Publicly on a news report that President Trump asked him to collusion between the Trump Campaign and russia and also make remarks about the manchester bombing. This is just over two hours. [indiscernible conversation] that morning. Armed Services Committee meets this morning to receive testimony on worldwide threats. We are pleased to welcome our distinguished witnesses. Dan coats and Lieutenant General been stewart. Vin stuart. We will conclude this hearing at 11 30 in the interest at time and to ensure the members of the committee can ask their questions. I will be brief. I know that comes as a disappointment, especially to the senator from south carolina. I ask witnesses to please submit their written statements for the record if they can. It is not required but anyway. Last night the horrific attack in manchester was a gruesome reminder that the world is on fire. Everywhere we turn, we can see threats to the rulesbased order securityrpins global and prosperity. When it comes to the Great National security challenges we face, u. S. Policy and strategy are consistently lacking. Whether it is china, russia, iran, or radical islamist terrorism, i have heard few compelling answers about how the United States intends to use its alliances, traits, diplomacy, values that most of all its military to protect and defend our National Interest and the rolesbased order that protects him. Sequestration, still the law of the land. This is still a young administration. Toent strategy takes time build up at our adversaries are not waiting for us to get our act together. Time is of the essence. Senator reid. In keeping with this spirit, i will abbreviate my statement but i ask that the whole statement be made record. Thank you for holding me hearing. And thank those who are here today. Like to welcome back our former colleague, director coats. And general stewart, thank you for your continued strong leadership of the intelligence agency. Agencyional intelligence is organized around the socalled four plus one. Today, facing our nation russia, china, north korea, iran. Extremism, like what we witness last night in manchester, england. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them. Andre pursuing these issues i know you gentlemen are at the forefront in terms of our elligent efforts intelligence efforts and i appreciate what you do. The four plus one i touched on develop, thewe force we build, and what we plan against. However, we have a nearperfect record of predicting the nature of the threat we face. We always get it wrong. We rely heavily on our Intelligence Company to highlight emerging threats we have not yet identified. What hope you will share else we should Pay Attention to in the future in addition to the four plus one i outline. Committee the committee to consider nominations. For undersecretary of defense. Principal deputy, curie bring them be Principal Deputy under defense undersecretary of defense. Robert karen, undersecretary National Security affairs. For homeland security. Motion favorably report the six nominations. Settlement. Second. All in favor say aye. The eyes have it. Ayes have it. Whoome to general coats continues to serve with great honor. I thank you, director coats, given your advanced age we begin with you. [laughter] thank you mr. Chairman. You and i have an ongoing race over who is the more aged and experience. You win every time. [laughter] dir. Coats which is quite an accomplishment. I am pleased to be for you, chairman mccain and Ranking Member read and members of the committee. Im estimate when i walked through the door instinctively i made a right turn trying to find my seat up on the channel and said, oh yeah. That is right. I have to come down here. Senator mccain youre welcome any to take a trip down memory lane. Coats in manchester last evening, i had just returned days ago. N a couple i met with all of my Intelligence Community colleagues there. We spent a significant amount of time discussing threats to our theective homeland and tragic situations we see all too much of. Aroundng in countries the world, in particular our allies. And once again reminds us this threat is real. It is not going away. It needs significant attention to do everything we can to protect our people from these kinds of attacks. With Lieutenant General stewart to assess the country. Acing our he will give some opening comments as well. I will try to condense my remarks knowing this is an unclassified session so we will have plenty of time for your questions. We are here to describe in an unclassified way the complexity of the threat environment which is ever have an expanding and has challenged the icy to stay appreciate the support from this committee to address these threats in a way that will give the president , congress, and policymakers the best intelligence we can assemble. I will discuss some of the many challenges we face. The ics written statement discusses these and many others threats in greater detail. North korea is an threatingly grave because of its Nuclear Capabilities and kyim jongun. Testsess that all flight capability short of an icbm at this time. North korea updated its constitution to declare itself a Nuclear Power and its officials power as a basis kim survival, suggesting does not intend to negotiate them away. Provided that it maintain support from iran and russia. Continuation of the syrian conflict will worsen dangerous conditions for syrian in regional states. On april 4 the Syrian Regime used a nerve agent against the probablyn and what was the largest chemical attack by the regime since august 2013. Attack we haven observed five allegations of chlorine use. We assess syria is probably both willing and able to use chemical ins and future attacks future attacks. We are acquiring and analyzing all intelligence related to the question if russian officials had foreknowledge of the attack april. Cyber threats represent a critical National Security issue for the United States for 2 reasons. First, our adversaries are becoming more bold, capable, and topt at using Cyber Threats shape realworld outcomes. The number of adversaries grows as nationstates, terror groups, and criminal organizations develop Cyber Capabilities. Second, the potential impact is technologyby integration into our infrastructure and daily lives. We see this in the form of the ransomware attack. As this activity continues, the u. S. Government investigation is ongoing. Of worldwide threat terrorism is geographically diverse and multifaceted and poses a threat for the United States for our allies and partners who seek to counter it. Is experiencing territorial losses in iraq and syria, however we assess they will be an active Terror Threat to the United States given his Proven Ability to direct and inspire around against attacks the world. Isis has claimed responsibility attack in manchester, though they claim responsibility for every attack we have not yet verified a connection. They seek to foster interconnectedness between global bridges and networks, align their efforts to a strategy, and withstand efforts. We maintain isis has the intent and capability to direct, inspireinsist, and attacks. They remain primarily focused on local conflicts. Homegrown violent extremists remain the most frequent and unpredictable Terror Threat to the United States homeland. This will persist with many attacks happening with little or no warning. I would like to run through key areas of the middle east and iraq. Through 2017cus will be recapturing and and territorysul controlled by isis. Iraq will face serious challenges to its stability, political viability, political integrity, even as the threat from isis is reduced. Reconstruction will cost billions of dollars. Reconciliation will be an enduring challenge. Suggests is wants to preserve the joint comprehensive plan of action because it views the deal as a means to remove sanctions while preserving some Nuclear Capability. Agreementhe jpl has extended the time around would need to produce material for Nuclear Weapons from a few months to a year. In the meantime, tehran activities continue. Iran provides arms, financing, shia fightersor in syria to support the assad regime. Iran has sent hundreds of its ,wn forces, including the irgc to syria as advisors. The reelection on 19 may of president rouhani suggest the iranian populace also supports the jcoa. President rouhani criticized the ircg for attempting to sabotage the deal and for iran to not be under the evil shadow of war. Yemen fighting will continue. Achieveside is able to decisive results through military force. Al qaeda in the arabian peninsula, and isis branch in emen have excluded the conflict to expand their influence. Accesses the security situation in afghanistan will almost certainly deteriorate with a modesteven increase in military assistance by the United States and its partners. This is underpinned by financialns situation. Theirill struggle to curb dependence on outside support until a Peace Agreement with the taliban. We assess the taliban will make areas. N rural the security performance will worsen due to taliban operations, combat casualties, desertions, poor logistics. Upport, and weak leadership pakistan is concerned about International Isolation and sees its position through indias expanding outreach and deepening ties to the u. S. Turn to will likely china to offset its isolation, empowering a relationship that will allow beijing to project influence into the indian ocean. Bad will continue to plan and conduct attacks and india and afghanistan. Russia is likely to become more in global affairs, more unpredictable in its approach the United States, and more authoritarian and its approach to domestic politics. We assess that russia will look to leverage its military support to be a soft regime to drive a political settlement process in syria on rushers terms. Moscow is likely to use military intervention in syria to capitalize on fears of a growing isis and extremist threat and expand its role in the middle east. We have noticed and discussed insignificant detail, and may do so during this session, russias influence campaign and strategies to undermine Democratic Institutions and interfere with elections. I just returned from europe, in its election, germany with its pending election, england with its pending election, we are seeing duplications of what happened in our election. The russian strategy continues. A little bit about ukraine and russia. We assess moscows strategic objectives maintaining longterm influence over a key of and frustrating attempts to integrate into western institutions will remain unchanged in 2017. Andia exerts diplomatic military pressure to coerce ukraine into implementing interpretation of the mints to agreement, including constitutional agreements that would give moscow a veto over kievs decisions. I will finish with china. Activeill pursue an foreign policy, especially in the asiapacific region, highlighted by territorial claims in the East China Sea and. Outh china sea relations with taiwan and the pursuit of Economic Engagement over east asia. China would use a Strong Military has a critical element in advancing its interest and pursue efforts aimed at tofilling its ambition expand chinas influence of economic role across asia through infrastructure projects. Interest of time and to get to questions, i will defer and assessments on western hemisphere issues, which i trust will discuss during the question period. Forward, point going isyou are aware section 702 due to expire at the end of the year. I cannot stress enough the importance of this authority and ic does in how the its work. Section seven of two is important to protect our nation from terrorists and other threats. As i described, 702 is instrumental to so much of the ics work in protecting the American People from threats abroad. We are committed to working with you to make sure you understand how we use this authority and how we protect privacy and Civil Liberties in the process. Conclusion, the Intelligence Committee will continue its tireless work against these and other threats, but we will never be unmissioned. We have extensive information and places in the world and we have gaps in others. Byappreciate the support your committee and will work with you to make sure the Intelligence Community has the capabilities it needs for its mission needs. Needs to meet its many ignition needs. I will counter to general stewart for a brief remarks. Chairman mccain, Ranking Member reed, subcommittee members, thank you for this opportunity to appear with dni coats to provide an assessment of the threat to National Security. I concur with the director statement in its entirety. However, i like to reinforce for this committee and by extension the American People, your agencys view on five military threat facing the nation. We call these are no fill missions because risk is too high for us to fail in pursuing these missions. They include Nuclear Capable provocative north korea, a resurgent russia, modernizing china, ambitious Regional Power in iran and violent extremist organizations. The last category encompasses an ongoing operation in afghanistan, iraq, syria and elsewhere. The world is focused on events and for good reason. Since assuming power kim jongil and has done three Nuclear Tests and the regime has untested a number of ballistic missiles, of varying ranges over the past year. Although shortfalls are made, key milestones have been made and key systems and they continue to obtain valuable data from each test. Let me be very clear on this point. If left on its current trajectory, the regime will ultimately succeed in fielding a Nuclear Missile capable of putting the United States home. While impossible to predict when this capability will be operational, north korea regime is committed and is on a pathway where this capability is inevitable. Russia views terry power is critical to achieving its objectives. It devotes significant resources to modernization military program. It seeks to be the center of influence and what is described as a multipolar, post west world order. To support this worldview, moscow to use foreign policies by employing a full spectrum of coercion aimed at challenging us interests around the globe. China is in the third decade of the unprecedented military Modernization Program involving weapon systems, tactics and space cyber operations. And now stands firmly in the category as a competitor new bases are being built in the South China Sea and evidence suggests that these outposts will be used for military purposes. A key component of china strategy for regional contingency is planning for potential us intervention in a conflict in the region. It remains on a course for 350 shifts by the year 2020 and anti access denial capabilities continue to improve. Turn to the run, despite sanctions, iran is putting considerable resources into conventional military priorities such as ballistics and cruise missiles, enable systems, unmanned aerial, air Defense Systems that confront the us in our interest in the region. Iran military doctrine is designed to protect the run from the consequences of its assertive regional policy. This is spearheaded by the rainy and revolutionary guards could force in its Regional Park is the hezbollah and in. We should expect iran to continue to undermine the current Regional Security architecture using terrorist organizations and proxies to complicate us efforts region. Finally, we are making steady progress against trans regional terrorism but still have a long way to go. Isis has been greatly diminished in libya and will soon lose control of mosul. Weve killed many isis and Al Qaeda Leaders and numerous terrorist attacks have been averted. The lines are moving in the right direction for this fight will not end soon. The enemy remains highly adaptable and capable and instability and uncovered territory may give them opportunities to research. I am perfectly concerned about the longterm impact of returning foreign fighters and the potential for these groups to capitalize on the proliferation of armed, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to do harm to us in our allied interests. Mr. Chairman, the men and women of our providing unique intelligence around the world and around the clock to war fighters, policymakers and defense acquisition community. They are doing so on the battlefield in combatant commands headquarters, here on the banks of the potomac and in the capitals of the world to our defense services. Its been a privilege to serve for the last two and a half years and see the contribution to our country. I look fo