Eric Bazail-Eimil

Washington, D.C., United States

National Security Reporter at POLITICO

By day: national security reporter @politico. By night: grad student @GeorgetownCLAS. Dolphins/Hoyas apologist. Talk to me: [email protected]

Articles

Should Syria get sanctions relief?

1 week ago | politico.com | Felicia Schwartz |Robbie Gramer |Eric Bazail-Eimil

With help from Jack Detsch and Nahal ToosiSubscribe here | | FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — The State and Treasury Departments are weighing plans to ease the longstanding economic noose on Syria as the United States looks to influence the country’s fragile transition following the toppling of BASHAR ASSAD’s regime.
Bukele’s big day in Washington

1 week ago | politico.com | Eric Bazail-Eimil |Robbie Gramer

With help from Connor O’Brien and Daniel LippmanSubscribe here | | There seems to be no stopping the blossoming bromance between Salvadoran President NAYIB BUKELE and President DONALD TRUMP as the Central American leader gets a red carpet welcome during his visit to Washington. Trump met with Bukele (who we should note wasn’t wearing a tie) in the Oval Office.
The clock is ticking for Iran

1 week ago | politico.com | Robbie Gramer |Felicia Schwartz |Eric Bazail-Eimil

Special envoy Steve Witkoff is open to allowing Iran to continue its nuclear program — so long as Tehran doesn’t weaponize it. | Hossein Fatemi/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images With help from Nahal Toosi, Daniel Lippman and Phelim KineSubscribe here | | President DONALD TRUMP set a 60-day deadline for Iran to make progress on talks over its nuclear program or face potential military retaliation, according to four people familiar with the matter.
Cyber threats abound as Trump guts cyber agencies

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Maggie Miller |Robbie Gramer |Eric Bazail-Eimil

With help from Nahal ToosiSubscribe here | | The mood is grim at the nation’s cybersecurity agencies after weeks of major MAGA-fueled upheavals in leadership and job cuts — all as the country faces an ongoing onslaught of cyberattacks by foreign adversaries. There has been a pile-on of personnel shakeups under the new administration. Last week, President DONALD TRUMP abruptly fired Gen.
Trump’s telling silence on Gaza aid worker killings

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Eric Bazail-Eimil |Robbie Gramer

With help from Daniel Lippman, Daniella Cheslow and Michael StratfordSubscribe here | | As the international community condemns the Israeli military’s recent killing of 15 humanitarian workers and paramedics in the Gaza Strip, the Trump administration is still insisting that Hamas bears responsibility for every tragedy in the enclave since fighting resumed last month.
Can the ‘envoy to everything’ do it all?

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Robbie Gramer |Eric Bazail-Eimil

Trump administration officials and veteran diplomats are starting to question whether special envoy Steve Witkoff, center, can juggle it all. | Mark Schiefelbein/AP With help from Felicia Schwartz, Ali Banco, Connor O’Brien and Daniel LippmanSubscribe here | | Special envoy STEVE WITKOFF has a pretty straightforward role in the Trump administration. All he has to do is solve the Israel-Hamas war. And the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump says direct Iran talks are on

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Robbie Gramer |Eric Bazail-Eimil

Donald Trump revealed last month that he sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, offering direct talks over the country’s nuclear program. | Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/AP With help from Daniel LippmanSubscribe here | Email Robbie | Email EricPresident DONALD TRUMP dropped a bombshell this afternoon by saying that he has launched direct talks with Iran over the country’s nuclear program but stopped short of giving specifics. “We’re having direct talks with Iran.
A week of natsec firings could be just the beginning

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Robbie Gramer |Eric Bazail-Eimil |Nahal Toosi |Daniel Lippman

With help from Jack Detsch It’s hard to say what effect this will have on President Donald Trump’s overall national security policy | Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Subscribe here | Email Robbie | Email EricEven more firings could be in the offing in President DONALD TRUMP’s national security-sphere.
Inside the NSC turf war

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Robbie Gramer |Jack Detsch |Eric Bazail-Eimil

Several NSC officials were fired a day after far-right activist Laura Loomer reportedly met with President Donald Trump at the White House to allege that some NSC staffers weren’t loyal to his agenda.
Trump sticks to maximum pressure on Venezuela - for now

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Eric Bazail-Eimil |Ali Bianco |Robbie Gramer

The State Department confirmed in a statement to NatSec Daily that Secretary of State Marco Rubio "is the lead on foreign policy, including our Venezuela policy.” | Nathan Howard/AFP via Getty Images With help from Amy Mackinnon and Daniel Lippman Subscribe here | Email Robbie | Email Eric When it comes to the U.S. policy toward Venezuela, advocates within the Trump administration for a campaign of maximum pressure against the Venezuelan government and President NICOLÁS MADURO are in the...