On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Vago Muradian is joined by Hudson Institute’s Dr. Patrick Cronin, American Defense International’s Michael Herson, CNAS’s Jim Townsend, and CSIS’s Dr. Dov Zakheim to discuss congressional efforts to advance defense authorization, appropriations and reconciliation legislation amid growing election pressures; President Trump’s efforts to ease Russian sanctions and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine as Putin maintains his demands and escalates attacks on Black Sea shipping; upcoming US, Ukrainian and Russian talks in Abu Dhabi, European diplomatic outreach to Moscow, and preparations for a multinational exercise to support Ukraine; potential US troop reductions in Europe and growing tensions between Washington and its European allies; Israel’s election results and the prospect of renewed US and Israeli military operations against Iran; expanding defense cooperation among Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and Indonesia; Xi Jinping’s latest political purges, takeaways from the ASEAN defense ministers’ meeting, and Japan’s evolving defense posture; and US intelligence warnings about alleged Chinese espionage involving a close associate of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.  

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the implications of resumed US-Israel strikes on Iran as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu argues it’s time to topple the Iranian regime and Tehran’s warning that if attacked, it will retaliate against US bases and ships in the region as well as America’s allies, driving up energy prices; Britain sends fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia against mounting attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces as Riyadh’s allies including Egypt and Turkey consider deploying military forces; impact of rising energy prices on US elections and demonstrations across Europe including violent protests in France; Washington’s deepening alignment with Moscow as President Trump continues to pressure Ukraine; Vladimir Putin grants the US leader’s request to release American hostage Steven Hubbard as three-way talks loom; the strategic implications of Washington’s decisions to suspend intelligence sharing, degrade StarLink connectivity with Kyiv and block allies from sending US weapons to Ukraine; deadly Palestinian attack on Israelis prompts closure of West Bank as elections loom; Washington works to advance a trade deal with India; China grey’s zone tactics against Taiwan include sanctioning Paraguay and Belize for sending officials to Taipei as Chinese AI was used to hack Japan; the Pentagon seeks a new intelligence unit to better wage economic warfare against China and other rivals; and reports that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is dead.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss efforts by congressional staffers on the National Defense Authorization Act, appropriations and reconciliation that lawmakers will have to address after the November election as the Trump administration doubles down on its demand for a $350 billion reconciliation measure for the Pentagon; global outrage after President Trump’s alignment with Vladimir Putin to hobble Ukraine to advantage Russia in exchange for 2 million barrels of diesel to mitigate his electoral losses; NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Alex Grynkewich warning to Russia that any attack on the alliance would be utterly futile given its forces were ready to block, blunt and destroy a Russian attack; Iran’s attacks on Strait of Hormuz shipping including the sinking of a Singaporean-flagged cargo ship; Tehran-backed Houthi rebels strike Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni presidential complex in Sanaa; Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s call on Trump to attack Iran before November elections as former Israeli security chief Ronan Barr files “blood libel” suit against his former boss for blaming the Oct 7 attack on intelligence services; escalating settler violence on the West Bank; Beijing’s latest verbal assault on Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan; the US Army’s third Indo-Pacific multi-domain task force; Asia braces for a possible post-midterm political shift in Washington; and growing prospects for a meeting between Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Russia’s expanding strikes on Ukraine and Black Sea shipping, sinking a Togo-flagged cargo ship off the Bulgarian coast with all hands missing; how NATO should respond to Moscow’s escalating hybrid operations as well as kinetic actions to deter further aggression; questions about the alliance’s cohesion as Washington continues to warm relations with Moscow, inviting Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming G20 meeting; Britain and Germany agree to bolster military and economic cooperation; the US Air Force withdraws bombers from Britain over security concerns as Israel says Iran was targeting American bases in Europe; Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s address in Athens; the backlash in the wake of the arrest of a US Marine on Okinawa accused of killing a local woman; the FBI arrest of a Chinese national accused of spying on the Taiwanese leader’s son; the growing US-China AI competition; Pakistan, Syria, and Turkey help Saudi Arabia in its fight against Houthis attacking the kingdom’s energy infrastructure as Washington quietly supports Riyadh despite having inked a deal with the Tehran-backed Yemeni group for safe passage of US and Israel ships through the Bab al-Mandab; Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu tries to exploit the heroism of Israeli passengers that thwarted an attempt by the pilot to crash a recent FlyDubai flight, but faces criticism for failing to investigate the background of the pilot to who surveilled Ben Gurion airport before the flight; and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a long-time Israel supporter who now opposes aid.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Trump administration’s obligation of $142 billion in spending before the funding expired, US bond yields hit nearly 5.3 percent, the highest since 2002; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laid out his vision for the force to junior leaders, including a panel to study of the future of war, a new drone combatant command and a giant new base to house American troops returning to the United States; Russia threatens NATO with nuclear weapons as the alliance grapples with how to respond to Moscow’s increasing hybrid provocations; President Trump turns down a deal with Iran; Abu Dhabi and Riyadh work to reconcile differences as Syria and Hezbollah meet in Turkey; Israel’s prime minister visits the UAE; Xi Jinping marks China’s national day after returning from his summit with President Trump; Beijing’s second military base in the Indo-Pacific; and Seoul approves the first major investment in the United States since President Lee Jae Myung made his pledge last year to spend $350 billion in America.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Pentagon officials engaging defense authorizers and appropriators to make the case for their budget; rise in bond yields and gas prices in the wake of the Iran war;  Steve Witkof’s meeting with Iran’s Abbas Arakchi; Houthi attacks on  Saudi Arabia and threats of strikes on US forces if Washington intervenes; highlights from the leader addresses at the UN General Assembly; Xi Jinping’s state visit, US-Denmark Greenland agreement; Russian elections as Ukraine hammered Moscow’s refineries and much more.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss reconciliation being punted to the lame duck session as work on appropriations and the National Defense Authorization Act conference accelerate; new Russia sanctions head to the White House for President Trump’s signature as the Pentagon reportedly prepares to withdraw tens of thousands of US troops from NATO; US and Iranian forces trade fire as the Pentagon says war costs top $33 billion; with control of the Bab al Mandab, Tehran-backed Houthi rebels advance on oil-rich Marib province and strike Saudi oil facilities as Trump rebuffed Saudi calls for help, striking his own deal with the Houthis for safe passage of US and Israeli ships; China’s effort to avoid the Bab al Mandab and Suez Canal by sailing the first commercial ship via a northern route from China to Europe via the Russian Arctic Coast; Trump approves F-35 fighters for Saudi Arabia despite intelligence community concerns the stealth jet’s technology could leak to China; Gulf states question US reliability as American forces pull back from regional bases meant to deter Iranian attack; Washington’s approval of a $2.8 billion in arms package for Israel including 2,000-pound bombs blocked by the Biden administration as the White House again blocks a visa for Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to visit the UN; as Washington woos Russia to peace in Ukraine with lucrative deals, Moscow ramps up attacks on Europe, with one of its warships firing flares at a Danish helicopter, Dutch rail lines sabotaged and a second Bulgarian ammunition depot since August that caught fire and exploded; Finland becomes the 10th nation to joins France’s nuclear deterrence initiative; as the US-Canada trade war continues, Prime Minister Mark Carney sought a trillion dollars in investment and the European Union offered the country associate member status that Trump said could be “a hostile act” and threatened to block trade with Europe; speculation about Xi Jinping’s health; South Korean President Lee Jae Myung rules out combat forces for the Gulf; and former Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl dies at age 84.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss where defense legislation stands as both the House and Senate adjourn and November elections loom; President Trump’s promise that voters receive $5,000 payments if GOP retains House and Senate; US and Iran continue to exchange fire as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis take the strategic ports from which to better control the Bab al Mandeb, striking a Saudi Aramco refinery in Jizan sending oil prices soaring; Ha’aretz report that the UAE warned Israel about the Hamas attack as Israeli forces destroyed Hezbollah’s underground facilities in South Lebanon; decision by a dozen nations to sanction trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank; Washington’s continuing efforts to broker Ukraine peace deal while seeking to normalize relations with Moscow even as Russia continues to wage hybrid operations against NATO including an April test of a system to attack European undersea infrastructure that was thwarted by UK, Norwegian and US forces; Canada and Germany step up to help Ukraine with air defense weapons; analysis of AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt elections; the new bridge between Russia and North Korea; the Philippine defense minister’s viral video pushing back on China’s South China Sea provocations; big decisions for the US-South Korea alliance; what to expect from the BRICS summit this weekend in New Dehli; and lessons as America commemorates the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that killed some 3,000 that changed global security as well as American politics.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss House passage of a continuing resolution to keep government open until December as the National Defense Authorization Act stalls and the reconciliation outlook remains unclear; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned as the administration named Adam Telle as acting secretary and nominated Hung Cao as Navy secretary; US and Iranian forces trade fire as President Trump is reported to want to resume high-intensity combat operations after the election; Israel steps up attacks on Palestinians as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu maneuvers to remain in office; Germany says Russia was behind an unsuccessful explosive drone attack on Leipzig last month as Washington invited Russia’s finance minister to attend the G20 meeting in Asheville to the consternation of allies that complained that the Trump administration’s tariffs and Iran war have undermined their economies; the president’s assertion that Canada is a bigger adversary than China or Russia, and that Washington might back Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands, which London maintains is sovereign territory; Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles’ first visit to the United States this year; Xi Jinping’s ramped up diplomatic offensive ahead of his summit with Trump later this month as his warships sail ever closer to Japan.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the impact of rising inflation on the Trump administration’s budget request; CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow; NATO’s moves to counter Russia’s mounting provocations in the Baltic and across Europe; Pentagon policy chief Bridge Colby’s meeting with allies as he oversees the review that will reduce US troops from Europe; Washington’s new Iran sanctions to collapse the theocratic regime as Beijing vows to retaliate if its banks or businesses are targeted; the trade war with Canada; Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s claim Iran tried to kill one of his son’s in Florida; retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter new extreme right-wing party; Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s effort to bring militias under control; Washington cancels an amphibious exercise with South Korea, but will press ahead with the trilateral Freedom Edge exercise next month with Korea and Japan; Japan, Australia, and Indonesia launch defense talks; and Beijing’s tightening comprehensive encirclement of Taiwan.