to see the lack of sincerity in this negotiation.' Sen. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-N.H.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the bill has 70 supporters. 'It's veto proof. Let's get that done now,' she told reporters Tuesday. 'Let's let Russia know we're really serious, and if they don't move that, there are going to be consequences.' Sen. Majority Leader JOHN THUNE's office said it doesn't have any scheduling announcements on the bill. Some Republican lawmakers have said they want to give Trump room to negotiate even as they criticize Putin, meaning holding back on legislation that would punish Russia to help facilitate talks. But the fresh wave of criticism shows their patience is wearing thin. And that may in turn escalate pressure on the Trump administration to start playing bad cop with Moscow again. ALSO: The Trump White House's top counterterrorism official, SEBASTIAN GORKA, had some fiery exchanges during an interview with our own Dasha Burns at the Security Summit on Trump's border and deportation policies, Iran talks, negotiations with Russia over Ukraine and criticism of POLITICO's own coverage of the administration. You can watch the full interview here. The Inbox FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY – BEHIND ROMANIA'S LOSS OF VISA WAIVER PROGRAM: The Department of Homeland Security announced in March that Romania had lost its visa waiver program in part to 'ensure border and immigration security.' But a previously unreported internal NSC memo obtained by our own Daniel Lippman showed that the Trump administration also considered another factor: Romania's failure to abide by what the White House saw as democratic norms after it annulled an election last year. Romania has drawn Vice President JD VANCE's ire for prohibiting hard-right politician CĂLIN GEORGESCU from running in a redo this month of an election he won last year that was later annulled. The 'summary of conclusions' memo from the NSC policy coordination committee meeting on March 14 shows there was some internal dissension about the move. The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest said that 'removal of Romania's designation could result in damage to U.S. image,' according to the document. But the committee, chaired by NSC senior director for Europe and Eurasia ANDREW PEEK, said it was important to ensure Romania 'upholds the democratic process and conducts free, fair, and transparent elections.' The meeting was put together to decide how to contribute to a 'broader Administration effort to prevent the deterioration of democratic norms and practices in Europe writ large,' according to the memo. 'Protecting the integrity of our immigration and visa system is critical to securing our national security,' a White House official said in a statement to NSD. 'There are strict requirements to qualify for the benefit of the Visa Waiver Program, which it wasn't clear Romania had in fact met when the Biden administration rushed the process in its waning days. We separately have concerns about anti-democratic actions in Europe, including lawfare against certain points of view.' DHS spokesperson TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN said in a statement that it was 'grateful for Romania's close partnership over the years to enhance security cooperation' and that the country may be reconsidered for the program in the future.' A spokesperson for the Romanian embassy said in a statement that such considerations about democratic norms were 'not part of our dialogue with U.S. officials' and that 'based on the assessment of U.S. agencies leading to the designation as a VWP country, Romania met the program's statutory requirements.' 'Romania reiterates its full willingness to engage in discussions with the United States, as close strategic partners, on ways to address this issue moving forward,' the spokesperson added. 'The decision to ban Mr. Călin Georgescu's candidacy was made within the existing constitutional framework by an independent authority — not by the Romanian government.' ABOUT THOSE SANCTIONS: Trump's decision to abruptly lift all sanctions on Syria — which won him rare praise from Democrats — isn't as simple as flipping a switch, former officials and experts told our own Felicia Schwartz. 'That was a pretty sweeping announcement when you consider that we have sedimentary layers of sanctions going back to 1979 and, of course, U.S. law as the Caesar act,' said a former U.S. official who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic conversations. The Caesar act is a sweeping landmark sanctions bill, passed in 2019 and extended in 2024, that imposed secondary sanctions to restrict any investment in Syria under the former BASHAR AL-ASSAD regime. Trump and the executive branch have very wide latitude to suspend the sanctions unilaterally without Congress, though what exactly he meant by lifting all sanctions and how fast that could happen remains unclear. MATT ZWEIG, a former U.S. sanctions official, noted that while Trump could swiftly roll back many trade sanctions, export controls and related restrictions if he chose to, 'the key question is whether the administration would benefit from a deliberative and strategic process.' Zweig is now with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Action, an advocacy group connected to the think tank. Rep. JOE WILSON (R-S.C.) said today that Trump's move should include lifting export controls. 'Lifting sanctions while keeping export controls means Chinese and not American companies will lead Syrian reconstruction contrary to President Trump's vision,' he wrote. The Treasury Department said today that it is working with the State Department and NSC to implement 'the necessary authorizations that would be critical to bringing new investment into Syria.' Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO also told reporters in Turkey today that the administration will use waivers in the Caesar act to lift initial sanctions but will work on repealing the legislation. Trump said his decision followed lobbying from the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but other governments in the region like Israel, the UAE and Egypt are anxious about the move amid concerns about Syrian leader AHMED AL-SHARAA's past ties to al Qaeda. 'There are still deep reservations on the part of several governments,' the former U.S. official said. 'But clearly the most significant piece of this is the impact that it will have in clearing the way for a real regeneration of the Syrian economy.' IT'S THURSDAY: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily! This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at rgramer@ and ebazail@ and follow Robbie and Eric on X @RobbieGramer and @ebazaileimil. While you're at it, follow the rest of POLITICO's global security team: @dave_brown24, @HeidiVogt, @jessicameyers, @RosiePerper, @nahaltoosi, @PhelimKine, @ak_mack, @felschwartz, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @reporterjoe, @JackDetsch, @samuelskove, @magmill95, @johnnysaks130 and @delizanickel The Complex TRUMP'S PLANE-SIZED HEADACHE HITS ARMS SALES: Democratic lawmakers are trying to block billions of dollars in arms sales to two Middle Eastern countries to protest investments in Trump's personal business and a jet offered to him, as your lead NatSec Daily author and our own Joe Gould report today. Sen. CHRIS MURPHY (D-Conn.) plans to force a vote on five major arms sales to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar valued at $3.5 billion following Qatar's offer to gift a luxury Boeing aircraft for Trump to use as Air Force One. He and Sen. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-Md.) also plan to co-lead measures to block U.S. arms sales to the UAE over its decision to invest $2 billion in Trump's cryptocurrency venture. Murphy has characterized these moves as 'illegal bribes' to enrich the president personally — a charge that the Trump administration and his Republican allies dismiss. But regardless of whether these arms sales are blocked, Republican lawmakers are voicing their own unease at the prospect of Trump receiving the Qatari 747 as a gift (and potentially a temporary Air Force One). Senior House Armed Services member ROB WITTMAN (R-Va.) told our own Jonathan Martin at the Security Summit: 'I have some concerns about an aircraft coming to the United States from the Qataris, both from a security aspect ... [and] all the questions too of accepting gifts from foreign governments.' He added: 'Congress needs to play a role' in any potential deal. Sen. DEB FISCHER (R-Neb.), a senior Senate Armed Services Committee member, said she wants to examine the plane from more of a policy and a budget' perspective. 'I want to look at the cost of that and how that compares to just getting a new plane, but also the idea that it would be carried over after President Trump's presidency for his library,' Fischer told our own Joe Gould on stage at POLITICO's summit. 'How does that affect the taxpayer? Because obviously the next president is going to need a plane.' On the Hill DON'T FORGET ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS: Senate Democrats are keeping busy hammering the Trump administration on other foreign policy aspects, too. Sens. Van Hollen and Shaheen led a letter to Rubio criticizing the Trump administration's move to scale down the bureau in the State Department that manages human rights issues and steeply cut funding to programs that support human rights programs abroad. Thirteen other Democratic lawmakers signed onto the letter. 'When the United States conveniently wields human rights principles as a political cudgel against our adversaries, but does not apply those same standards to our allies, countries like China and Russia are quick to point out such hypocrisy, and American influence on the world stage drops precipitously,' they wrote. Broadsides OVERWORKED: Two former U.S. national security advisers say that Rubio has too many jobs for one guy. 'It's simply impossible' for Rubio to simultaneously serve as secretary of State and national security adviser, said JOHN BOLTON, who held the job in the first Trump administration. 'One thing I never thought about in four years as national security adviser was, 'Hey I have spare time, let me also take the secretary of State job,'' said JAKE SULLIVAN, who served in the role for President JOE BIDEN. 'I actually think it's ludicrous to think that you could do both jobs.' Both made the comments at POLITICO's Security Summit today. Still, Bolton said Rubio 'has integrity' and while he could reach a point where he wouldn't be able to serve any longer, 'we haven't reached that point yet.' Rubio has made light of juggling multiple administration jobs at once as part of Trump's drive to boost government efficiency. 'Can you take what today are four jobs and just give them all to one person?' he said last week during a speech to the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute. 'And I said that sounds like a great idea, let's do it all across the government. Little did I know they just meant me!' National Security Council spokesperson JAMES HEWITT said in response: 'Secretary Rubio has done an extortionary job implementing the President's America First agenda and is capable of fulfilling the duties of both positions. I'm not sure how John Bolton can claim it's 'impossible' when it's been done before.' Bolton was much less charitable in his assessment of Trump's special envoy for the Middle East STEVE WITKOFF — who is also leading talks with Putin over Ukraine. 'He knows nothing about Russia, he knows nothing about Ukraine, he knows nothing about Iran, he knows nothing about nuclear weapons, he knows nothing about international arms control and nuclear proliferation, knows nothing about verification and compliance with international agreements. What could go wrong?' Bolton said. Hewitt did not respond to a request for comment on Witkoff's role. However, Republican lawmakers and administration officials have repeatedly defended Trump's decision to pick who he wants for top jobs — and many have gone to bat defending Witkoff. Transitions — DAVE LUBER, the head of the National Security Agency's cybersecurity directorate will retire at the end of the month, as The Record reports. What to Read — Eric Schmitt and Helene Cooper, New York Times: Trump's Military Buildup at the Border Expands — GLOBSEC US Foundation: Bridging the supply-demand gap for critical minerals by 2030 — Anagha Subhash Nair, Foreign Policy Magazine: The Long Shadow of Syria's Chemical Weapons Tomorrow Today — Atlantic Council, 9:00 a.m.: Critical minerals and the pathways to prosperity, peace, and security in the DRC — Center for Strategic and International Studies, 9:30 a.m.: Securing the Future of U.S. Quantum Leadership with Rep. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI — Atlantic Council, 10:00 a.m.: Lucian Kim on 'Putin's Revenge' and Russia's war on Ukraine Thanks to our editors, Heidi Vogt and Emily Lussier, who are the main roadblocks to our peace plans.
