HASC Chairman Adam Smith issued a letter formally denying the request: “DoD is attempting to circumvent Congress and the American people’s opposition to using taxpayer money for the construction of an unnecessary wall, and the military is paying the cost.”

The day before Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahn appears before the HASC, Chairman Smith hammers White House Space Force.

The Air Force wants more planes – and believes it has found a way to get them.

Acting Defense Secretary Shanahan took it on the chin from a series of lawmakers Thursday, leaving the Capitol with a direct order to produce border wall details by the end of the day.

“We need to have a secretary of defense; we’ve always had one, so I anticipate we will,” Inhofe told the Defense Writers Group, directly contradicting Trump’s predilection for acting officials. “I think he’s going to nominate someone.”