Overnight Defense: Trump hails liberation of Mosul | Defense bill amendments target Trump business interests, Russian cyber cooperation

by Rebecca Kheel - 07/10/17 5:30 PM ET

THE TOPLINE: After a grueling nine-month campaign, the U.S.-led coalition and Iraq’s prime minister declared victory Monday over the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Mosul.

“I announce from here the end and the failure and the collapse of the terrorist state of falsehood and terrorism which the terrorist Daesh announced from Mosul,” Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a speech on state television, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.

Al-Abadi traveled to Mosul on Sunday to celebrate the defeat of ISIS, but stopped short of declaring victory until Monday. Skirmishes between government forces and ISIS continued in the area during Sunday’s visit.

The loss of Mosul is major to blow to ISIS. It effectively ends the Iraqi portion of its so-called caliphate, though the group still holds some pockets of land in the country.

Read more here.

TRUMP HAILS ‘LIBERATION’: President Trump late Monday also hailed the “liberation of Mosul” in a statement and congratulated the Iraqis “for their victory over terrorists who are the enemies of all civilized people.”

“We mourn the thousands of Iraqis brutally killed by ISIS and the millions of Iraqis who suffered at the hands of ISIS. We grieve with the Iraqi people for the loss of the heroic soldiers and Peshmerga who gave their lives to restore life to their country, and we honor their sacrifice,” the president added. “We in the United States and the Global Coalition are proud to stand with the Iraqi Security Forces and all those who made this moment of liberation possible.”

Trump said that ISIS’s days were “numbered” and vowed to press ahead with the group’s “total destruction.”

DEFENSE BILL AMENDMENTS FLOOD IN: Amendments to the annual defense policy bill were due to the House Rules Committee by Friday, but latecomers were still trickling in Monday.

As The Hill sorted through the 400-plus amendments, some common themes popped out.

The Hill’s Ellen Mitchell reports on amendments targeting President Trump’s business interests:

Several amendments to the House’s annual defense policy bill aim to curb President Trump and his family members from potentially using their new political clout for business profits.

An amendment to the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) from Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) would require that no Defense Department funds “be used to conduct business, including the purchase of hotel rooms or conference space, with any entity owned by or significantly controlled by the President or a member of the President’s immediate family.”

The language also includes any entities held in a trust.

Trump’s properties — in particular, Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. — have been a source of controversy. Trump last month held a reelection fundraiser at the hotel, drawing criticism from Democrats.

There have also been questions about whether foreign officials and dignitaries could patronize the hotel to gain favor with the administration.

CYBER AMENDMENTS: There are also a couple amendments on Trump’s efforts at a cyber partnership with Russia.

Via The Hill’s Joe Uchill:

Two Democratic lawmakers in the House have introduced amendments to the NDAA hammering President Trump’s posture toward Russia.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) introduced an amendment blocking funding to any new joint cybersecurity effort with Russia, such as the one the president is said to have agreed to with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Officials from both the United States and Russia in the room when Trump and Putin met Friday both said that leaders agreed to some form of bilateral cybersecurity unit.

Trump late Sunday backtracked on those plans, saying the didn’t think the cyber unit would happen.

More about those amendments here.

More about Trump’s cyber talk here.

IMMIGRANT AMENDMENTS: Several amendments to NDAA focus on a Pentagon program that allows immigrants with in-demand skills to enlist in exchange for expedited citizenship.

The amendments come as the Pentagon is reportedly considering halting the program, known as the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program, and canceling the enlistment contracts for more than 1,000 recruits, putting many of them at risk of deportation.

Several Democratic amendments to the NDAA seek to stop the Pentagon from doing that. Meanwhile, a couple of Republican amendments seek to tighten the program.

The MAVNI program was started in 2009 to recruit legal noncitizens with urgently needed medical and language skills. In exchange for enlisting, they were promised expedited citizenship.

And if you missed any of our other write-ups on amendments:

— Lawmakers offer defense bill amendments to lift base closure ban

— Defense bill amendments seek to curb support for Saudis

— GOP chairman proposes new sanctions on Russia for violating arms treaty

— Lawmakers propose halting F-35 sale, visas after Turkish embassy fight

— GOP lawmaker seeks to ban Pentagon funding for gender transition

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW:

The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Richard Spencer, nominee for Navy secretary, at 9:30 a.m. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room G-50. http://bit.ly/2uSHdub

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will mark up legislation at 2:30 p.m. at the Russell Senate Office Building, room 418. http://bit.ly/2tQC7S3

The House Rules Committee will consider the rule for general debate of the National Defense Authorization Act at 5 p.m. at The Capitol, House room 313. http://bit.ly/2u0quZQ

ICYMI:

— The Hill: Pentagon predicts F-35 program costs to jump by $27 billion: report

— The Hill: China-Russia alignment on North Korea raises eyebrows

— The Hill: Trump officials signal intent to begin refilling Guantanamo

— The Hill: Syria cease-fire a ‘first step,’ State Department says

— Mercer Island High School Islander: Full transcript: Defense Secretary James Mattis interview

— Washington Post: Pentagon moves to shut foreign firms out of its supply chain

— Associated Press: UN envoy says Syria cease-fire generally holding

Please send tips and comments to Rebecca Kheel, rkheel@digital-staging.thehill.com, and Ellen Mitchell, emitchell@digital-staging.thehill.com