TRUMP: “WE’RE GOING IN’: Buoyed by his success in Washington, D.C., and ignoring a federal court ruling that he broke the law in California, President Donald Trump says Chicago and Baltimore will be the next U.S. cities to see federalized military troops on anti-crime patrol.
“Chicago is a hellhole right now. Baltimore is a hellhole right now,” Trump said at the White House. “We’re going in. I didn’t say when. We’re going in … Look, I have an obligation. This isn’t a political thing. I have an obligation, when 20 people are killed over the last two and a half weeks and 75 are shot with bullets.”
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“Let me tell you a little story about a place called D.C., District of Columbia, right here where we are,” Trump continued. “It’s now a safe zone. We have no crime. It’s in such great shape. You can go and actually walk with your children, your wife, your husband. You can walk right down the middle of the street, you’re not going to be shot.”
“This took place in 12 days,” Trump said. “Now it’s 15 days, but three days ago, it became what’s known as a safe zone, as a safe city.”
Trump said he would prefer that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker welcome the federal assistance, but “now we’re going to do it anyway.”
“I would love to have Gov. Pritzker call me — I’d gain respect for him — and say, ‘We do have a problem and we’d love you to send in the troops,’ because you know what? The people, they have to be protected,” Trump said. “We have the right to do it because I have an obligation to protect this country. And that includes Baltimore.”
TRUMP VOWS TO SOLVE CRIME IN CHICAGO ‘JUST LIKE’ IN WASHINGTON
PRITZKER: ‘I WILL NOT CALL THE PRESIDENT’: Immediately following Trump’s White House session with reporters, a defiant Pritzker denounced Trump’s plans and accused Steven Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, of plotting to use masked ICE troops to target Chicago’s annual Mexican Independence Day picnics and parades.
“Unidentifiable agents in unmarked vehicles with masks are planning to raid Latino communities and say they’re targeting violent criminals. As we saw in Los Angeles, a very, very small percentage of the individuals they will target will be violent criminals. Instead, you’re likely to see videos of them hauling away mothers and fathers, traveling to work or picking up their kids from school,” Pritzker said. “Let’s be clear, the terror and cruelty is the point, not the safety of anyone living here.”
“I will not call the president asking him to send troops to Chicago. I’ve made that clear already,” Pritzker said. “I refuse to play a reality game show with Donald Trump again. What I want are the federal dollars that have been promised to Illinois and Chicago for violence prevention programs that have proven to work.”
“I’m aware that the president of the United States likes to go on television and beg me to call and ask him for troops. I find this extraordinarily strange, as Chicago does not want troops on our streets,” he said. “When did we become a country where it’s OK for the U.S. president to insist on national television that a state should call him to beg for anything, especially something we don’t want? Have we truly lost all sense of sanity in this nation, that we treat this as normal?”
PRITZKER SAYS NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS STAGING FOR DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO
THE CALIFORNIA RULING: When a reporter finally got around to asking Trump about yesterday’s ruling by a federal judge that found Trump “willfully” broke the law in dispatching National Guard troops to Los Angeles, Trump brushed it aside as coming from “another a radical left judge,” and said it would have no effect because the judge stayed his order to allow the Trump administration to appeal. “The judge said that you can leave the 300 people that you already have in place,” Trump said. “That’s all we need.”
The ruling by Federal Judge Charles R. Breyer of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, runs 52 pages and found Trump, on the pretense of “quelling a rebellion,” had clearly and willfully violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the use of the U. S. military to execute domestic law, “thus creating a national police force with the President as its chief.”
“There were indeed protests in Los Angeles, and some individuals engaged in violence. Yet there was no rebellion, nor was civilian law enforcement unable to respond to the protests and enforce the law. Nevertheless, at Defendants’ orders and contrary to Congress’s explicit instruction, federal troops executed the laws,” Breyer wrote.
While the Pentagon claimed the troops, including active-duty Marines, were only protecting federal property, not engaging in law enforcement, Judge Breyer ruled otherwise. “The evidence at trial established that Defendants systematically used armed soldiers (whose identity was often obscured by protective armor) and military vehicles to set up protective perimeters and traffic blockades, engage in crowd control, and otherwise demonstrate a military presence in and around Los Angeles. In short, Defendants violated the Posse Comitatus Act.”
“Because there is an ongoing risk that Defendants will act unlawfully and thereby injure Plaintiffs, Governor Newsom and the State of California, the Court ENJOINS Defendants from violating the Posse Comitatus Act,” the judge ruled.
JUDGE RULES TRUMP DEPLOYMENT OF NATIONAL GUARD TO LOS ANGELES VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW
Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.
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HAPPENING TODAY: President Donald Trump will meet at the White House today with the man he endorsed to be Poland’s next president in last spring’s elections, and who rode Trump’s endorsement and promise of closer ties to a razor-thin victory. President Karol Nawrocki, a former amateur boxer and historian, is making his first overseas trip to Washington, hoping to strengthen Poland’s already-close relationship with the U.S.
The White House says the two leaders will meet in the Oval Office at around 11 a.m.
TRUMP TELLS XI TO GIVE PUTIN AND KIM HIS REGARDS AT PARADE ‘AS YOU CONSPIRE’ AGAINST US
TRUMP’S TWO WEEKS ARE UP: As President Trump’s latest soft two-week deadline passed with no sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to make even the tiniest concession, Trump has had little to say about his next move.
Trump revealed he’s talked to Putin at least once in the past couple of days. “I have. I have learned things that will be very interesting. I think in the next few days, you’ll find out,” he told reporters.
Asked if Putin, who unleashed another massive drone and missile attack across Ukraine overnight, might face any consequences for refusing to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump said, “We’re going to see what happens. We’re going to see what they do and what happens. I’m watching it very closely.”
“I want to see it end.”
PUTIN MEETS WITH WORLD LEADERS AS HE STALLS ON US-BACKED ZELENSKY MEETING
ALSO TODAY: Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) will hold a news conference along with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s abuse, as Democrats and a few Republicans are fighting for the release of virtually all of the files on the Epstein case.
House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to stave off the effort, which is being led by Massie, who yesterday introduced a discharge petition designed to force a floor vote on legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release all the files. As of last night, four had signed the petition, Massie, plus Reps. Nancy Mace (SC), Lauren Boebert (CO), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA). It needs at least two more Republicans to sign on to reach the magic number of 218 for passage.
Several news organizations reported that White House officials cautioned Republicans that endorsing Massie’s discharge petition “would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration.”
TRUMP REWARDS ALABAMA WITH SPACECOM HQ: In a process that has been tainted by the perception of naked politics from Day One, President Trump reversed a Biden administration decision to heed the advice of senior military commanders to keep the headquarters of the U.S. Space Command at Peterson Air Force base in Colorado.
In a series of reports beginning in 2022, the Government Accountability Office faulted the Air Force for failing to follow “best practices” in selecting Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred site. A GAO report in May noted that the Air Force disregarded critical factors that would have weighed heavily in favor of keeping the headquarters in Colorado, including being collocated with the U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the challenge of training a whole new civilian workforce from scratch.
When asked why Alabama beat out Colorado, Trump made no pretense that politics didn’t affect the decision and credited heavy lobbying from Alabama Republicans, including Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL). “Every one of these people would call me and lobby me, I said, ‘Katie, I don’t want to talk anymore, I know. I know what you want.’ She said, “That’s right, sir, that’s what I want.’ And they got their way.”
“They fought harder for it than anybody else … They wanted it more,” Trump said. “That’s all they wanted to talk about. They didn’t want to talk about the weather, they only wanted to talk about moving to this location, moving to Alabama, Huntsville in particular … They really wanted it badly, and they got it.”
It’s no secret that Trump likes to reward his friends and punish his foes, and Colorado, it would seem, is on his current s-list. “The problem I have with Colorado, one of the big problems, they do mail-in voting. They went to all mail-in voting. So they have automatically crooked elections, and we can’t have that.”
Curiously, Trump also mused that having the headquarters near Alabama’s Redstone Arsenal would somehow save time. “Locationally, where it is — and when you think about flying distances, if you can save a half an hour, as fast as some of these planes go and things go and even the rockets go — if you can save, by having the best location.”
TRUMP TO MOVE SPACE COMMAND HQ FROM COLORADO TO HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA
COLORADO PLANS TO FIGHT: Even though it would appear Trump’s decision is the last word — because any move will take years and require constructing a new headquarters building and hiring new staff — Colorado lawmakers from the governor on down are vowing to fight the move.
“Today’s decision to move U.S. Space Command’s headquarters out of Colorado and to Alabama will directly harm our state and the nation. We are united in fighting to reverse this decision. Bottom line — moving Space Command headquarters weakens our national security at the worst possible time,” said a statement issued by the entire Colorado congressional delegation.
“Moving Space Command sets our space defense apparatus back years, wastes billions of taxpayer dollars, and hands the advantage to the converging threats of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The Department of Defense Inspector General’s office has reported multiple times that moving the Command will impede our military’s operational capability for years,” the statement said. “Space Command’s long-term presence in Colorado Springs has also created a large number of civilian businesses and workers on which the Command now relies. Those people will not simply move with the Command at the military’s whim. Many of them will leave the industry altogether, creating a disruption in the workforce that will take our national defense systems decades to recreate.”
THE BATTLE OVER COLORADO’S SPACE COMMAND
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Trump to move Space Command HQ from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama
Washington Examiner: Putin meets with world leaders as he stalls on US-backed Zelensky meeting
Washington Examiner: Trump tells Xi to give Putin and Kim his regards at parade ‘as you conspire’ against US
Washington Examiner: Pritzker says National Guard troops staging for deployment to Chicago
Washington Examiner: Trump vows to solve crime in Chicago ‘just like’ in Washington
Washington Examiner: Trump suggests ‘distinguished’ ex-military teachers could carry weapons at schools
Washington Examiner: Judge rules Trump deployment of National Guard to Los Angeles violated federal law
Washington Examiner: Trump says 11 Tren de Aragua ‘terrorists’ killed in US strike on drug vessel that left Venezuela
Washington Examiner: Trump supercharges 287(g) partnerships between local police and ICE to speed up deportations
Washington Examiner: Trump family gains $5 billion in crypto trading debut
New York Times: Appeals Court Blocks Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act
AP: Pentagon Authorizes Up to 600 Military Lawyers to Serve as Temporary Immigration Judges
AP: China displays its military strength in a parade on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII
AP: The weapons and military units on display in China’s major parade
The War Zone: Top USAF General in Pacific ‘Not Deterred’ by Drones, Missiles to Be Showcased at Huge Chinese Parade
National Security Journal: China’s New H-20 Stealth Bomber Is Being Built For Just 1 Purpose
The Hill: Top Cyber Officials Leave Defense Department
AP: Construction intensifies at site linked to Israel’s suspected nuclear program, satellite photos show
National Security Journal: The Air Force’s B-21 Raider Bomber ‘Nightmare’ Could Come True
Defense News: Drones, AI, and Robotics Challenge Order of Top 100 Defense Firms
Breaking Defense: Polish Fighter Buy on Hold for Planning Doc, but F-35 Order Won’t Be Cut: General
Defense Scoop: Lockheed Martin Lands Deal for Army’s Next-Gen C2 Initiative
Defense One: Space Force Goes Commercial for Space Domain Awareness
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Looks to Cut Squadrons That Advise, Train Foreign Militaries
Air & Space Forces Magazine: What PACAF Boss Schneider Took Away from the Massive REFORPAC Exercise
Newsweek: NATO Country Plans to Phase Out Swastikas from Air Force Flags
THE CALENDAR:
WEDNESDAY | SEPTEMBER 3
8:45 a.m. 151 St. George Blvd., Oxon Hill, Maryland — Defense Strategies Institute fourth annual AI For Defense Conference, September 3-4, with Melinda Reed, deputy secretary of defense for enabling technology in the Office, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and Air Force Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel, director of force design, integration and wargaming for Air Force Futures AS/7 https://ai.dsigroup.org/
10 a.m. 253 Russell — Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing: “There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise: Why Congress and NASA Must Thwart China in the Space Race,” with testimony from Allen Cutler, president and CEO, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration; Dave Cavossa, president, Commercial Space Federation; and Jim Bridenstine, managing partner, Artemis Group and former NASA administrator http://commerce.senate.gov
10 a.m. 2141 Rayburn — House Judiciary Committee hearing: “Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation,” with testimony from U.K, Member of Parliament Nigel Farage http://judiciary.house.gov
10 a.m. — Forecast International, Military Periscope, LeadSpotting, and the Israel Export Institute Zoom briefing: “Countering the Drone Threat: C-UAS Insights.” https://theincube.zoom.us/
THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 4
8:45 a.m. 151 St. George Blvd, Oxon Hill, Maryland — Defense Strategies Institute fourth annual AI For Defense Conference, with Brian Campo, deputy assistant Coast Guard commandant for C4IT and deputy Coast Guard CIO https://ai.dsigroup.org/
9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “China’s Military on Parade,” with Heather Williams, director, CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues; Tom Karako, director, CSIS Missile Defense Project; and Kari Bingen, director, CSIS Aerospace Security Project https://www.csis.org/events/chinas-military-parade
10 a.m. — American-German Institute virtual discussion: “Germany’s Party Ban Proceedings Against the AfD (Alternative for Germany),” with former German Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann https://americangerman.institute/events
10 a.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies release of a policy paper: “”Homeland Sanctuary Lost: Urgent Actions to Secure the Arctic Flank,” with retired Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, former commander, U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command https://afa-org.zoom.us/webinar/register
12:30 p.m. — Middle East Institute discussion: “What are Iran’s Options After the 12-Day War?” with Ross Harrison, MEI senior fellow and author of Decoding Iran’s Foreign Policy: Strategic Interests, Power and Influence; Mohsen Milani, executive director, University of South Florida’s Center for Strategic and Diplomatic Studies and author of Iran’s Rise and Rivalry with the U.S. in the Middle East; and Kenneth Pollack, MEI vice president for policy https://www.mei.edu/events/panel-and-book-discussion-what-are-irans-options
2 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “The Digital Front Line: Building a Cyber-Resilient Taiwan,” with Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA); retired Adm. Richard Chen, former vice minister for policy, Taiwan Ministry of National Defense and former chief of naval operations for Taiwan; Jason Hsu, senior fellow, Hudson Institute; Anshu Roy, founder and CEO of Rhombus Power Founder; Joseph Saunders, CEO of RunSafe Security; and Jason Hsu, senior fellow, Hudson Institute https://www.hudson.org/events/digital-front-line-building-cyber-resilient-taiwan
2 p.m. — Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe virtual briefing: “The Impact on Central Asia of Russia’s War on Ukraine: Opportunities for U.S. Engagement,” with Eric Rudenshiold, senior fellow for Caspian affairs, Caspian Policy Center; Gavin Helf, adjunct professor, Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University; and Kate Watters, co-founder and executive director of Crude Accountability https://www.youtube.com/live/
FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 5
10 a.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: “Winning the Next War: Overcoming the U.S. Air Force’s Capacity, Capability, and Readiness Crisis,” with retired Air Force Gen. Mark Kelly, former commander, Air Combat Command; John Venable, senior fellow for airpower studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies; and retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events/winning-the-next-war
5 p.m. 37th and O Sts. NW — Georgetown University in-person discussion: “Grand Strategy,” with Rebecca Lissner, senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, former deputy assistant to former President Biden and former principal deputy national security advisor to former Vice President Harris; and Heidi Urben, professor, practice and director of external education and outreach at Georgetown University’s Security Studies Program. Chatham House Rules https://events.georgetown.edu/sfs/event