May 2, 2025

Welcome to FDD Action's Weekly NatSec Roundup. 

💯 President Trump marked 100 days of his second term on Wednesday. Each month, FDD analysts assess the President’s policies and priorities across the globe. This week we're bringing you a special edition to take stock of the first 100 days. We break down how Trump 2.0 has tackled the Axis of Aggressors and other issues.

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🚨 NEED-TO-KNOW THIS WEEK 

Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury secretary, and Yulia Svyrydenko, the Ukrainian economy minister, signing the minerals deal. 

1. President Trump’s first 100 days have seen a seismic shift in transatlantic relations and U.S. policy toward Russia. U.S. officials have attempted to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, met directly with senior Russian negotiators, and threatened to walk away from talks as peace progress seemingly stalls in the wake of Russia's intransigence. 

• The U.S.-Ukraine relationship faced difficulties early in Trump’s second term, which peaked with the confrontational Oval Office meeting February 28. The meeting led Trump to suspend military assistance to Ukraine until Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. The Trump administration also handed over leadership of the Ukraine Contact Group to European partners as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Europe to take the lead on Kyiv’s defense. 
   
• Peace progress is slow: Last month, the Trump administration presented a “final offer” peace framework that would bar Ukrainian membership in NATO, grant formal U.S. recognition of Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea, and lift sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014. The White House so far has not made good on threats to punish Russia economically, even after the Kremlin rebuffed Trump’s ceasefire proposals. However, Kyiv and Washington’s friendship is warming again after a Trump-Zelensky one-on-one on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral. Trump expressed renewed criticism of Putin’s negotiating tactics on Truth Social after the meeting, warning of a change of approach in response to Russia's stalling.
   
• The newly signed minerals deal: The U.S. and Ukraine signed a long-awaited minerals deal Thursday. Afterwards, Trump green-lit a $50 million arms sale to Ukraine – the first since taking office. The deal will establish the jointly managed U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. The fund will be used to invest in extracting Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, oil, and gas, with Kyiv retaining full ownership of the resources.
   
• A win-win: U.S. military aid can count as a contribution to the fund, which Ukraine is supposed to match. This allows the admin to make the case Ukraine is paying for aid. Revenues will be split 50/50, but all profits will be “reinvested into Ukraine” for the first 10 years. “It ties their economies closer together, underlines American support for Ukraine as an independent and sovereign nation, allows the United States to diversify its sources of critical minerals, and provides Ukraine with revenue to purchase American munitions, thereby boosting our defense manufacturing,” writes FDD President Cliff May.
   
• Critical mineral spotlight: Trump has taken an interest in freeing the U.S. from China’s mineral chokehold, signing an executive order in March to advance U.S. mining capabilities. In response to recent tariff measures, Beijing imposed export controls on seven rare earth elements crucial to the auto, semiconductor, and aerospace industries. But Ukraine may have deposits of as many as three of the seven rare earths being restricted by China. Ukraine also has substantial deposits of 22 of the 34 materials that the EU classifies as “critical raw minerals,” including graphite and lithium.

Flags in the lobby of the Harry S. Truman State Department building in Washington, D.C., April 28, 2025. (State Dept./Evan Eile)

2. The Trump administration is ramping up the heat on Tehran, as it seeks major nuclear concessions from the regime. Soon after reentering office, Trump reinstated maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic, especially targeting Iran's oil exports. This while also beginning direct negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.

• A leverage-maxing strategy: To date, the administration has issued seven rounds of energy-related sanctions targeting Iran’s illicit oil trade and the network of ships, firms, and individuals that help export this commodity. In doing so, the admin aims to build leverage for nuclear talks with Tehran. For the first time, these sanctions have also targeted Chinese “teapot” refineries – small, privately owned oil refineries that import Iranian oil and insulate larger, state-owned Chinese oil companies from sanctions. The U.S. has also sanctioned Chinese firms for helping Iran advance its drone capabilities and targeted enablers of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal.
   
• Like Ukraine, Iran talks move at slow pace: The U.S. and Iran have held three rounds of nuclear talks, split between Oman and Rome. As U.S. negotiators find their footing in talks, mixed signals have worried some nuclear experts that the mistakes of the fatally flawed 2015 Iran deal could be repeated. While the overwhelming message has been a demand for full nuclear disarmament, keeping this message consistent will be key as talks move forward. U.S. negotiators must insist on no enrichment for Iran and accept nothing less than the regime's full denuclearization.
   
• Calling on Congress: “The only solution is Iran completely dismantling its program, or we should do it for them,” reiterated Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR). That’s exactly right. Members of Congress and Trump allies should firmly oppose any agreement that does not lead to the “full, verifiable, and permanent dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program, urges FDD’s Andrea Stricker. Making clear that Congress will accept nothing less will provide negotiators greater leverage in talks with Iran, given Congress’s power to block a deal.
   
• Saudi-Israel peace? Devil’s in the details. Trump signaled last week that Saudi Arabia could join the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with Israel. This suggestion likely has major strings attached. Notably, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently said he sees “a pathway” to a deal that would give Riyadh access to U.S. nuclear technology and allow it to enrich uranium. Much like Iran, Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s largest oil reserves. Riyadh likely seeks enrichment capabilities to achieve parity with Iran’s. Trump is planning on visiting Saudi Arabia later this month, where he could finalize a nuclear agreement alongside a reported $100 billion arms sale proposal.
   
• The seven deadly sins of a failed nuclear deal: FDD Action partnered with the Vandenberg Coalition, National Union for Democracy in Iran, Veterans on Duty, and Advancing American Freedom to examine the critical failures of the 2015 nuclear deal and pitfalls to steer clear of this time.

3. The Trump administration has launched an aggressive policy to counter China, as it seeks to reduce America’s dependence on CCP supply chains and reshore U.S. manufacturing.

• Tariffs, export controls, and more: The White House pushed tariff rates on Chinese imports up from 10% to 145%. The President’s widespread use of tariffs is part of a broader effort to reengineer global trade and decouple the U.S. and Chinese economies. Trump sees tariffs “as a way to redraw the global trade map, punish rivals, and restore U.S. industrial supremacy,” writes FDD’s Craig Singleton. On top of tariffs, officials are weighing de-listings of Chinese firms from U.S. stock exchanges to curb Beijing’s access to American capital. The administration also expanded export controls on dozens of Chinese firms for ties to China’s military and hypersonic weapons programs. U.S. chipmakers must now seek government approval before selling to these entities.
   
• Undermining China's dominance: A key early focus of the Trump administration has been boosting domestic production in sectors where Beijing has accumulated market dominance. In March, the President issued an executive order (EO) to boost American mining capacities and undermine the near-monopoly China holds over U.S. critical mineral imports. Another EO aims to revive U.S. shipbuilding, as China now builds some three-quarters of the world’s ships. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative finalized plans to levy fees on Chinese vessels and operators after an investigation determined Beijing’s shipbuilding dominance was a threat to U.S. commerce.
   
• Worldwide deal-making: While many allies and partners have made clear they will not retaliate against U.S. tariffs, other nations are hedging bets with Beijing as they look to diversify beyond America. Last month, Vietnam reportedly reached an agreement to purchase U.S. fighter jets as Washington hopes to pull Vietnam away from China. This week, President Trump signaled optimism over deals with India, Japan, and South Korea that would see tariffs lowered and bilateral trade expanded – right on China’s doorstep. Although no tariff-lowering deals have been completed within the first 100 days, the White House says 18 are being negotiated, including with India, Japan, and Vietnam.

🏛️ AT THE WHITE HOUSE

President Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of Commerce Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in the Oval Office, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

1. The Trump administration issued new rounds of sanctions on Iran and its Houthi terror proxy, keeping up maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic as the two parties continue to engage in nuclear talks.

• Sinking Houthi revenue streams: As the U.S. intensifies its response to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Treasury designated three cargo vessels and their owners Monday for delivering oil and gas products to the terror group. Last week, Treasury also designated the International Bank of Yemen for providing the terror group access to the international banking system and helping it evade U.S. sanctions. The White House has used a stronger hand with the Houthis, re-designating it a Foreign Terrorist Organization after the prior admin removed the designation.
   
• Targeting Iranian missile proliferation networks: Just days after the port explosion at Shahid Rajaee in Iran, Treasury sanctioned six individuals and six entities from Iran and China for their roles in procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients like sodium perchlorate on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Chinese firms have a history of supporting Iranian missile development, and sanctions targeting the shipping of these propellant precursors are critical to President Trump’s renewed maximum pressure campaign, noted FDD’s Behnam Ben Taleblu in February.
   
• Iranian oil in the crosshairs: The State Department sanctioned seven entities based in the UAE, Turkey, and Iran for trading in Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products Wednesday, including two vessels, four sellers of Iranian oil, one maritime shipping company, and a cargo-inspection firm. The network generated hundreds of millions of dollars for Iran’s malign activities and enabled Iran to evade sanctions.
   
• Big picture: While Iranian oil exports declined slightly from February to March, they were still 15 times Bessent’s 100,000 barrels per day goal. The difficulty lies in the complex network facilitating Iranian oil exports and the regime’s fine-tuned sanctions evasion tactics. 
   
• Cut it off at the source: To zero out Iranian oil exports, Washington must move beyond smaller piecemeal vessel designations and use secondary sanctions to hit larger targets that hide behind small companies like teapot refineries, explains FDD’s Saeed Ghasseminejad. Targeting Chinese banks especially, but also ports and port operators, storage facilities, and insurance providers that facilitate Iranian oil exports, would limit Iran’s access to global markets. Congress should voice its support for this more systematic and bolder sanctions strategy.

2. The White House will see a major national security shakeup as President Trump reportedly plans on removing National Security Advisor Mike Waltz from his position and nominating him for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

• Signal-gate? Waltz’s brief tenure was marred by reports that he accidentally added a reporter to a Signal group chat discussing classified U.S. military plans in Yemen. The President also plans on dismissing Waltz’s deputy, Alex Wong. These are not the first national security firings of the term, however. A number of National Security Council (NSC) staffers and others were ousted from the administration last month, including Gen. Timothy Haugh, who formerly led the National Security Agency. 
   
• Who could replace Waltz? For now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is acting National Security Adviser. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is a reported contender for the role, although Witkoff reportedly does not want the position. Other candidates could include Trump’s top policy chief Stephen Miller, NSC senior director for counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka, or former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell. National Security Adviser is an important role that will require prior national security experience to hit the ground running, especially with so many high-profile deals in the works. Members of Congress should encourage the President to select a qualified replacement.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio swears in Ambassador to the U.K. Warren Stephens, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)

3. Secretaries Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth sent a letter to Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) proposing changes to the U.S. arms transfer review process as Risch speeds ahead on advancing Trump nominees at a historic pace.

• In lockstep with FDD recs: FDD’s Ryan Brobst and Bradley Bowman called for similar reforms to what Rubio and Hegseth proposed, urging Congress to raise their review thresholds. Brobst and Bowman also recommend Congress require the administration to report on the lengthy procurement timelines for major systems and munitions to Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel. Read more of their recommendations here.
   
• Meanwhile under Chairman Risch, SFRC advanced 16 nominees out of committee within the administration’s first 100 days, far surpassing nomination progress made during the past four administrations’ first 100.
   
• And even more are coming: The committee met again Wednesday, favorably reporting five more nominees. Heading to the Senate floor for votes are Nicole McGraw for U.S. Ambassador to Croatia; Brian Burch for U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican; Reed Rubenstein for State Department Legal Adviser; Sarah Rogers for Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy; Allison Hooker for Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; and Thomas DiNanno to be the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.
   
• Confirmations this week: The Senate confirmed a spate of nominees for key diplomatic posts this week, including private equity executive, longtime Trump friend, and Arabic speaker Thomas Barrack for U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; former Georgia Senator David Perdue for U.S. Ambassador to China; Arkansas billionaire and Tottenham fan Warren Stephens for U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom; and Tilman Fertitta, billionaire owner of the Houston Rockets, Golden Nugget resorts, and Landry restaurants, for U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino.

📆 COMING DOWN THE PIKE

Saturday, May 3 –

Round four of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks was provisionally planned to happen in Rome, but has been indefinitely postponed after Tehran accused the U.S. of “contradictory behavior and provocative statements.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had called out Iran on X for supporting the Houthis and warned of military consequences. The U.S. maintained, however, that the meeting had never been confirmed.

Tuesday, May 6 –

New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit the White House in his first trip to Washington after this week’s electoral victory. According to President Trump, he and Carney will discuss a possible U.S.-Canada trade deal to lower tariffs. Currently, both nations have reciprocal 25% tariffs on most imports not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal.

The HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security holds an open hearing, Beijing’s Air, Space, and Maritime Surveillance from Cuba: A Growing Threat to the Homeland. The subcommittee will receive testimony on the threats posed to the U.S. from growing Chinese influence in Cuba.

• What’s China up to in America’s backyard? Many Americans may not be aware of the comprehensive campaign Beijing is implementing in Latin America to advance the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) interests and put our homeland at risk. FDD’s Bradley Bowman hosted then Southern Command Commander Laura Richardson at FDD to break down China’s malign activities in the region. Prefer a podcast? Listen on Spotify here.

The HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS Subcommittee on Homeland Security holds an oversight hearing for the Department of Homeland Security to hear from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on the department’s funding needs and priorities.

The HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government holds an oversight hearing for the Department of the Treasury to hear from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the department’s programs and priorities.

The HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa holds an open hearing, Maximum Impact: Assessing the Effectiveness of the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and Charting the Path Forward. The subcommittee will receive testimony from counterterrorism experts on the possible reforms for the State Department’s chief bureau for fighting terrorism.

• ICYMI: The State Department announced a “comprehensive reorganization plan” last week that will move the Bureau of Counterterrorism from Political Affairs to Arms Control and International Security. Congress should continue exercising its oversight authority to ensure State remains effective and efficient while its restructuring plan sheds redundant offices.

The HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS Subcommittee on Defense holds an oversight hearing on the U.S. Air Force and Space Force to hear from senior officials in each service on the programs, needs, and funding priorities of America’s aerial defense.

The HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation holds an open hearing, Science, Technology, and Innovation Posture.

• Spoiler alert: “The Department of Defense is at grave risk of being caught flat-footed by the next software vulnerability. When an adversary discovers it, the Pentagon may not know which systems are exposed until substantial damage has been done,” warns FDD’s Georgianna Shea. To remedy the challenge, the Pentagon should require Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) for all its software, Shea recommends. SBOMs would help DOD quickly respond to and mitigate software flaws that adversaries exploit to conduct espionage and cyberattacks. Read her full analysis for more ideas ahead of the hearing.

The SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE holds a confirmation hearing to consider Anthony J. Tata to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and Katherine E. Sutton to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy. Sutton currently serves as the Pentagon’s chief technology advisor for U.S. Cyber Command and is a former SASC staffer herself.

Wednesday, May 7 –

The HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies holds a budget hearing for the Department of Energy and will hear from Energy Secretary Chris Wright on the department’s funding needs.

• Transitioning Priorities: As the subcommittee considers what Department of Energy programs to fund and prioritize, lawmakers should encourage the administration to address the decreasing trustworthiness of the Department’s EIA data, renew public financing for fossil fuel projects, bolster the energy security of U.S. allies, and pursue a fuel-neutral policy based on well-rounded assessments, recommends FDD’s Brenda Shaffer.

The HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS Subcommittee on Defense holds an oversight hearing for the US Army to hear from Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George on Army programs and priorities.

The HOUSE JUDICIARY Subcommittee on Intellectual Property holds an open hearing, Protecting Our Edge: Trade Secrets and the Global AI Arms Race.

• Building an AI Diffusion Framework: In January, the outgoing Biden administration launched its “Framework for AI Diffusion” to safeguard American AI technology from Beijing. The rule, set to take effect May 15, “would introduce a set of export quotas and other restrictions designed to prevent China from circumventing current U.S. export restrictions on AI technology” explains FDD’s Jack Burnham.

Thursday, May 8 –

The EU Delegation for Relations with the United States will meet jointly with the Delegation for Relations with the People’s Republic of China. The delegation met with the United States in Washington early last month. They met with U.S. lawmakers to discuss U.S.-China strategic competition, EU-NATO cooperation, and the future of transatlantic ties.

The HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS Subcommittee on Homeland Security holds an oversight hearing for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) where it will hear from Acting CISA Director Bridget Bean on the agency’s funding priorities and needs.

• Correcting CISA Cuts: Since taking office, the Trump administration has slashed congressionally authorized programs and jobs from CISA, including some of the U.S.’s most talented threat hunters who identify vulnerabilities in our critical cyber systems. But CISA’s dismantlement will degrade American cyber resilience and jeopardize the U.S.’s ability to detect and defeat cyberattacks, warn FDD’s RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Johanna Yang. Congress should encourage Bean to rehire talent, restore funding, and reinstate key programs that have been gutted, and instead encourage targeted reforms aimed at efficiency.

The SENATE COMMERCE, SCIENCE, and TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE holds a hearing, Winning the AI Race: Strengthening U.S. Capabilities in Computing and Innovation, to examine regulatory barriers on the AI supply chain holding back American AI innovation and dominance in the global AI race. The committee will receive testimony from leading AI industry executives, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Microsoft President Brad Smith.

🔍 WHAT'S MOVING ON THE HILL

✔ Endorsed Bill Passes House: Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency (FACT) Act (H.R. 906/S. 259) – The House passed this bipartisan bill Monday by a unanimous voice vote. Led by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), the bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to publish a list of entities that have certain foreign ownership and maintain authorizations issued by the FCC, including for entities owned by the governments of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or Venezuela, or by organizations under their control. The companion bill was also advanced by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Wednesday. (FDD Action Press Release)

✔ Endorsed Bill Passes House: ROUTERS Act – The House also passed this bipartisan bill Monday by a unanimous voice vote. Led by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), the bill mandates that the Department of Commerce report on the risks associated with consumer routers and modems that are designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by entities controlled or influenced by Russia, China, North Korea, or Iran. (FDD Action Press Release)

✔ Endorsed Bill: The Water Cybersecurity Enhancement Act (S.1549) – Led by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), this bipartisan bill extends and expands the Drinking Water Infrastructure Risk and Resilience Program, which helps public water systems protect against and respond to increasingly prominent cyberattacks. The bill also provides technical assistance and grants to community water systems for training and guidance on how to safeguard America’s water infrastructure from cyberattacks. (Press Release)

✔ Endorsed HHSC Bill at Rules Committee: The DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act (H.R.881) – Led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), this bill prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from providing funds to any higher education institution that have relationships with Confucius Institutes, which are Chinese government-funded cultural centers. The House Rules Committee will consider this bill on Monday. An identical version also passed the House of Representatives last Congress 249-161.

💡 HERE'S AN IDEA

Support the State Department Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy to ensure that its vision is realized. Trump administration officials and members of Congress have rightfully said that our nation needs to go on the offense and build up cyberspace deterrence, and this bureau is key. FDD’s Annie Fixler testified before a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee this week to provide Congress recommendations on State’s principal cyberspace bureau.

• Place an assistant secretary at the helm: As Congress assesses how to make the bureau most effective, it should evaluate whether placing an assistant secretary (confirmed by the Senate) at the helm would provide consistency in the bureaucracy. Whether an ambassador or an assistant secretary, the right structure and seniority of the bureau will help it not only to engage with senior foreign government officials but also to maintain and expand relationships with interagency partners.
   
• Ensure the bureau is positioned within the department’s security mission: The bureau’s mission is security-focused rather than economic development. As such, it should report to the undersecretary of arms control and international security rather than the undersecretary for economic growth as was proposed in the administration’s new reorganization. Moreover, even as the State Department continues its foreign assistance evaluation and reassessment, lawmakers should remind department officials that they expect the bureau to execute the tasks they have dictated. Funding Congress specifically appropriated for cyber programs should be spent wisely, efficiently, and promptly.
   
• Consolidate cyber resilience programs, incident response funding, and telecommunications initiatives under State’s cyber bureau: Too often in the past, decisions on how to spend funds for cyber capacity building were driven by regional considerations or other foreign assistance priorities that failed to account for global, cyber-specific needs. Congress should ensure that the cyber capacity-building programs it authorizes and funds continue and that they are consolidated under the direction of the cyber bureau so that the State Department can spend its cyber assistance dollars wisely.
   
• Prioritize building allied and partner cyber resilience in critical infrastructure: Building the cyber resilience of our partners’ critical infrastructure — particularly ports, rail systems, and air transport systems — protects military mobility for both the host nation and U.S. forces. We need to prioritize cybersecurity dollars where it matters most for U.S. strategic interests and where the movement and lethality of our forces depend on secure local critical infrastructure.

📣​​​​​ ​​WINNING MESSAGES

📘 KEEPING UP W/ FDD

On Iran

Oil Sanctions – Calibrating US Policy to Constrain Iranian Oil Exports (Saeed Ghasseminejad | Washington Examiner | April 30, 2025)

Nuclear Talks – Trump Should Oppose an Interim Nuclear Deal That Lets Iran Off the Hook (Andrea Stricker | The Algemeiner | May 1, 2025)

On Israel

International Orgs Bias – 5 Wasteful and Harmful UN Organizations That Delegitimize Israel (David May | FDD Insight | April 29, 2025)

Syria Clashes – ‘Warning Operation’: Israeli Drones Strike Pro-Government Forces Clashing With Druze Factions in Syria (FDD Flash Brief | April 30, 2025)

War in Gaza – IDF has hit 1,800 targets in Gaza since new operations began on March 18 (Seth J. Frantzman | FDD Long War Journal | April 30, 2025)

On Russia & Ukraine

Congressional Say – On Crimea and Russia Sanctions Relief, Congress Has Leverage (John Hardie, Peter Doran, Nick Stewart, and Matt Zweig | FDD Policy Brief | April 25, 2025)

Negotiations Strategy – Putin ‘has to be dealt with differently’ (Clifford D. May | The Washington Times | April 30, 2025)

New Minerals Deal – Inside The Secret Genius Of The Ukraine Mineral Deal (Peter Doran | New York Post | May 1, 2025

On China

Chinese Aggression – Chinese Coast Guard Forces Land on Sandy Cay, Escalating Tensions With the Philippines (Jack Burnham and Reece Breaux | FDD Policy Brief | April 29, 2025)

Trade Deals – How Trump Could Use Tariffs to Attract Investment (Juan C. Zarate and Elaine K. Dezenski | Foreign Policy | April 29, 2025)

In Other News

Syria Withdrawal – Amid Syria Troop Reduction, Will Trump Repeat Middle East Withdrawal Mistakes? (Bradley Bowman and Cameron McMillan | Breaking Defense | April 28, 2025)

Qatari Influence – The Message Trump Should Deliver in Qatar (Natalie Ecanow | FDD Policy Brief | April 29, 2025)

DoD Cybersecurity – The Pentagon Must Balance Speed with Safety as It Modernizes Software (Dr. Georgianna Shea | Defense News | April 29, 2025)

🎡 ON A LIGHTER NOTE…

🏯 Over 60 countries will open their embassy doors to the DC public this Saturday, May 3, 9:30am-5pm, including the United Kingdom, South Korea, Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico, and more. The open houses are part of the annual “Around the World Embassy Tour” run by Events DC.

🗼 Next Saturday, May 10, EU nations will take their turn at hosting Washingtonians for the day. Embassies across the bloc will put on events to showcase each’s rich cultural traditions, from Danish beer to Spanish soccer. The EU Open House marks the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration on May 9, 1950, which established the precursor to the EU. Doors will be open at embassies around D.C. 10am-4pm.

👋 Thanks for sticking with us! Until next week. 

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