[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6253880,"mediaKeyId","3177758-afac6d1522d4616cc8c27913f0362dfd","parentId",3177758,"title","Senate Questions Zimmerman on NATO Burden‑Sharing, WPS and Use of All Tools to Counter Extremism","audioSeconds",2693,"startMs",1644000,"endMs",4337000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177758-afac6d1522d4616cc8c27913f0362dfd&start=1644&end=4337","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177758-afac6d1522d4616cc8c27913f0362dfd/thumbnail_1644000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6253880/Senate-Questions-Zimmerman-on-NATO-BurdenSharing-WPS-and-Use-of-All-Tools-to-Counter-Extremism","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253880-f216d79a09c13f135b217f67917971f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770771827&Signature=ETSKAHmDZsZ0B9hn-m4hXELV2TIAz9gh4o5QIKZ8G-qEhctWvJDOQCjXISQbBLcgzy3bginaO0WACFw89IepIN5nox31rj~xDFACsi4eZTCT28dat1wHrQqKWWx6Yms75hpYkKBA-EtVp7OLETJq49r1DyZAd9tJD6RLhXkxG91kXK7wQijyGuCsGCGCiQjWotT5OnKymPPZgatg~7ojR8OGt-ro~Mb5NuSzm2Zccef4-aUqJs~oOngynkww2jW2m3KzUZfpaTdoe9fd5iDy6Nwzi6-qaCQWWlxMMw9XRwctVsUhvXua-pErJ4ouF1wdP8VD8mmrAehxng31MALIhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services","date","2025-05-01T00:00:00Z","article","Daniel Zimmerman, the president’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, told the Senate Armed Services Committee he would press U.S. partners to take on greater security responsibilities, deepen alliance cooperation and coordinate tools across theaters if confirmed.

Senators focused on three related areas: NATO burden‑sharing, the operational utility of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) policy, and the use of all available tools — including foreign military sales — to counter threats such as the Houthis and Russian aggression.

Senator Bill Hagerty introduced Zimmerman and praised his classified operational experience, including work with special operations and the Abraham Accords. Zimmerman said he would “cultivate strong partnerships in these regions” and seek “greater burden sharing” from allies to advance U.S. interests.

On NATO specifically, senators asked whether recent allied defense spending and posture changes signaled renewed commitment to burden‑sharing. Zimmerman said he was encouraged by some actions by NATO members and committed, “to the extent I can, I commit” to prioritize filling vacancies such as a deputy assistant secretary focused on NATO if confirmed.

Senator Shaheen raised WPS after recounting a memo reported by Lawfare in which the director of the joint staff advised that WPS engagements provide access to populations China largely ignores and help counter violent‑extremist organizations. Shaheen said combatant commanders reported operational value from WPS activities for human intelligence, counter‑trafficking and partner capacity building. Zimmerman said countering violent extremism requires a whole‑of‑government approach and that he would make use of “all the tools and coordinate to make sure all the tools are available.”

On the campaign against Houthi forces, Senator Tuberville asked whether U.S. operations had been successful. Zimmerman said he supported the administration’s approach and designation actions but that he did not have access to classified assessments needed to judge operational effectiveness.

Senator Scott raised allies’ complaints about the foreign military sales process and timeliness from U.S. defense contractors. Zimmerman acknowledged those concerns and said his role would include advising on prioritization for allied security needs and working to address underinvestment in the defense industrial base.

Zimmerman told the committee he would urge allies to shoulder more responsibility and asked partners to boost defense spending and readiness. He described his nomination as rooted in near‑two decades in intelligence and policy roles but said many details of his career remain classified.

Ending: Senators welcomed Zimmerman’s operational background while reserving judgment pending his written follow‑up answers; the committee will weigh his commitments on NATO, partner capacity and use of tools such as WPS and FMS when considering his nomination.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","To consider the nominations of: Mr. Matthew L. Lohmeier to be Under Secretary of Air Force; Mr. Justin P. Overbaugh to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security; and Mr. Daniel L. Zimmerman to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs","oneSentenceSummary","Daniel Zimmerman, the president’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, told the Senate Armed Services Committee he would press U.S. partners to take on greater security responsibilities, deepen alliance cooperation and coordinate tools across theaters if confirmed.","taxTitle","Armed Services: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1987,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6253890,"Senators Press Lohmeier on Past Conduct, Social Media and Management Qualifications",6258,1493000,7751000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177758-afac6d1522d4616cc8c27913f0362dfd&start=1493&end=7751","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177758-afac6d1522d4616cc8c27913f0362dfd/thumbnail_1493000.jpg","/articles/6253890/Senators-Press-Lohmeier-on-Past-Conduct-Social-Media-and-Management-Qualifications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253890-e09de8ffbdf54d53193bb3481941ce66/orig.mp4?Expires=1770771827&Signature=iY0W2rY70hicarYoplPQTRprXfNuZ4vYcncfm4~zCljUWt8bMtPKOSC603Y0kRTqR0bXYasuuFJjJRtaCazDavLMIfKyt-3NV-GPohLXwTf-7ljlCK2mf6LyzxApCPNCtrVV~0Db9iOSH6TsKILZl088rfImVTNMLk6VdnDISNWdoAeTSX4YwhofALZKq7q1~m0HyAN4JNuh~6gztvNAKCrM9c9eu6sq73-jE7-MRUUn7P3q4RLY~EvR8f7-eZrV6YaIhfQCMR-oxprzGARfYasxTsJZNpvEZboHw3vynfJ9v4C6nUEnXXFzzcJMkbYAUyXuTmqxo3iyA4LH1WkdWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Matthew Lohmeier, President Trump’s nominee to be Undersecretary of the Air Force, faced repeated questions about his past conduct, public statements and managerial experience during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

Committee members pressed Lohmeier on a 2021 relief of command, his book and his social‑media posts, and sought assurances he would not weaponize personnel decisions if confirmed. Lohmeier said he would uphold the law and pledged accountability without vengeance.

The stakes are practical: the Undersecretary of the Air Force is, by statute, the department’s chief management officer and helps run a force that includes active, reserve, Guard and civilian personnel and major acquisition programs. Senators said questions about judgment and impartiality go to the heart of whether Lohmeier can lead a large, politically diverse workforce.

Ranking Member Reid summarized his concern by pointing to Lohmeier’s public writings and appearances while in uniform, and he read passages from the book and social posts that he said showed “extreme partisanship” and “animosity” toward service members with differing views. Reid said Lohmeier’s record of public statements, including a 10/19/2024 social post cited by senators, was “disqualifying” unless addressed.

Lohmeier told the committee he had not publicly criticized his chain of command while in uniform and that many of his public expressions occurred after he left active duty. “I have nothing to hide. I try and speak what I believe to be true,” Lohmeier said in the hearing. He added that he reserves the right to change his views and said his intent was to promote accountability, not retribution.

Senators asked yes‑or‑no questions on discrete management and legal points. Lohmeier agreed to “uphold the law” with respect to statutory restrictions cited by members, including a congressional prohibition referenced in the hearing on certain programmatic basing decisions from the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act. He also said he would not use Signal to discuss sensitive operational missions: “You have my commitment. I will not use signal to discuss those things.”

Several senators tied the broader concern about his public comments to organizational risk. Senator Shaheen noted social‑media posts she said labeled January 6 a “government led false flag and hoax at the capitol” and asked whether Lohmeier stood by that language. Lohmeier responded that he did not recall using that exact phrase and said some posts were retweets; he acknowledged he had expressed controversial views as a private citizen and reiterated that, if confirmed, he would focus on leading without partisanship.

Committee members also pressed Lohmeier on managerial experience. He noted prior command roles in Air Force and Space Force units — including command of a space‑based missile‑warning mission he described as a combined operation responsible for “our nation’s $18,000,000,000 space based missile warning architecture” — and said he would rely on experienced civilian and military staff to manage large acquisition and budget efforts.

On force structure and infrastructure issues raised by senators from states with Guard or active units, Lohmeier made several commitments to work with members and to be transparent in communications. He promised to treat basing decisions as data‑driven and not political, and to work with members on specific infrastructure problems such as a runway upgrade at the Iowa Air National Guard facility in Sioux City that senators said dates to a 2003 conversion.

Lohmeier faced questions about whether he would recuse himself from personnel actions involving named officers. He declined to promise blanket recusals tied to specific names but said he would “treat all people fairly according to the law” and would apply accountability only for lawful violations.

The committee took testimony from Lohmeier but did not vote; members requested follow‑up questions for the record. Questions for the record were due within two business days at the close of the hearing.

The hearing mixed operational and personnel topics — from pilot shortages and basing to social media and standards for nonpartisanship — and senators said they would weigh Lohmeier’s managerial claims against the concerns raised about his public conduct.

Ending: The committee will evaluate written follow‑up answers, and senators said those responses and continuing briefings will factor into any decision to recommend confirmation to the full Senate.","Matthew Lohmeier, President Trump’s nominee to be Undersecretary of the Air Force, faced repeated questions about his past conduct, public statements and managerial experience during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6253885,"Nominee Overbaugh Pledges to Strengthen Coordination Across Defense Intelligence Enterprise",2367,1582000,3949000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177758-afac6d1522d4616cc8c27913f0362dfd&start=1582&end=3949","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177758-afac6d1522d4616cc8c27913f0362dfd/thumbnail_1582000.jpg","/articles/6253885/Nominee-Overbaugh-Pledges-to-Strengthen-Coordination-Across-Defense-Intelligence-Enterprise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253885-dec89c91dc616ef1990abd70f4fca4de/orig.mp4?Expires=1770771827&Signature=aNxIaZ7oBGSiaQHSu8DB1Mfd7oLjgMDSO14TZijZu7-T6aaxFSniuO7o82FiMY5JeoRuTVt~c7WOWHe2k~yvdEQL0N4Y2CGD9X57EjpvN7dDrS6NF2fh9nZKSLc-xahFML9jPlO54cuZAzG5PT5-kHJyoWG-8yBbZtQqWaccuoZiwroySU0GTIL48kQ6NKMSicZkEdYOboe4ZtvFEq-HArg8IMWCy2GPnkywEp5tdLr4bMD-JbESNiLWObOhLGX6Yx9YHIH2sRGQOznHAxciPw49TnqWMeu-J7tmdIdhw472o0W3fE9UNJzYn~jK5Su-d3OhuDyOQPZjYvdjK4OdtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Justin Overbaugh, President Trump’s nominee to be deputy under secretary of defense for intelligence and security, told the Senate Armed Services Committee he would emphasize enterprise governance and responsiveness to combatant commanders if confirmed.

Overbaugh said he would use assessments, organizational review findings and improved collaboration to address stovepipes among Defense Intelligence agencies and to better align analytic products with warfighter needs.

Senators asked about the role of the Under Secretary’s office, commonly referred to in the hearing as INS, in coordinating agencies such as the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Security Agency. Senator Cotton said the INS should be the “central advocate” for defense intelligence priorities and pressed Overbaugh to commit to improving governance and interagency collaboration.

Overbaugh agreed. “If confirmed for this position, I would place an emphasis on ensuring that the entire defense and intelligence and security enterprise remains responsive particularly to combatant commanders and the war fighters,” he said.

Committee members discussed a GAO review mandated in last year’s NDAA examining INS authorities, roles and responsibilities. Cotton asked whether Overbaugh would use that review to inform potential organizational changes; Overbaugh said yes and cited concern about “bureaucratic intransigence.”

Several senators pushed Overbaugh on bridging Title 10 (defense) and Title 50 (intelligence) stovepipes and on improving coordination with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Overbaugh committed to working “with ODNI Gabbard and the rest of her team” and with the nominee for director referenced in the hearing, should confirmations proceed.

On operational priorities, Overbaugh emphasized actionable, data‑driven intelligence: “I would drive the enterprise to prioritize actionable intelligence, providing clear insights to support decision making from the platoon leader to the president,” he said in his opening remarks.

Senators also asked about emerging domain challenges. Overbaugh highlighted concerns about cyber threats, disinformation and space threats such as jamming and spoofing, and said he would advocate resilience, redundancy and commercial partnerships for space domain awareness.

Overbaugh acknowledged the defense intelligence enterprise has strong analytic work but said alignment, governance and leadership culture must be strengthened to ensure those agencies provide timely, integrated support to operations and acquisition decisions.

Ending: The committee solicited written follow‑up and will consider Overbaugh’s written answers and the outcome of related confirmation processes as part of its assessment.","Justin Overbaugh, nominee to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, told the Senate Armed Services Committee he would push for clearer enterprise governance, use GAO review findings to inform organizational changes and strengthen ties with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and combatant commanders.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Questions Zimmerman on NATO Burden‑Sharing, WPS and Use of All Tools to Counter Extremism

Senators Press Lohmeier on Past Conduct, Social Media and Management Qualifications

Nominee Overbaugh Pledges to Strengthen Coordination Across Defense Intelligence Enterprise