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Congress is out, but lawmakers are in Munich and hearing from allies concerned about Trump's push for talks with Russia. And Republican supporters of Ukraine are grappling with the administration’s actions. www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

SecDef Pete Hegseth made a “rookie mistake” when he said returning to Ukraine’s pre-war borders “unrealistic,” SASC Chair Roger Wicker said. “I don’t know who wrote the speech—it is the kind of thing Tucker Carlson could have written, and Carlson is a fool,” he said. www.politico.eu/article/sena...

BREAKING: Senate advances Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be defense secretary, 51-49. Tees up a confirmation vote in ~30 hours. Two Republicans opposed moving forward with Hegseth: Collins and Murkowski.

The list of executive orders repealed by Trump includes Biden’s directive allowing transgender people to serve in the military, which reversed the ban from Trump’s first term.

Senate Armed Services advanced Pete Hegseth’s nomination in a 14-13 party-line vote. A confirmation vote is expected later this week. www.politico.com/live-updates...

Pete Hegseth countered controversies around his nomination with denials, memory holes and attacking the “left-wing” media at his confirmation hearing. That strategy may work for him — along with other Trump nominees. www.politico.com/news/2025/01...

House Dems named nine new members of the Armed Services Committee yesterday: Jason Crow Gil Cisneros Eric Sorensen Maggie Goodlander Sarah Elfreth George Whitesides Derek Tran Eugene Vindman Wesley Bell

Turf war breaks out over DC fighter jet squadron-RFK stadium deal www.politico.com/news/2025/01... @reporterjoe.bsky.social Daniel Lippman and @connorobriennh.bsky.social

Senate Armed Services top Dem Jack Reed says following his meeting with SecDef pick Pete Hegseth: “Today’s meeting did not relieve my concerns about Mr. Hegseth’s lack of qualifications and raised more questions than answers.”

House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers announced his slate of subcommittee chairs... Cyber: Don Bacon Intel/Special Ops: Ronny Jackson Personnel: Pat Fallon Readiness: Jack Bergman Seapower: Trent Kelly Strategic Forces: Scott DesJarlais Tactical: Rob Wittman

Biden on Monday signed an $895 billion Pentagon policy bill despite language he said he “strongly opposes” that restricts medical treatment for transgender youth. www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

In an NDAA statement, Biden criticizes care restrictions for transgender youth (which he just signed into law). Says it undercuts the force by denying care to troops’ kids. “No service member should have to decide between their family’s health care access and their call to serve our Nation.”

NEW: Biden has signed the NDAA into law after it cleared Congress last week.

The 14 senators who voted NO on the NDAA just now: D: Baldwin, Booker, Kim, Markey, Merkley, Schiff, Stabenow, Warren, Welch, Wyden R: Braun, Lee, Paul I: Sanders

NEW: Senate passes the NDAA, 85-14. The defense bill now heads to President Joe Biden to sign.

NEW: Text of the CR to fund the government through March 14th has been released. All 1,547 pages of it: docs.house.gov/billsthiswee...

SCOOP: Trump donor Andrew McKenna is a leading contender for secretary of the Air Force, according to three people close to the transition www.politico.com/live-updates... by Jack Detsch @connorobriennh.bsky.social @reporterjoe.bsky.social

Per a person familiar, the House GOP Steering Committee selected 7 new members for the Armed Services Committee on Monday: Derrick Van Orden Mark Messmer John McGuire Derek Schmidt Pat Harrigan Abe Hamadeh Jeff Crank

The 12 votes against ending debate on the final NDAA in the Senate: D: Baldwin, Booker, Markey, Merkley, Schatz, Schiff, Stabenow, Warren R: Lee, Paul I: Sanders

NDAA advances: Senate votes 83-12 to end debate on the defense bill. Actually similar to last year’s cloture vote (85-15). Final vote could happen as early as Tuesday.

Hegseth softens some of his tougher stances in his quest to win votes from centrists www.politico.com/news/2024/12... @reporterjoe.bsky.social @connorobriennh.bsky.social

Schumer has set up a cloture vote on the NDAA at 5:30pm on Monday when the Senate returns. That means the defense bill could be cleared as early as Tuesday. (If Schumer can get a time agreement.)

House Armed Services top Dem Adam Smith tells Bloomberg of his former House colleague Tulsi Gabbard: "She didn't do that much on the committee that I noticed." He also notes the concerns about her stances on Syria, Russia and Ukraine.

Schumer filed cloture on the NDAA agreement this morning after the House cleared it yesterday. That sets up a procedural vote with a 60-vote majority next week, and passage after that.

Selected Dems who voted for NDAA, despite transgender language: -Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries -Dem Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar -Approps Chair Rosa DeLauro -NJ governor candidates Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill -Former Dem leaders Hoyer and Clyburn www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

NEW: The House passed an $895 billion defense bill Wednesday, but lawmakers were split over language barring gender affirming medical care for transgender kids. Just 81 Dems voted for the NDAA, which passed 281-140. www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

SCOOP: Sen. John Fetterman plans to meet with Pete Hegseth on Thursday, making him the first Senate Democrat to sit down with Donald Trump's embattled pick for Pentagon chief www.politico.com/live-updates... @reporterjoe.bsky.social @connorobriennh.bsky.social

House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers not happy about Johnson pushing transgender medical care language in NDAA. He predicts passage will be close because Dems won't help. "We would have 375, 380 votes but for that one provision, which is irrelevant after January 20," he says.

JUST IN: Top House Armed Services Dem Adam Smith will oppose the NDAA over the prohibiting coverage for medical treatments for transgender kids. He says Mike Johnson “chose to pander to the most extreme elements of his party in an attempt to retain his speakership.”

House clears the rule to debate NDAA, 211-207. Debate and a final vote on the defense bill should happen Wednesday or Thursday.

Coming up: House votes on the rule to start debate on the final NDAA. Dems hoping a few Rs defect and they can force Speaker Mike Johnson to remove a prohibition on coverage of medical treatment for transgender youth and bring it back up under suspension.

This is the dynamic to watch on the NDAA: do Rs have the votes on their side for the rule on the floor? If so, it probably passes despite language on medical care for transgender youth. Some Dems would likely support an NDAA that’s far less conservative than what the House originally passed.

A compromise defense bill is expected to get a vote in the House this week. But there's a potential snag over Republican-backed transgender language that made the final NDAA. House Armed Services top Dem Adam Smith tells me he's unsure how he'll vote. www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

NEW: House Armed Services top Dem Adam Smith says he’s undecided on how he’ll vote on the NDAA he just finished negotiating over Republican-backed transgender language that made it into the final bill. www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

NDAA text has been filed. Votes expected in the House next week. Text: docs.house.gov/billsthiswee...

Mitch McConnell just now in a speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum: "Let’s be absolutely clear: America will not be made great again by those who are content to manage our decline,” McConnell said, paraphrasing Trump’s longtime campaign slogan. www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

Leaving a meeting with Sen. Ron Johnson this afternoon , Pete Hegseth vows to continue his bid to be Trump’s defense secretary. “I'm proud to be here, and as long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I'm going to be standing right here in this fight,” Hegseth told reporters.

Sen. Roger Wicker said Pete Hegseth vowed that he won’t drink if confirmed as defense secretary. “I think that's probably a good idea,” Wicker said. “You know, President Trump doesn't drink” www.politico.com/live-updates... @ursulaperano.bsky.social @adragna.bsky.social @connorobriennh.bsky.social

So how much trouble is Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon in? As one GOP senator put it: “A lot.” w/ @ursulaperano.bsky.social @adragna.bsky.social @reporterjoe.bsky.social www.politico.com/live-updates...

NEW: Tammy Duckworth took the unorthodox step of asking Trump to wade into a legislative debate before he becomes president—urging him to support her proposal to expand IVF coverage for military personnel in the NDAA, citing his campaign pledge to cover IVF costs. www.politico.com/live-updates...

Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday morning that President-elect Donald Trump has told him to “keep fighting” as he faces serious doubts about his ability to get confirmed as Defense Secretary. www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

Trump has selected Stephen Feinberg — billionaire financier with no Pentagon experience — to be deputy defense secretary. www.politico.com/live-updates...

Pete Hegseth is back in the Senate today to meet with more Republicans. Trump's SecDef pick is meeting with Sens. Ted Budd, Jim Risch, and Eric Schmitt. w/ @reporterjoe.bsky.social www.politico.com/live-updates...

NEW: Senate confirms stalled promotion for Army general involved in Afghanistan withdrawal. www.politico.com/live-updates...

Senate confirms stalled promotion for general involved in Afghanistan withdrawal www.politico.com/live-updates... @connorobriennh.bsky.social @politico.com

The Senate tonight confirmed Lt. Gen. Chris Donahue, who was involved in the Afghanistan withdrawal, to be promoted to four-star general and command Army Europe and Africa. Sen. Markwayne Mullin had placed a hold on his promotion before Thanksgiving and please to have dropped it.

BREAKING: Raul Grijalva has dropped out of the race for the top Dem spot on the House Natural Resources Committee, essentially handing the job to Jared Huffman, who was challenging him. @nicholaswu12.bsky.social @daniellamicaela.bsky.social www.politico.com/live-updates...

Hegseth was forced to step down by two nonprofit veterans groups that he ran in the face of serious allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety, and personal misconduct, @JaneMayerNYer reports. www.newyorker.com/news/news-de...

BREAKING: Biden pardons Hunter