02:55 - 02:59
good afternoon
02:56 - 03:00
everyone we're going to start with the
02:59 - 03:03
US press we're going to take two from
03:00 - 03:04
the US we'll take two from International
03:03 - 03:07
and then we'll go from there depending
03:04 - 03:10
on the depending on the secretary so let
03:07 - 03:13
us start with now hold on John sir I'm
03:10 - 03:13
gonna talk first
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that uh it is great to be here at NATO
03:17 - 03:22
with 31 allies also uh with my wife
03:21 - 03:25
Jenny who's been meeting with families
03:22 - 03:26
of US troops both here in Germany and
03:25 - 03:28
we're heading to Poland right after this
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as well that's what this is all about
03:28 - 03:32
for me for president Trump
03:30 - 03:35
uh and the defense department I also
03:32 - 03:36
want to express a special thanks uh to
03:35 - 03:39
the Secretary General Secretary General
03:36 - 03:42
Ruta uh for your boldness for your
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friendship for your leadership and most
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especially for your urgency your urgency
03:45 - 03:51
of the matter at hand which is great to
03:47 - 03:52
see uh from the leader of NATO look uh
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forward to working very closely with him
03:54 - 03:57
team and before we're talking about what
03:56 - 04:00
we've done at the ministerial I want to
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reaffirm a few things from this podium
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first as we see it NATO's strategic
04:04 - 04:10
objectives are to prevent great power
04:07 - 04:12
conflict in Europe deter nuclear and
04:12 - 04:19
aggression and defeat threats to treat
04:16 - 04:21
allies should deterrence
04:19 - 04:25
fail second the US is committed to
04:21 - 04:27
building a stronger more lethal
04:25 - 04:29
NATO however we must ensure that
04:27 - 04:33
European and Canadian commitment to to
04:29 - 04:37
article three of this treaty is just as
04:33 - 04:40
strong article three says that allies
04:37 - 04:43
and I quote by means of continuous and
04:40 - 04:46
effective self-help and mutual Aid will
04:43 - 04:47
maintain and develop their individual
04:46 - 04:51
and Collective
04:47 - 04:54
capacity to resist armed
04:51 - 04:57
attack leaders of our European allies
04:54 - 04:59
should take primary responsibility for
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defense of the continent which means
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security ownership by all allies Guided
05:02 - 05:07
by a clear understanding of strategic
05:04 - 05:10
realities and it's an imperative given
05:07 - 05:13
the Strategic realities that we
05:10 - 05:15
face and that begins with increasing
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spending 2% is a start as president
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Trump has said but it's not enough nor
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is 3% nor is 4% more like 5% real
05:28 - 05:36
investment real real urgency we can talk
05:32 - 05:39
all we want about values values are
05:36 - 05:42
important but you can't shoot
05:39 - 05:45
values you can't shoot
05:42 - 05:48
flags and you can't shoot strong
05:45 - 05:49
speeches there is no replacement for
05:49 - 05:54
power as much as we may not want to like
05:51 - 05:57
the world we live in in some cases
05:54 - 05:59
there's nothing like hard
05:57 - 06:01
power it should be obvious that
05:59 - 06:04
increases Allied European defense
06:01 - 06:07
spending is critical as the President of
06:04 - 06:09
the United States has said also critical
06:07 - 06:12
is expanding our defense industrial
06:09 - 06:15
based capacity on both sides of the
06:12 - 06:19
Atlantic our dollars our Euros our
06:15 - 06:21
pounds must become real
06:19 - 06:24
capabilities the US is fully committed
06:21 - 06:27
under President Trump's leadership to
06:24 - 06:30
pursue these objectives in face in the
06:27 - 06:32
face of today's threats
06:30 - 06:34
yesterday I had a chance to attend the
06:32 - 06:36
Ukraine defense contact group today
06:34 - 06:39
participated in both the NATO
06:36 - 06:43
ministerial and the Ukraine Council in
06:39 - 06:45
both we discussed Russia's war of
06:43 - 06:48
aggression against
06:45 - 06:51
Ukraine I had the chance to brief allies
06:48 - 06:55
on President Trump's top priority a
06:51 - 06:58
diplomatic peaceful end to this war as
06:55 - 07:01
quickly as possible in a manner that
06:58 - 07:04
creates endurance and durable
07:01 - 07:07
peace the American defense department
07:04 - 07:09
fully supports the efforts of the Trump
07:07 - 07:11
Administration and we look to allies to
07:09 - 07:14
support this important
07:11 - 07:17
work with leading on Ukraine security
07:14 - 07:20
assistance now through Inc increased
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contributions and greater ownership of
07:20 - 07:25
future security assistance to
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Ukraine to that end I want to thank uh
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my UK counterpart defense secretary John
07:28 - 07:33
Healey for hosting this Ukraine defense
07:31 - 07:36
contact group and for his leadership on
07:36 - 07:43
Ukraine president Trump gave me a clear
07:39 - 07:47
Mission achieve peace through
07:43 - 07:52
strength as well as put America First
07:47 - 07:52
our people our taxpayers our borders and
07:52 - 07:58
security we are doing this by Reviving
07:55 - 08:01
The Warrior ethos rebuilding our
07:58 - 08:04
military and reestablishing
08:01 - 08:06
deterrence NATO should pursue these
08:06 - 08:12
well NATO is a great
08:09 - 08:13
Alliance the most successful defense
08:13 - 08:22
history but to endure for the future our
08:17 - 08:29
partners must do far more for Europe's
08:22 - 08:29
defense we must make NATO great again
08:30 - 08:35
it begins with defense
08:33 - 08:38
spending but must also include Reviving
08:35 - 08:40
the transatlantic defense industrial
08:38 - 08:43
base rapidly Fielding emerging
08:40 - 08:47
Technologies prioritizing Readiness and
08:43 - 08:50
lethality and establishing real
08:47 - 08:53
deterrence finally I want to close with
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this after World War
08:53 - 08:58
II first general and then President
08:56 - 09:01
Eisenhower was one of NATO's strongest
08:58 - 09:02
supporters he believed in a strong
09:01 - 09:05
relationship with
09:02 - 09:08
Europe however by the end of
09:05 - 09:09
Eisenhower's presidency even he was
09:08 - 09:12
concerned that Europe was not
09:09 - 09:15
shouldering enough of its own
09:12 - 09:19
defense nearly making in Eisenhower's
09:15 - 09:22
words quote a sucker out of Uncle
09:19 - 09:26
Sam well like President Eisenhower this
09:22 - 09:29
Administration believes in alliances
09:26 - 09:32
deeply believes in alliances
09:29 - 09:36
but make no mistake president Trump will
09:32 - 09:38
not allow anyone to turn Uncle Sam into
09:38 - 09:43
sucker thank you and we're glad to take
09:40 - 09:46
some questions thanks very much let's
09:43 - 09:49
start with the US traveling TV pool with
09:53 - 09:58
them thank you secretary hegf uh you
09:56 - 10:00
have focused on what Ukraine is giving
09:58 - 10:02
up what can sessions will Putin be asked
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make um well that's I would start by
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saying the the arguments that have been
10:08 - 10:14
made that somehow um coming to the table
10:11 - 10:15
right now is making concessions uh to
10:14 - 10:17
Vladimir Putin outright that we
10:15 - 10:20
otherwise or that the president of the
10:17 - 10:23
United States shouldn't otherwise make I
10:20 - 10:25
just reject that at its face there's a
10:23 - 10:28
reason why negotiations are happening
10:25 - 10:29
right now just a few weeks after
10:28 - 10:32
president Trump was swor and his
10:29 - 10:34
president of the United States Vladimir
10:32 - 10:37
Putin responds to
10:34 - 10:41
strength in 2014 he invaded Crimea not
10:37 - 10:44
during the presidency of Donald Trump
10:41 - 10:48
over four years there was no Russian
10:44 - 10:50
aggression from 2016 to 2020 in
10:48 - 10:53
2022 Vladimir Putin took aggression on
10:50 - 10:55
Ukraine once again not while President
10:53 - 10:59
Trump was President of the United States
10:55 - 11:00
so any suggestion that President Trump
10:59 - 11:03
is is doing anything other than
11:00 - 11:06
negotiating from a position of strength
11:03 - 11:09
is on its face ahistorical and false uh
11:06 - 11:11
so when you look at what he may have to
11:09 - 11:14
give or take what's in or what's out in
11:11 - 11:16
those negotiations we have the perfect
11:14 - 11:19
dealmaker at the table from a position
11:16 - 11:22
of strength to deal with both Vladimir
11:19 - 11:24
Putin and zalinski no one's going to get
11:22 - 11:25
everything that they want uh
11:24 - 11:27
understanding who committed the
11:25 - 11:29
aggression in the first place but I
11:27 - 11:31
challenge anyone else to think of a
11:29 - 11:33
world leader at this moment who with
11:31 - 11:36
credibility and strength could bring
11:33 - 11:39
those two leaders to the table and Forge
11:36 - 11:42
a durable piece that ultimately serves
11:39 - 11:45
the interests of Ukraine stops The
11:42 - 11:46
Killing and the death which President
11:45 - 11:48
has been Trump has been clear he wants
11:46 - 11:51
to do and hopefully ultimately is
11:48 - 11:54
guarant or guaranteed by strength of
11:51 - 11:57
Europeans where they're prepared to back
11:59 - 12:04
why not invoke Article 5 then for the
12:01 - 12:06
NATO peacekeeping forces that could
12:04 - 12:08
potentially be deployed um like how does
12:06 - 12:11
that deter President Putin well I would
12:08 - 12:14
say I want to be clear about something
12:11 - 12:16
as it pertains to uh NATO membership not
12:14 - 12:18
being realistic outcome for negotiations
12:16 - 12:20
that's something that was stated as part
12:18 - 12:22
of my remarks here as part of a
12:20 - 12:24
coordination with how we're executing
12:22 - 12:28
these ongoing negotiations which are led
12:24 - 12:31
by President Trump all of that said
12:28 - 12:34
these negotiations are led by President
12:31 - 12:36
Trump everything is on the table in his
12:34 - 12:39
conversations with Vladimir Putin and
12:36 - 12:41
zinsky uh what he decides to allow or
12:39 - 12:42
not allow is at the purview of the
12:41 - 12:45
leader of the Free World of President
12:42 - 12:47
Trump so I'm not going to stand at this
12:45 - 12:50
Podium and declare what president Trump
12:47 - 12:52
will do or won't do what will be in or
12:50 - 12:55
what will be out what concessions will
12:52 - 12:57
be made or what concessions are not made
12:55 - 13:01
I I can look as our team has a what's
12:57 - 13:03
realistic likely on an outcome I think
13:01 - 13:05
realism is an important part of the
13:03 - 13:07
conversation that hasn't existed enough
13:05 - 13:10
inside conver conversations amongst
13:07 - 13:12
friends but simply pointing out realism
13:10 - 13:14
like the borders won't be rolled back to
13:12 - 13:16
what everybody would like them to be in
13:14 - 13:19
2014 is not a concession to Vladimir
13:16 - 13:22
Putin it's a recognition of hard power
13:19 - 13:23
realities on the ground after a lot of
13:22 - 13:26
investment and sacrifice first by the
13:23 - 13:28
ukrainians and then by allies and then a
13:26 - 13:30
realization that a negotiated piece is
13:28 - 13:32
going to going to be some sort of
13:30 - 13:35
demarcation that neither neither side
13:32 - 13:38
wants but it's not my job as a secretary
13:35 - 13:40
of defense to define the parameters of
13:38 - 13:42
the president of the United States as he
13:40 - 13:45
leads some of the most complex and
13:42 - 13:47
consequential negotiations in the world
13:45 - 13:52
sticking with the US press let us go
13:47 - 13:52
with axios Zach B right in in the
13:53 - 13:57
far thank you Mr secretary given the
13:55 - 14:00
position you've now Stak out what
13:57 - 14:02
leverage exactly is Ukraine being left
14:00 - 14:04
with especially if the US also plans to
14:02 - 14:07
wind down its military aid and then
14:04 - 14:09
quickly if a NATO alies is attacked by
14:07 - 14:11
Russia or any country will the US
14:09 - 14:13
unequivocally uphold his obligations
14:11 - 14:14
under Article 5 regardless of that
14:13 - 14:15
country's we' said we're committed to
14:14 - 14:17
the alliance and that's part of the
14:15 - 14:20
alliance right you point out Article
14:17 - 14:23
Five you point out article three it's
14:20 - 14:25
just a cheap I'm not saying it's a cheap
14:23 - 14:27
coming from you but it's just a cheap
14:25 - 14:30
political point to say oh we've left all
14:27 - 14:32
the negotiating cards off the table uh
14:30 - 14:34
in by recognizing some realities that
14:32 - 14:37
exist on the
14:34 - 14:39
ground president zalinsky understands
14:37 - 14:40
the realities on the ground President
14:39 - 14:42
Putin understands the realities on the
14:40 - 14:44
ground and president Trump as a
14:42 - 14:47
dealmaker as a negotiator understands
14:44 - 14:50
those Dynamics as well by no means is
14:47 - 14:51
anything that I State here even though
14:50 - 14:53
we we lead the most powerful military in
14:51 - 14:55
the world hemming in the
14:53 - 14:57
commander-in-chief in his negotiations
14:55 - 15:00
to ultimately decide where it goes or
14:57 - 15:02
does not go oh he's got all the cards he
15:00 - 15:04
would like and the interesting part is
15:02 - 15:07
often times while the
15:04 - 15:10
conventional status quo mindset or the
15:07 - 15:11
Legacy Media wants to play Checkers the
15:10 - 15:12
same checkers game we've been playing
15:12 - 15:17
decades president Trump time and time
15:14 - 15:20
again finds a way to play chess as a
15:17 - 15:22
dealmaker as a businessman who
15:20 - 15:24
understands how to create realities and
15:22 - 15:26
opportunities where they otherwise may
15:24 - 15:27
not exist take for example the
15:26 - 15:30
conversations that our treasury
15:27 - 15:32
secretary had in Kiev recently with
15:30 - 15:34
President zolinski which will continue
15:32 - 15:36
in Munich with our vice president and
15:34 - 15:39
Secretary of State around Investments
15:36 - 15:41
and resources inside Ukraine uh I I
15:39 - 15:43
don't want to get ahead of any decision
15:41 - 15:45
or announcement that could be made there
15:43 - 15:47
it could be any number of parameters but
15:45 - 15:49
president Trump as a dealmaker and a
15:47 - 15:52
businessman recognizes that a investment
15:49 - 15:55
relationship with Ukraine ultimately in
15:52 - 15:58
the long term for the United States is a
15:55 - 16:00
lot more tangible than any promises or
15:58 - 16:03
shared values we might have even though
16:00 - 16:05
we have them um there is something to
16:03 - 16:07
relationships and deals in real ways
16:05 - 16:10
whether militarily or economically or
16:07 - 16:13
diplomatically that he sees that are
16:10 - 16:15
possibilities that could Forge together
16:13 - 16:17
uh a lot of opportunities to show that
16:15 - 16:20
solidarity that Vladimir Putin will
16:17 - 16:23
clearly recognize that's one of any
16:20 - 16:25
number of other opportunities that this
16:23 - 16:27
President will leverage in these high
16:25 - 16:30
States negotiations so I just reject on
16:27 - 16:33
its face the premise that somehow
16:30 - 16:35
president Trump isn't dealing with a
16:33 - 16:37
full set of cards uh when he's the one
16:35 - 16:40
that can determine ultimately what cards
16:37 - 16:42
he holds great now shifting to the
16:40 - 16:47
international press we'll take the
16:42 - 16:47
French wire service a FR press with Max
16:54 - 16:59
Delan thank you very much uh Secretary
16:57 - 17:01
of Defense um
16:59 - 17:05
can you you've spoken about trying to
17:01 - 17:07
force both Putin and zalinsky to the
17:05 - 17:10
table can you give a guarantee that no
17:07 - 17:12
deal will be forced on Ukraine that they
17:10 - 17:15
do not want to accept and also that you
17:12 - 17:17
will include Europe in the negotiations
17:15 - 17:20
about their own about an issue that that
17:17 - 17:22
that concerns European security and can
17:20 - 17:26
you tell us whether the US will continue
17:22 - 17:27
to supply arms to Ukraine during any
17:26 - 17:29
negotiations well to the first part of
17:27 - 17:31
your question that's not ultim Ely my
17:29 - 17:33
decision uh president will lead these
17:31 - 17:37
negotiations alongside our secretary of
17:33 - 17:38
state our national security advisor um
17:37 - 17:40
and numerous other officials that will
17:38 - 17:42
be involved and ultimately we've played
17:40 - 17:44
our role in in talking to our NATO
17:42 - 17:47
allies about uh what that would look
17:44 - 17:49
like President Trump I want to point out
17:47 - 17:53
I've got the the truths right here that
17:49 - 17:57
he posted called both in case we missed
17:53 - 18:00
it Vladimir Putin and president zinski
17:57 - 18:04
called them both any negotiation that's
18:00 - 18:05
had will be had with both I also very
18:04 - 18:09
encouraged by what the Secretary General
18:05 - 18:12
has said here uh TR clearly attune to
18:09 - 18:15
the realities of the moment uh the need
18:12 - 18:17
for peace and that the NATO alliance and
18:15 - 18:18
European members will play a role in
18:18 - 18:22
ultimately president Trump speaking to
18:21 - 18:24
those two countries is Central to the
18:22 - 18:26
deal being made but it affects a lot of
18:24 - 18:28
people of course so I I'm not going to
18:26 - 18:31
I'm not going to be involved in those
18:28 - 18:33
intimate diplomatic negotiations that's
18:31 - 18:34
for the the pros at top the Trump
18:33 - 18:37
Administration who do diplomacy in
18:34 - 18:40
negotiations ultimately is security
18:37 - 18:43
assistance uh we have continued to
18:40 - 18:45
provide what has been allocated uh I
18:43 - 18:47
think it would be fair to say that
18:45 - 18:50
things like future funding either less
18:47 - 18:52
or more uh could be on the table in in
18:50 - 18:55
negotiations as well whatever the
18:52 - 18:58
president determines is the most robust
18:55 - 19:01
carrot or stick on either side to induce
18:58 - 19:03
a durble uh piece understanding
19:01 - 19:05
obviously the motivations that Vladimir
19:03 - 19:08
Putin has had on on Ukraine for quite
19:05 - 19:09
some time thank you we'll have a second
19:08 - 19:12
International press Outlet we'll go with
19:09 - 19:15
the German paper
19:17 - 19:21
Thomas Thanks a
19:21 - 19:26
lot good afternoon Mr secretary two
19:23 - 19:28
questions please uh the first one
19:26 - 19:31
regarding the new defense investment
19:28 - 19:35
plan C when you and president Trump
19:31 - 19:40
speak about raising it to 5% do you mean
19:35 - 19:44
European allies only or do you mean the
19:40 - 19:46
us as well which is currently at 3.4%
19:44 - 19:48
according to Nato
19:46 - 19:50
statistics and if the letter is true
19:48 - 19:53
when do you think the us could possibly
19:50 - 19:56
reach the goal of spending 5% on defense
19:53 - 19:58
that's number one number two you've said
19:56 - 20:01
yesterday that Europeans need to take
19:58 - 20:05
ownership of their own conventional
20:01 - 20:08
security so should Europeans expect that
20:05 - 20:11
ultimately the US would withdraw the
20:08 - 20:13
bike of their forces from Europe and
20:11 - 20:16
just leave in in place what is necessary
20:13 - 20:18
for nuclear DET turns I know there's a
20:16 - 20:22
revision going on I don't expect you to
20:18 - 20:24
name any numbers but maybe give us an
20:22 - 20:25
Outlook of what we should expect thank
20:25 - 20:31
you I think nobody can or should test
20:29 - 20:34
the extent of America's willingness to
20:31 - 20:36
invest in National Security um our we
20:34 - 20:40
have a budget of
20:36 - 20:41
850 billion dollars spent on defense um
20:40 - 20:44
I'm in the business of ensuring that
20:41 - 20:45
every dollar of that is used wisely
20:44 - 20:47
which is why
20:45 - 20:50
we're pushing a pentagon audit and
20:47 - 20:52
making sure that uh we're cutting fat so
20:50 - 20:54
that we've got more at the T at the tip
20:52 - 20:59
of the spear uh
20:54 - 21:02
3.4% is a very robust investment uh
20:59 - 21:05
larger than most of our allies within
21:02 - 21:06
NATO any defense any defense minister or
21:05 - 21:08
Secretary of Defense that tells you they
21:06 - 21:11
wouldn't want more would be lying to you
21:08 - 21:14
uh I understand that ultimately we have
21:11 - 21:17
uh our own budgetary considerations to
21:14 - 21:21
be had but I don't think an
21:17 - 21:23
unwillingness of NATO allies to invest
21:21 - 21:25
uh in their own defense spending can be
21:23 - 21:28
dismissed Away by trying to point at the
21:25 - 21:29
$900 billion that America has invested
21:28 - 21:32
around the globe to include the NATO
21:29 - 21:35
alliance and saying that's not enough uh
21:32 - 21:38
so ultimately we are very much committed
21:35 - 21:40
to the NATO alliance and to our allies
21:38 - 21:42
but without burdens sharing without
21:40 - 21:45
creating the right set of incentives for
21:42 - 21:46
European countries to invest uh then we
21:45 - 21:49
would be forced to attempt to be
21:46 - 21:52
everywhere for everybody all the time
21:49 - 21:54
which in a world of fiscal restraints is
21:52 - 21:58
again to get back to that word reality
21:54 - 22:00
just not reality so yes we we will
21:58 - 22:02
continue to spend robustly our
22:00 - 22:06
expectation of our friends and we say
22:02 - 22:10
this in solidarity is you have to spend
22:06 - 22:12
more on your defense for your country on
22:10 - 22:14
that continent understanding that the
22:12 - 22:17
American Military and the American
22:14 - 22:19
people stand beside you as we have in
22:17 - 22:21
NATO but can't have the expectation of
22:19 - 22:24
being the permanent guarantor as I
22:21 - 22:27
alluded to uh from what even Eisenhower
22:24 - 22:30
observed post World War II that shift
22:27 - 22:34
has to happen the peace dividend has to
22:30 - 22:36
end there are autocrats with ambitions
22:34 - 22:38
around the globe from Russia to the
22:36 - 22:40
Communist Chinese either the West
22:38 - 22:43
awakens to that reality and creates
22:40 - 22:46
combat multipliers with their allies and
22:43 - 22:48
partners to include NATO or we will
22:46 - 22:52
abdicate that responsibility to somebody
22:48 - 22:56
else with all the wrong values uh you
22:52 - 22:58
mentioned Europe um we have not said in
22:56 - 23:00
any way that we're abandoning our allies
22:58 - 23:03
in Europe there have been no decisions
23:00 - 23:04
based on troop levels again that's a
23:03 - 23:06
discussion to be had by the
23:04 - 23:10
commander-in-chief in in these uh high
23:06 - 23:13
stakes negotiations and that would most
23:10 - 23:15
likely come later on but there is a
23:13 - 23:16
recognition that the ambitious of the
23:16 - 23:22
Ambitions of the Communist Chinese are a
23:20 - 23:23
threat to free people everywhere to
23:22 - 23:27
include America's interests in the
23:23 - 23:30
Pacific and it makes a lot of sense just
23:27 - 23:33
just in a Common Sense
23:30 - 23:36
way uh to use our comparative
23:33 - 23:39
advantages European countries spending
23:36 - 23:41
here in defense of this continent in
23:39 - 23:43
defense of allies here against an
23:41 - 23:46
aggressor on this continent with
23:43 - 23:47
ambitions that strikes me as the right
23:46 - 23:49
place to in and I don't say that in a
23:47 - 23:52
condescending way I say that in a common
23:49 - 23:55
sense practical way investing in defense
23:52 - 23:57
on the continent makes sense we support
23:55 - 24:00
that as well it also makes sense
23:57 - 24:01
comparatively and geographically for the
24:00 - 24:03
United States along with allies in the
24:01 - 24:05
Pacific like Japan and South Korea and
24:03 - 24:08
Phil the Philippines and Australia and
24:05 - 24:11
others to also invest in allies and
24:08 - 24:14
partners and capabilities in the Pacific
24:11 - 24:16
to project power there in service of
24:14 - 24:19
deterent that deterrent effect in the
24:16 - 24:21
Pacific is one that really can only be
24:19 - 24:24
led by the United States we wish we
24:21 - 24:26
could lead everywhere at all times we
24:24 - 24:29
will stand in solidarity with allies and
24:26 - 24:31
partners and encourage everyone to
24:29 - 24:33
invest in order to have forc
24:31 - 24:35
multiplication of what we represent but
24:33 - 24:37
it requires realistic
24:35 - 24:40
conversations those with disingenuous
24:37 - 24:42
motives in the media I don't mean to
24:40 - 24:44
look at you just saying anyone that
24:42 - 24:46
suggest its abandonment are trying to
24:44 - 24:49
drive a wedge between allies that does
24:46 - 24:51
not exist we are committed to that NATO
24:49 - 24:53
alliance we understand the importance of
24:51 - 24:56
that partnership but it can't endure on
24:53 - 24:58
the status quo forever in light of the
24:56 - 25:01
threats we face and fiscal realities
24:58 - 25:03
Europe has to spend more NATO has to
25:01 - 25:05
spend more has to invest more and we're
25:03 - 25:08
very encouraged by what the Secretary
25:05 - 25:09
General has said and frankly by behind
25:08 - 25:11
closed doors what a lot of our allies
25:09 - 25:13
have said as well acknowledging that
25:11 - 25:16
reality and that's why when I say make
25:13 - 25:19
NATO great again uh it's what president
25:16 - 25:19
Trump set out to do in
25:19 - 25:25
2017 the Press said president Trump is
25:23 - 25:27
abandoning NATO he's turning his back on
25:25 - 25:29
our NATO allies that's what that's what
25:27 - 25:33
the headlines right
25:29 - 25:36
in 2017 and 2018 what actually happened
25:33 - 25:38
that tough tough conversation created
25:36 - 25:40
even more investment to the point where
25:38 - 25:42
now almost every NATO country is meeting
25:40 - 25:45
the 2% goal that was said to be
25:42 - 25:47
egregious when he first said it now
25:45 - 25:49
European countries are stepping up and
25:47 - 25:52
president Trump continues to Ring the
25:49 - 25:55
Alarm Bell that even more investment is
25:52 - 25:57
required considering where we are uh so
25:55 - 26:00
suggestions of Abandonment otherwise
25:57 - 26:01
continue to be dis uous uh and we we are
26:00 - 26:05
proud to be part of this Alliance and
26:01 - 26:07
stand by I'll take a couple more sure
26:05 - 26:09
why don't we take one from a US outlet
26:07 - 26:13
and one from an international outlet
26:09 - 26:15
with the US Outlet pardon me sir uh what
26:13 - 26:18
we're going to take uh from the US is
26:15 - 26:18
Logan rattic from Newsmax
26:20 - 26:26
please you talked about expanding the uh
26:23 - 26:28
defense industrial base uh and also uh
26:26 - 26:30
Expediting foreign military sales can
26:28 - 26:33
you expand on that a little bit and how
26:30 - 26:35
important that is to Nato well one of
26:35 - 26:39
self-evident
26:36 - 26:41
um conclusions of the of the war in
26:39 - 26:43
Ukraine was the underinvestment that
26:41 - 26:45
both the European continent and America
26:43 - 26:47
has had unfortunately in the defense
26:45 - 26:50
industrial base the ability to produce
26:47 - 26:53
Munitions uh emerging Technologies
26:50 - 26:55
rapidly INF field them uh was a blind
26:53 - 26:58
spot exposed through the aggression
26:55 - 26:59
against Ukraine uh Ukraine has responded
26:58 - 27:01
to to that as we've had a chance to
26:59 - 27:03
listen to a great deal uh Europe is
27:01 - 27:05
responding to that and so is America we
27:03 - 27:07
have to do more to ensure whether you
27:05 - 27:09
call it the Arsenal for democracy or
27:07 - 27:13
defending the Free World if America
27:09 - 27:15
can't build and Export and build and
27:13 - 27:16
provide rapid capabilities because we're
27:15 - 27:19
too stale or static or bureaucratic or
27:16 - 27:21
the Pentagon is bloated um then we're
27:19 - 27:23
not able to field the systems we need in
27:21 - 27:25
the future so deep and dramatic reforms
27:23 - 27:27
are coming at the defense department
27:25 - 27:29
with the leadership of President Trump
27:27 - 27:31
to ensure that we're investing robustly
27:29 - 27:34
in our defense industrial base a great
27:31 - 27:36
example is ship building we need to
27:34 - 27:38
vastly increase our ability to build
27:36 - 27:40
ships and submarines not just for
27:38 - 27:42
ourselves but to honor obligations to
27:40 - 27:43
our allies as well and and we will do
27:42 - 27:45
that foreign military sales is another
27:43 - 27:48
thing I mentioned this morning with the
27:45 - 27:51
Secretary General um we have for for a
27:48 - 27:52
long time been the country by with and
27:51 - 27:54
through that our allies are able to
27:52 - 27:56
supply major platforms and Weapons
27:54 - 27:59
Systems like the F35 and the Patriots
27:56 - 28:02
and others whatever the system is we
27:59 - 28:05
need to reform that process so it's
28:02 - 28:07
quicker so a request today isn't
28:05 - 28:10
delivered 7 years from now but three
28:07 - 28:11
years from now with less red tape and
28:10 - 28:13
with the most efficient and effective
28:11 - 28:15
technology possible we hear that from
28:13 - 28:17
our allies and that's part of being a
28:15 - 28:19
good faith partner is we're going to
28:17 - 28:20
invest in our defense industrial base
28:19 - 28:22
we're going to make sure foreign
28:20 - 28:25
military sales are as rapid as possible
28:22 - 28:27
which again is a force multiplier for
28:25 - 28:29
American power uh which is something we
28:27 - 28:30
want to do in a contested world for our
28:29 - 28:32
final question we'll go to an
28:30 - 28:37
international Outlet the Japanese
28:32 - 28:37
service NHK with suio sug
28:38 - 28:43
please SAA from NHK the Japanese TV
28:41 - 28:46
station thank you very much I'd like to
28:43 - 28:49
ask about uh China as you mentioned that
28:46 - 28:52
uh us will be prioritizing in deterring
28:49 - 28:54
China what role will you be expecting uh
28:52 - 28:56
with Japan and ip4 countries to play in
28:54 - 28:58
this context sure I mean first of all I
28:56 - 28:59
would point out that president president
28:58 - 29:02
Trump has expressed a strong
28:59 - 29:04
relationship with shping uh we don't
29:02 - 29:07
have an inevitable desire to clash with
29:04 - 29:11
China there's a recognition that there
29:07 - 29:13
are uh Divergent interests which lead to
29:11 - 29:15
a need for strength on the American side
29:13 - 29:17
to ensure our interests are Advanced and
29:15 - 29:19
that ultimately any aggression is
29:17 - 29:20
deterred uh that's a real thing but we
29:19 - 29:23
don't feel like conflict is inevitable
29:20 - 29:25
and certainly don't seek conflict with
29:23 - 29:28
China and that's why president Trump has
29:25 - 29:29
uh that good relationship with shui but
29:28 - 29:31
it was prudent for us to work with
29:29 - 29:34
allies and partners in the Pacific to
29:31 - 29:37
ensure that that deterrence hard power
29:34 - 29:39
deterrence uh not just reputational but
29:37 - 29:41
reality exists and that's why a lot of
29:39 - 29:43
my first phone calls as Secretary of
29:41 - 29:46
Defense were to Pacific allies to
29:43 - 29:48
Australia uh to Japan to South Korea to
29:46 - 29:53
the Philippines and others and will
29:48 - 29:55
continue um because that just as this
29:53 - 29:57
Alliance uh in Europe is critical
29:55 - 29:59
working by with and through allies and
29:57 - 30:00
partners in in that region who
29:59 - 30:03
understand the reality of the the
30:00 - 30:05
ascended Chinese threat will be critical
30:03 - 30:08
uh it can't be America alone it won't be
30:05 - 30:11
America alone if we are to deter that um
30:08 - 30:15
so it's it is a focus I've articulated
30:11 - 30:18
that from day one uh America achieves
30:15 - 30:20
strength whether it's in this in the in
30:18 - 30:22
in peace through uh the Ukrainian
30:20 - 30:25
conflict or deterring it uh in the
30:22 - 30:27
Pacific through strength there's a
30:25 - 30:30
reason why Donald Trump emphasizes peace
30:27 - 30:33
through strength at every moment my job
30:30 - 30:36
my job alone as the secretary of defense
30:33 - 30:40
is to ensure he has the strongest most
30:36 - 30:42
capable most lethal military possible
30:40 - 30:44
heaven forbid we have to use it it's
30:42 - 30:46
meant and built for deterrence but if we
30:44 - 30:48
have to we can close with and destroy
30:46 - 30:50
our enemies and bring our men and women
30:48 - 30:53
home uh with success as quickly as
30:50 - 30:56
possible uh thank you very much for the
30:53 - 30:56
thank you very
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