| | | |  | | By Eric Bazail-Eimil | | 
Envoy for special missions Richard Grenell (left) is in Caracas today and met with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro (right). | Venezuela's presidential press office, via AP | With help from Robbie Gramer, Maggie Miller, Daniel Lippman, Nahal Toosi, Connor O’Brien and Carmen Paun Subscribe here | Email Robbie | Email Eric President DONALD TRUMP’s envoys are on a Latin America push as his administration tries to find a way to actually enact his promised massive deportations of undocumented migrants. Envoy for special missions RICHARD GRENELL is in Caracas today and met with Venezuelan leader NICOLÁS MADURO. His trip comes as Trump has stated his continued interest in deporting thousands of Venezuelan migrants and addressing the major migration crisis the South American country’s political turmoil has created. Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO, meanwhile, is headed to a number of Central American countries and the Dominican Republic this weekend. Rubio has described his first trip as secretary as an effort to promote regional collaboration and “an Americas First foreign policy.” One thing on Rubio’s agenda? Getting El Salvador to agree to reinstate a deal in which it would accept deported migrants from countries that don’t currently accept U.S. deportation flights. (Who could that refer to? Ahem… Venezuela) Grenell’s trip has reignited some curiosity as to whether Trump would cut a deal with Maduro — maybe recognizing him as the rightful president (most international observers, and the U.S., have said he didn’t actually win the country’s July presidential election). Grenell and the White House National Security Council did not respond to requests for comment about his trip to Caracas. White House spokesperson KAROLINE LEAVITT reiterated today that Trump does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela. CARRIE FILIPETTI, who led Venezuela policy at the State Department during the first Trump administration, expressed hope that Grenell will “toe the hard line against Maduro that President Trump set in his first administration.” “Any deal that keeps Maduro in power would not only align the U.S. with undemocratic adversaries like Russia and China, it would incentivize Maduro to continue weaponizing our border to extract greater and greater concessions,” said Filipetti, who now leads the Vandenberg Coalition think tank. That’s a worry some GOP lawmakers are expressing publicly. Rep. MARÍA ELVIRA SALAZAR (R-Fla.) wrote on X “if we don’t push for Maduro and [Interior Minister DIOSDADO CABELLO] to leave power, it will come back to haunt us.” The timing of the trips by Rubio and Grenell prompted some analysts to question the extent to which Rubio will be steering the administration’s foreign policy. The State Department, though, insisted that Grenell’s efforts are not in conflict with Rubio’s in the region. State Department special envoy to Latin America MAURICIO CLAVER-CARONE was asked about Grenell’s trip to Venezuela during his briefing about Rubio’s travel. He responded (with some palpable frustration) that Grenell “is the special envoy for special missions, and he's there on a special mission. And that special mission is very specific — a very specific special mission” to address deportation flights and the Maduro government’s continued detention of American citizens. Claver-Carone insisted Grenell isn’t going to undermine U.S. support for the Venezuelan opposition and a democratic transition of power in the South American country. “This is not a quid pro quo. It’s not a negotiation in exchange for anything,” Claver-Carone said. “All I would do on this call is urge the Maduro government, the Maduro regime in Venezuela, to heed to special envoy Ric Grenell’s message and to his demands and what he puts on the table, because ultimately there will be consequences otherwise.”
| | MILITARY’S GITMO HEARTBURN: Military leaders are not thrilled with Trump’s plans to house thousands of migrants at the U.S. naval base in Guantánamo Bay. As our own Paul McLeary, Jack Detsch and Myah Ward report, Trump’s recent executive order is undercutting the ambitions of many newly appointed Trump Pentagon officials to refocus the U.S. military back to its core missions. Now, Defense Department officials are working to come up with a plan to house up to 30,000 people on the aging base, far more than the hundreds of detainees who were detained at a prison camp there at the height of the global war on terror, and provide necessary services. “The total cost for this would quickly skyrocket into tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of dollars,” said a former senior official. “Guantanamo can look like the easy button to press, but it brings with it a whole bundle of problems.” WAIVER IMPLEMENTATION WOES: Humanitarian groups are still waiting for guidance about how they can qualify for waivers announced by Rubio on Monday night to the State Department’s sweeping pause on foreign aid. Rubio has said there’s a process for aid groups to get funding to advance continued work. But as of Friday, aid groups and lawmakers on Capitol Hill say they’re still waiting for details about how aid groups can actually apply for a waiver. Part of the issue, aid organization executives explained to our colleague Carmen Paun, is that the U.S. Agency for International Development remains barred from communicating with external partners. Instead, aid groups are being directed (informally) to the State Department's Office of Foreign Assistance, or “F bureau,” which they say is sorely understaffed and providing no clarity. “We’re waiting on USAID. Going directly to the F bureau is not going to get us anywhere,” said one executive, granted anonymity out of fears of retaliation against their group by the Trump administration. Read: Trump is wreaking havoc at USAID. Is the goal to shut it down? By Robbie and our own Nahal Toosi and Daniel Lippman FBI AGENTS FIRED: The Trump administration will move to fire FBI agents who investigated the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s alleged criminal wrongdoing, per CNN’s Evan Perez and Josh Campbell. NATSEC DAILY IS MUNICH-BOUND: POLITICO is joining forces with the Munich Security Conference in an inaugural partnership — and we’re opening the doors to the POLITICO Pub which will be just next door to the MSC main event too. If any of our loyal readers are joining the throngs of natsec officials flocking to Munich for the big annual conference, let us know! Join our all-star team at MSC from Thursday, Feb.13. Full details here. DRINKS WITH NATSEC DAILY: At the end of every long, hard week, we like to highlight how a prominent member of the national security scene prefers to unwind with a drink. Today, we’re featuring Dame KAREN PIERCE, the outgoing British ambassador to Washington. Our own Robbie Gramer met with her in her office as walls were being emptied of art and boxes filled her office in preparation for her move back to London after serving as British envoy to Washington since 2020. Her drink of choice? Pink champagne. And just to stir up a little with our French friends, yes we at NatSec Daily are calling it champagne here even if it’s not from the Champagne region of France. Plus, everyone knows American wine is better than French wine right? (Sidebar: If you’re reading this EMMANUEL MACRON, please don’t sanction us, we’re only joking.) And for the alcoholic-free option? Lemonade. For the uninitiated, British lemonade is different than American lemonade, but apparently living on this side of the pond has made an impression because Pierce loves American lemonade. “The chef at the ambassador’s residence makes the best lemonade I’ve ever had,” she said. “I’m hoping to get the recipe before I go.” Your NatSec Daily authors are hoping to pull some Five Eyes strings to get that lemonade recipe ASAP. So cheers to that, Ambassador Pierce! IT’S FRIDAY! WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND: 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 rgramer@politico.com and ebazail@politico.com, and follow Robbie and Eric on X @RobbieGramer and @ebazaileimil. While you’re at it, follow the rest of POLITICO’s global security team: @dave_brown24, @HeidiVogt, @jessicameyers, @RosiePerper, @nahaltoosi, @PhelimKine, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @reporterjoe, @JackDetsch, @samuelskove, @magmill95, and @johnnysaks130
| | | | Power shifts, razor-thin margins, and a high-stakes agenda. We’ve transformed our coverage—more reporters, more timely insights, and unmatched policy scoops. From leadership offices to committee rooms, caucus meetings, and beyond, our expert reporting keeps you ahead of the decisions that matter. Subscribe to our Inside Congress newsletter today. | | | | | | | NEW FSOs FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Whether the April class of State Department Foreign Service Officers can start their training is up in the air given the 90-day federal hiring freeze, our Daniel Lippman and Nahal Toosi write in. A State Department official familiar with the matter said that the incoming class may be in jeopardy of being cancelled. There are four classes a year and at the end of the Biden administration, such classes sometimes consisted of more than 200 new diplomats, who usually start doing consular work around the world. A person familiar with the issue said that the American Foreign Service Association, the diplomats’ union, has been asking the State Department leadership about the fate of the incoming FSO class but has not been able to get a guarantee that the class will be allowed to take their positions amid a federal hiring freeze. Both persons familiar were granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive and evolving situation. The union has requested a conversation with TIBOR NAGY, the acting undersecretary of State for management, on this and other issues. Nagy referred a request for comment to the State Department press office which didn’t respond to a request. SPEAKING OF NAGY: Nagy sent out an email to State Department staffers mandating they remove pronouns from their email signatures before the end of business today, two people who saw the message told Eric and Nahal. The memo was sent pursuant to Trump’s “Defending Women” executive order. Both were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive internal communication within the State Department.
| | SPYWARE, BEWARE: Around 90 journalists and members of civil society were targeted and potentially compromised on WhatsApp by spyware from Israeli company Paragon Solutions, WhatsApp announced today. A WhatsApp spokesperson, granted anonymity to discuss the ongoing breach of their systems, told our own Maggie Miller that a malicious PDF file was sent to targeted individuals on WhatsApp through the groups function on the app. The recipients did not have to click on the malicious PDF file or anything else to be compromised. The spokesperson declined to comment on where the journalists or civil society members were based, but said that those targeted had been notified.
| | DEMS RIP ABORTION TRAVEL REPEAL: The Trump administration has reversed a Biden-era Pentagon policy of covering travel costs for troops seeking abortions (the details here, for Pros!). And as our own Connor O’Brien writes in, it drew swift criticism from Democrats who argued the move undermines military readiness and makes it harder for women to serve in uniform. A group of 19 Senate Democrats, led by Sen. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-N.H.) argued the move "does nothing to enhance military readiness" and pledged to "do everything in our power to mitigate the impact" of the policy reversal. “At a time when we are already facing military recruitment and retention challenges, we should do all we can to assure those who answer the call to serve America," the senators said in a statement. "This extreme action does the opposite and sends a message to servicewomen — who make up more than 17 percent of our military's active duty — that they are not as valuable as their male counterparts." The reversal of the policy — implemented by then-Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN in early 2023 to shore up access for troops in states where abortion is significantly limited — was long sought by Hill Republicans. Sen. TOMMY TUBERVILLE (R-Ala.), who blocked senior military promotions in a bid to overturn the policy, praised the move and said the bipartisan criticism he took for holding up military personnel for nearly a year "was all worth it." "The Biden administration treated taxpayers like their own personal piggy bank that they could use to bankroll their woke agenda," Tuberville said in a statement. "President Trump and Secretary Hegseth affirmed [Thursday] what I’ve been fighting for since I got to Washington: Zero taxpayer dollars should go towards abortions."
| | | | New Year. New Washington. New Playbook. With intensified congressional coverage and even faster delivery of policy scoops, POLITICO’s reimagined Playbook newsletter ensures you’re always ahead of the conversation. Sign up today. | | | | | | | GABBARD LESS ON THE ROCKS: At least one potential Republican holdout is saying he’ll back Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence, TULSI GABBARD. Sen. JOHN CORNYN (R-Texas), who asked tough questions of Gabbard in her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, said in a statement today “President Trump has earned the right to appoint his own cabinet” and “therefore, it is my intention to consent to the appointment of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.” The statement may stem a feeling on Capitol Hill that Gabbard’s rocky hearing on Thursday could have fully tanked her nomination, a sentiment expressed by Republicans on the committee. Sen. JAMES LANKFORD of Oklahoma, who previously said he would back Gabbard, said afterward that “there are a lot of questions” now. Others, including Sen. JOSH HAWLEY warned publicly “her nomination may be in jeopardy.”
| | FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — CALL TO ACTION: A coalition of more than two dozen technology advocacy groups on Friday called on congressional leaders to immediately restore the power of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board after Trump fired its three Democratic members this week, Maggie also writes in. In a letter sent to congressional Republican and Democratic leadership, the groups said they “strongly condemn” the firings, which effectively prevent the agency from operating. PCLOB oversees investigations into issues including surveillance abuse, and the groups accused the Trump administration of firing the members in order to hide or kill reports they “want to keep hidden.” Signatories to the letter included the Center for Democracy and Technology, the American Civil Liberties Union, Access Now and Electronic Frontier Foundation. The three Democratic PCLOB members were involved in the publication of a report criticizing the Section 702 surveillance program, which allows for surveillance and data collection against foreign nationals around the world. Trump at first asked them to resign then fired them after they refused to do so. The administration did not provide a reason for their dismissal and has not responded to multiple requests for comment from media outlets.
| | — BENJAMIN BURNETT was promoted to be legislative director for Rep. ERIC SWALWELL (D-Calif.). Burnett is a Swalwell veteran who joined his office in 2019 and was previously his national security adviser. — GEORGE E. BOGDEN is now executive director of trade relations in the Office of the Commissioner at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He most recently was an associate at King and Spalding.
| | — JAMIE DETTMER, POLITICO: Europe should have grown up a long time ago — now with Trump there’s no choice — FAREED ZAKARIA, The Washington Post: DeepSeek has created a 21st-century Sputnik moment
| | — Atlantic Council, 9 a.m.: What's at stake in the U.S.-Germany relationship in 2025 — Wilson Center Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, 10 a.m.: “Donald Trump's Second Term: Thinking Through the Transition," focusing of foreign policy — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, 11 a.m.: Jordan and the annexation of the West Bank — Atlantic Council, 12 p.m.: Why Ecuador matters for the future of the Western Hemisphere's security — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, 12 p.m.: Geopolitics of aid: Chinese, Russian, and American COVID-19 assistance — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, 12:30 p.m.: The transatlantic relationship, Ukraine and Europe security — Wilson Center, 2 p.m.: Security in focus: Poland's EU presidency and the transatlantic alliance in 2025 — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, 4 p.m.: A discussion on "Understanding Russian Society Through Independent Media," focusing on the Russian Independent Media Archive, a database "that captures the evolving landscape of Russia's semi-closed society." Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, who always undercuts our messaging. Thanks to our producer, Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing, the best diplomat POLITICO has at its disposal. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | |
