OPEN FOR BUSINESS: President Trump likes to brag that America makes the best weapons, and almost always makes a sales pitch for U.S. allies to buy American at every meeting with a foreign leader. This week with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump previewed his new arms sales policy, which is meant to make it much easier for other countries to buy military equipment from U.S. companies. “If they’re our allies, we are going to help them get this very important, great military equipment. And nobody, nobody makes it like the United States. It’s the best in the world by far.”

HAPPENING TODAY: At the Pentagon this afternoon, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis welcomes Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera. At these events, the Pentagon press pool typically gets to ask one or two questions after welcoming remarks, and Mattis typically gives one or two sentence answers.

SIMMERING BORDER DISPUTE: Mattis may be asked about the feud between California Gov. Jerry Brown and Trump, but expect the preternaturally apolitical Mattis to stay out of it. Trump initially praised Brown’s participation in the plan to send up to 4,000 troops to the border to beef up security, apparently unaware that Brown was barring his troops from enforcing immigration laws. But yesterday as the ink was drying on an agreement between California and the Department of Homeland security, a furious Trump threatened to withdraw federal funding.

“Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy ‘up to 400 National Guard Troops’ to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Brown’s charade. We need border security and action, not words!” Trump tweeted.

UNDERCUT AGAIN: It was the second time in a week that a top Cabinet official said one thing in public, only to have the president countermand the announcement 24 hours later. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen had just thanked Brown late Wednesday, in a tweet. “Just spoke w @JerryBrownGov about deploying the @USNationalGuard in California. Final details are being worked out but we are looking forward to the support. Thank you Gov Brown!,” the tweet said.

Perhaps Nielsen and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, who was similarly undercut Monday over the announcement of Russia sanctions, should have lunch together.

EMPTY THREAT? The National Guard troops deployed to the border are under control of their respective governors, but the Pentagon had agreed to foot the bill. Trump seems to be withdrawing that funding, even though the papers have already been signed. When I threw a question about this to chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White at the end of yesterday’s briefing, she did not indicate there had been any change.

“The Pentagon will continue to support the Department of Homeland Security as they identify their needs and their requirements. We are in a support role,” White said. “The Department of Defense will stand ready to support DHS.” Trump administration officials and the state of California fell silent on Thursday after the president’s Twitter tirade.

HEADING TO ANNAPOLIS: Trump tweeted this morning: “So exciting! I have agreed to be the Commencement Speaker at our GREAT Naval Academy on May 25th in Annapolis, Maryland. Looking forward to being there.” Presidents traditionally rotate among the service academies each year. Last year he spoke at the Coast Guard Academy commencement.

NO EVIDENCE TRANSGENDER TROOPS HURT MORALE: The uniformed leaders of the Navy and Marine Corps said Thursday they have heard no reports that transgender troops have disrupted cohesion in their units or caused morale or disciplinary problems. Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that the only issues reported up to him involved some of the service’s 27 transgender troops being unavailable for duty due to medical treatment. “So, for commanders, some of them have said ‘No, it’s not a problem at all.’ Others have said there is a lot of time where this individual may or may not be available,” Neller told the committee. Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, said “I am not aware of any issues” when he was asked about any reports of unit cohesion, disciplinary or morale problems.

SECURING SYRIA: Also during his Senate testimony, Neller said some enduring military force will be needed in Syria to guard against the resurgence of the Islamic State. “Someone has got to be there,” Neller said during questioning by Sen. Lindsey Graham about the threat from the terrorist group. The role could be filled by allies but the United States has unique military capabilities to fill the job of stabilizing the war-torn country, Neller said.

“In order to get to some sort of a political settlement at Geneva or elsewhere, we have to have stability and if the decision were made that our partners were to come in there — we cannot create a vacuum because it will be filled by someone we don’t want, and so I think that would be part of the negotiation as to who would be in there,” Neller said. “But I would agree with you, there has to be stability.” Trump has indicated he wants to pull U.S. troops from the country following a defeat of the Islamic State.

9/11 SUSPECT NABBED: The Pentagon confirmed yesterday that Mohammad Haydar Zammar, a Syrian-born German national, was captured more than a month ago by U.S.-backed forces in Syria. “Zammar was named in the 9/11 Commission Report as an ‘outspoken, flamboyant Islamist’ who extolled ‘the virtues of violent jihad,’” said Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman. “This terrorist was captured during a unilateral operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces. We are working with our SDF partners to obtain additional details.”

SPEAKING OF ARMS SALES: The Pentagon had a pointed, although unstated message yesterday for Turkey, which says it plans to buy a sophisticated air defense system from Russia known as the S-400. “The Russian manufactured air defense systems were totally ineffective,” said Dana White, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson.“Russia and the regime demonstrated the ineffectiveness of their systems again two days later, when those systems engaged accidentally,” she said.

Piling on was Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, who admitted that the Russians didn’t try to shoot down allied cruise missiles with their S-400 system, but noting Syria did, using Russian technology. “The rest of Syrian air defense capability, which is completely Russian-made, Russian-designed, Russian-supported, engaged extensively and comprehensively failed,” he said. “The Russians didn’t do anything, although they’re very closely allied to all the systems that the Syrians deployed to no effect.”

The U.S. opposed Turkey’s plan to acquire the Russian system, which would be incompatible with NATO hardware. “We have talked to the Turks about the issue of interoperability,” White said. “But ultimately the Turks have to decide what’s in their best strategic interest.”

LET’S BE FRANK: We’re going to institute a name change for Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. McKenzie, who is listed on all the Pentagon’s official announcements as “Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.” The F is for Frank, and yesterday in a hallway conversation, the three-star general confirmed that Frank is what he goes by, and what everyone calls him at the Pentagon. So Frank it is, just as we call James Mattis, Jim.

THE RUNDOWN

Defense News: US Army stops accepting AH-64E helicopters from Boeing in ‘critical safety’ row

Reuters: North Korea seeks ‘complete denuclearization,’ Moon says; U.S. vows pressure

Defense Tech: DoD Officials Erred About Weapons, Fighters Used in Syria Strike Mission

New York Times: Missile Strikes Are Unlikely to Stop Syria’s Chemical Attacks, Pentagon Says

Defense News: House Democrats want war authorization repeal, but path is unclear

Air Force Times: Air Force space acquisition center to undergo major reorg this fall

Business Insider: North Korea appears to be caving to Trump before he even meets with Kim Jong Un

AP: Southwest Airlines pilot pushed Navy boundaries for flying

Daily Beast: Russia Accidentally Sabotages Its Internet

Army Times: Army unit retracts memo touting VA benefits for soldiers due to bad anthrax vaccines

Defense One: The US Military Will Award $10 million to the Company That Can Launch Satellites on Short Notice

USNI News: CNO: Navy to Restore Readiness Levels by 2022 After Years of Insufficient Funding

DoD Buzz: After Joining US on Syria Strikes, France, UK Push for Allied Strategy

Politico: Bridenstine narrowly confirmed to lead NASA