Morning Brief: B-52 Close Call Over North Dakota, China Rejects Trump’s Call to Join US-Russia Nuclear Talks

· Guy D. McCardle

Two US Air Force B-52H Stratofortresses take off for a Bomber Task Force mission. (DVIDS)

Good morning. Here’s your brief for Thursday, August 28, 2025. The CDC is in turmoil following the firing of its director and the resignation of top leaders. A near mid-air collision involving a B-52 raises concerns about safety. Türkiye rolls out its new “Steel Dome” defense system, while the US and Israel debate Gaza’s future amid plans for a Gaza City evacuation. Russia pounds Kyiv, Ukraine strikes Russian refineries, and Germany ramps up arms exports with a new munitions plant. NATO says all allies will hit 2 percent defense spending as Trump pushes for 5 percent. Meanwhile, China rejects nuclear talks, and Kim Jong Un is set to appear alongside Putin and Xi at Beijing’s military parade.

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CDC Director Susan Monarez Fired After Less Than a Month as Top Leaders Resign

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez was fired less than a month into her tenure after refusing to align with President Donald Trump’s agenda, according to the White House on Wednesday.

Monarez’s lawyers said she was targeted for defending scientific integrity. Her removal coincided with the resignations of at least four senior CDC officials, including deputy director Dr. Debra Houry and key leaders of the agency’s infectious disease and vaccine programs.

In resignation letters, officials criticized political interference, budget cuts, reorganization, and the rise of vaccine misinformation under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who recently replaced members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee with skeptics.

Public health experts warned the departures leave the agency “decapitated” and undermine US preparedness for health emergencies.

Monarez, confirmed by the Senate in July, became the shortest-serving CDC director in the agency’s 79-year history.

 

B-52 Nearly Collided with Two Planes After North Dakota Flyover, NTSB Reports

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said a B-52H bomber came dangerously close to colliding with two planes, including a Delta flight carrying 80 passengers, after a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot on July 19.

The Delta pilot made an abrupt turn to avoid the bomber, and less than a minute later the B-52 came within one-third of a mile of a Piper private plane.

Investigators said confusing air traffic control commands contributed to the close calls, with one controller mistakenly using the bomber’s call sign and issuing delayed instructions while coordinating with a regional Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) center.

All planes landed safely, but the incident has raised concerns about safety at smaller airports like Minot, which lacks its own radar system and relies on a single controller supported remotely.

A final NTSB report on the causes is expected next year.

 

Türkiye Delivers ‘Steel Dome’ Air Defense System to Military

Türkiye delivered its new “Steel Dome” air defense system to the military in a $460 million rollout led by state-owned defense companies.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday that the system, comprising 47 vehicles, would boost national security and enhance deterrence amid growing regional conflicts.

Modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome, the project was launched last year as part of Ankara’s push for a multi-layered air defense.

Erdogan also inaugurated a $1.5 billion defense technology base, calling it the largest single investment in Türkiye’s defense industry and a step toward making the country a global defense player.

Defense Minister Yasar Guler added that the system would strengthen the armed forces’ effectiveness and ensure top-level security.

 

US and Israel Discuss Post-War Gaza as Israel Prepares Gaza City Evacuation

Israeli and US officials met in Washington on Wednesday to discuss Gaza’s future, even as Israel’s military declared the evacuation of Gaza City “inevitable” ahead of a new offensive.

The talks followed international outrage over Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital that killed 22 people, including journalists and medics.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar discussed Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and upcoming UN debates, with both governments reaffirming security cooperation.

Meanwhile, aid groups warned that further displacement would deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, where most of the population is already displaced and famine has been declared in parts of the city.

Despite Hamas accepting a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators, Israel has not responded, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to push both a ceasefire and expanded military action.

On Wednesday alone, Gaza health officials reported at least 39 Palestinians killed, bringing the war’s death toll to nearly 63,000.

 

Russian Strikes Kill 14 in Kyiv as Peace Efforts Stall

Russia launched one of its largest air attacks of the war early Thursday, striking central Kyiv for the first time in weeks and killing at least 14 people, including three children, while injuring 48.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported intercepting most of the 598 drones and 31 missiles launched nationwide, though nearly 100 buildings were damaged in Kyiv, including the European Union delegation and British Council offices.

Rescue workers pulled survivors and bodies from rubble, with at least 10 people still missing.

The strikes came as US-led peace efforts faltered following a recent Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska.

Ukraine continued drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, sparking fires in Krasnodar and Samara.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of choosing escalation over diplomacy and urged stronger international sanctions, while Western leaders said Russia is stalling peace negotiations as its forces push deeper into Ukraine.

 

Germany Sets Record in Arms Exports, Most Bound for Ukraine

Germany approved 12.8 billion euros ($14.9 billion) in weapons exports in 2024, the highest on record, with 8.15 billion euros ($9.5 billion) allocated to Ukraine, accounting for 64 percent of the total.

Actual deliveries also set a record at 13.37 billion euros ($15.6 billion).

About 86 percent of export approvals went to the European Union, NATO, and partner countries, including Ukraine, Singapore, and South Korea.

Key exports included military vehicles, missile systems, bombs, torpedoes, and warships, while 62 applications from countries such as Pakistan, Thailand, and Malaysia were rejected.

Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said Germany, Ukraine’s second-largest military supporter after the US, will provide Kyiv with 9 billion euros ($10.5 billion) in aid this year and in 2026.

Ukraine was also the top recipient of German weapons exports in 2023, when Germany approved 12.1 billion euros ($14.1 billion) in arms sales.

 

Germany Opens Europe’s Largest Munitions Plant as Berlin Accelerates Rearmament

Rheinmetall opened on Wednesday Europe’s largest munitions plant in Unterluess, northern Germany, as part of Berlin’s rapid military buildup following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The 30,000-square-meter facility will produce up to 350,000 artillery shells annually by 2027 and supports an 8.5 billion euros (then $9.3 billion) government munitions order placed in 2024.

NATO chief Mark Rutte and senior German ministers attended the inauguration.

Rheinmetall’s CEO Armin Papperger said the project reflects Germany’s commitment to European security, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to build Europe’s strongest conventional army.

Alongside the opening, the cabinet approved a draft law to boost recruitment, including a provision for compulsory service if voluntary enlistment falls short.

Germany’s military currently counts 182,000 soldiers, with a target of 260,000.

 

NATO to Hit 2% Defense Spending in 2025 as Allies Face New 5% Target Pushed by Trump

NATO said Thursday that all 32 member states are on track to meet the alliance’s long-standing defense spending goal of 2 percent of GDP in 2025, but allies now face a far tougher benchmark.

At a June summit in The Hague, US President Donald Trump secured agreement on a new target of 5 percent of GDP for security-related spending, broken down into 3.5 percent for core defense and 1.5 percent for broader areas such as infrastructure and cybersecurity.

NATO estimates total alliance defense spending will top $1.5 trillion in 2025, after lagging members like Spain, Belgium, and Italy pledged to reach the 2 percent mark.

Officials warn the higher target will be a major challenge for European countries, though states near Russia such as Poland and the Baltics are already nearing or surpassing it. NATO leaders say the buildup is critical amid warnings that Moscow could threaten a member state within five years, while Washington signals it may shift focus toward China and reduce its European footprint.

The US currently spends 3.22 percent of GDP on defense, while Poland is projected to lead NATO at 4.48 percent in 2025.

 

China Rejects Trump’s Call to Join US-Russia Nuclear Talks

China ruled out joining nuclear disarmament talks with the US and Russia after US President Donald Trump said he hoped to include Beijing in negotiations.

Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said it was “neither reasonable nor realistic” to expect China’s participation, stressing that Washington and Moscow — which hold nearly 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons — bear primary responsibility for disarmament.

China maintains around 600 warheads, far fewer than the US (5,177) and Russia (5,459), according to June 2025 estimates by Federation of American Scientists.

world-nuclear-forces-stat-2025
(FAS)

Guo said China keeps its arsenal at the minimum level for national security and does not seek an arms race, while continuing to endorse disarmament in principle.

 

Kim Jong Un to Attend Beijing Military Parade Marking WWII Anniversary

China confirmed Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will attend a major military parade in Beijing on September 3 to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II.

The announcement was made by Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei.

It will be Kim’s first visit to China since 2019, when he met President Xi Jinping.

The parade, held in Tiananmen Square, will feature Xi inspecting troops and showcasing China’s newest military equipment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and 25 other leaders are also expected to attend. The event marks China’s heavy wartime losses during its conflict with imperial Japan.

 

Sources: News Agencies