Defense, national security & Congress @Politico | Signal: Mark.312 | msatter@politico.com
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🚨🚨SCOOP: A shipment of F-35 fighter jet parts was rerouted to Hong Kong this summer — then vanished.
Congress and DOD are investigating, amid the possibility that China may now have access to the highly-classified program.
W/ @audrey_decker9
politico.com/news/2026/09/18…
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Mark Satter retweeted
NEW: Polish Foreign Minister says US and POL are "discussing a second" US base in Poland for "two heavy brigades, so up to 10,000 troops."
"We hope that President Trump keeps the promise that he has made to this effect to our president."
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Mark Satter retweeted
Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker ripped the decision to invite Xi for a state dinner.
"Had the White House asked me for advice, I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome," he said. politico.com/live-updates/20…
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“Kao and his close associates had donated nearly $900,000 to dozens of politicians, allowing Navatek to establish operations in half a dozen states with over $40 million a year in government funding.
Most damningly, the company’s work for the government was of no real value.”
Another MASSIVE @propublica scoop: The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way propublica.org/article/fbi-s… @WilliamTurton @AASchapiro @mtredden @kirstenberg
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Mark Satter retweeted
Sen. Susan Collins helped steer millions in federal defense contracts to Navatek, whose CEO illegally funneled thousands of dollars to her campaign.
The FBI sought to launch a probe and was eyeing Collins and other lawmakers.
Then Trump gutted the unit in charge. THREAD 🧵
ALT Martin Kao, CEO of defense contractor Navatek, poses next to Sen. Susan Collins for a photo. Collins is holding a model of a boat in her hands. Behind them is a large sign with the Navatek logo.
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Australian defense minister confirming our reporting that sensitive F-35 technology was diverted to Hong Kong this summer.
Australia’s defense minister said Tuesday that F-35 fighter jet parts had been mistakenly diverted to Hong Kong, following reports US lawmakers were investigating the mishap.
cnn.com/2026/09/22/australia…
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Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) on Monday expressed frustration over the ongoing war in Iran and its impact on Iowans’ pocketbooks, publicly distancing herself from President Donald Trump ahead of November’s rapidly approaching midterm elections.
politico.com/live-updates/20…
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Mark Satter retweeted
NEW: The presidential TV pool has been suspended as networks react to the White House's ongoing ban of CNN.
That means, for now, that no major TV network will provide coverage of Trump's events, including today's appearances at the WH and his trip to the United Nations.
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Curtis: “You’ll hear more from me later on, this is a big deal.”
GOP Sen. John Curtis says of one of his "lows" for the week:
"Believe this: A Russian oligarch paid for a lavish wedding after party for Donald Trump Jr.
"It just stinks. It's corruption, I don't like it...this is a big deal."
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NEW: The Iran war is estimated to have cost $43.6 billion since February, according to a DOD assessment circulated on the Hill this week and obtained by POLITICO.
It's the clearest accounting thus far of the war and eclipses a previous CBO estimate of $38 billion.
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Mark Satter retweeted
🚨🚨 Sensitive F-35 technology was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong this summer, sparking a Hill inquiry and raising the possibility that China could have access to key fighter components.
Great scoop from @audrey_decker9 and @marksatter politico.com/news/2026/09/18…
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Mark Satter retweeted
Big scoop from @audrey_decker9 and @marksatter -- China may have stolen secrets about the F-35 after components were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong this summer: politico.com/news/2026/09/18…
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Mark Satter retweeted
F-35 parts mysteriously showed up in Hong Kong. What happened? Scoop by @audrey_decker9 @marksatter
politico.com/news/2026/09/18…
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Mark Satter retweeted
🚨🚨SCOOP: A shipment of F-35 fighter jet parts was rerouted to Hong Kong this summer — then vanished.
Congress and DOD are investigating, amid the possibility that China may now have access to the highly-classified program.
W/ @audrey_decker9
politico.com/news/2026/09/18…
912
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Mark Satter retweeted
SCOOP: A shipment of F-35 parts, including a canopy, wound up in Hong Kong — sparking an investigation on Capitol Hill and raising the possibility that China could have access to key components of the highly-classified program.
with @marksatter
politico.com/news/2026/09/18…
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Mark Satter retweeted
Three former top CIA officials were evacuated from train minutes before Russian strike.
washingtonpost.com/world/202…
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