| | | | |  | | By Matt Berg and Eric Bazail-Eimil | |  South Africa is “guided by an independent foreign policy,” President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed. | Pool photo by Esa Alexander | With help from Julia Marsh, Lara Seligman and Daniel Lippman Subscribe here | Email Matt| Email Eric Few U.S. partners have exercised a foreign policy more contrary to Washington’s positions over the past year than South Africa has — and its president wants American lawmakers to see why that’s alright. In a Washington Post op-ed today, South African President CYRIL RAMAPHOSA directly appealed to Congress to maintain a good relationship with his country, after the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a bill last week to reassess Washington’s relationship with Pretoria due to its ties with Russia, China and Iran. Ramaphosa also argued that South Africa’s position on Israel — it is leading a charge to find that the government has committed genocide in Gaza — should “not lead to a deterioration of our relations with the United States.” South Africa is “guided by an independent foreign policy,” Ramaphosa stressed. For Pretoria, that has meant taking part in talks with Russia and Ukraine for an end to the war, refusing to call Iran an authoritarian regime and entering a “golden era” of relations with China. All the while, South Africa has maintained friendly ties with Washington, in what one South African journalist today called a “high-wire act.” Many HFAC lawmakers believe the country has already fallen off. South Africa’s ties with adversaries “undermine U.S. national security and foreign policy interests,” Rep. SCOTT PERRY (R-Penn.) told NatSec Daily. “We must end the practice of paying corrupt regimes in some misguided attempt to curry favor with those who hate us.” Rep. BILL KEATING (D-Mass.), who voted in favor of the bill, also told NatSec Daily that a “comprehensive review” is needed. The bill, which passed committee in a 36-13 vote with the backing of 10 Democrats, would require the Biden administration to report to Congress on its review of relations and explicitly state whether the country has taken part in activities that undermine U.S. national security or foreign policy interests. Those findings could make it harder to implement a litany of public health partnerships, regional development initiatives and trade agreements. It could also limit the ability of the Biden administration to expand diplomatic and economic ties with a key player on the continent. Other members argue the bill is duplicative, as the U.S. relationship with South Africa already undergoes an annual review because of existing legislation. Rep. ILHAN OMAR (D-Minn.), who chairs the U.S. Africa Policy Working Group, told NatSec Daily that efforts to re-evaluate the relationship due to Pretoria’s stance on Israel are “not only unnecessary but also morally reprehensible.” It’s unlikely the Biden administration would want to sever ties with Pretoria, as the White House is pushing to counter Chinese influence in Africa. But the bipartisan approval of the bill speaks to long-simmering frustrations on Capitol Hill with South Africa over its relationships with authoritarian countries. Those qualms could color debates over the reauthorization of the already-embattled President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and other foreign aid programs which Pretoria benefits from. Ramaphosa mostly wants to make sure that Congress “does not overreact on its long-held solidarity with the Palestinian cause to jeopardize South Africa-U.S. trade relations,” KEN OPALO, a Georgetown associate professor of African politics, told NatSec Daily. Many Americans don’t factor in how South Africa’s perspective on the Gaza war is informed by its history with apartheid, he added, and the same goes for its ties with Russia. Fostering a relationship with Moscow helps in Pretoria’s efforts to “reform the international systems in the direction of being more rules-based, as opposed to being thoroughly dominated by Western powers,” Opalo said.
| | A message from Lockheed Martin: PAC-3 MSE: Enabling a Hardened Defense against Maritime Threats
Lockheed Martin is developing advanced IAMD capabilities to give sailors more options using existing capabilities. Integrating PAC-3 MSE into the Aegis Weapon System would deliver an advanced, combat-proven IAMD capability to U.S. Sailors. Learn more. | | | | | GAZA PEACEKEEPING: U.S. officials are in discussions about potentially funding either a multinational force or a Palestinian peacekeeping team to help stabilize Gaza after the war, our own ALEX WARD, LARA SELIGMAN and JOSEPH GEDEON report. The DOD funding would go toward the needs of the security force and complement assistance from other countries, four U.S. officials told our colleagues. None of the options being considered include U.S. troops on the ground, the officials said. Asked for comment by our colleagues, a senior administration official said “we are working with partners on various scenarios for interim governance and security structures in Gaza once the crisis recedes,” declining to detail specifics. “We’ve had a number of conversations with both the Israelis and our partners about key elements for the day after in Gaza when the time is right.” It could be weeks or months before Washington and its partners approve any plan, especially since regional players want to see a commitment to a two-state solution before seriously engaging with the options. There are also questions about the viability of training a potential Palestinian-led force in time to maintain order in Gaza, which has been decimated after five months of brutal fighting. LIMITS ON WEAPONS SALES? The Israelis have a wish list of weapons they want from the U.S. that they bring up in pretty much every meeting, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. CQ BROWN, Lara writes in. But Israel has not received everything they’ve asked for from the U.S. — either due to limited capacity, or because the administration isn’t willing to provide it, he told a small group of reporters today at an event in Washington. “It is a constant dialogue with them,” Brown said. Brown also addressed the humanitarian situation in Gaza, noting that in meetings this week Israeli officials provided some details on the “broad concepts” of a plan to move civilians out of Rafah ahead of a looming operation. But “we probably need a bit more detail” before the U.S. can make a judgment on whether that plan is acceptable. UKRAINE’S COMMUNICATION PROBLEM: A senior U.S. diplomat responsible for countering global disinformation campaigns is arguing that Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY should be more open to disclosing information about the state of the war in Ukraine. Talking to POLITICO’s Power Play podcast, JAMES RUBIN, head of the U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center, said “sometimes the Ukrainian government may resist the kind of freedom of information that’s normal for us.” “Some days, war reporters report things that aren’t necessarily in the interest of Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” he continued, adding that negative coverage once in a while isn’t a bad thing in a democracy where there’s a free press. For his part, Zelenskyy has posted daily briefings about the war on his government’s website and maintains an active X account, where he posts updates about talks with foreign leaders and battlefield developments. It’s also a tool for him to put pressure on U.S. lawmakers to greenlight military assistance for his country. “Quick passage of US aid to Ukraine by Congress is vital. We recognize that there are differing views in the House of Representatives on how to proceed, but the key is to keep the issue of aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor,” Zelenskyy tweeted today following a conversation with House Speaker MIKE JOHNSON. HOSPITAL RAIDS: Israel’s military said it was conducting raids in and around two hospitals in the Gaza strip today, as aid groups sounded the alarm about the safety of patients and medics there, The New York Times’ HIBA YAZBEK reports. In the past 11 days, Israel has killed around 200 people whom it calls “terrorists” near the Al-Shifa Hospital, the territory’s largest, the military said in a statement. Israel has maintained that Hamas militants use the hospitals for military purposes, a claim the group has repeatedly denied. NEW PA GOVERNMENT: The Palestinian Authority unveiled a new cabinet today full of lesser-known officials, as the embattled organization fights for legitimacy amid the Israel-Hamas war, according to The Associated Press. The announcement of the new cabinet comes as Palestinian Authority President MAHMOUD ABBAS faces international pressure, and pressure from Palestinians, to reform his group’s operations in the face of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. CHINA’S UNWITTING ACTIONS: Western intelligence officials believe China is helping Iran choke off ship traffic in the Red Sea, impairing global trade flows and damaging Beijing’s own interests in the process, our own MATTHEW KARNITSCHNIG reports. China’s illicit purchases of Iranian oil are indirectly financing the recent string of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and have had a chilling effect on shipping, Matthew writes. China buys about 90 percent of Iran’s oil, including crude sold by the Quds Force, the paramilitary arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that is responsible for Tehran’s foreign military operations. Quds Force trains and funds Iran’s terror proxies across the Middle East, for example, including both Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Houthis “are attacking international routes, and the first country hurt by it is China itself,” one of the officials said. IT’S THURSDAY. Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily! This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at mberg@politico.com and ebazail@politico.com, and follow us on X at @mattberg33 and @ebazaileimil. While you’re at it, follow the rest of POLITICO’s national security team: @alexbward, @nahaltoosi, @PhelimKine, @laraseligman, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @leehudson, @magmill95, @johnnysaks130, @ErinBanco, @reporterjoe, and @JGedeon1.
| | | | YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS: From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics. | | | | | | | | | TRUMP’S SHADOW SECSTATE: The Trump administration’s ambassador to Germany RICHARD GRENELL has become something of a shadow secretary of state, representing a prospective second Trump administration in meetings around the world, The Washington Post’s BETH REINHARD, JON SWAINE and AARON SCHAFFER report. Grenell has traveled the globe, meeting with right-wing activists and politicians attempting to overturn Guatemala’s presidential election results earlier this year and attempted to broker a meeting between Turkish President RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN and former President DONALD TRUMP amid Ankara’s dispute with the rest of NATO over admitting Sweden into the alliance. He has also kept up his outreach to heads of state in the Balkans, where he was also an envoy. His presence raises questions about the role that the political operative and diplomat may play in a second Trump administration, given his continued loyalty to the former president. But for now, both Grenell and the Trump campaign are swatting away speculation about Grenell’s future in Trump’s orbit. Grenell has said he’s focused on getting Trump in the White House for the time being. ICYMI — Former Trump impeachment witness registers to lobby for Ukraine aid by our own CAITLIN OPRYSKO
| | PRIGOZHIN’S LASTING LEGACY: Troll farms tied to the deceased Russian warlord YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN continue to churn out misinformation, as they hope to target American voters and shape public opinion about the war in Ukraine and the 2024 election, the Wall Street Journal’s DUSTIN VOLZ reports. None of the Prigozhin-linked campaigns have thus far found a large following or traction, but their continued presence underscores the large interest among U.S. adversaries like Russia, China and Iran to use disinformation, and new technologies like artificial intelligence, to sow distrust in the outcome of the 2024 elections. They also speak to the continued staying power of the former head of the Wagner mercenary group, whose operations and units have largely been maintained by Russian leader VLADIMIR PUTIN in the wake of last year’s mutiny. Russia’s intelligence agencies have taken control of much of Prigozhin’s disinformation network, according to Scripps News’ SASHA INGBER. Read: Kremlin delivers warning to Telegram boss after Moscow terror attack by our own ŠEJLA AHMATOVIĆ
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | | HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM: The United States’ GPS systems are becoming increasingly vulnerable as space becomes more militarized, and unlike China, Washington doesn’t have a plan B if they get knocked out, The NYT’s SELAM GEBREKIDAN, JOHN LIU and CHRIS BUCKLEY report. “Despite recognizing the risks, the United States is years from having a reliable alternative source for time and navigation for civilian use if GPS signals are out or interrupted, documents show and experts say. The Transportation Department, which leads civilian projects for timing and navigation, disputed this, but did not provide answers to follow-up questions,” the outlet wrote. Failing to have a robust satellite system in place could spell trouble for the U.S. military too, which relies on the tech for navigating on the battlefield, tracking troop movement and coordinating with each other in remote areas among other crucial functions. As the U.S. has struggled to create a robust GPS system, China says it is building the most advanced precise timing system in the world — laying 12,000 miles of fiber-optic cables underground and planning to launch more satellites as backup, the Times writes.
| | PROTECTING SECRET DOCS: Rep. MIKIE SHERRILL (D-N.J.) has introduced a bill that would increase restrictions on access to classified documents for those accused of national security-related crimes. The GUARD Act would bar those charged with, or convicted of, national security crimes, like obstruction, acting as a foreign agent, mishandling or illegally disclosing classified information, or illegally retaining information, from receiving or accessing classified information. Sherrill said it was inspired by Trump’s pending classified documents trial. While the bill is unlikely to get much traction in the Republican-controlled House, as it lacks a Republican co-sponsor, it shows that Democrats are eager to hit the issue from all sides and place pressure on Republicans ahead of the election. “Nobody is entitled or legally obligated to classified briefings — certainly not Trump, even if he is the Republican nominee for president,” Sherrill said in a statement. Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges that he improperly held classified documents from his time in the White House and denies criminal wrongdoing. FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — LINKING SCHUMER AND BIDEN ON ISRAEL: More than 300 Jewish leaders applauded President JOE BIDEN and Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER for their commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship in a letter sent Tuesday. The missive shows that parts of the Jewish establishment back Schumer’s latest public stance on Israel, even after other prominent Jewish leaders voiced "deep reservations" with his remarks. It’s also notable that the letter is addressed to Biden together, given that Schumer has gone further than Biden in explicitly calling for new elections in Israel. “We are fortunate to have the leadership and vision provided by both of you, two proponents of the U.S.-Israel relationship who understand that there is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — only a political one. We stand ready to support you in your efforts to secure a future of peace and prosperity for all,” reads the letter. The letter was signed by a dozen former U.S. ambassadors and government officials, as well as leaders of major national Jewish organizations, including J Street President JEREMY BEN-AMI and former Anti-Defamation League Chair ROBERT SUGARMAN. Both Biden and Schumer, longtime allies to Israel, have increasingly emphasized the need for Israel to protect civilians from harm while still supporting its desire to root out Hamas.
| | | |   | | | | | MANILA WILL STRIKE BACK: Philippines President FERDINAND MARCOS JR signaled today that his country is not backing down in the face of increased Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. In a statement posted on X and other social media platforms, the Philippines’ leader said his country would respond against “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks" from Chinese vessels in the South China Sea. Marcos’ rebuke of China comes as the two sides have faced off at the Sierra Madre, a World War II-vintage vessel slowly rusting on a small shoal some 120 miles off the coast of the Philippines, as our friends at China Watcher wrote this morning. Both the Philippines and China claim sovereignty over the surrounding waters. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson LIN JIAN said at a press conference in Beijing today that “China asks the Philippines to immediately stop infringing on China’s sovereignty and rights and stop making provocations. If it continues down this wrong path, China will take resolute measures to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.” KIRBY’S PUNGENT REMARKS: National Security Council spokesperson JOHN KIRBY issued a particularly acrid rebuke of Russian officials attempting to blame Ukraine for the Moscow terror attack last week. Kirby told reporters today that Russian efforts to “deflect blame onto Ukraine, the United States, and everyone else who suits their political narratives” about the Moscor terror attack as “nonsense” and “propaganda.” And then, he went further. “My uncle used to say ... the best manure salesman often carried their samples in their mouths. Russian officials seem to be pretty good manure salesmen,” Kirby quipped today. The comments come as Russian officials have attempted to blame Ukraine for a terrorist attack against a popular concert hall in Moscow last week. Though the terrorist group ISIS-K has taken responsibility, and four Tajik nationals have been arrested in connection to the attack, Russian officials have attempted to shift the blame to Kyiv as a way of further legitimizing their military offensives in Ukraine.
| | | | — HawkEye 360 announced new members of the advisory board: retired Gens. H. R. McMASTER and DAVID THOMPSON. Former Viginina Gov. TERRY McAULIFFE and JOAN DEMPSEY will also return for another term. — Zelenskyy appointed Gen. OLEH IVASHCHENKO as the new head of Ukraine's foreign intelligence service.
| | — Sen. ROGER WICKER, The Washington Examiner: Biden’s Gaza pier is a dangerous, illogical election-year gimmick — JONATHAN GUYER, The American Prospect: How Biden boxed himself in on Gaza — ROBERT KAGAN, The Washington Post: Trump’s anti-Ukraine view dates to the 1930s. America rejected it then. Will we now?
| | — Center for Strategic and International Studies, 9:30 a.m.: Launch of the United States guidance for online platforms on protecting human rights defenders online — Henry L. Stimson Center, 10 a.m.: Understanding Myanmar's ethnic resistance organizations — Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1 p.m.: A discussion on "defending democracy: ensuring election integrity in 2024" with Assistant Homeland Security Secretary IRANGA KAHANGAMA — Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, 2 p.m.: A book discussion on "Living U.S.-China Relations: From Cold War to Cold War" Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, who we hope falls off a high wire. We also thank our producer, Gregory Svirnovskiy, who is the best acrobat in the world.
| | A message from Lockheed Martin: PAC-3 MSE: Enabling a Hardened Defense against Maritime Threats
To succeed in a multi-domain environment, sailors need more advanced options to stay ahead of evolving threats. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
