WEBVTT 00:06.809 --> 00:07.809 You . 00:16.379 --> 00:18.899 Well , over the weekend I had the 00:18.899 --> 00:20.677 opportunity to visit our troops 00:21.100 --> 00:24.280 fighting in Operation Epic Fury . We 00:24.280 --> 00:26.391 were in the ground or on the ground , 00:26.391 --> 00:28.680 excuse me , in Centcom on Saturday for 00:28.680 --> 00:31.559 about half the day . For reasons of 00:31.559 --> 00:34.009 operational security , so those troops 00:34.009 --> 00:36.231 are not targeted , the places and bases 00:36.231 --> 00:40.200 will not be named . Suffice it 00:40.200 --> 00:44.119 to say The trip was an honor . I 00:44.119 --> 00:47.000 had a chance to bear witness . And I 00:47.000 --> 00:50.639 witnessed the best of America . I 00:50.639 --> 00:53.799 witnessed warriors A brotherhood of men 00:53.799 --> 00:57.220 and women , warriors , all active duty , 00:57.250 --> 00:59.819 guard and reserve united in their love 00:59.819 --> 01:01.930 for each other , their shared purpose 01:01.930 --> 01:05.400 and their commitment to the mission . I 01:05.400 --> 01:08.639 witnessed sheer competency . I watched 01:08.639 --> 01:10.760 a private first class confidently 01:10.760 --> 01:12.982 calling out an enemy missile trajectory 01:13.599 --> 01:16.000 to a room full of officers . Everyone 01:16.000 --> 01:18.167 focused . The room was locked in . Two 01:18.167 --> 01:21.010 enemy missiles successfully shot down . 01:22.150 --> 01:24.470 I spoke to Air Force and Navy pilots on 01:24.470 --> 01:27.199 the flight line . Who every day both 01:27.199 --> 01:30.680 deliver bombs deep into Iran but also 01:30.680 --> 01:33.750 shoot down drones defending their base . 01:34.040 --> 01:37.080 Many had just returned from the skies 01:37.080 --> 01:40.739 of Iran and Tehran . I put on a headset 01:41.040 --> 01:43.379 and spoke to one crew in the cockpit , 01:43.839 --> 01:46.440 locked and loaded each and every day . 01:47.620 --> 01:49.680 I witnessed ingenuity , American 01:49.680 --> 01:51.860 ingenuity . I met the young army 01:51.860 --> 01:53.582 officer who figured out how to 01:53.582 --> 01:55.804 neutralize maneuvering enemy missiles , 01:55.804 --> 01:58.010 saving countless lives . His commander 01:58.010 --> 02:00.510 confirmed that the whoops and cheers 02:00.690 --> 02:02.809 erupted in the tactical operations 02:02.809 --> 02:04.976 center when his new approach was first 02:04.976 --> 02:07.540 successful . I met the Air Force intel 02:07.540 --> 02:09.710 analyst who refines target packages 02:09.710 --> 02:12.440 faster than the enemy can adapt . I 02:12.440 --> 02:15.360 actually gave him my card and told him 02:15.360 --> 02:17.940 to keep me posted on the ground truth . 02:19.350 --> 02:22.139 I did the same with his boss . A 02:22.139 --> 02:25.020 colonel with a heart the size of Texas . 02:26.270 --> 02:29.029 And a beautiful deployment mustache to 02:29.029 --> 02:32.630 match . I witnessed lethality . 02:33.869 --> 02:36.470 I met a junior airman as the sun was 02:36.470 --> 02:38.581 going down and a chill was setting on 02:38.581 --> 02:41.190 the tarmac , who , when asked what they 02:41.190 --> 02:44.410 needed . She simply looked up at me 02:44.789 --> 02:47.910 with a sly smile on her face and said 02:48.669 --> 02:51.830 More bombs , sir . And bigger bombs . 02:53.000 --> 02:56.889 We will happily oblige her . I met 02:56.889 --> 02:59.000 the Army targeting team who found and 02:59.000 --> 03:01.111 sunk the pride and joy of the Iranian 03:01.111 --> 03:02.833 navy . Their fighting position 03:02.833 --> 03:05.130 plastered with images of sunken enemy 03:05.130 --> 03:08.550 ships . And I witnessed urgency . 03:09.270 --> 03:11.550 Right when we landed , another C-17 03:11.550 --> 03:14.419 landed just minutes after us . And 03:14.419 --> 03:17.220 within 30 seconds of the aircraft 03:17.220 --> 03:19.331 coming to a full stop , a team on the 03:19.331 --> 03:21.276 ground pulled up and the cargo was 03:21.276 --> 03:24.759 being uploaded . Wartime speed . To a 03:24.759 --> 03:27.960 man and to a woman on the ground , in 03:27.960 --> 03:30.071 the air , on the flight line , and in 03:30.071 --> 03:33.800 the talk , I heard . We want everything 03:33.800 --> 03:36.740 faster . Higher up tempo , 03:37.199 --> 03:40.919 wartime speed . The feeling was the 03:40.919 --> 03:43.440 exact opposite of the rotational units 03:43.440 --> 03:45.662 year after year in the wars in Iraq and 03:45.662 --> 03:47.996 Afghanistan that we're so familiar with . 03:47.996 --> 03:50.218 In those wars , it was always about the 03:50.218 --> 03:52.384 next rotation , never knowing when the 03:52.384 --> 03:54.496 mission would end or exactly what the 03:54.496 --> 03:58.309 mission was year after year . Not with 03:58.309 --> 04:01.369 epic fury . I witnessed urgency to 04:01.369 --> 04:03.449 finish the job , urgency to achieve 04:03.449 --> 04:05.610 mission success , not looking at the 04:05.610 --> 04:08.529 next rotation , only moving as fast as 04:08.529 --> 04:11.899 possible to win . I got a chance to 04:12.199 --> 04:14.940 troop the line . To witness firsthand 04:14.940 --> 04:18.250 what we already know is true . Spoke to 04:18.250 --> 04:20.306 all ranks and all services , none of 04:20.306 --> 04:22.417 whom knew we were coming . It was not 04:22.417 --> 04:24.472 rehearsed or scripted . Sometimes we 04:24.472 --> 04:26.528 just wandered . What I witnessed was 04:26.528 --> 04:29.670 motivation . It was sheer mission focus . 04:30.459 --> 04:33.799 It was the American warrior unleashed . 04:34.959 --> 04:37.181 It was the kind of warfighting American 04:37.181 --> 04:39.348 spirit that comes with a clear mission 04:39.348 --> 04:42.820 against a determined enemy . A crew 04:42.820 --> 04:45.260 chief we flew with summed it up nicely . 04:45.660 --> 04:47.827 He said , it's been a busy few weeks , 04:47.827 --> 04:49.993 sir , tough stuff , but I'm so honored 04:49.993 --> 04:52.049 to be called up . This fight is long 04:52.049 --> 04:55.040 overdue . We need to address it for our 04:55.040 --> 04:58.700 kids . We cannot pass the buck . Please 04:58.700 --> 05:02.100 thank the president from us . I heard 05:02.100 --> 05:05.609 that time and time again . I asked each 05:05.609 --> 05:08.380 young American , what do you need ? And 05:08.380 --> 05:10.660 nobody said better equipment , nobody 05:10.660 --> 05:12.993 said more comfortable living conditions , 05:12.993 --> 05:15.320 nobody said send me home . Well , of 05:15.320 --> 05:17.431 course , eventually we want all those 05:17.431 --> 05:20.820 things . They do too . But what those 05:20.820 --> 05:23.500 Americans said to me , young and old 05:23.500 --> 05:26.290 officer and NCO , male and female , 05:26.429 --> 05:29.200 black and white , was , let's finish 05:29.200 --> 05:32.179 the mission . Get us even more bombs , 05:32.299 --> 05:34.920 bigger bombs , more targets . Let us 05:35.179 --> 05:38.010 finish this . In fact , Admiral Cooper 05:38.010 --> 05:40.399 noted this morning . That the 3 Air 05:40.399 --> 05:42.399 Force captains shot down by Kuwaiti 05:42.399 --> 05:44.679 friendly fire early in the fight weeks 05:44.679 --> 05:47.410 ago . They never left the theater . 05:48.339 --> 05:51.859 All dropped bombs over Tehran last 05:51.859 --> 05:55.350 night . These men and women live the 05:55.350 --> 05:57.350 Iranian threat every day , incoming 05:57.350 --> 05:59.572 missiles and drones , and know what the 05:59.572 --> 06:01.794 world looks like , what the world would 06:01.794 --> 06:03.517 look like if Iran had the most 06:03.517 --> 06:05.461 dangerous weapons in the world , a 06:05.461 --> 06:07.683 nuclear weapon . As President Trump has 06:07.683 --> 06:09.850 said time and time again for years and 06:09.850 --> 06:11.906 in this administration , Iran cannot 06:11.906 --> 06:14.072 have a nuclear bomb , and they won't . 06:14.470 --> 06:16.692 These troops , they want to finish this 06:16.692 --> 06:18.414 fight for their kids and their 06:18.414 --> 06:20.414 grandkids . This is about history . 06:21.029 --> 06:24.369 This is about legacy . Success matters . 06:25.100 --> 06:28.220 And because of this president and these 06:28.220 --> 06:30.220 Americans , we're closer than ever 06:30.220 --> 06:32.850 before to winning . President Trump is 06:32.850 --> 06:34.961 doing what no other president had the 06:34.961 --> 06:38.529 guts to do . Previous presidents were 06:38.839 --> 06:42.769 all talk . He's all action . On 06:42.769 --> 06:44.602 the battlefield , because of the 06:44.602 --> 06:46.713 latitude the president has given us , 06:46.720 --> 06:49.369 American firepower is only increasing . 06:49.989 --> 06:53.829 Iran's decreasing . We have more and 06:53.829 --> 06:56.519 more options and they have less . Just 06:56.519 --> 07:00.470 one month in Only one month . We 07:00.470 --> 07:03.190 set the terms The upcoming days will be 07:03.190 --> 07:05.450 decisive . Iran knows that . And 07:05.450 --> 07:07.228 there's almost nothing they can 07:07.228 --> 07:09.500 militarily do about it . Yes , they 07:09.500 --> 07:12.079 will still shoot some missiles . But we 07:12.079 --> 07:14.670 will shoot them down . Of note , the 07:14.670 --> 07:17.190 last 24 hours saw the lowest number of 07:17.190 --> 07:19.630 enemy missiles and drones fired by Iran . 07:21.239 --> 07:23.899 They will go underground But we will 07:23.899 --> 07:27.059 find them We recently destroyed another 07:27.059 --> 07:29.399 one of their command bunkers . Leaders 07:29.739 --> 07:31.906 forced to flee , no water , no power , 07:31.906 --> 07:33.961 no oxygen , no command and control . 07:34.519 --> 07:37.989 Their faith in their caves diminishing . 07:39.119 --> 07:40.952 The latest intel is clear out of 07:40.952 --> 07:43.119 Centcom . Our strikes are damaging the 07:43.119 --> 07:44.952 morale of the Iranian military , 07:45.079 --> 07:47.320 leading to widespread desertions , key 07:47.320 --> 07:49.279 personnel shortages , and causing 07:49.279 --> 07:52.000 frustrations amongst senior leaders . 07:53.549 --> 07:56.029 Just last night we had 200 dynamic 07:56.029 --> 07:58.910 strikes alone . Dynamic strike is a 07:58.910 --> 08:01.510 strike where a pilot leaves and during 08:01.510 --> 08:03.677 their flight they get a new target set 08:03.677 --> 08:05.989 based on real-time intel given to them , 08:06.549 --> 08:08.771 a new launcher , a new location , a new 08:08.771 --> 08:10.882 troop formation . A dynamic target is 08:10.882 --> 08:12.938 one that changes while you're in the 08:12.938 --> 08:15.105 air because of improved intelligence . 08:15.105 --> 08:17.327 200 dynamic strikes alone , in addition 08:17.327 --> 08:19.438 to the pre-planned targets . Uh , the 08:19.438 --> 08:21.549 video the president posted last night 08:21.549 --> 08:25.329 of Esfahan . An ammo depot struck by US 08:25.480 --> 08:27.702 bombers . You see , you see , you don't 08:27.702 --> 08:29.924 get to see many of those videos because 08:29.924 --> 08:32.147 as a reminder , Iran has still shut off 08:32.147 --> 08:34.880 the internet to 99.9% of its population . 08:36.789 --> 08:39.669 But if Iran is wise , They will cut a 08:39.669 --> 08:42.760 deal President Trump doesn't bluff and 08:42.760 --> 08:45.030 he does not back down . You can ask 08:45.030 --> 08:47.390 Kameni about that . The new Iranian 08:47.390 --> 08:50.400 regime should know that by now . This 08:50.400 --> 08:53.179 new regime , because regime change has 08:53.179 --> 08:56.330 occurred . Should be wiser than the 08:56.330 --> 08:59.440 last . President Trump will make a deal 08:59.440 --> 09:01.919 he is willing . And the terms of the 09:01.919 --> 09:04.609 deal are known to them . If Iran is not 09:04.609 --> 09:06.665 willing , then the United States War 09:06.665 --> 09:09.669 Department will continue with even more 09:09.830 --> 09:13.679 intensity . Standing here 09:13.679 --> 09:15.901 this morning in this briefing room , in 09:15.901 --> 09:18.530 my mind's eye . I'm actually looking 09:18.530 --> 09:20.697 out at the groups I met this weekend . 09:21.190 --> 09:24.510 The pilots , the logisticians , the 09:24.510 --> 09:26.566 intel analysts , the targeters , the 09:26.566 --> 09:29.229 sustainers , the flight crews , the air 09:29.229 --> 09:32.609 defenders , the base security . Those 09:33.070 --> 09:36.119 maintainers , so we walked up at sunset 09:36.429 --> 09:38.651 with the chill in the air on the flight 09:38.651 --> 09:41.719 line . May God watch over all of them . 09:42.900 --> 09:46.500 Each day and each night . May His 09:46.500 --> 09:48.780 almighty and eternal arms of Providence 09:48.780 --> 09:51.780 stretch over them and protect them and 09:51.780 --> 09:55.500 bring them peace . In the name of 09:55.500 --> 09:58.539 Jesus Christ . And amen , Mr . Chairman . 09:58.570 --> 10:00.292 Over to you . Thank you , Mr . 10:00.292 --> 10:02.514 Secretary , and good morning everyone , 10:02.514 --> 10:04.737 and thank you again for being here . As 10:04.737 --> 10:06.848 operations continue , I remain deeply 10:06.848 --> 10:08.459 grateful for the service and 10:08.459 --> 10:10.681 determination of 2.8 million members of 10:10.681 --> 10:12.626 our joint force , each of whom are 10:12.626 --> 10:14.348 serving something greater than 10:14.348 --> 10:16.459 themselves . Every day those deployed 10:16.459 --> 10:18.940 and in many cases those at home who are 10:18.940 --> 10:21.380 deploying forward and bomber pulses and 10:21.380 --> 10:23.491 others put themselves in harm's way , 10:23.491 --> 10:25.260 and we owe them a deep debt of 10:25.260 --> 10:27.710 gratitude . I remain especially 10:27.710 --> 10:30.190 grateful for our fallen who gave the 10:30.190 --> 10:32.429 ultimate sacrifice . We'll never forget 10:32.429 --> 10:34.510 their valor , uh , and their 10:34.510 --> 10:36.621 determination to do something greater 10:36.621 --> 10:38.510 than themselves , and each day we 10:38.510 --> 10:40.566 continue to earn , uh , what they've 10:40.566 --> 10:42.710 given to us . This morning I want to 10:42.710 --> 10:45.309 share that yesterday the Joint Force 10:45.309 --> 10:47.420 had the honor of participating in the 10:47.420 --> 10:50.479 burial of Colonel . Uh , Clarence Emel 10:50.479 --> 10:52.880 Bud Anderson , who passed away in May 10:52.880 --> 10:56.830 of 2024 at the ripe old age of 102 . 10:57.190 --> 10:59.023 He was laid to rest in Arlington 10:59.023 --> 11:01.119 Cemetery yesterday morning alongside 11:01.119 --> 11:03.960 his wife of 70 years , Eleanor , who he 11:03.960 --> 11:07.820 married on February 23 , 1945 . 11:07.919 --> 11:10.320 She passed away in 2015 at the age of 11:10.320 --> 11:13.479 92 . Bud yesterday , a legend to our 11:13.479 --> 11:15.812 Air Force and fighter pilots everywhere . 11:15.812 --> 11:18.035 He was honored with a combination flyby 11:18.035 --> 11:21.205 of F-35s and a for ship of P-51 11:21.205 --> 11:23.445 Mustangs . He was one of the most 11:23.445 --> 11:25.724 prolific flying aces of World War Two 11:25.724 --> 11:28.164 and the highest scoring P-51 ace with 11:28.164 --> 11:32.005 16.25 kills in his squadron and in his 11:32.005 --> 11:35.244 group . And he served from 1942 to 11:35.244 --> 11:39.005 1972 . And his last combat tour was 11:39.005 --> 11:41.565 flying F-104 Thunder Chiefs over North 11:41.565 --> 11:44.179 Vietnam . For anyone that had the 11:44.179 --> 11:46.290 chance to meet Colonel Anderson , you 11:46.290 --> 11:48.457 knew what an incredibly special man he 11:48.457 --> 11:50.869 was . And that's true for each and 11:50.869 --> 11:53.429 every one of our World War II vets who 11:53.429 --> 11:55.349 become fewer and fewer with each 11:55.349 --> 11:58.219 passing day . They are the greatest 11:58.219 --> 12:00.330 generation and give us the gift of an 12:00.330 --> 12:02.979 incredible example as we execute 12:02.979 --> 12:05.450 Operation Epic Fury today . And Colonel 12:05.450 --> 12:07.780 Anderson , we , we , uh , we , uh , 12:07.979 --> 12:10.146 mourn for your loss and , and remember 12:10.146 --> 12:12.219 that smile on the right side as you 12:12.219 --> 12:14.386 went out to do our nation's business . 12:14.549 --> 12:16.605 I'd like to now share an operational 12:16.605 --> 12:18.716 update . Our joint force continues to 12:18.716 --> 12:20.882 focus on our military objectives as we 12:20.882 --> 12:23.309 systematically continue to degrade and 12:23.309 --> 12:26.390 destroy Iran's ability to project power 12:26.390 --> 12:28.669 and threaten stability beyond its 12:28.669 --> 12:30.950 borders . First , the joint force 12:30.950 --> 12:33.070 continues to destroy Iran's ballistic 12:33.070 --> 12:36.090 missile and UAS capabilities . We 12:36.090 --> 12:38.309 remain focused on interdicting and 12:38.309 --> 12:40.669 destroying the logistical and supply 12:40.669 --> 12:43.210 chains that feed these programs , and 12:43.416 --> 12:46.296 Remains a truly joint effort prosecuted 12:46.296 --> 12:48.976 around the clock from air , land , sea , 12:49.216 --> 12:51.815 space , and cyberspace . Long range 12:51.815 --> 12:53.926 bombers from US Strategic Command are 12:53.926 --> 12:55.871 coordinating with tactical fighter 12:55.871 --> 12:58.037 aircraft from our joint force launched 12:58.037 --> 13:00.093 from bases around the region and the 13:00.093 --> 13:01.982 continental United States , while 13:01.982 --> 13:04.895 simultaneously Navy fighters from the 13:04.895 --> 13:06.976 sea and sailors continue to project 13:06.976 --> 13:08.865 power from the sea while Army and 13:08.865 --> 13:11.125 Marine artillery units continue to 13:11.125 --> 13:13.562 execute long . Range precision fires 13:13.562 --> 13:16.081 deep into enemy territory against high 13:16.081 --> 13:18.361 value targets . Meanwhile , on the 13:18.361 --> 13:20.139 defense side , our army and air 13:20.139 --> 13:21.917 defenders and aviators , as the 13:21.917 --> 13:23.694 secretary talked about , remain 13:23.694 --> 13:25.861 vigilant , forming a shield to protect 13:25.861 --> 13:27.771 our forces and our partners , 13:27.841 --> 13:29.785 intercepting missiles and drones . 13:30.041 --> 13:31.841 Together we continue to deliver 13:31.841 --> 13:33.521 precision strikes against key 13:33.521 --> 13:36.481 manufacturing nodes , component storage 13:36.481 --> 13:39.401 sites , research facilities deep within 13:39.401 --> 13:42.349 Iranian territory . And over the past 13:42.349 --> 13:44.869 29 , I'm sorry , 30 days we've struck 13:44.869 --> 13:48.409 more than 11,000 targets . Given the 13:48.419 --> 13:50.419 increase in air superiority , we've 13:50.419 --> 13:52.419 successfully started to conduct the 13:52.419 --> 13:56.150 first overland B-52 missions which 13:56.150 --> 13:58.206 allow us , as we've said before , to 13:58.206 --> 14:01.109 continue to get on top of the enemy and 14:01.109 --> 14:03.390 as the secretary talked about , switch 14:03.390 --> 14:07.250 towards more and more dynamic targets , 14:07.270 --> 14:09.669 uh , servicing mobile targets around 14:09.669 --> 14:12.659 the battle space . Uh , we've continued 14:12.659 --> 14:14.940 to do the work against Iran's missile , 14:14.950 --> 14:17.283 drone , and naval production facilities , 14:17.460 --> 14:19.460 and we continue the multi-domain 14:19.460 --> 14:21.404 pressure that we've talked about . 14:21.500 --> 14:23.340 Second , on the navy front , we 14:23.340 --> 14:25.451 continue to assert dominance over the 14:25.451 --> 14:28.059 Iranian navy . We remain focused on 14:28.059 --> 14:30.337 targeting their mine laying capability , 14:30.337 --> 14:32.559 their naval assets , and we've now , as 14:32.559 --> 14:34.781 I mentioned briefly last time , started 14:34.781 --> 14:36.837 to work attack helicopters and other 14:36.837 --> 14:38.837 close air support . Assets into the 14:38.837 --> 14:41.294 naval domain . CENTCOM continues to 14:41.294 --> 14:44.494 identify and work against naval depots 14:44.494 --> 14:46.934 and storage areas , and we've taken out 14:46.934 --> 14:49.775 again more than 150 ships , including 14:49.775 --> 14:52.635 all Jamaran class frigates inside their 14:52.635 --> 14:55.510 navy . Third , we continue to prosecute 14:55.510 --> 14:57.343 our campaign against our defense 14:57.343 --> 14:59.909 industrial base at scale . This 14:59.909 --> 15:01.798 includes factories , warehouses , 15:01.798 --> 15:03.590 nuclear weapons research and 15:03.590 --> 15:05.909 development labs , and the associated 15:05.909 --> 15:08.549 infrastructure required for Iran to 15:08.549 --> 15:12.109 reconstitute its combat capability . Um , 15:12.119 --> 15:14.489 I'd like to continue , uh , my theme of 15:14.489 --> 15:16.045 highlighting the incredible 15:16.045 --> 15:18.650 contributions of Americans to our joint 15:18.650 --> 15:20.929 force today . I want to talk a little 15:20.929 --> 15:23.409 bit about a different front line , a 15:23.409 --> 15:26.010 line that doesn't have bunkers or guard 15:26.010 --> 15:28.250 posts but is just as critical to our 15:28.250 --> 15:30.429 nation's security , our national 15:30.429 --> 15:32.690 assembly lines . Today I want to 15:32.690 --> 15:34.912 recognize a group of Americans who live 15:34.912 --> 15:37.134 at the beginning of our nation's combat 15:37.134 --> 15:39.357 power , the Americans who actually make 15:39.357 --> 15:41.559 our weapons both in . Inside our 15:41.559 --> 15:44.210 defense industrial base , but even more 15:44.210 --> 15:46.690 broadly inside our national industrial 15:46.690 --> 15:50.450 base in every military option we 15:50.450 --> 15:53.130 could not and cannot do our jobs 15:53.130 --> 15:55.186 without the men and women across our 15:55.186 --> 15:58.130 country who show up every day around 15:58.130 --> 16:00.570 the clock to a factory floor , a 16:00.570 --> 16:03.609 workshop , a laboratory who build the 16:03.609 --> 16:06.369 weapons and capabilities we need to 16:06.369 --> 16:08.530 project American combat power at the 16:08.530 --> 16:11.070 time and place of our choosing . These 16:11.070 --> 16:13.292 great Americans , and I've had a chance 16:13.292 --> 16:15.514 to spend some time with them when I was 16:15.514 --> 16:17.737 in the private sector , are the core of 16:17.737 --> 16:19.737 American combat power . They're the 16:19.737 --> 16:21.570 machinists running high-tech CNC 16:21.570 --> 16:23.750 machines , cutting raw blocks of metal 16:23.750 --> 16:26.590 into incredibly precise parts . They're 16:26.590 --> 16:28.869 the assembly workers painstakingly 16:28.869 --> 16:30.869 taking . A kit of parts and turning 16:30.869 --> 16:33.465 that into a complex guidance system or 16:33.465 --> 16:36.385 precision munition or a rocket motor or 16:36.385 --> 16:38.734 building a jet or submarine or that 16:38.734 --> 16:41.034 there are quality assurance technicians 16:41.424 --> 16:44.304 who ensure that when a warfighter pulls 16:44.304 --> 16:47.465 a trigger , the weapon works every time . 16:48.450 --> 16:51.039 This can be and is tough and gritty 16:51.039 --> 16:54.130 work . It's not a quiet office and a 16:54.130 --> 16:56.241 desk with paper , and there's nothing 16:56.241 --> 16:58.352 wrong with that , but this is exactly 16:58.352 --> 17:00.463 the way this group of Americans likes 17:00.463 --> 17:02.741 it . I know this . I've seen it myself , 17:02.741 --> 17:04.741 and I remain deeply honored by that 17:04.741 --> 17:07.250 gift . It's often loud and dangerous 17:07.250 --> 17:09.329 work , demanding , and requires 17:09.329 --> 17:12.849 absolute focus for hours at a time with 17:12.849 --> 17:15.250 deep commitment to get it right every 17:15.250 --> 17:18.489 single time . It's hands-on work where 17:18.489 --> 17:21.449 one uncaught mistake or deviation can 17:21.449 --> 17:23.800 put an American's life at risk . A 17:23.800 --> 17:26.349 single misplaced wire , a microscopic 17:26.349 --> 17:28.209 flaw , and a weld incorrectly 17:28.209 --> 17:30.449 calibrated sensor could mean the 17:30.449 --> 17:33.079 difference between mission success . Or 17:33.079 --> 17:35.280 mission failure , the difference is 17:35.280 --> 17:37.391 measured in the lives of our sons and 17:37.391 --> 17:39.391 daughters who we put out around the 17:39.391 --> 17:41.724 field , uh , and on the field of battle . 17:41.800 --> 17:44.479 We rely on and trust in these great 17:44.479 --> 17:46.368 Americans and it's not just their 17:46.368 --> 17:48.239 manufacturing skill , it's their 17:48.239 --> 17:50.400 innovative minds . And their 17:50.400 --> 17:52.959 entrepreneurial spirit from those who 17:52.959 --> 17:55.400 build exquisite capabilities down to 17:55.400 --> 17:58.160 the mom and pop machine shops all over 17:58.160 --> 18:00.920 this great country , they live at the 18:00.920 --> 18:03.640 beginning of and the core of America's 18:03.640 --> 18:06.339 combat capability , constantly adapting , 18:06.800 --> 18:09.170 constantly improving , constantly 18:09.170 --> 18:11.449 learning , and there are examples of 18:11.449 --> 18:13.560 this throughout history and current 18:13.560 --> 18:16.165 days to include building . Things like 18:16.165 --> 18:19.405 the F-117 stealth fighter , the B-2 18:19.405 --> 18:21.724 stealth bomber , making our combat 18:21.724 --> 18:24.354 capability undetectable over the enemy 18:24.604 --> 18:28.564 to today's B-21 and F-47 . It's work 18:28.564 --> 18:30.786 like in the shipyards of the East Coast 18:30.786 --> 18:33.045 and Northeast side of the United States 18:33.214 --> 18:35.436 that go out and build America's nuclear 18:35.436 --> 18:37.584 submarines that allow us to patrol 18:38.005 --> 18:40.285 around the world at the time and place 18:40.285 --> 18:42.719 of our choosing . These innovators , 18:42.819 --> 18:44.699 these workers , these incredible 18:44.699 --> 18:47.099 Americans don't get the same glory as a 18:47.099 --> 18:49.155 fighter pilot returning to a carrier 18:49.155 --> 18:51.260 deck at night or an artilleryman 18:51.260 --> 18:53.739 sending rounds downrange , and yet they 18:53.739 --> 18:56.819 show up every single day , and without 18:56.819 --> 18:59.099 them we could not do the work that we 18:59.099 --> 19:02.520 are tasked to do 24/7 they build the 19:02.520 --> 19:05.150 tools that . We need to do our business . 19:05.410 --> 19:07.530 The skill , the commitment , the 19:07.530 --> 19:10.930 patriotism , the dedication poured into 19:10.930 --> 19:13.319 every piece of combat capability and 19:13.319 --> 19:16.849 hardware is seen and felt out at the 19:16.849 --> 19:19.089 edge of the , of the force as the 19:19.089 --> 19:21.311 secretary talked about those young bomb 19:21.311 --> 19:23.569 builders out in the desert that he had 19:23.569 --> 19:26.119 the chance to see . You can see it , 19:26.369 --> 19:28.989 you can feel it , and , and it's real , 19:29.010 --> 19:31.479 and we're deeply grateful . So to the 19:31.479 --> 19:33.770 American workforce out there , both 19:33.770 --> 19:35.937 inside our defense industrial base and 19:35.937 --> 19:38.290 in our national industrial base , thank 19:38.290 --> 19:41.010 you on behalf of the Joint Force . We 19:41.010 --> 19:43.121 carry the weapons that you build . We 19:43.121 --> 19:45.770 rely on the systems that you create and 19:45.770 --> 19:48.005 the distance from that factory . floor 19:48.355 --> 19:50.715 and that assembly line to the front 19:50.715 --> 19:53.345 line is incredibly short . Thank you . 19:53.485 --> 19:56.036 Keep it up and to our adversaries out 19:56.036 --> 19:59.345 there , I remind you to beware of the 19:59.345 --> 20:01.395 American workforce . We continue to 20:01.395 --> 20:03.062 press forward in our military 20:03.062 --> 20:05.284 objectives . The secretary and I remain 20:05.284 --> 20:07.956 deeply humbled by the spirit , tenacity , 20:08.036 --> 20:10.582 commitment , and grit . Of our 2.8 20:10.582 --> 20:13.021 million member strong joint force , I 20:13.021 --> 20:15.132 want to , as always , thank the force 20:15.302 --> 20:17.582 and their families and as always 20:17.582 --> 20:19.582 remember our fallen . We carry with 20:19.582 --> 20:21.804 them , uh , and their names every day , 20:21.804 --> 20:23.915 sir . I'll turn it back over to you . 20:23.915 --> 20:26.082 Well , thank you , Mr . Chairman . Two 20:26.082 --> 20:28.193 things , uh , he didn't note it , but 20:28.193 --> 20:28.131 in memory of Colonel Bud Anderson , uh , 20:28.182 --> 20:30.515 the chairman himself flew his F-16 , uh , 20:30.515 --> 20:32.682 to honor him recently , uh , and thank 20:32.682 --> 20:34.515 you for highlighting the defense 20:34.515 --> 20:36.349 industrial base , the arsenal of 20:36.349 --> 20:36.182 freedom . It's worth noting no one has 20:36.182 --> 20:38.261 rebuilt that defense industrial base 20:38.261 --> 20:40.550 faster . And with more purpose than 20:40.550 --> 20:42.661 President Trump in his first term and 20:42.661 --> 20:44.661 now we're rebuilding the arsenal of 20:44.661 --> 20:46.772 freedom . Our defense industrial base 20:46.772 --> 20:48.828 is more vibrant today than it's been 20:48.828 --> 20:51.106 since World War II and growing rapidly . 20:51.106 --> 20:53.430 Contrast that with Iran , whose defense 20:53.430 --> 20:55.486 industrial base is nearly completely 20:55.486 --> 20:57.670 destroyed . Um , their ability to 20:57.670 --> 20:59.892 reconstitute the weapons of war they're 20:59.892 --> 21:01.726 using now that they're hiding in 21:01.726 --> 21:03.892 underground facilities and are trading 21:03.892 --> 21:05.781 over time , uh , their ability to 21:05.781 --> 21:08.003 rebuild that . Uh , is negligible , and 21:08.003 --> 21:10.114 I think that contrast is , is , is an 21:10.114 --> 21:12.226 enduring legacy of this as well right 21:12.226 --> 21:14.392 here . Thank you for your time . We've 21:14.392 --> 21:16.392 had some signaling that the US will 21:16.392 --> 21:18.670 retake control of the Strait of Hormuz . 21:18.670 --> 21:20.781 At that point , what military posture 21:20.781 --> 21:22.709 will be imposed to guarantee safe 21:22.709 --> 21:24.949 passage for our allies , deter our 21:24.949 --> 21:28.109 enemies , and demonstrate US dominance 21:28.109 --> 21:30.640 in the region ? And also , um , can you 21:30.640 --> 21:33.729 speak to how much America's adversaries 21:33.989 --> 21:36.162 Russia . China and North Korea , how 21:36.162 --> 21:38.106 much they're supporting Iran's war 21:38.106 --> 21:40.106 machine at this point with arms and 21:40.106 --> 21:42.329 intelligence and what we are militarily 21:42.329 --> 21:45.343 doing to punish the enemy coalition . 21:45.873 --> 21:48.095 Appreciate both questions on the Strait 21:48.095 --> 21:50.317 of Hormuz , there are many more vessels 21:50.317 --> 21:52.540 flowing through today than there were , 21:52.540 --> 21:54.595 uh , as the president has arranged . 21:54.595 --> 21:56.651 The president's been clear to Iran , 21:56.651 --> 21:58.706 open it for business or . Or we have 21:58.706 --> 22:00.873 options and we certainly do . And when 22:00.873 --> 22:00.135 you look at what the chairman laid out 22:00.135 --> 22:01.802 with the Navy , with the Navy 22:01.802 --> 22:03.802 industrial base with coastal cruise 22:03.802 --> 22:05.802 missiles with UAVs with countermine 22:05.802 --> 22:07.968 capabilities , uh , we've been focused 22:07.968 --> 22:09.968 from the beginning on a trading and 22:09.968 --> 22:09.645 defeating those capabilities and 22:09.645 --> 22:11.756 limiting their options . Uh , there's 22:11.756 --> 22:13.806 lots we're doing as well , some of 22:13.806 --> 22:15.917 which is known , some of which is not 22:15.917 --> 22:17.917 known to set the conditions , and I 22:17.917 --> 22:19.862 think the president was clear this 22:19.862 --> 22:22.028 morning in his truth . Uh , that there 22:22.028 --> 22:23.973 are countries around the world who 22:23.973 --> 22:26.530 ought to be prepared to step up on this 22:26.530 --> 22:28.586 critical waterway as well . It's not 22:28.586 --> 22:30.808 just the United States Navy . Last time 22:30.808 --> 22:32.974 I checked , there was supposed to be a 22:32.974 --> 22:34.808 big bad Royal Navy that could be 22:34.808 --> 22:37.141 prepared to do things like that as well . 22:37.141 --> 22:38.919 So he's pointing out this is an 22:38.919 --> 22:38.550 international waterway that we use less 22:38.550 --> 22:40.772 than most , in fact , dramatically less 22:40.772 --> 22:42.883 than most , so the world ought to pay 22:42.883 --> 22:45.106 attention and be prepared to stand up . 22:45.106 --> 22:44.709 President Trump's been willing to do 22:44.709 --> 22:46.931 the heavy lifting on behalf of the free 22:46.931 --> 22:49.098 world to address this threat of Iran . 22:49.098 --> 22:51.042 Uh , it's not just our problem set 22:51.042 --> 22:53.042 going forward , even though we have 22:53.042 --> 22:55.265 done the lion's share of preparation to 22:55.265 --> 22:57.431 ensure that that strait will be , will 22:57.431 --> 22:59.487 be open , which is an outcome . Uh , 22:59.487 --> 22:58.969 the , the , the president's been very 22:58.969 --> 23:01.080 clear on as far as Russia and China , 23:01.080 --> 23:03.413 we know exactly what they're doing , uh , 23:03.413 --> 23:05.413 what they are or are not doing . We 23:05.413 --> 23:07.580 don't have to , uh , air publicly what 23:07.580 --> 23:09.747 all of that is , but where necessary , 23:09.747 --> 23:09.010 we're addressing it , we're mitigating 23:09.010 --> 23:11.130 it . Uh , and , or , or we're 23:11.130 --> 23:13.352 confronting it , uh , head on . I don't 23:13.352 --> 23:15.463 know if you have anything you want to 23:15.463 --> 23:15.050 add . No , sir , I think you covered it . 23:15.520 --> 23:17.687 Do you have a timeline for operability 23:17.687 --> 23:19.520 in the strait , thank you , Mr . 23:19.520 --> 23:21.464 Secretary . Uh , David's the , the 23:21.464 --> 23:23.298 America's Voice , um , and I , I 23:23.298 --> 23:25.464 witnessed that enthusiasm on the lines 23:25.464 --> 23:27.409 and our submarine builders and the 23:27.409 --> 23:29.520 ironworks . It's our . Unbelievable . 23:29.520 --> 23:31.520 Um , but I just wanted to ask you , 23:31.520 --> 23:33.576 what's the status of the delivery of 23:33.576 --> 23:35.576 any hardened bunkers for additional 23:35.576 --> 23:37.687 protection for our troops and without 23:37.687 --> 23:39.687 getting too specific , what kind of 23:39.687 --> 23:41.853 measures are we taking to protect some 23:41.853 --> 23:44.076 of the larger , more strategic aircraft 23:44.076 --> 23:46.409 like the , uh , Sentry and other ? Well , 23:46.409 --> 23:48.464 it's a great , great question . I'll 23:48.464 --> 23:50.920 say what I witnessed where I went was a 23:51.140 --> 23:54.790 um . Completely locked in discipline of 23:55.079 --> 23:58.560 bunker use and bunker improvement . So 23:58.560 --> 24:00.727 from the beginning , as we stated very 24:00.727 --> 24:02.782 clearly , the first thing we did was 24:02.782 --> 24:04.727 set up a defense and make sure our 24:04.727 --> 24:06.838 defensive capabilities were maxed out 24:06.838 --> 24:09.004 before any of this even started . That 24:09.004 --> 24:10.949 included fortifications as much as 24:10.949 --> 24:10.560 possible , but it also included 24:10.560 --> 24:12.959 disbursement . If , uh , if all of our 24:12.959 --> 24:14.959 people are in one place , you could 24:14.959 --> 24:17.070 imagine why that's a big problem . So 24:17.070 --> 24:19.070 dispersing is part of that defeat . 24:19.070 --> 24:21.292 Alongside that disbursement is more and 24:21.292 --> 24:23.181 more bunkers , and I can tell you 24:23.181 --> 24:25.403 talking to base commanders , talking to 24:25.403 --> 24:27.292 our allies in Israel , talking to 24:27.292 --> 24:29.515 others , rapidly fielding that and then 24:29.515 --> 24:31.681 improving those positions is a theater 24:31.681 --> 24:33.737 priority , no doubt , as are the air 24:33.737 --> 24:36.070 defenses . And the layered air defenses , 24:36.070 --> 24:38.237 it's not just patriots and THAs , it's 24:38.237 --> 24:40.181 fighters and defensive caps , it's 24:40.181 --> 24:40.030 other kinetic defeat systems , it's 24:40.030 --> 24:42.349 electronic warfare . So the defense of 24:42.349 --> 24:44.869 our , of our troops and our assets is , 24:44.979 --> 24:46.979 is max . I will say on , on some of 24:46.979 --> 24:49.201 those other assets you talked about air 24:49.201 --> 24:51.146 wings , uh , airframes , there's , 24:51.146 --> 24:53.146 there's some things adversaries are 24:53.146 --> 24:55.201 doing to provide info and intel that 24:55.201 --> 24:57.535 they shouldn't . Uh , we're aware of it , 24:57.535 --> 24:59.479 uh , and ultimately we move things 24:59.479 --> 25:01.479 around and , and don't , one of the 25:01.479 --> 25:03.646 biggest , uh . Principles you learn in 25:03.646 --> 25:05.923 the military is is to not set patterns , 25:05.923 --> 25:08.146 uh , predictable patterns , uh , and so 25:08.146 --> 25:07.760 we're commanders are working hard to 25:07.760 --> 25:09.920 adjust in real time , uh , with those 25:09.920 --> 25:11.976 systems and make sure they're in the 25:11.976 --> 25:14.253 right places and not easily targetable . 25:14.253 --> 25:16.531 Jillian , um , thanks , Mr . Secretary . 25:16.531 --> 25:18.364 The US and Iran appear right now 25:18.364 --> 25:20.309 publicly to disagree about whether 25:20.309 --> 25:22.560 there are these negotiations ongoing . 25:22.719 --> 25:24.663 Uh , what impact does that have on 25:24.663 --> 25:26.719 military strategy ? Does it have any 25:26.719 --> 25:30.000 bearing at all ? And General , the 25:30.000 --> 25:32.880 president wrote yesterday that the US 25:32.880 --> 25:36.040 might destroy Iran's electricity 25:36.040 --> 25:38.400 generating plants and oil wells . Those 25:38.400 --> 25:41.229 are his words before ending this 25:41.229 --> 25:43.451 operation . Is there a way to do either 25:43.451 --> 25:46.170 of those things without Like seriously 25:46.170 --> 25:49.040 jeopardizing or seriously harming 25:49.040 --> 25:52.699 civilians . Um , so on the talks , I 25:52.699 --> 25:55.380 can tell you , having been with , with 25:55.390 --> 25:57.557 Steve and Jared and the vice president 25:57.557 --> 25:59.279 and many Marco and many others 25:59.279 --> 26:01.390 yesterday , they are very real , uh , 26:01.390 --> 26:03.668 they are ongoing . Uh , they're active , 26:03.668 --> 26:05.890 uh , and I think gaining strength , and 26:05.890 --> 26:07.946 we appreciate that . As I said in my 26:07.946 --> 26:10.168 remarks , we would much prefer to get a 26:10.168 --> 26:12.446 deal if Iran was willing to relinquish , 26:12.446 --> 26:14.557 uh , material they have and ambitions 26:14.557 --> 26:16.557 they have , openness , it's great , 26:16.557 --> 26:18.779 that's the goal . We don't want to have 26:18.779 --> 26:21.001 to do more militarily than we have to , 26:21.001 --> 26:20.979 uh , but I didn't mean it flippant . 26:21.250 --> 26:23.139 When I said in the meantime we'll 26:23.139 --> 26:25.194 negotiate with bombs , our job is to 26:25.194 --> 26:27.306 ensure that we compel Iran to realize 26:27.306 --> 26:29.417 that this new regime , this regime in 26:29.417 --> 26:31.528 charge , is in a better place if they 26:31.528 --> 26:33.806 make that deal . And so we'll continue , 26:33.806 --> 26:35.861 we're working hand in hand , but the 26:35.861 --> 26:38.083 primary effort is a deal . We want that 26:38.083 --> 26:39.972 deal to be accomplished if at all 26:39.972 --> 26:41.972 possible . If not , uh , then we're 26:41.972 --> 26:44.194 prepared to continue . Secretary , what 26:44.194 --> 26:47.250 happened ? Yeah , we , uh , uh , thanks 26:47.250 --> 26:49.028 for the question . We're always 26:49.028 --> 26:51.361 thinking about those considerations and , 26:51.361 --> 26:53.250 and develop options to be able to 26:53.250 --> 26:55.306 mitigate those risks pursuant to the 26:55.306 --> 26:57.250 normal practices that we do in the 26:57.250 --> 26:58.972 military . So thank you , Mr . 26:58.972 --> 27:01.028 Secretary . Uh , I know you slightly 27:01.028 --> 27:03.083 addressed this already , but just on 27:03.083 --> 27:05.194 the . The Strait of Hormuz is opening 27:05.194 --> 27:07.250 the strait an essential objective to 27:07.250 --> 27:09.306 Operation Epic Fury , or is that the 27:09.306 --> 27:11.528 job of those other countries ? And then 27:11.528 --> 27:13.639 secondly , uh , without asking you to 27:13.639 --> 27:15.750 comment on things that you can't talk 27:15.750 --> 27:17.528 about , what is your message to 27:17.528 --> 27:19.583 Americans who love the president and 27:19.583 --> 27:21.639 strongly believe in him but are very 27:21.639 --> 27:23.750 worried about this notion of boots on 27:23.750 --> 27:25.972 the ground ? Well , first on the Strait 27:25.972 --> 27:28.028 of Hormuz , um , our core objectives 27:28.028 --> 27:30.194 from this podium , from day one , from 27:30.194 --> 27:32.083 me , from the chairman , from the 27:32.083 --> 27:34.194 president , from the vice president , 27:34.194 --> 27:36.361 from , uh , Secretary Rubio and others 27:36.361 --> 27:38.139 have been clear defense missile 27:38.139 --> 27:40.194 production and missile programs , so 27:40.194 --> 27:42.361 their entire missile program . Defense 27:42.361 --> 27:44.528 industrial base and production ability 27:44.528 --> 27:46.306 to build and navy and and power 27:46.306 --> 27:48.417 projection . So those have , and then 27:48.417 --> 27:50.417 of course wrapping it all is Iran's 27:50.417 --> 27:52.583 never gonna have a nuclear weapon . So 27:52.583 --> 27:51.939 those have been very clear . Defeating 27:51.939 --> 27:53.939 the navy is a core part of ensuring 27:53.939 --> 27:56.161 they can't project that kind of power . 27:56.161 --> 27:58.328 But ultimately I think the president's 27:58.328 --> 28:00.550 truth this morning , uh , lays that out 28:00.550 --> 28:02.606 very well that this Strait of Hormuz 28:02.606 --> 28:04.772 issue , which we've set the conditions 28:04.772 --> 28:06.772 for success , and we will make sure 28:06.772 --> 28:08.939 Iran is , knows that very clearly , is 28:08.939 --> 28:11.161 not just the United States of America , 28:11.161 --> 28:13.106 uh , problem set . Uh , we've been 28:13.106 --> 28:12.760 willing to lead . President Trump's led 28:12.760 --> 28:15.130 the entire time , but it's not just us . 28:15.239 --> 28:17.350 So ultimately I think other countries 28:17.350 --> 28:19.572 should pay attention when the president 28:19.572 --> 28:21.461 speaks . He's proven that when he 28:21.461 --> 28:21.400 speaks he means something , and he's 28:21.400 --> 28:23.439 pointing out , um , you know , you 28:23.439 --> 28:25.495 might , might want to start learning 28:25.495 --> 28:27.606 how to fight for yourself . Uh , it's 28:27.606 --> 28:29.717 something some of us have been saying 28:29.717 --> 28:31.772 for quite some time . Uh , you can't 28:31.772 --> 28:31.609 just have flags , you have to have 28:31.609 --> 28:33.776 formations . You can't just have a few 28:33.776 --> 28:35.665 ships . You have enough to effect 28:35.665 --> 28:37.553 change . Those things matter in a 28:37.553 --> 28:39.276 dangerous world with ascendant 28:39.276 --> 28:41.553 adversaries . That's why the president , 28:41.553 --> 28:41.369 that's why the chairman's talking about 28:41.369 --> 28:43.536 our industrial base . That's why we're 28:43.536 --> 28:45.647 launching the arsenal of Freedom tour 28:45.647 --> 28:47.869 to revive our defense industrial base . 28:47.869 --> 28:50.036 President Trump doing it in a way that 28:50.036 --> 28:52.147 nobody else has as far as . President 28:52.147 --> 28:54.313 Trump and boots on the ground , uh , I 28:54.313 --> 28:56.425 don't understand why the base , which 28:56.425 --> 28:58.536 they have already , they understand , 28:58.536 --> 29:00.647 wouldn't have faith in his ability to 29:00.647 --> 29:02.647 execute on this . Look at his track 29:02.647 --> 29:04.480 record of pursuing peace through 29:04.480 --> 29:06.758 strength , America first outcomes , uh , 29:06.758 --> 29:08.925 and what he's simply saying , and it's 29:08.925 --> 29:08.900 exactly true , and I've said from this 29:08.900 --> 29:11.067 podium too , we're not gonna foreclose 29:11.067 --> 29:13.780 any option . You can't fight and win a 29:13.780 --> 29:16.002 war if you tell your adversary what you 29:16.002 --> 29:18.113 are willing to do or what you are not 29:18.113 --> 29:20.336 willing to do , to include boots on the 29:20.336 --> 29:22.391 ground . The our adversary right now 29:22.391 --> 29:24.502 thinks there are 15 different ways we 29:24.502 --> 29:26.558 could come at them with boots on the 29:26.558 --> 29:28.669 ground . And guess what , there are . 29:28.669 --> 29:30.780 So if we needed to , we could execute 29:30.780 --> 29:32.502 those options on behalf of the 29:32.502 --> 29:34.724 President of the United States and this 29:34.724 --> 29:34.660 department , or maybe we don't have to 29:34.660 --> 29:36.819 use them at all . Maybe negotiations 29:36.819 --> 29:38.708 work or maybe there's a different 29:38.708 --> 29:40.375 approach . The point is to be 29:40.375 --> 29:42.486 unpredictable in that , certainly not 29:42.486 --> 29:44.708 let anybody know what you're willing to 29:44.708 --> 29:46.597 do or not do . But if anybody has 29:46.597 --> 29:48.652 internalized the lessons of Iraq and 29:48.652 --> 29:50.375 Afghanistan as the first one , 29:50.375 --> 29:52.541 President Trump , to call them out for 29:52.541 --> 29:52.180 what they are , he's not going to 29:52.180 --> 29:54.180 repeat those . And I , I think I've 29:54.180 --> 29:56.180 been very clear about that from the 29:56.180 --> 29:58.458 podium . Thank you , Secretary Hegseth . 29:58.458 --> 30:00.624 A question for you and then a question 30:00.624 --> 30:02.791 for General Kane . Um , you said we're 30:02.791 --> 30:04.958 a month into the Operation Epic Fury . 30:04.958 --> 30:06.847 How long until the objectives are 30:06.847 --> 30:09.013 achieved and is there a scenario where 30:09.013 --> 30:11.180 a deal is struck before the objectives 30:11.180 --> 30:13.069 have been achieved ? And then for 30:13.069 --> 30:15.180 General Kane , uh , there's been lots 30:15.180 --> 30:17.124 of media coverage that suggested a 30:17.124 --> 30:19.069 ground invasion is imminent . What 30:19.069 --> 30:21.180 other purposes might the soldiers and 30:21.180 --> 30:23.402 the Marines who have been deployed over 30:23.402 --> 30:25.236 to the Middle East serve in this 30:25.236 --> 30:27.489 conflict ? Well , just like the 30:27.489 --> 30:29.433 previous question , sort of , uh , 30:29.439 --> 30:32.619 military 101 . Don't tell your enemy 30:32.619 --> 30:34.730 what you're willing to do or not do , 30:34.979 --> 30:37.090 and don't tell your enemy when you're 30:37.090 --> 30:39.201 willing to stop , especially an enemy 30:39.201 --> 30:41.312 that likes to hide in bunkers and try 30:41.312 --> 30:41.260 to hoard their missiles and hope you'll 30:41.260 --> 30:43.560 wait you out . So that's not a question 30:43.939 --> 30:45.661 I'm gonna answer or the or the 30:45.661 --> 30:47.717 president has said definitively . We 30:47.717 --> 30:49.717 have our own goals and guidance and 30:49.717 --> 30:51.828 things we're military objectives that 30:51.828 --> 30:53.995 we're moving toward and things that we 30:53.995 --> 30:56.217 look at . And as he's articulated , you 30:56.217 --> 30:58.383 know , he's said 4 to 6 weeks , 6 to 8 30:58.383 --> 31:00.272 weeks , 3 , it could be any , any 31:00.272 --> 31:02.439 particular number , but we would never 31:02.439 --> 31:04.661 reveal precisely what it is because our 31:04.661 --> 31:06.828 goal is to finish those objectives and 31:06.828 --> 31:08.606 we're well on our way , and the 31:08.606 --> 31:08.380 chairman and I look at this every 31:08.380 --> 31:10.602 single day . It will be the president's 31:10.602 --> 31:12.491 determination and the president's 31:12.491 --> 31:14.324 determination alone . When those 31:14.324 --> 31:16.324 objectives are complete and when it 31:16.324 --> 31:18.324 serves the interest of the American 31:18.324 --> 31:20.491 people to cut that deal , to make sure 31:20.491 --> 31:22.324 that Iran doesn't have a nuclear 31:22.324 --> 31:24.469 capability , and ultimately that our 31:24.469 --> 31:26.802 objectives , our interests are advanced . 31:26.802 --> 31:28.580 I don't know if you want to add 31:28.580 --> 31:30.580 anything . No , just to answer your 31:30.580 --> 31:32.525 question , Reagan , you know , the 31:32.525 --> 31:34.580 range of military options that those 31:34.580 --> 31:36.636 forces can offer are extensive , not 31:36.636 --> 31:38.989 just limited to what you mentioned in 31:38.989 --> 31:41.100 terms of forces on the ground , and I 31:41.100 --> 31:42.933 wouldn't want to take away . The 31:42.933 --> 31:45.100 president's decision space , but there 31:45.100 --> 31:47.100 are a multitude of things , not the 31:47.100 --> 31:49.619 least of which is Iran should note that 31:49.619 --> 31:52.239 they're out there and that they are a 31:52.239 --> 31:55.000 pressure point , and so they should 31:55.000 --> 31:57.111 carefully consider , I think , at the 31:57.111 --> 31:59.278 diplomatic level , not , not my job as 31:59.278 --> 32:01.222 a chairman , but at the diplomatic 32:01.222 --> 32:03.278 level to consider what's in front of 32:03.278 --> 32:06.930 them . OK , uh , Mr . 32:06.939 --> 32:10.310 Secretary , um , the US government , IC 32:10.520 --> 32:12.576 assessed for many years that Iran is 32:12.576 --> 32:14.719 protecting al Qaeda senior leaders , 32:14.910 --> 32:17.579 including the current Emir Saif al-Adol . 32:18.109 --> 32:21.199 Um , does the US assess that he's still 32:21.199 --> 32:23.800 in Iran ? Has he fled to Afghanistan ? 32:23.890 --> 32:27.319 Is he on a target list ? And , uh , and 32:27.319 --> 32:30.800 Mr . Chairman , um , based on CENCO 32:30.800 --> 32:34.020 figures and open source . Iranian 32:34.020 --> 32:36.540 daily missile barrages and drone 32:36.540 --> 32:38.920 launches have indeed dropped 32:38.920 --> 32:41.253 dramatically since the start of the war , 32:41.253 --> 32:43.579 but they're not at zero , and they seem 32:43.579 --> 32:47.239 to have maintained some level of 32:47.579 --> 32:50.180 low but stable numbers . Perhaps 32:50.180 --> 32:52.236 they've dropped a little bit more in 32:52.236 --> 32:54.540 recent days . How do we get that ? 32:55.209 --> 32:58.849 Closer to zero and what impact is 32:58.849 --> 33:01.650 Iran's degraded but still very real 33:01.650 --> 33:04.449 capability impacting current and future 33:04.449 --> 33:06.410 operations . So I won't speak to a 33:06.410 --> 33:08.577 particular target . I'll just say that 33:08.577 --> 33:10.854 al Qaeda remains our enemy , obviously , 33:10.854 --> 33:12.966 uh , and there are a lot of people on 33:12.966 --> 33:15.077 our target list in Iran , and if they 33:15.077 --> 33:17.132 were to be harboring al Qaeda , they 33:17.132 --> 33:19.188 would certainly fit that list . Uh , 33:19.188 --> 33:21.299 just , just quickly , um , you know , 33:21.299 --> 33:23.521 the , the mobile targets that they have 33:23.521 --> 33:25.466 that we continue to service as the 33:25.466 --> 33:27.466 secretary talked about the 200 hits 33:27.466 --> 33:29.632 that were done last night , that's one 33:29.632 --> 33:31.854 component of continuing to lower that . 33:31.854 --> 33:34.479 The second and more long term impact 33:34.479 --> 33:36.312 that we're having is the strikes 33:36.312 --> 33:38.423 against their defense industrial base 33:38.423 --> 33:40.560 at scale which will not allow them to 33:40.560 --> 33:42.959 reload after that . So we do continue 33:42.959 --> 33:45.079 to see a trend down . They are still 33:45.079 --> 33:47.520 shooting and we do continue to exert 33:47.520 --> 33:49.742 significant pressure against both sides 33:49.742 --> 33:51.909 of that system . Um , Mr . Secretary , 33:51.909 --> 33:53.964 thank you for the question . Um , do 33:53.964 --> 33:56.076 you still believe you said previously 33:56.076 --> 33:57.964 that the Iranian leadership would 33:57.964 --> 34:00.187 surrender . Do you still believe that ? 34:00.187 --> 34:01.909 And is the United States still 34:01.909 --> 34:04.076 committed to NATO's collective defense 34:04.076 --> 34:06.187 and to , to Chairman Kin , um , could 34:06.187 --> 34:08.242 you give us a sense of your thinking 34:08.242 --> 34:09.964 about the legality of striking 34:09.964 --> 34:12.131 desalinization plants if the president 34:12.131 --> 34:15.178 were to order that ? I would just say 34:15.178 --> 34:17.400 that any , any mission that ends on our 34:17.400 --> 34:19.400 terms , gonna call it a surrender , 34:19.400 --> 34:21.400 call it a defeat , call it what you 34:21.400 --> 34:23.622 want , we remain committed to it , uh , 34:23.622 --> 34:25.734 a , a conflict that ends on our terms 34:25.734 --> 34:25.208 and the president's terms . Uh , 34:25.259 --> 34:27.315 there's no doubt about that . And as 34:27.315 --> 34:29.315 far as NATO is concerned , that's a 34:29.315 --> 34:29.178 decision that'll be left to the 34:29.178 --> 34:31.739 president , but I'll just say , um , a 34:31.739 --> 34:34.539 lot has been laid bare . A lot has been 34:34.539 --> 34:36.428 shown to the world about what our 34:36.428 --> 34:38.579 allies would be willing to do for the 34:38.579 --> 34:40.412 United States of America when we 34:40.412 --> 34:42.579 undertake . An effort of this scope on 34:42.579 --> 34:44.635 behalf of the free world , these are 34:44.635 --> 34:46.579 missiles that don't even range the 34:46.579 --> 34:48.690 United States of America . They range 34:48.690 --> 34:50.857 allies and others . And , and yet when 34:50.857 --> 34:52.857 we ask for additional assistance or 34:52.857 --> 34:54.968 simple access basing and overflight , 34:54.968 --> 34:57.080 we get questions or roadblocks or 34:57.080 --> 34:58.969 hesitations , and the president's 34:58.969 --> 35:01.247 pointing out you don't have much of an , 35:01.247 --> 35:03.260 uh , an alliance . If you have 35:03.260 --> 35:05.482 countries that are not willing to stand 35:05.482 --> 35:07.427 with you when you need them , he's 35:07.427 --> 35:07.219 simply pointing that out , uh , and 35:07.219 --> 35:09.219 ultimately it'll be his decision of 35:09.219 --> 35:11.163 what that looks like after this is 35:11.163 --> 35:13.275 completed . Um , I'll , I'll just , I 35:13.275 --> 35:13.179 won't talk about any particular target . 35:13.260 --> 35:15.038 This really builds on Gillian's 35:15.038 --> 35:16.927 question too that I don't think I 35:16.927 --> 35:18.982 completely answered , but you know , 35:18.982 --> 35:20.538 the joint force is the most 35:20.538 --> 35:22.649 professional force in the world , and 35:22.649 --> 35:24.816 we have numerous processes and systems 35:24.816 --> 35:27.038 to . Carefully consider the whole range 35:27.038 --> 35:29.260 of considerations from civilian risk to 35:29.260 --> 35:31.427 legal considerations with any target , 35:31.427 --> 35:34.100 and as targets come before us , we run 35:34.100 --> 35:36.211 them through the same process that we 35:36.211 --> 35:38.540 always do and always strike lawful 35:38.540 --> 35:40.899 targets in accordance with the normal 35:40.899 --> 35:44.179 procedures that we use . mercy for 35:44.179 --> 35:46.235 enemy combatants . Thank you , sir . 35:50.419 --> 35:52.697 Thank you , Mr . Secretary . Thank you . 35:52.697 --> 35:54.919 I appreciate it . On Sunday , President 35:54.919 --> 35:57.141 Trump said that Iran's first regime was 35:57.141 --> 35:56.830 all destroyed and the second one is 35:56.830 --> 35:59.060 mostly dead . The third regime that 35:59.060 --> 36:01.171 we're on right now has been much more 36:01.171 --> 36:03.171 reasonable in negotiations . Do you 36:03.171 --> 36:05.338 agree with that assessment and why ? I 36:05.338 --> 36:07.338 would defer to the negotiating team 36:07.338 --> 36:07.030 there . They're the ones talking to him , 36:07.070 --> 36:09.403 but they're getting a back and forth on , 36:09.403 --> 36:11.237 on terms , which is , which is a 36:11.237 --> 36:13.459 productive development . We stand right 36:13.459 --> 36:15.792 there next to our negotiating team . Uh , 36:15.792 --> 36:18.014 always willing and prepared to put them 36:18.014 --> 36:20.181 in an even better position . Thank you 36:20.181 --> 36:22.514 very much . I appreciate it . Thank you . 36:22.514 --> 36:21.899 Thank you .