Overnight Defense: Trump orders Pentagon to help house immigrant families | Mattis says ‘space force’ needs legislation | VA pick gets hearing date

Happy Wednesday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Rebecca Kheel, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.

 

THE TOPLINE: The family separation controversy that has engulfed the Trump administration made it’s way to the Pentagon on Wednesday.

President Trump bowed to intense bipartisan pressure Wednesday and signed an executive order intended to end the practice of separating families who cross the border illegally.

The order, among other things, asks the Pentagon to provide facilities to house families.

“The secretary of Defense shall take all legally available measures to provide to the [Homeland Security] secretary, upon request, any existing facilities available for the housing and care of alien families, and shall construct such facilities if necessary and consistent with law,” the order says. “The [Homeland Security] secretary, to the extent permitted by law, shall be responsible for reimbursement for the use of these facilities.”

Moments before Trump signed the order, Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters the military would house immigrant children if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asks.

“We’ll see what they come in with,” Mattis said. “We support DHS, and right now this is their lead, and we’ll respond if requested.”

The issue: In April, the Trump administration announced a “zero tolerance” policy that refers all illegal border crossers for criminal prosecution. That resulted in a dramatic uptick in adults who were placed in custody to await legal proceedings, while their children were sent to separate juvenile facilities because they cannot be held in custody with their parents.

The administration said this week that more than 2,300 children were separated from their families at the border during a five-week period ranging from May 5 to June 9.

Background: In May, Department of Health and Human Services officials were set to visit four military bases to determine whether they are suitable to house minors separated from their families in anticipation of the zero tolerance policy leading to a bigger need for such housing.

Three of the bases were in Texas: Fort Bliss, a U.S. Army base near El Paso; Dyess Air Force Base, near Abilene; and Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo. Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas will also be reviewed.

Military bases have been used to house immigrant children before. In 2014, the Obama administration used bases to house unaccompanied minors amid a surge in children from Central America coming across the border.

 

SPACE FORCE SLOWDOWN: Mattis brought Space Force back down to earth Wednesday, acknowledging that, yes, Congress needs to approve the creation of a new military branch.

“This as you know is going to require legislation and a lot of detailed planning and we’ve not yet begun,” Mattis told reporters.

“We’ve clearly got to start the process,” Mattis added, noting that it is among the issues Pentagon leaders will bring up on Friday morning when they meet with national security advisor John Bolton.

Mattis’ comments come two days after Trump announced he was directing the Pentagon to create a separate branch of the military dedicated to space.

“I’m hereby directing the Department of Defense and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a space force as the sixth branch of the armed forces,” Trump said Monday. “We are going to have the Air Force, and we are going to have the Space Force, separate but equal.

Air Force memo: Mattis’ comments also come after an Air Force memo that similarly pumped the breaks on Trump’s plan.

“This work directed by the President will be a thorough, deliberate, and inclusive process,” according to the memo, signed by Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, Chief of Staff David Goldfein and Chief Master Sergeant Kaleth Wright and posted to an Air Force Facebook page.

“As such, we should not expect any immediate moves or changes. Our focus must remain on the mission as we continue to accelerate the space warfighting capabilities required to support the National Defense Strategy.”

Reminder: Last year, Wilson, Goldfein and Mattis all opposed a separate space branch when the issue came up in Congress. They argued it would be premature to create a new military branch while the Air Force is taking steps to improve its space operations. They also argued a new branch would create unneeded bureaucracy.

 

MATTIS ON NORTH KOREA: Reporters peppered Mattis with a slew of questions in his five-minute confab with them before he sat down with Germany’s defense minister.

On top of immigration and Space Force, reporters also got in a few North Korea questions.

On denuclearization: Mattis said he is “not aware” of any steps North Korea has taken yet to denuclearize following the historic summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“I’m not aware of it,” Mattis told reporters when asked if there are any military indications North Korea has done anything to denuclearize.

“Obviously, at the very front end of the process,” he continued. “The detailed negotiations have not begun. I wouldn’t expect that at this point.”

On future discussions: Mattis said he will travel to Beijing and Seoul next week.

“Usual close coordination, ongoing as we sort out the way ahead,” Mattis said. “Everything is going fine between us and Republic of Korea, specifically between the chairman [of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] and his counterpart, between myself and my counterpart.”

He also said a meeting with national security advisor John Bolton to discuss joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises will happen Friday at the Pentagon. The Defense Department announced Monday it was suspending planning for the August exercise in line with Trump’s announcement after the summit.

Asked about the suspension’s effect on military readiness, Mattis said, “we’ll sort it all out.”

“I need to sort it out before I start talking about it,” he said.

On Korean War remains: The Trump-Kim statement also committed to recovering the remains of U.S. service members killed in the Korean War. The Pentagon estimates there are about 7,700 unaccounted-for Americans who fought in the war, which is still technically ongoing because it ended with an armistice in 1953. Of that, about 5,300 are believed to be in North Korea.

Mattis said discussions about returning remains are “ongoing.”

“I don’t have any update for you,” he said. “I know that we’re engaged on it.”

 

VA HEARING: About a month after Trump first named a new Veteran Affairs secretary nominee, his pick is getting a hearing.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee announced Wednesday it will take up the nomination of Robert Wilkie on June 27.

Who is Wilkie: Wilkie is a Washington insider with years of administrative experience who has previously worked on Capitol Hill as well as in the Pentagon for two presidents.

Wilkie was serving as acting VA secretary until he stepped down after being nominated for secretary. He currently serves as under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness.

Wilkie’s chances: Wilkie isn’t expected to face a particularly contentious hearing, given he has not been surrounded by controversy.

But he will likely be asked to drill down on his definition of privatization. The previous secretary, David Shulkin, contends he was fired because he opposed Trump’s attempts at dramatically expanding veterans’ access to private-sector care.

In a potential boost for Wilkie’s chances, the committee’s ranking member Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), said last month he thinks Wilkie is a “strong choice” to lead the agency.

“Right now I certainly don’t have anything that would cause me not to support him. He’s a solid guy,” Tester said.

 

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW

The Center for a New American Security hosts its annual conference, including panels with lawmakers and Pentagon officials, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Washington Hilton. https://bit.ly/25MmZzD

The Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up the fiscal 2019 State Department appropriations bill at 10:30 a.m. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room 106. https://bit.ly/2ldEk4x

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominees to be ambassador to Zimbabwe, ambassador to the European Union, ambassador to Belgium and U.S. representative to the United Nations for U.N. management and reform at 2 p.m. at Dirksen 419. https://bit.ly/2MI9ei3

The House Intelligence Committee will hold a closed hearing on Defense Intelligence Agency roles and missions at 9 a.m. https://bit.ly/2tgdKfx

The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on military technology transfers with testimony from defense officials at 10 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2118. https://bit.ly/2K9JBrZ

A House Foreign Affairs Committee subpanel will hold a hearing on Russian and Chinese nuclear arsenals with testimony from outside experts at 2 p.m. at Rayburn 2172. https://bit.ly/2M7WDU4

A House Armed Services subcommittee will hold a hearing on preventing aviation mishaps with testimony from Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps officers at 3:30 p.m. at Rayburn 2118. https://bit.ly/2lnTtAe

 

ICYMI

— The Hill: Pentagon identifies sailor killed in Africa

— The Hill: Opinion: We can go fast in space before the ‘Space Force’

— Washington Post: Navy officers censured for bringing ’embarrassment’ on the service in ‘Fat Leonard’ scandal

— Miami Herald: Blue is the new orange as Guantánamo preps for new prisoners, maybe ISIS fighters

— CNN: Turkey to get F-35 jets Thursday despite opposition from Congress