Trump Knows US Is Leader Of The Free World — He’s No Isolationist

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Former VP Mike Pence says he thinks isolationists “may have lost some of their footing” in President Trump’s administration, as he praised Trump’s tougher talk toward Russia’s Vladimir Putin and his decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities.

Pence, since his split with Trump after the 2020 election, has often criticized the president’s approach to Russia and his tepid support for Ukraine.

But he now praised Trump’s decision to reverse his administration’s pause on some weapons shipments to Ukraine, including air defense missiles.

Pence said Trump’s sharper criticism of Putin and support for Ukraine could be the result of Trump tuning out those advocating isolationist policies after some criticized the direct U.S. military involvement in Israel’s efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“I think what may have changed is that some of the isolationist voices in and around this administration have recently condemned the president’s correct and courageous decision to launch a military assault against Iran,” Pence said. 

“I think they may have lost some of their footing with the president.” Pence said that Trump “is not an isolationist.”

“His bias is to lead,” he said. “I think he understands that America is the leader of the free world.”

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:    

NATIONAL SECURITY

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced sweeping changes to the way DOD buys and fields uncrewed air systems, or UAS, to establish “UAS domain dominance” by 2027.

DOD to become rare-earth mining company’s largest stockholder with a 15% stake in MP Materials and will fund the construction of a magnet-making facility, all to reduce its reliance on China.

Battle damage assessment from Iran strikes will help inform future versions of weapons like the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).

HOMELAND SECURITY

Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis has briefly paused plans to terminate most of its employees following pushback from law enforcement associations and Jewish community groups.

Coast Guard has renamed its operational districts to reflect their geographic regions; a move the service says will make its construct more recognizable to the public as well as governmental partners and industry.

DEFENSE POLITICS

Trump hands Congress a ‘weapon’ he once warned would do ‘grave damage’ to presidency. Executive privilege normally keeps White House communications secret. But both Trump and Biden waived the privilege during investigations of each other.

Campaign medals are for campaigns, not small-scale operations. On June 30, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, introduced the Iranian Campaign Medal Act to recognize the recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

IRAN THREAT/MIDDLE EAST

What’s Trump’s next move on Iran? The President still wants a nuclear deal, but that will take more sanctions and other pressure.

Top officials at DOD office that played a key role in designing the bombs used in the strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities more than two weeks ago cannot say whether the weapons were successful in reaching the deeply buried bunkers.

Some of Iran’s enriched uranium survived attacks, Israeli official says. The assessment came as experts are trying to determine how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program in the aftermath of U.S. and Israeli strikes.

Rescuers found four more crew members who went missing after Yemen’s Houthi rebels sank a ship in the Red Sea as the U.S. alleged the group may “have kidnapped” others on board.

CHINA THREAT

U.S. military has been watching a Chinese naval vessel operating off the coast of Hawaii this week.

Taiwan’s president watched live-fire drills with U.S.-made Abrams M1A2T tanks, as part of major annual exercises aimed at boosting the island’s ability to fend off threats from China.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Trump seems to be warming to what Europe wants for Ukraine: new Russia sanctions. Trump’s growing dissatisfaction with Putin has helped build momentum for new economic punishments.

European allies step up plans for future Ukraine stabilization force, with U.S. attending meeting for first time. Countries prepared to provide troops for a post-cease-fire force in Ukraine to set up a HQ in Paris for a rapid deployment after hostilities end.

Ukrainian Security Service officer was shot dead in Kyiv in an apparent assassination.

Russia pounded Ukraine’s capital with another major missile and drone attack overnight into Thursday, a day after the heaviest drone attack so far.

NORTH KOREA THREAT

Air Force has transferred upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcons from Japan to South Korea, reinforcing its fighter capabilities on the Korean Peninsula amid ongoing efforts to deter airborne threats.

SPACE THREAT

Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) is “on a good path” to develop a digital training environment where Guardians at different locations can train against realistic threats, perhaps in next year or two.

Too many overlapping roles and responsibilities, excessive classification, and too few people in key positions are hurting U.S. collaboration with allies in space.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

France, UK join forces in step toward European nuclear deterrent. Europe’s two nuclear-armed powers have agreed to coordinate their atomic arsenals in response to major threats against the continent.

US MILITARY

Deep cuts to the Air Force’s F-35 program and the elimination of the E-7 Wedgetail program would prove a “costly and strategic blunder” for the service.

Shorter, sneaker-style boots are out in USAF, as are eyelash extensions. And all Air Force officers will now have to maintain a set of OCPs, even if they rarely wear them on the job, like pilots.

Special Operations Command is once again slowing its purchases of the new OA-1K Skyraider II counterinsurgency overwatch plane, as DOD pivots for a high-end conflict after wars in the Middle East.

With Army’s recent announcement to transition away from most of its ceremonial cavalry units, including the famed Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard (CGMCG) of the 1st Infantry Division, a living connection with history is drawing to a bittersweet close.

Marines at the School of Infantry — East conducted the first fully fielded drone drop of lethal ammunition on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Tactical fitness has improved the military. The concept of the “tactical athlete” and “tactical fitness” did not emerge until the mid-2000s, with military fitness philosophy undergoing the most significant changes in the last 20 years.

END of PDB

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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