Is Extreme Weather A Security Threat For The U.S.?

Military vehicles from the Texas Military Department of the Texas National Guard, tasked to transport residents to designated warming centers and other required duties, form a convoy in Abilene, Texas, February 16, 2021. Greg Jaklewicz/Reporter-News/USA Today Network via REUTERS 

Daily Mail: Extreme weather 'will get worse' across the US and poses a SECURITY THREAT as experts warn that America's enemies will 'take advantage' of climate catastrophes 

 * In the past year, the U.S. has witnessed record-breaking wildfires, hurricanes and winter storms 

 * This week, millions of Texans were left without power in freezing temperatures after power plants were knocked offline in icy conditions 

 * Climate scientists believe extreme weather events will become more common and worsen in their intensity 

 * They say governments are currently unprepared to deal with such crises, and need to invest in large-scale storage systems for power 

 * Additionally, they claim officials need to build resilient infrastructure to properly protect citizens and military bases 

 * Experts say failure to do so is a security risk as 'there are enemies out there that will certainly take advantage' of vulnerabilities 

Deadly weather will be hitting the U.S. more often and the country faces security threats if it is not properly prepared for it, climate scientists have declared. 

The experts made the proclamation on Wednesday as Texas and other states battled winter storms that caused historic power outages, leaving millions of residents without heat or hot water in below freezing temperatures. 

'This definitely was an anomaly but one that is likely to occur more frequently as a result of climate change,' Sara Eftekharnejad, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Syracuse University, told the Associated Press. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: The U.S. is not the only country that experiences extreme weather. From my experience of living in Russia, Ukraine, and now Canada .... extreme weather has always been the norm and not the exception. The key is to make sure your infrastructure is resilient to withstand these weather events. In the case of Texas ... they may have the infrastructure for hot weather, but they certainly do not have the infrastructure for the cold.

This Is How The U.S. National Security Establishment Protects Their Own

 

National Interest: The National Security State Shields One of Its Own Miscreants—Again 

While national security insiders are routinely given the kid-glove treatment that Sandy Berger, David Petraeus, and Kevin Clinesmith received, the experiences of whistleblowers who dare expose even the most blatant misdeeds by those agencies are very different indeed. 

The shocking double standard with respect to violations of federal law committed by members of the national security bureaucracy compared to similar offenses by whistleblowers is on display once again.  In late January, federal judge James Boasberg sentenced former FBI assistant general counsel Kevin Clinesmith, who admitted falsifying evidence submitted to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court for a warrant to spy on Carter Page—a onetime foreign-policy adviser to former President Donald Trump. Boasberg sentenced Clinesmith to a mere twelve months probation and four hundred hours of community service. The judge said the evidence persuaded him that “Mr. Clinesmith likely believed that what he said about Mr. Page was true.” 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: I have said this more than once. Kudos to former President Trump exposing how the rules are different for those in Washington from everyone else.

President Trump Meets The Joint Chiefs Of Staff And His National Security Team At The White House Last Night

WNU Editor: President Trump met the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his national security team at the White House Saturday evening. The subject of the meeting was not disclosed. This meeting was originally set for Camp David, but was changed for the White House. The reason for the change of location was disclosed.

President Trump said yesterday he would travel to Camp David this weekend for a "big meeting" with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The trip was canceled but he'll meet with senior military leadership in Cabinet Room soon. White House didn't provide a reason for the change of plans.

— Monica Alba (@albamonica) May 9, 2020

The people who attended were the following:

The White House
President Donald J. Trump
Mark Meadows, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff
Robert O’Brien, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
LTG Keith Kellogg, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President

Trump Administration
Secretary Mike Pompeo, Department of State
Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Department of the Treasury
Secretary Mark Esper, Department of Defense
Acting Director Richard Grenell, Director of National Intelligence
General Mark A. Milley, USA, 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General John E. Hyten, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General David L. Goldfein, USAF, Chief of Staff of the Air Force
General David H. Berger, USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps
General James C. McConville, USA, Chief of Staff of the Army
Admiral Karl L. Schultz, USCG, Commandant of the Coast Guard
General John W. Raymond, USSF, Chief of Space Operations

The press were permitted to come in and take pictures at the end of the meeting. No questions were taken, but President Trump remarked that it was a very productive session at which they discussed “various things”. Everyone noticed that he was not in a talkative mood.

In photo op at end of WH meeting with Joint Chiefs, Pres Trump reports very productive session at which they discussed "various thigs," Declined to take press questions, pic.twitter.com/nxo3BFa20a

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 9, 2020

Pres Trump not in a talkative mood during press photo op at end of meeting with Joint Chiefs. Made a very brief statement, calling the meeting "very very productive," but offered no details of the issues discussed. Did trumpet rebuilding of military on his watch. pic.twitter.com/GjnsuhqN77

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 9, 2020

Here are the brief remarks by the President .... Remarks by President Trump During a Meeting with Senior Military Leadership and National Security Team (Whitehouse).

So what was discussed? I do not know. But looking at the body language of everyone in the room, and the body language of the President himself, it must have been a sobering discussion.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what was discussed?

New National Counterintelligence Strategy Outlines Biggest Threats To The US

Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center William Evanina speaks during the Reuters Cybersecurity Summit in Washington, Oct. 31, 2017.

Daily Mail: Hacktivists and anti-secrecy groups like Anonymous and WikiLeaks 'pose as big a threat to the US as traditional espionage from ISIS, Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah', government report reveals

  * The National Counterintelligence Strategy outlines biggest threats to the US
  * Previous editions of the report singled out Russia, China, Iran and North Korea
  * This year's report lists ideologically motivated entities such as hacktivists
  * Also includes Cuba, Hezbollah, ISIS and Al-Qaeda in its list of threats

The US government has stated in a new report that hacktivism is a threat to national security as significant as ISIS, Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah.

The National Counterintelligence Strategy singled out anti-secrecy organisations —such as WikiLeaks — independent hackers and Islamic extremists as specific threats.

Previous editions of the report focused on Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, along with transnational crime groups, as the central spying threats to the United States.

The new strategy report also adds Cuba to its list of groups able to undertake intelligence operations against the country.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The report is here .... National Counterintelligence - Strategyof the United States of America, 2020-2022.

More News On The New National Counterintelligence Strategy That Outlines The Biggest Threats To The US

New federal strategy prioritizes defending US against foreign threats to elections, critical systems -- The Hill
Counterintelligence chief warns of threat to democracy from foreign hackers, spies -- NBC
Hostile Spies Target U.S. With Cyber, Encryption, Big Data, Report Finds -- The Wall Street Journal
High-Tech Spy Games Have US Revamping Its Strategy -- VOA
U.S. intelligence community identifies broadening array of espionage threats in new strategy -- Yahoo News
US Counterintelligence Centre Reveals New Strategy, Points to Array of Threats -- Sputnik

U.S. Opens National Security Investigation Into Chinese-Owned App TikTok

Last month I asked @USTreasury to conduct a CFIUS review of @tiktok_us. Because any platform owned by a company in #China which collects massive amounts of data on Americans is a potential serious threat to our country.

https://t.co/iCvizN8Vhf

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 1, 2019

CNBC/Reuters: US opens national security investigation into TikTok

* The U.S. government will investigate Beijing-based TikTok owner ByteDance’s acquisition of social media app Musical.ly.
* TikTok has been growing more popular among U.S. teenagers at a time of growing tensions between the U.S. and China over trade and technology transfers.
* Last month, Musical.ly founder Alex Zhu, who heads the TikTok team, started to report directly to ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming.

The U.S. government has launched a national security review of TikTok owner Beijing ByteDance’s $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media app Musical.ly, according to two people familiar with the matter.

While the $1 billion acquisition was completed two years ago, U.S. lawmakers have been calling in recent weeks for a national security probe into TikTok, concerned the Chinese company may be censoring politically sensitive content, and raising questions about how it stores personal data.

TikTok has been growing more popular among U.S. teenagers at a time of growing tensions between the United States and China over trade and technology transfers. About 60% of TikTok’s 26.5 million monthly active users in the United States are between the ages of 16 and 24, the company said earlier this year.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Opening A National Security Investigation Into Chinese-Owned App TikTok

TikTok video app reportedly under review as national security threat -- CBS/AP
TikTok Said to Be Under National Security Review -- The New York Times
US 'investigating TikTok as potential national security risk' -- The Guardian
US opens national security probe of Chinese-owned app TikTok: report -- AFP
TikTok owner scrutinised over Musical.ly deal -- BBC
US launches national security review of Chinese-owned app TikTok: report -- The Hill
TikTok's parent company reportedly faces a national security review -- Endgadget
TikTok could be the next social platform plagued with disinformation -- Quartz

Former CIA Director: 'Gaping Security Holes At Mar-a-Lago'

CBS: "Gaping hole" for foreign espionage at Trump's Mar-a-Lago, former CIA officer says

West Palm Beach, Fla. -- A woman from China, accused of illegally entering President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, is due in court Monday. The Secret Service said Yujing Zhang reached the reception desk before she was stopped last month. She was allegedly carrying two Chinese passports, four cellphones, and a thumb drive full of malicious software.

The purpose of the hearing Monday is to determine if Zhang should be released on bond, reports CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez. Federal prosecutors believe she's a flight risk. Her arrest has raised concerns about foreign agents infiltrating Mar-a-Lago.

Mr. Trump defended the security measures at Mar-a-Lago, his so-called "winter White House."

"No, I'm not concerned at all. I have -- we have very good control," Mr. Trump said.

Read more ....

More News On Last Months Security Breach At Mar-a-Lago

Chinese woman arrested at Mar-a-Lago had a 'signal detector' to find hidden cameras, thousands of dollars in cash, nine USB drives and had flown in from Shanghai two days before, prosecutors reveal -- Daily Mail
Chinese woman arrested at Mar-a-Lago had multiple USB drives, hidden camera detector: report -- The Hill
Woman accused of illegal entry to Mar-a-Lago had numerous electronic devices, thousands in cash -- CNN
Former CIA officer: 'Gaping hole' for foreign intelligence at Mar-a-Lago -- The Hill
Mar-A-Lago Trespasser Had a Stash of Electronics, Judge Told -- Bloomberg
'She lies to everyone': Feds say Mar-a-Lago intruder had hidden-camera detector in hotel -- Miami Herald

Chinese Espionage At Mar-a-Lago?

Business Insider: The arrest of a woman carrying a USB stick with malware into Mar-a-Lago exposes glaring flaws in the resort's security, as FBI reportedly investigates whether she is a Chinese spy

* A woman was able to bluff her way into Mar-a-Lago on Saturday while carrying four cellphones, a hard drive, and a thumb drive containing malware.
* Yujing Zhang passed Secret Service physical checks and proceeded into the property because Mar-a-Lago staff mistakenly thought she was the daughter of a member who shared her last name.
* The FBI is now reportedly investigating whether she is a Chinese spy.
* The episode has also exposed flaws in Mar-a-Lago's security system. The Secret Service issued a rare statement on Tuesday saying that it "does not determine who is invited or welcome at Mar-a-Lago; this is the responsibility of the host entity."

The arrest of a woman who hoodwinked her way into President Donald Trump's Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, with a thumb drive containing "malicious malware" over the weekend has exposed flaws in the club's security system, as the FBI reportedly launches an investigation into whether she is a Chinese spy.

The woman, identified as 32-year-old Yujing Zhang, entered the resort on Saturday after showing two Taiwanese passports to Secret Service agents and telling them she was a club member trying to use the pool, Secret Service Agent Samuel Ivanovich said in a Saturday court filing.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Chinese are offering help to the suspect .... China offers assistance to woman arrested at Trump resort (Malay Mail).

More News On Security Concerns At Mar-a-Lago

Feds investigating possible Chinese espionage at Mar-a-Lago: report -- The Hill
Schiff presses intel leaders for details on how Chinese woman gained unauthorized access to Mar-a-Lago -- The Hill
Recent breach highlights long-held Mar-a-Lago security concerns -- CNN
Security at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club Scrutinized After Chinese Woman’s Arrest -- Bloomberg
Why Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable to foreign espionage, according to ex-spies -- Justin Rohrlich, Quartz

New Report Claims The U.S. Is Losing Its Military Advantage

In a February, 2018 file photo, the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Annapolis arrives in her new homeport at Naval Base Point Loma, Calif. A bipartisan commission created to evaluate the 2018 National Defense Strategy said the Navy should expand its submarine fleet to help counter Russia and China. DEREK HARKINS/U.S. NAVY

SFGate/Washington Post: US military advantage has eroded, study says

WASHINGTON - The United States has lost its military edge to a dangerous degree and could potentially lose a war against China or Russia, according to a report released Wednesday by a bipartisan commission that Congress created to evaluate the Trump administration's defense strategy.

The National Defense Strategy Commission, comprised of former top Republican and Democratic officials selected by Congress, evaluated the Trump administration's 2018 National Defense Strategy, which ordered a vast reshaping of the U.S. military to compete with Beijing and Moscow in an era of renewed great-power competition.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The report is raising some important issues .... Providing for the Common Defense. but with Democrats now in control of the purse strings, I doubt that the money will be there to address what the The National Defense Strategy Commission is concerned about.

More News On The National Defense Strategy Commission Report's Claims That The U.S. Is Losing Its Military Advantage

A ‘crisis of national security’: New report to Congress sounds alarm -- Defense News
US could lose a war with China or Russia as global dominance wanes: report -- FOX News
China or Russia Could Defeat “Eroded” U.S. Military, Congress Warns in Alarming Bipartisan Report -- Fortune
U.S. military might "struggle to win, or perhaps lose" war with China or Russia, report says -- CBS
Defense Strategy Needs More Money Than Trump Plans, Panel Says -- Bloomberg
U.S. faces worst national security crisis in decades, commission warns -- Axios

U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel Has Been Fired and Escorted From The White House

Before being fired, White House Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel, right, appears with President Trump on Tuesday at a ceremony marking the Hindu festival of light at the White House in Washington. Photo: jonathan ernst/Reuters

Wall Street Journal: Trump Weighs Replacing Chief of Staff John Kelly, Fires National Security Aide

West Wing considers high-level shakeup as it prepares for final two years of first term.

*Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel Has Been Fired and Escorted From the White House: White House Official
*Ricardel Was Fired After Clash With First Lady, Official Said
*Ricardel Had Attended a White House Event to Celebrate Diwali, a Hindu Festival of Lights, This Afternoon With Trump
*Firing Comes After First Lady’s Office Said Ricardel ‘No Longer Deserves’ to Work in White House

WASHINGTON—President Trump is considering high-level staff change in his administration—including discussing potential replacements for White House Chief of Staff John Kelly—as the West Wing makes preparations for the start of the final two years of the president’s first term in office.

The first domino in the latest shake-up is likely to be the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who is a close ally of Mr. Kelly, White House officials said. The president has decided to replace Ms. Nielsen, but hasn’t finalized the timing, White House officials said, in part because there isn’t an obvious candidate to replace her. Changes are also being contemplated for the National Security Council at the urging of First Lady Melania Trump.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Former White House Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel has been regarded as a close ally of National Security Advisor John Bolton. But it appears that her firing had more to do with personality and administrative conflicts rather than policy. AS for the future .... I am sure we are going to be reading about more firings and resignations in the weeks to come including these officials .... Trump eyes replacements for Kelly, Nielsen and others (CNN).

Update: The White House is denying these reports .... 'She is still here': White House DENIES Trump fired deputy national security advisor at Melania's urging after clash with first lady's staff over plane seats to Africa and alleged leaking (Daily Mail).

Top U.S. General: ‘The Homeland Is No Longer A Sanctuary’

NORAD Command Center, Cheyenne Mountain, Colo. (Air Force)

Military Times: ‘The homeland is no longer a sanctuary’ amid rising near-peer threats, NORTHCOM commander says

NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. “homeland is no longer a sanctuary,” according to the four-star general in charge of both U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Air Force Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy ended a speech at the 140th National Guard Association conference in New Orleans this weekend with a warning that the era of great power competition doesn’t leave the U.S. mainland uncontested.

Peer-level adversaries are probing U.S. defenses in multiple domains, and the continental United States is well within their sights.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Truth be told .... the U.S. homeland has never been a sanctuary. The former Soviet Union had the ability to hit all targets in the U.S. during the Cold War, and 9/11 showed everyone that the U.S. was not immune to major terror attacks.

These 35 Minerals Are Critical To U.S. National Security

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Jeff Desjardins, Business Insider/Visual Capitalist: The US government identified these 35 minerals as being critical to national security

* The US government recently released a list of 35 minerals that it deemed critical to the economic and national security of the country.
* The list included minerals like helium, cobalt, and aluminum.

The Chart of the Week is a weekly Visual Capitalist feature on Fridays.

What do cobalt, uranium, helium, titanium, and fluorspar have in common?

According to the U.S. government, these are all minerals that are deemed critical to both the economic and national security of the country.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: They might as well list the periodic table.

US Defence Secretary James Mattis: U.S. National Security Focus No Longer On Terrorism But On China And Russia

BBC: Mattis: US national security focus no longer terrorism

US Defence Secretary James Mattis has said competition between great powers, not terrorism, is now the main focus of America's national security.

The US faced "growing threats from revisionist powers as different as China and Russia", he said, unveiling the national defence strategy.

In an apparent reference to Russia, he warned against "threaten[ing] America's experiment in democracy".

"If you challenge us, it will be your longest and worst day," he warned.

America has been gripped by ongoing investigations into alleged collusion between the Trump 2016 election campaign and Russia.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Here is the summary .... U.S. National Defense Strategy (United States Department of Defense)

More News On US Secretary James Mattis Remarks That The U.S. National Security Focus Will No Longer BeOn Terrorism But On China And Russia

China, Russia listed as top threats in Pentagon's new National Defense Strategy -- The Hill
U.S. military puts 'great power competition' at heart of strategy: Mattis -- Reuters
Trump's defense strategy sees China and Russia as biggest threats -- CNN
Mattis unveils new strategy focused on Russia and China, takes Congress to task for budget impasse -- Washington Post
Mattis: US military advantage over China and Russia 'eroding' -- FOX News
Mattis says US competitive warfighting edge has eroded -- Fox News
Pentagon Chief Calls Russia, China 'Revisionist Powers' -- RFE
Pentagon Scraps Climate Change As Security Risk In New Strategy—Even Though Defense Secretary Has Said It's A Clear Threat -- Newsweek
US Military Advantage Over Russia And China 'Eroding,' Pentagon Says -- NPR
President Trump's New Defense Strategy Is a Return to the Cold War -- W.J. Hennigan, Time
A Tough National Defense Strategy -- Mark Cancian, Breaking Defense

Will President Trump's National Security Strategy Succeed?

Dov Zakheim, Business Insider/Foreign Policy: Trump's national security strategy may succeed more than people think

* President Donald Trump's recently unveiled national security strategy is a well-crafted document that should reassure allies and partners, and give adversaries considerable pause.
* His harsh words for Iran and North Korea are particularly welcome.
* But the omission of Russia and Turkey when discussing the state of the Middle East is also noteworthy.

Several of my colleagues have already pointed out — with obvious relief — that the new National Security Strategy does not veer to sharply from those espoused by President Trump’s predecessors, at least until Ronald Reagan.

Indeed, the document devotes a section to “peace through strength,” a phrase much associated with the Gipper and his secretary of defense, Caspar Weinberger. It is primarily in the realm of politico-military affairs that the Strategy fits within the mainstream of national security policy.

It is a well-crafted document that should reassure allies and partners, and give adversaries considerable pause. That is not at the case with respect to domestic policy, however.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: President Trump's National Security document is here. As to what is my take on this document .... too early to pass any judgements.

President Trump Unveils His National Security Strategy

Daily Mail: Russia and China are our RIVALS says Trump as he labels them threats to national security, pledges to take 'all necessary' steps to stop North Korea and trashes Obama's legacy

* Trump delivered a speech this afternoon outlining his administration's National Security Strategy
* Said top priorities are protecting America's way of life, promoting the nation's prosperity, pushing peace through American strength, advancing U.S. influence
* Strategy is a rejection of the previous administration's move toward isolationism
* Also rejects Obama's premise that climate change is a national security threat
* Challengers to American prosperity fall into three categories: revisionist powers rogue regimes such as Iran and transnational organizations like ISIS
* China and Russia are both identified as rivals who want 'to shape a world antithetical to our interests and values'
* Said he wants to work with them to curb North Korea's nuclear ambition
* Trump also put pressure on Congress to fund his border wall, end chain migration, and get rid of the visa lottery system

President Donald Trump labeled China and Russia 'rival powers' to the United States in a speech this afternoon outlining his administration's National Security Strategy.

The populous nations 'seek to challenge American influence and values and wealth' Trump said, building on his administration's designation of the powers of as 'revisionist' in a Monday document.

Trump said that under his watch, Americans 'will stand up for ourselves, and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before' as he declared, 'We are now putting America first.'

He also pledged in his remarks to take 'all necessary' steps to halt North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un's nuclear advance.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The entire National Security document is here.

More News On President Trump Unveiling His National Security Strategy

Trump unveils details of ‘America First’ security strategy -- AP
Trump strategy document says Russia meddles in domestic affairs worldwide -- Reuters
Trump's National Security Plan Warns of 'Great Power Competition' With Russia and China -- New York Times
Trump National Security Strategy Aims to ‘Regain Momentum’ -- VOA
Trump Says ‘Unrivaled Power’ Is Key to U.S. Defense Strategy -- Bloomberg
Trump seeks to make strategy out of 'America First' -- The Hill
Trump unveils national security plan, blasts previous presidents -- CNN
Trump unveils national security strategy: 'America is going to win' -- FOX News
Trump national security strategy emphasizes strength at home -- NBC
Donald Trump frames Russia and China as 'competitors' in new America First security strategy -- Telegraph
Trump's national security plan scraps climate change, confirms US will defend sovereignty at all costs -- ABC Online
Trump strategy leans on military power to counter China -- Nikkei Asian Review
Trump focuses heavily on economics in his major speech outlining national security policy -- Allan Smith, Business Insider
Trump's Rivalry With China Overlooks U.S. Economic Reliance -- Bloomberg
Israel is not the cause of Middle East's problems, US security strategy says -- The Times of Israel
Space industry takes prominent role in Trump's national security strategy -- Space News
5 things to know about Trump's national security strategy -- Jeremy Diamond, CNN
The 3 big takeaways from Trump’s new national security plan -- VOX

President Trump Delivers Remarks Regarding the Administration’s National Security Strategy (Live)

President Trump To Outline His National Security Strategy For Military And Foreign Policy

NPR: Trump To Outline His Blueprint For Military And Foreign Policy

President Trump will outline his goals for military modernization and economic advancement when he unveils his national security strategy Monday. The document — which every president is required by law to produce — offers a blueprint for Trump's military and foreign policy. It could help to guide future decisions on defense spending, trade negotiations and international cooperation.

Trump is set to showcase the strategy with an afternoon speech at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington.

Administration officials say the strategy is built around four pillars: protecting the homeland; promoting prosperity; peace through strength; and advancing American influence.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Chinese are already reacting to this new U.S. security strategy .... China rebuffs Trump's claim of 'economic aggression' (DW)

More News On President Trump's National Security Strategy For Military And Foreign Policy

Trump in strategy document to cite China, Russia as competitors -- Reuters
Trump to unveil ‘America First’ national security strategy -- AP
Trump to lay out 'America First' security strategy -- AFP
Trump to stress ‘America First’ in national security strategy: report -- The Hill
Trump to Declare China ‘Strategic Competitor’ in Security Speech -- Bloomberg
New security strategy to call China 'strategic competitor,' lay out strategic aims -- CNN
Trump to unveil 'America First' strategy -- FOX News
Trump foreign policy plan stresses home front -- Politico

President Trump To Unveil His National Security Strategy Next Week

Trump Meets With Troops

From left, Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald J. Trump, and National Security Advisor Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster talk with service members during a lunch in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, July 18, 2017. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

US News and World Report/Reuters: Trump to Unveil Key National Security Strategy

Russia and China top the list of threats the Trump White House has identified as the president strives to fulfill campaign promises.

President Donald Trump will unveil his administration's first National Security Strategy on Monday, outlining what he considers the greatest global threats as well as America's goals and objectives for countering them, his top adviser for security issues says.

"Geopolitics are back and they are back with a vengeance," national security adviser H.R. McMaster said Tuesday at a conference organized by the London-based think tank Policy Exchange.

The document will be the first of its kind since the 2015 National Security Strategy released by President Barack Obama, the last of two such strategies from the 44th president's tenure. George W. Bush similarly issued two of the broad policy sketches during his administration. The document was mandated by the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Defense Department Reorganization Act to be an annual report by the White House to Congress, though most have been late or non-existent.

Read more ....

WNU Editor:  This national security paper is already generating a lot of debate, and the debate is going to be even more intense when it is finally released this Monday.

More News And Commentary On President Trump's National Security Strategy That Will Be Unveiled Next Week

McMaster previews new national security strategy ahead of next week's official release -- ABC News
Trump’s security paper offers stark vision of global rivalry -- AP
New US National Security Strategy Focused on 'Competitive Engagement' -- VOA
Trump Adviser Calls Russia and China ‘Threats’ to U.S. Liberty -- Bloomberg
Allies Are Key, Says Trump’s National Security Strategy -- Defense One
Trump's security paper offers stark vision of global rivalry -- ABC News
A National-Security Strategy Devoid of Values -- David Frum, The Atlantic
What Would an Honest National Security Strategy Say? -- Thomas Wright, War on the Rocks

Why Are There Dump Trucks Filled With Sand At Trump Tower

Sanitation trucks filled with sand act as barricades along Fifth Avenue outside Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Business Insider: Why Trump Tower is surrounded by dump trucks filled with sand for Trump's visit to NYC

Protesters and ordinary New Yorkers noticed an odd sight in Midtown this week as President Donald Trump's Manhattan home of Trump Tower was surrounded by dump trucks filled with sand.

Some have complained about the inconvenience caused by the trucks taking up a lane on a busy street, but they serve a very practical role in protecting the president.

The massive trucks filled with sand provide a dense, protective barrier in the event of a bomb.

This is hardly the first time the trucks have come out for safety. On New Years Eve, the 20 ton trucks hauled another 15 tons of sand and lined the streets of Times Square where thousands would gather. During the November 8 election, both Trump Tower, and the Javits Center, where Hillary Clinton watched the election results, were lined with the heavy trucks.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: These dump trucks may not be aesthetically pleasing, but they would definitely help in blocking the impact of a bomb blast.

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattiss Private Cellphone Number Revealed

Sec. Defense James Mattis's outgoing phone message.https://t.co/MGeRwcMbgR

— Andrew Joyce (@AndrewPaulJoyce) May 15, 2017

obtained via: https://t.co/5igy1Sr8nu

— Andrew Joyce (@AndrewPaulJoyce) May 15, 2017

Washington Post: When President Trump’s bodyguard revealed Jim Mattis’s private cellphone number

This Is Not Normal. It’s a mantra among politics-watchers, an attempt to force ourselves to see clearly through the toxic levels of absurdity caking Washington these days. The poker-faced way the news is generally reported, it’s feared, will normalize (for example) that the president is reportedly asking federal employees to swear loyalty to him personally, notwithstanding their oaths of loyalty to the country. So it’s relatively difficult, on this side of the screen, to get across that these days things are basically always bonkers.

So I’m helping by sharing this story, today’s entry in This Is Not Normal.

We got a call Friday from a reader named Paul Redmond that The Post had accidentally published Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’s private cell phone number.

Read more ....

Update #1: Trump aide accidentally revealed Mattis phone number in photo (The Hill).
Update #2: Trump isn’t the only one leaking intel — his aide just revealed Jim Mattis’ phone number (MIC)

WNU Editor: Sadly .... this happens more often than what people think.

Last Week's Military Flights Over Manhattan Was A 'Planning Relocation' Exercise For President-Elect Trump In The Event Of An Emergency

Military conducts air ‘training’ exercise over NYC, sparking a frenzy

DNA Info: Mysterious Manhattan Military Flyover Was Trump Rescue Exercise: Sources

MANHATTAN — A military airplane and two huge helicopters doing loops over Midtown last week were conducting an “emergency relocation” planning mission in case they needed to extract President-elect Donald Trump during an emergency or attack, DNAinfo New York has learned.

The sight of the C-130 search-and-rescue aircraft and two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters making passes over the heart of "no-fly" Manhattan for 40 minutes Tuesday, without warning or explanation, unnerved countless New Yorkers and tourists, many of whom took to Twitter and Facebook expressing post-9/11 concerns.

Sources told “On the Inside” that the flyovers were part of an “emergency relocation drill” designed to identify locations, primarily in Central Park, where a chopper could touch down near Trump's home inside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and 56th Street, and safely evacuate Trump and others from the city.

“It was the military doing their homework,” one source said.

“They were making plans how to remove him, mapping plans and strategizing,” another source said.

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Previous Post: Military conducts air ‘training’ exercise over NYC, sparking a frenzy (Yahoo News/December 13, 2016).

WNU Editor: This was probably just a taste of the commotion that they would cause if they have to conduct an emergency evacuation of any President from Manhattan.