Trump’s Shadow Foreign Policy in Ukraine – Foreign Policy

What’s on tap: How the mounting Ukraine scandal reveals the administration’s shadow foreign policy, dismal turnout for Afghanistan’s presidential election, Gen. Mark Milley takes over as new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and America’s cyber campaign against the Islamic State.

The revelations expose what the New York Times is calling a “shadow foreign policy in Ukraine” and have prompted an impeachment inquiry into whether the president pressured a vulnerable ally for personal political gain. The approach had far-reaching impacts, not only undercutting official U.S. diplomacy in Ukraine, but also complicating efforts by the new Ukrainian government to fortify itself against Russian aggression. 

Trump’s associates. The whistleblower complaint threatens not just Trump but many of his associates, including Vice President Mike Pence–whom Trump ordered to skip Zelensky’s inauguration in May–and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who Giuliani said on Sunday was aware of his efforts. So far, Defense Secretary Mark Esper has managed to escape the controversy but it’s early days yet–members of Congress are now looking into the timing and justification of agencies’ efforts to hold up a package of military aid to Ukraine at the White House’s direction. 

Foggy Bottom dragged in. Senior officials at the State Department now face the possibility of getting dragged into the partisan drama in the coming weeks, write Elias Groll and Robbie Gramer. The inquiry has already claimed its first scalp at Foggy Bottom: Kurt Volker, the special U.S. envoy to Ukraine, stepped down on Friday. Volker is expected to speak to congressional investigators this week.  

How does Biden’s son fit in? The Washington Post goes deep on Hunter Biden’s decision to join the board of the Ukrainian company Burisma Holdings. The younger Biden’s business interests in Ukraine drew concern from advisers to the elder Biden. Though prosecutors in Ukraine have found no evidence of wrongdoing, Hunter’s work there created the perception of a conflict of interest. 

Bossert weighs in. Former Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert criticized the president for his attempt to secure political dirt on his rivals via Ukraine, and attacked the president’s persistent attachment to conspiracy theorizies. 

“It’s not only a conspiracy theory. It is completely debunked,” Bossert told ABC on Sunday. In a follow up interview with the Times, Bossert said Trump was repeatedly warned that the theory about Ukraine had been debunked. 

Houthi victory in Yemen. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have killed more than 500 Saudi troops and captured more than 2,000 after carrying out a major assault on the border separating the two countries. If confirmed, the assault would represent one of the Houthis’ most significant military victories against Saudi Arabia. It comes on the heels of a report that Saudi Arabia has agreed to a partial ceasefire in Yemen. 

Saudi Arabia. Ahead of the one-year anniversary this week of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took responsibility for his death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but denied that he was responsible for issuing the order. 

Bibiwatch. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make a last-ditch attempt this week to form a government with the Centrist Blue and White Party. Later in the week, Netanyahu faces four days of pre-trial hearings on allegations of corruption. 

But her emails. The State Department has revived its investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of an unsecure email system, contacting some 130 officials in recent weeks who at some point communicated with Clinton over email, the Washington Post reports. 

Assassination intrigue. A Chechen man who was assassinated in Berlin last month was working as a spy on behalf of Georgian authorities, passing on information about Islamist extremist fighters and working in a counterintelligence role against Russia intelligence, the Daily Beast reports. 

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America’s new top general. In a ceremony Monday morning, Army Gen. Mark Milley is set to become the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, America’s top general. Many insiders never considered the “blunt, tough-talking paratrooper” for the job, but those who know Milley say he is a “keen political operator,” writes Defense One. 

Naval cybersecurity. The U.S. Navy has tapped Aaron Weis, a senior advisor to the Pentagon’s chief information officer, as its next top cybersecurity official as the service seeks to improve its digital security. 

One senior DOD official confirmed. Ryan McCarthy, a former Army Ranger who served twice as the acting secretary of the Army, was officially confirmed for the highest civilian post in the service last week. 

And another one resigns. But as the Pentagon gained an Army Secretary, another senior official departed. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment Robert McMahon, whose portfolio included operating costs for the F-35, has submitted his resignation, Task & Purpose reports. 

Coming attractions. Chinese military officials are expected to put on display a suite of cutting-edge new weapons during a military parade this week. Among the attractions are a new intercontinental ballistic missile, hypersonic weapons, and unmanned aerial vehicles. 

Aviation security. The Department of Homeland Security spent $10 million to acquire a used Boeing 757 jet in order to conduct cybersecurity tests on the airliner, but the program was abandoned after DHS discovered serious vulnerabilities and disclosed them, leaving Boeing feeling blindsided, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

Election security. Computer security researchers at the annual Def Con hacking conference found widespread vulnerabilities in voting machines used in municipalities across the United States. 

Cyberattacks on the caliphate. NPR examines the American task force that carried out cyber operations against the Islamic State and disrupt their online presence. 

TikTok. New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino examines Chinese social media app TikTok, which has become a viral success thanks to its sophisticated use of artificial intelligence applications to deliver short-form videos to its users. The app may represent the next frontier of Chinese business–and censorship. 

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