WEBVTT 00:00.540 --> 00:03.930 what ? Yeah , I know you guys would be 00:03.930 --> 00:07.220 counting . Okay , so a couple of things 00:07.220 --> 00:09.498 at the top , let me get organized here . 00:10.840 --> 00:13.950 Ah Alright . Um 00:18.140 --> 00:19.973 so I can announce today that the 00:19.973 --> 00:22.196 president has authorized the Department 00:22.196 --> 00:24.500 of Defense to return a small persistent 00:24.510 --> 00:27.220 U . S . Military presence to Somalia . 00:27.230 --> 00:29.820 This decision was based on a request 00:29.820 --> 00:32.750 from Secretary Austin uh and included 00:32.750 --> 00:34.806 advice from senior commanders and of 00:34.806 --> 00:36.972 course concerned for the safety of our 00:36.972 --> 00:38.972 troops who have incurred additional 00:38.972 --> 00:41.194 risk by deploying in and out of Somalia 00:41.194 --> 00:43.250 On an episodic basis for the past 16 00:43.250 --> 00:44.917 months . We're evaluating the 00:44.917 --> 00:47.028 appropriate timing and the next steps 00:47.028 --> 00:49.139 for implementation of this order . So 00:49.139 --> 00:51.083 we're just gonna have to give us a 00:51.083 --> 00:53.139 little time and uh we're working our 00:53.139 --> 00:52.960 way through exactly what this is all 00:52.960 --> 00:54.904 gonna look like . I don't have any 00:54.904 --> 00:57.071 additional details for you right now . 00:57.071 --> 00:59.182 I want to remind that those forces as 00:59.182 --> 01:01.238 they have been , will continue to be 01:01.238 --> 01:03.016 used in training , advising and 01:03.016 --> 01:05.127 equipping partner forces to give them 01:05.127 --> 01:07.238 the tools that they need to disrupt , 01:07.238 --> 01:09.293 degrade and monitor al Shabaab . Our 01:09.293 --> 01:12.160 forces are not now , nor will they be 01:12.170 --> 01:14.392 directly engaged in combat operations . 01:15.140 --> 01:17.320 The purpose here is to enable a more 01:17.320 --> 01:20.100 effective fight against al Shabaab by 01:20.100 --> 01:22.890 local forces which and Al Shabaab has 01:22.890 --> 01:25.057 increased and their strength and poses 01:25.057 --> 01:28.030 a heightened threat . Um So again , 01:28.030 --> 01:30.500 this is a repositioning of forces that 01:30.500 --> 01:32.430 are already in theater Who have 01:32.430 --> 01:34.541 traveled in and out of Somalia now on 01:34.541 --> 01:37.460 an episodic basis since January of 2021 . 01:38.140 --> 01:40.440 Our view was the Secretary's view was 01:40.440 --> 01:43.800 that that episodic engagement model was 01:43.810 --> 01:45.430 inefficient and increasingly 01:45.440 --> 01:48.340 unsustainable forces also lost time on 01:48.340 --> 01:50.610 target and critical situational 01:50.610 --> 01:52.777 awareness needed to detect and disrupt 01:52.777 --> 01:54.888 an enemy attack by time on target . I 01:54.888 --> 01:56.610 mean time on station , I'm not 01:56.610 --> 01:58.610 suggesting that there was something 01:58.610 --> 02:00.832 about direct combat relations or combat 02:00.832 --> 02:03.080 operations there . Um shifting to a 02:03.080 --> 02:05.302 persistent presence will not change the 02:05.302 --> 02:07.930 mission um and it will not imply 02:07.930 --> 02:10.210 substantial changes in resources . 02:10.230 --> 02:12.230 We're working now to evaluate local 02:12.230 --> 02:14.397 conditions , including those following 02:14.397 --> 02:16.230 the Somali presidential election 02:16.230 --> 02:18.452 yesterday . And we're engaging partners 02:18.452 --> 02:20.397 in the region including the Somali 02:20.397 --> 02:20.220 government to determine the best way 02:20.220 --> 02:22.442 forward . That is as far as we're gonna 02:22.442 --> 02:24.750 be able to go on that one today . Um 02:24.750 --> 02:28.220 Also on Tuesday after a two year hiatus 02:28.220 --> 02:30.164 due to the covid 19 pandemic , the 02:30.164 --> 02:32.331 Association of the US Army and the U . 02:32.331 --> 02:34.442 S . Army pacific command will convene 02:34.442 --> 02:36.664 their three day Land pack Symposium and 02:36.664 --> 02:39.040 exposition in downtown Waikiki Land 02:39.040 --> 02:40.818 pack is the premier land forces 02:40.818 --> 02:42.873 symposium and exposition in the indo 02:42.873 --> 02:44.707 pacific region bringing together 02:44.707 --> 02:47.260 government academia , industry And many 02:47.260 --> 02:49.560 of our allies and partners over 25 02:49.560 --> 02:51.671 countries are expected to participate 02:51.671 --> 02:53.838 in person this year . It will run from 02:53.838 --> 02:55.893 the 17th to the 19th and many of the 02:55.893 --> 02:57.949 panels and press conferences will be 02:57.949 --> 02:59.949 livestreamed on divots and I'm told 02:59.949 --> 03:02.004 that you guys should already have in 03:02.004 --> 03:04.227 your email inboxes , the feature linked 03:04.227 --> 03:06.504 page for divots so you can access that . 03:06.504 --> 03:09.250 Okay , well the questions . Ben from ap 03:11.840 --> 03:14.062 I know you said you didn't want to have 03:14.062 --> 03:16.007 the details any further details on 03:16.007 --> 03:18.173 Somalia . But do you , can you tell us 03:18.173 --> 03:20.396 what components will be made up of that 03:20.396 --> 03:22.396 and what branches ? Yeah , it's not 03:22.396 --> 03:22.200 that I didn't want to have the details , 03:22.200 --> 03:24.033 I'm not gonna be able to provide 03:24.033 --> 03:26.033 additional details into in terms of 03:26.033 --> 03:28.256 what that's gonna look like . I'd refer 03:28.256 --> 03:30.367 you to africom to speak to that but I 03:30.367 --> 03:29.620 doubt seriously that they're going to 03:29.620 --> 03:31.953 get into actual unit designations . Ben , 03:34.240 --> 03:37.850 Okay . Yes , jen , John can 03:37.850 --> 03:40.380 you discuss what the security 03:40.380 --> 03:42.491 guarantees you plan to give to Sweden 03:42.491 --> 03:44.769 and Finland while they applied to NATO , 03:44.769 --> 03:47.110 given that it could be an 8-8 months to 03:47.110 --> 03:49.460 a year long process . What are the 03:49.470 --> 03:51.740 bilateral sort of security guarantees 03:51.740 --> 03:53.962 you're willing ? I think I think that's 03:53.962 --> 03:56.073 further a field of where we are right 03:56.073 --> 03:58.184 now , jen uh they haven't even made a 03:58.184 --> 04:00.407 formal application to NATO . So there's 04:00.407 --> 04:02.462 a multi step process here going from 04:02.462 --> 04:04.518 application to a session and I don't 04:04.518 --> 04:06.684 want to get ahead of where we are . Um 04:06.684 --> 04:09.320 what I said last week applies today . 04:09.320 --> 04:11.320 These are two countries with modern 04:11.320 --> 04:13.431 militaries , their two countries that 04:13.431 --> 04:15.487 we have operated exercised with . We 04:15.487 --> 04:17.431 know them , they know us there's a 04:17.431 --> 04:19.376 there's a from just a bilateral us 04:19.376 --> 04:21.640 relationship perspective , there's a 04:21.640 --> 04:23.473 level of comfort there and we're 04:23.473 --> 04:25.660 confident that should there be um 04:26.280 --> 04:28.570 capabilities or support that either 04:28.570 --> 04:30.403 nation might need in the interim 04:30.403 --> 04:33.760 between application and a session that 04:33.760 --> 04:35.982 we'd be able to work something out with 04:35.982 --> 04:38.149 him . But I don't want to get ahead of 04:38.149 --> 04:40.204 where we are right now . And what is 04:40.204 --> 04:42.260 your reaction to Putin's response to 04:42.260 --> 04:44.480 their uh informing him that they will 04:44.490 --> 04:47.300 likely apply for furniture ? I think . 04:47.310 --> 04:49.310 Look , I I'd let Mr Putin speak for 04:49.310 --> 04:52.130 himself . I don't think there was a 04:52.140 --> 04:54.560 great shock or surprise that that the 04:54.560 --> 04:56.782 Russians reacted the way they did about 04:56.782 --> 04:59.004 the news of these two countries wanting 04:59.004 --> 05:01.060 to join NATO . I think there's a few 05:01.060 --> 05:03.393 things that we all need to keep in mind . 05:03.393 --> 05:06.270 one NATO is a defensive alliance . It 05:06.270 --> 05:08.730 has never and it does not now pose a 05:08.730 --> 05:10.730 threat to any other nation and that 05:10.730 --> 05:13.390 includes Russia too . It's not up to Mr 05:13.390 --> 05:15.760 Putin or any other third party to get a 05:15.760 --> 05:18.540 veto on whether a nation joins NATO or 05:18.540 --> 05:20.651 not , that is between that nation and 05:20.651 --> 05:22.762 the other members of NATO to decide . 05:22.762 --> 05:24.596 And again , there's a multi step 05:24.596 --> 05:27.860 process here . Um uh and um three , 05:28.640 --> 05:30.900 I think we need to remember who is 05:30.900 --> 05:33.280 actually the aggressor here and whose 05:33.280 --> 05:36.080 actions probably are motivating uh 05:36.090 --> 05:38.368 those two nations to want to join NATO . 05:38.368 --> 05:40.090 And that's Mr Putin and Russia 05:40.090 --> 05:42.146 themselves , they made a decision to 05:42.146 --> 05:44.090 invade Ukraine a nation which also 05:44.090 --> 05:46.410 posed no threat to anybody . They made 05:46.410 --> 05:48.850 a decision to jump in there with 05:49.440 --> 05:52.420 Hundreds of thousands of of troops uh 05:52.420 --> 05:54.610 and or more more more than 100,000 05:54.610 --> 05:56.443 troops . Um and they're the ones 05:56.443 --> 05:58.388 prosecuting this war in an utterly 05:58.388 --> 06:01.150 brutal way uh and all of that can stop 06:01.160 --> 06:03.160 right now . Mr Putin made the right 06:03.160 --> 06:05.430 decision . Yeah . Abraham thanks a lot 06:05.430 --> 06:09.030 john um Two questions about the Somali 06:09.030 --> 06:10.974 announcement , A lot has been said 06:10.974 --> 06:13.840 about the same level of resources . No 06:13.840 --> 06:17.270 change there . But it just seems thank 06:17.270 --> 06:20.090 you . So it seems though that there'll 06:20.090 --> 06:22.420 be a lot less airlift used Air Force 06:22.420 --> 06:25.230 assets moving those guys back into the 06:25.230 --> 06:27.960 operators into and out of Somalia . And 06:27.960 --> 06:30.860 then second related question . The Air 06:30.860 --> 06:33.660 Force's divesting 100 Mq nine's to 06:33.660 --> 06:35.882 another government agency . Can you say 06:35.882 --> 06:37.993 what agency ? And if those will go to 06:37.993 --> 06:40.160 Africa , I don't have anything on that 06:40.160 --> 06:42.327 one . I'd refer you to the Air Force . 06:42.327 --> 06:44.271 I don't have any information about 06:44.271 --> 06:46.271 divestment of of unmanned systems . 06:46.271 --> 06:48.438 That's really an Air Force question to 06:48.438 --> 06:51.470 take . Um But look , I mean the as we 06:51.470 --> 06:54.320 called it episodic um just uh we did 06:54.320 --> 06:56.320 not feel the secretary did not feel 06:56.320 --> 06:58.487 that that was in the best interests of 06:58.487 --> 07:01.190 helping partner forces go after a 07:01.190 --> 07:05.010 continued and uh um and in fact 07:05.010 --> 07:08.000 heightened threat by Al Shabaab . So we 07:08.000 --> 07:09.880 believe this is the best , most 07:09.880 --> 07:12.540 efficient way to continue that mission 07:12.540 --> 07:14.762 that the advise and assist and training 07:14.762 --> 07:17.490 mission . Um And by having a persistent 07:17.490 --> 07:19.490 presence , it's possible that there 07:19.490 --> 07:22.780 will be um a dimunition if you will on 07:22.780 --> 07:25.300 the on transport back and forth I think . 07:25.300 --> 07:28.510 But but in general Abraham , I mean um 07:28.520 --> 07:30.450 this isn't going to make a huge 07:30.450 --> 07:32.450 difference , resource wise and it's 07:32.450 --> 07:34.672 just the right thing to do . I mean the 07:34.672 --> 07:36.617 advise and assist mission as we've 07:36.617 --> 07:38.783 we've we've seen in many places around 07:38.783 --> 07:40.894 the world um is best done when you're 07:40.894 --> 07:42.950 when you're on site and your and you 07:42.950 --> 07:45.117 can develop those relationships uh and 07:45.117 --> 07:47.283 keep those conversations going and and 07:47.283 --> 07:49.172 stay as relevant as possible when 07:49.172 --> 07:51.117 you're coming and going . That's a 07:51.117 --> 07:53.339 little bit that contact is a little bit 07:53.339 --> 07:55.672 harder , harder to to work . The more I . 07:55.672 --> 07:58.340 S . Are from Somalia and I'm not going 07:58.340 --> 08:00.618 to get ahead of where we are ? Abraham . 08:00.618 --> 08:02.673 I mean those are questions that only 08:02.673 --> 08:04.673 General Townsend at africom can can 08:04.673 --> 08:06.840 speak to . The the point is Al Shabaab 08:06.840 --> 08:09.000 remains a threat . Um And uh and that 08:09.000 --> 08:11.840 threat we we assess uh not only 08:11.840 --> 08:15.030 continues but is increasing and we 08:15.030 --> 08:17.086 believe this is the this is the best 08:17.086 --> 08:19.197 way forward for us to continue . What 08:19.197 --> 08:21.419 has remained a very valuable advice and 08:21.419 --> 08:23.641 assistant training mission is just this 08:23.641 --> 08:25.586 is a better way to do it . Barbara 08:25.586 --> 08:27.641 Somalia , can you tell us , you said 08:27.641 --> 08:29.752 the threat is increasing specifically 08:29.752 --> 08:32.410 as much as you are able to , what is 08:32.420 --> 08:35.190 the Al Shabaab threat right now to the 08:35.200 --> 08:39.020 U . S . And U . S . Interests . Uh Do 08:39.020 --> 08:42.250 you believe Al Shabaab is capable of 08:42.260 --> 08:45.430 actually carrying out an attack outside 08:45.440 --> 08:48.750 now they've done it in the past but now 08:48.760 --> 08:50.649 carrying out an attack outside of 08:50.649 --> 08:53.180 Somalia , do they have the capability 08:53.180 --> 08:55.347 to do that ? Because you're doing this 08:55.347 --> 08:57.013 you say because the threat is 08:57.013 --> 08:59.250 increasing and on the advice and assist 08:59.740 --> 09:03.240 in the past , US troops did accompany 09:03.250 --> 09:06.130 Somali and African forces into the 09:06.130 --> 09:08.720 field for advise and assist on their 09:08.720 --> 09:11.460 missions but staying behind the so 09:11.460 --> 09:13.404 called glass covered and concealed 09:13.404 --> 09:16.710 position , will that still be 09:17.140 --> 09:19.580 the rules of the road for US troops 09:19.580 --> 09:21.950 that they will in the advice and the 09:21.950 --> 09:25.170 system will go out into the field on 09:25.170 --> 09:28.890 missions but stay behind any so called , 09:28.900 --> 09:31.240 you know sort of line of contact if you 09:31.240 --> 09:33.407 will , I'm not gonna get into specific 09:33.407 --> 09:35.351 are away from the podium . I don't 09:35.351 --> 09:37.573 think that would be a valuable thing to 09:37.573 --> 09:39.796 do . The advise and assist mission that 09:39.796 --> 09:41.907 we've been conducting will continue . 09:41.907 --> 09:44.200 It's just that now they are troops 09:44.200 --> 09:46.311 won't be coming and going , they will 09:46.311 --> 09:48.422 have a persistent presence there . Um 09:48.422 --> 09:50.589 So there's really no change to the way 09:50.589 --> 09:52.644 in which we've been doing advise and 09:52.644 --> 09:54.756 assist as for the increasing threat . 09:54.756 --> 09:56.867 Again , I want to be careful not to , 09:56.867 --> 09:58.478 you know , get into specific 09:58.478 --> 10:00.533 intelligence here , but this is a Al 10:00.533 --> 10:02.589 Shabaab continues to conduct attacks 10:02.589 --> 10:04.756 certainly there in Somalia , they have 10:04.756 --> 10:06.867 been capable of conducting attacks uh 10:06.867 --> 10:09.033 in the region . Um And we know that in 10:09.033 --> 10:11.144 the past they have expressed at least 10:11.144 --> 10:13.230 the intent and desire uh to attack 10:13.230 --> 10:15.286 outside the region including against 10:15.286 --> 10:17.452 american interests . So we're watching 10:17.452 --> 10:19.452 this closely , this is not a threat 10:19.452 --> 10:22.000 that's going away . Um Again , it's 10:22.010 --> 10:24.010 it's not like we haven't been doing 10:24.010 --> 10:26.232 anything in Somalia at all . That's not 10:26.232 --> 10:28.454 true . It's just the Secretary believes 10:28.454 --> 10:30.399 and the President has approved his 10:30.399 --> 10:32.970 recommendation that uh that a a better 10:32.970 --> 10:34.859 more efficient way to get at that 10:34.859 --> 10:36.859 threat is to have a more persistent 10:36.859 --> 10:38.803 presence . But it'll be it'll be a 10:38.803 --> 10:42.250 moderate presence . Uh it'll be uh and 10:42.250 --> 10:44.250 it will be that the work that we're 10:44.250 --> 10:46.528 doing will be deliberate to the threat . 10:46.528 --> 10:48.694 Quick , very quick Ukraine follow up . 10:48.694 --> 10:50.806 Do you have anything currently on the 10:50.806 --> 10:52.917 status of Kherson ? And the extent to 10:52.917 --> 10:55.980 which Ukraine forces maybe operating 10:55.980 --> 10:58.570 trying to push the Russians back in 10:58.570 --> 11:01.260 Kherson in and around Carson . Do you 11:01.260 --> 11:03.593 have any status on Carson at the moment ? 11:03.593 --> 11:05.704 Again , being careful not to get into 11:05.704 --> 11:08.790 too much tactical detail here in 11:08.790 --> 11:11.900 Ukraine are our assessment is 11:11.900 --> 11:15.800 that that Ukrainian and Russian forces 11:15.800 --> 11:17.980 continue to come into contact and 11:17.980 --> 11:21.160 conflict with one another around Carson ? 11:21.170 --> 11:24.850 Um uh they , the 11:24.850 --> 11:27.017 Ukrainians as you know , prevented the 11:27.020 --> 11:29.131 Russians from moving from christendom 11:29.131 --> 11:31.298 ecology of that town to the north west 11:31.560 --> 11:34.560 on the northern coast of the Black Sea . 11:34.740 --> 11:36.962 Um , in general , we just assessed that 11:36.962 --> 11:39.160 there has been increased activity over 11:39.160 --> 11:41.740 the last couple of days between those 11:41.740 --> 11:44.470 two cities , Mykolaiv and Kherson . Um 11:44.470 --> 11:46.359 and between obviously Russian and 11:46.359 --> 11:48.526 Ukrainian forces , but I couldn't tell 11:48.526 --> 11:50.470 you on them , you know , with with 11:50.470 --> 11:52.581 great specificity where where exactly 11:52.581 --> 11:54.692 that fighting is . But there has been 11:54.692 --> 11:56.581 active fighting in and around the 11:56.581 --> 11:58.581 person in the last couple of days . 11:58.581 --> 12:01.710 Sylvie to go back to Somalia . At the 12:01.720 --> 12:03.750 beginning of his monday , President 12:03.760 --> 12:06.890 biden decided to limit the number of 12:06.970 --> 12:10.890 airstrikes , especially in Somalia . So 12:10.900 --> 12:13.290 does this decision to go back on the 12:13.290 --> 12:16.900 ground means that air strikes are going 12:16.910 --> 12:20.060 to resume ? I think we'll just , mm hmm 12:21.440 --> 12:23.980 let the mission play out here . So v 12:23.980 --> 12:26.560 I'm not gonna be able to predict for 12:26.560 --> 12:30.500 you . Um um weather and 12:30.500 --> 12:33.570 how and to what degree activity like 12:33.570 --> 12:35.626 air strikes are going to increase or 12:35.626 --> 12:38.970 decrease going forward . The mission is 12:38.970 --> 12:41.026 not one of combat operations for our 12:41.026 --> 12:43.450 troops . It's advise and assist and I 12:43.450 --> 12:46.730 think I'll leave it at there . Was 12:46.730 --> 12:49.460 there , why now was there a specific 12:49.460 --> 12:53.090 incident that caused 12:54.250 --> 12:57.060 him to ask for changes ? I mean this is 12:57.060 --> 12:59.282 something , I mean this is an outgrowth 12:59.282 --> 13:02.720 over many months of talking to General 13:02.720 --> 13:04.720 Townsend at africom and getting his 13:04.720 --> 13:06.776 fingertip feel for what's going on . 13:06.776 --> 13:08.890 It's been a result of watching the al 13:08.890 --> 13:11.070 Shabaab threat as it as they have 13:11.070 --> 13:14.370 continued to pose that threat uh in 13:14.370 --> 13:16.530 Somalia and in the region . Um and 13:16.530 --> 13:18.800 again this was this was an outgrowth of 13:18.810 --> 13:22.290 uh of a very deliberate , mature , 13:23.130 --> 13:26.620 reasonable policy process here at the 13:26.620 --> 13:28.120 Pentagon to come up with a 13:28.120 --> 13:30.790 recommendation again based on the 13:30.790 --> 13:32.957 advice and counsel of General Townsend 13:32.957 --> 13:34.846 as well as the chairman , General 13:34.846 --> 13:37.012 Milley about what the best way forward 13:37.012 --> 13:39.068 for this advise and assist mission . 13:39.068 --> 13:41.234 And again we we believe it's the right 13:41.234 --> 13:43.457 thing to do to to to be there in a more 13:43.457 --> 13:46.610 persistent way . But again the mission 13:46.620 --> 13:49.590 is not changing motion A Quick one on 13:49.600 --> 13:51.990 Ukraine . Um In Kharkiv , a senior 13:51.990 --> 13:54.157 defense official earlier said that the 13:54.157 --> 13:56.157 Ukrainian military has been able to 13:56.157 --> 13:58.323 gain ground pushing the Russian forces 13:58.540 --> 14:00.690 Closer to the to the Russian border 14:00.690 --> 14:02.910 within 3-4 km . I was wondering if you 14:02.910 --> 14:04.632 could provide any more details 14:04.632 --> 14:06.632 specifically have Russian force has 14:06.632 --> 14:09.320 been pushed back across the border . I 14:09.330 --> 14:11.163 don't have more detail than than 14:11.163 --> 14:14.400 basically that we do assess that uh to 14:14.400 --> 14:16.540 the north of Kharkiv the Ukrainians 14:16.540 --> 14:18.651 have been able to push Russian forces 14:18.651 --> 14:20.596 back . They are they are regaining 14:20.596 --> 14:22.762 ground and territory that the Russians 14:22.762 --> 14:25.170 had occupied north of the city . I 14:25.170 --> 14:26.781 couldn't tell you with great 14:26.781 --> 14:29.550 granularity exactly how far or you know , 14:29.550 --> 14:31.606 or whether some of those forces have 14:31.606 --> 14:33.661 been actually pushed over the border 14:33.661 --> 14:36.490 and some or not . Um And I also I would 14:36.490 --> 14:38.379 caution to that , you know , it's 14:38.379 --> 14:40.212 possible that there may still be 14:40.212 --> 14:42.434 Russian forces that are still closer to 14:42.434 --> 14:44.268 the city and other areas . Um So 14:44.268 --> 14:47.150 generally do agree with the assessment 14:47.160 --> 14:49.220 that they have been able to regain 14:49.220 --> 14:51.330 territory north of the town . We've 14:51.330 --> 14:53.750 also seen them regain territory east of 14:53.750 --> 14:55.917 Kharkiv . It's not really fair to call 14:55.917 --> 14:59.890 it a town , it's a big city . Um ah but 14:59.900 --> 15:02.122 but I can't get much more specific than 15:02.122 --> 15:04.240 that , unfortunately . Yeah , yeah , 15:04.250 --> 15:07.340 joe thanks , john , two questions . Um 15:07.350 --> 15:10.650 first you had alluded to a risk to 15:10.660 --> 15:12.827 troops in Somalia from this rotational 15:12.827 --> 15:14.993 model and I was wondering if you could 15:14.993 --> 15:16.882 say more about what kind of force 15:16.882 --> 15:18.771 protection risk that was , Well , 15:18.771 --> 15:20.882 without getting into the specifics of 15:20.882 --> 15:23.160 force protection and what we do to put , 15:23.160 --> 15:25.327 you know , uh to put that in place . I 15:25.327 --> 15:25.280 mean , the constant coming and going . 15:25.280 --> 15:28.650 I mean that just that just um that 15:29.040 --> 15:30.929 if you're trying to do advise and 15:30.929 --> 15:32.929 assist and you're trying to develop 15:32.929 --> 15:34.984 those relationships if you're coming 15:34.984 --> 15:37.330 and going , it's harder to do that uh 15:37.340 --> 15:39.284 which doesn't make the mission any 15:39.284 --> 15:41.507 easier to accomplish . And then just to 15:41.507 --> 15:43.780 travel in and out and incurs uh time 15:43.780 --> 15:46.002 and additional potential risk here . So 15:46.002 --> 15:48.058 we we just think it's it's the right 15:48.058 --> 15:51.060 thing to do . And then on Sweden , 15:51.070 --> 15:53.630 Sweden's Defense Minister is uh is 15:53.630 --> 15:55.741 visiting Washington later this week . 15:55.741 --> 15:57.797 Is he gonna be here ? And um can you 15:57.797 --> 15:59.630 offer any kind of preview of his 15:59.910 --> 16:02.132 secretary is looking forward to meeting 16:02.132 --> 16:04.188 with the Swedish Defense Minister on 16:04.188 --> 16:06.354 Wednesday and will certainly have more 16:06.354 --> 16:08.354 to say about that at the after that 16:08.354 --> 16:10.466 meeting is over . I don't want to get 16:10.466 --> 16:12.577 ahead of the agenda . I have no doubt 16:12.577 --> 16:14.910 that the Defense Minister will want to 16:14.920 --> 16:17.390 to uh to discuss with the secretary , 16:17.400 --> 16:20.990 their plans with respect to to NATO , 16:21.000 --> 16:24.160 but but I also think that there will be 16:24.170 --> 16:26.337 a robust discussion about what's going 16:26.337 --> 16:27.948 on in Ukraine because it has 16:27.948 --> 16:29.892 fundamentally changed the security 16:29.892 --> 16:31.892 environment in europe . Um and it's 16:31.892 --> 16:33.870 clear that the Swedish people also 16:33.870 --> 16:35.981 recognized that it has changed . So I 16:35.981 --> 16:38.203 have no doubt that that will be a major 16:38.203 --> 16:40.426 topic of discussion . But again , we'll 16:40.426 --> 16:42.648 we'll do like we normally do , you guys 16:42.648 --> 16:44.592 will be able to to to to catch the 16:44.592 --> 16:46.814 beginning of the meeting and then we'll 16:46.814 --> 16:48.926 we'll we'll have we'll have a readout 16:48.926 --> 16:50.814 afterwards . I'll probably end up 16:50.814 --> 16:52.870 coming up here to to talk about it . 16:52.870 --> 16:55.092 Thanks john , two questions . The first 16:55.092 --> 16:57.092 on Somalia , it appeared from other 16:57.092 --> 16:58.592 reporting that part of the 16:58.592 --> 17:00.537 secretariat's justification to the 17:00.537 --> 17:02.703 president was that this will allow the 17:02.703 --> 17:04.940 targeting of specific leaders within Al 17:04.940 --> 17:06.996 Shabaab . Can you confirm that ? I'm 17:06.996 --> 17:09.260 just going to say that it will allow us 17:09.260 --> 17:11.880 to do a better , more persistent job of 17:11.880 --> 17:15.140 advising and assisting the Somali 17:15.140 --> 17:17.196 forces , our partner forces there as 17:17.196 --> 17:20.840 they go after Al Shabaab . And the 17:20.840 --> 17:22.840 second question , totally unrelated 17:22.840 --> 17:25.062 topic with this baby formula shortage , 17:25.062 --> 17:27.007 Has there been any talk at all the 17:27.007 --> 17:29.229 secretaries level about whether this is 17:29.229 --> 17:31.229 a problem for military families and 17:31.229 --> 17:33.396 whether there's any kind of assistance 17:33.396 --> 17:35.729 or relief that could be provided . Yeah , 17:35.729 --> 17:37.784 that's a great question , actually , 17:37.784 --> 17:40.480 Travis , um and we're we're not immune 17:40.480 --> 17:43.050 to the same supply chain problems that 17:43.540 --> 17:46.480 that other families across America are , 17:46.490 --> 17:50.130 are experiencing . Um and uh as you 17:50.130 --> 17:54.080 know , we we have the commissary system 17:54.080 --> 17:57.450 on , on bases that that provides 17:57.450 --> 18:01.130 groceries in and foodstuffs for for 18:01.130 --> 18:04.090 military families as as a benefit of 18:04.100 --> 18:06.100 being in the military . But again , 18:06.100 --> 18:08.211 we're not immune to this problem . Uh 18:08.211 --> 18:10.322 so we're working our way through that 18:10.322 --> 18:13.050 very , very , very hard . Um 18:13.820 --> 18:16.500 so the defense commissary agency , 18:16.500 --> 18:18.722 otherwise known as deca because we have 18:18.722 --> 18:20.722 to have an acronym for everything . 18:20.722 --> 18:22.833 Deck is monitoring the current market 18:22.833 --> 18:25.000 situation impacting the supply of baby 18:25.000 --> 18:27.810 formula . Um Our assessment right now 18:27.810 --> 18:29.530 is that both overseas and 18:31.440 --> 18:35.200 remote commissaries are currently at an 18:35.200 --> 18:37.200 adequate level of supplies for baby 18:37.200 --> 18:39.840 formula . The defense commissary agency 18:39.840 --> 18:41.896 is working to ensure that all orders 18:41.896 --> 18:44.062 for overseas and remote stores receive 18:44.062 --> 18:46.062 baby formula shipments . Um They're 18:46.062 --> 18:48.007 working daily with distributors to 18:48.007 --> 18:49.896 address any product disruptions , 18:49.896 --> 18:52.007 current stock levels of a v available 18:52.007 --> 18:54.240 baby formula here in the continental 18:54.240 --> 18:56.650 United States is at 50% at our 18:56.650 --> 18:59.080 commissaries throughout the States Um 18:59.080 --> 19:02.540 and oversees , it stands at 70% . Uh 19:02.550 --> 19:04.940 And as I said that the deca is doing 19:04.940 --> 19:06.829 everything that he can to get the 19:06.829 --> 19:08.996 products they need under store shelves 19:08.996 --> 19:10.940 and that includes , again overseas 19:10.940 --> 19:14.160 commissary . So we're not immune . Uh 19:14.170 --> 19:16.400 the defense commissary agency is 19:16.410 --> 19:18.632 already ahead of that problem and doing 19:18.632 --> 19:20.743 everything they can to keep things on 19:20.743 --> 19:22.854 the shelf as best they can . So those 19:22.854 --> 19:24.910 percentages would be a percentage of 19:24.910 --> 19:27.243 the amount that you would normally have . 19:27.243 --> 19:29.243 Yeah . So it's 70% of what we would 19:29.243 --> 19:31.354 normally keep overseas , we've got on 19:31.354 --> 19:33.466 the shelves And then 50% here here at 19:33.466 --> 19:37.150 home . Yeah . But do you 19:37.150 --> 19:40.610 have , Is that 50% of 19:40.620 --> 19:43.820 problem for military families ? Do you 19:43.830 --> 19:46.390 pardon me ? Do you have any indications 19:46.390 --> 19:48.870 or reports yet at any basis in the 19:48.870 --> 19:52.560 United States That families cannot get 19:52.570 --> 19:55.370 the supply they need because only 50% 19:55.370 --> 19:57.760 is available . And are you able to 19:57.760 --> 20:00.380 replenish and maintain that 50% at 20:00.380 --> 20:02.491 least we're working on this very very 20:02.491 --> 20:05.240 hard . Barbara I know of no indications . 20:05.240 --> 20:07.296 That's not to say that I can't speak 20:07.296 --> 20:09.518 for every military family at every base 20:09.518 --> 20:12.440 and what Every commissary has on any 20:12.440 --> 20:14.730 given hour on their shelves . But we 20:14.730 --> 20:16.841 did check with the defense commissary 20:16.841 --> 20:18.730 agency . And right now today they 20:18.730 --> 20:20.619 assess that throughout the United 20:20.619 --> 20:22.770 States , there's a 50% what they 20:22.770 --> 20:24.881 normally would have . They've got 50% 20:24.881 --> 20:26.881 of what they normally would have on 20:26.881 --> 20:29.220 store shelves um uh and 70% overseas . 20:29.220 --> 20:31.290 But I couldn't speak to every 20:31.290 --> 20:33.012 individual commissary or every 20:33.012 --> 20:35.068 individual military family . What we 20:35.068 --> 20:37.920 can say is that we aren't immune to the 20:37.920 --> 20:39.920 same supply chain problems that the 20:39.920 --> 20:42.087 rest of the country is facing . Number 20:42.087 --> 20:44.309 one . Number two , we obviously take it 20:44.309 --> 20:46.476 very very seriously our responsibility 20:46.476 --> 20:48.587 to make sure that the kinds of things 20:48.587 --> 20:50.476 our families need to take care of 20:50.476 --> 20:52.500 themselves to feed uh their their 20:52.500 --> 20:54.940 Children . We take that very seriously 20:54.940 --> 20:57.107 too . And we're working very very hard 20:57.107 --> 20:59.051 at that and the defense commissary 20:59.051 --> 21:01.273 agency . Um as you would expect them to 21:01.273 --> 21:03.218 do or monitoring this situation as 21:03.218 --> 21:05.384 closely as they can . And particularly 21:05.384 --> 21:08.010 for overseas they're working closely 21:08.010 --> 21:10.121 with distributors to make sure we can 21:10.121 --> 21:12.010 keep those stocks up because that 21:12.010 --> 21:14.232 overseas it's it's always not as always 21:14.232 --> 21:16.454 as is easy for our military families to 21:16.454 --> 21:18.677 to get food stuffs in some overseas and 21:18.677 --> 21:20.621 particularly remote commissaries . 21:20.621 --> 21:22.677 Thank you . Yeah . In the back there 21:22.840 --> 21:25.520 yesterday a video was released from 21:25.520 --> 21:27.464 Mario pool what seemed like Bernie 21:27.464 --> 21:29.760 munitions falling over the steel plant 21:30.130 --> 21:32.352 And a british military expert says that 21:32.352 --> 21:34.574 it could be white phosphorus . Is there 21:34.574 --> 21:36.797 any word from the pentagon about that ? 21:36.797 --> 21:39.130 Any confirmation ? I can't confirm that . 21:39.130 --> 21:41.130 Yeah . Let me go back to the phones 21:41.130 --> 21:44.300 here . Matt . Sailor from abc john 21:44.300 --> 21:46.990 thank you . Um on unidentified aerial 21:46.990 --> 21:49.300 phenomena with Ronald Moultrie and 21:49.300 --> 21:51.244 scott bray on the hill tomorrow to 21:51.244 --> 21:53.467 discuss recent D . O . D . Findings . I 21:53.467 --> 21:55.633 just want to see if you could give any 21:55.633 --> 21:57.800 preview of what we might expect out of 21:57.800 --> 21:59.911 that . And also if you could say when 21:59.911 --> 21:59.590 is the last time that Secretary Austin 21:59.590 --> 22:02.210 was briefed on the ongoing U . Ap 22:02.210 --> 22:04.550 research by D . O . D . I'll have to 22:04.550 --> 22:06.772 take the question on the last time . He 22:06.772 --> 22:08.994 might have gotten a brief . I don't I'm 22:08.994 --> 22:11.106 not tracking that matt . Um Look as I 22:11.106 --> 22:13.106 said last week , we look forward to 22:13.106 --> 22:15.380 getting a chance to testify to Congress 22:15.390 --> 22:18.350 um about the work that we're doing to 22:18.350 --> 22:20.850 get a better handle on the process 22:20.850 --> 22:23.920 itself ? Um I'm not gonna get ahead of 22:23.920 --> 22:25.976 a hearing that hasn't happened yet , 22:25.976 --> 22:27.864 but I know Mr Moultrie is looking 22:27.864 --> 22:30.190 forward to uh to walking members of 22:30.190 --> 22:32.190 Congress through how we're going to 22:32.190 --> 22:34.320 organize around this effort . And 22:34.320 --> 22:36.542 that's really what this is about . It's 22:36.542 --> 22:38.653 about organizing around the effort so 22:38.653 --> 22:40.487 that there's a common collection 22:40.487 --> 22:42.376 process for how these reports get 22:42.376 --> 22:44.542 brought into the system , how they get 22:44.542 --> 22:46.709 analyzed how they get investigated and 22:46.709 --> 22:48.876 then how they get adjudicated . That's 22:48.876 --> 22:48.780 what we really got to get our arms 22:48.780 --> 22:51.660 around . Uh And I think this is uh yeah , 22:51.840 --> 22:53.784 Undersecretary Moultrie is looking 22:53.784 --> 22:57.250 forward to that . Jeff Seldin john 22:57.250 --> 22:59.472 thanks very much for doing this . A few 22:59.472 --> 23:01.570 On on Somalia . General Townsend has 23:01.570 --> 23:03.626 been talking about the downside with 23:03.626 --> 23:05.626 what he called commuting to work in 23:05.626 --> 23:08.000 Somalia Since at least April 2021 . He 23:08.000 --> 23:10.830 noted in June 2021 . At that point , Al 23:10.830 --> 23:12.830 Shabaab was threatening Somalia the 23:12.830 --> 23:15.090 region and potentially the US homeland 23:15.090 --> 23:17.860 itself . So what finally convinced 23:17.860 --> 23:20.380 everyone about a year later that the 23:20.380 --> 23:22.547 tipping point has had been reached and 23:22.547 --> 23:24.602 now was the time to finally send the 23:24.602 --> 23:27.330 troops back to Somalia ? Um Second 23:27.330 --> 23:30.970 question answer Maya , um what impact 23:30.980 --> 23:33.147 will the presence of US forces have on 23:33.147 --> 23:35.313 other regional forces that are there ? 23:35.313 --> 23:37.313 Like the forces from the au some of 23:37.313 --> 23:39.369 which have been leaving . Were there 23:39.369 --> 23:41.424 any conversations with them prior to 23:41.424 --> 23:43.591 this decision being made ? Thank you . 23:43.740 --> 23:46.260 I'll let africom speak to whatever 23:46.270 --> 23:48.437 conversations they might have had with 23:48.437 --> 23:50.659 the partners in the region . But look , 23:50.659 --> 23:52.770 as I mentioned to Sylvia , this isn't 23:52.770 --> 23:52.180 this isn't about a tipping point . I 23:52.180 --> 23:54.347 mean , this was something that we took 23:54.347 --> 23:56.347 very seriously through a deliberate 23:56.347 --> 23:58.458 policy making process . Um This was a 23:58.458 --> 24:00.790 decision . The decision to remove the 24:00.790 --> 24:02.790 persistent presence was done by the 24:02.790 --> 24:04.550 previous administration . This 24:04.550 --> 24:06.494 administration came in . Wanted to 24:06.494 --> 24:08.439 revisit that we did through a very 24:08.439 --> 24:10.661 deliberate policy making process . It's 24:10.661 --> 24:12.717 not as if advise and assist missions 24:12.717 --> 24:15.750 weren't happening . They were we were 24:15.760 --> 24:18.480 absolutely continuing to to work with 24:18.480 --> 24:21.320 our partner forces on the ground uh to 24:21.320 --> 24:23.590 go after al Shabaab . But you're 24:23.590 --> 24:25.590 absolutely right . General Townsend 24:25.590 --> 24:27.646 made clear that his view was that it 24:27.646 --> 24:29.423 was better to have a persistent 24:29.423 --> 24:31.479 presence . His recommendations . And 24:31.479 --> 24:33.646 those of other senior military leaders 24:33.646 --> 24:35.812 were factored into this process and we 24:35.812 --> 24:37.979 are where we are . I wouldn't point to 24:37.979 --> 24:40.034 a specific date on the calendar or a 24:40.034 --> 24:41.979 specific event and saying , well , 24:41.979 --> 24:44.201 that's it . That that is what convinced 24:44.201 --> 24:46.090 us what convinced us was having a 24:46.090 --> 24:48.201 reasonable mature , deliberate policy 24:48.201 --> 24:50.368 making decision process to get to this 24:50.368 --> 24:52.423 decision . And again , the Secretary 24:52.423 --> 24:54.201 made the recommendation and the 24:54.201 --> 24:56.090 president authorized it and we're 24:56.090 --> 24:58.312 looking forward to uh to moving forward 24:58.312 --> 25:00.312 now . And there's some there's some 25:00.312 --> 25:02.479 additional uh spade work that needs to 25:02.479 --> 25:04.740 be done to change from the where we are 25:04.740 --> 25:08.420 now episodic uh events and 25:08.420 --> 25:10.480 episodic presence to a persistent 25:10.480 --> 25:13.440 presence ? Uh , Laura , Seligman 25:13.440 --> 25:14.170 politico . 25:23.940 --> 25:27.460 Okay . Nothing heard Jared from our 25:27.460 --> 25:30.670 monitor . Mhm , 25:31.640 --> 25:33.751 mm hmm . John . I think I think laura 25:33.751 --> 25:35.696 is audible to us . She wants to go 25:35.696 --> 25:38.960 ahead . Hey , can you hear me ? Gotcha . 25:39.640 --> 25:42.220 Hey , sorry about that . I'm just two 25:42.220 --> 25:44.760 quick questions . One on Somalia . Um , 25:44.770 --> 25:46.937 is there an end date that you can tell 25:46.937 --> 25:49.870 us for this deployment or is this is it 25:49.870 --> 25:51.537 open ended ? Not . It's not a 25:51.537 --> 25:53.759 deployment laura that this is , this is 25:53.759 --> 25:55.814 a change in the posture . It's about 25:55.814 --> 25:59.040 putting troops back into Somalia on a 25:59.040 --> 26:01.930 persistent basis . And so it's it's not 26:01.930 --> 26:04.460 a deployment with an end date . Now now 26:04.940 --> 26:08.720 forces will come and go um as they do 26:08.720 --> 26:11.020 with the other , the other co coms . Uh 26:11.030 --> 26:13.197 they'll they'll come and go to support 26:13.197 --> 26:15.308 the requirement , but the requirement 26:15.308 --> 26:17.474 now is for a persistent presence . But 26:17.474 --> 26:19.697 that doesn't mean that whatever unit is 26:19.697 --> 26:21.752 going to be the first one to to have 26:21.752 --> 26:23.808 that persistent will always be there 26:23.808 --> 26:25.974 for time immemorial . I mean , they'll 26:25.974 --> 26:27.752 they'll come and go as as as we 26:27.752 --> 26:30.070 routinely um , rotate forces in and out 26:30.070 --> 26:32.690 of different combatant commands , I 26:32.690 --> 26:34.857 guess . What I mean ? Is that is there 26:34.857 --> 26:36.801 an end date for troops to leave us 26:36.801 --> 26:39.400 troops to leave Somalia or or like I 26:39.400 --> 26:42.170 said , is this an open ended presence 26:42.170 --> 26:43.837 that we're going to be having 26:43.837 --> 26:45.670 recommendation that we move to a 26:45.670 --> 26:47.726 persistent presence in Somalia and I 26:47.726 --> 26:49.281 think that's where we are . 26:53.540 --> 26:56.170 Okay . Did you have another one , Laura ? 26:56.740 --> 26:58.907 Yes . Yes . Sorry . Um can you confirm 26:58.907 --> 27:01.018 reports that Ukrainian troops in that 27:01.018 --> 27:04.620 um the sorry as off style Plant 27:04.630 --> 27:06.970 have surrendered ? I'm not seeing 27:06.970 --> 27:09.081 reports on that . No , I'm afraid . I 27:09.081 --> 27:11.340 can't confirm that . Go ahead . 27:14.640 --> 27:16.862 Hi john just wanted to tell us a little 27:16.862 --> 27:18.973 more about this trip . Vice President 27:18.973 --> 27:21.084 Harry Secretary Blinken and Secretary 27:21.084 --> 27:22.918 Austin to the U . A . E . It was 27:22.918 --> 27:25.084 diplomatic formality Or were there any 27:25.084 --> 27:27.362 new initiatives discussed in the U . A . 27:27.362 --> 27:29.696 U . A . U . S . Partnership during this ? 27:29.696 --> 27:31.880 Uh is it the trip was to pay our 27:31.880 --> 27:35.250 respects to the president who who just 27:35.250 --> 27:38.420 passed away ? That was the goal . I uh 27:38.430 --> 27:41.060 there were obviously uh 27:41.840 --> 27:44.062 discussions that the Vice president had 27:44.062 --> 27:45.951 but I would refer you to the Vice 27:45.951 --> 27:48.062 President's office to speak to . That 27:48.062 --> 27:50.118 Secretary was proud to go as part of 27:50.118 --> 27:52.284 the delegation but it really is a this 27:52.284 --> 27:54.340 is a white house thing to speak to . 27:54.340 --> 27:56.340 Not not the Department of Defense . 27:56.340 --> 27:59.560 Yeah . About Somalia . And another one 27:59.940 --> 28:03.000 on Somalia we have seen that al shabaab 28:03.000 --> 28:05.130 threat was fluctuating over the years 28:05.130 --> 28:07.352 and the United States was responding by 28:07.352 --> 28:09.352 over the horizon capabilities . Now 28:09.352 --> 28:11.630 they have you have changed the posture . 28:11.630 --> 28:13.630 Does does that suggest the over the 28:13.630 --> 28:16.230 horizon capability actually didn't work 28:16.230 --> 28:18.230 in Somalia . I think that's a false 28:18.230 --> 28:20.286 comparison completely . When we talk 28:20.286 --> 28:22.619 about over the horizon counterterrorism , 28:22.619 --> 28:25.700 we're talking about uh counterterrorism 28:25.700 --> 28:28.880 operations in places where we have no 28:28.890 --> 28:31.280 we have no partner forces . We have no 28:31.280 --> 28:33.380 footprint . Somalia wouldn't be that 28:33.380 --> 28:35.630 case . We and it hasn't been that case 28:35.630 --> 28:37.797 because we've been going in and out of 28:37.797 --> 28:39.963 Somalia now , we're just gonna be able 28:39.963 --> 28:42.074 to stay there and they're our partner 28:42.074 --> 28:44.297 forces and they're the ones engaging al 28:44.297 --> 28:43.830 Shabaab . It's a completely different 28:43.830 --> 28:45.997 scenario together . And I have another 28:45.997 --> 28:48.350 one . Sorry , I have two questions . 28:49.040 --> 28:52.130 You are the one Sweden . Turkey has put 28:52.130 --> 28:53.870 some reservations on Sweden's 28:54.340 --> 28:57.400 application to NATO , citing the 28:57.410 --> 29:00.260 PKK's presence in that country . And 29:00.270 --> 29:01.937 PKK is a designated terrorist 29:01.937 --> 29:04.048 organization by the United States and 29:04.048 --> 29:06.048 almost all NATO members . Would you 29:06.048 --> 29:10.030 recommend Sweden to take action 29:10.030 --> 29:12.740 against PKK in order to bridge those 29:12.740 --> 29:14.796 disagreements ? That that is not for 29:14.796 --> 29:16.907 the Department of Defense to speak to 29:16.907 --> 29:18.851 Kassem . Um We're still working to 29:18.851 --> 29:20.851 clarify Turkey's position on this . 29:20.851 --> 29:23.830 They're valued NATO ally . Uh neither 29:23.840 --> 29:25.920 Sweden Norway Finland have made a 29:25.920 --> 29:27.753 formal application to NATO yet . 29:27.753 --> 29:30.000 There's a process here . Um and I think 29:30.000 --> 29:32.111 we're gonna work our way through that 29:32.111 --> 29:33.944 process , but it's not for us to 29:33.944 --> 29:35.889 dictate from the pentagon what the 29:35.889 --> 29:38.056 foreign policy of another nation ought 29:38.056 --> 29:40.167 to be . Yeah , really ? Thank you . I 29:40.167 --> 29:42.278 want to ask you about China's nuclear 29:42.278 --> 29:44.520 development . The Admiral Richard says 29:44.530 --> 29:46.863 in the congressional hearing this month , 29:46.863 --> 29:48.990 China will rightly use nuclear 29:48.990 --> 29:51.460 corrosion to their advantage in the 29:51.470 --> 29:53.860 future as long as he did in Ukraine . 29:53.870 --> 29:56.130 Is that an assessment that secretary 29:56.140 --> 29:58.690 agrees with ? I think the secretary has 29:58.690 --> 30:00.690 been crystal clear that we consider 30:00.690 --> 30:02.801 china the number one pacing challenge 30:02.801 --> 30:04.634 for the department and that they 30:04.634 --> 30:06.660 routinely try to use coercion and 30:06.660 --> 30:08.820 intimidation uh to bully their 30:08.820 --> 30:11.850 neighbors um into actions or non 30:11.860 --> 30:15.230 actions that suit china's uh what what 30:15.230 --> 30:18.440 China believes it's uh its interests 30:18.450 --> 30:20.970 are even though they may be inimical 30:20.980 --> 30:23.850 not only to those other nations in the 30:23.850 --> 30:25.961 region , but also to nations like the 30:25.961 --> 30:27.961 United States . So we're gonna stay 30:27.961 --> 30:30.128 laser focused on that , on that pacing 30:30.128 --> 30:32.294 challenge that that is china . I'm not 30:32.294 --> 30:35.570 going to speculate about uh the use or 30:35.570 --> 30:37.860 non use of nuclear weapons with respect 30:37.860 --> 30:41.280 to to to china's activities in the 30:41.280 --> 30:43.370 region . They've already proven that 30:43.380 --> 30:45.436 they're they're willing to bully and 30:45.436 --> 30:47.436 intimidate their neighbors . And we 30:47.436 --> 30:49.713 want to see that action stop obviously . 30:49.713 --> 30:51.824 But in the meantime , we also want to 30:51.824 --> 30:54.047 make sure we're building we're building 30:54.047 --> 30:56.269 up the right capabilities in the region 30:56.269 --> 30:56.200 and the operational concepts to support 30:56.200 --> 30:58.089 those capabilities so that we can 30:58.089 --> 31:00.256 defend our national security interests 31:00.256 --> 31:02.256 in the region . And I might add the 31:02.256 --> 31:04.422 national security interests of so many 31:04.422 --> 31:06.533 allies and partners . We have five of 31:06.533 --> 31:08.644 our seven treaty alliances are in the 31:08.644 --> 31:10.756 pacific and those those uh incur upon 31:10.756 --> 31:13.240 us very specific , very real security 31:13.240 --> 31:15.351 commitments that we have to make sure 31:15.351 --> 31:17.210 we can meet before the biden 31:17.210 --> 31:19.800 administration has expressed interest 31:19.810 --> 31:22.650 in having a dialogue with china about 31:22.650 --> 31:25.520 the nuclear issues . Is that a part of 31:25.520 --> 31:28.070 their topics that the Secretary 31:28.080 --> 31:30.024 discussed with the chinese defense 31:30.024 --> 31:32.136 minister by form this month ? I won't 31:32.136 --> 31:34.302 get into the more details of the phone 31:34.302 --> 31:36.413 call with minister way than what that 31:36.413 --> 31:38.580 what we've already read out . I mean , 31:38.580 --> 31:42.040 again , the secretary uh was 31:42.050 --> 31:45.730 uh I was glad that he was able to have 31:45.740 --> 31:48.700 this initial conversation uh to to 31:48.700 --> 31:51.200 begin to have communications at that 31:51.200 --> 31:53.390 level with with chinese officials , 31:53.390 --> 31:55.223 that he was very clear about our 31:55.223 --> 31:57.610 concerns about china's behavior in the 31:57.610 --> 31:59.666 indo pacific . But I think I'll just 31:59.666 --> 32:01.499 leave it at that . Okay . Thanks 32:01.499 --> 32:04.160 everybody . See you tomorrow .