'Between Ukraine And Russia, Who Do We Want To Win That War?': Kennedy Grills Top Marine Official

[0:01] Mr. Chairman. [0:04] Senator Kennedy. [0:05] Forgive me, Mr. Chairman, for interrupting. [0:08] And I say this with respect for you and these three gentlemen. [0:14] But as you know, we've got a very important meeting at 11 o'clock. [0:17] We're going to have to leave. [0:19] I would respectfully ask if we could limit the opening remarks so we could get to ask a few questions. [0:27] Senator Kennedy, Senator Coons has been perfectly all right with taking two on our side first and then they get two. [0:36] So we'll be able to get to both of you. [0:39] I know. [0:40] But my point is we're going to start at 11 o'clock. [0:43] I've got to be there. [0:44] And these gentlemen have some wonderful prepared statements. [0:49] But I can read faster than they can talk. [0:51] And I was hoping if they could give us the CliffsNotes version, we might have enough time to ask a question. [0:59] Or go ahead and ask a question. [1:02] Do you mind? [1:03] No. [1:03] Are you mind, gentlemen? [1:05] Sir, not at all. [1:06] All right. [1:07] I'll try to be brief. [1:08] Mr. Secretary, thank you for being here. [1:10] We need more ships. [1:12] We're going to give you money to build more ships. [1:15] You need to get those ships built. [1:18] You need to build as many of them as you can in Louisiana. [1:21] But let's get them built. [1:23] General, is Russia our friend? [1:30] Sir, they're not. [1:32] Between Ukraine and Russia, who do we want to win that war? [1:38] Well, we'd prefer there not be a war. [1:41] But obviously— [1:42] Well, but there is. [1:42] Who do we want to win? [1:43] Obviously, we want Ukraine to stand independently and not be consumed by Russia. [1:47] Okay. [1:48] Now, when Putin went into Ukraine, he thought he was going to roll in and take it over in two days like thunder on a summer night, didn't he? [1:58] I believe he did. [1:59] But the Ukrainian people have fought back, haven't they? [2:04] Yes, sir. [2:04] They have fought back. [2:05] And they now have some of the most sophisticated drone technology in the history of the world, don't they? [2:13] Sir, they do. [2:13] They're doing very well with drones. [2:15] And they're giving, with the limited resources they have, they're giving Russia a curb stomping, aren't they? [2:22] I would say they are. [2:23] In fact, they have knocked out, with their limited resources, 40 percent of Russia's export ability of their oil. [2:32] But since January, using their drones and limited cruise missiles, they have hit oil and gas facilities within Russia over 100 times. [2:46] Not on the border, within Russia. [2:49] Right? [2:50] Yes, sir. [2:51] And Putin was so scared, he almost had to cancel their military parade, didn't he? [2:59] Well, I'm not sure of that, sir, but I will take your word for that, sir. [3:02] Okay. [3:03] All right. [3:04] Well, how much money, now let me just lead you, the world has $300 billion of frozen Russian assets in escrow, don't we? [3:20] I don't know, sir. [3:21] I do. [3:21] It's $300 billion. [3:23] And two-thirds of that, about $200, $225 billion, is sitting in Europe, isn't it? [3:31] Again, sir, I'm not sure of that. [3:32] Well, I am. [3:34] And I'm surprised, no disrespect that you don't know. [3:37] And Europe has asked our permission to take that $200 to $225 billion. [3:47] Well, let me strike that. [3:49] That $225 billion, humor me, that's sitting there frozen, not a single penny is American taxpayer money, is it? [3:57] I don't believe it is. [3:58] No. [3:59] It all belongs to Russia, doesn't it? [4:01] I believe that is correct. [4:02] And the EU has asked our permission to take that money and give it to Ukraine so they can knock Russia in the next week and let's get this war over. [4:14] That's a good idea, don't you think? [4:16] Well, I think anything that can be done to stop that war is a good idea, sir. [4:19] Would you support giving that $225 billion, no taxpayer money in America, to Ukraine? [4:27] Well, again, sir, that's outside my purview as a service chief. [4:29] Okay. [4:31] Admiral, let me ask you a question. [4:34] Would it be fair to say, based on his public and notorious comments, both before, during, and after the summit between President Xi and President Trump, [4:59] that President Xi, how can I put this, he's nervous as a pregnant nun about what we're going to do on Taiwan, isn't he? [5:09] Sir, I do think he is concerned about our capability against any invasion of Taiwan. [5:15] I mean, talk about telegraphing your insecurities. [5:21] I mean, he talked about it right out of the chute. [5:23] He's practically sending us a television ad saying, I'm very worried about Taiwan. [5:31] Now, we don't want a war with China, do we? [5:33] Absolutely not. [5:35] No. [5:35] We want stability, though, with China, don't we? [5:38] Yes, sir. [5:38] And China doesn't recognize President Xi, doesn't recognize charity, does he? [5:45] I can't speak to that, but I would say probably not. [5:48] Well, he appreciates strength, doesn't he? [5:51] I would say so, yes, sir. [5:52] If you're in a bar fight with President Xi and you start quoting Socrates like we did under President Biden, you're going to get your rear end whipped, aren't you? [6:03] That's probably not a good course of action. [6:05] Yes. [6:06] Okay, so why don't we go ahead? [6:08] Don't you think it would be a good idea for us to gain leverage, to make weapons sales to Taiwan right now? [6:16] Sir, again, those things are very complex and a full calculus of all the levers of power that are being negotiated and worked. [6:23] So generally— [6:24] But I'm sorry, what more do we have to know, Adam? [6:27] President Xi has telegraphed his anxiety, his insecurity, now that he knows that America has learned how to fight. [6:36] We want leverage. [6:37] We want stability, not a hot war. [6:39] We want leverage. [6:41] What's his insecurity? [6:42] Taiwan. [6:43] Why don't we just go ahead and sell the weapons to Taiwan that Taiwan wants? [6:48] The president can call President Xi and say, hey, President Xi, don't take it personally, don't get excited, don't get your bowels in an uproar, but I'm selling these weapons. [7:00] Why wouldn't we do that? [7:02] We definitely want Taiwan to be as strong as they can be, sir. [7:05] They'd be stronger with those weapons, though, wouldn't they? [7:07] Yes, sir. [7:09] Don't you think we ought to sell them? [7:10] Sir, I'm not going to get in front of the administration's overall calculus on that. [7:14] That's just not a—I'm not going to make a statement on that as a service chief. [7:17] Okay. [7:18] But the capabilities that we're talking about would make them more effective. [7:22] I'm sorry to go over. [7:23] I'm sorry. [7:24] I just wanted to get my points in. [7:27] Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. [7:28] I've got to go, gentlemen. [7:29] I'm really sorry. [7:30] And I don't mean any disrespect by being so direct. [7:33] But we're down to it. [7:37] We're down to it. [7:38] Thank you.