Morning Brief: House Passes $900 Billion Defense Bill, US Expands Militarized Border Zone, Russian Push Toward Pokrovsk Pressures Ukraine

The bill authorizes base improvements and a 3.8 percent pay raise, while pushing faster weapons procurement. Democrats objected to the removal of an IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) coverage expansion, and some senators criticized the lack of limits on military flights over Washington. The measure now moves to the Senate.   House Defense Bill Targets Chinese Tech and Investment as Congress Hardens Stance on Beijing Congress advanced a defense authorization bill that sharpens US policy toward China by restricting American investments that could aid Chinese military development and blocking federal funds from flowing to Chinese biotechnology firms flagged as security risks. The $900 billion bill, passed by the House and now headed to the Senate, also expands US security support for Taiwan, including a major funding increase and new drone programs. Lawmakers from both parties framed the provisions as a long-term strategy to counter Beijing, even as the Trump administration softens its rhetoric in pursuit of trade deals. The bill establishes new investment screening rules, directs the government to identify biotechnology companies of concern, and boosts Pentagon biosecurity efforts. China’s been running a $600 billion-a-year heist on American research, and they’re doing it through our own visa system. They place operatives in taxpayer-funded labs, let them access everything from cancer treatments to classified defense tech, then watch them hand it straight… pic.twitter.com/VFdo0CHCb8 — Congressman Pat Harrigan (@RepPatHarrigan) December 9, 2025 China condemned the legislation as a threat to bilateral relations. The measure reflects growing bipartisan momentum to curb China’s access to US capital and critical technologies while reinforcing Taiwan’s defenses amid ongoing regional tensions.   Trump Administration Expands Militarized Border Zone Into California The Trump administration designated a new militarized zone along much of California’s border with Mexico, transferring jurisdiction of the area to the Navy to support border security operations. The zone stretches from near the Arizona state line to the Otay Mountain Wilderness and follows earlier expansions of militarized areas in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. The designation allows US troops to detain people accused of trespassing on military land and opens the door to additional criminal charges. More than 7,000 troops and surveillance assets are already deployed along the southern border under Trump’s emergency declaration. Trump administration establishes militarized zone in California: “Strengthen border security operations” https://t.co/MeG3LAhhNJ — Fox News (@FoxNews) December 11, 2025 The Interior Department said the California sector is a high-traffic area for unlawful crossings, though Border Patrol arrests have fallen to their lowest level in decades. Legal experts warn that the strategy pushes the military into domestic law enforcement roles. The announcement came the same day a federal judge ordered the administration to end its deployment of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles and return authority to the state.   US Proposes Expanding Social Media and Family Data Checks for Visa-Free Travelers The Trump administration is proposing new screening rules that would require travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries to submit five years of social media history, phone numbers, email accounts, and extensive family information before receiving approval to enter the United States. The planned changes, published in the Federal Register, would apply to applicants using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which currently requires only basic biographical data. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also plans to request photo metadata and family members’ birthplaces and contact details. The administration says the move aligns with Trump’s executive order calling for stricter vetting to prevent security threats. US proposes social media disclosure requirement for visitors from visa-free countries https://t.co/jPVPNQPmUF — Financial Times (@FT) December 10, 2025 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) emphasized that the proposal is not final and is open for public comment for 60 days. The expanded screening follows broader efforts to tighten immigration and travel checks, including requiring visa applicants to make their social media accounts public. Advocacy groups warn that the measures raise privacy and free speech concerns.   US Seizes Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Tanker, Raising Tensions and Lifting Global Prices The United States seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, marking the administration’s first known action against a Venezuela-related tanker since deploying military forces to the region. Trump described the vessel as “very large” and suggested the US would keep the oil. Caracas condemned the seizure as “international piracy,” and Iran’s embassy in Venezuela called it a serious breach of international law. US authorities did not name the ship, but maritime firms identified it as the VLCC Skipper, previously sanctioned for involvement in Iranian oil trading. Footage shows U.S. forces move in to take control of a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast. pic.twitter.com/LpnuD19Na6 — Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) December 11, 2025 The tanker had recently loaded 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude and transferred part of its cargo before the operation. Oil futures rose on news of the seizure. The move adds pressure on President Nicolás Maduro as Washington escalates sanctions and military actions, including more than 20 deadly strikes on suspected drug vessels since September. Legal and political concerns continue to mount over the operations, which have killed more than 80 people and face bipartisan skepticism.   Russian Push Toward Pokrovsk Pressures Ukraine as US-Led Peace Talks Reach Sensitive Stage Russia appears close to capturing Pokrovsk, a key Donetsk logistics hub, though Ukrainian officials and analysts say its fall would not trigger a broader collapse in eastern defenses. The looming loss comes as US-brokered negotiations intensify, with Moscow demanding Ukraine withdraw from all of Donbas and Trump signaling a harder line on Kyiv. Ukraine insists it cannot surrender sovereign territory and is trying to balance its reliance on US support with resistance to territorial concessions. Fighting around Pokrovsk remains slow and costly, with Russian forces advancing in small assault groups through drone-dominated front lines. Ukraine’s troop shortages have complicated its ability to hold multiple sectors in the east. Russian command’s new strategy near Pokrovsk: feed hundreds of troops daily into Ukrainian drone fire just to hold the line The logic? As long as bodies keep coming, Ukraine can’t redeploy forces for offensive action elsewhere ⤵️ 🔗 https://t.co/GzBtFDHrhP pic.twitter.com/HWWJxDOkrP — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) December 11, 2025 Analysts expect Russia to use Pokrovsk’s high ground to pressure Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, though major breakthroughs are seen as unlikely. The battle unfolds amid parallel long-range strikes by both sides and uncertainty over future US backing, while European officials warn the war may continue for years absent a major political shift in Washington or Moscow.   Russia Says It Downed 287 Ukrainian Drones in Wide-Scale Attack, Diverts Flights in Moscow Region Russia reported that Ukraine launched a large aerial assault involving at least 287 drones across multiple regions on Thursday, with 40 intercepted over the Moscow area. Moscow’s airports diverted flights as authorities assessed damage. The strike comes as both sides intensify long-range attacks, with Russia continuing to hit Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and Ukraine targeting Russian oil facilities. 💢 Russia claims it shot down nearly 300 Ukrainian drones in an overnight attack ✈️ The attack resulted in the cancellation, delays, or diversion of nearly 400 flights at airports in Moscow https://t.co/O33xfBZdhI — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) December 11, 2025 A Ukrainian official said sea drones disabled a tanker carrying Russian oil in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone near the approach to Novorossiysk. The widening conflict has pushed war insurance costs higher for vessels entering the Black Sea as insurers reassess risks daily. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and occupies just under one-fifth of the country.   UAE Says Free Trade Talks With EU Moving Quickly as Fourth Round Begins Free trade negotiations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the European Union (EU) are progressing rapidly, UAE state minister Lana Nusseibeh said on Thursday during a briefing with an EU commissioner. The discussions, launched earlier this year, cover goods, services, investment, and cooperation in sectors such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, and critical raw materials. The fourth round is taking place this week in the UAE, with a fifth planned for early next year. Open to investment. Serious about scrutiny. 🔍 We’ve reached an agreement with the @Europarl_EN & the @EUCouncil on the revised EU FDI screening framework. Get the facts 🔗 https://t.co/DoPBPSaD6w#EUTrade pic.twitter.com/0ukicbm5r5 — EU Trade 🇪🇺 (@Trade_EU) December 11, 2025 The EU is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner, accounting for 8.3 percent of its non-oil trade, and the UAE is the EU’s top export and investment destination in the Middle East and North Africa.   EU Enlargement Chief Says Ukraine’s Membership Is ‘Inevitable,’ Downplays Hungarian Objections European Union (EU) enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said Wednesday she is confident Hungary will not block Ukraine’s progress toward EU membership, calling Ukraine’s eventual accession “inevitable.” Speaking during a visit to a war-damaged power plant in western Ukraine, Kos said Ukraine’s membership would serve as a political anchor for security in Europe and noted there has never been a war inside the EU’s borders. Kyiv hopes to join the bloc by the end of the decade and remains frustrated by uncertainty over NATO membership. Accession talks continue this week as Kos prepares an informal meeting of European affairs ministers, saying reforms could accelerate the process. She dismissed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s objections, emphasizing that Budapest cannot halt Ukraine’s reforms. „Our message is clear: We support 🇺🇦 on their EU accession. The accession process and the Ukrainian reform process have to go hand in hand, both have to speed up“, State Secretary von Geyr with @taraskachka at the informal meeting of EU Ministers with Ukraine in Lviv today. pic.twitter.com/NO6h4vtg9O — Посольство Німеччини (@GermanyinUA) December 11, 2025 Kos also praised the resilience of Ukrainian energy workers amid ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks on critical infrastructure.   Japan, US Showcase Airpower After China-Russia Patrol Near Okinawa Japanese fighters and US B-52 bombers conducted a joint exercise on Wednesday, a day after 11 Chinese and Russian aircraft flew routes near Japan and South Korea. Tokyo filed a formal complaint over the patrol and recent Chinese and Russian military activity, including Japan’s claim that a Chinese J-15 intermittently locked radar on Japanese F-15s near Okinawa. The Japan Joint Staff released photos showing F-15s and B-52s flying together over the Sea of Japan and framed the drill as a response to a worsening regional security environment. The U.S. and Japan conducted a joint air drill over the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, involving two B-52 bombers and six Japanese fighters, days after Chinese and Russian strategic bombers patrolled the area, Japan’s military said. pic.twitter.com/g8ZUMdcyq1 — Open Source Intel (@Osint613) December 11, 2025 The patrol by China and Russia featured bombers, fighters, and an A-50 early warning aircraft that transited the Miyako Strait before turning back. Japan and South Korea scrambled fighters but reported no territorial airspace violations. The show of force follows increased Chinese carrier operations near Okinawa and continues a pattern of US bomber deployments in the Pacific.   Misawa Air Base Reports Only Minor Damage After Powerful 7.6 Quake in Northern Japan Misawa Air Base avoided major damage from a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan earlier this week, according to the 35th Fighter Wing. The base reported only minor, superficial impacts to a few facilities and no injuries, though merchandise fell from shelves and ceiling tiles dropped in the exchange store, which delayed reopening for cleanup. Japan’s Meteorological Agency recorded strong shaking across Aomori, Iwate, and Hokkaido, with at least 33 people injured. The quake triggered tsunami alerts and small waves along the Pacific coast and prompted a “megaquake” advisory warning of a low but notable chance of another major event. Misawa Air Base, a shared U.S. and Japanese fighter base in northeastern Japan, was spared serious damage from a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck the area this week.https://t.co/dVD91m4YSn — Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) December 11, 2025 Misawa officials said operations remained uninterrupted and emphasized readiness for additional earthquakes or natural hazards. Japan experiences frequent large earthquakes, including the deadly 2011 Tohoku disaster and the 2024 Noto Peninsula quake.   Thai-Cambodian Fighting Escalates as Artillery Strikes Kill First Thai Civilians Three Thai civilians were reportedly killed on Thursday as heavy fighting continued along the Thailand-Cambodia border, marking the first civilian deaths since hostilities resumed Sunday. The clashes reignited after a skirmish wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a US-backed ceasefire brokered in July and formalized in October. Both sides exchanged artillery and mortar fire on Wednesday night, with Thailand reporting destruction of Cambodian equipment and Cambodia confirming continued duels. Around two dozen people have died, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced since the renewed fighting began. Thailand has deployed jet fighters, and Cambodia has used BM-21 rocket launchers and drones, with Thai authorities reporting extensive rocket fire near civilian areas. 🇰🇭🇹🇭 Cambodian soldiers opened fire with Type-90B multiple-launch rocket systems toward the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple, launching from the middle of a public road, right next to civilians. pic.twitter.com/wjda0or14M — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 11, 2025 Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed to continue fighting until national security is assured, while Trump said he plans to push both sides to restore the ceasefire. UNESCO expressed concern about strikes near the Preah Vihear temple, a World Heritage site that sits at the center of the long-running territorial dispute.   Sources: News Agencies — ** Editor’s Note: Thinking about subscribing to SOFREP? You can support Veteran Journalism & do it now for only $1 for your first year. Pull the trigger on this amazing offer HERE. – GDM