DoD’s new spox gives us his first interview

From the SitRoom to the E-Ring, the inside scoop on defense, national security and foreign policy.

Nov 11, 2022 View in browser   By Lara Seligman , Alexander Ward , Matt Berg and Lawrence Ukenye Chris Meagher's last stint was as one of three deputy press secretaries in the White House. | Patrick Semansky/AP Photo With help from Daniel Lippman Register for POLITICO's upcoming conference, " At a Crossroads: America's Defense Strategy ," taking place on Nov. 16 in Washington, D.C. Confirmed speakers include HASC Chair Rep. ADAM SMITH (D-Wash.), Army Chief of Staff Gen. JAMES McCONVILLE, Lockheed Martin President and CEO JAMES TAICLET and Raytheon Missiles and Defense President WES KREMER. We look forward to seeing our NatSec Daily family there! Subscribe here | Email Alex | Email Matt CHRIS MEAGHER took a roundabout route to his new role as the Pentagon's top public affairs official, a post he was tapped for in September. Originally a newspaper reporter in Santa Barbara, Calif., Meagher worked nights to get his law degree while covering local politics during the day. He then moved quickly up the ranks of Democratic politics, working for two senators, a presidential hopeful and a governor. His last stint was as one of three deputy press secretaries in the White House. The DoD job was not on his radar until Pentagon chief of staff KELLY MAGSAMEN reached out earlier this year to discuss replacing the outgoing JOHN KIRBY. Now that he's in the hot seat, our own LARA SELIGMAN caught up with him in his new office in the Pentagon's E-Ring to discuss his vision as the Defense Department's top communicator. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Lara: You have a very different background than a lot of your predecessors. What made you want to come over to DoD? Meagher : It wasn't something that I was necessarily seeking out. I don't have a national security or foreign policy or military background. My brother served in the Air Force, my grandfathers both served in the Navy, so there's some family history. The more conversations I had with folks, the more it felt interesting and new and exciting. Everyone who had experience working in the building always just brought up the fact that it was just different than politics: it's mission-oriented, the people in the building are mission-oriented. That was something that was really attractive to me. Lara: How do you think your background outside the national security world informs the way you see this job? Meagher : Even at the White House I wasn't part of the Biden team. I came from outside of Bidenworld, and I think they valued that perspective because it was different. So, in this job, trying to figure out how I can fit in and offer perspective on ways of communicating that message is, I think, what I bring to the table. Lara: Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN is famously press shy. As his top communicator, how do you plan to approach that? Meagher: I think he's very intentional and deliberate. He's a very thoughtful person. He chooses his words wisely. He chooses what he does publicly carefully and intentionally, and I think he has a mission. He has three buckets: taking care of our people, succeeding through teamwork and defending the nation. So for me, I make sure that he's communicating in those buckets. Lara: The role of Pentagon spokesperson has seen many different iterations: most recently Kirby held both the assistant to the secretary of Defense role and the press secretary job. Now we have a one-star general as press secretary and you as the ATSD. How do you see approaching this role in partnership with Brig. Gen. PATRICK RYDER? Meagher : He brings with him a lot of experience and knowledge and understanding of the military. I certainly bring my perspective, which can hopefully be helpful in a new way. I think you'll probably eventually see both of us up there briefing. Maybe together, certainly one or the other. I'll be able to address some things that he can't necessarily talk about in a uniform. This has been done before. Kirby was part of a similar setup [when he served as press secretary in the Obama administration as a one-star admiral]. So I think we have a good working relationship and it's always good to have more messengers out there. Lara: Austin has played a crucial role in rallying support and military aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia. But if Republicans take the House, GOP leaders have signaled they may not support continued funding for the war at the same level. Does this concern you? Meagher : The secretary is constantly working to make sure that Ukraine has the security assistance it needs. That means engaging with Congress. I think you've seen strong bipartisan support, bicameral support, and I think that we're going to continue to engage with the Hill and make sure that we're answering their questions about how this assistance is being utilized. Lara: Cabinet members often turn over at this point in an administration. Does Secretary Austin have any plans to leave his post, or will he stick around for all four years? Meagher: I don't think he has any plans to go anywhere. The Inbox PEACE TALK SPLIT: An internal administration split has emerged between the Pentagon and the rest of President JOE BIDEN's team over the need for imminent Ukraine-Russia peace talks, The New York Times' PETER BAKER reports. Gen. MARK MILLEY, the Joint Chiefs chair, "has made the case in internal meetings that the Ukrainians have achieved about as much as they could reasonably expect on the battlefield before winter sets in and so they should try to cement their gains at the bargaining table," per Baker. Other senior Biden officials, while believing a negotiated peace will come in due time, say "the moment is not ripe and the United States should not be seen as pressuring the Ukrainians to hold back while they have momentum." The story tracks with parts of what we reported in yesterday's newsletter . In addition, BIDEN Thursday told reporters "I don't think the conflict will be resolved with Russia and Ukraine until [Russian President VLADIMIR] PUTIN gets out of Ukraine," which followed comments by national security adviser JAKE SULLIVAN that "it is ultimately up to Ukraine to make determinations about its diplomatic course." And a senior administration official told NatSec Daily that Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN "is committed to the principle that the Ukrainians will have to determine what the diplomacy looks like." But there are also members of the administration beyond those at the Pentagon who believe neither side can win militarily and that the winter provides an opportunity to reach a political settlement to end the war, according to a U.S. official. The official declined to give details on who else shares the view. As for the Pentagon, it is increasingly seeing both Russian and Ukrainian forces digging trenches on the front lines to cement their position for the winter, the official said. Defense officials believe there will be a "pause" in the fighting during the cold months, and that is a natural moment to begin talking about a potential political solution. "It's very difficult to unseat a military that's in a defense, as the Russians found out," the official said. "It's going to be very, very costly and difficult to kick the Russians out, costly in terms of resources and lives. Can it be done remains to be seen." Just take Kherson. Yes, Russian forces retreated , but now Ukraine is going to have to fight across the river and try to retake terrain on the other side — an extremely difficult military maneuver, the official said. The person was granted anonymity to discuss internal assessments. Milley was not, however, trying to say that Ukraine should capitulate or cede any part of its sovereign territory to Russia, the person said. "Why not start talking about [peace talks] before you throw another 100,000 lives into the abyss?" the person added. ON KHERSON: Russian troops left the western bank of the Dnipro River around 5 a.m., the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to the AP's HANNA ARHIROVA and JOHN LEICESTER. That includes Kherson, which is the only provincial capital captured by Moscow during its invasion. Despite the retreat, however, Kremlin spokesperson DMITRY PESKOV said the region's status is "fixed" — still considered part of Russia. In the city, Ukrainian troops were greeted by jubilant crowds carrying yellow and blue flags, chanting victoriously. In one video, a Ukrainian soldier is seen being lifted in the air by two people as their country's flag flies over a monument in a central Kherson square. Still, Ukraine hasn't declared the city free from Russia yet. The city's military intelligence agency said "an operation to liberate Kherson," and the region is underway. WANING SANCTION SUPPORT: U.S. officials based in Europe are issuing internal warnings to Washington colleagues that some countries with populations that support Russia are growing angry over sanctions and blame the U.S. for rising costs, our own ERIN BANCO and PAUL MCLEARY reported Thursday. Such pressure on European leaders could lead to a decline in support for sanctions against Moscow, officials warned in internal reports circulated throughout the administration in recent days and viewed by POLITICO. Washington has buzzed with talks among top officials on how to keep leaders overseas on board with the U.S. strategy, two senior U.S. officials said. DRINKS WITH NATSEC DAILY: At the end of every long, hard week, we like to highlight how a prominent member of the global national security and foreign policy scene prefers to unwind with a drink. Today, we're featuring RICHARD HAASS, the outgoing President and CEO of the Council on Foreign Relations . He told us that in the winter his drink of choice is scotch — preferably Oban — or an Irish whiskey like Redbreast 12. These are always on the rocks. But in the summer, Haass switches to martinis. "Always gin, never vodka," he said, favoring Tanqueray 10 or Plymouth. "Prefer on the rocks but fine, straight up." And where is the CFR boss imbibing these fine nectars? "Best at home as gin kept in the freezer," he said. "Don't have a regular bar given my schedule." Cheers, Haass the Boss! (That's what lowly CFR intern Alex called him back in the day.) Read: Haass breaks down the foreign policy implications of the midterms . THANK YOU: It's Veterans Day, where we celebrate and thank the 19 million American veterans among us. From CFR's JAMES LINDSAY : "Just 1 percent of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive today. There are about 1 million Korean War veterans still alive today, 31,000 of which are women. Roughly 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam between 1964 and 1975, of whom roughly 850,000 are still alive." 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 award@politico.com and mberg@politico.com , and follow us on Twitter at @alexbward and @mattberg33 . While you're at it, follow the rest of POLITICO's national security team: @nahaltoosi , @woodruffbets , @politicoryan , @PhelimKine , @BryanDBender , @laraseligman , @connorobrienNH , @paulmcleary , @leehudson , @AndrewDesiderio , @magmill95 , @ericgeller , @johnnysaks130 and @Lawrence_Ukenye . A message from Lockheed Martin: Enabling a world of unlimited possibility and 21st century security. Lockheed Martin employees and customers are bound by a common cause. Ennobled by our shared patriotism, we will do all that is necessary to protect American and allied interests. Together, we will strengthen deterrence and help ensure mission readiness today. Learn more.   Flashpoints HAITI MELTDOWN TESTS BIDEN: The Biden administration is struggling to find allies willing to help form a multinational security force to help stabilize Haiti, our own NAHAL TOOSI reports. The Caribbean nation has struggled with soaring gang violence and political instability following the assassination of former President JOVENEL MOISE. While Biden has successfully rebuilt alliances strained by former President DONALD TRUMP, none of Washington's friends, including Canada, have been willing to step up due to fears of putting their own security forces at risk in a dangerous environment. Haitian Prime Minister ARIEL HENRY has asked for foreign intervention, but many activists have urged Biden to avoid stepping in and risk strengthening Henry which could further destabilize Haiti. THREATS TO SAUDI ARABIA: The flight of two U.S. B-52 bombers over the Middle East announced on Thursday was a show-of-force message to Iran as American and Saudi officials continued to monitor an imminent threat to Saudi Arabia, a senior Defense Department official told Lara . Officials believe Tehran is planning an attack on the kingdom, likely on energy infrastructure, the official said. American and Saudi officials are also monitoring an increased threat from Iran to Iraq, where the U.S. has thousands of troops and personnel spread across a number of military bases, a second DoD official said. Iranian officials believe Saudi Arabia is helping anti-government protesters who are fomenting unrest across the country, and that may be the motive for the threat, the first DoD official said. Read: Iran teaches Russia its tricks on beating oil sanctions Keystrokes AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMERS HACKED: Australian officials want to hold Russia accountable for hacking Medibank, the country's largest health insurer, and putting customers' personal health records on the dark web, Associated Press' ROB McGUIRK reports. Australian Prime Minister ANTHONY ALBANESE, a Medibank customer, authorized police to reveal the source of the attack and notify Russian law enforcement. "The nation where these attacks are coming from should also be held accountable for the disgusting attacks, and the release of information including very private and personal information," Albanese said. Criminals continued dumping records on Friday after beginning on Wednesday, including those involving HIV and drug treatments, which the group described as the "naughty list." The Complex NOT READY FOR TAKEOFF: Only four out of 49 different types of military aircraft met their goals of flight readiness in multiple years over the past decade, according to a new analysis by the Government Accountability Office , our friends over at Morning Defense (for Pros!) report . More than half of the fighter jets, helicopters and other aircraft that were evaluated "did not meet their annual mission capable goal in any fiscal year," the probe found. The congressional investigators also concluded that the mission-capable rates for most aircraft "decreased from fiscal years 2011 through 2021." Officials reported that contributing factors were aging aircraft, maintenance challenges, and supply issues. On the Hill MARKEY MALARKEY: Sen. ED MARKEY (D-Mass.) is the latest victim of Twitter's verification policy after being impersonated by an account that featured the now widely-accessible blue checkmark. Markey took to Twitter to call out the fake account and criticize ELON MUSK's verification strategy. "Last night, I was easily impersonated and the account was quickly verified," Markey tweeted this morning. "Safeguards like blue checks let users be smart, critical consumers of news and information in Twitter's global town square. Truth can't be put on sale for $8." The lawmaker joins a growing list of public figures being impersonated by fake accounts including former President GEORGE W. BUSH and NBA star LEBRON JAMES. The platform paused the subscription service for iPhone users on Friday following the surge in phony accounts, CNBC's SOFIA PITT reports. Broadsides NO TELLING: China condemned the White House's plan to brief Taiwan on the outcome of President Biden's meeting with Chinese leader XI JINPING on Monday, Reuters' MARTIN QUIN POLLARD and EDUARDO BAPTISTA reports. "It is egregious in nature," ZHAO LIJIAN said, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson. "China is firmly opposed to it." Sullivan, the national security adviser, announced on Thursday that the administration's plan on informing Taipei about the results of the highly-anticipated meeting to make the self-governing island feel "secure and comfortable". The meeting, set to be Biden and Xi's first in-person conversation since the President took office, comes amid a low point in relations between both sides. Beijing has acted increasingly aggressive in the Taiwan Strait following a string of U.S. congressional visits in the summer.     Transitions — POLITICO's ERIN BANCO is joining our national security team to cover the intelligence community. The Daily Beast alum is moving over from our healthcare team where she brilliantly covered the Covid-19 crisis. So, NatSec Daily fam, send her all your IC scoops! — Customs and Border Protection Commissioner CHRIS MAGNUS has been asked by Homeland Security Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS to resign or be fired, our own DANIEL LIPPMAN reports. What to Read — ANASTASIIA CARRIER, POLITICO: BRITTNEY GRINER Is Headed to a Truly Horrific Place — ALEXANDER GABUEV, The Atlantic: Putin's Doomsday Scenario — ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN and KAMILA HRABCHUK, The Washington Post: Ukrainian security officers hunt the enemy within: 'agents' for Russia Monday Today — Biden will travel to Cambodia on Saturday to participate in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit where he'll meet Cambodia Prime Minister HUN SEN and leaders of other ASEAN countries to promote human rights and economic cooperation. — The Henry L. Stimson Center, 10 a.m.: "Ukraine and the Future of Air Warfare" — The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, 12 p.m.: "Leadership Challenges in My Career Journey" with Dr. KAREN DONFRIED — The Brookings Institution, 2 p.m.: "U.S. Defense Innovation and Great Power Deterrence." — The Atlantic Council, 2 p.m.: Can Zeitenwende deliver? A conversation with LARS KLINGBEIL, chairman of the German SPD — The Institute of World Politics, 3 p.m.: "The Ukraine War and the Caucasus: Is Russia Losing Both?" Have a natsec-centric event coming up? Transitioning to a new defense-adjacent or foreign policy-focused gig? Shoot me an email at award@politico.com to be featured in the next edition of the newsletter. Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, who would never leak about the internal disagreements over this newsletter. And we thank our producer, Kierra Frazier, who everyone agrees with. A message from Lockheed Martin: Enabling a world of unlimited possibility and 21st century security. Lockheed Martin is helping you outpace evolving threats by accelerating our digital transformation. That means simulating wear-and-tear with digital twins so you can anticipate maintenance and reduce downtime. It means deep knowledge of your missions. It means industry-wide experience and next-gen technologies. We do it all to help you prevent and deter emerging threats sooner and faster than ever. Learn more.     Follow us on Twitter Alex Ward @alexbward   Follow us

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