Rubio: Iran was looking to create missile that could reach continental US

[0:00] Joining us is the Secretary of State himself, Marco Rubio is with us. [0:03] Mr. Secretary, thank you for taking the time. I know you're busy and you've got a lot on your plate. [0:08] Can we start with the question for those Americans that may not understand why now? [0:14] I want to go through this in great specificity and detail about the necessity of this. [0:20] Now, when the Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, came on this program [0:24] and explained that the Iranians would not negotiate the issue of giving up their nuclear weapons program, [0:31] bragged about 460 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium that could be turned into weapons grade 90% in 7 to 12 days, [0:43] at that point in time, it seemed inevitable to me. [0:47] They were going to, in spite of Midnight Hammer, they were going to cling to that, quote, inalienable right, as they called it. [0:53] Was that the take? [0:54] Was that the tipping point? [0:57] Well, it was one of the tipping points. [0:58] I mean, part of the tipping point is the fact that Iran's been doing this for 47 years. [1:02] We know what this regime is all about. [1:04] I always say, Iran, let me be clear, I'm not talking about the people of Iran. [1:06] The people of Iran don't even like this government or this regime. [1:10] This is a regime that is led by radical Shia clerics, by people who believe that it is their calling. [1:16] I know this sounds fantastical, but it's absolutely true. [1:19] This is a regime led by people who believe that it is their calling and their purpose in life to usher in the end of the world. [1:25] These people want nuclear weapons. [1:26] Why do we know that? [1:28] Because they are assembling all the things you need for nuclear weapons. [1:31] They're assembling long-range rockets that can eventually reach the United States, can already range Europe. [1:36] We saw them demonstrate two of them last week, despite denying that they had them. [1:40] They enriched uranium to 60 percent. [1:42] As you pointed out a moment ago, from 60 to 90 percent, which is what you need for a bomb, takes 12 to 14 days. [1:48] They bragged about still having that. [1:50] They demand the right to enrich, which is how you get from 60 to 90 percent. [1:54] They're the leading sponsor of terrorism. [1:56] If they're not in the region, in the world, they can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, [2:00] which is what President Trump made very clear from the very first day of his presidency, [2:04] in fact, from the very first day of his candidacy. [2:06] When he came down that escalator in 2015, he talked about this. [2:10] He's actually been talking about the threat of Iran before he was even a political candidate. [2:14] And as president, he was not going to allow Iran to pose a threat to Americans now or future generations of Americans. [2:21] So we had to act with very clear purpose. [2:24] We are going to destroy their areas. [2:26] We are going to destroy their air force. [2:28] We have largely done that. [2:30] We were going to destroy their navy, which we have largely achieved that. [2:32] We were going to destroy a significant percentage of their missile launchers. [2:36] We are well on our way to achieving that. [2:38] And we were going to wipe out their defense industrial base, meaning the factories that make the drones and the missiles. [2:43] We are on our way to doing that. [2:45] Those were our four objectives because those were the four things they were going to hide behind to then develop a nuclear weapon [2:51] and threaten the world if they tried to do anything about it. [2:54] That was not going to happen under President Trump. [2:56] We are on our way. [2:57] We are on or ahead of schedule on each of those four objectives. [2:59] And we can see the finish line. [3:01] It's not today. [3:02] It's not tomorrow. [3:03] But it is coming. [3:04] We are going to get to the point where our military will have achieved all of its objectives in this mission. [3:09] And they're doing so with extraordinary efficiency, something that I think will go down in history as one of the best-run tactical military operations in modern times. [3:20] We'll get back to that timeline in a second because both you and the president have said weeks. [3:24] It's not going to be months. [3:26] You're going to be months. [3:27] It's not going to be months. [3:28] One thing I think we've learned, and if you can expand on this, because if you have nuclear capability, you also need the delivery system. [3:35] Prior to Epic Fury, you felt and you were arguing that, and the world has always underestimated Iran's abilities, whether their nuclear capability or ballistic missile capability. [3:46] And you felt it was too dangerous a threat not to address in this operation ballistic missiles and the nuclear threat at the same time. [3:55] Right. [3:56] THEIR MISSILES COULD REACH [3:58] PARIS, LONDON, IS THAT TRUE? [3:59] THAT'S CORRECT. [4:00] IN FACT, BUT THEY DENIED IT. [4:03] REMEMBER, ANY TIME YOU HEAR [4:04] IRAN, YOU HAD AN IMAGE A MOMENT [4:06] AGO OF THIS GUY ARACHI, THEIR [4:08] FOREIGN MINISTER, THIS GUY IS A [4:09] LIAR. [4:10] THIS GUY WAS ON TELEVISION LIKE [4:13] A WEEK AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO, [4:15] DENYING THAT IRAN HAD ANY [4:16] MISSILES THAT COULD GO BEYOND A [4:18] CERTAIN COUNTRY, A COUNTRY THAT [4:19] WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIND ITSELF [4:20] ANYWAY. [4:21] THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ITSELF [4:23] ANYWAY. [4:23] THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND ITSELF [4:25] ANYWAY. [4:26] THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND ITSELF [4:28] ANYWAY. [4:29] I MET WITH THEM TWO WEEKS AGO [4:31] DENYING THAT IRAN HAD ANY [4:32] MISSILES THAT COULD GO BEYOND A [4:34] CERTAIN LIMITATION. [4:35] AND THEN THEY FIRED TWO OF THEM. [4:36] WE DON'T THINK THEY HAVE MANY OF [4:37] THEM. [4:38] BUT THEY ARE SOON TO HAVE MANY [4:39] OF THEM. [4:40] WE HAVE DESTROYED AND ARE [4:41] DESTROYING THE FACTORIES TO MAKE [4:42] THOSE THINGS. [4:42] THOSE THINGS, THE ONES THEY [4:44] LAUNCHED THE OTHER DAY, COULD [4:46] REACH WALLEN TO EUROPE. [4:47] THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE AIMING TO [4:48] DO. [4:49] THEY WERE AIMING TO BE THE NEXT [4:51] NORTH KOREA, WHICH IS REALLY FAR [4:53] AWAY. [4:53] SO THEY WERE MOVING TOWARDS [4:55] EVENTUALLY HAVING A MISSILE THAT [4:57] COULD REACH THE CONTINENTAL [4:58] UNITED STATES. [4:58] THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE AIMING TO [5:00] DO. [5:00] THEY WERE AIMING TO BECOME THE [5:02] NEXT NORTH KOREA, EXCEPT NOT A [5:04] NORTH KOREA RUN BY A REGIME THAT [5:07] IS TROUBLESOME AND HARD TO [5:09] UNDERSTAND, BUT AN IRAN RUN BY [5:11] RADICAL SHIA CLERICS WITH [5:12] INTERCONTINENTAL MISSILE THAT [5:14] COULD REACH THE MAINLAND OF THE [5:15] UNITED STATES, THAT'S WHAT THEY [5:17] WOULD HAVE ULTIMATELY ACHIEVED [5:19] HAD PRESIDENT TRUMP NOT TAKEN [5:21] THESE STEPS THAT HE'S TAKEN. [5:23] MR. SECRETARY, DO YOU [5:24] BELIEVE THE NORTH KOREANS, [5:25] THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS [5:27] THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ASSISTING [5:28] IRAN WITH BOTH THEIR BALLISTIC [5:30] MISSILE PROGRAM AND THEIR NUCLEAR [5:33] PROGRAM? [5:33] WELL, I CAN'T COMMENT ON [5:35] THAT OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT [5:36] THERE'S NOTHING ANY GOVERNMENT [5:37] IS DOING OR ANY COUNTRY IN THE [5:39] WORLD IS DOING NOW TO HELP IRAN [5:41] THAT IS IN ANY WAY IMPEEDING OUR [5:42] MISSION. [5:42] THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THAT [5:44] SINCE THE END OF THE ELECTION. [5:46] HAVE THEY BEEN DOING THAT? [5:47] YES, THEY HAVE. [5:49] BY THE WAY, IRAN ALSO HELPS [5:50] OTHER COUNTRIES BY PROVIDING [5:52] DRONES AND ROCKETS AND THINGS OF [5:53] THAT NATURE THAT THEY'VE [5:54] DEVELOPED THEMSELVES. [5:55] BUT UNDERSTAND THIS, IRAN, THIS [5:57] IS A COUNTRY THAT HAS TROUBLE [5:58] COMING UP WITH DRINKING WATER. [6:00] THIS IS A COUNTRY WHOSE ECONOMY [6:01] IS IN SHAMBLES. [6:02] IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN WORSE OFF [6:04] AFTER THIS OPERATION. [6:05] THIS IS A COUNTRY WHOSE PEOPLE [6:06] HAVE BEEN PROTESTING IN THE [6:07] STREETS BECAUSE NOT JUST THE LACK [6:09] OF ENERGY, BUT THE LACK OF [6:10] ENERGY, THE LACK OF ENERGY. [6:12] THEY HAVE ALL THE MONEY THEY [6:13] HAVE, THE LITTLE MONEY THEY HAVE [6:14] BECAUSE OF SANCTIONS, AND THEY [6:16] HAVE INVESTED ALL OF IT IN [6:17] SPONSORING TERRORISM AND [6:18] BUILDING LONG-RANGE MISSILES, [6:20] INCREASING THE RANGE OF THEIR [6:21] MISSILES EVERY YEAR AND BUILDING [6:23] THOUSANDS OF THEM AND BUILDING [6:24] THESE ONE-WAY ATTACK DRONES THAT [6:26] THEY'RE USING AGAINST THEIR [6:27] NEIGHBORS. [6:27] THIS IS WHAT THEY PUT THEIR [6:28] MONEY TOWARDS. [6:29] AND THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE GOING [6:30] TO CONTINUE TO DO. [6:32] THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO [6:34] CONTINUE TO DO. [6:35] THEY REFUSED TO NEGOTIATE ON [6:36] TERRORISM, AND THEY REFUSED TO [6:38] NEGOTIATE ON ENRICHMENT. [6:39] THEY DEMAND THE RIGHT TO [6:40] ENRICH. [6:40] SO FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE OUT [6:42] THERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS [6:43] COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, THEY [6:44] WERE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN [6:46] MULTIPLE TALKS, AND ALL THEY DID [6:48] IS EITHER REJECT OR DELAY, AND [6:50] THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNDER [6:51] PRESIDENT TRUMP. [6:52] HE'S NOT GOING TO ALLOW IRAN TO [6:54] BECOME A NUCLEAR POWER ON HIS [6:56] WATCH AND THREATEN AMERICA NOW [6:57] THAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. [6:59] SO I GUESS THE IDEAL SITUATION [7:02] WOULD BE A NEGOTIATED [7:03] SETTLEMENT. [7:04] THE PRESIDENT GAVE AND SAID [7:06] PUBLICLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN [7:08] BEFORE MIDNIGHT HAMMER AND [7:10] BEFORE OPERATION EPIC FURY, AND [7:12] HE'S SAYING TO THE PEOPLE THAT [7:14] THE FOURTH, FIFTH TIER, WHATEVER [7:16] LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP REMAINS, [7:17] HE'S SAYING TO THEM NOW HE [7:19] WOULD PREFER A NEGOTIATED [7:20] SETTLEMENT. [7:21] NOW, APPARENTLY, THEY HAVE SOME [7:23] POWER BECAUSE THEY PROMISED THE [7:25] PRESIDENT THAT THEY WOULD ALLOW [7:27] THE FOURTH, FIFTH TIER LEVEL OF [7:28] LEADERSHIP. [7:29] AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THOSE [7:31] TANKERS MADE IT THROUGH. [7:33] SO THEY MUST HAVE SOME DEGREE OF [7:35] POWER. [7:36] THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS WILL THE [7:38] FOURTH, FIFTH TIER LEVEL OF [7:39] LEADERSHIP, WILL THEY BE SMARTER [7:41] THAN TIER ONE, TWO, AND THREE? [7:43] AND WILL THEY MAKE THE DEAL OR [7:47] WILL THEY BE FACING, YOU KNOW, [7:49] DEATH THEMSELVES IN THE NEAR [7:50] FUTURE? [7:51] WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE [7:53] CAN'T IGNORE THAT FOR 47 YEARS [7:54] THEY'VE AVOIDED AND REJECTED ANY [7:55] EFFORT TO NEGOTIATE. [7:56] WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS [7:57] FOR A LONG TIME. [7:59] PRESIDENT TRUMP ALWAYS, ALWAYS [8:01] WOULD RATHER HAVE NEGOTIATIONS [8:02] THAN WAR. [8:03] AND HE WILL ALWAYS, WE GAVE HIM [8:05] 60 DAYS EARLY LAST YEAR. [8:06] WE GAVE HIM ADDITIONAL TIME TO [8:08] NEGOTIATE AFTER MIDNIGHT HAMMER [8:10] AGAIN EARLIER THIS YEAR. [8:11] BUT EACH AND EVERY TIME THOSE [8:12] THINGS HAVE PROVED FRUITLESS. [8:13] BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP TRYING. [8:15] THERE ARE MESSAGES BEING [8:16] EXCHANGED. [8:17] THERE ARE TALKS GOING ON. [8:18] THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR [8:19] DIRECT MEETING AT SOME POINT. [8:20] WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE OPEN [8:21] TO PEOPLE. [8:22] WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE OPEN TO [8:24] PEOPLE. [8:25] WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT [8:26] GOING TO ALLOW IS HE'S NOT GOING [8:28] TO ALLOW FAKE NEGOTIATIONS TO BE [8:30] USED AS A DELAY TACTIC TO BUY [8:31] MORE TIME. [8:32] TO BUY THEMSELVES SPACE. [8:33] THAT'S WHAT HE'S NOT GOING TO [8:34] ALLOW. [8:35] YOU KNOW, THE BIDEN [8:36] ADMINISTRATION SPENT FOUR YEARS, [8:38] FOUR YEARS TRYING TO RESURRECT [8:40] THE OBAMA NUCLEAR DEAL WITH [8:41] IRAN. [8:42] THEY SPENT FOUR YEARS TRYING TO [8:43] TALK TO THE IRANIANS. [8:44] AND THEY STRUNG THEM ALONG FOR [8:45] FOUR YEARS. [8:46] AND I THINK THEY THOUGHT THEY [8:47] WERE GOING TO TALK TO THEIR [8:48] FRIENDS. [8:49] THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TALK TO [8:50] THEIR FRIENDS. [8:51] THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TALK TO [8:52] THEIR FRIENDS. [8:53] WE'RE NOT GOING TO STRING ALONG [8:54] PRESIDENT TRUMP. [8:55] HE'S NOT GOING TO FALL FOR THEIR [8:56] GAMES. [8:57] HE HASN'T FALLEN FOR THEIR [8:58] GAMES. [8:59] SO WE'LL ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO [9:00] TALK. [9:01] BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW [9:02] THAT OR THE FAILURE OF TALKS TO [9:03] IMPEDE OUR ABILITY TO DEFEND [9:04] THIS COUNTRY AND TO PROTECT THIS [9:05] COUNTRY FROM A REAL THREAT. [9:06] IT'S A THREAT TO THE WORLD. [9:07] IT'S NOT JUST A THREAT TO [9:17] THE UNITED STATES. [9:18] THAT WOULD BE AN EXISTENTIAL [9:19] THREAT TO THE WORLD, TO THE [9:20] UNITED STATES SPECIFICALLY HERE. [9:22] SO EITHER THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE [9:24] THAT UP WILLINGLY OR CAN WE [9:27] ENTOMB IT? [9:28] I'VE BEEN READING A LOT OF [9:29] ARTICLES ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY [9:31] OR IS IT SOMETHING IF THEY DON'T [9:33] AGREE TO GIVE IT UP WILLINGLY [9:35] THAT WE WILL JUST HAVE TO TAKE [9:37] POSSESSION OF ON OUR OWN? [9:38] WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO [9:41] DISCUSS TACTICS OR OPTIONS THAT [9:43] ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PRESIDENT. [9:44] I WILL SAY THAT THERE'S A VERY [9:46] SIMPLE... [9:47] THERE'S NO USE OF THE [9:49] URANIUM. [9:50] THERE'S NO USE FOR 60% ENRICHED [9:52] URANIUM. [9:53] I KNOW WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE [9:54] TECHNICAL HERE, BUT THERE'S NO [9:55] USE FOR IT. [9:56] YOU DON'T USE IT TO CREATE [9:57] ELECTRICITY. [9:58] YOU DON'T USE IT TO CREATE [9:59] ANYTHING FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. [10:00] THE ONLY REASON TO HAVE 60% [10:01] ENRICHED URANIUM IS TO BE ABLE [10:02] TO ENRICH IT TO 90% AND PUT IT [10:03] IN A BOMB. [10:04] THAT'S THE ONLY REASON TO HAVE [10:05] IT. [10:06] IRAN HAS NO REASON TO HAVE IT. [10:07] THEY SHOULD EITHER... [10:08] THEY SHOULD GIVE IT UP. [10:09] THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN MULTIPLE [10:10] OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE IT UP. [10:11] THEY'VE HAD MULTIPLE COUNTRIES, [10:12] INCLUDING COUNTRIES THEY [10:13] CONSIDER FRIENDLY TO THEM, [10:14] APPROACH THEM AND SAY, TURN IT [10:16] OVER TO US. [10:17] THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO DO [10:18] SO. [10:19] SO WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO [10:20] REFUSE TO TURN OVER 60% ENRICHED [10:22] URANIUM? [10:23] THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON, AND [10:24] THAT IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO [10:25] HOLD IT AND KEEP IT TO ONE DAY [10:27] USE IT TO BUILD A BOMB. [10:28] THAT'S THE ONLY WAY. [10:29] AND THEY WERE GOING TO HIDE [10:30] BEHIND ALL OF THESE MISSILES, [10:31] ALL OF THESE DRONES, THEIR NAVY [10:40] MISSILES. [10:41] THEY WERE GOING TO SAY, LOOK, [10:43] THIS IS THE WEAKEST IRAN HAS [10:44] EVER BEEN. [10:45] THIS IS THE WEAKEST IRAN [10:46] CERTAINLY HAS BEEN IN 25 YEARS. [10:47] RIGHT NOW, LOOK AT THE DAMAGE [10:48] THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO INFLICT ON [10:49] THEIR NEIGHBORS AT THEIR [10:50] WEAKEST POINT. [10:51] IMAGINE TWO YEARS FROM NOW WHEN [10:53] THEY HAD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO [10:54] BUILD TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF [10:55] MISSILES THEY HAD, TO DOUBLE THE [10:57] NUMBER OF DRONES THEY HAD. [10:58] IMAGINE THAT. [10:59] THAT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. [11:00] THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT GOING TO [11:01] ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. [11:02] THAT'S WHY HE TOOK ACTION. [11:03] AND, AGAIN, I WANT TO REMIND, [11:04] BECAUSE I HEAR THESE NEWS [11:05] REPORTS, AND IT'S VERY [11:06] FRUSTRATING, THAT WE DON'T KNOW [11:07] WHAT THE OBJECTIVES ARE. [11:08] THE OBJECTIVES ARE VERY CLEAR. [11:09] I WANT TO REPEAT THEM AGAIN, AND [11:10] WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE ALL FOUR [11:11] OF THEM. [11:12] WE'RE GOING TO DESTROY THEIR [11:13] AIR FORCE. [11:14] WE ALREADY HAVE DONE IT. [11:15] WE'RE GOING TO DESTROY THEIR [11:16] NAVY. [11:17] WE'VE LARGELY DONE THAT. [11:18] WE'RE GOING TO DESTROY THEIR [11:19] FACTORIES THAT MAKE THESE [11:20] MISSILES AND THESE DRONES. [11:21] AND WE ARE GOING TO DESTROY [11:22] THEIR... [11:23] WE ARE GOING TO SEVERELY DEGRADE [11:24] THEIR MISSILE LAUNCHERS SO THAT [11:25] THEY CAN'T FIRE THESE MULTIPLE [11:26] SALVOS AGAINST THEIR NEIGHBORS [11:27] AND THREATEN US, THREATEN OUR [11:28] TROOPS IN THE REGION, AND [11:29] THREATEN OUR ALLIES IN THE [11:30] REGION. [11:31] AND WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO [11:32] ACHIEVING ALL FOUR OF THOSE [11:33] OBJECTIVES. [11:34] THOSE OBJECTIVES WILL BE [11:35] ACHIEVED. [11:36] THEY'LL BE ACHIEVED HERE VERY [11:37] SOON. [11:38] LET'S TALK ABOUT THE [11:39] STRAIGHT OF HORMOOS. [11:40] 20% OF THE WORLD'S OIL SUPPLY [11:42] PASSES THROUGH THERE ON A DAILY [11:45] BASIS. [11:46] YOU HAVE STEADFASTLY SAID THEY [11:48] WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A [11:50] TOLLING SYSTEM WHERE THEY GET TO [11:52] CHARGE COUNTRIES TO PASS THROUGH [11:53] MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, NUMBER ONE. [11:55] AND NUMBER TWO, THIS IS ABOUT [11:56] THE FREE FLOW OF OIL AT MARKET [11:57] PRICES. [11:58] THIS IS CRITICAL TO THE WORLD'S [11:59] ECONOMY. [12:00] OBVIOUSLY NOT SO MUCH THE [12:01] AMERICAN ECONOMY. [12:02] AND THAT BRINGS UP THE ISSUE OF [12:04] NATO, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN A [12:05] SECOND. [12:06] HOW IS THIS GOING TO CHANGE THE [12:07] WORLD'S OIL SUPPLY? [12:08] HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHETHER OR [12:11] NOT IT WILL BE OKAY FOR U.S. [12:13] FORCES TO WITHDRAW KNOWING AND [12:15] HAVING CONFIDENCE THAT THE [12:16] STRAIGHT WILL BE OPEN FOR THE [12:17] FREE FLOW OF OIL? [12:18] WELL, THE STRAIGHTS OF [12:19] Hormuz, THOSE ARE INTERNATIONAL [12:20] WATERS, RIGHT? [12:21] SO ANYTHING IRAN DOES TO IMPEDE [12:22] COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC IS ILLEGAL. [12:24] FOR ALL THESE COUNTRIES THAT [12:25] LOVE TO TALK ABOUT INTERNATIONAL [12:26] LAW, IT IS A VIOLATION OF [12:27] INTERNATIONAL MARITIME LAW TO [12:28] IMPEDE THE FREE FLOW OF TRAVEL [12:29] IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS. [12:30] OKAY? [12:31] SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE. [12:32] NUMBER TWO, IT'S ILLEGAL TO [12:33] BOMB AND HIT AND ATTACK [12:35] COMMERCIAL SHIPPING AND SINK [12:36] THEM. [12:37] I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THE NAZIS [12:38] DID DURING WORLD WAR II IN THE [12:39] ATLANTIC. [12:40] AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING [12:41] NOW TO SHIPS THAT THEY, FROM [12:42] COUNTRIES THEY DON'T LIKE, THAT [12:43] ARE FLAGGED BY COUNTRIES THEY [12:44] DON'T LIKE. [12:45] THESE ARE TERRORISTIC ACTS THAT [12:46] THEY'RE UNDERTAKING. [12:47] AND SO THE UNITED STATES GETS [12:48] VERY LITTLE ENERGY THROUGH THE [12:49] STRAIGHTS OF HORMUZ. [12:50] OUR ALLIES SHIP OUT A LOT OF OIL [12:52] THROUGH THERE, MEANING OUR GULF [12:53] ALLIES. [12:54] AND CERTAINLY COUNTRIES IN ASIA [12:55] AND EUROPE DEPEND ON IT. [12:56] WE DEPEND VERY LITTLE ON THE [12:57] STRAIGHTS. [12:58] SO THIS, IF IN FACT IRAN DECIDES [13:00] TO SET UP A TOLL, IF IN FACT [13:02] IRAN DECIDES THAT THEY'RE GOING [13:03] TO ILLEGALLY CONTROL THE [13:04] STRAIGHTS OF HORMUZ OR DECIDE [13:05] THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO THAT, [13:06] LOOK, I IMAGINE THAT WILL BE THE [13:07] PRESIDENT'S CALL, WHETHER HE [13:08] WANTS TO HELP. [13:09] BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR THE [13:10] WORLD. [13:11] IT'S COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD [13:12] SHOULD BE STEPPING UP AND DEALING [13:13] WITH THAT. [13:14] AND SAYING THAT'S INTOLERABLE. [13:15] AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE [13:16] ENCOURAGED THEM TO DO. [13:17] LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT [13:18] NATO. [13:19] YOU SAID THAT OUR NATO ALLIES [13:20] HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTING [13:21] SPECIFICALLY. [13:22] I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT [13:23] SPAIN, GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, [13:24] EVEN ITALY NOW. [13:25] AND THAT AFTER ALL OF THIS IS [13:28] DONE, WE WILL RE-EXAMINE THIS [13:30] RELATIONSHIP. [13:31] AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO [13:33] WE PAY TWO-THIRDS OF WHAT WE [13:35] PAY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. [13:36] AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE [13:37] ENCOURAGED THEM TO DO. [13:38] AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE [13:39] ENCOURAGED THEM TO DO. [13:40] AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE [13:41] ENCOURAGED THEM TO DO. [13:42] WE WILL RE-EXAMINE THIS [13:43] RELATIONSHIP. [13:44] AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO [13:46] WE PAY TWO-THIRDS OF THE FREIGHT [13:48] WHEN IT COMES TO NATO DEFENSE. [13:50] AND IF IT'S JUST, QUOTE, ABOUT [13:52] US DEFENDING EUROPE, YOU SAID, [13:54] YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, HOW DO [13:56] WE CALL THAT? [13:57] AND WE CAN'T HAVE OUR LANDING [13:59] RIGHTS IN EUROPEAN NATIONS, OUR [14:01] ALLIES, AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED [14:03] THEM, WHAT GOOD IS THAT [14:04] ALLIANCE? [14:07] AND IS THE NATO ALLIANCE AT [14:08] RISK? [14:09] AND IS THE NATO ALLIANCE AT [14:11] RISK? [14:12] IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT [14:14] DEFENDING NATO DURING MY TIME [14:15] AS A UNITED STATES SENATOR [14:16] BECAUSE I FOUND GREAT VALUE IN [14:17] IT. [14:18] IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT DEFENDING [14:19] EUROPE. [14:20] I SAID IT ALSO ALLOWED US TO [14:21] HAVE MILITARY BASES IN EUROPE [14:22] THAT ALLOWED US TO PROJECT [14:23] POWER INTO DIFFERENT PARTS OF [14:24] THE WORLD WHEN OUR NATIONAL [14:25] SECURITY WAS THREATENED. [14:26] IF NOW WE HAVE REACHED A POINT [14:28] WHERE THE NATO ALLIANCE MEANS [14:30] THAT WE CAN'T USE THOSE BASES, [14:32] THAT, IN FACT, THAT WE CAN NO [14:34] LONGER USE THOSE BASES TO [14:35] CONDUCT AIR STRIKES, THEN WHY [14:37] ARE WE IN NATO? [14:38] IT'S NOT JUST US HAVING TROOPS [14:40] IN EUROPE TO DEFEND EUROPE, BUT [14:42] WHEN WE NEED THEIR HELP, NOT [14:43] THEIR HELP, WE'RE NOT ASKING [14:44] THEM TO CONDUCT AIR STRIKES. [14:45] WHEN WE NEED THEM TO ALLOW US [14:47] TO USE THEIR MILITARY BASES, [14:48] THEIR ANSWER IS NO? [14:49] THEN WHY ARE WE IN NATO? [14:50] YOU HAVE TO ASK THAT QUESTION. [14:52] WHY DO WE HAVE BILLIONS AND [14:53] BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, HUNDREDS [14:54] OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER THE [14:56] YEARS, TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS, [14:57] AND ALL THESE AMERICAN FORCES [14:58] THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO PLACE [14:59] AND WE CAN ONLY USE, IN OUR [15:01] TIME OF NEED, WE'RE NOT GOING TO [15:02] BE ALLOWED TO USE THOSE BASES. [15:04] SO I THINK THERE'S NO DOUBT, [15:06] UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER THIS [15:07] CONFLICT IS CONCLUDED, WE ARE [15:09] GOING TO HAVE TO RE-EXAMINE THAT [15:10] RELATIONSHIP. [15:11] WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO [15:12] RE-EXAMINE THE VALUE OF NATO AND [15:13] THAT ALLIANCE FOR OUR COUNTRY. [15:14] ULTIMATELY, THAT'S A DECISION [15:15] FOR THE PRESIDENT TO MAKE, AND [15:16] HE'LL HAVE TO MAKE IT. [15:17] WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THE JOB [15:18] HERE. [15:19] AS I SAID, WE'RE VERY, VERY [15:20] CONCERNED ABOUT THIS CONFLICT. [15:21] WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RE-EXAMINE [15:22] WHETHER OR NOT THIS ALLIANCE [15:23] THAT HAS SERVED THIS COUNTRY [15:24] WELL FOR A WHILE IS STILL [15:25] SERVING THAT PURPOSE, OR IS IT [15:26] NOW BECOME A ONE-WAY STREET [15:27] WHERE AMERICA IS SIMPLY IN A [15:28] POSITION TO DEFEND EUROPE, BUT [15:29] WHEN WE NEED THE HELP OF OUR [15:30] ALLIES, THEY'RE GOING TO DENY US [15:31] BASING RIGHTS AND THEY'RE GOING [15:32] TO DENY US OVERFLIGHT? [15:33] I THINK THESE ARE VERY [15:34] LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS THAT WE [15:35] NEED TO BE ASKING, AND THESE ARE [15:36] GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY [15:37] CAREFULLY EXAMINED AFTER THIS [15:50] CONVERSATION. [15:51] THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT [15:52] BUDGET. [15:53] WE SPEND NEARLY A TRILLION [15:54] DOLLARS A YEAR. [15:55] I'D BE NEGLIGENT WHILE I HAVE [15:56] YOU IF I DIDN'T ASK FOR AN [15:57] UPDATE ON VENEZUELA. [15:58] YOU MET EARLIER TODAY WITH THE [16:01] VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER [16:03] MARIA CORINO-MACHADO. [16:04] RIGHT NOW, DELCY RODRIGUEZ [16:06] SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN WORKING WELL [16:07] WITH THE U.S. [16:08] AND IF YOU CAN GIVE US AN UPDATE [16:10] ON CUBA, WHICH SEEMS ITS FALL [16:14] SEEMS SOMEWHAT IMMINENT. [16:15] WELL, ON VENEZUELA, [16:16] VENEZUELA HAS A VERY STRONG [16:17] PLAN. [16:18] THE FIRST WAS STABILIZATION. [16:19] WE DIDN'T WANT THE COUNTRY [16:20] HAVING A MASS MIGRATION. [16:21] WE DIDN'T WANT CIVIL WAR. [16:22] WE DIDN'T WANT UPHEAVAL IN THE [16:23] STREETS. [16:24] THAT'S LARGELY BEEN ACHIEVED. [16:25] IN FACT, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF [16:26] THAT. [16:27] THE SECOND IS A PHASE OF [16:28] RECOVERY. [16:29] AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE IN THE [16:30] RECOVERY PHASE RIGHT NOW WHERE [16:31] YOU'RE SEEING NOT JUST ECONOMIC [16:33] RECOVERY GOING ON IN VENEZUELA [16:34] BUT YOU'RE ALSO SEEING AN [16:35] ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN A WAY [16:36] THAT'S GOOD FOR THE UNITED [16:37] STATES. [16:38] I MEAN, THEY ARE SHIPPING ALL OF [16:39] THAT OIL TO OUR REFINERIES. [16:41] AND THAT MONEY IS BEING THE [16:42] PROFITS FROM THAT IS BEING [16:43] DEPOSITED INTO BANK ACCOUNTS [16:44] CONTROLLED BY THE UNITED STATES [16:46] TREASURY. [16:47] AND THE MONEY IS GOING TO THE [16:48] BENEFIT OF THE VENEZUELAN [16:49] PEOPLE, NOT BEING STOLEN. [16:50] PART OF THAT RECOVERY IS YOU'VE [16:51] SEEN HUNDREDS OF POLITICAL [16:52] PRISONERS FREED. [16:53] YOU'VE SEEN THIS VERY INFAMOUS [16:55] JAIL THAT THEY WERE PUTTING ALL [16:56] THE POLITICAL PRISONERS HAS [16:57] BEEN CLOSED. [16:58] IT'S ONLY BEEN THREE MONTHS. [17:00] WHAT'S BEEN ACHIEVED IN [17:01] VENEZUELA IN JUST THREE MONTHS [17:02] IS NOTHING SHORT OF [17:03] EXTRAORDINARY. [17:04] ULTIMATELY, THERE WILL HAVE TO [17:05] BE A TRANSITION PHASE. [17:06] THERE WILL HAVE TO BE FREE AND [17:07] FAIR ELECTIONS IN VENEZUELA. [17:08] AND THAT POINT HAS TO COME. [17:09] AND THAT HAS TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S [17:10] NOT FOREVER, BUT WE'RE, WE HAVE [17:12] TO BE PATIENT, BUT WE ALSO CAN'T [17:14] BE COMPLACENT. [17:15] AND SO I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT [17:16] THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN [17:17] VENEZUELA IN THREE MONTHS AND [17:18] ALL THE DOOMSDAYERS THAT WERE [17:19] SAYING AFTER MADURO WAS TAKEN [17:21] PRISONER, AS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN, [17:22] AND BROUGHT TO JUSTICE THAT ALL [17:23] THESE THINGS WERE GOING TO GO [17:24] TERRIBLY WRONG. [17:25] WELL, I THINK THEY NEED TO ADMIT [17:26] THAT THEY WERE WRONG. [17:27] SO FAR, SO GOOD IN THE, OVER THE [17:28] LAST THREE MONTHS IN VENEZUELA. [17:29] THE CASE OF CUBA IS ACTUALLY [17:30] TRAGIC. [17:31] CUBA HAS AN ECONOMIC MODEL THAT [17:32] WOULDN'T WORK ANYWHERE IN THE [17:33] WORLD. [17:34] THEY DON'T HAVE AN ECONOMIC [17:35] MODEL. [17:36] THEY DON'T HAVE AN ECONOMY IN [17:37] CUBA. [17:38] THERE LITERALLY IS NO ECONOMY. [17:39] AND, SADLY, THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE [17:40] OF THE APPARATUS OF GOVERNMENT [17:41] THERE ARE BOTH INCOMPETENT AND [17:42] UNABLE TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. [17:43] SO I THINK CUBA IS IN NEED OF [17:44] TWO THINGS. [17:45] ECONOMIC REFORMS AND POLITICAL [17:46] REFORM. [17:47] YOU CANNOT FIX THEIR ECONOMY IF [17:48] YOU DON'T CHANGE THEIR SYSTEM OF [17:49] GOVERNMENT. [17:50] AND, BUT THEY'RE IN A LOT OF [17:51] TROUBLE. [17:52] THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. [17:53] AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE MORE [17:54] NEWS ON THAT FAIRLY SOON. [17:55] WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL. [17:56] AND YOU STAND BY WEEKS, NOT [17:57] MONTHS, AWAY FROM THE END OF [17:58] THIS CONFLICT, COMING TO AN [17:59] END, SIR? [18:00] YES. [18:01] YEAH, I THINK WE'RE VERY CLOSE [18:02] TO ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVES. [18:03] I DON'T WANT TO PUT A TIMELINE [18:04] ON IT. [18:05] BUT WE CAN SEE THE FINISH LINE. [18:06] THE FINISH LINE MEANING WE WILL [18:07] HAVE ACHIEVED ALL OF THE [18:08] OBJECTIVES THAT THE PRESIDENT [18:09] OUTLINED. [18:10] AND THOSE ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE [18:11] WHEN WE ACHIEVE THOSE [18:13] OBJECTIVES, WE WILL MAKE IT [18:14] NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR IRAN TO [18:15] HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON ANYTIME [18:16] NEXT YEAR. [18:17] SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT [18:18] WE HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. [18:19] AND THE WORLD WILL BE A SAFER [18:20] PLACE. [18:21] AND OUR COUNTRY WILL BE SAFER, [18:22] WHICH IS THE NUMBER ONE JOB THE [18:23] PRESIDENT HAS, TO KEEP AMERICANS [18:24] SAFE. [18:25] PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL ALWAYS [18:26] KEEP AMERICANS SAFE. [18:27] AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING NOW. [18:28] AND THANK GOD HE'S DOING IT [18:29] BECAUSE MULTIPLE AMERICAN [18:30] PRESIDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY [18:31] TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND [18:32] EITHER DID NOTHING OR MADE IT [18:33] WORSE. [18:34] ALL RIGHT. [18:35] SECRETARY OF STATE MARK [18:36] RUBIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [18:37] THANK YOU. [18:38] THANK YOU. [18:39] THANK YOU. [18:40] THANK YOU. [18:41] THANK YOU. [18:42] THANK YOU. [18:50] THANK YOU. [18:51] THANK YOU. [18:52] THANK YOU. [18:53] THANK YOU, SENATOR RUBIO. [18:54] THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.