WEBVTT 00:12.890 --> 00:16.750 Well , good morning . Yesterday at 00:17.059 --> 00:19.337 Dover Air Force Base , President Trump , 00:19.579 --> 00:21.739 the chairman , and I stood in solemn 00:21.739 --> 00:24.670 silence as heroes came home . Flag 00:24.670 --> 00:27.540 draped caskets . We honored them . We 00:27.540 --> 00:30.559 grieved with their families . And we 00:30.559 --> 00:34.199 listened . What I heard through tears . 00:34.810 --> 00:37.889 Through hugs , through strength , and 00:37.889 --> 00:39.970 through unbreakable resolve was the 00:39.970 --> 00:42.790 same from family after family . 00:43.970 --> 00:47.880 They said , finish this . Honor 00:47.880 --> 00:51.240 their sacrifice . Do not waver . Do not 00:51.240 --> 00:54.000 stop until the job is done . 00:55.020 --> 00:56.964 My response along with that of the 00:56.964 --> 00:58.964 president was simple , of course we 00:58.964 --> 01:02.229 will finish this . We will honor their 01:02.229 --> 01:05.269 sacrifice . Their sacrifice only steals 01:05.589 --> 01:08.980 our commitment . I wear this bracelet . 01:10.029 --> 01:13.330 Staff Sergeant Jorge Oliveira . He was 01:13.330 --> 01:15.163 one of my sergeants or one of my 01:15.163 --> 01:17.690 specialists in Guantanamo Bay . He 01:17.690 --> 01:19.857 deployed later to Afghanistan where he 01:19.857 --> 01:22.023 was killed on 19 October 2011 , killed 01:22.023 --> 01:25.190 10 years after 9/11 , 15 years ago . He 01:25.190 --> 01:28.519 was one of the 1% . The best of America , 01:28.940 --> 01:30.773 not just a guardsman , but a law 01:30.773 --> 01:32.773 enforcement officer back home and a 01:32.773 --> 01:36.569 family man . I remember him Every day , 01:36.669 --> 01:38.780 just like so many other men and women 01:38.780 --> 01:40.502 of our generation and previous 01:40.502 --> 01:42.502 generations who wear bracelets like 01:42.502 --> 01:44.669 this . Just as we will always remember 01:44.669 --> 01:47.110 those lost in this conflict , their 01:47.110 --> 01:50.180 names . Are now are now etched 01:51.150 --> 01:54.129 into our mission . And into the soul . 01:55.010 --> 01:58.690 Of a grateful nation I stand here today 01:59.309 --> 02:02.279 speaking to you . The American people 02:03.519 --> 02:06.199 Not through filters , not through 02:06.199 --> 02:09.770 reporters . Not through cable news spin . 02:11.289 --> 02:13.929 A dishonest and anti-Trump press will 02:13.929 --> 02:16.096 stop at nothing . We know this at this 02:16.096 --> 02:19.179 point . To downplay progress , 02:19.580 --> 02:22.919 amplify every cost . And call into 02:22.919 --> 02:25.630 question every step . Sadly , 02:26.339 --> 02:30.309 TDS is in their DNA . They want 02:30.309 --> 02:33.889 President Trump to fail . But you The 02:33.889 --> 02:37.270 American people No better . Yes , there 02:37.270 --> 02:39.789 are reporters in front of me , but they 02:39.789 --> 02:43.369 are not our audience today . It's you , 02:43.449 --> 02:46.649 the good , decent , patriotic American 02:46.649 --> 02:48.809 people , you , the hardworking , 02:49.250 --> 02:52.389 taxpaying , God-fearing American 02:52.389 --> 02:56.119 patriots . The media here , not all of 02:56.119 --> 02:59.990 it . But much of it Wants 02:59.990 --> 03:03.339 you to think Just 19 days into this 03:03.339 --> 03:05.395 conflict that we're somehow spinning 03:05.395 --> 03:07.979 toward an endless abyss or a forever 03:07.979 --> 03:11.929 war or a quagmire . Nothing could 03:11.929 --> 03:15.619 be further from the truth . Hear it 03:15.619 --> 03:18.550 from me One of hundreds of thousands 03:18.550 --> 03:20.606 who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan , 03:20.606 --> 03:22.970 who watched previous foolish 03:22.970 --> 03:26.789 politicians . Like Bush , Obama , and 03:26.789 --> 03:29.100 Biden squander American credibility . 03:29.389 --> 03:32.110 This is not those wars . 03:33.440 --> 03:37.089 President Trump knows better . Epic 03:37.089 --> 03:39.800 fury is different . It's laser focused , 03:39.850 --> 03:43.369 it's decisive . Our objectives given 03:43.369 --> 03:45.147 directly from our America first 03:45.147 --> 03:47.820 president remain exactly what they were . 03:48.869 --> 03:52.550 On day one These are not the media's 03:52.550 --> 03:55.630 objectives , not Iran's objectives , 03:55.750 --> 03:59.149 not new objectives . Our objectives 03:59.839 --> 04:03.669 Unchanged On target And on 04:03.669 --> 04:07.210 plan . Destroy missiles , launchers , 04:07.490 --> 04:09.929 and Iran's defense industrial base so 04:09.929 --> 04:12.539 they cannot rebuild . Destroy their 04:12.539 --> 04:15.979 navy and Iran never gets a nuclear 04:15.979 --> 04:19.809 weapon . Our objectives from day one . 04:21.250 --> 04:23.472 To the patriotic members of the press , 04:23.700 --> 04:25.940 nobody can deliver perfection in 04:25.940 --> 04:29.019 wartime . This building knows that more 04:29.019 --> 04:31.940 than anyone , but report the reality . 04:33.390 --> 04:37.359 We're winning decisively and on our 04:37.359 --> 04:40.649 terms . Iran is a vast country and just 04:40.649 --> 04:43.010 like Hamas and their tunnels , they've 04:43.010 --> 04:45.769 poured any aid , any economic 04:45.769 --> 04:47.769 development , humanitarian aid into 04:47.769 --> 04:49.936 tunnels and rockets . That's what they 04:49.936 --> 04:51.880 did with Hamas . Iran has funneled 04:51.880 --> 04:54.102 decades of state resources not to their 04:54.102 --> 04:57.290 people , but into missiles and drones 04:57.510 --> 05:00.709 and proxies and buried facilities . 05:01.989 --> 05:03.600 But we are hunting them down 05:03.899 --> 05:06.980 Methodically , ruthlessly , and 05:06.980 --> 05:09.489 overwhelmingly like no other military 05:09.489 --> 05:11.600 in the world can do , and the results 05:12.019 --> 05:14.820 speak for themselves . To date we've 05:14.820 --> 05:17.100 struck over 7000 targets across Iran 05:17.100 --> 05:19.267 and its military infrastructure . That 05:19.267 --> 05:21.500 is not incremental . That is 05:21.500 --> 05:23.278 overwhelming force applied with 05:23.278 --> 05:25.959 precision and again today will be the 05:25.959 --> 05:28.279 largest strike package yet , just like 05:28.859 --> 05:30.970 yesterday was , as I've said from day 05:30.970 --> 05:32.915 one , our capabilities continue to 05:32.915 --> 05:35.059 build . Iran's continue to degrade . 05:35.260 --> 05:38.380 We're hunting and striking death and 05:38.380 --> 05:41.970 destruction from above . Iran's air 05:41.970 --> 05:45.109 defenses flattened . Iran's defense 05:45.109 --> 05:47.220 industrial base , the factories , the 05:47.220 --> 05:49.053 production lines that feed their 05:49.053 --> 05:50.887 missile and drone programs being 05:50.887 --> 05:53.320 overwhelmingly destroyed . We've hit 05:53.320 --> 05:55.376 hundreds of their defense industrial 05:55.376 --> 05:58.029 bases directly . Their ability to 05:58.029 --> 06:00.196 manufacture new ballistic missiles has 06:00.196 --> 06:02.418 probably taken the hardest hit of all . 06:02.579 --> 06:04.690 Ballistic missile attacks against our 06:04.690 --> 06:07.089 forces down 90% since the start of the 06:07.089 --> 06:09.089 conflict . Same with one-way attack 06:09.089 --> 06:12.339 UAVs . Think kamikaze drones down 90% . 06:13.109 --> 06:15.276 Now the Iranians will still shoot , we 06:15.276 --> 06:17.442 know that . But they would shoot a lot 06:17.442 --> 06:19.553 more if they could , but they can't . 06:20.869 --> 06:23.036 The last job anyone in the world wants 06:23.036 --> 06:26.019 right now . Senior leader for the IRGC . 06:26.779 --> 06:30.529 Or besiege temp jobs . All of 06:30.529 --> 06:33.959 them And to borrow a page from Admiral 06:33.959 --> 06:36.279 Ernest King in World War II , we've 06:36.279 --> 06:38.609 decided to share the ocean with Iran . 06:39.619 --> 06:41.779 We've given them the bottom half . 06:42.899 --> 06:45.380 We've damaged or sunk over 120 of their 06:45.380 --> 06:47.380 navy ships with battle damage 06:47.380 --> 06:49.739 assessments pending for many more . See , 06:49.859 --> 06:51.970 oftentimes we have to wait a few days 06:51.970 --> 06:54.137 on battle damage assessment to get the 06:54.137 --> 06:56.359 real number . Their surface fleet is no 06:56.359 --> 06:58.415 longer a factor . Their submarines , 06:58.415 --> 07:00.415 they once had 11 , are gone . Their 07:00.415 --> 07:03.250 military ports are crippled . Iran has 07:03.250 --> 07:06.130 terrorized the United States and our 07:06.130 --> 07:09.899 interests for 47 years . Their 07:09.899 --> 07:12.540 core industries , not , not steel or 07:12.540 --> 07:15.399 agriculture or tourism . Their core 07:15.399 --> 07:17.250 industries are state sponsored 07:17.250 --> 07:18.940 terrorism , proxy militias , 07:19.089 --> 07:20.922 underground networks , ballistic 07:20.922 --> 07:24.089 missiles , and a violent , messianic 07:24.089 --> 07:26.929 Islamist ideology chasing some sort of 07:26.929 --> 07:30.850 apocalyptic endgame . A regime like 07:30.850 --> 07:33.709 that refusing to abandon its nuclear 07:33.709 --> 07:35.980 ambitions is not just a regional 07:35.980 --> 07:39.250 problem . It's a direct threat to 07:39.250 --> 07:40.917 America , to freedom , and to 07:40.917 --> 07:44.850 civilization . The world The Middle 07:44.850 --> 07:47.769 East , our ungrateful allies in Europe . 07:48.690 --> 07:51.489 Even segments of our own press should 07:51.489 --> 07:53.767 be saying one thing to President Trump . 07:54.489 --> 07:57.410 Thank you . Thank you for the courage 07:57.410 --> 07:59.609 to stop this terror state from holding 07:59.609 --> 08:01.720 the world hostage with missiles while 08:01.720 --> 08:03.609 building or attempting to build a 08:03.609 --> 08:06.970 nuclear bomb . Thank you for doing the 08:06.970 --> 08:09.170 work of the free world . 08:10.890 --> 08:13.380 Yesterday's ceremony reminded us why we 08:13.380 --> 08:16.709 fight . Not for nation building or 08:16.709 --> 08:20.179 democracy promotion but to crush direct 08:20.179 --> 08:23.799 threats to America . Americans and 08:23.799 --> 08:27.489 our interests , we fight to win . And 08:27.489 --> 08:31.100 we are winning on our terms following 08:31.100 --> 08:35.030 our objectives . My 13 year old 08:35.030 --> 08:37.086 son popped into my office last night 08:37.086 --> 08:39.929 while I was editing these remarks . He 08:39.929 --> 08:42.549 asked about the war And the families I 08:42.549 --> 08:45.309 met at Dover . And I looked at him and 08:45.309 --> 08:48.429 I said , they died for you , son . 08:49.750 --> 08:52.270 So that your generation doesn't have to 08:52.270 --> 08:56.239 deal with a nuclear Iran . It's the 08:56.239 --> 09:00.119 truth . And they did . So to the 09:00.119 --> 09:02.650 families who said , finish this , we 09:02.650 --> 09:05.840 will . And I say the same to every 09:05.840 --> 09:07.900 American who wants peace through 09:08.340 --> 09:11.929 strength . May Almighty God continue to 09:11.929 --> 09:14.530 bless our troops in this fight . And 09:14.530 --> 09:16.641 again to the American people , please 09:16.641 --> 09:20.489 pray for them . Every day On bended 09:20.489 --> 09:23.809 knee with your family . In your 09:23.809 --> 09:26.679 schools , in your churches , in the 09:26.679 --> 09:30.190 name of Jesus Christ . To the troops 09:31.299 --> 09:35.239 Keep going . And Godspeed Over to you , 09:35.359 --> 09:37.192 Mr . Chairman . Thank you , Mr . 09:37.192 --> 09:39.415 Secretary . Uh , ladies and gentlemen , 09:39.415 --> 09:41.637 good morning , and , uh , thank you all 09:41.637 --> 09:41.539 for being here . I also had the honor 09:41.539 --> 09:43.706 yesterday , as the Secretary said , of 09:43.706 --> 09:45.428 traveling up to Dover with the 09:45.428 --> 09:47.706 president to welcome home our 6 fallen . 09:47.706 --> 09:49.872 It was an honor and a privilege for me 09:49.872 --> 09:51.872 to be there and to say thank you to 09:51.872 --> 09:54.039 their families , and I want to mention 09:54.039 --> 09:56.150 their names this morning from the 6th 09:56.150 --> 09:58.372 Aerial Refueling Wing out of McDill Air 09:58.372 --> 10:00.595 Force Base , Florida , but stationed as 10:00.595 --> 10:02.817 part of an active associate , uh , unit 10:02.817 --> 10:04.817 at Birmingham , Alabama . Alabama , 10:04.817 --> 10:06.974 Major Alex , uh , Clenner , uh , John 10:06.974 --> 10:10.414 Alex Clenner , uh , Major , uh , Ariana 10:10.414 --> 10:12.614 Savino , she was posthumously promoted 10:12.614 --> 10:14.934 from captain to Major , and technical 10:14.934 --> 10:16.844 Sergeant Ashley Pruitt , the boom 10:16.844 --> 10:19.780 operator , uh , on that crew . From the 10:19.780 --> 10:22.739 121st Aerial fueling Ring , Ohio Air 10:22.739 --> 10:25.140 National Guard out of Rickenbacker Air 10:25.140 --> 10:27.418 National Guard Base in Columbus , Ohio , 10:27.700 --> 10:30.530 Captain Seth Koval , Captain Curtis 10:30.530 --> 10:32.979 Engst , and now Master Sergeant Tyler 10:32.979 --> 10:35.146 Simmons , who was also promoted in the 10:35.146 --> 10:37.940 boom operator on that crew . To a 10:37.940 --> 10:40.107 person and every family member I spoke 10:40.107 --> 10:42.260 with yesterday , uh , they all shared 10:42.260 --> 10:44.539 that their family members love serving . 10:44.929 --> 10:47.040 They loved being part of a great team 10:47.040 --> 10:49.419 and a crew , and they loved airplanes 10:49.419 --> 10:52.130 and aviation . Our nation's tanker 10:52.130 --> 10:54.729 crews really are unsung heroes , 10:55.090 --> 10:57.312 incredible warriors who put their lives 10:57.312 --> 10:59.479 on the line so we can continue to take 10:59.479 --> 11:02.130 the fight to an enemy . I've personally 11:02.349 --> 11:04.789 witnessed their courage and tenacity 11:04.789 --> 11:06.630 many times from the morning of 11:06.630 --> 11:09.109 September 11th , where they answered my 11:09.109 --> 11:11.869 call for some help to the skies over 11:11.869 --> 11:13.925 foreign countries where they've come 11:13.925 --> 11:16.091 forward out of their safe tanker track 11:16.091 --> 11:18.549 to give me gas when I simply could not 11:18.549 --> 11:20.660 leave a ground force that was engaged 11:20.660 --> 11:22.771 in a firefight . They've answered the 11:22.771 --> 11:25.750 call and come forward time and time and 11:25.750 --> 11:28.549 time again . I'm filled with incredible 11:28.549 --> 11:31.359 pride . And , and gratitude for all 11:31.359 --> 11:33.640 that the tanker crews do , our pilots , 11:33.710 --> 11:35.321 our boom operators , and the 11:35.321 --> 11:38.039 maintainers , and to the families of 11:38.039 --> 11:41.000 our six fallen , know that we share 11:41.000 --> 11:43.679 your grief . Our nation will never 11:43.679 --> 11:45.846 forget , uh , their sacrifice , and we 11:45.846 --> 11:48.000 will never forget their names . Our 11:48.000 --> 11:50.080 entire joint force mourns with you 11:50.080 --> 11:52.559 today , uh , and we'll continue to 11:52.559 --> 11:54.679 remember their incredible gift of a 11:54.679 --> 11:57.219 great example for all of us . Now let 11:57.219 --> 11:59.859 me turn to an operations update . US 11:59.859 --> 12:02.580 CENTCOM remains on plan to achieve our 12:02.580 --> 12:05.020 military objectives and remain 12:05.020 --> 12:07.460 unrelenting in our pursuit of Iranian 12:07.460 --> 12:10.530 missile capabilities , UAV capabilities , 12:10.650 --> 12:12.761 and their navy , and as the secretary 12:12.761 --> 12:15.179 said , their industrial base . Each day 12:15.179 --> 12:17.789 we continue to attack deeper into 12:17.789 --> 12:21.219 Iranian territory as reported by US 12:21.219 --> 12:23.520 Central Command yesterday . The US 12:23.520 --> 12:26.359 military dropped 5000 pound penetrator 12:26.359 --> 12:28.359 weapons into underground storage 12:28.359 --> 12:30.760 facilities , storing coastal defense 12:30.760 --> 12:32.679 cruise missiles and other support 12:32.679 --> 12:35.559 equipment . These weapons are bespokely 12:35.559 --> 12:38.130 designed to get through concrete and or 12:38.130 --> 12:40.760 rocks and function after penetration . 12:40.934 --> 12:44.445 Creating those , those barriers , uh , 12:44.625 --> 12:46.514 we continue to hunt and kill mine 12:46.514 --> 12:48.744 storage facilities and naval ammunition 12:48.744 --> 12:51.724 depots . We continue to hunt and kill 12:51.724 --> 12:54.854 afloat assets including more than 120 12:54.854 --> 12:57.544 vessels and 44 mine layers , and the 12:57.544 --> 12:59.859 pressure will continue . We're flying 12:59.859 --> 13:02.081 further to the east now and penetrating 13:02.081 --> 13:04.539 deeper into Iranian airspace to hunt 13:04.539 --> 13:06.539 and kill one-way attack garrisons , 13:06.659 --> 13:09.059 destroying Iran's ability to project 13:09.059 --> 13:12.070 power outside of its borders . The A-10 13:12.070 --> 13:14.270 Warthog is now in the fight across the 13:14.270 --> 13:16.429 southern flank and is hunting and 13:16.429 --> 13:18.559 killing fast attack watercraft in the 13:18.559 --> 13:21.869 Straits of Hormuz . In addition , AH 64 13:21.869 --> 13:23.925 Apaches have joined the fight on the 13:23.925 --> 13:26.299 southern flank , uh , and they continue 13:26.299 --> 13:28.989 to work on the southern side , and that 13:28.989 --> 13:31.156 includes , uh , some of our allies who 13:31.156 --> 13:33.549 are using Apaches to handle one-way 13:33.549 --> 13:37.469 attack drones . In Iraq , AH 64s 13:37.469 --> 13:39.000 have been striking against 13:39.000 --> 13:41.840 Iranian-aligned militia groups to make 13:41.840 --> 13:44.200 sure that we suppress any threat in 13:44.200 --> 13:47.719 Iraq against US forces or US 13:47.719 --> 13:50.719 interests . And we remain focused on 13:50.979 --> 13:53.539 pursuit of any platform that Iran could 13:53.539 --> 13:56.539 field to harm Americans or our partners . 13:56.940 --> 13:58.996 Last Friday , Admiral Cooper and the 13:58.996 --> 14:00.829 CENTCOM team conducted precision 14:00.829 --> 14:03.051 strikes against more than 90 targets on 14:03.051 --> 14:05.219 Karg Island , which included all of 14:05.219 --> 14:08.250 their military-only infrastructure , uh , 14:08.309 --> 14:10.500 which included air defenses , naval 14:10.500 --> 14:12.667 base , mine , storage , and deployment 14:12.667 --> 14:14.556 facilities . And as the secretary 14:14.556 --> 14:16.444 mentioned , we continue to strike 14:16.444 --> 14:18.895 against Iran's defense industrial base 14:19.155 --> 14:21.794 and we'll continue to do so today . I 14:21.794 --> 14:23.875 wanna continue my theme of talking 14:23.875 --> 14:25.986 about members of our incredible joint 14:25.986 --> 14:28.155 force today . I wanna talk about some 14:28.155 --> 14:30.266 exceptional airmen who are engaged in 14:30.266 --> 14:33.125 the fight daily United States Air Force , 14:33.275 --> 14:35.331 Air Force Reserve , and Air National 14:35.331 --> 14:37.442 Guard crews within our bomber force . 14:37.609 --> 14:41.049 The B-1s , B-2s , and B-52s , and the 14:41.049 --> 14:43.169 airmen on the ground who maintain and 14:43.169 --> 14:45.570 load these weapon systems . They are 14:45.570 --> 14:48.570 the backbone of America's long-range 14:48.570 --> 14:50.289 strike capability , and their 14:50.289 --> 14:52.609 contributions to epic fury have been 14:52.609 --> 14:55.489 decisive . Assigned to StratCom under 14:55.489 --> 14:58.030 Admiral Rich Correll and supported by 14:58.030 --> 15:00.141 Transom , the tanker force that we've 15:00.141 --> 15:02.141 talked about under the command of . 15:02.141 --> 15:05.224 General Randall Reed . Every mission is 15:05.224 --> 15:07.424 designed to achieve overwhelming 15:07.424 --> 15:09.664 outcomes on behalf of the United States 15:09.664 --> 15:12.145 and our allies . Last weekend , I had 15:12.145 --> 15:14.201 the chance to go out and see some of 15:14.201 --> 15:16.864 our deployed bomber forces , the B-1 15:16.864 --> 15:19.705 and B-52 crews , and I had a chance to 15:19.705 --> 15:21.905 sit down with some young aviators and 15:21.905 --> 15:24.265 maintainers and ask them , how do you 15:24.265 --> 15:26.487 feel ? Tell me about your typical day . 15:26.619 --> 15:28.619 And these are crews comprised of 15:28.619 --> 15:31.780 between 2 and 5 airmen . 2 on the , uh , 15:31.929 --> 15:35.659 on the B-2s , uh , 5 on the , uh , on 15:35.659 --> 15:39.419 the B-52s , and 4 , in the B-1s 15:39.419 --> 15:42.070 out there . Some of these Americans are 15:42.070 --> 15:44.890 in their early or mid-20s , and , and 15:44.890 --> 15:46.557 we give them the gift of this 15:46.557 --> 15:48.940 incredible responsibility , uh , 15:48.950 --> 15:50.894 hundreds of thousands of pounds of 15:50.894 --> 15:53.330 aircraft , and they take off and go do 15:53.330 --> 15:55.950 our work , as required . Their mission 15:55.950 --> 15:58.349 actually begins the day prior when 15:58.349 --> 16:00.549 they're given a target or a bunch of 16:00.549 --> 16:02.771 targets , and they begin to study those 16:02.771 --> 16:04.938 targets , look at what are the effects 16:04.938 --> 16:06.716 required , what are the Weapons 16:06.716 --> 16:08.716 required to get there . How will we 16:08.716 --> 16:10.716 program these weapons ? What is the 16:10.716 --> 16:10.674 weather ? What is the tanker flow ? 16:10.715 --> 16:12.945 It's an incredibly complex , uh , 16:12.994 --> 16:15.216 problem that we give each and every one 16:15.216 --> 16:17.383 of these crews , and they work it over 16:17.383 --> 16:19.794 the period of 24 hours prior , get some 16:19.794 --> 16:22.075 rest , and then step out the door to go 16:22.075 --> 16:24.275 fly . The last thing they do is they 16:24.275 --> 16:26.331 check all of their equipment , their 16:26.331 --> 16:28.331 oxygen masks , survival gear , load 16:28.331 --> 16:30.386 pistols , and get ready to go . They 16:30.386 --> 16:32.497 crank the jets about an hour prior to 16:32.497 --> 16:34.331 takeoff and then launch into the 16:34.331 --> 16:36.219 daylight , doing their pre-flight 16:36.219 --> 16:38.275 checks and as the kids say , lock in 16:38.275 --> 16:40.053 and prepare to go to war , uh , 16:40.450 --> 16:42.469 sometimes on a long and stressful 16:42.469 --> 16:44.413 journey . Uh , during the flight , 16:44.530 --> 16:46.630 they're , they're surrounded by 16:46.630 --> 16:48.852 technology and capabilities and they'll 16:48.852 --> 16:51.369 do multiple aerial refueling . Uh , 16:51.380 --> 16:53.436 efforts , uh , across tankers on the 16:53.436 --> 16:56.280 way to the AOR , area of responsibility , 16:56.460 --> 16:58.682 either coming from the states or coming 16:58.682 --> 17:00.849 from a forward deployed basing . And I 17:00.849 --> 17:02.793 will tell you as a fighter pilot , 17:02.793 --> 17:04.960 getting gas is a lot easier in an F-16 17:05.180 --> 17:08.260 than it is in a B1 , B2 , or a 17:08.260 --> 17:11.579 B-52 where you are , you are handling 17:11.579 --> 17:13.857 this airplane . It is a physical thing , 17:14.280 --> 17:16.336 unlike a fighter that's , uh , a lot 17:16.336 --> 17:18.619 easier . And they stay on that boom for 17:18.619 --> 17:20.818 sometimes up to 30 minutes , taking 17:20.818 --> 17:23.096 hundreds of thousands of pounds of gas . 17:23.139 --> 17:26.338 It is a physical , uh , demanding thing 17:26.338 --> 17:28.449 to take gas , and they do it multiple 17:28.449 --> 17:30.671 times on the way there , and they do it 17:30.671 --> 17:33.430 multiple times on the way home . As 17:33.430 --> 17:35.486 they enter the operating area , they 17:35.486 --> 17:37.597 bring the entirety of America's joint 17:37.597 --> 17:39.541 force together , uh , to go do the 17:39.541 --> 17:41.652 things that we've tasked them to do , 17:41.652 --> 17:44.030 to put bombs on time , on target with 17:44.030 --> 17:46.390 the proper effects . And I know they're 17:46.390 --> 17:48.750 feeling a range of emotions , but the 17:48.750 --> 17:50.861 thing the American people should take 17:50.861 --> 17:52.972 away from it is they're filled with a 17:52.972 --> 17:55.083 focus that is incredibly impressive , 17:55.109 --> 17:57.165 and they have fear , of course , but 17:57.165 --> 17:59.189 their bigger fear is , dear God , 17:59.310 --> 18:01.532 please don't let me screw this up . The 18:01.532 --> 18:04.166 war . prayer that we all have in our 18:04.166 --> 18:07.046 souls . Um , in the days of epic fury , 18:07.086 --> 18:09.142 they were shooting , as we've talked 18:09.142 --> 18:11.308 about in this room , a lot of standoff 18:11.308 --> 18:13.642 weapons . Now we've switched and rolled , 18:13.642 --> 18:15.586 as I mentioned last week , uh , to 18:15.586 --> 18:18.005 stand-in weapons , and behind each and 18:18.005 --> 18:19.965 every one of them are incredible 18:19.965 --> 18:23.166 maintainers and weapons builders who go 18:23.166 --> 18:25.333 out there and make sure these aircraft 18:25.333 --> 18:27.499 and their weapons systems are ready to 18:27.499 --> 18:29.645 go . These airplanes are so big that 18:29.645 --> 18:31.812 they're . Not in hangars . They're out 18:31.812 --> 18:34.052 in the cold , out in the snow , out in 18:34.052 --> 18:36.631 the rain . The bombs are being built 18:36.631 --> 18:38.853 outside for protection and to make sure 18:38.853 --> 18:41.462 that it's safe , and they do it 24/7 , 18:41.531 --> 18:44.541 365 . It's not comfortable work , but 18:44.541 --> 18:46.862 when you go spend just a minute with 18:46.862 --> 18:48.921 these incredibly young Americans who 18:48.921 --> 18:52.041 are so motivated , you cannot come away 18:52.541 --> 18:54.862 from that exchange , not being hopeful 18:54.862 --> 18:57.602 for America's future . It is simply 18:57.751 --> 19:00.310 awesome . And we hand these Americans , 19:00.430 --> 19:03.270 young Americans , incredible , uh , and 19:03.270 --> 19:05.349 weighty responsibility , and they 19:05.349 --> 19:08.250 deliver every single time , 19:08.550 --> 19:11.430 quietly , with professionalism and 19:11.430 --> 19:14.390 humility , doing the things that we ask 19:14.390 --> 19:17.449 them to do . In conclusion , we will 19:17.449 --> 19:19.560 continue major combat operations . As 19:19.560 --> 19:21.782 the secretary said , we continue to get 19:21.782 --> 19:23.782 busier . I know the Secretary and I 19:23.782 --> 19:25.838 share that we're incredibly proud of 19:25.838 --> 19:28.116 2.8 million members of our joint force . 19:28.116 --> 19:30.338 I am personally , and we are personally 19:30.338 --> 19:32.410 grateful for the tenacity and 19:32.410 --> 19:34.599 professionalism of the brave men and 19:34.599 --> 19:36.930 women who serve inside StratCom , 19:37.069 --> 19:39.069 Centcom , SpaceCom , CyberCom , 19:39.209 --> 19:41.449 Transcom , and the rest of the Joint 19:41.449 --> 19:44.500 Force . And I'll close where I started . 19:45.180 --> 19:47.469 I ask today that we remember those 6 19:47.469 --> 19:49.910 fallen that came home . They represent 19:49.910 --> 19:51.949 the best of our nation . For those 19:51.949 --> 19:54.005 families that are feeling the pain , 19:54.005 --> 19:55.949 know that we are with you and will 19:55.949 --> 19:58.510 remain with you . May we always prove 19:58.510 --> 20:00.630 worthy of their sacrifice , and I'll 20:00.630 --> 20:02.797 turn it back over to you , sir . Thank 20:02.797 --> 20:04.797 you , Mr . Chairman . Take a couple 20:04.797 --> 20:07.074 questions . Thank you , Mr . Secretary . 20:07.074 --> 20:06.989 Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Given the 20:06.989 --> 20:09.100 updated degradation and strike target 20:09.100 --> 20:11.267 numbers you laid out , how close would 20:11.267 --> 20:13.322 you say we are towards achieving the 20:13.322 --> 20:15.378 president's objectives , and what is 20:15.378 --> 20:17.489 the end game of the operation without 20:17.489 --> 20:19.656 divulging any sensitive battle plans ? 20:19.656 --> 20:19.060 Well , we , we wouldn't want to set a 20:19.060 --> 20:21.227 definitive time frame on that , but as 20:21.227 --> 20:23.449 we've said , we're , we're on plan . So 20:23.449 --> 20:25.449 we're looking at those metrics very 20:25.449 --> 20:25.349 closely , uh , relaying that to the 20:25.349 --> 20:27.349 president and the national security 20:27.349 --> 20:29.516 team . Uh , but feel confident that as 20:29.516 --> 20:31.709 again we're more stand in means we're 20:31.709 --> 20:34.239 over the top , even further in , and we 20:34.239 --> 20:36.680 have even more , uh , of an exact sense 20:36.680 --> 20:38.902 of what we're striking and why and even 20:38.902 --> 20:41.069 more dynamically , meaning because the 20:41.069 --> 20:43.180 intelligence improves , we're able to 20:43.180 --> 20:45.513 more quickly identify targets when they , 20:45.513 --> 20:44.839 let's say they come out of an 20:44.839 --> 20:46.728 underground facility , uh , where 20:46.728 --> 20:48.895 they've been hiding and able to strike 20:48.895 --> 20:51.061 it before it strikes or right after it 20:51.061 --> 20:53.117 shoots , uh , but we're very much on 20:53.117 --> 20:55.228 plan and that's what I , that's why I 20:55.228 --> 20:54.520 want to speak to the American people 20:54.520 --> 20:57.040 here . You hear a lot of noise about 20:57.040 --> 20:59.640 widening or new missions or speculation 20:59.640 --> 21:01.751 about what we should or should not be 21:01.751 --> 21:03.520 doing . This is a clear set of 21:03.520 --> 21:05.742 objectives . The president has given us 21:05.742 --> 21:07.909 every capability we need to accomplish 21:07.909 --> 21:10.076 that . We've got the best in the world 21:10.076 --> 21:12.298 in uniform executing it on the ground . 21:12.479 --> 21:14.479 They believe in and are invested in 21:14.479 --> 21:16.535 this mission . And it will be at the 21:16.535 --> 21:18.646 president's choosing ultimately where 21:18.646 --> 21:20.812 we say hey we've achieved what we need 21:20.812 --> 21:22.979 to on behalf of the American people to 21:22.979 --> 21:25.090 ensure our security . So no , no time 21:25.090 --> 21:27.146 set on that , but we're very much on 21:27.146 --> 21:29.368 track , absolutely , yes , right here . 21:29.368 --> 21:31.312 Uh , good morning , Mr . Secretary 21:31.312 --> 21:33.479 David Ze , Real America's Voice News . 21:33.479 --> 21:35.646 Um , what countries have been the most 21:35.646 --> 21:37.646 cooperative with us , including the 21:37.646 --> 21:39.868 Gulf states as Europe hedges , uh , and 21:39.868 --> 21:42.090 I also wanted to ask you , the internet 21:42.090 --> 21:44.090 blackouts by the regime . Um , it's 21:44.090 --> 21:46.146 been shut down for weeks . Is the US 21:46.146 --> 21:48.257 military playing a role in , um , you 21:48.257 --> 21:50.312 know , fighting against the regime , 21:50.312 --> 21:52.368 blocking VPN networks and satellites 21:52.368 --> 21:54.869 and other things ? Um , uh , is there , 21:54.949 --> 21:56.949 is there a role for the US military 21:56.949 --> 21:59.510 there ? Um , obviously on the allies 21:59.510 --> 22:01.739 and partners side , uh , Israel from , 22:01.939 --> 22:04.161 from day one has been an incredible and 22:04.161 --> 22:06.217 capable partner , willing and able . 22:06.217 --> 22:08.328 There's nothing like capabilities and 22:08.328 --> 22:10.383 partners that are able to use them . 22:10.383 --> 22:12.161 The Gulf states have stepped up 22:12.161 --> 22:14.272 incredibly . In fact , Iran's sort of 22:14.272 --> 22:16.530 reckless attempt to strike civilian 22:16.530 --> 22:18.699 infrastructure and other things has 22:18.699 --> 22:20.866 brought countries who maybe would have 22:20.866 --> 22:22.921 not been as all in as they are today 22:23.219 --> 22:25.449 squarely into our orbit , orbit , and 22:25.449 --> 22:27.671 we're proud to be defending with them , 22:27.671 --> 22:30.390 standing with them , you name it . UAE , 22:30.640 --> 22:33.400 Qatar , Bahrain , Kuwait , Saudi Arabia , 22:33.479 --> 22:35.646 and others who have been right there , 22:35.646 --> 22:37.757 and we're grateful for that kind of , 22:37.757 --> 22:39.979 uh , support . As far as the Internet , 22:39.979 --> 22:42.035 we're watching the , uh , the regime 22:42.035 --> 22:43.979 try to tighten its grip as much as 22:43.979 --> 22:43.579 possible . We're obviously taking 22:44.239 --> 22:46.183 countermeasures , many of which we 22:46.183 --> 22:48.350 can't talk about here , to ensure that 22:48.350 --> 22:50.572 messaging is delivered . Not just uh to 22:50.572 --> 22:52.739 the Iranian people writ large , but to 22:52.739 --> 22:54.961 the right audiences , certain audiences 22:54.961 --> 22:57.128 that need to hear certain things about 22:57.128 --> 22:57.119 what their fate might look like or what 22:57.119 --> 22:59.400 their choices are , uh , so even though 22:59.400 --> 23:01.599 that regime is trying really hard to 23:01.599 --> 23:03.655 ensure the world can't see , right , 23:03.655 --> 23:05.766 they want , they want to put out fake 23:05.766 --> 23:08.043 AI generated images , which by the way , 23:08.043 --> 23:10.266 sometimes our press happens to fall for 23:10.266 --> 23:12.488 like the , uh , Abraham Lincoln on fire 23:12.488 --> 23:14.710 and turning around . These AI generated 23:14.710 --> 23:14.520 images are meant to make it look like 23:14.520 --> 23:16.687 something's happening . When the exact 23:16.687 --> 23:18.631 opposite is , so they make up fake 23:18.631 --> 23:20.853 reports and , and fake images to lie to 23:20.853 --> 23:22.909 their own people to try to make it , 23:22.909 --> 23:24.853 but even then their own people can 23:24.853 --> 23:27.020 barely receive a lot of those messages 23:27.020 --> 23:26.900 and communicate because of the blackout , 23:27.140 --> 23:29.251 uh , that they've imposed upon them . 23:29.251 --> 23:31.473 But we , we work around that for sure . 23:31.473 --> 23:33.640 Um , thank you , Mr . Secretary . Uh , 23:33.640 --> 23:35.418 General , overnight , uh , Iran 23:35.418 --> 23:37.418 launched missiles across the Gulf . 23:37.418 --> 23:39.473 They managed to , uh , hit the Saudi 23:39.473 --> 23:42.810 oil refinery on the Red Sea . What does 23:42.810 --> 23:44.977 it mean that they have that capability 23:44.977 --> 23:47.689 now 3 weeks into the war , and Mr . 23:47.849 --> 23:49.793 Secretary , you mentioned civilian 23:49.793 --> 23:52.410 infrastructure . Iran seems to be 23:52.410 --> 23:55.010 treating US diplomatic outposts , 23:55.130 --> 23:57.189 embassies , consulates like they are 23:57.729 --> 24:01.089 legitimate hard targets in the region 24:01.089 --> 24:04.569 now . What is the Pentagon doing to , I 24:04.569 --> 24:06.513 guess , secure those assets , stop 24:06.513 --> 24:09.569 those attacks . Uh , thanks for the 24:09.569 --> 24:11.680 question on the missile strikes . You 24:11.680 --> 24:13.847 know , as we said and have always said 24:13.847 --> 24:15.847 clearly , they came into this fight 24:15.847 --> 24:17.902 with a lot of weapons . Um , this is 24:17.902 --> 24:19.760 why we continue to , uh , be as 24:19.760 --> 24:22.369 aggressive and assertive as we can 24:22.369 --> 24:24.147 against their ballistic missile 24:24.147 --> 24:26.202 capability , both their medium range 24:26.202 --> 24:28.425 ballistic missile capability , uh , and 24:28.425 --> 24:30.591 their short range missile capability . 24:30.591 --> 24:32.702 So we , we are continuing to hunt and 24:32.702 --> 24:34.758 find them and kill them . Uh , and , 24:34.758 --> 24:36.980 and we will continue to do so . So they 24:36.980 --> 24:39.202 still retain some capability , uh , and 24:39.202 --> 24:41.425 we have layered defenses throughout the 24:41.425 --> 24:43.425 region that will allow us to , uh , 24:43.425 --> 24:45.591 protect those , and we're working with 24:45.591 --> 24:47.758 our partners across the Gulf region to 24:47.758 --> 24:49.925 help them , uh , improve any defensive 24:49.925 --> 24:51.980 capabilities that they may need . To 24:51.980 --> 24:54.091 that point on , on capabilities , you 24:54.091 --> 24:56.313 know , Iran is an energy rich country , 24:56.313 --> 24:58.425 could be , should be . Instead , like 24:58.425 --> 25:00.258 so many other places driven by a 25:00.258 --> 25:02.369 radical ideology , they've spent that 25:02.369 --> 25:01.989 money instead of investing in their 25:01.989 --> 25:04.211 people . That's why you had millions of 25:04.310 --> 25:06.589 Iranians protesting because they felt 25:06.589 --> 25:08.811 like their quality of life didn't match 25:08.811 --> 25:10.811 what it could be or should be . And 25:10.811 --> 25:12.978 what was the Iranian state ? There's a 25:12.978 --> 25:14.922 reason we call Iran the number one 25:14.922 --> 25:17.145 state sponsor of terrorism because they 25:17.145 --> 25:19.033 took the money they make and they 25:19.033 --> 25:21.200 invest it in tunnels and they invested 25:21.200 --> 25:20.910 in missiles and they invested in 25:20.910 --> 25:22.829 launchers and UAVs , and we are 25:22.829 --> 25:24.607 destroying and degrading . That 25:24.607 --> 25:26.885 degrading that in historic proportions , 25:26.885 --> 25:28.940 but it doesn't mean they won't still 25:28.940 --> 25:30.940 have some and try to hold people at 25:30.940 --> 25:30.579 issue , which is why , uh , we're , 25:30.699 --> 25:32.643 we're fighting every single day to 25:32.643 --> 25:34.699 continue to compel and you mentioned 25:34.699 --> 25:36.866 embassies and consulates . Uh , unlike 25:36.866 --> 25:39.032 previous administrations , um , we are 25:39.032 --> 25:41.199 doubling and tripling down on ensuring 25:41.199 --> 25:43.199 that our people regardless of their 25:43.199 --> 25:45.532 Department of War , Department of State , 25:45.532 --> 25:47.699 whatever they do , are secure in those 25:47.699 --> 25:50.032 facilities and the best defense is , is , 25:50.032 --> 25:52.088 is a good offense and so we're not , 25:52.088 --> 25:51.760 we're not afraid to go after and kill . 25:52.270 --> 25:54.270 Anybody , and we have a lot of them 25:54.430 --> 25:56.652 attempting to target our our diplomatic 25:56.652 --> 25:58.708 facilities . Iran , you know , we're 25:58.708 --> 26:00.763 we're not , we're not surprised that 26:00.763 --> 26:02.930 they would indiscriminately target and 26:02.930 --> 26:05.209 we're still seeing that , Jerry . As 26:05.209 --> 26:07.320 part of the justification for the war 26:07.320 --> 26:09.542 against Iran , the White House has laid 26:09.542 --> 26:11.542 out in fairly comprehensive fashion 26:11.542 --> 26:13.542 that Iran , the Iranian regime's 47 26:13.542 --> 26:15.598 years of terrorism aimed at the US , 26:16.410 --> 26:19.329 including pointing to the IRGC's 26:19.329 --> 26:21.440 provision of weapons and EFPs to help 26:21.440 --> 26:24.209 kill Americans in Iraq . The Pentagon 26:24.209 --> 26:26.969 in 2019 assessed Iran was responsible 26:26.969 --> 26:29.136 for the deaths of at least 603 service 26:29.136 --> 26:31.489 members in Iraq , but there hasn't been 26:31.489 --> 26:33.500 a similar accounting . Public 26:33.500 --> 26:36.660 accounting by Iran's role helping the 26:36.660 --> 26:40.239 Taliban in Afghanistan . And that also 26:40.239 --> 26:42.350 hasn't been part of the White House's 26:42.350 --> 26:44.406 public argument . I was wondering if 26:44.406 --> 26:47.619 you could speak to Iran's role in 26:47.619 --> 26:49.730 helping the Taliban during the war in 26:49.730 --> 26:52.780 Afghanistan . And Chairman , uh , as , 26:52.900 --> 26:55.310 as you and the Secretary eloquently 26:55.310 --> 26:57.459 spoke about , 13 US service members 26:57.459 --> 26:59.579 have been killed so far , uh , during 26:59.579 --> 27:02.000 Operation Epic Fury . I was wondering 27:02.380 --> 27:05.089 what lessons have been learned . From 27:05.089 --> 27:07.050 those deaths , both from Iranian 27:07.050 --> 27:09.369 strikes , from an aircraft refueling 27:09.369 --> 27:11.536 accident , how are those lessons being 27:11.536 --> 27:14.410 applied to the current conflict and how 27:14.410 --> 27:16.521 are those lessons going to be applied 27:16.521 --> 27:18.799 to a potential conflict in ? Thank you . 27:19.699 --> 27:21.977 Well , thank you for the question , uh , 27:21.977 --> 27:24.088 and it's , it's true . In a town that 27:24.088 --> 27:26.088 can have a very short memory , uh , 27:26.088 --> 27:28.310 President Trump does not . He remembers 27:28.310 --> 27:30.421 what this regime , Iranian regime was 27:30.421 --> 27:32.643 founded on , what their declaration has 27:32.643 --> 27:34.588 been from the beginning , death to 27:34.588 --> 27:36.421 America , death to Israel . Uh , 27:36.421 --> 27:38.643 they've stated that they've intended to 27:38.643 --> 27:40.755 in every way try to accomplish that , 27:40.755 --> 27:42.866 killing Americans in any theater they 27:42.866 --> 27:45.032 can , embassies for a long , for quite 27:45.032 --> 27:46.977 a long time . In Iraq that was the 27:46.977 --> 27:48.921 deadliest weapon was the EFP , the 27:48.921 --> 27:51.032 explosively formed penetrator . I was 27:51.032 --> 27:53.088 there when that tactic and technique 27:53.088 --> 27:55.310 started to emerge , and the realization 27:55.310 --> 27:57.255 was it wasn't just jihadis putting 27:57.255 --> 27:59.550 together 155 rounds daisy chained . It 27:59.550 --> 28:01.949 was an entire state , a country with 28:01.949 --> 28:04.130 its apparatus , apparatus able to mold 28:04.130 --> 28:06.510 steel in a way that was specifically 28:06.510 --> 28:08.566 designed to penetrate American armor 28:08.566 --> 28:10.843 and kill Americans . This was not , oh , 28:10.843 --> 28:13.066 maybe we send them a couple of thoughts 28:13.066 --> 28:15.121 about how to build a bomb . This was 28:15.121 --> 28:17.177 Iran specifically passing technology 28:17.177 --> 28:20.630 and wherewithal and personnel into Iraq 28:20.729 --> 28:22.951 to kill Americans specifically . I know 28:22.951 --> 28:25.173 the number is said to be 600 . A lot of 28:25.173 --> 28:27.229 us think it's higher than that given 28:27.229 --> 28:29.340 the amount of capability they brought 28:29.340 --> 28:31.451 in . So they have been at war with us 28:31.451 --> 28:33.673 whether we acknowledge it or not for 47 28:33.673 --> 28:35.840 years . The same goes in Afghanistan . 28:35.840 --> 28:38.007 Name the Islamist enemy , whether they 28:38.007 --> 28:40.118 are Sunni or Shia , because this is a 28:40.118 --> 28:42.007 Shia regime , Sunni or Shia , and 28:42.007 --> 28:44.229 Iran's been willing to harbor them . As 28:44.229 --> 28:46.451 long as that group is willing to try to 28:46.451 --> 28:48.618 kill Americans , so the enemy of their 28:48.618 --> 28:50.785 enemy has been their friend as well in 28:50.785 --> 28:52.951 the Islamist world . So Iran , whether 28:52.951 --> 28:52.800 it's Iraq , whether it's Afghanistan , 28:53.000 --> 28:55.000 whether it's around the world , has 28:55.000 --> 28:57.000 been targeting Americans . And what 28:57.000 --> 28:59.056 they wanted in this context and what 28:59.056 --> 29:01.278 President Trump would not tolerate is a 29:01.278 --> 29:03.489 regime of that nature . Being closer 29:03.489 --> 29:05.770 and closer to nuclear capabilities , a 29:05.770 --> 29:07.826 capability they would have said they 29:07.826 --> 29:09.826 would want to use , and we ought to 29:09.826 --> 29:12.048 believe what our enemies say they would 29:12.048 --> 29:11.930 do if they got the most dangerous 29:11.930 --> 29:13.874 weapon in the world . So it's been 29:13.874 --> 29:15.986 across every theater that Iran's been 29:15.986 --> 29:17.986 been a threat to America , uh , and 29:17.986 --> 29:20.041 sometimes we have to remind folks of 29:20.041 --> 29:22.041 that . But thank goodness we have a 29:22.041 --> 29:24.041 commander in chief who on behalf of 29:24.041 --> 29:26.097 this country . has internalized that 29:26.097 --> 29:28.152 and said , hey , uh , we're gonna do 29:28.152 --> 29:30.430 something about it . Jerry , I , I , I , 29:30.430 --> 29:32.319 I do wanna talk about the lessons 29:32.319 --> 29:34.374 learned question , uh , because it's 29:34.374 --> 29:36.374 important to me . I , I won't share 29:36.374 --> 29:38.541 particular tactical lessons and the KC 29:38.541 --> 29:41.255 135 . The incident is under 29:41.255 --> 29:43.366 investigation , but I do want to talk 29:43.366 --> 29:45.795 about how I think about this and how we 29:45.795 --> 29:48.015 think about it , and this is something 29:48.015 --> 29:50.071 that I'm pretty passionate about . I 29:50.071 --> 29:52.074 believe the Joint Force has to be a 29:52.074 --> 29:55.680 very fast learning organization . Early , 29:55.760 --> 29:58.630 often , and always . Um , and so in 29:58.630 --> 30:00.760 each case , both at the strategic , 30:01.670 --> 30:03.614 operational , and tactical level , 30:03.614 --> 30:05.880 we've charged a joint force to look at 30:05.880 --> 30:08.158 themselves and say , what was our plan ? 30:08.158 --> 30:10.380 Well , first , did we have a plan ? Yes 30:10.380 --> 30:12.324 or no ? The answer is always yes , 30:12.324 --> 30:14.158 because we planned for literally 30:14.158 --> 30:16.324 everything . Did we execute our plan ? 30:16.324 --> 30:18.436 Yes or no . If we did , did it work ? 30:18.436 --> 30:20.658 If not , why not ? If we didn't execute 30:20.658 --> 30:22.658 our plan but did something better , 30:22.780 --> 30:24.836 what's the lesson learned associated 30:24.836 --> 30:27.260 with that ? And then how do we quickly 30:27.260 --> 30:30.729 capture those lessons after every loss 30:30.729 --> 30:33.949 or every engagement ? And quickly adopt 30:33.949 --> 30:36.800 those lessons and then share them 30:36.800 --> 30:39.219 across the entirety of the joint force . 30:39.520 --> 30:41.719 And inside the joint staff , we've 30:41.719 --> 30:45.040 tasked our J7 directorate under the 30:45.040 --> 30:46.984 lead of General Lieutenant General 30:46.984 --> 30:49.670 Laszewski , a United States Marine , to 30:49.670 --> 30:52.040 be extremely entrepreneurial in 30:52.040 --> 30:54.207 harvesting and capturing those lessons 30:54.207 --> 30:56.709 in a proactive and not reactive way . 30:56.959 --> 30:59.126 In fact , we've got teammates from the 30:59.126 --> 31:02.349 J7 who are now . Spread out across the 31:02.349 --> 31:04.750 CEO theater , both here in the States 31:04.750 --> 31:08.209 and forward to ensure that in every 31:08.270 --> 31:10.381 opportunity , we do not miss a chance 31:10.381 --> 31:12.709 to grab that lesson and quickly 31:12.709 --> 31:15.349 accelerate it into the practice that we 31:15.349 --> 31:18.069 adopt inside the joint force so that if 31:18.069 --> 31:20.236 there's a loss or if there's something 31:20.236 --> 31:22.402 that we can learn from , that we learn 31:22.402 --> 31:24.458 it not only in the CENCOM AOR but we 31:24.458 --> 31:26.513 adapt it across all of the combatant 31:26.513 --> 31:29.050 commands , not just into Peycom . Uh , 31:29.119 --> 31:31.410 and it's across all of the war fighting 31:31.410 --> 31:33.569 functions . I've asked them to look 31:33.569 --> 31:36.089 rigorously to check our egos at the 31:36.089 --> 31:39.130 door , to remember this is about what's 31:39.130 --> 31:41.130 right , not who's right , and to be 31:41.130 --> 31:43.074 clinical around the way we look at 31:43.074 --> 31:45.130 lessons learned because we owe it to 31:45.130 --> 31:47.297 the force to do that . Thanks for that 31:47.297 --> 31:49.519 question . Absolutely , brown jacket in 31:49.519 --> 31:51.352 the back . Uh , thank you , Mr . 31:51.352 --> 31:53.186 Secretary Jonathan Dre with Roco 31:53.186 --> 31:55.352 Politics . As you said , at the end of 31:55.352 --> 31:54.810 this war , Iran will be without a 31:54.810 --> 31:57.069 missile or drone capability . A navy or 31:57.069 --> 31:59.069 the ability to make nuclear weapons 31:59.229 --> 32:01.630 since the largest threat and sponsor of 32:01.630 --> 32:03.241 terror in the region will be 32:03.241 --> 32:05.463 incapacitated , are there plans to move 32:05.463 --> 32:07.463 assets and troops out of the Middle 32:07.463 --> 32:09.574 East ? I guess in a perfect world , a 32:09.574 --> 32:11.574 year after the war has ended . What 32:11.574 --> 32:13.463 does the military presence in the 32:13.463 --> 32:15.352 Middle East look like compared to 32:15.352 --> 32:17.408 before the war ? Well , I appreciate 32:17.408 --> 32:19.630 the question . Uh , I do think when you 32:19.630 --> 32:21.852 address a , a , a real threat head-on , 32:21.852 --> 32:23.852 it creates new options on the other 32:23.852 --> 32:25.963 side , right ? I think what President 32:25.963 --> 32:28.074 Trump refuses to do , which too often 32:28.074 --> 32:30.074 this town does , is just sit in the 32:30.074 --> 32:32.186 status quo . Uh , nobody can do about 32:32.186 --> 32:34.463 that . They've got too much capability . 32:34.463 --> 32:36.463 What if this happens ? What if that 32:36.463 --> 32:36.319 happens ? He instead says , what's in 32:36.319 --> 32:38.430 the interest of the American people ? 32:38.430 --> 32:40.430 It's gonna take some courage . It's 32:40.430 --> 32:42.486 gonna take some capabilities . We're 32:42.486 --> 32:41.949 gonna have to gather some forces there 32:41.949 --> 32:44.116 in order to do it . We're not going to 32:44.116 --> 32:46.116 tell people how many or how long or 32:46.116 --> 32:48.282 what we're willing to do or what we're 32:48.282 --> 32:50.449 not willing to do . But if you do that 32:50.449 --> 32:52.560 and do that decisively , then out the 32:52.560 --> 32:54.505 other end is a recognition that it 32:54.505 --> 32:56.727 opens the aperture of what's possible . 32:56.727 --> 32:56.339 I mean , President Trump did the same 32:56.339 --> 32:58.395 thing in creating an opportunity for 32:58.395 --> 33:00.561 the Abraham Accords . Now you've got a 33:00.561 --> 33:02.283 situation where a lot of those 33:02.283 --> 33:04.172 countries are coming alongside us 33:04.172 --> 33:06.283 recognizing the threat of Iran . So I 33:06.283 --> 33:08.506 think our posture in the future will be 33:08.506 --> 33:10.617 based first and foremost on our own . 33:10.617 --> 33:12.339 Uh , national security , power 33:12.339 --> 33:14.506 projection , the ability to defend our 33:14.506 --> 33:16.672 people and our interests , uh , but no 33:16.672 --> 33:18.839 doubt working alongside our partners , 33:18.839 --> 33:20.895 uh , the president will look at what 33:20.895 --> 33:20.589 makes the most sense going forward . 33:20.800 --> 33:22.967 Appreciate that question . Yes , right 33:22.967 --> 33:24.856 here . Is that a policy of the US 33:24.856 --> 33:26.911 military now ? Thank you , Secretary 33:26.911 --> 33:29.078 Maa . Two questions for you . The Vice 33:29.078 --> 33:31.300 President has often emphasized that the 33:31.300 --> 33:33.959 goal of this war is to denuclearize 33:33.959 --> 33:36.250 Iran while also . Avoiding a larger 33:36.250 --> 33:38.810 quagmire . I know that you touched on 33:38.810 --> 33:41.050 this . I'd like you to expand on how do 33:41.050 --> 33:43.161 you do that ? How do you denuclearize 33:43.161 --> 33:45.819 the country while also avoiding this , 33:46.089 --> 33:48.311 you know , forever war . And then there 33:48.311 --> 33:50.199 was a report last night that the 33:50.199 --> 33:52.849 Pentagon asked the White House for $200 33:52.849 --> 33:55.071 billion for Iran war supplemental . Can 33:55.071 --> 33:58.030 you confirm this and can you explain 33:58.329 --> 34:00.551 why a package this large is necessary ? 34:01.160 --> 34:03.104 Well , first of all , none of this 34:03.104 --> 34:03.079 would have been possible without 34:03.079 --> 34:04.801 Midnight Hammer , without that 34:04.801 --> 34:07.023 audacious mission with very clear goals 34:07.023 --> 34:09.079 that did obliterate their ability to 34:09.079 --> 34:11.190 enrich and the capabilities they have 34:11.190 --> 34:13.412 in those facilities . So it created the 34:13.412 --> 34:15.635 conditions for Iran to step forward and 34:15.635 --> 34:17.801 say , OK , you can reach out and touch 34:17.801 --> 34:17.320 us like that in our nuclear ambitions . 34:17.360 --> 34:19.527 You can see that we're still trying to 34:19.527 --> 34:21.804 do this . Let's make a deal . And , uh , 34:21.804 --> 34:23.971 President Trump put our , our two best 34:23.971 --> 34:26.082 folks on it , Steve and Jarrett , and 34:26.082 --> 34:28.249 they worked diligently , earnestly . I 34:28.249 --> 34:28.219 watched it to try to pursue that deal . 34:28.658 --> 34:30.769 And ultimately I think the whole time 34:30.769 --> 34:32.880 Iran sort of said , well , we'll talk 34:32.938 --> 34:34.938 as we build more missiles and as we 34:34.938 --> 34:36.882 build more UAVs and we create this 34:36.882 --> 34:39.158 conventional umbrella so that if we 34:39.158 --> 34:41.529 chose to we could try to reconstitute 34:41.529 --> 34:44.408 the program and sort of naively 34:44.408 --> 34:46.575 thinking that President Trump wouldn't 34:46.575 --> 34:48.852 do something about it . And that's why , 34:48.852 --> 34:48.579 as Secretary Rubio has said and I've 34:48.579 --> 34:50.999 said , it's the conventional umbrella 34:51.089 --> 34:52.922 that was growing and growing and 34:52.922 --> 34:55.089 growing that was meant to protect that 34:55.089 --> 34:57.033 nuclear capability . So you had to 34:57.033 --> 34:58.811 address both what happened with 34:58.811 --> 35:00.589 Midnight Hammer . Uh , and what 35:00.589 --> 35:02.867 happened with that as well . As far as , 35:02.867 --> 35:04.978 uh , $200 billion I think that number 35:04.978 --> 35:06.978 could move obviously . Uh , it , it 35:06.978 --> 35:09.200 takes , uh , It takes money to kill bad 35:09.200 --> 35:11.367 guys , so we're going back to Congress 35:11.367 --> 35:13.311 and our folks there to ensure that 35:13.311 --> 35:15.422 we're properly funded for what's been 35:15.422 --> 35:17.589 done , uh , for what we may have to do 35:17.589 --> 35:20.010 in the future , uh , ensure that our 35:20.010 --> 35:22.370 ammunition is , everything's refilled 35:22.370 --> 35:24.481 and not just refilled , but above and 35:24.481 --> 35:26.648 beyond . I mean , President Trump , as 35:26.648 --> 35:28.814 you said , rebuilt the military in his 35:28.814 --> 35:28.489 first term , didn't think he'd use it 35:28.489 --> 35:30.600 as dynamically in his second , but he 35:30.600 --> 35:32.711 had . So thank goodness he did that . 35:32.711 --> 35:34.933 And an investment like this is meant to 35:34.933 --> 35:37.156 say , hey , we'll replace anything that 35:37.156 --> 35:39.378 was spent , and now that we're reviving 35:39.378 --> 35:38.389 our defense industrial base and 35:38.389 --> 35:40.500 rebuilding the arsenal of freedom and 35:40.500 --> 35:42.500 cutting deals like our great deputy 35:42.500 --> 35:44.611 secretaries here is doing , long lead 35:44.611 --> 35:46.667 times on exquisite munitions , we're 35:46.667 --> 35:48.889 going to be refilled faster than anyone 35:48.889 --> 35:51.167 imagined , uh , and I think , you know , 35:51.167 --> 35:53.056 we're also still dealing with the 35:53.056 --> 35:55.389 environment that Joe Biden created , uh , 35:55.389 --> 35:57.500 which was , which was depleting those 35:57.500 --> 35:59.667 stockholds and not sending them to our 35:59.667 --> 36:01.611 own military but to Ukraine . Uh , 36:01.611 --> 36:03.722 which is when you every time we reach 36:03.722 --> 36:05.445 back and look at any sort of a 36:05.445 --> 36:07.556 challenge we have , it goes back to , 36:07.556 --> 36:09.389 well , send it to Ukraine . Uh , 36:09.389 --> 36:11.445 ultimately we think this should be , 36:11.445 --> 36:13.611 these , uh , these munitions are , are 36:13.611 --> 36:13.600 better spent in our own interests at 36:13.600 --> 36:15.959 this point , and this kind of funding 36:15.959 --> 36:17.903 bill is going to ensure that we're 36:18.030 --> 36:20.141 properly funded going forward . We'll 36:20.141 --> 36:22.252 take , uh , we'll take one more right 36:22.252 --> 36:21.750 here . Thank you , sir . Uh , thank you , 36:21.800 --> 36:24.022 Mr . Chairman Jordan Conradson with the 36:24.022 --> 36:25.919 Gateway Pundit . Um , so with the 36:25.919 --> 36:28.080 strike yesterday on South Pars , um , 36:28.229 --> 36:30.340 gas field , you know , if , if the US 36:30.340 --> 36:32.507 didn't know about it or didn't approve 36:32.507 --> 36:34.618 of it . It kind of seems like a trend 36:34.618 --> 36:37.439 of Israel apparently pursuing their own 36:37.439 --> 36:39.939 objectives over US objectives . Um , 36:40.399 --> 36:42.510 I'm not sure if you agree with that , 36:42.510 --> 36:44.621 but the president has said he doesn't 36:44.621 --> 36:46.732 want to hit Iran's oil infrastructure 36:46.732 --> 36:48.566 right now . As you said , the US 36:48.566 --> 36:50.566 avoided this on Karg Island . Oil's 36:50.566 --> 36:52.455 nearing $120 . Why are we helping 36:52.455 --> 36:54.510 Israel prosecute this war if they're 36:54.510 --> 36:56.677 going to pursue their own objectives ? 36:56.677 --> 36:59.300 We hold the cards . We have objectives 37:00.010 --> 37:02.090 Those objectives are clear . Uh , we 37:02.090 --> 37:04.423 have allies pursuing objectives as well , 37:04.669 --> 37:06.836 uh , and the truth speaks for itself . 37:06.836 --> 37:09.058 I mean , President Trump was very clear 37:09.649 --> 37:11.871 about that . Iran has weaponized energy 37:11.871 --> 37:14.038 for decades . Um , Israel clearly sent 37:14.038 --> 37:16.371 a warning , and POTUS has made it clear , 37:16.371 --> 37:18.371 very clear . Uh , Iran knows , uh , 37:18.371 --> 37:20.538 when you hit Karg Island . And you hit 37:20.538 --> 37:22.371 military capable capabilities on 37:22.371 --> 37:24.427 Carysle , which is the only thing we 37:24.427 --> 37:26.538 hit . We can hold anything at issue , 37:26.870 --> 37:28.759 anything , uh , the United States 37:28.759 --> 37:30.703 military controls the fate of that 37:30.703 --> 37:32.870 country . Iran has the ability to make 37:32.870 --> 37:35.148 the right choices . It should not , uh , 37:35.148 --> 37:37.489 going forward target , uh , Arab allies , 37:37.550 --> 37:39.717 Arab countries , uh , trying to create 37:39.717 --> 37:41.606 pain , the pain that they created 37:41.790 --> 37:43.957 themselves . Thank you all very much . 37:43.957 --> 37:46.290 Appreciate it . Thank you for your time . 37:46.290 --> 37:45.550 Appreciate it .