Mark Esper’s sprint to confirmation starts as Pentagon’s third acting chief takes over

HOW ARE WE DOING?: The Pentagon made a show of Spencer leaving his third-floor office and walking down the E-ring to take over as acting SecDef, allowing a small group of reporters to observe the unusual transition. Upon entering the secretary’s office overlooking the River Entrance Parade field with its view of the Washington Monument, the Capitol dome, and the clock tower of the Trump International Hotel, Spencer said simply, “Ladies and gentlemen, how are we doing today?” according to pool reporter Jeff Schogol of Task & Purpose.

FULLY BRIEFED: Spencer spent the morning getting ready to take over the reins in a meeting in what then was still Esper’s office, according to Pentagon officials. The handover meeting included the members of the senior team who will remain in place to ensure institutional continuity, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford and Pentagon Comptroller David Norquist, who Trump intends to nominate deputy defense secretary.

“Secretary Spencer has the full authority and responsibility of the Secretary of Defense. The senior team supporting the Office of the Secretary remains in place to ensure institutional continuity,” the Pentagon said in an afternoon statement issued at the time of the transition.

As his first official act, Spencer sent a memo to all DoD employees.

HERE WE GO AGAIN: The whole minuet will be played out again, assuming Esper is confirmed, with Spencer performing the same placeholder role for Norquist.

“We anticipate Secretary Spencer to move, effectively, from his role as acting secretary of defense to then perform the duties of the deputy secretary of defense while Mr. Norquist goes through the confirmation process,” said Pentagon Chief of Staff Eric Chewning. “So think of Secretary Spencer as our swing player as we work through the role.”

CAREFUL TO STAY BETWEEN THE LINES: One of the first questions Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe will ask Esper is one asked of every nominee: “Have you assumed any duties or undertaken any actions which would appear to presume the outcome of the confirmation process?”

While the Pentagon is anxious to get Esper back in as the Senate-confirmed leader of the Defense Department, and senators have indicated they are favorably disposed to his nomination, it must not look like it’s taking the process for granted.

“We will not presume confirmation, and it is the prerogative of the Senate to take as long as they think is necessary to examine and confirm the nominee,” said Chewning. “Secretary Spencer’s prepared to remain in the role until there is a Senate-confirmed secretary of defense.”

PUNCHING TICKETS: Esper was on Capitol Hill yesterday meeting with committee members in advance of this morning’s 9:30 hearing. After Esper met with Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth, a combat veteran, Duckworth issued a statement saying she urged Esper to support congressional efforts to replace outdated Authorizations for the Use of Military Force and warned him about going to war without the approval of Congress.

“Since the Trump Administration has recklessly escalated tensions with Iran, I made it clear to Mr. Esper that the Constitution gives Congress the sole and solemn responsibility to declare war,” she said.

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MAYBE HAPPENING TODAY: It’s been four days days since Turkey began accepting delivery of components of the Russian S-400 air defense system it has agreed to buy and build in a deal with Vladimir Putin, in direct defiance of warnings from Washington that the purchase would mean the end of Turkey’s participation in the F-35 fighter jet program. So far eight planes have unloaded missile components at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.

And for a second day Monday, the Pentagon scheduled an on-camera briefing to announce what actions the United States would take, only to postpone the briefing and leave the Trump administration’s response in limbo. There is some speculation that perhaps the administration is avoiding making an announcement of sanctions on the third anniversary of the 2016 failed coup.

ERDOGAN UNAPOLOGETIC: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been resolute in his insistence that despite its NATO membership Turkey can buy any weapons system it wants and he considers the Russian system superior to the U.S. Patriot missile batteries, especially because the deal with Moscow comes with an agreement for Turkey to co-produce the missiles, something Washington was not willing to throw into the Patriot offer.

“The S-400s are the strongest defense system against those who want to attack our country. God willing, we are doing this as a joint investment with Russia and will continue to do so,” said Erdogan, addressing a crowd at the airport where the missiles were arriving. “With God’s permission, they will have been installed in their sites by April 2020.”

WHAT’S HE THINKING?: Thomas Karako over at the Center for Strategic and International Studies has been trying to make sense of Erdogan’s shift away from the West and toward Russia, in particular Erdogan’s willingness to thumb his nose at NATO and the U.S.

“Western officials and analysts alike have gone, as it were, through four of the five stages of grief: denial that Turkey would go through with a seemingly inexplicable decision, anger at the repercussions for the NATO alliance and threats to withdraw F-35 participation, bargaining with renewed offers for the Patriot, and now depression over the forthcoming deployment,” Karako writes in a commentary published yesterday.

Karako posits that Erdogan may be making a cold calculation in the wake of 2016’s failed coup, in which members of the Turkish military moved against him. “Occam’s razor may be helpful here,” he writes. “Erdogan may want the S-400 for the exact reason the United States does not want Turkey to have it: precisely because it is built to shoot down the American-made aircraft currently operated by the Turkish Air Force. Both political and military aspects of the S-400 decision make sense inasmuch as Erdogan’s top priority is his own political survival.”

THE SKY IS FALLING: Hardly a day goes by that some member of Congress doesn’t warn that time is growing short for a budget deal that would forestall budget cuts and a return to sequestration could halt the Pentagon’s readiness recovery in its tracks.

“Budget negotiations have been going on for months, but little progress has been made. Congress only has so long until the end of the fiscal year, on Sept. 30. As a result, lawmakers and the administration have openly discussed the possibility of a one-year continuing resolution,” writes Georgia Republican David Perdue, one of a group of senators urging the White House to get serious about cutting a deal

“The use of a CR would be a grave mistake. It will kill our military’s readiness recovery effort and devastate our defense capability,” Perdue writes in an op-ed published yesterday. “To most federal agencies, a continuing resolution is an inconvenience. To the Department of Defense, it is devastating,” he said. “Without stable, predictable funding, the DoD will be debilitated in regard to readiness, recapitalization and rationalization.”

HOPE IS THE PLAN: In an appearance on the Sean Hannity show on Fox News Channel last night, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said while there are no new talks underway with North Korea he is hopeful the negotiations will resume soon.

“The president’s visit to North Korea, where he went across into North Korea for the first time a president had done that, has given us another chance to sit down with them and have another conversation,” Pompeo told Hannity. “And I hope the North Koreans will come to the table with ideas that they didn’t have the first time. We hope we can we be a little more creative too.”

“I hope that the opportunity — I was present when Chairman Kim and President Trump were together. I hope their meeting can put us on the right path to get that deal done,” he said.

That’s four “hopes,” if you’re counting.

ISIS IN AFGHANISTAN: The Islamic State-Khorasan Province has made territorial gains in Afghanistan over the last six months, according to the latest Pentagon report to Congress, which says while the group’s power in Afghanistan remains limited compared with groups such as the Taliban and al Qaeda, it continues to pose a challenge for Afghan, U.S., and coalition forces.

“During this reporting period, ISIS-K made territorial gains in eastern Afghanistan,” according to the Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan report for June 2019. “Regionally, the group continues to evade, counter, and resist sustained CT [counter-terrorism] pressure.”

ISIS-K wants to pose a threat to not only Afghanistan but the United States, “which it continuously seeks to target for terrorist activity.” Similar to other terror groups like the Haqqani network, al Qaeda, and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, ISIS-K has sanctuaries on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, making it particularly difficult to counter.

THANKS, MARILLYN: At yesterday’s 3rd annual White House sponsored Made in America Showcase, President Trump had a chance to thank Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson in person for her response to his appeal to keep open the Sikorsky helicopter plant in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

“I called Marillyn a number of weeks ago. I said, ‘I read a story where they’re going to be closing your helicopter plant in Pennsylvania.’ We couldn’t do that. I said, ‘Marillyn, you’ve got to do something. I don’t want to.’”

After the president’s request, Hewson said she took another look at the decision and agreed to keep the plant operating for now while the company seeks other employment for the workforce there.

“I also want to share our appreciation to Lockheed Martin’s CEO, Marillyn Hewson, for showing us the incredible THAAD missile defense system, the best in the world by far, and for keeping the Sikorsky helicopter plant in Pennsylvania open, saving 465 jobs,” Trump said.

F-35s, F-15s TO GERMANY: The United States is flexing its military muscle to show that in the event of a threat, it can quickly deploy decisive airpower to the European theater. The “dynamic force employment” drill dubbed Operation Rapid Forge involves the dispatch of U.S. Air Force deployed F-35A Lightning IIs and F-15E Strike Eagles to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

“Rapid Forge will involve forward deployments to bases in the territory of NATO allies in order to enhance readiness and improve interoperability and are conducted in coordination with U.S. allies and partners in Europe,” said U.S. European Command in a statement.

WILL TRUMP WANT THIS?: Okay, you have to admit this was cool, even if its military applications may be limited. Amid France’s Bastille Day celebrations Sunday, a former jet-skiing champion showed off a new flying device that looked like something from a sci-fi movie. Franky Zapata, 40, was seen zipping through the air and holding a rifle as French President Emmanuel Macron and other European Union leaders looked on. You can see it here.

The device, dubbed the Flyboard Air, has the power to reach speeds of up to 118 mph and can run for up to 10 minutes at a time. French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said ahead of the parade that the technology “can allow tests for different kinds of uses, for example as a flying logistical platform or, indeed, as an assault platform.”

Also on display was an anti-drone gun, made by DroneShield. The DroneGun Tactical weapon can be seen here.

The Rundown

AP: EU works to save unraveling nuclear agreement with Iran

Washington Examiner: Lindsey Graham tells Europe: We will sanction you ‘to the ground’ if you do business with Iran

New York Times: China Passes As Russia And U.S. Talk Arms Treaty

The Diplomat: New U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Endorses Post-INF Missile Deployments in Pacific

Reuters: China Says Will Freeze Out U.S. Companies That Sell Taiwan Arms

Bloomberg: Putin’s Huge Military Buildup Leaves Industry With Debt Hangover

Defense News: Pentagon Nominee Esper, A Former Raytheon Lobbyist, Must Extend Recusal, Says Warren

Politico: The Accidental Pentagon Chief’s Motto: ‘Check Your Emotions And Biases’

USNI News: F-35 Program Leadership Changes As Turkey’s Future In Program Uncertain

Wall Street Journal: In Global Tech Fight, U.S. Loses An Ally

Washington Examiner: Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s attorney wants to join the reserves and teach Navy prosecutors how he beat them

Washington Times: Competing Defense Bills Boost Women In Military

USNI News: Fleet Finding New Sleep-Sensitive Watch Schedules Boosts Crew Performance, Efficiency

Roll Call: House orders Pentagon to say if it weaponized ticks and released them

Calendar

TUESDAY | JULY 16

7 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd. Association of the U.S. Army Institute of Land Warfare Breakfast Series with Army Lt. Gen. Paul Ostrowski, principal military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army (acquisition, logistics and technology) and director of the Army Acquisition Corps. /www.ausa.org/events

9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen. Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on the nomination of Mark Esper to be defense secretary. www.armed-services.senate.gov

12:15 p.m. 740 15th Street N.W. New America and Airwars discussion on “Reporting on Civilian Casualties in the War Against ISIS.” Speakers: Chris Woods, executive director of Airwars; Alexa O’Brien, author of News in Brief; Greg Jaffe, national security correspondent at the Washington Post; Azmat Khan, fellow at New America; and Peter Bergen, vice president of New America. www.newamerica.org

2:30 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion on “The Importance of the Pacific for New Zealand and U.S. Foreign Policy,” with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, and Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia and Japan at CSIS. www.csis.org/events

6 p.m. 1825 R Street N.W. Women’s Foreign Policy Group discussion on “The U.S and Iran: Threats, Demands and Escalation.” Speakers: Narges Bajoghli, Johns Hopkins University; Shireen Hunter, Georgetown University; Barbara Slavin, director of the Atlantic Council’s Future of Iran Initiative; and Suzanne Kianpour, foreign affairs and political journalist at BBC. www.wfpg.org/upcoming-events

WEDNESDAY | JULY 17

8 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Woodrow Wilson Center’s Polar Institute two-day symposium on “The Impacts of an Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and Maritime Operations.” Speakers include: Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Sen. Angus King, I-Maine; Coast Guard Vice Commandant Adm. Charles Ray; Assistant Commerce Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Tim Gallaudet; and Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette. www.wilsoncenter.org/event

11:30 a.m. 2799 Richmond Hwy. Greater Washington Chapter of the Surface Navy Association discussion with Rear Adm. Gene Black, director of Surface Warfare Division. navysnaevents.org/

2 p.m. Webinar on “Impacts of Climate Change on U.S. National Security, sponsored by the American Security Project and the Environmental Defense Fund, with retired Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney, CEO of ASP, and Elgie Holstein, senior strategic planning director at EDF. Webinar can be viewed here: www.americansecurityproject.org/event/webinar.

3:30 p.m. 1630 Crescent Pl. N.W. The Meridian International Center holds an invitation-only discussion with House Foreign Affairs ranking member Michael McCaul, R-Texas, on national and global security, as well as U.S. foreign relations.

7 p.m. EDT 5 p.m MDT Aspen, Colo. Aspen Security Forum discussion “NATO at 70: An Alliance in Crisis?” with Jens Stoltenberg, NATO secretary general, and Courtney Kube, NBC Pentagon correspondent. Full agenda at aspensecurityforum.org/agenda. Watch live video at aspensecurityforum.org/media/live-video.

THURSDAY | JULY 18

8 a.m. 300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Day Two of the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Polar Institute symposium on “The Impacts of an Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and Maritime Operations.” Speakers: Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command; Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations Vice Adm. Daniel Abel; and Rear Adm. John Okon, commander of Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. www.wilsoncenter.org/event

9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Avenue N.W. Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion on “The Future of U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy,” with Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va.; Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla.; and Seth Jones, director of the CSIS Transnational Threats Project. www.csis.org

2 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion on “King of Battle: The Future of Long-Range Precision Fires,” with Col. John Rafferty, director of Army Futures Command’s Long-Range Precision Fires Cross Functional Team; and Thomas Karako, senior fellow at CSIS. www.csis.org

3:15 p.m. EDT/1:15 MDT Aspen, Colo. Aspen Security Forum discussion “A New Era of Great Power Competition,” with Jane Harman, CEO the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Robert Kagan, the Brookings Institution; Joe Nye, Co-Chair, the Aspen Strategy Group; Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America; and Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent, the New York Times. Full agenda at aspensecurityforum.org/agenda. Watch live video at aspensecurityforum.org/media/live-video.

5:30 p.m EDT/3:30 MDT Aspen, Colo. Aspen Security Forum discussion “Great Powers Clash in the Arctic: The Struggle for the Northern Frontier,” with Matti Anttonen, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Finland; Elizabeth Economy, Council on Foreign Relations; Sherri Goodman, former deputy undersecretary of defense; Karl Schultz, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard; and Jeanne Meserve, Transatlantic Commission on Election Security. Full agenda at aspensecurityforum.org/agenda. Watch live video at aspensecurityforum.org/media/live-video.

7:30 p.m. EDT/5:30 p.m. MDT Aspen, Colo. Aspen Security Forum discussion: “Military Competition with China: Maintaining America’s Edge,” with Adm. Philip Davidson, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Nicholas Burns, Executive Director, the Aspen Strategy Group. Full agenda at aspensecurityforum.org/agenda. Watch live video at aspensecurityforum.org/media/live-video.

FRIDAY | JULY 19

8:30 a.m. 300 First St. S.E. AFA Mitchell Institute Space Breakfast Series Space, with Brig Gen DeAnna Burt, Director of Operations and Communications, Headquarters, Air Force Space Command. www.mitchellaerospacepower.org

12:30 p.m. EDT/10:30 a.m MDT Aspen, Colo. Aspen Security Forum discussion: “Technology and National Security: A New Era of Innovation,” with Mike Brown, director, Defense Innovation Unit; John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security; Edward Screven, chief corporate architect, Oracle; and Kara Swisher, Co-Founder, Recode. Full agenda at aspensecurityforum.org/agenda. Watch live video at aspensecurityforum.org/media/live-video.

3:30 p.m.EDT/1:30 p.m MDT Aspen, Colo. Aspen Security Forum discussion: “A Conversation with the Defense Intelligence Agency Director,” with Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director, Defense Intelligence Agency, and Jim Sciutto, CNN chief national security correspondent. Full agenda at aspensecurityforum.org/agenda. Watch live video at aspensecurityforum.org/media/live-video.

4:15 p.m. EDT/2:15 p.m. MDT Aspen, Colo. Aspen Security Forum discussion: “Is Peace Possible in the Forever War?” with Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, and Nick Schifrin, foreign affairs and defense correspondent, PBS NewsHour. Full agenda at aspensecurityforum.org/agenda. Watch live video at aspensecurityforum.org/media/live-video.