Overnight Defense: North Korea open to talks on giving up nukes | Trump, lawmakers cautious to overture | General sought hostile fire pay for Niger troops

View in your browser     THE TOPLINE: The Trump administration and lawmakers reacted cautiously Tuesday to North Korea's apparent willingness to put its nuclear program on the table in talks with the United States. While Pyongyang's statement, as conveyed by South Korea, appears to be a positive development, officials noted that North Korea has in the past made such offers only to renege once it receives concessions such as sanctions relief. "Hope springs eternal, but we need to learn a lot more relative to these talks, and we will," Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Tuesday. "Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it, but as I said, hope springs eternal."   President Trump himself appeared to strike a cautiously optimistic tone. "We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea," Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.  "It would be a great thing for the world, it would be a great thing for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula. But we'll see what happens," the president added.  Less than two months ago, Trump blustered that his nuclear button was "much bigger" than North Korea's, and in August he warned that North Korean threats to the United States could lead to "fire and fury" like the world has never seen. The Hill's Rebecca Kheel has more here.   Here's more news on North Korea: -- South Korea, North Korea to hold summit talks next month: Seoul -- North Korea vows to stop nuclear missile tests if US holds talks: South Korea -- North Korea praises 'openhearted talk' with South -- Trump: North Korea breakthrough 'would be a great thing for the world'     TOP GENERAL: MILITARY REQUESTED HOSTILE FIRE PAY FOR TROOPS 'MONTHS AGO': The general in charge of U.S. military operations in Africa said on Tuesday that he asked for troops serving in Niger to receive extra pay for being subjected to hostile fire "months ago," and that the decision now rests with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). "We submitted that with Niger and other countries in the area where it is dangerous several months ago to [the Office of the Secretary of Defense]," Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commander of U.S. Africa Command, told the House Armed Services Committee. "My understanding is it is at OMB for reconciliation. But we have made that request a while back." The issue of so-called Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) for troops serving on the ground in Niger was raised after four U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush there in October. Africa Command has wrapped up its investigation into the ambush, and the results are now being reviewed by Defense Secretary James Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On Tuesday, Waldhauser declined to discuss the investigation, saying the families of soldiers killed need to be briefed before he will discuss it publicly. Read the rest here.   MORE... DEADLY US MISSION IN NIGER WASN'T APPROVED: The fatal Niger mission was not approved by senior command, a military investigation found. The four members of a U.S. Army Special Forces team set out after Doundou Chefou, an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria militant suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of a U.S. aid worker, but did not inform their commanders, according to The Associated Press.  The soldiers were killed in a remote area more than 120 miles north of Niger's capital city in October. Nearly 100 Islamic State soldiers ambushed the Americans as they were leaving an area during the search for Chefou. Two other American soldiers and eight Nigerien troops were wounded in the violent gun battle, which was partially recorded on one soldier's helmet camera.  Read more on that here.   ON TAP FOR TOMORROW: The House Armed Services Committee will hear from defense officials on military service acquisition reform at 10 a.m. in Rayburn House Office Building, room 2118.  Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson will speak before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee on the fiscal 2019 budget for the services at 10 a.m. in the House side of the Capitol Building, room H-140. The Senate Budget Committee will hear from Pentagon Comptroller David Norquist and Defense Department (DOD) Chief Management Officer John Gibson on DOD audit and business operations reform at 10:30 a.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room 608. A House Armed Services subpanel will hold a hearing on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program. They will hear from top officials overseeing the program at 2 p.m. in Rayburn 2212. A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee will hear from outside experts on China's influence in Africa at 2 p.m. in Rayburn 2172. Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and John Rood, under secretary of Defense for policy, will speak before a House Armed Services subcommittee on U.S. strategic forces posture and the fiscal 2019 budget request at 3:30 p.m. in Rayburn 2118.   ICYMI: -- The Hill: Senate panel approves Trump's NSA nominee -- The Hill: Opinion: Putin's nuclear ambitions raise serious proliferation questions -- Defense News: Republicans jeopardizing Pentagon budget boost, lawmaker says -- Reuters: Pentagon: U.S. Army says it mishandled war dogs will comply with call for reform     Join The Hill on Wednesday, March 21, for Leadership in Action: The Hill's Newsmaker Series featuring Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), and Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.). RSVP Here     Please send tips and comments to Rebecca Kheel, rkheel@thehill.com, and Ellen Mitchell, emitchell@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @thehill, @Rebecca_H_K, @EllenMitchell23         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for Defense Newsletters     Forward Defense Newsletters       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.