TRUMP: ‘SOMETIMES YOU’RE BETTER OFF LETTING THEM FIGHT’: In a stunning oversimplification of the war of survival Ukraine is waging against a brutal invasion by Russia, President Donald Trump likened the bloody conflict to a schoolyard fight, or two hockey players exchanging blows in a fit of anger.
“Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy. They hate each other, and they’re fighting in a park. And you try and pull them apart, they don’t want to be pulled. Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “You see it in hockey, you see it in sports. The referees let them go for a couple of seconds. Let them go for a little while before you pull them apart.”
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Trump blamed the war — not on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion — but on ‘hate’ between the two parties, suggesting both are to blame for the war stretching into its fourth year, with casualties on both sides exceeding one million. “There’s a great hatred between those two, between those two men, but between the warring parties, great hatred.”
“I gave that analogy to Putin,” Trump said, referring to his two-hour-plus Wednesday phone call with the Russian leader. “I said, ‘President, maybe you’re going to have to keep fighting and suffering a lot,’ because both sides are suffering before you pull them apart, before they’re able to be pulled apart.
“It’s a pretty known analogy,” Trump said. “You have two kids, they fight, fight, fight. Sometimes, you let them fight for a little while.”
TRUMP: ‘BETTER OFF’ LETTING PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY FIGHT BEFORE PULLING THEM APART
NOT TIME FOR SANCTIONS: While Trump expressed frustration with his inability to deliver on his promise to end the war quickly, he again cut Putin slack as Russian forces continued to rain hundreds of missiles and drones on Ukraine on a nightly basis, targeting almost exclusively the civilian population in cities, with apartment buildings being a favorite target.
Last night was no exception, with at least six regions across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv, targeted with more than 440 drones and missiles in one of Russia’s largest coordinated attacks of the war.
Trump says he has in mind when it might be time to “get tough” and perhaps impose sanctions. “Yeah. It’s in my brain, the deadline. When I see the moment where it’s not going to stop,” Trump said, again appearing to blame Ukraine for its dogged defense of its freedom and sovereignty. “We’ll be very, very, very tough. And it could be on both countries, to be honest,” he said. “You know, it takes two to tango. We’re going to be very tough whether it’s Russia or anybody else, we’re going to be very tough. That’s a bloodbath that’s going on over there.”
The latest assessment from the Institute for the Study of War concluded that “the Kremlin continues efforts to falsely portray Russia as willing to engage in good-faith negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, despite Russia’s repeated refusal to offer any concessions.” It also noted, “Russian forces are reportedly sustaining an average of 1,140 casualties per day and suffering disproportionately high personnel casualties for marginal, grinding territorial gains.”
RUSSIA LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKE ON UKRAINE WITH ‘OVER 400 DRONES AND MORE THAN 40 MISSILES’
SCHUMER: ‘WHY IS HE ACTING LIKE A BYSTANDER?’: Frustrated by Trump’s attempts to stall a tough new sanctions bill that enjoys a veto-proof majority in the Senate, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) took to the Senate floor to excoriate Trump for his inaction.
“Why is he acting like a bystander?” Schumer said. “Instead, Donald Trump is busy announcing Putin’s military plans like a press secretary …He’s the President of the United States. Donald Trump should show some backbone.”
Trump insisted he did implore Putin to exercise restraint but blamed Ukraine for provoking Putin with its “Spiderweb” sneak attack that humiliated Russia on its own turf. “They attacked pretty harshly. They went deep into Russia,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Don’t do it. You shouldn’t do it. You should stop it.’ But, again, there’s a lot of hatred.”
“He said that we have no choice but to attack based on that and it’s probably not going to be pretty. I don’t like it.”
“Here’s what President Trump should have said to Vladimir Putin. He should’ve said, ‘Vladimir Putin, end this war now. Stop killing Ukrainian civilians. Stop your illegal invasion,’” Schumer said.
“Here’s what the president needs to do: His administration has the power to help Ukraine defend itself with air defense systems, specifically ammunition for its Patriot systems that the U.S. or our European allies can provide,” Schumer said. “Ukraine has said these air defense systems are the best tools for protecting civilian life from Russian missile strikes. We have to do all we can to get them these very needed air defense systems ASAP.”
UKRAINE’S ‘SPIDERWEB’ SNEAK ATTACK OFFERS LESSONS FOR US AND RUSSIA
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HAPPENING TODAY: D-DAY REMEMBERED: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was among the many dignitaries and military leaders who gathered at Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings by U.S and Allied troops that led to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
In his remarks, Hegseth credited the resolve of American forces, who he said Adolph Hitler clearly underestimated. “Hitler thought his Atlantic wall was impenetrable. Many agreed. He clearly had not met enough Americans.”
Hegseth read from Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1944 “Order of the Day,” reminding the troops of what was at stake.
“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.”
Hegseth said he was inspired by the bravery of the World War II generation and spent the morning working out with U.S. Army Rangers on Omaha Beach, where American troops went ashore 81 years ago.
“As we ran on that beach this morning at 6:30, as the sun was rising about the same time those first landing crafts landed, it didn’t look much like the battlefield. It looked like a beach. I ran over more than a few sandcastles,” he said “That’s what those men fought for, that we may turn scenes of death into scenes of life.”
HEGSETH SAYS NATO ‘NEAR CONSENSUS’ ON 5% DEFENSE SPENDING
MERZ’S D-DAY MOMENT: The contrast between America’s resolve to liberate Europe in 1944 and President Trump’s insistence that Russia’s war of aggression against freedom-loving Ukraine is primary Europe’s problem, was not lost on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who met with Trump in the Oval Office yesterday.
Merz knew the drill. He would sit next to Trump while the president held court with reporters and wait for the few times he could make a point or two. Merz also knew he was supposed to show up with a gift and came bearing a gold-framed copy of the birth certificate of Trump’s grandfather, Friedrich Trump, who was born in Kallstadt, Germany, in 1869. Trump promised to “put it up in a place of honor.”
Merz attempted to use America’s commitment to Europe’s freedom in World War II to urge Trump to do more to end the war in Ukraine. “This is D-Day anniversary, when the Americans once ended a war in Europe,” he began before Trump interrupted.
“That was not a pleasant day for you,” Trump said. “This was not a great thing.”
“Well, in the long run, Mr. President, this was the liberation of my country from Nazi dictatorship,” Merz replied. “So we know what we owe you. But this is the reason why I’m saying that America is again in a very strong position to do something on this war and ending this war.”
“So let’s talk about what we can do jointly, and we are ready to do what we can. And you know that we gave support to Ukraine, and that we are looking for more pressure on Russia, the European Union did, and we should talk about that.”
When Trump brought up the horrific death suffered by both soldiers and civilians, Merz managed to make the point that only the Russians were deliberately killing innocents. “This is only by Russian weapons against Ukraine. This had never happened with Ukraine weapons against Russia, never,” Merz said. “Ukraine is only targeting military targets, not civilians, not private, not energy infrastructure. So this is the difference, and that’s the reason why we are trying to do more on Russia, how to stop this war.”
AIR FORCE: ‘FREE’ AF1 WILL COST LESS THAN $400 MILLION: Democrats have been citing sky-high estimates for the cost of converting the “gift” luxury 747 jetliner from Qatar into an operational Air Force One, some citing figures as high as $1 billion for the “free” plane.
But Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told the House Armed Services Committee he expects the bill to be “significant” but less than half of that.
“It’s probably less than $400 million to retrofit that aircraft,” Mink said, cautioning that many of the upgrades involve the addition of “classified, sensitive capabilities” that he can’t discuss in public. “We’d be happy to come down and talk to you in detail about it in a different environment.”
Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) questioned the cost, noting that the delivery of two Boeing Air Force One aircraft bought in 2018 was originally destined for a bankrupt Russian airline. The retrofit projects were also delayed by cost overruns and other problems.
“And I would just say, based on the experience of the 2018 planes, we know that the contract for retrofit was $3.9 billion. Again, some of that was purchase of the planes from Boeing, roughly about $800 million, but again, if you just do the math, it was about $3 billion for retrofit,” Courtney said. “They had to strip those planes that were built for another purpose down to the studs … There’s been issues — the contractor who was doing the interior work went out of business, and Boeing has had to kind of figure out a plan to do fitting out of the interior of the plane.”
“You can’t retrofit a plane that’s built for another purpose for Air Force One and expect it to be a free plane,” Courtney said. “You’ve got to install encrypted communication technology. You have to harden the defenses. You have to put countermeasures in there … It’s a flying situation room.”
“The sooner we just sort of rip the band-aid off and get that information out there, it would be helpful for us, in terms of deciding whether this is a smart path to go down,” he said.
HEGSETH PICKS AIR FORCE THREE-STAR TO LEAD US TROOPS IN EUROPE, NATO FORCES
Washington Examiner: Russia launches airstrike on Ukraine with ‘over 400 drones and more than 40 missiles’
Washington Examiner: Trump: ‘Better off’ letting Putin and Zelenskyy fight before pulling them apart
Washington Examiner: Ukraine’s ‘Spiderweb’ sneak attack offers lessons for US and Russia
Washington Examiner: Hegseth says NATO ‘near consensus’ on 5% defense spending
Washington Examiner: Hegseth picks Air Force three-star to lead US troops in Europe, NATO forces
Washington Examiner: Pakistani captain found guilty in smuggling case tied to deaths of two Navy SEALs
Washington Examiner: DHS cuts contract for significantly delayed cutter, saving $260 million
Washington Examiner: Anatomy of a divorce: Trump-Musk relationship fractures in real time on social media
Washington Examiner: Israel concerned that Trump NSC, envoy shake-ups signal policy shifts
Washington Examiner: France floats ‘concrete steps’ to punish Israel over Gaza
Washington Examiner: Trump DHS expedites border wall construction in Arizona and New Mexico
Washington Examiner: DHS shutters TSA Quiet Skies Program that let government surveil airline passengers
Washington Examiner: Musk says he won’t decommission Dragon spacecraft after X user tells him to ‘cool off
Washington Examiner: What to know about the latest Trump travel ban affecting 19 countries
Washington Post: Frustration Mounts Over Missing Defense Budget, Lack of Clear Policy
SpaceNews: HASC Warns White House Over Delayed Defense Budget, Potential Cuts to Space Force Funding
SpaceNews: Senators Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Boost Space Cooperation with Indo-Pacific Allies
Inside Defense: MDA cancels Space-Based Interceptor industry event, halting Golden Dome momentum
Wall Street Journal: Iran Orders Material From China for Hundreds of Ballistic Missiles
Breaking Defense: Eyeing Risk of Radar ‘Delays,’ Lockheed Proposes New F-35 Fuselage Design
Breaking Defense: Hypersonics on the Hill: ARRW Back in Air Force Quiver, Army to Seek New Munitions
The War Zone: German F-35s Will Be Armed With Stealthy Joint Strike Missiles
The War Zone: Plan To Turn Ex-RAF E-3 AWACS Into E-6B ‘Doomsday’ Jet Trainer Abandoned By Navy
Washington Post: ICE officers stranded in Djibouti shipping container with deported migrants
Air & Space Forces Magazine: What Defense Tech Firms Can Learn From Formula One
THE CALENDAR:
FRIDAY | JUNE 6
9 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “Deterring the New Pacing Threats of Opportunistic and Coordinated Aggression,” with Matt Costlow, senior analyst, National Institute for Public Policy https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/deterring-the-new-pacing-threats
TUESDAY | JUNE 10
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
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
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
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
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
FRIDAY | JUNE 13
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
TUESDAY| JUNE 17
9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave NW — CSIS Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency 15th Annual South China Sea Conference https://www.csis.org/events/fifteenth-annual-south-china-sea-conference
TUESDAY | JUNE 24
TBA The Hague, Netherlands — The Netherlands hosts 2025 NATO Leaders Summit June 24-25.