“Joe Biden is good for Iran and ISIS, great for communist China, and he’s a godsend to everyone who wants America to apologize, abstain, and abandon our values. Donald Trump takes a different approach. He’s tough on China, and he took on ISIS and won. And he tells the world what it needs to hear.”

COMBAT VET FOR TRUMP: Among the speakers was Sean Parnell, a Republican U.S. Army veteran running for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, who said he returned from combat in Afghanistan to find a country he didn’t recognize.

“I watched with alarm as the party of my grandfather, a lifelong union Democrat, turned against the very people it professed to represent. I watched as Joe Biden spit venom at an autoworker who dared to question Joe’s intent to dismantle the Second Amendment,” he said. “The party of Harry Truman became the party of hedge fund managers, Hollywood celebrities, tech moguls and academia, bloated with contempt for middle America. I look across the aisle, and I do not see a party that wants you to pursue your dreams. I see a Democrat party that wants to dictate what those dreams are.”

TRUMP, ‘IT WAS ME’: Trump made a not-so-surprise appearance in Charlotte, North Carolina, after the roll-call vote to speak off-the-cuff to the small but adoring crowd of several hundred delegates. In rambling remarks that lasted just over 50 minutes, Trump complained that he doesn’t get enough credit for his many successes, including the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

“We wiped out ISIS. I mean, think of it. When I came, ISIS was all over Iraq,” Trump said. “The prime minister of Iraq was in last week, and he said, ‘I want to thank you for defeating ISIS.’ I said, ‘Now, are you talking about me or the United States?’ ‘You, because when you came into office, it was a mess. They were all over Iraq and Syria, and you defeated them, sir.’ I said, ‘Good. So tell that to the media, please,’ And he said, ‘I will.’ So let’s see if he does.”

“Whether you’re talking about life, whether you’re talking about Second Amendment, whether you’re talking about military, this is so important. We have to do this. We have to win this election,” Trump said, attacking plans in many states to mail ballots to voters who didn’t request them. “The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,” he said.

Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Tyler Van Dyke. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

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HAPPENING TODAY: Tonight’s second day of the Republican National Convention will feature first lady Melania Trump speaking from the refurbished White House Rose Garden and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in remarks he recorded in Jerusalem before departing for Sudan.

Pompeo is expected to tout the president’s foreign policy achievements, including the recent agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which Trump personally brokered. But Pompeo’s participation in the convention has drawn fire from critics who point out that it violates an opinion from the State Department’s Office of Legal Adviser issued last December, which prohibits partisan political activities, including speaking “for or against a partisan candidate, political party, or partisan political group at a convention, rally, or similar gathering.”

The memo, which was obtained and posted by Politico, contains a specific provision that applies to Cabinet members and other Senate-confirmed officials, such as the secretary of state. “Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention or convention-related event,” it says in bold type.

ABOUT THOSE F-35s TO UAE: The UAE reportedly expected to be able to buy Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters jets as part of the agreement to normalize relations with Israel and is now miffed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for working to kill the potential sale.

The UAE canceled a planned trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Israel last Friday to send a message, Axios reports.

At a joint news conference with Netanyahu on Monday, Pompeo skirted the issue, saying the U.S. is committed to helping both countries secure the weapons they need to counter Iran. “The United States has a legal requirement with respect to qualitative military edge,” Pompeo said with respect to Israel. “We will continue to honor that, but we have a 20-plus-year security relationship with the United Arab Emirates as well where we have provided them with technical assistance and military assistance.”

“We will now continue to review that process to continue to make sure that we’re delivering them with the equipment that they need,” he said. “We are deeply committed to doing that, to achieving that, and we’ll do it in a way that preserves our commitment to Israel as well.”

ESPER’S WARNING: Defense Secretary Mark Esper is on his way to Hawaii, the first stop on his trip to the Indo-Pacific this week, and he left behind an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal with a stark warning about China’s People’s Liberation Army.

“The PLA is not a military that serves the nation, let alone a constitution, as the U.S. armed forces do. The PLA belongs to — and serves — a political entity, the Chinese Communist Party. A more capable PLA is a military more able to advance the party’s domestic vision, the one-sided international system Beijing desires, and an economic and foreign-policy agenda that is often inimical to the interests of the U.S. and our allies,” Esper writes. “Nations valuing freedom, human rights and the rule of law must stand together to counter the coercive role of the PLA in the Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive attempts to undermine the sovereignty of nations.”

NDAA GOES TO CONFERENCE: As the National Defense Authorization Act heads into conference committee to be put in final form, the Heritage Foundation is out with an analysis and recommendations for the conferees.

Among the report’s policy recommendations:

• Authorize a regular Army end strength of 485,900.
• Advance the development of anti-ship missiles.
• Drop the House’s provision to remove the D.C. National Guard from presidential authority.
• Fund long-lead-time parts for Naval shipbuilding.
• Support additional ship purchases to ensure meeting the 2034 target of a 355-ship Navy.
• Support the modernization of the U.S. Marine Corps.
• Commit to an accelerated acquisition program to expand the Air Force to no fewer than 386 operational squadrons as rapidly as possible.
• Terminate the acquisition of fourth-generation F-15EX fighters and accelerate the acquisition of fifth-generation F-35A fighters.
• Direct the Air Force to bring its primary combat-aircraft platforms up to an 80% mission capable rate by the end of 2021.
• Maintain strong support for nuclear modernization and do prohibit nuclear testing.
• Create a Senate-confirmed national cyber director.

“The two chambers are fairly close to each other on the main issues, and on the surface, Congress appears able to approve the NDAA before the end of the fiscal year on September 30,” the report says. “Plenty of issues remain to be addressed, and this Backgrounder provides policy prescriptions designed to achieve the strongest possible U.S. national defense within the allocated resources to help the DOD prepare for great-power competition.”

EMBARRASSING CORRECTION: Yesterday, we incorrectly referred to the RC-26B as a helicopter. As any schoolchild knows, it’s a reconnaissance plane, as the R in RC would indicate. We regret all errors, especially ones that make us look like we’re not paying attention in class.

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: ‘Not a moment to lose’: Army in chase for long-range precision fires

Washington Examiner: Chinese-owned TikTok is suing the Trump administration over plan to ban the app

Reuters: IAEA Chief In Tehran, Seeks Access To Iranian Nuclear Sites

New York Times: Germany Calls For Inquiry As Doctors Say Putin Critic Was Poisoned

Navy Times: Trump Touts Expanded Use Of Convalescent Plasma For COVID-19 Patients, The U.S. Military Has Already Been Using It

Washington Post: China Skips Trials To Roll Out Vaccine

Asia Times: PLA Army Tests Commercial Ships As Wartime Flight Decks

AP: Carrier Ronald Reagan Conducts Air Operations In South China Sea

Reuters: Pompeo Reassures Netanyahu U.S. Will Ensure Israel’s Military Advantage

Stars and Stripes: Turkey To Buy More Russian Missile Systems Despite U.S. Sanctions Threat, Report Says

AP: Greece Plans Military Exercise Amid Dispute With Turkey

C4ISRNET: Marines Want Tool To Identify Fake Social Media Accounts Posing As Senior Personnel

Washington Times: Coup Complicates U.S. Mission In Mali

Capital Gazette: Opinion: The Senate must act to protect military medicine

Calendar

TUESDAY | AUGUST 25

10 a.m. — American Institute for Contemporary German Studies virtual discussion: “Bases and Burdens,” examining the impact of an American drawdown on NATO, Germany and the United States, with Rachel Ellehuus, deputy director and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Europe Program; Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference; Danielle Pletka, senior fellow in foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute; Jana Puglierin, senior policy fellow and head of the European Council on Foreign Relations’ Berlin Office. https://www.aicgs.org/events

10 a.m. — Middle East Institute Defense Leadership Series virtual discussion on U.S. strategies for the great power competition, with retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata, senior fellow at MEI and former strategy director of the National Counterterrorism Center; and Bilal Saab, director of the MEI Defense and Security Program. https://www.mei.edu/events/mei-defense-leadership-series

11 a.m. — Navy League of the United States webinar on how U.S. naval shipbuilding is being reshaped for the future, with Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, program executive officer for ships at the Navy; Rear Adm. Eric Ver Hage, director of surface ship maintenance and modernization and commander of the Navy Regional Maintenance Center; John Rhatigan, chairman of the Marine Machinery Association; and Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. https://www.navyleague.org/programs/webinars

12 p.m. — New America virtual discussion: “Where Does the National Security Community Stand Three Months After George Floyd Changed the World?” with former Defense Undersecretary for Policy Michele Flournoy; former Acting U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Alonzo Fulgham; Bonnie Jenkins, former coordinator for threat reduction programs at the State Department; Camille Stewart, fellow at the New America Political Reform Program; and Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America. https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/events

12 p.m. — Center for the National Interest online discussion “Belarus: Eye of a New Geopolitical Storm in Europe?” Nikolas Gvosdev, U.S. Naval War College; Michael Kofman, Center for Naval Analysis; Fyodor Lukyanov, presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy; and David Marple, University of Alberta. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register

1 p.m. — National Security Institute at George Mason University virtual fireside chat: “China’s Rise: Confronting China’s Challenge to the World Order,” with Randall Schriver, former assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, and Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, China reporter at Axios. https://nationalsecurity.gmu.edu

1 p.m. — Atlantic Council webinar: “Are We Ready? Foreign Interference, Disinformation, and the 2020 Election,” with Nathaniel Gleicher, head of security policy at Facebook; Rose Jackson, fellow at the Trump National Security Project; Matthew Masterson, senior cybersecurity adviser at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency; Yoel Roth, head of site integrity at Twitter; Alicia Wanless, co-director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Partnership for Countering Influence Operations; and Clara Tsao, nonresident senior fellow in the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event

1:30 p.m. — Institute for Security and Technology webinar with Nand Mulchandani, acting director of the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-event

2:30 p.m. — Assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics Will Roper hosts an “Ask Me Anything” event about the Advanced Battle Management System moderated by Air Force Chief Architect Preston Dunlap. https://www.af.mil

8:30 p.m. 1301 Constitution Ave. N.W. — Day Two of the virtual Republican National Convention with the theme “Land of Promise,” featuring first lady Melania Trump from the White House Rose Garden. Other speakers include: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Gov. Kimberly Kay Reynolds, R-Iowa; Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, R-Fla.; Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron; former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi; Eric Trump, son of President Trump; and Tiffany Trump, daughter of President Trump. https://www.2020gopconvention.com/

WEDNESDAY | AUGUST 26

11 a.m. — National Defense Industrial Association webinar: “Transforming DoD’s Learning Infrastructure,” with Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Force Education and Training Fred Drummond; Lora Muchmore, director in the Office of the Defense Secretary’s Defense Business Systems Directorate; Jim Seacord, acting director in the Office of the Defense Undersecretary for Intelligence’s Human Capital Management Office; Amy Rogers, chief learning officer for the civilian workforce in the Office of the Assistant Defense Secretary for Personnel and Readiness; and Sae Schatz, director of the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative. https://www.trainingsystems.org/events/2020/8/26/ntsa-august-webinar

1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies Defending Democratic Institutions Project virtual discussion on “Combating Malign Influence in 2020,” with Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event

4:30 p.m. — Intelligence and National Security Alliance virtual discussion: “A View from the Hill: Insights into Congressional Priorities for the IC (intelligence community),” with Tara McFeely, majority budget director at the Senate (Select) Intelligence Committee; and Jon Rosenwasser, minority budget director at the Senate (Select) Intelligence Committee. https://www.insaonline.org/event/a-view-from-the-hill

9 p.m. 1301 Constitution Ave. N.W. — Day Three of the virtual Republican National Convention with the theme “Land of Opportunity,” featuring Vice President Mike Pence speaking from Fort McHenry National Monument, Baltimore, Md. https://www.2020gopconvention.com

THURSDAY | AUGUST 27

9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion, on U.S. policy toward North Korea and inter-Korean relations, with Markus Garlauskas, nonresident senior fellow at Atlantic Council and former national intelligence officer for North Korea at the National Intelligence Council; Victor Cha, CSIS senior adviser and Korea chair; Mark Lippert, CSIS senior nonresident adviser and Korea chair; and Sue Mi Terry, CSIS senior fellow and Korea chair. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event

10 a.m. — Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute launches new Reagan Institute Center for Freedom and Democracy, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. https://www.reaganfoundation.org

3 p.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and the Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance Deterrence Center online forum: “Nuclear Nonproliferation and Strategic Nuclear Deterrence: Together Keeping America and our Global Partners Safe,” with Brent Park, deputy administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, National Nuclear Security Administration. www.mitchellaerospacepower.org

9 p.m. 1301 Constitution Ave. N.W. — Day Four of the virtual Republican National Convention with the theme “Land of Greatness.” President Trump delivers remarks at 10 p.m. from White House South Lawn. https://www.2020gopconvention.com

FRIDAY | AUGUST 28

4 p.m. — Gen. James C. McConville, Army chief of staff addresses the National Guard Association of the United States two-day General Conference streamed live from Washington, D.C. Saturday speakers include: Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the new chief of the National Guard Bureau at 1 p.m.; Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., Air Force chief of staff at 2 p.m.; Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, the Space Force’s first chief of space operations at 2:30 p.m.; Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, the new director of the Army National Guard at 3:40 p.m.; and Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, the new director of the Air National Guard at 4:10 p.m. www.ngaus.org/events/142nd-general-conference