TRUMP: THEY GAVE PUTIN A REASON TO BOMB THE HELL OUT OF THEM’: As is President Donald Trump’s habit, when Ukraine takes action to strike back at Russia, Trump finds a way to accuse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of undermining peace efforts by provoking the Russians.
Case in point: last week’s Spiderweb surprise drone attack that struck Russia’s bomber fleet. Asked by a reporter on Air Force One Friday if the June 1 attack, which disabled or destroyed as many as 40 Russian planes, had changed his view about how many “cards” Zelensky has to play, Trump criticized Ukraine for poking the bear. “They gave Putin a reason to bomb the hell out of them,” Trump said. “That’s what I didn’t like — I saw it and thought, ‘Here we go, now there’ll be a strike.’”
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The comment follows Trump’s assessment comparing the war in Ukraine to a schoolyard fistfight, in which, in his view, it’s best not to intervene. “It’s a pretty known analogy. You have two kids, they fight, fight, fight,” Trump said during his meeting last week with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “You try and pull them apart, they don’t want to be pulled. Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while.”
In an interview with ABC, Zelensky bristled at the analogy. “We are not playing in the park with the Russians like two boys, two kids. Putin is not a kid,” Zelensky told ABC’s Martha Raddatz. “So we can’t compare, and we cannot say, OK, let them fight for a while.” Zelensky said if anyone has shown no interest in ending the war, it’s Putin, who he described as a “maniac.”
“I feel strongly Putin does not want to end the war without total defeat of Ukraine,” Zelensky told Raddatz. “With all due respect to President Trump,” Zelensky said, “I think it’s just his personal opinion. Trust me, we understand the Russians much better, the mentality of the Russians, than the Americans understand the Russians. I know for sure Putin doesn’t want to stop the war.”
UKRAINE’S ‘SPIDERWEB’ SNEAK ATTACK OFFERS LESSONS FOR US AND RUSSIA
RUSSIA PLANS BIG OFFENSIVE PUSH: Even as Ukraine continues to inflict losses on Russia’s military, Putin shows no sign of giving up on any of his original goals of the invasion.
Over the past few days, Ukraine claims to have conducted several successful attacks, including another sneak attack on a logistics train and the alleged downing of a Russian fighter jet over the Kursk region. “In recent days, three Iskander missile systems were destroyed — this was the destruction of outright killers,” Zelensky said. “There is also a downing of a Russian Su-35 military aircraft and damage to their military helicopters. There have also been new strikes on Russian military logistics and airfields. This helps our defense. Every complication for Russia matters to us.”
But the Institute for the Study of War notes in its latest assessment that Russia now claims that elements of the its 90th Tank Division have reached the western border of Donetsk Oblast and are continuing to develop an offensive in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a region it notes “that Russia has not illegally declared as annexed.”
A previous assessment quoted a senior Ukrainian official claiming that the Russian military aimed to seize half of Ukraine by the end of 2026, though the ISW deemed that unlikely, “assuming that the flow of Western aid to Ukraine continues.”
And a report from Reuters quoted U.S. officials as saying Putin’s threatened retaliation against Ukraine has “not happened yet in earnest and is likely to be a significant, multi-pronged strike.”
TRUMP RENEGES ON BIDEN PLEDGE FOR ANTI-DRONE DEFENSES: In his interview, Zelensky confirmed a story first reported by the Wall Street Journal last week that the Pentagon has redirected a key anti-drone technology earmarked for Ukraine to U.S. Air Force units in the Middle East.
“We have big problems with Shaheds,” Zelensky told ABC. “We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it’s a special technology, Zelensky said. “We counted on this 20,00 missiles… but the United States moved it to the Middle East.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, the “special technology” — which Ukraine desperately needs to protect civilians against unrelenting Russian drone strikes — involves special fuses for rockets that Ukraine uses to shoot down Russian drones.
“The Biden administration arranged to send the fuses along with numerous other weapons systems under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which authorized the spending of billions of dollars in U.S. government funds to buy weapons and components from American defense companies,” the newspaper reported.
The money had already been spent, the parts ordered, and delivery had been scheduled when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that they be sent to U.S. forces in the Middle East as the U.S. braced for possible conflict with Iran.
Under the Trump administration, the U.S. has not approved any new military aid packages to Ukraine.
ZELENSKY SAYS UKRAINE UNDERSTANDS RUSSIAN MENTALITY ‘MUCH BETTER’ THAN TRUMP
Good Monday 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: CALIFORNIA SUES OVER TRUMP’S TROOP DEPLOYMENT: Despite escalating violence in Los Angeles, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is demanding President Trump withdraw the 2,000 National Guard members he ordered deployed to quell the protests.
“I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command,” Newsom posted on X. “We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.”
Thousands of protesters took to the streets for the third day yesterday, in what began as a protest against President Donald Trump’s deportation policies for immigrants living illegally in the U.S., but devolved into a mix of protesters who blocked a major freeway and setting self-driving cars on fire, forcing Los Angeles police to resort to tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bang grenades to control the crowd.
RIOTERS SET SEVERAL WAYMO VEHICLES ON FIRE IN LOS ANGELES
TRUMP: ‘BRING IN THE TROOPS’: President Trump has been posting on social media this morning calling for Newsom to send in the guard troops that he federalized and arrest anyone wearing a mask to conceal their identities. Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!,” he posted. “ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!”
“Governor Gavin Newscum and ‘Mayor’ Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots,” Trump posted last night. “These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists. Remember, NO MASKS!”
In an interview with MSNBC, Newsom blamed the call-up of National Guard troops for inflaming the situation. “Donald Trump has created the conditions you see on your TV tonight. He’s exacerbated the conditions. He’s, you know, lit the proverbial match. He’s putting fuel on this fire.”
Newsom said he would challenge Trump’s federalization of the Guard, which he called “an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act,” in a court filing this morning.
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS SIGN JOINT LETTER CONDEMNING TRUMP’S ‘ABUSE OF POWER’ IN LA
GUARD TROOPS REMAIN IN RESERVE: Last night, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said so far, the role of the National Guard has been limited, “What I know right now is that the mission of the National Guard is to protect federal property and the federal building, which is why you have only seen them there. You have not seen them out in the community or anything like that.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell dismissed the idea that the National Guard call-up has any effect on the worsening violence but said he “would have gone through a number of steps before we’d have deployed the National Guard or requested deployment of the National Guard.”
“Jim McDonnell, the highly respected LAPD Chief, just stated that the protesters are getting very much more aggressive, and that he would “have to reassess the situation,” as it pertains to bringing in the troops,” Trump posted after McDonnell’s news conference. “He should, RIGHT NOW!!! Don’t let these thugs get away with this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
NEWSOM DEMANDS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESCIND ‘UNLAWFUL’ NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT ORDER
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: National Guard will be ‘everywhere’ in Los Angeles, Trump says
Washington Examiner: Newsom demands Trump administration rescind ‘unlawful’ National Guard deployment order
Washington Examiner: Rioters set several Waymo vehicles on fire in Los Angeles
Washington Examiner: Democratic governors sign joint letter condemning Trump’s ‘abuse of power’ in LA
Washington Examiner: Ratcliffe prioritizes depoliticizing CIA with vow to stop terrorists overseas
Washington Examiner: Zelensky says Ukraine understands Russian mentality ‘much better’ than Trump
Washington Examiner: Trump to speak with Xi about trade deal this week, top adviser predicts
Washington Examiner: Guatemalan president reaffirms support for Taiwan as Beijing applies pressure
Washington Examiner: Pentagon inspector general reviewing whether staffers were asked to delete Hegseth’s Signal messages: Report
Washington Examiner: North Korea corrects disastrous naval destroyer with balloons and manpower
Washington Examiner: Vern Buchanan introduces bill seeking to reduce diabetes, obesity in military
Washington Examiner: Russia offers refuge to Musk amid war with Trump
Washington Examiner: FAA to pause hundreds of flights from Reagan during Trump military parade
Reuters: Iran to present counter-proposal to US in nuclear talks
Reuters: US and China set for trade talks in London on Monday
AP: Afghans Who Helped America During the War Plead for an Exemption from Trump Travel Ban
AP: Explosion at a US air base in southern Japan injures 4 Japanese soldiers
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Ready to Deploy More Nukes Once Arms Control Treaty Ends
AP: Iran claims without evidence that it took Israeli nuclear files
Air & Space Forces Magazine: F-35 Contracts Slip in Delay Unrelated to Radar Woes
Military.com: White House Asked Joint Chiefs Chairman for Candidates to Lead NASA, Worrying Experts
Breaking Defense: Amid Trump, Musk Blowup, Canceling SpaceX Contracts Could Cripple DoD Launch Program
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Space Force’s Only Guardian-Astronaut Reflects on Journey from Jets to Space
SpaceNews: Inside the Space Force’s Unconstrained First Days
Wall Street Journal: The Pentagon Disinformation That Fueled America’s UFO Mythology
Military.com: Cancer Risk at Air Force Missiles Sites Low ‘But Not Zero,’ Latest Service Data Shows
Task & Purpose: Two-Thirds of Troops Who Left the Military in 2023 Were at Risk for Mental Health Conditions, Survey Found
Military.com: Pentagon Proposes Ending 14 Advisory Panels, Including Historic Committee Focused
THE CALENDAR:
MONDAY | JUNE 9
9 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Antisemitism: A Rising National Security Threat,” with Liel Leibovitz, Hudson senior fellow; and Michael Doran, director, Hudson Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East https://www.hudson.org/events/antisemitism-rising-national-security-threat
9 a.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: “Will Lee Jae-myung Reorient South Korea’s Foreign Policy?” with Kim Joon-hyung, member, Republic of Korea National Assembly; Frank Aum, senior expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace; Darcie Draudt-Vejares, fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; James Park, research associate at the Quincy Institute; and Jake Werner, director, Quincy Institute’s East Asia Program https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register
11 a.m. 58 East 68th St., New York, N.Y. — Council on Foreign Relations discussion: “The state of transatlantic relations and the evolving dynamics of the U.S.-EU partnership,” with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola [video and transcript will be posted on the CFR website.]
1 p.m. Jessup, Md. — U.S. Army Military District of Washington an event for media to cover the off loading of the heavy equipment and vehicles that will be showcased in the Army’s Parade. [email protected]
1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Building an Autonomous Future for the DOD,” with Ryan Tseng, co-founder and president, Shield AI https://www.csis.org/events/shield-ais-ryan-tseng-building-autonomous-future-dod
TUESDAY | JUNE 10
7 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association virtual 2025 Army Data Summit: “Managing AI Data” https://www.armydatasummit.com/
8:45 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Defending in Outer Space,” with Rep. Jeff Crank, (R-CO) https://www.hudson.org/events/defending-outer-space
9 a.m. 1999 Richmond Hwy., Arlington, Va — Government Executive Media Group discussion: “Accelerating Mission Technologies Across All Domains,” with Daniel Corbin, technical director for C4 at the Marine Corps’ Office of the Deputy Commandant for Information; Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare Jennifer Edgin https://events.govexec.com/defensetech-live/home
9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “The posture of the Department of the Navy in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY 2026 and the Future Years Defense Program” http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. H-140, U.S. Capitol — House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “Oversight Hearing — The Department of Defense,” with testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine http://appropriations.house.gov
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Greater Middle East and Africa,” with testimony from Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command; Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Africa Command; and Katherine Thompson, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, http://www.armedservices.house.gov
10 a.m. — House Intelligence Central Intelligence Agency Subcommittee hearing: “FY 2026 Budget Request for the Central Intelligence Agency,” with testimony from CIA Director John Ratcliffe http://intelligence.house.gov
10 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Adapting the U.S. Nuclear Posture in Response to Adversary Threats,” with Austin Long, deputy director for strategic stability at the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy; Greg Weaver, principal at Strategy to Plans LLC; and Rebeccah Heinrichs, director, Hudson Keystone Defense Initiative https://www.hudson.org/events/adapting-us-nuclear-posture-response
12 p.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “Russia’s War and the Hague Summit,” with Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH); Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC); and Andrew Desiderio, Punchbowl News senior congressional reporter https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/senators-shaheen-and-tillis
12 p.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual book discussion: Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History, with author Vali Nasr, professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS; and Trita Parsi, executive vice president, Quincy Institute https://quincyinst.org/events/book-talk-irans-grand-strategy
1 p.m. 58 East 68th St., New York, N.Y. — Council on Foreign Relations C.V. Starr and Co. Annual Lecture on China: “Reassessing U.S.-China Relations,” with David Shambaugh, director, George Washington University China Policy Program https://tinyurl.com/4rwvkzjj
2 p.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Defense,” with testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine http://appropriations.senate.gov
2 p.m. 2359 Rayburn — House Appropriations Committee markup of FY 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill and Subcommittee Allocations http://appropriations.house.gov
WEDNESDAY | JUNE 11
8:45 a.m. 151 St. George Blvd., Oxon Hill, Md. — Defense Strategies Institute Human Performance and Biosystems Summit, with the theme “Enhancing Total Force Fitness for Mission Readiness,” with Lt. Gen. David Francis, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command; and Rob Wilkins, U.S. Air Force recruiter and former member, President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition https://humanperformance.dsigroup.org/
9 a.m. 1250 S. Hayes St., Arlington, Va. — Government Executive Media Group conference” “From Creation to Command: The Power of Digital Content in Defense,” with Jason Kelly, operations branch chief at the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Public Affairs; Matt Guinan, graphics team lead at the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Public Affairs; and acting Defense CIO Katie Arrington https://event.adobe.com/from-creation-to-command
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Navy FY 2026 Budget Request,” with testimony from Navy Secretary John Phelan; Adm. James Kilby, acting chief of naval operations; and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith http://www.armedservices.house.gov
11 a.m. — Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll delivers remarks at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association virtual Army Data Summit https://www.armydatasummit.com/
2:30 p.m. 124 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Committee Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY 2026 Budget Request for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation,” with testimony from D. Lee Forsgren, acting assistant secretary of the Army for civil works; and Lt. Gen. William Graham., chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers http://appropriations.senate.gov
3:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee hearing: “Army Munition Industrial Base Modernization,” with testimony from Brig. Gen. Daniel Duncan, commanding general, Army Joint Munitions Command; Chris Grassano, director, Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center; Steven Morani, performing the duties of undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment; and Maj. Gen. John Reim, joint program executive officer for armaments and ammunition and commanding general of the Army Picatinny Arsenal http://www.armedservices.house.gov
THURSDAY | JUNE 12
7:15 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. — Association of the U.S. Army discussion with Lt. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, commanding general of I Corps at the Army; and John Nagl, professional lecturer, U.S. Army War College. https://www.ausa.org/events/coffee-series/ltg-mcfarlane-and-dr-nagl
9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “The posture of the U.S. Central Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY 2026 and the http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of Defense FY26 Budget Request,” with testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Dan Caine https://armedservices.house.gov/calendar/events
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: the “Department of Defense FY 2026 Budget Request,” with testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine http://www.armedservices.house.gov
10:30 a.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY 2026 Budget Request for the Army,” with testimony from Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, and Army Chief of Staff Randy George http://appropriations.senate.gov
12:30 p.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW — Henry L. Stimson Center book discussion: It Is Possible? A Future Without Nuclear Weapons, with author Ward Hayes Wilson, executive director of RealistRevolt; and Barry Blechman, co-founder, Stimson Center https://www.stimson.org/event/a-future-without-nuclear-weapons/
3:30 p.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discussion: “Perspectives on Regional Security in the Middle East,” with Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC);; Frederic Wehrey, senior fellow, CEIP Middle East Program; Sarah Yerkes, senior fellow, CEIP Middle East Program; and Amr Hamzawy, director, CEIP Middle East Program https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/06/perspectives-on-regional-security
FRIDAY | JUNE 13
10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “The Implications of a Nuclear Armed South Korea,” with retired South Korean Lt. Gen. In-Bum Chun, senior fellow, Association of the U.S. Army https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/the-implications-of-a-nuclear-armed-south-korea/
12 p.m. 2359 Rayburn — House Appropriations Committee markup of the FY 2026 Defense bill http://appropriations.house.gov
SATURDAY | JUNE 14
6:30 p.m. Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C — Grand Military Parade and Celebration honoring the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army, with remarks by President Donald Trump, and featuring veterans, active-duty troops, wounded warriors, Gold Star Families, and patriotic Americans from across the country Tickets: https://america250.org