Full Marco Rubio press conference: Trump official talks Pope Leo meeting in White House briefing

0:01 [laughter]

0:04 Okay.

0:05 Hello.

0:07 Thank you guys for having me today.

0:08 I'll I'll be filling in for Caroline today, obviously.

0:11 So, I I'll have a brief remarks here and then we'll get to your questions.

0:16 Um as you know, over the weekend the president announced this project freedom.

0:21 And the goal of it is to frankly, we want to talk about it,

0:23 it's to rescue like almost 23,000 civilians

0:26 from 87 different countries that are trapped in inside

0:29 of the of the Gulf and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by this Iranian regime.

0:36 You know, for more than 2 months

0:37 now these innocent sailors and commercial crew members

0:39 have been stranded out at sea because

0:42 Iran is conducting something that's not just criminal.

0:44 It's criminal for sure,

0:45 but it's desperate and destructive this blockade of the Straits of Hormuz.

0:49 Nations from around the world, the overwhelming majority of whom are

0:51 not even engaged in any military hostilities,

0:54 are now at risk not just of losing their cargo

0:58 but the lives of their own citizens because of this blockade.

1:02 These ships, you know, you don't leave a ship out there for this long.

1:04 You start running out of food, you start running out of potable water,

1:07 essential supplies, and they're at the mercy of this piracy.

1:10 It would it is, it's piracy.

1:12 And and not only that, but some of them have seen, you know,

1:16 been open fire on and rained down

1:18 senseless attacks on on several civilian ships already.

1:21 So, frankly, the way to put it, these are innocent bystanders.

1:24 These are countries that and and ships and so forth

1:27 that have nothing to do with any of this and nonetheless

1:29 are being caught in the middle of it and being

1:30 held hostage merely because Iran could do that just

1:33 because of just as the regime brutally slaughtered tens

1:37 of thousands of their own citizens for the for the crime

1:40 of peaceful protest cuz they're unhappy with the quality of life

1:43 or the lack of quality of life in Iran today.

1:46 And so, they're sitting ducks.

1:47 They're isolated, they're starving,

1:48 they're vulnerable and and at least 10 sailors have

1:51 already died as a result of the civilian sailors.

1:54 So, already many nations privately and some publicly have

1:57 asked the United States to to help free their ships

1:59 and to restore freedom of navigation in the Straits

2:01 of Hormuz in this critical artery of global trade.

2:04 And so, President Trump, as he always does,

2:06 stepped up and answered the calls for their help and he's

2:09 directed the United States military to guide these stranded ships to safety,

2:13 to provide a protective bubble under which they can operate and move

2:16 product and get themselves out of there and out of harm's way.

2:20 And this is the first step towards reopening the Strait

2:22 and bringing this regime's last-ditch act of economic arson,

2:27 bringing that to a close.

2:28 Only we're doing it not only because we were asked,

2:31 but because we're the only ones who can.

2:32 We only we have the power to sort of take the steps that we've taken now.

2:36 Under this president, under President Trump,

2:38 the United States will help our friends.

2:41 We're going to stand up to rogue regimes like

2:43 the one in in Tehran and we're going to be unashamed

2:46 to use our power and our abilities to project military

2:49 power in the service of our national interest above all else.

2:53 Now, what's really important for you to report and for everyone

2:55 to understand is this is not an offensive operation.

2:58 This is a defensive operation.

2:59 And what that means is very simple.

3:01 There's no shooting unless we're shot at first.

3:04 Okay, we're not attacking them.

3:05 We're not but if they're attacking us or they're attacking a ship,

3:08 you need to respond to that.

3:10 You're not going to let some fast boat come up on the ship and shoot it up.

3:13 We're going to respond to it and we've been successful at it.

3:15 I don't know what the exact number is,

3:16 but I know a number of those fast boats have now been targeted

3:19 and will continue to be if they pose a threat to our forces.

3:22 We'll shoot down drones, we'll shoot down missiles,

3:24 but it's defensive in nature.

3:25 This is defensive.

3:27 So, if you hear stories about attacks and launching of of firing back and forth,

3:30 it's not back and forth.

3:32 We are only responding if attacked first.

3:34 This is a defensive operation and that's what's occurring here.

3:37 Just about the importance of the Straits for a moment.

3:39 This is approximately a quarter of the world's oil trade along with significant

3:43 volumes of fuel and fertilizer that that operate through the Straits of Hormuz.

3:47 The The Iranian regime cannot be allowed

3:49 to dictate who uses this vital waterway.

3:52 I don't think this is also being reported enough.

3:54 Maybe you are reporting, I don't read everyone.

3:56 I don't many damn outlets here.

3:57 I don't know who you all are, but I mean I know who some of [laughter]

4:02 But but I will say this about it.

4:04 Have you ever noticed this is an international waterway?

4:06 Okay, this is an international waterway.

4:08 And international law is very clear and I love it cuz everybody always

4:11 talks about international law on this international law on this is very clear.

4:14 International waterways, no country can control them.

4:17 There is no international law that allows you to say

4:19 I'm going to put mines in an international body

4:21 of water and I'm going to blow up ships

4:23 that don't listen to us and try to go through.

4:25 That's what Iran is doing.

4:27 This is a criminal act and someone needs to do something about it.

4:30 Something needs to be done.

4:31 It's completely illegal, completely illegitimate, and completely unacceptable.

4:35 And that's why the United States military is guiding

4:37 stranded commercial ships safely through the Strait and is working

4:40 to restore freedom of navigation and putting an end

4:43 to these efforts to globe to hold the global economy hostage.

4:46 So far, as a proof of concept and as a proof of function,

4:50 two US flag merchant ships have successfully transferred the Strait of Hormuz

4:53 in the first stages of this project and they're now safely on their way.

4:58 The US military is deploying the necessary

5:00 extend this defensive umbrella over commercial shipping.

5:04 But there should be no mistake.

5:06 And as I said this already, this is a defensive operation.

5:08 I want to reiterate that point.

5:10 This is important to understand.

5:11 If no shots are fired at these ships and no shots are fired at us,

5:15 we're not firing shots.

5:16 But if we're fired on, we will

5:17 respond and we will respond with lethal efficiency.

5:20 The assets supporting this project,

5:22 by the way, include guided missile destroyers,

5:24 over a hundred land and sea-based aircraft, These forces have already destroyed,

5:35 as I told you earlier, I thought it was six,

5:37 it's seven Iranian fast boats that failed to heed our warnings.

5:41 And by fast boats, we're talking about, you know,

5:42 some of these things look like Boston Whalers.

5:44 Okay, so these are not like Navy ships, but nonetheless,

5:47 they come fast at these boats, try to swarm them, try to harm them.

5:49 We're not going to let that happen.

5:50 So, seven of them now sit at the bottom of the sea along with, by the way,

5:54 the rest of Iran's Navy.

5:55 That's where you can find their Navy today.

5:57 And we're going to continue to systematically clear

5:59 this passageway through the Straits to restore freedom of navigation.

6:03 Now, while this project steadily progresses,

6:06 Operation Epic Fury, Economic Fury, I'm sorry,

6:09 continues to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian

6:12 regime and what remains of their already frail economy.

6:16 Today, inflation in Iran is 70%

6:20 and their currency is in total and complete freefall.

6:22 US sanctions enforcement is stepping up.

6:24 It's moving in lockstep with the naval

6:26 blockade to degrade Iran's capacity to generate,

6:30 to move, and repatriate revenue.

6:32 It directly targets the regime's primary revenue life lifelines.

6:36 The blockade alone is costing Iran as much

6:39 as 500 million dollars a day in lost revenue.

6:43 90% of total Iranian trade has been halted causing permanent damage

6:47 to Iran's oil infrastructure as well as our force to shut in.

6:51 Again, all of this is in response to their piracy.

6:54 Okay, it cannot be that you have these Straits and they blow up any

6:57 ship that moves and the only ships that get to go through were theirs.

7:00 You can't have a situation in which the Straits are closed to everyone else,

7:03 but they benefit from the piracy.

7:04 That can't happen.

7:05 That's why the blockade is in place

7:07 and that's why these sanctions are crippling them.

7:09 Any foreign financial and by the way,

7:11 Treasury is now identifying and cutting off every

7:14 dollar of revenue that's flowing to this regime.

7:16 And so, look, any foreign financial institution

7:18 or commercial actor that enables Iran's sanctions evasion is

7:22 going to face secondary sanctions exposure and a loss

7:25 of access to the US financial system.

7:28 As President Trump has said and the facts clearly bear out,

7:31 the United States of America holds all the cards.

7:34 There is no scenario here in which if

7:36 they decide to join a ladder of escalation, they wind up getting the last say.

7:40 But our preference is for these Straits to be

7:43 opened to the way they're supposed to be open, back to the way it was.

7:46 Anyone can use it, no mines in the water, nobody paying tolls.

7:50 That's what we have to get back to and that's the goal here.

7:53 Every day the conflict continues, however,

7:54 our leverage on Iran will continue to increase

7:57 and their position will continue to weaken,

7:59 especially as the blockade really begins

8:01 to bite in conjunction with the sanctions.

8:03 So, look, the time's come for Iran to make a sensible choice.

8:06 And it's not easy for them to do that, obviously,

8:08 because they have a fracture in their own

8:09 leadership system and apart from that, I mean,

8:12 the top people in that government are to say the least,

8:15 um you know, um they're insane in the brain.

8:19 And so, we need to address that and it's difficult

8:22 because it's hard to get past that in their system.

8:24 But it's important for them to make a sensible

8:26 choice and the one that's right for their people.

8:27 The president, our president,

8:29 has proven time and again that his preference is peace.

8:32 But Iran must accept the reality of the situation and come

8:35 to the negotiation table and accept terms that are good for them,

8:38 but ultimately good for the world.

8:39 The diplomatic path,

8:40 if there's a real diplomatic path I'm not always going to be one,

8:43 but if there's a real diplomatic path and we continue to explore it.

8:46 Stephen and Jared are working on that very hard.

8:48 If there is one there, it could be one that leads them to reconstruction,

8:51 to prosperity, and to stability and to not posing a threat to the world.

8:56 The alternative is growing isolation,

8:58 economic collapse, and ultimately total defeat.

9:01 I know what the right choice is for Iran.

9:03 I hope that the people over there making decisions will make the right one.

9:06 The last point I would make,

9:07 and it really is important for them to understand this, is

9:09 they really shouldn't test the will of the United States,

9:12 at least not under President Donald Trump.

9:14 He has proven time and again that he will back up what he says.

9:17 And if they test him, ultimately, they will lose.

9:20 The hard way, the easy way, the long way, the short way, they will lose.

9:23 And with that, um it's time for your questions.

9:26 So Catherine, I want to start with you first.

9:29 Hi, Catherine Harris, Iranian Independent Journalist.

9:31 Secretary Rubio, have you seen any recent indications that Iran is

9:35 willing to give up its nuclear weapons program that is credible,

9:39 verifiable, and that would lead to an immediate de-escalation?

9:43 Well, look, um this is a long-standing problem for them, right?

9:47 I mean, they have wanted they they have

9:48 always said they don't want a nuclear weapon.

9:50 That's because they've always said that, they just don't mean it.

9:52 And why do you say, well, how do you know they don't mean it?

9:54 Well, we don't mean it cuz they do

9:55 all they're doing all the things and historically

9:57 have tried to do all the things that you

9:58 do if you want a nuclear weapons program.

10:00 For example, they innovate and try to innovate long-range delivery missiles

10:04 that now in some cases are capable of reaching much of Europe.

10:08 They enrich they they build these large

10:10 underground centrifuges to for enrichment activity.

10:13 There are many There are countries in the world

10:15 that are involved in the enrichment business,

10:16 but these guys do it in mountains and in caves and in hiding.

10:19 They They've always had secret components

10:21 of their nuclear program undisclosed to the world.

10:24 And we know for fact that they retain highly enriched uranium at 60%

10:28 that they that they did so and that has no civilian use.

10:31 None.

10:32 Zero whatsoever.

10:33 So, they have an opportunity here to agree

10:35 to something that will make it clear that they're

10:37 that they're not interested in a new One thing

10:38 is to say we don't want a nuclear weapon.

10:40 Another thing is to do the things that prove you don't want a nuclear weapon.

10:43 By the way, if what Iran wants is

10:45 a civilian nuclear program for power plants and stuff

10:47 like that, there are a lot of countries

10:49 in the world that have that and they don't enrich.

10:51 They They import They They import the enriched material, you know.

10:55 They could have that if that's what they wanted,

10:56 but they're not acting like that's what they wanted.

10:58 They're acting like they want a military, you know, nuclear program.

11:01 That's unacceptable.

11:03 So, that's the process we're engaged in now

11:05 to create that's the the object of this diplomacy is

11:08 to come up with some level of understanding about

11:10 what are the topics that they've agreed to negotiate on.

11:13 We don't have to have the actual agreement written out on one day.

11:15 This is highly complex and highly technical.

11:17 But we have to have a diplomatic solution that is

11:19 very clear about the topics that they are willing to negotiate

11:23 on and the extent and the concession that they're willing to make

11:25 at the front end in order to make those talks worthwhile.

11:28 That's what Steven Jared and the whole team is working

11:30 on and I hope to have good news on it.

11:31 That's the outcome we would prefer.

11:34 That's the outcome we would have preferred a year ago.

11:36 That's the outcome I think most of us would have preferred a long time ago.

11:39 But that's not the option they've given us given their activity.

11:42 All right, can I There's no way I can figure out who to call on.

11:44 I'm just going to like press right in the middle right there.

11:46 You right there.

11:47 Yeah.

11:47 Yeah.

11:48 Right in the back row.

11:49 Thank you Thank you, Mr.

11:50 President.

11:50 I'll I'll go to you next.

11:51 I can't [clears throat] get everyone else.

11:53 All right, go ahead.

11:53 Thank Thank you, Secretary Pompeo.

11:55 Going right.

11:55 Welcome to the White House.

11:57 What's that?

11:58 to me, sir?

11:59 Yeah, to you.

11:59 Yes, sir.

11:59 Thank you.

12:00 I have two questions on two separate issues that come up.

12:03 get two questions for these?

12:04 That's actually one.

12:05 There's a lot of people in here, man.

12:06 They all fall under your umbrella.

12:08 All right.

12:08 Well, you answer you can ask me two questions.

12:10 I'll give you one answer.

12:11 Go ahead.

12:11 Thank you very [laughter] much.

12:12 I appreciate And I'll pick the one I like better.

12:13 Thank you, Mr.

12:14 Secretary.

12:15 The first has to do with the blockade.

12:17 There are lawmakers from both parties who claim the blockade is an act of war.

12:22 What do you say to that?

12:23 And my second question has to do with the fuel embargo of Cuba.

12:29 How long, Mr.

12:30 Secretary, will that last?

12:31 Okay, two things.

12:32 All right, good.

12:32 I'll answer both your questions cuz I like the second one, too.

12:34 [laughter] The first one on the blockade and so Why do we have a blockade?

12:37 We have a blockade because they shut down the straits.

12:40 So, I don't know which members of Congress you're

12:42 talking to, but here's what I would ask them.

12:43 I would ask everybody here.

12:44 It's very simple.

12:46 These guys have shut down the Straits of Hormuz.

12:47 This is what Iran is saying, "We will shut down the straits.

12:50 No one can go through.

12:51 No country in the world can go through unless we allow

12:53 you to go through and you have to pay I guess.

12:56 But our ships can go through, meaning the Iranian ships, as much as they want.

12:59 That's crazy.

12:59 Who would agree to that?

13:01 So, how are we going to have a situation

13:02 where they get to close the straits to everybody

13:04 and the only people who are allowed to go

13:05 through there 100% without paying anything are the Iranians?

13:09 If you do that, they'll keep the straits closed forever.

13:11 They're trying to make this some new normal.

13:13 Okay, under no circumstances can we ever allow them to normalize the fact

13:17 that they get to blow up commercial ships and put mines in the water.

13:20 So, the response to that is we're going to blockade your ships.

13:23 If everyone's ships are not getting out, your ships are not getting out, either.

13:26 That's not an act of war.

13:27 That's a defensive measure.

13:28 It's a counter to what they have decided to do.

13:31 You know what is an act of war?

13:32 Putting mines in the water.

13:34 Why don't the members of Congress,

13:35 whoever it is is complaining about it, they should be all over that.

13:38 These guys put mines in the water.

13:39 That alone You mining in the water is illegal,

13:42 period, under any circumstances and they've done it.

13:45 What's This is crazy stuff, but this is what they've done.

13:47 On Cuba, oil blockade on Cuba There's no oil blockade on Cuba per se.

13:52 Here's what's happening with Cuba, okay?

13:54 Cuba used to get free oil from Venezuela.

13:56 Used to give them a bunch of free oil.

13:58 They would take like 60% of that oil and resell it for cash.

14:01 It wouldn't even go to benefit the people.

14:03 So, the only blockade that's happened is the Cubans have decided I mean,

14:06 the Venezuelans have decided we're not giving you free oil anymore.

14:09 And you can only imagine nowadays, the way oil prices are,

14:11 no one's giving away free oil, much less to a failed regime.

14:15 So, the problem with Cuba is is worse, okay?

14:17 Their economic model doesn't work.

14:20 Doesn't work.

14:21 And the people who are in charge can't fix it.

14:23 And the reason that they can't fix it is not just cuz they're communists.

14:25 That's bad enough.

14:26 But they're incompetent communists.

14:28 The The only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent one.

14:31 And that's what So, an incompetent communist run that country.

14:33 They don't know how to fix it.

14:34 They really don't.

14:35 And we have 90 mi from our shores a failed state

14:37 that also happens to be friendly territory for some of our adversaries.

14:41 So, it's an unacceptable status quo and we'll be addressing it, but not today.

14:44 Okay.

14:45 Uh All right, let's go to the front right there.

14:49 Yeah.

14:49 You are going to the Vatican to meet with the Pope.

14:51 Is this an attempt to smooth things over with the Pope

14:55 given the rhetoric between President Trump and the Pope?

14:58 No, I mean, it's a trip we had planned from before

15:00 and obviously we had some stuff that happened and No,

15:02 look, there's a lot to talk about with the Vatican.

15:04 I'll give you one example.

15:05 The Pope just returned from a trip

15:06 to Africa where the church is growing very vibrantly.

15:09 And we have shared concerns about religious freedom,

15:11 religious freedom in different parts of the world.

15:14 We'd love to talk to them about that.

15:16 The topic of Cuba, you know, we gave Cuba $6 of humanitarian aid,

15:20 but obviously they won't let us distribute it.

15:22 We distributed it through the church.

15:23 We'd like to do more.

15:25 Uh We're willing to give more humanitarian aid to Cuba, by the way,

15:28 distributed through the church, but the Cuban regime has to allow us to do it.

15:31 They won't allow us to give their own people more humanitarian aid.

15:34 And we're willing to do it through the church.

15:35 So, there's a lot to talk about.

15:37 And the President recently said that the Pope is endangering a lot

15:40 of Catholics as a result of his rhetoric around the Iran war.

15:44 Is that a fair to me to

15:45 Well, I don't think that's an accurate description of what he said.

15:47 I think what the President basically said is

15:48 that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon because they

15:50 would use it against places that have a lot

15:52 of Catholics and Christians and others for that matter.

15:54 It goes back to the central point.

15:55 I think the President, without trying to speak for him,

15:57 but I think I can characterize it this way.

16:00 He doesn't understand why anybody, leave aside the Pope,

16:03 the President and I, for that matter,

16:05 I think most people I cannot understand why anyone would think

16:08 that it's a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon.

16:10 Look what they're doing with the straits right now.

16:12 They're holding the whole world hostage.

16:14 They have these sailors, you know,

16:15 on commercial ships that are going to starve to death out there.

16:18 They don't care.

16:19 They don't care that this is melting down the economies around the world,

16:22 even of their own allies.

16:26 This is what they're doing with the They

16:28 would hold the world hostage with that nuclear weapon.

16:30 That's what they would do.

16:31 They would do exactly to the world with a nuclear

16:33 weapon what they're doing now with the straits.

16:34 And I think the President's point is how anyone cannot see

16:37 that as an unacceptable outcome and an unacceptable risk is beyond him.

16:41 It's puzzling.

16:42 And someone has to do something about it.

16:44 The difference between this President and like

16:46 the six presidents that preceded him were

16:48 that he's the only one that's actually been willing to do something about it.

16:50 Everyone says Iran can't have a nuclear weapon,

16:52 but you got to do something about it at some point.

16:54 And he's been willing to address that threat.

16:56 And that's what he promised he would do when he got elected,

16:58 by the way, is address threats like this.

17:02 Yeah, you you I don't I wish I knew your name, guys.

17:04 I apologize.

17:05 Can you put name tags on?

17:08 [laughter] Thank you so much, Mr.

17:08 Secretary.

17:09 Who are you with?

17:10 Who are you I'm with Rudaw Media Network.

17:12 Okay.

17:14 Mr.

17:14 Secretary, the President has said multiple times that weapons were provided

17:18 to the Kurdish group is to pass on the Iranian people.

17:20 However, Kurdish political parties and the regional

17:22 government says they haven't received such weapons.

17:25 Even some claim these weapons remain in the US base in the region.

17:29 Can you clarify who those weapons were given to and whether you

17:33 intend to retrieve them or still want to pass to the Iranian people?

17:37 Yeah, look, ultimately I what the President is expressing and I

17:39 think has repeatedly is he wished the Iranian people had,

17:42 you know, Look, he's heartbroken by these images.

17:44 You think about it.

17:45 You're an Iranian, okay?

17:46 You're unhappy that your economy doesn't work for you.

17:49 You don't have freedom.

17:50 You don't have an opportunity to express yourself.

17:52 You know, you've got friends that have been

17:53 shot in the head because they're out protesting.

17:56 And he just it's heartbreaking to him to see

17:58 that these people are abused in this way

17:59 and have no measures to take against their own government as a result of it.

18:02 By the way, this goes back if you guys remember

18:04 the protest in 2009 where they slaughtered people in the street.

18:08 This is a vicious regime, guys.

18:10 Okay?

18:10 These are people that hang people from cranes

18:12 in the town square so everyone can see.

18:14 They They continue these executions of people and have done continue

18:18 to do so for for for over a decade and a half now.

18:20 And so, I think what the President is

18:21 expressing is the desire that he wishes the Iranian

18:25 people had an ability to fight back against

18:27 some of these things that are happening to them.

18:29 And I would view that as distinct

18:30 and separate from the specifics of this operation

18:33 that was ongoing before it concluded and certainly

18:36 different from the operation that's going on now.

18:40 Right there in the Right there in the blue.

18:43 No, no, no.

18:43 Regarding Colombia, Mr.

18:44 Secretary, I'm behind you.

18:45 Not Colombia.

18:46 Right there.

18:46 Yes, ma'am.

18:47 Mr.

18:47 Secretary, thank you so much.

18:48 On Lebanon, are we in a ceasefire or less fire?

18:52 And the second question,

18:54 do you think you would be able to achieve a an agreement

18:58 between Lebanon and Israel without risking a civil war in Lebanon?

19:02 What are you doing to risk What What are you doing to No, I got it.

19:06 I got the just of your question.

19:07 So, look, here's the the challenge with Lebanon, okay?

19:10 There's no problem between the Lebanese government and the Israeli government.

19:12 Israel doesn't claim any land in Lebanon belongs to them.

19:15 And by and large, I think a peace deal

19:17 between Lebanon and Israel is eminently achievable and should be.

19:21 The problem with Israel and Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon.

19:23 It's Hezbollah.

19:25 Hezbollah operates from inside of Lebanese territory.

19:27 They terrorize and attack Israelis,

19:30 but they also are inflicting tremendous damage on the Lebanese people.

19:33 The reason why Lebanon gets attacked by Israel is because of Hezbollah.

19:37 Because Hezbollah's hiding in some house,

19:39 launching rockets against Israelis and then they get hit.

19:42 So, what you're seeing now is Israeli

19:44 responses to either attacks or perceived threats.

19:47 And this is going to be This is not new.

19:48 This has been going on for a very long time.

19:50 What is our hope?

19:51 Our hope is to engage the Lebanese and Israeli governments under,

19:54 you know, our mediation at the table to achieve this.

19:58 And that is having Lebanese armed forces and a Lebanese government,

20:02 not just with the willingness,

20:03 but with the capability to begin to challenge Hezbollah and disarm

20:07 them because the Lebanese people are also victims of Hezbollah.

20:11 And by the way, on the topic of Hezbollah and Lebanon,

20:13 who is behind the Hezbollah?

20:15 Why do they exist?

20:16 They're an agent of Iran.

20:17 If you go through that Middle East and you identify every problem,

20:20 Hamas, Hezbollah, to some extent the Houthis, obviously, and others.

20:24 Behind every one of these groups is Tehran.

20:27 So, apart from the nuclear weapons, apart from all these other things,

20:29 these guys are behind all the bad actors.

20:31 Hezbollah is a is a wing,

20:33 it's an extension of Iranian desire to destabilize the region.

20:36 So, we're very committed to this process.

20:38 It's not going to be easy.

20:39 You're asking me a complex question.

20:40 You know this has been going for a very long time.

20:42 It's not going to be easy.

20:43 We're going to do everything we can to make

20:44 sure that both sides continue to talk so that progress

20:47 can be made on some sort of permanency fire

20:50 that isn't constantly spoiled by Hezbollah and by Hezbollah violence.

20:56 I'm just get I'm winging it, guys, okay?

20:58 Right there, yes, sir.

20:59 You mentioned the two US ships that safely passed the Strait of Hormuz.

21:02 Are other ships being told it's safer to get back to regular levels

21:06 or are we still going to see limits in place for the foreseeable future?

21:11 who we're talking to or who we're telling them to move.

21:13 I mean, we want these operations to be safe and I

21:15 think as it as it unfolds and ships get through,

21:17 we'll make those announcements after

21:18 the fact just for operational security purposes.

21:21 But the goal here is pretty simple.

21:22 Establish a zone of transit that is protected by a bubble,

21:26 the United States both naval and air assets,

21:29 and then allow ships who want to move to move through there and get

21:32 to market to begin to increase confidence in the ability to do so.

21:35 That doesn't happen in 12 hours.

21:36 It takes time to set up that bubble and gain that confidence,

21:39 but that's the goal.

21:40 We have been in touch.

21:41 We've been in touch, I don't know,

21:42 with a bunch of different uh liners about moving and uh we're hoping to continue

21:47 to improve the security situation and we'll start to see some of that movement.

21:51 And we'll announce it as it happens after the fact.

21:53 We're not going to be like broadcasting, "Hey,

21:54 tomorrow at 12:00 ship X is going to be

21:56 coming through." for obvious reasons because that degrades the security.

21:59 But we feel confident we're going to be able to achieve that.

22:01 Look, it's not going to solve the whole straits problem,

22:03 it's going to solve a lot of it,

22:04 but it's important to challenge what Iran is doing now.

22:07 Guys, again, I want to If you take anything away today,

22:10 and I can't tell you what to write,

22:11 but we Iran cannot be allowed to normalize this control of the straits.

22:15 It's completely unlawful, illegal, uh it's it's outrageous.

22:19 And every country in the world should be joining

22:20 us in condemning it and doing something about it,

22:22 but the United States has stepped up and is trying to do something about it.

22:26 Regarding Colombia, Mr.

22:28 Secretary, we have several journalists I'm sorry.

22:30 I'm I We'll see if we get to Colombia today.

22:32 Go ahead.

22:32 You guys have an election Why don't you wait until after the election?

22:34 Mr.

22:34 Secretary, John Michael Daily Mail is

22:36 curious about your meeting with SOUTHCOM earlier.

22:39 There was a picture, a map of Cuba behind you.

22:41 What did you discuss with SOUTHCOM SOUTHCOM about Cuba?

22:44 And do you have any updates on the

22:46 going to tell you what I discussed with SOUTHCOM.

22:48 But but it had to do something with Cuba?

22:50 Well, I was Well, I mean, Cuba's in SOUTHCOM, you know?

22:52 It's the closest part.

22:53 And so, the second point,

22:54 I was there our ambassadors were in from the whole Western Hemisphere.

22:57 I was addressing them and I meeting

22:59 the general who just took command of SOUTHCOM.

23:01 And there happened to be a map of Cuba.

23:03 And I said it'd be good if we took a picture in front

23:04 of that map because it's like the closest

23:06 thing in SOUTHCOM to the United States.

23:08 So, there it is.

23:09 Um we have maps of other countries.

23:11 Uh but uh but but um but huh?

23:14 What about Greenland?

23:14 Did you have anything on Greenland?

23:15 No, they didn't have that map there.

23:16 They only had Cuba.

23:20 In the red, right there in the red.

23:21 In the red, okay.

23:23 Telemundo, Mr.

23:24 Secretary.

23:24 Can I ask you in Spanish or can I ask you in Yeah, you can ask me in Spanish.

23:27 You can ask me in Spanish.

23:28 They'll have to translate for them what you ask me.

23:29 I'll I'll say it in English and if you can answer in both languages.

23:32 Today the webpage of the State Department and there's

23:36 still a $25 million bounty on Diosdado Cabello,

23:40 the Secretary of Interior, for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.

23:44 I was wondering if that has been put on hold

23:47 or if you're negotiating with President Delcy Rodríguez to turn him over.

23:51 And Yeah, I don't have any updates for you on that.

23:54 The website is what it is and that's where it stands.

23:56 That policy hasn't changed.

23:57 But I Guys, I mean, let's be mature here a little bit.

23:59 I'm not going to tell you about what

24:00 we're talking about with the leader of these countries.

24:11 La política de Estados Unidos en ese tema

24:13 no ha cambiado y cuando cambie te dejaremos saber.

24:15 The politics of the United States on that The policy

24:17 of the United States on that topic hasn't changed.

24:19 When it does, you know, obviously we'll inform you,

24:20 but I don't have any news for you on that today.

24:23 Right there in the green.

24:24 I'll get to you.

24:26 Are you guys all the TV people?

24:28 Yeah.

24:30 All right, go ahead.

24:30 I'm sorry.

24:30 Go.

24:31 I'm learning.

24:32 I They gave me a little map, I don't know where I put it, of the people here.

24:35 Some of you had like red X's.

24:36 I'm kidding.

24:36 No, you That's not true.

24:39 [laughter] Go ahead.

24:38 Thank you, Mr.

24:39 Secretary.

24:40 The average price of gas in the country right now is $4.50.

24:43 Do you have a thought on how long Americans are supposed to kind of accept this?

24:48 Do you think it'll affect Republicans majority Well,

24:51 I don't I'm not going to speculate on the politics of it.

24:53 Uh you can tell me I mean, look, it's obviously being driven by global events.

24:56 That That was true during the Russia-Ukraine war as well.

24:59 We saw that come up.

25:00 It's one of Look, we don't benefit from the straits as much as other countries.

25:03 I don't know if you've seen what the gas prices are like

25:05 in other parts of the world that are really suffering big time.

25:08 Um so, we're very fortunate that the United States,

25:09 I believe right now is like the world's largest net exporter

25:13 of oil and natural gas as a result not because of this war,

25:15 but because we have this capacity.

25:16 So, we've been insulated to some degree.

25:18 We're obviously still vulnerable to some extent to global

25:20 prices and so but in the end, I mean,

25:23 we're more insulated than other countries even though that's not welcome news

25:25 to Americans that are paying more at the pump, no doubt about it.

25:28 Um and and it and it certainly is one of the circumstances of it.

25:31 There are people that were predicting would be much higher at this point,

25:33 but we're not taking that for granted.

25:35 Suffice it to say that this is Think about it this way.

25:39 Everybody needs to think about it this way.

25:40 If Iran had a nuclear weapon and they decided to close the straits

25:43 and make our gas prices like $9 a gallon or $8 a gallon,

25:47 we wouldn't be able to do anything about it cuz they have a nuclear weapon.

25:50 Or and and a nuclear-armed Iran could do whatever they hell they want

25:53 with the straits and there's nothing anyone would be able to do about it.

25:56 Um and and that's one of the many reasons apart from like the massive

26:00 loss of life in a nuclear strike why Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

26:04 I mean, so this is an example of If they had a nuclear weapon,

26:07 they close the straits and they would tell the world,

26:08 "What are you going to do about it?

26:09 We have a nuclear weapon, we can attack you with it." That's the world

26:12 that none of us want to leave behind.

26:13 It won't happen under this president's watch,

26:15 but some future president and future,

26:16 you know, in the future Americans will have to deal with this.

26:18 So, just one more example why these guys

26:20 can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

26:23 Right there in the black.

26:25 Right you in the black, yes, ma'am.

26:28 Where you No, right there you you I I mean, you're both wearing black.

26:31 She's closer.

26:32 No, you don't have black, you have blue on.

26:33 I'm colorblind, but I know blue and black.

26:35 Right there, yes, ma'am.

26:36 No, no, you, the first one I called on.

26:39 Thank you.

26:39 This is chaos, guys.

26:41 Go ahead.

26:42 Welcome to the White House.

26:43 Uh you've long been a leading voice on human rights in China and so,

26:47 including religious persecution and forced organ harvesting.

26:50 So, uh President Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping next week.

26:54 Do you expect human rights concerns to be on the table or to Well,

26:57 we always raise those issues and they remain true and I think we've

26:59 proven in some cases it's most effective

27:01 to raise them in the appropriate setting, but we always raise those issues.

27:04 They're important to us along with others, of course.

27:06 But uh those issues remain prominent in our view

27:08 and in our conversation about these things.

27:10 Um and and we'll continue to raise them in the appropriate forums.

27:14 All right.

27:15 Let's get to the front.

27:16 These guys are going to get mad.

27:17 Go ahead.

27:17 I'm sorry.

27:18 Thank you, Secretary Blinken.

27:19 Lisa here at Fox.

27:20 You mentioned earlier that some countries have privately

27:22 and publicly indicated their willingness to help with Project Freedom.

27:25 Can you say how many have reached out to the US

27:28 with their offers of help and what kind of capabilities

27:30 Well, I I mean, that No, thank you for your question.

27:32 That's a good question.

27:33 I mean, multiple countries have said we got to do something about it and fix it.

27:37 dozens or single digits or more than a hundred or I don't know.

27:40 I don't put a number on it.

27:41 I would just tell you that Here's what I would say about it.

27:43 The capabilities is the issue, okay?

27:45 A lot of countries would love to do something about it, they don't have a navy.

27:48 Right?

27:48 Or they can't get there in time or they can't Others, you know,

27:50 are less, you know, that some unfortunately do have a navy are saying,

27:54 "Oh, we'll be involved, but we'll be involved after it's over." Well,

27:57 after it's over, it's kind of like, you know, that makes sense.

28:00 So, you know, we'd like to have it There may be some utility in a post,

28:04 you know, closure mission.

28:07 I'm not downplaying that, but I think that's been the challenge.

28:09 But there are other ways they can help, unique ways that they can help.

28:12 And I don't want to get into who these countries are for obvious reasons,

28:15 you know, because they they they are prepared to help us in certain ways,

28:18 but maybe don't want that publicly disclosed

28:20 for no other reason than it impacted foreign policy,

28:22 it could have some domestic ramifications,

28:24 but ultimately, I don't want to mislead you.

28:26 The primary responsibility for this Project Freedom is

28:29 on the United States because we're the only

28:30 country that can project power in that part

28:32 of the world the way we're doing now.

28:34 We're the only ones that can do it and we're

28:35 going to do it as a favor to the world.

28:37 Understand this.

28:38 This is a favor to the world because it's their ships that are stranded.

28:41 It's their fuel supplies that are stranded.

28:43 By the way, it's their humanitarian

28:44 There's humanitarian aid destined for different

28:47 countries in the world that's stranded in the Persian Gulf right now.

28:50 Um it it's it's the fertilizer that they need for their food

28:53 and crops that's stranded in the Persian Not our fertilizer, their fertilizer.

28:56 So, we want to be helpful and that's why

28:58 the president stepped forward because we're the only ones that can.

29:00 Frankly, we're the only ones that can.

29:03 Mr.

29:03 Secretary, on the rising oil and gas prices,

29:05 the president has said that this is a small

29:07 price to pay for getting rid of a nuclear weapon.

29:09 But 10 weeks in, are we any closer to getting rid of Iran's nuclear material?

29:13 Yeah, but look, here's the the way to think about Iran

29:16 and this is what I described at the very beginning of this.

29:18 What was Iran's plan?

29:19 You have to understand what their plan was.

29:21 Their plan was they were going

29:21 to build this conventional shield where they would

29:23 have so many thousands of missiles and drones

29:25 and rockets that they couldn't be attacked.

29:27 And behind that conventional shield that they were trying to build,

29:30 they would then break out and do

29:31 whatever they wanted with their nuclear program.

29:33 They no longer have that conventional shield, okay?

29:35 We told you guys from the very beginning and it

29:37 and and and we're very consistent in this messaging.

29:40 The operation that has concluded was going to destroy their navy.

29:43 They have no navy left.

29:44 They don't.

29:45 Not a navy.

29:45 They have small boats and Boston Whalers, but they don't have a navy left.

29:49 They don't have an air force.

29:50 I challenge you.

29:51 When is the last time you read or heard about an Iranian jet flying anywhere?

29:54 They don't have an air force.

29:56 Their missile launching capability has been substantially degraded,

29:59 and their industrial base,

30:00 their defense industrial base, has been severely severely damaged.

30:04 So, their ability to build a shield behind which

30:06 they could hide their nuclear program was wiped out.

30:09 That's a very substantial achievement,

30:11 and that was the purpose of this operation from day one.

30:14 up their nuclear material in order for this war to end?

30:16 Well, that's one of the topics that needs to be discussed.

30:18 I don't know about I I think you're linking it.

30:20 The the operation is over.

30:21 Uh Epic Fury is President notified Congress.

30:24 We're done with that stage of it.

30:25 Okay, we're now onto this project of freedom.

30:28 As far as a negotiation is concerned,

30:30 I think the president's been clear that part

30:31 of the negotiation process has to be not just the enrichment,

30:34 but what happens to this material that's buried somewhere that they have

30:38 still have access to if they ever wanted to dig it out.

30:41 That has to be addressed, and that's being addressed in the negotiation.

30:44 I'm not going to go further on what progress has been

30:46 made on that topic because I don't want to endanger the negotiations,

30:49 but suffice it to say that the president and this entire

30:51 team is aware of the centrality of that question,

30:54 and that will have to be addressed one way or the other.

30:57 Right there.

30:59 Right there.

31:00 Yes.

31:00 Yes.

31:01 Thank you.

31:03 Thank you.

31:04 Mr.

31:04 Okay.

31:04 Uh first, are you taking part

31:06 in those negotiations that you just detailed there?

31:08 And then secondly, President Trump has made it clear

31:11 that the US doesn't rely on the Strait of Hormuz.

31:14 So, why should Americans even care about uh Project

31:18 Freedom and these ship shipping uh tankers going through?

31:21 Well, I think on the second point is the one I want to address first,

31:24 and that is why should Americans care and why it matters to us?

31:26 Because ultimately, these things have an impact on the global economy,

31:29 which ultimately has an impact on our economy in the long term.

31:31 That's number one.

31:32 Number two, because if we live in a world where a rogue state like

31:37 this Iranian regime is allowed to claim

31:39 as a new normal control over international shipping lane,

31:42 it will not be long before you see

31:43 that happen in multiple shipping lanes around the world.

31:46 I can identify for you six or seven six or seven vital

31:50 shipping lanes around the world that some countries can decide, "Guess what?

31:54 If Iran was able to do it, we're going to do it, too.

31:56 We're we're not going to start charging tolls."

31:58 And they'll get closer and closer to us.

31:59 That's unacceptable.

32:01 We cannot live in a world that there's a lot of time and energy been

32:03 invested in behind the idea that international waters

32:06 are free for the free flow of goods.

32:08 The stuff we make in this country

32:10 and export has to go through international shipping lanes.

32:12 And for us to live in a world where a country can decide,

32:15 "Now we own the international shipping lane,

32:17 and you have to pay us if you want to use it."

32:19 That is a normal that we will never be able to accept,

32:21 and that's what the Iranians are trying to get us to do.

32:23 So, we're doing two things about it,

32:24 and we haven't talked about the second one enough.

32:27 The second thing we're doing is we're going to the UN.

32:29 Everybody loves the UN, right?

32:30 We're trying to go to the UN,

32:31 and we're saying, "Okay, countries of the world, condemn this.

32:34 Say that it is it is wrong for you to put mines there.

32:37 It is wrong for you to shoot at commercial vessels." Guys,

32:40 that's what we're talking about here.

32:42 These guys are bombing commercial vessels.

32:44 They're not bombing naval vessels.

32:45 They're bombing commercial tankers.

32:47 It's just outrageous.

32:49 That needs to stop and and and and it needs to end.

32:52 And and if it doesn't,

32:53 then the world should be diplomatically and economically isolating Iran as well.

32:56 But if we live in a world where

32:57 global shipping lanes can be taken over by countries,

33:00 that'll have a direct impact on Americans in the short and the long term,

33:03 and we can't let it start by Iran doing it.

33:06 But and we're the only ones that can do anything about it.

33:08 All right.

33:09 Right there in the green.

33:11 Go ahead.

33:11 Go ahead.

33:11 You got it.

33:12 Yes.

33:13 What about Venezuela?

33:14 Mr.

33:15 Secretary, does the president intend to press Beijing

33:18 on its Taiwan policy when he visits China next week?

33:21 I'm sure Taiwan will be a topic of conversation.

33:22 It always is.

33:24 [laughter] Uh as you know, we understand

33:25 the the Chinese understand our position on that topic.

33:28 We understand theirs.

33:29 And I think both parties are got without, you know,

33:31 getting ahead of myself with what will happen in the talks,

33:33 but I think both countries understand that it is neither one

33:37 of our interests to see anything destabilized happen in that part of the world.

33:41 We don't need any destabilizing events to occur

33:43 with regards to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indo-Pacific.

33:46 And I think that's to the mutual benefit

33:48 of both the United States and the Chinese.

33:57 How does the State Department Why is everybody giggling?

33:59 What happened?

34:00 You got Oh.

34:01 I'm sorry.

34:02 Are they not mean mean to you?

34:03 No, they're not mean to you.

34:04 Oh, okay.

34:05 I don't think they are.

34:06 I hope they're not.

34:06 But I'm Carol from Lindell TV, and nice to uh ask you a question today, sir.

34:10 Uh how does the State Department interpret

34:12 the president's recent remarks when he said, quote,

34:14 "The Iranian people need to have guns,

34:16 and I think they are getting some guns." end quote.

34:18 What did he mean, and do those comments relate

34:21 to any ongoing or potential US actions like supplying those weapons?

34:24 think it goes back to the question I was asked a moment ago.

34:26 I think the president thinks it's heartbreaking that the Iranian

34:28 people are abused by this regime the way they are.

34:31 In the end, I mean, this regime is not Guys,

34:33 I know I've said this I think I said

34:35 this in my hearing before the Senate when I got confirmed.

34:38 I don't know of any country in the world where there's

34:39 a bigger difference between the people and the people who run the country.

34:43 Okay, this country is run by radical Shia clerics.

34:46 And that's not what Iran and the Iranian people are.

34:48 Now, they may be Shia, but they're not radicals, and they're not clerics,

34:51 and and they just want a normal life and a regular life

34:54 in in many ways a very cosmopolitan country with a with an incredible history,

34:58 incredible history, and incredible legacy, and the like.

35:00 So, there's this huge divide between the people of Iran whom we

35:04 sympathize with and who the president

35:06 sympathizes with cuz they're the ones suffering.

35:08 Look, the world is a victim of Iran, okay?

35:09 The world is a victim of Iran because they're terrorists,

35:11 because of what they're doing now in the straits,

35:14 but the people of Iran are daily victims of the regime,

35:16 and the president has deep sympathy for what they're going through.

35:19 And I think he's just expressing that sympathy

35:21 and that frustration that they don't have the ability to do

35:23 more to get rid of this regime that has

35:26 crushed this country and isolated it from the world,

35:29 which is a country that shouldn't be isolated

35:30 from the world cuz its people are phenomenal.

35:32 All right.

35:36 I wish I had like a dice.

35:38 Go ahead.

35:38 Yeah.

35:40 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, right there cuz I'm going to Italy.

35:42 Viva Italia.

35:44 Okay.

35:45 He's Italian.

35:46 I know him.

35:46 He used to cover Capitol Hill.

35:47 You're Italian, right?

35:49 For many years.

35:50 Okay.

35:52 So, I have two short questions for you.

35:54 Oh, the damn two questions.

35:57 [laughter] First, as you First, as you head to the Vatican in Italy,

36:00 how do you view the Pope's global role amid current geopolitical shift?

36:05 And what are your objectives in Italy?

36:07 Is his trip tied to recent remarks by the president

36:10 uh suggesting Italy has not been supportive as expected?

36:13 And the second one is about the Hezbollah in Lebanon.

36:16 Um on a recent interview on Fox News, um you had some you raised some concern

36:21 about stronger vetting within the Lebanese armed forces.

36:25 Um can you uh what do you make Can you Can you elaborate a little bit?

36:28 Yeah, I've answered the first one about the Vatican.

36:29 Look, I mean, the the Pope is obviously the vicar of Christ as a Roman Catholic,

36:33 you know, as that, but he's also the head of of a nation-state for like,

36:37 you know, about and and it's a organization that has

36:39 a presence in over a hundred something countries around the world.

36:42 And we engage with the Vatican quite

36:43 a bit because they're present in many different places.

36:45 I've already outlined to you two examples.

36:47 We worked with the Catholic Church

36:48 on the distribution of humanitarian aid in Cuba.

36:51 We share with the Catholic Church

36:52 a concern about the destruction of religious liberty,

36:55 the persecution of Christian minorities, and and also,

36:58 you know, the challenges that are being faced by Christians

37:00 in Africa where the where the Pope just recently visited.

37:03 So, we have a lot to talk about with them,

37:05 and and and and I engage with them quite a bit on that front.

37:07 So, the trip is is is really not tied to anything other than

37:11 the fact that it would be normal for us to engage with them,

37:13 and other secretaries of state have done that in the past.

37:16 On the second point about Lebanon,

37:17 it's also a question that was asked earlier, and What was the Italian part?

37:21 About uh the the expectation that the president Oh, no, look, I mean,

37:24 the Italians have been involved for some time

37:26 in training the police and in training their forces.

37:28 So, we'd love to hear their input on it.

37:30 And in the way, look, we welcome everybody's help eventually.

37:32 What has to happen in Lebanon, what everybody wants to see,

37:35 is that you have a Lebanese government with the capability

37:38 to go after Hezbollah and take the Hezbollah apart.

37:41 There shouldn't be like there shouldn't be a a Hezbollah in the government.

37:45 There should be a government.

37:46 Everyone should fold underneath it.

37:47 And if we do that, then there'll be peace between Israel and Lebanon.

37:50 But we have But hold on, but we have

37:52 to build the capacity of the Lebanese to do it,

37:54 and I think Italy could be helpful in that in that regard.

37:56 All right.

37:59 Did I call on you already?

38:00 You already got a question?

38:01 In the green?

38:03 Did I call on you already?

38:04 No.

38:04 Okay.

38:05 All right.

38:06 Go ahead.

38:06 You mentioned the UN resolution that you announced today.

38:09 Can you talk about what the goal is with that resolution?

38:12 And there was a similar one last month that was uh vetoed by China and Russia.

38:16 You spoke to the Russian foreign minister.

38:17 Do you have an assurance that Russia will be on board with this now?

38:21 don't know.

38:21 I don't Yeah, look, I mean, everyone would want to see this vetoed again,

38:24 and then we've made some slight adjustments to the language,

38:26 but I don't know if it'll avoid a veto or not,

38:27 but the language isn't very complicated.

38:29 I think it's a real test for the UN, right?

38:32 As a function as something that functions

38:34 to that can solve solve global problems.

38:37 What is the purpose of the UN?

38:38 The UN was supposed to be a place

38:39 where you could peacefully resolve global conflict.

38:42 Right now, you have a country who is unlawfully, criminally,

38:45 and illegally taking possession of an international waterway and blowing

38:49 up commercial vessels and putting mines in the water.

38:52 I don't know if people appreciate like how outrageous this is,

38:55 how unacceptable it is that any country would fire and try

38:58 to sink commercial vessels or put mines in the water.

39:01 Both of these things are illegal.

39:03 And so, we're going to take it to the UN,

39:04 and we're going to give it another chance to be a forum in which we're not

39:07 even asking people like commit troops to the region

39:09 and help blow up the Iranian boat.

39:11 All we're asking them to do is to condemn it,

39:13 to call on Iran to stop blowing ships, to remove these uh mines,

39:18 and to allow humanitarian relief to come

39:20 through cuz there's humanitarian aid that's trapped.

39:22 That's it.

39:22 This is a very modest request,

39:24 and if you're telling me that the international community

39:27 and hundreds of countries cannot rally behind that, then I

39:30 don't know what the utility of the UN system is

39:32 if it can't even solve something as straightforward as that.

39:35 And I think to both the Chinese and the Russians,

39:36 I would argue and have argued that it is in their interest for that resolution

39:40 to pass and for pressure to be brought on Iran because it is

39:43 in their interest not to see international

39:45 waterways including the Straits of Hormuz be

39:47 closed down and cause economic chaos to dozens

39:50 and dozens of countries around the world.

39:52 Okay.

39:55 Back back row yellow tie.

39:58 Back Yeah yeah yeah.

40:00 CBN News.

40:01 You've had a a deep faith for God and country.

40:05 At the end of the day with all that you've been involved in going.

40:08 You've been extremely busy.

40:09 Go ahead.

40:10 I'm sorry.

40:10 As we all know, I I got to ask you what

40:12 is your hope for America at a time such as this?

40:17 My hope for America?

40:18 And how do you personally deal with that?

40:21 Yeah, look.

40:21 I mean, my hope for America is what it's always been.

40:23 I think it's the hope I hope we all share.

40:24 We want it to continue to be

40:26 the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything.

40:29 Where you're not limited by the circumstances of your birth,

40:31 by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity,

40:33 but frankly, it's a place where you are

40:35 able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.

40:38 I think that should be the goal of every country in the world,

40:40 frankly, but I think in the US, we're not perfect.

40:42 Our history is not one of perfection,

40:44 but it's still better than anybody else's history.

40:46 And ours is a story of perpetual improvement.

40:48 Each generation has left the next generation of Americans freer,

40:51 more prosperous, safer, and that is our goal as well.

40:54 But it is a unique and exceptional country,

40:56 and as we come upon this 250-year anniversary,

40:59 I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history.

41:01 It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement

41:04 where each generation has done its part to bring

41:06 us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders

41:08 of this country had upon its founding.

41:10 So, All right.

41:13 I have time for two more questions.

41:20 All right, right there in the pink No no no, you right there.

41:23 That No, that lady No, the one right next to you in the pink.

41:26 No no no no no, the pink.

41:27 I'm sorry, but I pointed at her.

41:29 I need to get a laser pointer and just go like Not you in the pink jacket,

41:33 the lady right there.

41:33 Thank you.

41:34 Thank you very much, Mr.

41:35 Secretary.

41:36 I have a question on Iran-China relations.

41:39 Okay.

41:39 What is your reaction to Iranian Foreign Minister visit to China?

41:43 Also, Beijing instructed its firms to ignore US sanctions.

41:49 Could you also address that?

41:50 Well, I I'll direct you to Treasury on that front.

41:52 There are options that we have.

41:53 If you ignore our sanctions, you're going to face secondary sanctions.

41:56 And I don't have an announcement for you on that today,

41:58 but we don't do these things, you know, for symbolic purposes.

42:01 Uh on the first point about the visit, um it's fine.

42:04 I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told,

42:06 and that is that what you are doing

42:07 in the Straits is causing you to be globally isolated.

42:10 You're the bad guy in this.

42:10 You Well, you you guys should not be blowing up ships.

42:13 You should not be putting mines.

42:14 You should not be holding hostage the global

42:17 trying to hold hostage the global economy.

42:19 I hope the Chinese bring whether it's done privately,

42:21 but I hope it's done directly that that's the message they deliver to them.

42:24 As I outlined earlier today, China is an export-driven economy.

42:28 Okay, I'm not here to speak on behalf of what's

42:29 in the best interest of China, but it's obvious.

42:32 China is an export-driven economy.

42:33 That means they depend on other countries to buy from them.

42:37 Well, you can't buy from them if you can't ship it there,

42:39 and you can't buy from them if your economy

42:41 is being destroyed by what Iran is doing.

42:43 So, it isn't Iran it is in China's interest that Iran stop closing the Straits.

42:47 It's harming China as well.

42:49 The gentleman in the red tie, right there.

42:55 [laughter] You Yes, I'm sorry.

42:56 What's your name?

42:57 Liz Landers with PBS NewsHour.

42:59 Another question about the China-Iran relationship.

43:01 You said at the beginning of your comments

43:03 at the top that every single financial situation will be targeted.

43:07 Does that include Chinese banks?

43:09 Would the president We're going to enforce our sanctions I I I

43:12 don't have an I don't have an announcement for you.

43:14 That will have to come from Treasury, but we have sanctions in place.

43:16 And sanctions don't mean anything unless, you know,

43:18 you're going to do something about them.

43:20 So, I think that's been clear.

43:21 I think the you know,

43:22 you will they'll Treasury will follow up with any specific announcements.

43:26 Suffice it to say we're serious about our sanctions.

43:28 And a cost needs to be imposed on Iran for what they are doing.

43:31 Otherwise, if they get away with this, guys,

43:33 if they get away with being pull pulling this thing

43:35 off without paying a price for it and backing down,

43:37 you're going to see multiple places around the world where

43:39 other countries are going to be tempted to do the same.

43:41 This is unacceptable.

43:43 Again, I want to reiterate the point.

43:45 We keep arguing back and forth about the war

43:46 and the shooting and this and that of the other.

43:48 These guys have shot or shut down an international waterway.

43:51 The Straits of Hormuz do not belong to Iran.

43:53 They don't have a right to shut it down and blow up ships and lay mines.

43:58 And that's what they've done.

43:59 That needs to be addressed.

44:00 Otherwise, and it cannot be normalized.

44:02 Under no circumstances can we live in a world where we accept,

44:04 "Okay, this is normal.

44:05 You have to coordinate with Iran.

44:07 You have to pay them a a toll in order to go

44:09 through the Straits of Hormuz." Not only is that unacceptable in the Straits,

44:12 you're creating a precedent that could be

44:13 repeated in multiple other places around the world.

44:15 The whole world should join us in this condemnation,

44:18 and the whole world should join us in doing something about it, by the way.

44:20 It shouldn't just be us.

44:21 We're hoping to get countries We're going to give them

44:23 a chance to do something about it at the United Nations.

44:25 All right, and my last question.

44:31 All right, that lady in the right there in the white.

44:41 Well, thank you.

44:42 Okay, hold on.

44:43 Stop this up.

44:43 Go ahead.

44:44 Okay, I'll do two more and then I got to go.

44:46 You in the [laughter] back.

44:46 Yeah, go ahead.

44:47 Iran has shown what?

44:49 Okay.

44:50 Iran has shown that it's been able to withstand a lot of pressure,

44:53 and yesterday President Trump has said that they

44:56 may run out of oil storage in 2 weeks.

44:59 Do you believe that that will be the thing that gets

45:01 them to the table to give up their nuclear ambitions?

45:04 And if not, what will be that thing?

45:06 Well, look look, they're suffering devastating damage to their economy.

45:09 You're right, but it's not that they're able to withstand pressure,

45:11 it's that they don't care that their people are suffering.

45:13 You understand, right?

45:14 There's a difference between we can

45:15 withstand pressure and we actually don't care.

45:18 Now, I think there are people in their system that care more than others.

45:21 You know, some of the elected people that you see,

45:23 some of the people you see on television with the suits on, you know,

45:25 those guys care because they know at the end

45:27 of the day they have to live in the reality.

45:29 And then you have an other element of their government,

45:31 the clerical, the clerics,

45:32 the IRGC types, who probably are more immune to that and care less.

45:36 They're more interested in regime survival at all costs.

45:38 But ultimately, the pressure points are what they are.

45:41 They They They divided now than they were before because

45:43 the administration has said that the Iranian regime is divided,

45:47 making it very challenging

45:48 Well, it's been challenging to deal with them diplomatically because,

45:50 for example, an offer will be made, and then it takes 5 or 6 days to get

45:53 a response because you have to get it through the whole system.

45:56 They have to find the supreme leader wherever he hides.

45:58 They got to get him to sign off, and that's their system.

46:00 Their system has always been multi-layered in this way.

46:02 It's obviously become more complex because

46:04 of the damage they suffered during the war.

46:06 But look, suffice it to say Iran has to pay a price.

46:09 They They're not going to change their position

46:10 out of the kindness of their heart.

46:12 There has to be a pressure point on them that causes them to realize

46:15 they cannot continue to close the Straits

46:17 or they face crushing economic consequences,

46:20 but also, you know, global diplomatic isolation,

46:25 which they have proven in the past to be susceptible to.

46:27 But you're right, they have a high pain threshold,

46:29 but they don't have an unlimited pain threshold.

46:30 Nobody does.

46:31 All right, this has to be the last question.

46:34 Go ahead.

46:35 Mr.

46:35 Secretary, many people want to know what is your DJ name?

46:40 My DJ name?

46:40 Your DJ name.

46:42 You're not ready for my DJ name.

46:46 [laughter] Mr.

46:45 Secretary, on the war.

46:47 If the fighting were to resume because

46:49 you've said that Operation Epic Fury is over.

46:52 President also said that the US would bomb them off

46:54 face the earth if they tried to go after US ships.

46:57 So, if if the fighting resumed,

46:58 are you saying that it would resume under Project Freedom?

47:02 And I ask as it relates to the War Powers Act.

47:05 Yeah, look.

47:05 I'm the Operation Epic Fury is concluded.

47:09 We achieved the objectives of that operation.

47:11 I'm not going to, you know,

47:13 we're not cheering for an additional situation to occur.

47:16 We would prefer the path of peace.

47:18 What the president would prefer is a deal.

47:20 He would prefer to sit down,

47:21 work out a memorandum of understanding for future negotiations that touches

47:24 on all the key topics that have to be addressed,

47:26 a full opening of the Straits so the world can get back to normal.

47:29 That he and he preferred that [clears throat] be negotiated through the route

47:31 that Steve and Jared have been working and that all of us have been supporting.

47:34 That's the route he prefers.

47:36 That is so far not the route that Iran has chosen.

47:38 And so, the result has been that the United States has to do

47:41 something about the fact that we're the only nation on earth that can

47:43 do anything to open up a lane within the Straits of Hormuz

47:46 to get product and to rescue these people that are trapped in there.

47:49 And that's what we're undergoing now.

47:51 What that may lead to in the future is speculative.

47:53 I'm not going to speculate about what it would take or what it would do.

47:55 But look, the message to Iran These guys are facing

47:58 They They They are facing real catastrophic destruction to their economy,

48:03 generational destruction to their economy,

48:05 generational destruction to the wealth of their country imposed

48:07 on themselves by the by the actions that they're taking.

48:10 They should check themselves before they wreck

48:11 themselves in the direction that they're going.

48:13 Does the White House believe that these votes

48:15 coming up in Congress are a moot point then?

48:17 Look, guys.

48:18 I I love talking about this topic.

48:19 You know about the War Powers Act.

48:20 Okay, I love it.

48:21 I was hoping somebody would ask.

48:22 All right, hold on.

48:23 Hold on.

48:23 No no, you don't let me answer.

48:25 I got to answer the question.

48:26 Okay.

48:27 And I love it.

48:28 I'll tell you why I love it.

48:29 Cuz even as a senator, I said something.

48:31 The War Powers Act is unconstitutional, 100%.

48:34 Now, this is not the position of me,

48:36 it's not the position of the President of the United States now.

48:38 This is the position of every single president that has

48:41 occupied this position since the day that law passed.

48:43 It's completely unconstitutional.

48:45 Now, we comply with it in terms of like notification

48:48 because we want to preserve good relations with Congress, right?

48:50 And we do that.

48:51 But even as a senator,

48:52 I would say that the War Powers Act is 100% unconstitutional.

48:56 And look, I know some of you,

48:57 whatever you want to say, but this is not this president's position.

49:00 That has been the position of every single

49:03 presidential administration since the day that law passes.

49:05 It's an infringement on the president's constitutional powers.

49:08 We don't acknowledge the law as constitutional.

49:10 Nonetheless, we comply with elements of it for purposes of maintaining,

49:14 you know, good relations with Congress.

49:16 And we want them to be involved, and we want them to be informed.

49:18 I have gone on Capitol Hill, I don't know,

49:20 four times this year for all senators and all

49:22 House members and Intel Committee and Gang of Eight.

49:25 We want them to be involved in this, but but I

49:27 want to be clear on the point of the War Powers Act.

49:29 It's unconstitutional.

49:30 And it it every president and every administration has taken that position.

49:34 All right, guys.

49:34 I gave you 50 minutes.

49:36 Thank you.

49:36 Thank you guys.

49:38 Thank you.

49:40 Thank you.

49:42 Mr.

49:42 Secretary, thank you for your time.