Good morning. Here’s your Early Warning for Wednesday, 29 August 2018. (All times Eastern.)
White House
The President is scheduled to receive his intelligence briefing, announce a grant for a drug-free communities support program, and then attend the White House Historical Association reception with the First Lady.
State Department
Secretary Pompeo: nothing significant to report.
Of note: From 26 August to 05 September, the Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs is on travel to Japan, Philippines, Singapore, and India, to discuss the Trump administration’s strategy to ensure “a free and open Indo-Pacific region”. That’s State Department-speak for preventing Chinese dominance in the region.
Defense Department
Defense Secretary Mattis: Nothing significant to report.
SECDEF is scheduled to be in the Indo-Pacific in September and will then travel to Europe.
The Carl Vinson (CVN-70) was last reported as having returned to port in San Diego.
The Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) was last reported off the coast of Florida.
The John Stennis (CVN-74) was last reported back as participating in an exercise off the coast of southern California.
The Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) was last reported in port at Norfolk.
The Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) was last reported in the Philippine Sea.
The George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) was last reported as having returned to port in Norfolk.
Conflict requiring a Carrier Strike Group does not appear imminent.
Congress
Significant House Activity:
- Nothing significant to report.
Significant Senate Activity:
- Nothing significant to report.
* Reporting will appear in the Strategic Intelligence Summary or National Intelligence Bulletin.
Economy/Finance
– In a CNBC interview, the senior economist at the real estate website Zillow says that he doesn’t expect a buyers market for homes until at least 2020. That expectation is based on a consensus forecast of a recession. Also on the segment was a Wharton professor who warned that a steep rise in mortgage rates could also cause a housing downturn and potentially trigger a recession. [source]
Weather
The National Hurricane Center reports nothing significant for the Atlantic Ocean.
REMINDER: This hurricane watch section will remain in this report through the end of the season. I check the latest from the National Hurricane Center each morning and will provide details as necessary.
Drought conditions persist across much of the Southwest. This map is updated every Thursday.
What I’m Looking at this Morning
Iranian influence operation against the U.S. bigger than previously thought
DailyCaller: China hacked Hillary server
Russian troops gear up for massive war games with Chinese military
Notable Quotable
“We recognize cyberspace and outer space as warfighting domains on par with air, land and sea. And these two domains … were made contested domains by the actions of others, so as a result we have elevated [U.S.] Cyber Command to full combatant command status and we have worked with Congress and the White House to define the evolving space problem that we confront.” – SECDEF Mattis during a press conference yesterday
Yesterday’s Highlights
Time allowing, I may start including the highlights of the previous day’s Strategic and National intelligence reporting.
China studying Battle of Guadalcanal
U.S. Navy’s 2nd Fleet’s boundaries to extend to Russian waters