Marco Rubio leads White House briefing as hostilities rise in Strait of Hormuz

0:00 questions.

0:01 Um, as you know, over the weekend the president announced

0:04 this project uh freedom and the goal of it is to frankly,

0:08 if you want to talk about it, it's to rescue like almost 23,000 civilians

0:11 from 87 different countries that are trapped in inside

0:14 of the of the Gulf and left for dead

0:18 uh in the Persian Gulf by this Iranian regime.

0:21 You know, for more than two months now,

0:22 these innocent sailors and commercial crew members have been stranded out

0:25 at sea because Iran is conducting something that's not just criminal.

0:29 It's criminal for sure, but it's desperate and destructive.

0:31 This blockade of the Straits of Hormuz, nations from around the world,

0:35 the overwhelming majority of whom are

0:36 not even engaged in any military hostilities,

0:40 are now at risk, not just of losing their cargo, uh,

0:43 but the lives of their own citizens because of this blockade.

0:47 these ships, you know, you don't leave a ship out there for this long.

0:49 You start running out of food.

0:50 You start running out of potable water, essential supplies,

0:53 and they're at the mercy of this piracy.

0:56 What it is, it's piracy.

0:57 And uh and uh not only that, but some of them have seen, you know,

1:01 been opened fire on and rained down

1:03 senseless attacks on on several civilian ships already.

1:06 So, frankly, the way to put it, these are innocent bystanders.

1:09 These are countries that and and ships and so forth

1:12 that have nothing to do with any of this and nonetheless

1:14 are being caught in the middle of it and being

1:15 held hostage merely because Iran could do that just because

1:19 of uh just as the regime brutally slaughtered tens

1:22 of thousands of their own citizens for the for the crime

1:25 of peaceful protest because they're unhappy with the quality of life

1:28 or the lack of quality of life in Iran today.

1:31 And so they're sitting ducks.

1:32 They're isolated.

1:33 They're starving.

1:33 They're vulnerable.

1:34 and uh and at least 10 sailors have

1:36 already died as a result of the civilian sailors.

1:39 So already many nations privately and some publicly have

1:42 asked the United States to to help free their ships

1:44 and to restore freedom of navigation in the Straits

1:46 of Hormuz and this critical artery of global trade.

1:49 And so President Trump, as he always does,

1:51 stepped up and answered the calls for their help.

1:54 and he's directed the United States military to guide

1:56 these stranded ships to safety to provide a protective bubble

1:59 under which they can operate and move product and get

2:03 themselves out of there and out of harm's way.

2:05 And this is the first step towards reopening the strait

2:07 and bringing this regime's last ditch uh act of economic arson.

2:12 Bringing that to a close.

2:14 Only we're doing it not only because we were

2:16 asked but because we're the only ones who can.

2:18 We only we have the power to sort of take the steps that we've taken now.

2:22 Under this president, under President Trump,

2:23 the United States uh will help our friends.

2:26 We're going to stand up to rogue regimes like the one in Tyrron,

2:29 and we're going to be unashamed to use our power and our abilities uh

2:33 to project military power in the service

2:35 of our national interests above all else.

2:38 Now, what's really important for you to report and for everyone

2:40 to understand is this is not an offensive operation.

2:43 This is a defensive operation.

2:44 And what that means is very simple.

2:46 There's no shooting unless we're shot at first.

2:49 Okay?

2:49 We're not attacking them.

2:50 We're not.

2:51 But if they are attacking us or they're attacking a ship,

2:53 you need to respond to that.

2:55 You're not going to let some fast boat come up on a ship and shoot it up,

2:58 we're going to respond to it.

2:59 And we've been successful at it.

3:00 I don't know what the exact number is, but I know a number of those fast boats

3:03 have now been targeted and will continue to be.

3:05 They pose a threat to our forces.

3:07 We'll shoot down drones.

3:08 We'll shoot down missiles.

3:09 But it's defensive in nature.

3:10 This is defensive.

3:12 So if you hear stories about attacks and launching of of firing back and forth,

3:16 it's not back and forth.

3:17 We are only responding if attacked first.

3:19 This is a defensive operation and that's what's occurring here.

3:23 Just about the importance of the straits for a moment.

3:25 This is approximately a quarter of the world's oil trade along with significant

3:28 volumes of fuel and fertilizer that that operate through the straits of Hormuz.

3:32 The the Iranian regime cannot be allowed

3:34 to dictate who uses this vital waterway.

3:37 I don't think this is also being reported enough.

3:39 Maybe you are reporting.

3:40 I don't read everyone.

3:41 I don't many damn outlets here.

3:42 I don't know who you all are,

3:43 but um I mean I know who some of you are, but all of you are.

3:46 [laughter] But but I will say this about it.

3:48 Um, have people This is an international waterway.

3:51 Okay, this is an international waterway and international

3:54 law is very clear and I love it

3:55 because everybody always talks about international law

3:57 and this international law on this is very clear.

3:59 International waterways, no country can control them.

4:02 There is no international law that allows you to say,

4:04 "I'm going to put mines in an international body of water and I'm going to blow

4:08 up ships that don't listen to us and try

4:09 to go through." That's what Iran is doing.

4:12 This is a criminal act and someone needs to do something about it.

4:15 Something needs to be done.

4:16 It's completely illegal, completely illegitimate, and completely unacceptable.

4:20 And that's why the United States military is

4:22 guiding stranded commercial ships safely through the street,

4:25 and is working to restore freedom of navigation and putting an end

4:28 to these efforts to glow to hold the global economy hostage.

4:31 So far, as a proof of concept and as a proof of function,

4:35 two US flag merchant ships have successfully transferred the straight

4:38 of Hormuz in the first stages of this project,

4:41 and they're now safely on their way.

4:43 The US military is deploying the necessary assets

4:45 to extend this defensive umbrella over commercial shipping.

4:49 But there should be no mistake and as I said this already,

4:52 this is a defensive operation.

4:53 I want to reiterate that point.

4:55 This is important to understand.

4:56 If no shots are fired at these ships and no shots are fired at us,

5:00 we're not firing shots.

5:01 But if we're fired on, we will

5:02 respond and we will respond with lethal efficiency.

5:05 The assets supporting this project, by the way,

5:07 include guided missile destroyers, over a 100 land and sea-based aircraft,

5:12 multi-dommain unmanned platforms,

5:14 and 15,000 of the finest military service members on the planet.

5:19 These forces have already destroyed,

5:20 as I told you earlier, I thought it was six.

5:22 It's seven Iranian fastboats that failed to heed our warnings.

5:26 And by fast boats, we're talking about, you know,

5:27 some of these things look like Boston whalers, okay?

5:30 So, these are not like Navy ships, but nonetheless,

5:32 they come fast at these boats, try to swarm them, try to harm them.

5:35 We're not going to let that happen.

5:36 So, seven of them now sit at the bottom of the sea along with, by the way,

5:39 the rest of Iran's navy.

5:40 That's where you can find their navy today.

5:42 And we're going to continue to systematically clear

5:44 this passageway through the straits to restore freedom of navigation.

5:48 Now, while this project steadily progresses,

5:51 Operation Epic Fury, economic fury, I'm sorry,

5:54 continues to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian

5:57 regime and what remains of their already frail economy.

6:01 Today, inflation in Iran is 70%.

6:05 And their currency is in total and complete freefall.

6:08 US sanctions enforcement is stepping up.

6:10 It's moving in lock step with the naval

6:11 blockade to degrade Iran's cap capacity to generate,

6:15 to move, and repatriate revenue.

6:17 It directly targets the regime's primary revenue life lifelines.

6:21 The blockade alone is costing Iran as much

6:24 as $500 million a day in lost revenue.

6:28 90% of total Iranian trade has been halted causing permanent damage

6:32 to Iran's oil infrastructure as well are forced to shut in.

6:36 Again, all of this is in response to their piracy.

6:39 Okay?

6:40 It cannot be that you have these straits and they blow up any

6:43 ship that moves and the only ships they get to go through are theirs.

6:45 You can't have a situation in which the straits are

6:47 close to everyone else but they benefit from the piracy.

6:50 That can't happen.

6:50 That's why the blockade is in place

6:52 and that's why these sanctions are crippling them.

6:54 any foreign financial in by the way Treasury is now identifying

6:58 and cutting off every dollar of revenue that's flowing to this regime

7:01 and so look any foreign financial institution or commercial actor that enables

7:05 Iran's sanctions evasion is going to face

7:08 secondary sanctions exposure and a loss

7:10 of access to the US financial system as President Trump has said

7:14 and the facts clearly bear out the United States of America holds all

7:18 the cards there is no scenario here in which if they decide

7:22 to join a ladder of escalation they wind up getting the last say.

7:25 But our preference is for these straits to be

7:28 opened to the way they're supposed to be open, back to the way it was.

7:31 Anyone can use it.

7:33 No mines in the water, nobody paying tolls.

7:35 That's what we have to get back to.

7:37 And that's the goal here.

7:38 Every day the conflict continues.

7:39 However, our leverage on Iran will continue

7:41 to increase and their position will continue to weaken,

7:44 especially as the blockade really begins

7:46 to bite in conjunction with the sanctions.

7:48 So look, the time's come for Iran to make a sensible

7:50 choice and it's not easy for them to do that obviously because

7:53 they have a fracture in their own leadership system and apart

7:57 from that I mean the top people in that government are to say

8:00 the least um you know um they're insane in the brain

8:04 and so we need to address that and it's difficult because it's hard

8:07 to get past that in their system but it's important for them

8:10 to make a sensible choice and the one that's right for their people.

8:13 The president, our president,

8:14 has proven time and again that his preference is peace.

8:17 But Iran must accept the reality of this situation and come to the negotiation

8:21 table and accept terms that are good for them but ultimately good for the world.

8:25 The diplomatic path, if there's a real diplomatic path,

8:27 I'm not always going to be one,

8:28 but if there's a real diplomatic path and we continue to explore it,

8:31 Steve and Jared are working on that very hard.

8:33 If there is one there, it could be one that leads them to reconstruction,

8:37 to prosperity, and to stability and to not posing a threat to the world.

8:41 The alternative is growing isolation,

8:43 economic collapse, and ultimately total defeat.

8:46 I know what the right choice is for Iran.

8:48 I hope that the people over there making decisions will make the right one.

8:51 The last point I would make,

8:52 and it really is important for them to understand this, is

8:54 uh they really shouldn't test the will of the United States,

8:57 at least not under President Donald Trump.

8:59 He has proven time and again, that he will back up what he says.

9:02 And if they test him, ultimately they will lose.

9:05 The hard way, the easy way, the long way, the short way, they will lose.

9:08 And with that, um, it's time for your questions.

9:11 So, why don't we start with you first?

9:15 Catherine, I'm an independent journalist.

9:16 Secretary Rubio, have you seen any recent indications that Iran is

9:20 willing to give up its nuclear weapons program that is credible,

9:24 verifiable, and that would lead to an immediate deescalation?

9:28 Well, look, um, this is a long-standing problem for them, right?

9:32 I mean, they have wanted they have always said they don't want a nuclear weapon.

9:35 That's because they've always said that.

9:36 They just don't mean it.

9:37 And why do you say?

9:38 Well, how do you know they don't mean it?

9:39 Well, we don't mean it because they do

9:40 all they're doing all the things and historically have

9:42 tried to do all the things that you do

9:44 if you want a nuclear weapons program, for example.

9:46 They innovate and try to innovate long range delivery missiles

9:49 that now in some cases are capable of reaching much of Europe.

9:53 They uh enri they they build

9:54 these large underground centeres to for enrichment activity.

9:58 There are many there are countries in the world

10:00 that are involved in the enrichment business,

10:01 but these guys do it in mountains and in caves and in hiding.

10:04 They they've always had secret components

10:06 of their nuclear program undisclosed to the world.

10:09 And we know for a fact that they retain highlyenriched uranium at 60%

10:13 that they that they did so and that has no civilian use.

10:16 None.

10:17 Zero whatsoever.

10:18 So they have an opportunity here to agree

10:20 to something that will make it clear that they're

10:22 that they are not interested in one thing

10:23 is to say we don't want a nuclear weapon.

10:25 Another thing is to do the things that prove you don't want a nuclear weapon.

10:28 By the way, if what Iran wants is

10:30 ai civilian nuclear program for power plants and stuff

10:32 like that, there are a lot of countries

10:34 in the world that have that and they don't enrich.

10:36 They they import they import the enriched material.

10:39 You know, they could have that if that's what they wanted,

10:41 but they're not acting like that's what they wanted.

10:43 They're acting like they want a military, you know, uh nuclear program.

10:47 That's unacceptable.

10:48 So that's the process we're engaged in now

10:50 to create that's the the object of this diplomacy is

10:53 to come up with some level of understanding about

10:55 what are the topics that they've agreed to negotiate on.

10:58 We don't have to have the actual agreement written out and one day this is

11:00 highly complex and highly technical but we have

11:03 to have a diplomatic solution that is very

11:05 clear about the topics that they are willing

11:07 to negotiate on and the extent and the concessions

11:10 they're willing to make at the front

11:11 end in order to make those talks worthwhile.

11:13 That's what Stephen Jared and the whole team is working

11:15 on and I hope to have good news on it.

11:17 That's the outcome we would prefer.

11:19 That's the outcome we would have preferred a year ago.

11:21 That's the outcome I think most of us would have preferred a long time ago.

11:24 But that's not the option they've given us given their activity.

11:27 All right.

11:27 Can I There's no way I can figure out who to call on.

11:30 I'm just going to like press right in the middle.

11:31 Right there.

11:31 You right there.

11:32 Yeah.

11:32 Yeah.

11:33 In the back row.

11:34 Thank you.

11:34 Thank you, Mr.

11:35 President.

11:35 I I'll go to you next.

11:36 [clears throat] All right.

11:38 Go ahead.

11:39 Thank Thank you, Secretary.

11:40 Keep going right.

11:40 Welcome to the White House.

11:42 What's that?

11:43 Talking to me, sir.

11:44 Yeah.

11:44 To you.

11:44 Yes, sir.

11:45 Thank you.

11:45 I have two questions on two separate issues that come.

11:48 Do they get two questions for these or one?

11:50 There's a lot of people in here.

11:52 All under your umbrella.

11:53 The first All right.

11:53 Well, you answer.

11:54 You can ask me two questions.

11:55 I'll give you one answer.

11:56 Go ahead.

11:56 Thank you very much.

11:57 I And I'll pick the one I like better.

11:59 Thank Thank you, Mr.

11:59 Secretary.

12:00 The first has to do with the blockade.

12:02 There are lawmakers from both parties who claim the blockade is an act of war.

12:07 What do you say to that?

12:09 And my second question has to do with the fuel embargo of Cuba.

12:14 How long, Mr.

12:15 secretary.

12:15 Will that last?

12:16 Okay.

12:16 Two things.

12:17 All right.

12:17 Good.

12:17 I'll answer both your questions because I like the second one, too.

12:20 The first one on the blockade.

12:21 And so, why do we have a blockade?

12:23 We have a blockade because they shut down the straits.

12:25 So, I don't know which members of Congress you're

12:27 talking to, but here's what I would ask them.

12:28 I would ask everybody here.

12:29 It's very simple.

12:31 These guys have shut down the straits of our moves.

12:33 This is what Iran is saying.

12:34 We will shut down the straits.

12:35 No one can go through.

12:36 No country in the world can go through unless we

12:38 allow you to go through and you have to pay us.

12:41 But our ships can go through, meaning the Iranian ships, as much as they want.

12:44 That's crazy.

12:45 Who would agree to that?

12:46 So, how are we going to have a situation

12:47 where they get to close the straits to everybody

12:49 and the only people who are allowed to go

12:51 through there 100% without paying anything are the Iranians?

12:54 If you do that, they'll keep the straits closed forever.

12:56 They're trying to make this some new normal.

12:58 Okay?

12:59 Under no circumstances can we ever allow them to normalize the fact

13:02 that they get to blow up commercial ships and put mines in the water.

13:05 So, the response to that is we're going to blockade your ships.

13:08 If everyone's ships are not getting out, your ships are not getting out either.

13:12 That's not an act of war.

13:12 That's a defensive measure.

13:14 It's a counter to what they have decided to do.

13:16 You know what is an act of war?

13:17 Putting mines in the water.

13:19 Why don't the members of Congress or whoever it is is complaining about it?

13:22 They should be all over that.

13:23 These guys put mines in the water.

13:25 That alone you mining in the water is illegal period under any circumstances.

13:29 And they've done it.

13:30 But this is crazy stuff.

13:31 But this is what they've done on Cuba.

13:34 Oil blockade on Cuba.

13:35 There's no oil blockade on Cuba, per se.

13:37 Here's what's happening with Cuba.

13:38 Okay.

13:39 Cuba used to get free oil from Venezuela.

13:41 Used to give them a bunch of free oil.

13:43 they would take like 60% of that oil and resell it for cash.

13:46 It wouldn't even go to benefit the people.

13:48 So the only blockade that's happened is the Cubans have decided,

13:50 I mean the Venezuelans have decided we're not giving you free oil anymore.

13:54 And you can only imagine nowadays the way oil prices are,

13:56 no one's giving away free oil, much less to a failed regime.

14:00 So the problem of Cuba is is worse.

14:02 Okay?

14:02 Their economic model doesn't work.

14:05 Doesn't work.

14:06 And the people who are in charge can't fix it.

14:08 And the reason they can't fix it is not just because they're communists.

14:10 That's bad enough.

14:11 But they're incompetent communists.

14:13 The the only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent one.

14:16 And that's what So incompetent communists run that country.

14:18 They don't know how to fix it.

14:19 They really don't.

14:20 And we have 90 miles from our shores, a failed state that also happens to be

14:24 friendly territory for some of our adversaries.

14:26 So it's an unacceptable status quo.

14:28 And we'll be addressing it, but not today.

14:30 Okay.

14:31 Uh all right.

14:31 Let's go to the front right there.

14:32 Secretary Rubio.

14:33 Secretary Rubio.

14:34 Uh you are going to the Vatican to meet with the Pope.

14:36 Is this an attempt to smooth things over with the Pope

14:40 given the rhetoric between President Trump and Pop Leo?

14:43 No, I mean it's a trip we had planned from before

14:45 and obviously we had some stuff that happened and no,

14:48 look, there's a lot to talk about with the Vatican.

14:49 I'll give you one example.

14:50 The Pope just returned from a trip to Africa where the church

14:52 is growing very vibrantly and we have shared concerns about religious freedom,

14:56 religious uh freedom in different parts of the world.

15:00 We'd love to talk to them about that.

15:02 the topic of Cuba.

15:03 You know, we gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid,

15:05 but obviously they won't let us distribute it.

15:07 We distributed it through the church.

15:08 We'd like to do more.

15:10 Uh we're willing to give more humanitarian aid to Cuba, by the way.

15:13 Distributed through the church, but the Cuban regime has to allow us to do it.

15:16 They won't allow us to give their own people more humanitarian aid,

15:19 and we're willing to do it through the church.

15:21 So, there's a lot to talk about.

15:22 And the president recently said that the pope is endangering a lot

15:25 of Catholics as a result of his rhetoric around the Iran war.

15:29 Is that a sentiment?

15:30 I don't think that's an accurate description of what he said.

15:32 I think what the president basically said is

15:34 that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon because they

15:35 would use it against places that have a lot

15:37 of Catholics and Christians and others for that matter.

15:39 It goes back to the central point.

15:41 I think the president, without trying to speak for him,

15:43 but I think I can characterize it this way,

15:45 he doesn't understand why anybody, leave aside the pope, the president,

15:49 and I for that matter, I think most people,

15:51 I cannot understand why anyone would think that it's

15:53 a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon.

15:56 Look what they're doing with the straits right now.

15:57 They're holding the whole world hostage.

15:59 They have these sailors, you know,

16:00 on commercial ships that are going to starve to death out there.

16:03 They don't care.

16:04 They don't care that this is melting down.

16:05 They the economies around the world, even of their own allies.

16:09 This is what they're doing with the straits.

16:10 What do you think they would do if they had a nuclear weapon?

16:13 They would hold the world hostage with that nuclear weapon.

16:15 That's what they would do.

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

16:18 weapon what they're doing now with the Straits.

16:20 And I think the president's point is how anyone cannot see

16:22 that as an unacceptable outcome and an unacceptable risk is beyond him.

16:26 It's puzzling.

16:27 and someone has to do something about it.

16:29 The difference between this president and like

16:31 the six presidents that preceded him were

16:33 that he's the only one that's actually been willing to do something about it.

16:35 Everyone says Iran can't have a nuclear weapon,

16:37 but you got to do something about it at some point.

16:39 And he's been willing to address that threat.

16:41 And that's what he promised he would do when he got elected,

16:43 by the way, is address threats like this.

16:49 Secretary, I I wish I knew your name.

16:50 I apologize.

16:50 Can you put name tags on?

16:52 [laughter] Thank you so much, Mr.

16:54 Secretary.

16:54 Who are you with?

16:55 Who you with?

16:56 I'm with Ruda Media Network.

16:59 Okay, Mr.

16:59 Secretary, the president has said multiple times that weapons were

17:02 provided to the Kurdish groups to pass on the Iranian people.

17:05 However, Kurdish political parties and the regional

17:08 government says they have not received such weapons.

17:11 Even some claim these weapons remain in the US base in the region.

17:14 Can you clarify who those weapons were given to and whether you

17:18 intend to retrieve them or still want to pass to the Iranian people?

17:22 Yeah.

17:22 Look, ultimately I what the president is expressing and I

17:25 think has repeatedly is he wish the Iranian people had,

17:27 you know, look, he's heartbroken by these images.

17:30 You think about it.

17:30 You're an Iranian, okay?

17:31 You're unhappy that your economy doesn't work for you.

17:34 You don't have freedom.

17:35 You don't have an opportunity to express yourself.

17:37 You know, you've got friends that have been

17:38 shot in the head because they're out protesting.

17:41 And he just, it's heartbreaking to him to see

17:43 that these people are abused in this way

17:44 and have no measures to take against their own government as a result of it.

17:47 By the way, this goes back if you guys remember

17:49 the protest in 2009 where they slaughtered people in the street.

17:53 This is a vicious regime, guys, okay?

17:55 These are people that hang people from cranes

17:57 in the town square so everyone can see they they continue

18:00 these executions of people and have done continue to do

18:03 so for for for over a decade and a half now.

18:05 And so I think what the president is

18:07 expressing is the desire that he wishes the Iranian

18:11 people had an ability to fight back against

18:12 some of these things that are happening to them.

18:14 And I would view that as distinct

18:15 and separate from the specifics of this operation

18:18 that was ongoing before it it concluded and certainly

18:22 different from the operation that's going on now

18:26 right there in the regarding Colia.

18:29 Mr.

18:29 Secretary,

18:30 right behind you, not Colombia.

18:31 Right there.

18:31 Yes, ma'am.

18:32 Thank you, Mr.

18:32 Secretary.

18:33 Thank you so much.

18:34 On Lebanon, are we in a ceasefire or less fire?

18:37 And the second question, do you think you would be able to achieve an agreement

18:44 between Lebanon and Israel without risking a civil war in Lebanon?

18:48 What are you doing to What are you doing to No, I got it.

18:51 I got the just your question.

18:52 So, look, here's the the challenge with Lebanon.

18:54 Okay.

18:55 There's no problem between the Lebanese government and the Israeli government.

18:57 Israel doesn't claim any land in Lebanon belongs to them.

19:00 And by and large, I think a peace deal

19:02 between Lebanon and Israel is imminently achievable and should be.

19:06 The problem with Israel and Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon, it's Hezbollah.

19:10 Hezbollah operates from inside of Lebanese territory.

19:12 They terrorize and attack Israelis,

19:15 but they also are inflicting tremendous damage on the Lebanese people.

19:18 The reason why Lebanon gets attacked by Israel is because of Hezbollah.

19:22 Because Hezbollah is hiding in some house launching

19:24 rockets against Israelis and then they get hit.

19:27 So what you're seeing now is Israeli

19:29 responses to either attacks or perceived threats.

19:32 And this is going to be this is not new.

19:33 This has been going on for a very long time.

19:35 What is our hope?

19:36 Our hope is to engage the Lebanese and Israeli governments under you know

19:40 our mediation at the table to achieve

19:42 this and that is having Lebanese armed forces and a Lebanese government not just

19:47 with a willingness but with the capability to begin

19:50 to challenge Hezbollah and disarm them because

19:53 the Lebanese people are also victims of Hezbollah.

19:56 And by the way, on the topic of Hezbollah and Lebanon, who is behind Hezbollah?

20:00 Why do they exist?

20:01 They're an agent of Iran.

20:02 If you go through that Middle East

20:04 and you identify every problem, Hamas, Hezbollah,

20:06 to some extent, the Houthis obviously and others,

20:09 behind every one of these groups is Thrron.

20:12 So, apart from the nuclear weapons, apart from all these other things,

20:14 these guys are behind all the bad actors.

20:16 Hezbollah is a is a wing.

20:18 It's an extension of Iranian desire to destabilize the region.

20:22 So, we're very committed to this process.

20:23 It's not going to be easy.

20:24 You're asking me a complex question.

20:25 You know, this has been going on for a very long time.

20:27 It's not going to be easy.

20:28 We're going to do everything we can to make

20:30 sure that both sides continue to talk so that progress

20:32 can be made on some sort of permanent ceasefire

20:35 that isn't constantly spoiled by Hezbollah and by Hezbollah violence.

20:40 Right in the middle.

20:42 I'm just I'm winging it, guys.

20:43 Okay.

20:43 Right there.

20:44 Yes, sir.

20:44 You mentioned the two US ships that safely cross the straight of Hormuz.

20:47 Are other ships being told it's safer to get back to regular levels

20:51 or are we still going to see limits in place for the foreseeable future?

20:54 For obvious reasons, I'm not going to broadcast who we're talking

20:56 to or who we're telling them to move.

20:58 I mean, we want these operations to be safe.

21:00 And I think as as it unfolds and ships get through,

21:02 we'll make those announcements after the fact,

21:04 just for operational security purposes.

21:06 But the goal here is pretty simple.

21:08 Establish a zone of transit that is protected by a bubble,

21:11 the United States, both naval and air assets,

21:14 and then allow ships who want to move to move through there and get

21:17 to market to begin to increase confidence in the ability to do so.

21:20 That doesn't happen in 12 hours.

21:22 It takes time to set up that bubble and gain that confidence,

21:24 but that's the goal.

21:25 We have been in touch, we've been in touch, I don't know,

21:27 with a bunch of different uh liners about moving

21:31 and uh we're hoping to continue to improve the security

21:33 situation and we'll start to see some of that movement

21:36 and we'll announce it as it happens after the fact.

21:38 We're not going to be like broadcasting, hey, tomorrow at 12,

21:40 ship X is going to be coming through

21:41 for obvious reasons because that degrades the security.

21:44 But we feel confident we're going to be able to achieve that.

21:46 Look, it's not going to solve the whole straits problem.

21:48 It's going to solve a lot of it,

21:49 but it's important to challenge what Iran is doing.

21:52 Now, guys, again, I want to if you take anything away today,

21:55 and I can't tell you what to write,

21:56 but we Iran cannot be allowed to normalize this control of the streets.

22:00 It's completely unlawful, illegal.

22:02 Uh it's it's outrageous, and every country in the world should be joining

22:05 us in condemning it and doing something about it.

22:07 But the United States has stepped up and is trying to do something.

22:11 Secretary, regarding regarding Colombia, Mr.

22:13 Secretary,

22:15 I'm sorry.

22:15 I'm We'll see if we get to Colombia today.

22:17 Go ahead.

22:17 You guys have an election.

22:18 Why don't you talk to the election?

22:19 Mr.

22:20 Secretary Tom Ros with Daily Mail.

22:21 I was curious about your meeting with Southcom earlier.

22:24 There was a picture a map of Cuba behind you.

22:27 What did you discuss with Southcom Southcom about Cuba?

22:29 And do you have any updates on I'm not going to tell you what I discussed

22:32 with South but it had to do something with Cuba.

22:35 No, I was well I mean Cuba's in Southcom you know it's the closest part.

22:38 And so the second point I was there

22:40 our ambassadors were in from the whole Western Hemisphere.

22:42 I was addressing them, meeting the general who just took command of Southcom,

22:46 and there happened to be a map of Cuba, and I said,

22:48 "It'd be good if we took a picture in front of that map because

22:50 it's like the closest thing in Southcom to the United States." So, there it is.

22:54 Um, we have maps of other countries.

22:56 Uh, but uh but but um but Huh.

22:59 What about Greenland?

23:00 No, they didn't have that map in the red.

23:05 Right there in the red.

23:07 In the red.

23:07 Okay.

23:07 Christina, Mr.

23:09 Can I ask you in Spanish or can I ask?

23:11 Yeah, you can answer in Spanish.

23:12 ask me and they'll have to translate for them what you ask.

23:14 So, I'll say it in English and if you can answer in both languages.

23:17 Today, I checked the web page of the State Department and there's

23:21 still a $25 million bounty on Yodo Cavejo,

23:25 the Secretary of Interior for drug trafficking and narco terrorism.

23:30 I was wondering if that has been put on hold

23:32 or if you're negotiating with President Deli Rodriguez to turn him over.

23:37 Yeah, I don't have any updates for you on that.

23:39 The website is what it is and that's where it stands.

23:41 That policy hasn't changed.

23:42 But I guys, I mean, let's be mature here a little bit.

23:44 I'm not going to tell you about what

23:45 we're talking about with the leader of these countries.

24:00 The politics United States on that the policy

24:02 of United States on that topic hasn't changed.

24:04 When it does, you know, we obviously will inform you,

24:05 but I don't have any news for you on that today.

24:08 Right there in the green, I'll get to you.

24:11 Are you guys all the TV people?

24:15 All right, go ahead.

24:15 I'm sorry.

24:16 Go.

24:17 I'm learning.

24:17 They gave me a little map.

24:18 I don't know where I put it of the people here.

24:20 Some of you had like red X's.

24:21 I'm kidding.

24:21 No, that's not true.

24:23 Go ahead.

24:24 Thank you, Mr.

24:24 Secretary.

24:25 The average price of gas in the country right now is $4.50.

24:29 Do you have a thought on how long Americans are supposed to kind of accept this?

24:33 Do you think it will affect Republicans majorities in the midterms?

24:36 Well, I don't I'm not going to speculate on the politics of it.

24:38 Uh you can tell me.

24:39 I mean, look, it's obviously being driven by global events.

24:42 That that was true during the Russia Ukraine

24:43 war as well where you saw that come up.

24:45 It's one of look, we don't benefit from the straits as much as other countries.

24:48 I don't know if you've seen what the gas prices are like

24:50 in other parts of the world that are really suffering big time.

24:53 Um, so we're very fortunate that the United I believe right now is

24:56 like the world's largest net exporter of oil and natural gas as a result,

24:59 not because of this world, but because we have this capacity.

25:01 So we've been insulated to some degree.

25:03 We're obviously still vulnerable to some extent to global

25:05 prices and so but in the end I mean we're

25:08 more insulated than other countries even though that's not welcome

25:10 news to Americans that are paying more at the pump.

25:12 No doubt about it.

25:13 Um and and it and it certainly is one of the circumstances of it.

25:16 There are people that were predicting would be much higher at this point.

25:19 But we're not taking that for granted.

25:20 Suffice it to say that this is think about it this way.

25:24 Everybody needs to think about it this way.

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

25:28 and make our gas prices like $9 a gallon or $8 a gallon,

25:32 we wouldn't be able to do anything about it because

25:33 they have a nuclear weapon and and a nuclear armed Iran

25:37 could do whatever the hell they want with the straits

25:39 and there's nothing anyone would be able to do about it.

25:41 Um and and that's one of the many reasons apart from like the massive

25:45 loss of life in a nuclear strike why Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

25:49 I mean, so this is an example of if they had a nuclear weapon,

25:52 they closed the straits and they would tell her, "Well,

25:53 what are you going to do about it?

25:54 We have a nuclear weapon.

25:55 We can attack you with it.

25:56 That's the world none of us want to leave behind.

25:58 It won't happen under this president's watch,

26:00 but some future president and future,

26:02 you know, in the future Americans will have to deal with this.

26:04 So, just one more example of why these guys

26:05 can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

26:08 Right there in the black.

26:10 Right.

26:10 You in the black.

26:11 Yes, ma'am.

26:13 Where you No, right there.

26:14 You You both are wearing black, but she's closer.

26:17 No, you don't have black.

26:18 You have blue on.

26:18 I'm color blind, but I know blue and black.

26:20 Thank you so much.

26:21 Right there.

26:21 Yes, ma'am.

26:21 No, no, you the first one I called on.

26:23 Thank you, Mr.

26:24 Thank you.

26:24 This is chaos, guys.

26:26 Go ahead.

26:27 Welcome to the White House.

26:29 Uh you've long been a leading voice on human rights

26:31 in China and so including religious persecution and forced organ harvesting.

26:35 So, uh President Trump prepares to meet Xiinping next week.

26:39 Do you expect human rights concerns to be on the table?

26:42 Well, we always raise those issues and they remain true and I think we've

26:45 proven in some cases it's most effective

26:46 to raise them in the appropriate setting.

26:48 But we always raise those issues.

26:49 They're important to us among others, of course.

26:51 But uh those issues remain prominent in our view

26:53 and in our conversation about these things.

26:56 Um and and we'll continue to raise them in the appropriate forums.

26:59 All right, let's get to the fun.

27:01 These guys are going to get mad.

27:02 Go ahead.

27:02 I'm sorry.

27:03 Secretary,

27:03 thank you.

27:03 Segment from the Associated Press.

27:05 You mentioned earlier that some countries have privately

27:07 and publicly indicated their willingness to help with Project Freedom.

27:10 Can you say how many have reached out to the US

27:13 with the offers of help and what kind of capabilities?

27:15 Well, and I mean that No, thank you for your question.

27:17 That's a good question.

27:18 And I mean multiple countries have said we

27:20 got to do something about it and fix it.

27:21 Is it like dozens or single digits or more than 100 or I don't know.

27:25 I don't put a number on it.

27:26 I would just tell you that here's what I would say about it.

27:28 The capabilities is the issue.

27:30 Okay.

27:30 A lot of countries would love to do something about it.

27:32 They don't have a navy, right?

27:33 Or they can't get there in time or they can't others, you know,

27:36 are less, you know, that some unfortunately that do have a navy are saying,

27:39 "Oh, we'll be involved, but we'll be involved after it's over." Well,

27:42 after it's over, it's kind of like, you know, that makes sense.

27:45 So, you know, we'd like to have it.

27:47 Now, there may be some utility in a post, you know, closure mission.

27:52 I'm not downplaying that.

27:53 But I think that's been the challenge.

27:55 But there are other ways they can help, unique ways that they can help.

27:57 And I don't want to get into who these countries are for obvious reasons.

28:00 You know, because they they they are prepared to help us in certain ways,

28:03 but maybe don't want that publicly disclosed for no

28:05 other reason than it impact their foreign policy.

28:07 It could have some domestic ramifications.

28:09 But ultimately, I don't want to mislead you.

28:11 The primary responsibility for this project freedom is

28:14 on the United States because we're the only

28:16 country that can project power in that part

28:17 of the world the way we're doing now.

28:19 We're the only ones that can do it and we're

28:20 going to do it as a favor to the world.

28:22 Understand this.

28:23 This is a favor to the world because it's their ships that are stranded.

28:27 It's their fuel supplies that are stranded.

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

28:30 there's humanitarian aid destined for different

28:32 countries in the world that's stranded in the Persian Gulf right now.

28:35 Um it it's it's the fertilizer that they need

28:37 for their food and crops that's stranded in the Persian,

28:39 not our fertilizer, their fertilizer.

28:41 So we want to be helpful and that's why

28:43 the president stepped forward because we're the only ones that can.

28:45 Frankly, we're the only ones that can

28:48 secretary on the rising oil and gas prices.

28:50 The president has said that this is a small

28:52 price to pay for getting rid of a nuclear weapon.

28:54 But 10 weeks in, are we any closer to getting rid of Iran's nuclear material?

28:58 Yeah, but look, here's the the way to think about Iran,

29:01 and this is what I described at the very beginning of this.

29:03 What was Iran's plan?

29:04 You have to understand what their plan was.

29:06 Their plan was they were going

29:07 to build this conventional shield where they would

29:08 have so many thousands of missiles and drones

29:10 and rockets that they couldn't be attacked.

29:12 And behind that conventional shield that they were trying to build,

29:15 they would then break out and do

29:16 whatever they wanted with their nuclear program.

29:18 They no longer have that conventional shield.

29:20 Okay?

29:20 We told you guys from the very beginning

29:22 and and and and we're very consistent in this messaging.

29:25 The operation that has concluded was going to destroy their navy.

29:28 They have no navy left.

29:30 They don't not a navy.

29:31 They have small boats and Boston whalers, but they don't have a navy left.

29:34 They don't have an air force.

29:35 I challenge you.

29:36 When is the last time you read or heard about an Iranian jet flying anywhere?

29:39 They don't have an air force.

29:41 Their missile launching capability has been

29:43 substantially degraded and their industrial base,

29:45 their defense industrial base has been severely severely damaged.

29:49 So, their ability to build a shield behind which

29:52 they could hide their nuclear program was wiped out.

29:54 That's a very substantial achievement and that was

29:57 the purpose of this operation from day one.

29:59 their nuclear material in order for this war to end.

30:01 Well, that's one of the topics that needs to be discussed.

30:03 I don't know about I think you're linking it.

30:05 The the the operation is over.

30:06 Uh Epic Fury is president notified Congress.

30:09 We're done with that stage of it.

30:11 Okay, we're now on to this project of freedom.

30:13 As far as a negotiation is concerned,

30:15 I think the president's been clear that part

30:17 of the negotiation process has to be not just the enrichment,

30:20 but what happens to this material that's buried deep somewhere that they

30:23 have still have access to if they ever wanted to dig it out.

30:26 that has to be addressed and that's being addressed in the negotiation.

30:29 I'm not going to go further on what progress has been

30:31 made on that topic because I don't want to endanger the negotiations,

30:34 but suffice it to say that the president

30:35 and this entire team is aware of the centrality

30:38 of that question and that will have to be addressed one way or the other.

30:43 Right there.

30:46 Yes.

30:46 Thank you, Secretary.

30:47 I have another two-part question for you.

30:49 Okay.

30:50 Uh first, are you taking part

30:51 in those negotiations that you just detailed there?

30:54 And then secondly, President Trump has made it clear

30:56 that the US doesn't rely on the straight of hormones.

30:59 So why should Americans even care about uh project

31:03 freedom and these ship shipping uh tankers going through?

31:06 Well, I think on the second point is the one I want

31:08 to address first and that is why should Americans care and why it

31:10 matters to us because ultimately these things have an impact on the global

31:14 economy which ultimately has an impact on our economy in the long term.

31:17 That's number one.

31:17 Number two, because if we live in a world where a rogue state like

31:22 this Iranian regime is allowed to claim

31:24 as a new normal control over international shipping lane,

31:27 it will not be long before you see

31:29 that happen in multiple shipping lanes around the world.

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

31:35 shipping lanes around the world that some country can decide, guess what?

31:39 If Iran was able to do it, we're going to do it, too.

31:41 We're we're not going to start charging tolls

31:43 and it'll get closer and closer to us.

31:45 That's unacceptable.

31:46 We cannot live in a world there's a lot of time and energy been invested

31:49 in behind the idea that international waters

31:51 are free for the free flow of goods.

31:53 The stuff we make in this country

31:55 and export has to go through international shipping lanes.

31:57 And for us to live in a world where a country can decide now we own

32:01 the international shipping lane and you have to pay us if you want to use it.

32:04 That is a normal that we will never be able to accept.

32:06 And that's what the Iranians are trying to get us to do.

32:08 So we're doing two things about it

32:10 and we haven't talked about the second one enough.

32:12 The second thing we're doing is we're going to the UN.

32:14 Everybody loves the UN, right?

32:15 We're trying to go to the UN and we're saying, "Okay, countries of the world.

32:19 Condemn this.

32:20 Say that it is it is wrong for you to put mines there.

32:22 It is wrong for you to shoot at commercial vessels." Guys,

32:26 that's what we're talking about here.

32:27 These guys are bombing commercial vessels.

32:29 They're not bombing naval vessels.

32:30 They're bombing commercial tankers.

32:33 It's just outrageous.

32:34 That needs to stop.

32:35 And and and and it needs to end the and and if it doesn't,

32:38 then the world should be diplomatically and economically isolating Iran as well.

32:41 But if we live in a world where

32:43 global shipping lanes can be taken over by countries,

32:45 that'll have a direct impact on Americans in the short and the long term.

32:48 And we can't let it start by Iran doing it.

32:51 But and we're the only ones that can do anything about it.

32:55 All right.

32:56 Go ahead.

32:56 Go ahead.

33:00 Venezuela.

33:00 Mr.

33:00 Secretary, does the president intend to press Beijing

33:03 on its Taiwan policy when he visits China next week?

33:06 I'm sure Taiwan will be a topic of conversation.

33:08 It always is.

33:09 uh as you know we understand the the Chinese understand our position

33:12 on that topic we understand theirs and I think both parties got

33:16 without you know getting ahead of myself of what will happen

33:18 in the talks but I think both countries understand that it is neither

33:22 one of our interests to see anything destabilized happen in that part

33:25 of the world we don't need any destabilizing events to occur

33:28 with regards to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indoacific and I think

33:32 that's to the mutual benefit of both the United States and the Chinese

33:37 secretary of Brazil Cara Castanova from Lindsell TV.

33:40 Thank you for taking my question today.

33:42 How does the State Department What happened?

33:44 Why is everybody giggling?

33:44 What happened?

33:46 Oh, I'm sorry.

33:47 Are they me?

33:48 No, they're not me.

33:49 Oh, okay.

33:50 I don't think they are.

33:51 I hope not.

33:51 But I'm carving and nice to uh ask you a question today, sir.

33:56 How does the State Department interpret

33:57 the president's recent remarks when he said, quote,

33:59 "The Iranian people need to have guns,

34:01 and I think they're getting some guns." End quote.

34:04 What did he mean?

34:04 And do those comments relate to any ongoing

34:06 or potential US actions like supplying those weapons?

34:09 Well, I think it goes back to the question I was asked a moment ago.

34:11 I think the president thinks it's heartbreaking that the Iranian

34:14 people are abused by this regime the way they are.

34:16 In the end, I mean, this regime is not guys.

34:18 I know I've said this.

34:19 I think I said this in my hearing before the Senate when I got confirmed.

34:23 I don't know of any country in the world where there's

34:24 a bigger difference between the people and the people who run the country.

34:28 Okay?

34:28 This country is run by radical Shia clerics.

34:31 And that's not what Iran and the Iranian people are.

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

34:36 and and they just want a normal life and a regular life and in many ways

34:40 a very cosmopolitan country with a with an incredible history,

34:43 incredible history, an incredible legacy and the like.

34:45 So, there's this huge divide between the people of Iran whom we

34:49 sympathize with and who the president

34:51 sympathize with because they're the ones suffering.

34:53 Look, the world is a victim of Iran, okay?

34:55 The world is a victim of Iran because they're terrorists,

34:57 because of what they're doing now in the streets.

34:59 But the people of Iran are daily victims of the regime.

35:01 And the president has deep sympathy for what they're going through.

35:04 And I think he's just expressing that sympathy

35:06 and that frustration that they don't have the ability to do

35:08 more to get rid of this regime that has

35:11 crushed this country and isolated it from the world,

35:14 which is a country that shouldn't be isolated

35:15 from the world because its people are phenomenal.

35:18 All right.

35:21 I wish I had like a dice.

35:23 Go ahead.

35:23 Yeah.

35:25 No, no, no, no, no, no.

35:26 Right there.

35:26 Because I'm going to Italy.

35:29 Okay.

35:30 He's [laughter] Italian.

35:31 I know him.

35:31 He used to cover Capitol Hill.

35:32 You're Italian, right?

35:33 For many years.

35:34 For many years.

35:36 Thank you, Mr.

35:37 Secretary.

35:37 So, I have two short questions for you.

35:39 Oh, the damn two questions.

35:42 First, as you first as you head to the Vatican and Italy,

35:45 how do you view the Pope's global role amid current geopolitical shift?

35:50 And what are your objectives in Italy?

35:52 Is this trip tied to recent remarks by the president

35:55 uh suggesting Italy has not been supporter as expected?

35:58 And the second one is about the hats in Lebanon.

36:01 Um on a recent interview on Fox News, um you had some you raised some concern

36:06 about stronger vetting within the Libanese armed forces.

36:09 Um can you uh what do you make?

36:12 Can you can you elaborate a little bit?

36:13 I've answered the first one about the Vatican.

36:15 Look, I mean the pope is obviously the vicor of Christ as a Roman Catholic.

36:18 you know that's but he's also the head of of a nation

36:21 state for you know but and and it's a organization that has

36:24 a presence in over 100 something countries around the world and we engage

36:28 with the Vatican quite a bit because they're present in many different places.

36:31 I've already outlined to you two examples.

36:32 We worked with the Catholic Church

36:34 on the distribution of humanitarian aid in Cuba.

36:36 We share with the Catholic Church

36:37 a concern about the destruction of religious liberty,

36:40 the persecution of Christian minorities and and also

36:43 you know the challenges that are being faced by Christians in Africa where

36:46 the pre where the pope just recently visited.

36:48 So we have a lot to talk about with them

36:50 and and and and I engage with them quite a bit on that front.

36:53 So the trip is is is really not tied

36:56 to anything other than the fact that it would

36:57 be normal for us to engage with them

36:58 and other secretary states have done that in the past.

37:01 On the second point about Lebanon, also a question that was asked earlier and

37:05 what was the Italian part about the the expectation that the president

37:08 Oh no, look, I mean the Italians have been involved quite

37:10 for some time in training the police and in training their forces.

37:13 So we'd love to hear their input on it

37:15 and in the way look we welcome everybody's help eventually.

37:17 What has to happen in Lebanon what everybody wants to see is that you have

37:20 a Lebanese government with the capability to go

37:23 after Hezbollah and take the Hezbollah apart.

37:26 There shouldn't be like there shouldn't be a a Hezbollah and a government.

37:30 There should be a government.

37:31 Everyone should fold underneath it.

37:32 And if we do that, then there will be peace between Israel and Lebanon.

37:35 But we have but but we have to build the capacity of the Lebanese to do it.

37:39 And I think Italy could be helpful in that in that regard.

37:41 All right.

37:44 Did I call on you already?

37:45 You already got a question in the green.

37:48 Did I call on you already?

37:49 No.

37:50 Okay.

37:50 All right.

37:51 Go ahead.

37:52 You mentioned the UN resolution that you announced today.

37:54 Can you talk about what the goal is with that resolution?

37:57 And there was a similar one last month that was uh vetoed by China and Russia.

38:01 You spoke to the Russian foreign minister.

38:03 Do you have an assurance that Russia will be on board with this now?

38:06 Well, we don't know.

38:06 I don't Yeah, look, I mean, everyone wouldn't want to see this vetoed again.

38:09 And then we've made some slight adjustments to the language,

38:11 but I don't know if it'll avoid a veto or not,

38:12 but the language isn't very complicated.

38:14 And I think it's a real test for the UN, right?

38:17 As a function, as something that functions to that can solve global problems.

38:22 What is the purpose of the UN?

38:23 The UN was supposed to be a place

38:24 where you could peacefully resolve global conflict.

38:27 Right now, you have a country who is unlawfully, criminally,

38:30 and illegally taking possession of an international waterway and blowing

38:34 up commercial vessels and putting mines in the water.

38:37 I don't know if people appreciate like how outrageous this is,

38:40 how unacceptable it is that any country would fire and try

38:43 to sink commercial vessels or put mines in the water.

38:46 Both of these things are illegal.

38:48 And so we're going to take it to the UN

38:49 and we're going to give it another chance to be

38:51 a forum in which we're not even asking people like commit

38:54 troops to the region and help blow up the Iranian boat.

38:56 All we're asking them to do is to condemn it,

38:58 to call on Iran to stop blowing ships,

39:01 to remove these uh mines and to allow humanitarian

39:05 relief to come through because there's humanitarian aid that's trapped.

39:07 That's it.

39:07 This is a very modest request.

39:09 And if you're telling me that the international

39:11 community and hundreds of countries cannot

39:13 rally behind that, then I don't know what the utility of the UN system is.

39:17 if it can't even solve something as straightforward as that.

39:20 And I think to both the Chinese and the Russians,

39:22 I would argue and have argued that it

39:23 is in their interest for that resolution to pass

39:26 and for pressure to be brought on Iran because

39:28 it is in their interest not to see international waterways,

39:31 including the streets of Hormuz, be closed down and cause economic chaos

39:34 to dozens and dozens of countries around the world.

39:38 Okay, back back row yellow tie back with CBN News.

39:46 You've had a a a deep faith for God and country.

39:50 At the end of the day, with all that you've been involved in, keep going.

39:53 You've been extremely busy.

39:54 Go ahead.

39:55 I'm sorry.

39:55 As we all know, I I got to ask you,

39:57 what is your hope for America at a time such as this?

40:02 My hope for America and how do you personally deal with that?

40:06 Yeah.

40:06 Look, I mean, my hope for America is what it's always been.

40:08 I think it's the hope I hope we all share.

40:10 We want it to continue to be

40:11 the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything.

40:14 where you're not limited by the circumstances of your birth,

40:16 by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity,

40:18 but frankly, it's a place where you are

40:20 able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.

40:23 I think that should be the goal of every country in the world, frankly.

40:25 But I think in the US, we're not perfect.

40:27 Our history is not one of perfection,

40:29 but it's still better than anybody else's history.

40:31 And ours is a story of perpetual improvement.

40:33 Each generation has left the next generation of Americans freer,

40:36 more prosperous, safer, and that is our goal as well.

40:39 But it is a unique and exceptional country.

40:41 And as we come upon this 250 year anniversary,

40:44 I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history.

40:46 It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement

40:49 where each generation has done its part to bring

40:51 us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders

40:53 of this country had upon its founding.

40:55 So all right, I have time for two more questions.

41:06 All right.

41:06 Right there in the pink.

41:07 No, no, no.

41:07 You right there.

41:08 That No, that lady.

41:09 No, the one right next to you in the pink.

41:11 No, no, no, no, no.

41:12 The pink.

41:12 I'm sorry, but I pointed at her.

41:14 I need to get a laser pointer and just go ahead.

41:17 Not you in the pink jacket.

41:18 The lady right there.

41:19 Thank you.

41:19 Thank you very much, Mr.

41:20 Secretary.

41:20 Um, I have a question on Iran China relations.

41:24 Okay.

41:25 What's your reaction to Iranian foreign minister visit to China?

41:28 Also, Beijing instructed its firms to ignore US sanctions.

41:33 Uh, could you also address that?

41:35 Well, I'll direct you to Treasury on that front.

41:37 There are options that we have.

41:38 If you ignore our sanctions, you're going to face secondary sanctions.

41:41 And uh I don't have an announcement for you on that today.

41:43 But we don't do these things, you know, for symbolic purposes.

41:46 On the first point about the visit, um it's fine.

41:49 I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told.

41:51 And that is that what you are doing

41:52 in the straits is causing you to be globally isolated.

41:55 You're the bad guy in this.

41:56 You you guys should not be blowing up ships.

41:58 You should not be putting mines.

41:59 You should not be holding hostage the global

42:02 trying to hold hostage the global economy.

42:04 I hope the Chinese bring whether it's done privately,

42:06 but I hope it's done directly.

42:07 That that's the message they deliver to them.

42:09 As I outlined earlier today, China is an export-driven economy.

42:13 Okay?

42:13 I'm not here to speak on behalf of what's in the best interest of China.

42:16 But it's obvious China is an export-driven economy.

42:19 That means they depend on other countries to buy from them.

42:22 Well, you can't buy from them if you can't ship it there.

42:24 And you can't buy from them if your economy

42:26 is being destroyed by what Iran is doing.

42:28 So, it is in Iran, it is in China's interest that Iran stop closing the straits.

42:33 It's harming China as well.

42:34 The gentleman in the red tie right there.

42:41 Yes.

42:41 I'm sorry.

42:42 What's your name?

42:42 Liz Landers with PBS NewsHour.

42:44 Another question about the China Iran relationship.

42:46 You said at the beginning of your comments

42:48 at the top that every single financial situation will be targeted.

42:53 Does that include Chinese banks?

42:54 Would the president we're going to enforce our sanction?

42:57 I don't have an I don't have an announcement

42:58 for you that will have to come from Treasury.

43:00 But we have sanctions in place and sanctions don't mean

43:02 anything unless you know you're going to do something about them.

43:05 So I think that's been clear.

43:06 I think that you know you they'll

43:08 Treasury will follow up with any specific announcements.

43:11 Suffice it to say we're serious about our sanctions.

43:13 Then a cost needs to be imposed on Iran for what they are doing.

43:16 Otherwise, if they get away with this guys,

43:18 if they get away with being pull pulling this thing

43:20 off without paying a price for it and backing down,

43:22 you're going to see multiple places around the world where

43:24 other countries are going to be tempted to do the same.

43:27 This is unacceptable.

43:28 Again, I want to reiterate the point.

43:30 We keep arguing back and forth about the war

43:32 and the shooting and this and that or the other.

43:33 These guys have shot or shut down an international waterway.

43:36 The Straits of Hormuz do not belong to Iran.

43:39 They don't have a right to shut it down and blow up ships and lay mines.

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

43:44 That needs to be addressed otherwise and it cannot be normalized.

43:47 Under no circumstances can we live in a world where we accept,

43:50 okay, this is normal.

43:51 You have to coordinate with Iran.

43:52 You have to pay them a a toll in order to go through the straits of Hormuz.

43:55 Not only is that unacceptable in the straits,

43:57 you're creating a precedent that could be

43:58 repeated in multiple other places around the world.

44:01 The whole world should join us in this condemnation.

44:03 And the whole world should join us in doing something about it.

44:05 By the way, it shouldn't just be us.

44:06 We're hoping to get countries.

44:07 We're going to give them a chance

44:08 to do something about it at the United Nations.

44:10 All right, that last question.

44:17 All right, that lady in the right there in the white.

44:21 Thank you, Mr.

44:22 Secretary.

44:23 Right.

44:25 Secretary.

44:27 Okay.

44:27 Hold on.

44:28 Stop.

44:28 Go ahead.

44:29 Okay.

44:29 I'll do two more then I got to go.

44:31 Yeah.

44:32 Go ahead.

44:32 Iran has shown what?

44:34 With Politico.

44:36 Okay.

44:35 Iran has shown that it's been able to withstand a lot of pressure and yesterday,

44:40 President Trump has said that they may run out of oil storage in two weeks.

44:44 Do you believe that that will be the thing that gets

44:46 them to the table to give up their nuclear ambitions?

44:49 And if not, what will be that thing?

44:51 Well, look, they're suffering devastating damage to their economy.

44:54 You're right.

44:54 But it's not that they're able to withstand pressure.

44:56 It's that they don't care that their people are suffering.

44:58 You understand, right?

44:59 There's a difference between we can

45:00 withstand pressure and we actually don't care.

45:03 Now, I think there are people in their system that care more than others.

45:06 You know, some of the elected people that you see,

45:08 some of the people you see on television with the suits on, you know,

45:11 those guys care because they know at the end

45:12 of the day they have to live in the reality.

45:14 And then you have an other element of their government,

45:16 the clerical, the clerics,

45:17 the IRGC types who probably are more immune to that and care less.

45:21 They're more interested in regime survivor at all costs.

45:24 But ultimately the pressure points are what they are divided now than they

45:28 were before because the administration has

45:30 said that the Iranian regime is divided, making it very challenging.

45:33 Well, it's been challenging to deal

45:34 with them diplomatically because, for example,

45:36 an offer will be made and then it takes five or six days

45:38 to get a response because you have to get it through the whole system.

45:41 They have to find the supreme leader wherever he hides.

45:43 They got to get him to sign off and that's

45:45 their s their system has always been multi-layered in this way.

45:48 It's obviously become more complex because

45:49 of the damage they suffered during the war.

45:52 But look, suffice it to say, Iran has to pay a price.

45:54 They they're not going to change their position

45:55 out of the kindness of their heart.

45:57 There has to be a pressure point on them that causes them to realize

46:00 they cannot continue to close the straits

46:02 or they face crushing economic consequences,

46:05 but also, you know, global diplomatic isolation which they

46:10 have proven in the past to be susceptible to.

46:12 But you're right.

46:13 They have a high pain threshold,

46:14 but they don't have an unlimited pain threshold.

46:16 Nobody does.

46:16 All right.

46:16 This has to be the last question.

46:19 Go ahead.

46:21 Secretary, many people want to know, "What is your DJ name?" My DJ name?

46:26 Your DJ name?

46:27 [laughter] You're not ready for my DJ name?

46:32 On the war, um, if the fighting were to resume,

46:34 because you've said that Operation Epic Fury is over.

46:37 President also said that the US would bomb them off the face

46:40 of the earth if they tried to go after US ships.

46:42 So if if the fighting resumes,

46:43 are you saying that it would resume under Project Freedom?

46:47 And I ask it relates to the War Powers Act.

46:50 Yeah, look, I'm the operation Epic Fury is concluded.

46:54 We achieved the objectives of that operation.

46:56 I'm not going to, you know,

46:58 we're not cheering for an additional situation to occur.

47:02 We would prefer the path of peace.

47:03 What the president would prefer is a deal.

47:05 He would prefer to sit down,

47:06 work out a memorandum of understanding for future negotiations that touches

47:09 on all the key topics that have to be addressed,

47:11 a full opening of the straits so the world

47:13 can get back to normal that he and he preferred

47:15 that that be negotiated through the route that Steve and Jared

47:17 have been working and that all of us have been supporting.

47:19 That's the route he prefers.

47:21 That is so far not the route that Iran has chosen.

47:24 And so the result has been that the United States has to do

47:26 something about the fact that we're the only nation on earth that can

47:28 do anything to open up a lane within the Straits of Hormuz

47:32 to get product and to rescue these people that are trapped in there.

47:34 And that's what we're undergoing.

47:35 Now, what that may lead to in the future is speculative.

47:38 I'm not going to speculate about what it would take or what it would do.

47:40 But look, the message to Iran.

47:42 These guys are facing they they are

47:44 facing real catastrophic destruction to their economy.

47:48 Generational destruction to their economy,

47:50 generational destruction to the wealth of their country,

47:52 imposed on themselves by the by the actions that they're taking.

47:55 They should check themselves before they wreck

47:56 themselves in the direction that they're going.

47:58 But does the White House believe that these votes

48:00 coming up in Congress are a moot point?

48:02 done.

48:03 Look guys, I I love talking about this top.

48:04 He's about the War Powers Act.

48:06 Okay?

48:06 I love it.

48:06 I was hoping somebody would ask.

48:08 All right?

48:08 Hold on.

48:08 Hold on.

48:09 No.

48:09 No.

48:09 You don't let me answer.

48:10 I got to answer the question.

48:12 Okay?

48:12 And I love it.

48:13 I'll tell you why I love it.

48:14 Because even as a senator, I said something.

48:16 The War Powers Act is unconstitutional.

48:19 100%.

48:19 Now, this is not the position of me.

48:21 It's not the position of the president of United States.

48:23 Now, this is the position of every single president

48:25 that has occupied this position since the day that law passed.

48:28 It's completely unconstitutional.

48:30 Now, we comply with it in terms of like notification

48:33 because we want to preserve good relations with Congress, right?

48:35 And we do that.

48:36 But even as a senator,

48:37 I would say that the War Powers Act is 100% unconstitutional.

48:41 And look, I know some of you,

48:42 whatever you want to say, but this is not this president's position.

48:45 That has been the position of every single

48:48 presidential administration since the day that law passes.

48:50 An infringement on the president's constitutional powers.

48:53 We don't acknowledge the law as constitutional.

48:55 Nonetheless, we comply with elements of it for purposes of maintaining,

49:00 you know, good relations with Congress.

49:01 And we want them to be involved and we want them to be informed.

49:03 I have gone on Capitol Hill, I don't know,

49:05 four times this year for all senators and all

49:07 house members and intel committee and gang of eight.

49:10 We want them to be involved in this.

49:11 But but I want to be clear on the point of the War Powers Act.

49:14 It's unconstitutional and uh every president

49:17 and every administration has taken that position.

49:19 All right, guys.

49:20 I gave you 50 minutes.

49:21 Thank you.

49:22 Thank you guys.

49:23 Thank you.

49:27 Mr.

49:27 Secretary, can you go for Good luck.

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