30 January 2025

Responsible Statecraft | Right now NATO could not win a war with Russia 
In 2024, reflecting a popular Western belief, former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said: “NATO is the most powerful and successful alliance in history.” Yet just two years earlier in 2022, after a 15-year campaign, NATO was defeated by the Taliban, a rag-tag group of poorly armed insurgents.

The Hill | Chaos and uncertainty swirl around Trump’s foreign aid freeze    
President Trump’s decision to clean house at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and initially freeze all foreign assistance is fueling chaos and uncertainty in Washington and across the world. 

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Associated Press | Hamas frees 8 more hostages but Israel puts prisoner release on hold after a chaotic handover
Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the chaotic handover of some of the captives, who were shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands by masked militants, drew an angry protest from Israel.

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Military Times | Hegseth strips Milley of security detail, orders investigation
New Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday stripped former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley of his security detail and ordered the acting inspector general to investigate whether the former Army leader could face criminal charges or a retroactive demotion for misconduct, potentially including undermining the chain of command.

Stars & Stripes | Federal funding freeze lifted for veterans programs
A temporary freeze on federal grants, loans and other financial assistance for veterans programs announced Tuesday by the Trump administration was lifted overnight by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

12 News Phoenix | Phoenix VA faces backlash after report shows delayed care leads to patient safety concerns
A new report details failures at the Phoenix VA, as the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs finds Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center leadership did not take 'adequate action' against a dermatologist despite nearly 50 patient safety reports against them. 

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Fox News | Pete Hegseth confirmed to lead Pentagon after VP Vance casts tie-breaking vote

The Senate voted to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee, Pete Hegseth, as defense secretary on Friday night after a high-tempered battle to sway lawmakers in his favor that was almost derailed by accusations about his behavior.

Foreign Policy | Europe Isn’t Ready for Trump 2.0 | Emma Ashford & Jennifer Kavanaugh

Europe believes it is ready for Donald Trump 2.0. Having survived one Trump administration, European policymakers believe they have a recipe for navigating a repeat. Their confidence, however, is unwarranted. Focused on the wrong goals and distracted by political crises, Europe is far from equipped for the challenges of Trump’s second term as U.S. president.

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The American Conservative | The Tulsi Gabbard I Know Is Perfect for DNI | Jake Mercier
In 2012, Tulsi Gabbard was seen as the future of the Democratic party. She gave a headline speech at the convention nominating Barack Obama for his second term. Pelosi praised her. Vogue deemed her the next “Democratic Party star.” 

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War on the Rocks | Assessing Ukraine’s Prospects in 2025 | Michael Kofman and Ryan Evans

Mike Kofman joined Ryan for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges faced by both Ukraine and Russia this year. They discuss losses on both sides, manpower challenges, the importance of following the discourse in Ukraine, the Russian economy, and whether the Russian pace of operations will clearly slow down. This episode is brought to you by Bedrock Knowledge.

The Veterans’ ACCESS Act was introduced in the new Congress by Rep. Bost and Sen. Moran this week – a bill that would protect veterans’ health care choices from bureaucratic meddling and hold the VA accountable for improving veterans’ awareness of and access to their preferred treatment choices – even when that treatment is not at a VA facility.

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Read CVA’s full statement here and check out this blog post from our sister organization Americans for Prosperity (AFP): Veterans’ ACCESS Act: Get veterans the care they were promised.