Dec 03, 2024
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story  Trump selects deputy defense secretary after long waitHere's what to know about Stephen Feinberg, a billionaire financier whom Trump has reportedly selected for the No. 2 Pentagon role, according to several outlets.© APFeinberg appears to be among the less controversial nominations from President-elect Trump. Among the more controversial picks is former Fox News personality, Pete Hegseth, to lead the Pentagon, despite his history of alleged scandals and sexual assault.  But Feinberg will certainly face scrutiny on Capitol Hill for his lack of experience to oversee the Department of Defense, which oversees some 3 million military and civilian personnel.   The chief job of the deputy secretary is to be in charge of day-to-day business, managing the Pentagon budget and working with the defense industry on programs and innovation.  Feinberg currently serves as co-CEO of  the investment firm Cerberus Capital Management, which he co-founded in 1992.   Before founding Cerberus, Feinberg worked with investment banking firms Gruntal & Co. and Drexel Burnham Lambert.  In Trump's first term, Feinberg served as head of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, which provides the commander-in-chief with independent advice on effectiveness of the intelligence community.  His experience as a financial investor could prove valuable in the management of the Defense Department's budget.  Cerberus has also invested in defense firms working on hypersonic missiles and previously owned a private military contractor called DynCorp.  The Washington Post, which first broke the news of Feinberg's selection, also reported that some critics have questioned whether there is a conflict of interest in his appointment to the No.2 role.  "Having this revolving door of people who sit on boards of major defense contractors and then cycle in and out of the Pentagon is a problem that did not begin with Trump, but is a problem nonetheless,” Matt Duss, executive vice president at the progressive Center for International Policy, told the newspaper. Read more at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Brad Dress — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.  Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future:  Trump warns of ‘hell to pay’ if Hamas doesn’t release hostagesPresident-elect Trump on Monday threatened to unleash “hell” in the Middle East if hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are not released before his inauguration Jan. 20, underscoring urgency to President Biden’s efforts to secure a hostage release and ceasefire deal in his final months in office.   In a post on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump demanded the hostages be released before his inauguration …  Full Story  Graham calls Hegseth allegations ‘very disturbing’Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said allegations against Pete Hegseth of sexual assault and other misconduct, some stemming from his time atop two veterans groups, are “very disturbing” and are making his path to becoming the next Defense secretary more arduous. The South Carolina Republican said Tuesday that it remains to be seen if Hegseth will be able to get across the finish line after President-elect Trump tapped him to run …  Full Story  Top officer in Afghanistan promoted after senator drops holdA top Army officer who served in Afghanistan was promoted by the Senate on Monday night after Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) dropped his hold on the promotion. He had raised concerns about a lack of accountability for the 2021 U.S. withdrawal. Lt. Gen. Christopher T. Donahue was promoted to the rank of general by unanimous voice vote in the Senate. While in Afghanistan, Donahue was the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne …  Full Story   On Our Radar  Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:  President Biden is on a trip to Angola to discuss trade and investment, along with the legacy of slavery. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Brussels, Belgium and Malta until Thursday for the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting and a meeting with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.  In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill:Trump transition signs MOU with DOJ to facilitate FBI background checks President-elect Trump’s transition team announced Tuesday it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Justice Department, which will allow the FBI to conduct background checks for certain individuals chosen for the incoming administration. The transition said the agreement with the … Full Story   On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  The Wilson Center talks on Finland's accession to NATO for a 10 a.m. ET hybrid event. The Hudson Institute chats on Israel's war in the Middle East during a 12:30 p.m. in-person event. The Aspen Security Forum hosts an all-day event to discuss foreign policy and national security challenges. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace looks at Project Sapphire and U.S.-Kazakhstan relations for a 1:30 p.m. hybrid event. The Brookings Institution unpacks the global reach of fentanyl for a 9 a.m. hybrid event.  What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: From Chinese patriot to American spy: The unusual life of John Leung (The New York Times) How Cuba fooled the U.S. to get millions of dollars from Miami for its armed forces (Miami Herald)  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: McConnell cries foul after 2 Democratic judges cancel retirement after Trump victory Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vented his displeasure Monday after two Democratic-appointed federal judges reversed their decisions … Read more Trump’s DEA nominee withdraws from consideration President-elect Trump’s nominee to serve as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from … Read more  You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. 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