Top officials struggle to explain Trump’s claim on embassy attacks Presented by Northrop Grumman

With Bryan Bender and Connor O’Brien

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Quick Fix


— Top national security leaders are having trouble explaining how President Donald Trump knew that a top Iranian leader planned to attack four embassies.

— Iraq’s prime minister says he wants U.S. troops out. But that may not be the whole story.

— Top Navy leaders address the Surface Navy Association’s symposium this week.

HAPPY MONDAY AND WELCOME TO MORNING DEFENSE, where we're always on the lookout for tips, pitches and feedback. Email us at [email protected], and follow on Twitter @dave_brown24, @morningdefense and @politicopro.

War Report

Defense Secretary Mark Esper tells CNN's Jake Tapper that President Donald Trump never claimed he had specific intelligence that four embassies would be attacked. | Army Staff Sgt. Nicole Mejia

WHAT DID THE INTEL SAY? Trump, in an interview that aired Friday, got specific about the threat posed by Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and why he ordered the drone strike that killed him.

"I can reveal that I believe it would have been four embassies,” he said on Fox News' “Ingraham Angle”.

Since then, top national security leaders have had a hard time explaining what he meant, and why lawmakers said the information didn’t come up in last week’s intelligence briefings on Capitol Hill.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” was asked whether he saw evidence of such an attack.

“I didn't see one with regard to four embassies,” Esper said. “What I'm saying is I share the president's view that probably — my expectation was they were going to go after our embassies. The embassies are the most prominent display of American presence in a country.”

Esper also said he shared Trump’s belief that such an attack could have happened.

“Well, what the president said was he believed that it probably and could have been attacks against additional embassies. I shared that view.”

In a separate interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Esper said, “The president never said there was specific intelligence to four different embassies.”

On Fox News Sunday, national security adviser Robert O’Brien said he, too, believed the intelligence was pointing to embassy attacks.

“It is always difficult to know exactly what the targets are but it certainly is consistent with the intelligence to assume they would have hit embassies in at least four countries,” O’Brien responded.

Leaders have said that the most detailed intelligence briefing was for the Gang of Eight, of which Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is a member. But Schiff said on CBS that he didn’t recall the embassy information and was asked if administration officials are lying.

“Well, you know, you could certainly put it that way,” he said. “But frankly, I think what they are doing is they are overstating and exaggerating what the intelligence shows. And when you're talking about justifying acts that might bring us into warfare with Iran, that's a dangerous thing to do.”

TROOPS IN IRAQ: Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said late last week he still expects the U.S. to provide a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from his country. But the State Department said that won’t happen, our colleague Bryan Bender reports.

"We have been unambiguous regarding how crucial our [anti-ISIS] mission is in Iraq," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement Friday. "At this time, any delegation sent to Iraq would be dedicated to discussing how to best recommit to our strategic partnership — not to discuss troop withdrawal, but our right, appropriate force posture in the Middle East."

But the PM may not even mean it. “Despite calling on [the U.S. to withdraw] … Abdul Mahdi is trying to find a way to keep an American presence in the country while attempting to placate Iran-backed militia leaders who want to force 5,200 U.S. troops out, a source familiar with the situation on the ground said,” Al-Monitor writes.

Happening This Week

SWOS GATHER: The Surface Navy Association holds its annual national symposium Tuesday through Thursday. Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday, Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz are among the speakers.

Check out the full agenda.

Ahead of the event, Modly sat down with Defense and Aerospace Report to discuss his priorities and the progress of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. Listen to the podcast.

On the Hill

HEARINGS THIS WEEK: It won’t all be about impeachment this week. On Tuesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing on the administration’s Iran policy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been invited to testify.

On Wednesday, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko testifies before HFAC on lessons learned in Afghanistan.

Also Wednesday, the House Armed Services Committee hears from outside experts on the Defense Department’s role as it competes with China.

On Thursday, the Senate Armed Services Committee holds a confirmation hearing for James McPherson to be Army undersecretary and Charles Williams to be assistant Navy secretary for energy, installations and environment.

IRAN MEASURES: More legislation to rein in Trump's power to go to war with Iran could be in the offing this week in the House. Democratic leaders could call for votes as soon as this week on a bill from Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to block money for offensive military operations against Iran without congressional approval and another measure from Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) to repeal the 2002 Iraq war authorization.

The House last week passed a War Powers resolution to halt further military action against Iran.

In the Senate, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) could call up his own Iran resolution as soon as Tuesday. It's not yet clear whether the measure has the votes to pass, but Republicans Rand Paul and Mike Lee have agreed to support it.

And the briefings aren't over: Pentagon policy chief John Rood is headed to Capitol Hill this week to discuss the administration's Iran strategy with the House Armed Services Committee in a classified session, according to Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash).

Pentagon

SAUDI FALLOUT: “More than a dozen Saudi servicemen training at U.S. military installations will be expelled from the United States after a review that followed the deadly shooting last month at a Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida,” CNN reports.

“The Saudis are not accused of aiding the 21-year-old Saudi Air Force second lieutenant who killed three American sailors in the December shooting, two sources said, but some are said to have connections to extremist movements, according to a person familiar with the situation.

“A number are also accused of possessing child pornography, according to a defense official and the person familiar with the situation.”

Attorney General William Barr is providing an update today at 2 p.m.

Making Moves

Hunt VanderToll is now legislative director for Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.). He was Barr’s military legislative assistant.

Speed Read

— Pentagon IDs two soldiers killed in Afghanistan as paratroopers on first combat deployment: Stars & Stripes

— Rand Paul: Time to revisit Mideast war authorization: POLITICO

— France, Germany, U.K. urge Iran to fully comply with nuclear deal: POLITICO Europe

— Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren lays out her vision for the military if she is elected president: Task and Purpose

— N Korea: Trump’s birthday greet not enough to resume talks: AP

— Exclusive: Iran strike won't slow Trump's cuts to National Security Council: National Public Radio

— Ben Wallace interview: We can’t rely on U.S.: The Sunday Times

— Washington National Cathedral dedicates Bible for newly formed U.S. Space Force: The Washington Post

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