Analysis of Defense Appropriations Bill and National Defense Authorization Act

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian to discuss the House Armed Services Committee’s $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act that includes “poison pills for Democrats,” the House’s defense appropriations measure as the Senate Armed Services Committee finishes marking its version of the NDAA, speculation that pressures in the 2026 budget that’s now under construction is forcing the US Air Force to reconsider its flagship Next-Generation Air Dominance program, former President Trump’s meeting with GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill as they vow revenge against the justice system and hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt, a consequential G7 meeting that provides $50 billion in assistance to Ukraine backed by seized Russian assets, new sanctions on Russia, the new 10-year security pact signed by President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin vows retaliation saying the West has “crossed the point of no return” while sending a frigate and submarine to Cuba to intimate Washington as the US Navy docks the attack submarine USS Helena at Guantanamo Bay, China harasses a Dutch ship in the East China Sea, and what’s next as Israel presses ahead with its Gaza campaign and Hezbollah increases rocket fire into Northern Israel.