MATTIS OVERSEAS: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is in Denmark today, first stop on a week-long trip that will take him to Lithuania and the United Kingdom. In Copenhagen, Mattis attending a ministerial of senior leaders from 15 countries that are key contributors to the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
On his flight over to Denmark yesterday, Mattis told reporters traveling with him that the U.S. was reviewing the latest plan from Moscow to establish safe zones in Syria as a possible path to peace. “All wars eventually come to an end, and we’ve been looking for a long time how to bring this one to an end,” Mattis said. “We’ll look at the proposal [to] see if it can work.” Mattis would not say if the U.S.-led coalition would respect the flight restrictions imposed by Russia that would effectively turn the de-confliction zones into “no-fly zones” as well. “The fight against ISIS will go on,” Mattis said.
We are expecting to hear from Mattis at an end-of-session news conference in Copenhagen that would occur in the 9 a.m. hour Washington time.
HAPPENING TOMORROW: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is flying to Washington today. According to a State Department statement the agenda includes “Ukraine, Syria, and bilateral issues.”
“On Ukraine, the sides will discuss the need to stop the violence in eastern Ukraine and resolve the conflict through the full implementation of the Minsk agreements,” the statement says. “On Syria, the Secretary intends to discuss efforts to de-escalate violence, provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, and set the stage for a political settlement of the conflict.”
AFGHAN PLAN: The Pentagon is waiting to see if President Trump will sign off on a significant increase in the number of U.S. troops supporting the Afghan Security Forces in their battle with a Taliban foe that refuses to give up. It’s no secret the plan would dispatch several thousand additional troops that the U.S. Afghanistan commander, Gen. John “Mick” Nicholson, has said he needs to help break a “stalemate” with the resurgent Taliban. The U.S. has 8,400 troops as part of the NATO Resolute Support mission, and Nicholson wants at least 3,000 more from the U.S. and other NATO nations.
The Washington Post last night also reported the plan would loosen restrictions on offensive airstrikes against the Taliban, and remove the artificial troop caps imposed by the Obama administration, after the Afghanistan war was officially, and prematurely, declared over in 2014. The Post calls the plan a “major shift in strategy in Afghanistan that would effectively put the United States back on a war footing with the Taliban,” and it also suggests Trump may not be ready to rubber stamp the re-escalation of the 16-year war.
“Even as it moves to the president’s desk, the proposal faces resistance from some senior administration officials who fear a repeat of earlier decisions to intensify military efforts that produced only temporary improvements,” the Post reports. “Inside the White House, those opposed to the plan have begun to refer derisively to the strategy as ‘McMaster’s War,’ a reference to H.R. McMaster, the president’s national security adviser.”
McMASTER’S STAR FADING? An opinion piece by Bloomberg columnist Eli Lake, citing anonymous sources, claims that Trump has become disenchanted with McMaster, and has berated him in front of White House staffers on several occasions. “Trump was livid, according to three White House officials, after reading in the Wall Street Journal that McMaster had called his South Korean counterpart to assure him that the president’s threat to make that country pay for a new missile defense system was not official policy,” Lake writes. “These officials say Trump screamed at McMaster on a phone call, accusing him of undercutting efforts to get South Korea to pay its fair share.”
The piece cites sources as saying White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is skeptical of McMaster’s policies and thinks he’s trying to trick Trump into falling into the same previous pattern of nation-building Trump warned against during the campaign, while White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is blocking a key appointment from McMaster. In response to the story, the White House issued a statement from Trump: “I couldn’t be happier with H.R. He’s doing a terrific job.”
AF SECRETARY CONFIRMED: After what felt like a long drought and some missteps, the White House finally got a win Monday with one of its nominations to the Pentagon. The Senate voted to approve Heather Wilson as Air Force secretary, filling a top post in the Trump administration’s military. The former congresswoman is the first Trump pick for the Pentagon to be confirmed by the Senate since Mattis in January. The president’s second pick for Army secretary, Mark Green, withdrew Friday over his views on gay and transgender rights, and no nominee for Navy secretary has been named since the first candidate withdrew in February.
Wilson spent a decade in the House before leaving in 2009 and was the president of South Dakota engineering and science university before her confirmation. She takes the control stick of an Air Force that brass says has atrophied and shrunken to its smallest size under years of budgets caps. If Trump has his way, Wilson will oversee a major buildup of the service. But first she will be the public face of the service as it presses for more funding and lawmakers wrangle over Trump’s soon-to-be-unveiled 2018 defense budget.
NEXT UP: Three nominees for Pentagon positions get their confirmation hearings today before the Senate Armed Services Committee at 2:30. They are David Norquist to be comptroller, Elaine McCusker to be principal deputy undersecretary (comptroller), and Robert Daigle to be director of the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office.
Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre), National Security Writer Travis J. Tritten (@travis_tritten) and Senior Editor David Brown (@dave_brown24). Email us here for tips, suggestions, calendar items and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter @dailyondefense.
HAPPENING TODAY: At press time the polls had just closed in South Korea, where voters are picking a new president in a snap election, and the frontrunner is liberal candidate Moon Jae-in. Opinion surveys showed Moon with a 20 percentage-point lead over his two main rivals, a centrist and a conservative. The conservatives, who have held power in South Korea for more than a decade, are worried Moon might alienate the United States with a more conciliatory approach to North Korea. But Moon’s views might also be more in line with Trump’s public statements that he’s willing to talk the North’s Kim Jong Un. When Trump said he would be “honored” to meet with the North Korean dictator, he was slammed in the U.S., but Moon welcomed the willingness of Trump to talk.
MCCAIN GOES AFTER TILLERSON: Sen. John McCain is accusing Tillerson of abandoning the goal of using U.S. influence to promote Western values around the world, and said Tillerson sent a “dangerous” signal that the U.S. is no longer a “beacon of hope” to those fighting for human rights. In remarks to State Department employees last week, Tillerson said if the U.S. conditions its national security efforts on other countries adopting our values, “we probably can’t achieve our national security goals or our national security interests.” In a New York Times op-ed, McCain wrote, “With those words, Secretary Tillerson sent a message to oppressed people everywhere: Don’t look to the United States for hope.”
The point Tillerson was making seemed aimed at achieving America’s No. 1 goal on Korea, namely getting North Korea to forsake its nuclear ambitions. “It doesn’t mean that we don’t advocate for and aspire to freedom, human dignity, and the treatment of people the world over. We do. And we will always have that on our shoulder everywhere we go,” Tillerson told State Department staffers Wednesday. “In some circumstances, we should and do condition our policy engagements on people adopting certain actions as to how they treat people. … But that doesn’t mean that’s the case in every situation.”
BEFORE YOU MEET PUTIN: Six senators including McCain are urging the president to set aside any plans for a first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin until he first meets with leaders in Ukraine, where Moscow is fueling a draining insurgency. The concern comes after the Kremlin reported Trump and Putin discussed meeting up on the sidelines of the G20 summit scheduled for July in Germany. The White House had not included that detail in its own readout of the two leaders’ first phone call, which drew fire from Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, who charged the White House with cutting secret plans. McCain and the bipartisan group of senators followed up, saying a meeting first with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko instead of Putin would go far toward easing the nerves of European allies, who are unsure of Trump’s plans toward Russia.
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM YATES AND CLAPPER: The three hours of testimony dominated the cable new cycle yesterday. Here’s a thumbnail sketch of what we learned, just in case you had other things to do yesterday afternoon.
Mike Flynn lied and Russia and the DOJ knew it. When acting attorney general Sally Yates heard Vice President Mike Pence on CBS defending national security adviser Mike Flynn she knew the vice president was not fully informed. That prompted her to meet with White House counsel Don McGahn to deliver a bombshell: Flynn was lying and that made him vulnerable to blackmail. “Logic would tell you that you don’t want the national security adviser to be in a position where the Russians have leverage over him,” Yates told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
While DNI, Clapper was unaware of the FBI’s counter-espionage investigation. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified he stands by his previous public statements that he is not aware of any evidence of collusion between Trump campaign officials and the Russians. But the nation’s former top spymaster admitted yesterday he was kept in the dark about the FBI investigation of possible collusion. “During my tenure as DNI, it was my practice to defer to the FBI director … on whether, when and to what extent they would inform me about such investigations,” Clapper testified. “And as a consequence, I was not aware of the counterintelligence investigation.” In other words, if there is any evidence he would not have been privy to it.
Republicans were more focused on the leak. Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham wanted to zero in on who “unmasked” Flynn, whose phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak was captured incidentally under foreign surveillance rules. Graham seemed to think that whoever requested that Flynn’s identity be revealed might hold the key to figure out who leaked to the Washington Post, a leak that forced Trump’s hand. “If somebody did make an unmasking request, we would know who they were and we could find out from them who they shared the information with. But since the leak occurred well after the White House meeting it could have come from anyone who was aware of the meeting, including someone in the White House itself.
Unmasking is SOP and not improper unless used for political purposes. “Leaks have been conflated with unmaskings in some of the public discourse, but they are two very different things,” testified Clapper. “An unmasking is a legitimate process that consists of a request and approval by proper authorities. … A leak is an unauthorized disclosure of classified or sensitive information that is improper under any circumstance.” Clapper said he was not aware of anyone abusing the process. “At no time did I ever submit a request for personal or political purposes or to voyeuristically look at raw intelligence nor am I aware of any instance of such abuse by anyone else.”
Flynn could be in legal jeopardy. Yates revealed that Flynn was interviewed by the FBI Jan. 24 about what she called “his underlying conduct.” While Yates would not say if Flynn told the truth, she did testify that if he lied to the FBI, that would be a crime. He could also face criminal penalties for acting as foreign agent for Turkey without registering.
TRUMP BLAMES OBAMA: Trump blamed the whole mess on President Obama because Flynn had his security clearance renewed by the previous administration after he took money from foreign governments. “General Flynn was given the highest security clearance by the Obama administration — but the Fake News seldom likes talking about that,” Trump tweeted.
On CNN, former Obama administration official Tony Blinken responded. “In April 2016, Mr. Flynn was no longer working for the Obama administration. He had been let go in 2014. But what happens with former officials is, they sometimes try to hold on to their security clearances. And when those clearances expire, they get re-upped. And that’s done by the agency that the person in question used to work for, in this case the Defense Intelligence Agency. That’s totally different than bringing someone in as national security adviser who then has to go through a much more elaborate clearance process and vetting process.”
EXPENSIVE TRIPS: Protecting Trump and his family on their travel excursions since he took office has cost taxpayers approximately $30 million, according to estimates from the Los Angeles Times. According to the newspaper, the most expensive cost is protecting Trump Tower. Trump’s midtown Manhattan home requires about $212,000 per day in order to protect first lady Melania Trump and the couple’s son Barron using the Secret Service, New York Police Department and New York Fire Department.
The Times estimates trips to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., have cost taxpayers about $8 million. Trump has spent seven weekends at his Florida home since taking office.
COOL VIDEO: The Air Force’s secretive X-37B space plane landed at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Sunday, ending a 718-day classified mission involving experiments conducted while orbiting the Earth. It’s the fourth mission for the Air Force’s “unmanned, reusable space plane” program, which has now logged 2,085 days in orbit. Check out video of the space plane landing here.
SMELLING THE ROSES: While Army secretary candidate Mark Green was watching his nomination go down in flames last week, the previous nominee Vinnie Viola was celebrating a life free of worries of Senate confirmation. The billionaire owner of the Florida Panthers was watched Always Dreaming gallop to first place in the Kentucky Derby. The thoroughbred is owned by the group that includes Viola. “Someone asked me if this is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” Viola told the Orlando Sun Sentinel. “The answer is yes, aside from the births of my children and meeting my wife.”
THE RUNDOWN
CNN: 3 theories why Trump ignored Flynn warnings
Breaking Defense: Deadlock: Mattis Vs. White House On Pentagon Nominees
New York Times: Syria rejects U.N. monitoring role in ‘de-escalation zones’
Defense News: Satellite images reveal Chinese expansion in South China Sea
Bloomberg: U.S. To Test Beijing’s South China Sea Claims, Navy Says
BuzzFeed: U.S. officials are warning about a Russian cybersecurity company’s U.S. government ties
Japan Times: Japan’s Defense-Only Posture To ‘Basically’ Remain Unchanged Under Proposed Constitutional Change, Suga Says
Associated Press: ACLU Sues For Documents In Yemen Raid That Killed Navy SEAL
War on the Rocks: Lee’s lieutenants: Leadership lessons from the Civil War for the battlefield and the boardroom
USA Today: Germany searches all military barracks for Nazi material
Associated Press: Former U.S. prisoner now leading Iraq’s interior ministry
Fox News: North Korea’s mystery islands: Man-made keys could be new nuclear launch sites
USNI News: Carrier USS Abraham Lincoln conducts ‘fast cruise’ as midlife overhaul, refueling nears completion
Task and Purpose: How the Air Force plans to keep the legendary B-52 Stratofortress flying for 100 years
Wall Street Journal: Taliban broaden their reach in villages across Afghanistan
Washington Post: Afghan Forces Advance Against ISIS
Defense News: Counter-drone firm Sensofusion gains strategic foothold in U.S.
Stars and Stripes: Remembering Okinawa’s reversion back to Japan
Calendar
TUESDAY | MAY 9
8 a.m. 11790 Sunrise Valley Dr. Class on how Washington works and navigating the DOD. ndia.org
9:30 a.m. Dirksen G50. Testimony by Adm. Mike Rogers, commander of U.S. Cyber Command. armed-services.senate.gov
10:30 a.m. Dirksen 419. Nomination of John J. Sullivan to be deputy secretary of state. foreign.senate.gov
11 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The Roosevelt years and the origins of homeland security. heritage.org
2 p.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. What the China-Russia relationship means for the world. brookings.edu
2:30 p.m. Dirksen 192. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright testifies on the importance of U.S. democracy assistance. appropriations.senate.gov
2:30 p.m. Dirksen G50. Nominations for Defense Department comptroller, deputy comptroller and director of cost assessment and program evaluation. armed-services.senate.gov
3 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Russian and U.S. roles in the Middle East and the view from Israel. wilsoncenter.org
3 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. New Latino voices in foreign affairs. csis.org
3:30 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. A new history of Vietnam and its role in the Cold War. wilsoncenter.org
WEDNESDAY | MAY 10
8 a.m. 2900 K St. NW. 16th U.S.-Sweden defense industry conference. ndia.org
9:30 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The importance of the Mekong River and U.S. policy options. heritage.org
9:30 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The international politics of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. atlanticcouncil.org
10 a.m. Senate Visitors Center 217. Closed hearing on U.S. special operations capabilities to counter Russian influence and unconventional warfare operations in the “grey zone.” armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. Dirksen 342. An overview of cyber threats facing America. hsgac.senate.gov
10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Book launch for Insider Threats: A Worst Practice Guide to Preventing Leaks, Attacks, Theft, and Sabotage. csis.org
10 a.m. Dirksen 419. Emerging external influences in the Western hemisphere. foreign.senate.gov
3 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Aegis ashore and the future of European missile defense with Romanian Ambassador George Cristian Maior. csis.org
6 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Woodrow Wilson awards dinner with Sen. Mitch McConnell. wilsoncenter.org
THURSDAY | MAY 11
8 a.m. 300 First St. SE. Missile defense and NATO. mitchellaerospacepower.org
9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. A fifth-generation Air Force with alliance structures and networked capabilities from an Australian perspective. csis.org
10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Syria strikes, travel ban, refugees, and Muslims: American attitudes on Trump’s early policies. brookings.edu
10 a.m. Hart 216. Open hearing on worldwide threats. intelligence.senate.gov
11:30 a.m. Dirksen 124. Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin testifies on what worked, what didn’t and what needs to happen next with the Veterans Choice program. appropriations.senate.gov
1 p.m. 1777 F St. NW. Terrorist attacks that have unsettled cities in Europe, and lessons to be learned to prevent future attacks around the world. cfr.org
1:30 p.m. 529 14th St. NW. New conference examining terrorism efforts. press.org
4 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Acting Navy Secretary Sean Stackley speaks at the annual meeting of the U.S. Naval Institute. usni.org
5:30 p.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. secretary of state, discusses democracy’s post-Cold War trajectory and the United States’ role in defending and promoting it. brookings.edu
FRIDAY | MAY 12
Seward Square. Team America rocketry challenge, rockets on the Hill. aia-aerospace.org
12 p.m. Dirksen G50. Forum on securing smart grid data. lexingtoninstitute.org
3 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Cold War series on the Six-Day War: The Breaking of the Middle East wilsoncenter.org
MONDAY | MAY 15
2 p.m. Hyatt Regency Reston. Forum to present, discuss and answer questions related to the tactical wheeled vehicle acquisition program. ndia.org
3 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. State manipulation of Islamic rituals and symbols as a means for managing society in Tatarstan, the North Caucasus and Turkmenistan. wilsoncenter.org
4 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. U.S. Cold War diplomacy and the formation of the Third World. wilsoncenter.org
TUESDAY | MAY 16
8 a.m. 300 First St. SE. A discussion of nuclear deterrents and missile defense realities with Jim Miller, president of Adaptive Strategies. mitchellaerospacepower.org
10 a.m. 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Ambassador Wendy Sherman, a lead negotiator, discusses the Iran nuclear deal. cato.org
5 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The European perspective and the case for U.S. engagement in the Balkans. atlanticcouncil.org
