Overnight Defense: Lawmakers decry proposed Coast Guard cuts | NATO defense spending increases | Drones deploy to South Korea

THE TOPLINE: A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is urging appropriators to reject a reported proposal from President Trump to slash the Coast Guard’s budget.

“It’s nonsensical to pursue a policy of rebuilding the armed forces while proposing large reductions to the U.S. Coast Guard budget,” the lawmakers wrote Monday in a letter to the House Appropriations homeland security subcommittee’s leaders. “The U.S. Coast Guard has, for years, operated under the realities of severe budget limitations. Preserving and strengthening America’s security interests and protecting American jobs demand a fully funded U.S. Coast Guard.”

The letter was penned by Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and John Garamendi (D-Calif.), the leaders of the House Transportation subcommittee on the Coast Guard. It was co-signed by a bipartisan group of 56 lawmakers.

Trump is reportedly weighing about $1.3 billion in cuts to the Coast Guard, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. The money would reportedly be redirected to other parts of the department to help pay for more immigration officers, border agents and a wall along the southern border.

Read the rest here.

NATO ALLIES INCREASE DEFENSE SPENDING: Twenty-three members of NATO increased their defense spending in 2016, but only five countries met the alliance’s spending goal, according to an annual report released Monday.

“There has been progress,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday at a press conference. “But the job is far from done. We still do not have fair burden-sharing within our alliance.”

{mosads}President Trump has been highly critical of members’ spending, insisting that they “pay their fair share.”

During the presidential campaign, Trump questioned whether he would come to the defense of allies who did not meet their spending goals and repeatedly called the alliance “obsolete.”

Read more about Monday’s report here.

US DRONES HEAD TO SOUTH KOREA: The United States has begun deploying attack drones to South Korea as tensions with North Korea remain high over Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear program.

U.S. Forces Korea said Monday that the company of Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) will be permanently stationed at Kunsan Air Base, about 150 miles south of Seoul.

“The stationing of this company, which will be assigned to the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division, directly supports the U.S. Army’s strategic plan to add one Gray Eagle company to each division in the Army,” U.S. Forces Korea said in a press release.

“The UAS adds significant intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to U.S. Forces Korea and our [Republic of Korea] partners.”

Read more about the deployment here.

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW:

Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee at 10 a.m. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room G-50. http://bit.ly/2n9n9E9

Neller is testifying over the recent Marines’ nude photo scandal.

ICYMI:

— The Hill: Visa interviews halted for Afghans who helped US troops

— The Hill: Diplomats warn of Russia hysteria

— The Hill: Former Gitmo prisoner details U.S. interrogation tactics to ’60 Minutes’

— The New York Times: Trump administration is said to be working to loosen counterterrorism rules

— Associated Press: After 2 months, Mattis is only Trump pick at the Pentagon

— Military Times: Prosecuting Marines over nude photo scandal could be difficult

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