May 5, 2026 • 44 mins
Sean Hannity opens the show with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s briefing on Iran, Project Freedom, and the U.S. effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping. The hour focuses on Iran’s blockade, the danger to stranded commercial crews, the defensive role of the U.S. Navy, and why the Trump administration views Iran’s actions as piracy and economic warfare. Hannity also connects the Iran conflict to the broader nuclear threat, arguing that a nuclear-armed Iran would be able to hold the world hostage. The episode also touches on political violence, J.B. Pritzker’s rhetoric, FBI burn bags, and Kash Patel’s revelations about hidden evidence inside the Bureau.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks to all of you for being with us. Right
down our toll free telephone number if you want to
be a part of the program as eight hundred and
ninety four to one, Sean if you want to join us.
Any moment, we expect the Secretary of State Mark or
Rubio is going to be I guess giving a briefing.
It looks like it's going to be right where Caroline
Levitt usually gives her briefing. Congratulations to her, by the way,
(00:22):
she recently had her second baby, by the way, one
of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Later
in this program today, JB. Pritzker, Now there's been three
assassination attempts against Donald Trump, three and JB. Pritzker is
claiming Trump set the tone for political violence. What he's
(00:44):
responsible for three assassination attempts and Nazi fascist, racist Gestapo
and all the rhetoric of the radical left, the legacy
media mob has not contributed to this dehumanizing, violent atmosphere.
We now find find ourselves living in assassination culture. We
now find ourselves living in. Is he going to blame
(01:06):
you know, Charlie Kirk next for being assassinated because Charlie
Kirk has a different point of view and would have,
you know, civil conversations with kids on college campuses. It's unbelievable. Now,
we also have a tape of JB. Pritzker, moron that
he is who wants to be president like Aaven Newsom
(01:27):
in one tape. You know, we just put a montage
together of him calling Trump a Nazi, comparing him to
a Nazi six times. And meanwhile, you know, he's setting
the tone and it's a terrible thing, and it's it's
terrible and it shouldn't be this way. Well, maybe he
should stop saying is a Nazi.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I think the environment. Look, our leaders set the tone
in this country. And I think that the President of
the United States has set a tone where political violence
is okay. He's advocated it himself before. It's a terrible thing.
I mean, he's experience, That's what I'm saying. He's experienced.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
He's set the tone. That's a terrible thing. Let's listen
to the governor's set the tone. Count. You know, every
time he says makes a comparison to a Nazi.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Just you know, Count, I studied the Holocaust. I'd helped
to build a Holocaust Museum. This is what happened in
the early days of the Nazi regime in Germany. Everything
that he has done has been tearing down constitutional democracy.
And that's what happened in Nazi Germany. It doesn't take
very long to tear apart a constitutional republic. Indeed, the
(02:36):
Nazis did it in fifty three days, and our democracy
is almost as fragile, and we're seeing it right now.
The dangers that we saw in in you know, Nazi Germany,
especially in the earliest days of Nazi Germany, are the
dangers that we need to react to now. People have
(02:58):
criticized me for talking about the Nazi regime. It's the
one I know most about because.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I helped to Later it's Nazi, Nazi, Nazi, Nazi Nazi.
The tone is a terrible thing. Uh, you're setting the tone,
you idiot, And and as is pretty much every every
elected democrat. Unbelievable. So on my podcast, and we'll play
this later in the program, you know, back to back.
(03:28):
I've had now Daan Bongino and I've had Cash Battel.
We just dropped Cash Battel this morning. Later I will
play for you, and Dan Bongino said something that was amazing.
I think this is the most amazing untold story, uh,
that there are good people in the FBI that purposefully
(03:49):
hid the evidence in those quote burn bags that they found,
you know, the burn bags. Cash Battel told me on
the podcast. The burn bags were in a safer room
that nobody even knew existed, which means that somebody left
it there on purpose, is what Bongino had told me,
And that they put it there on purpose so that
(04:11):
eventually we would find it, because that's all the evidence
against all the corruption in the MPI. Why do you
hear this tape? If you haven't watched the video podcast,
you need to check it out. You can get it
on YouTube and wherever you get your video podcast. But
the two of them together, but I mean, I mean,
Cash just spells it out. They weren't supposed to find
(04:33):
it in the sense that it was put in a
place purposely hidden because all the people before him didn't
want it to be seen. They put it in a
burn bag, which is classified information that is designed to
be burned so nobody ever gets a hold of it.
But they purposely saved it. And I know you're very
interested in this story. It looks like Eric mister fangfang
(04:58):
swall well apparently was a bigger degenerate than we knew,
apparently sending nude photos and videos of him pleasuring himself
through Snapchat and regularly slid into the dms of random women,
you know, all while he was married, and the lurid
(05:19):
details and apparently I wonder it just disgusting. Anyway, Marco
Rubio is taking to the podium. Let's listen in it
dropped off people in this country.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Hello, thank you guys for having me today. I'll be
filling in for Caroline today obviously, so I'll have a
brief remarks here and then we'll get to your questions.
As you know, over the weekend, the President announced this
Project Freedom, and the goal of it is to frankly,
if you want to talk about it, it's to rescue
like almost twenty three thousand civilians from eighty seven different
(05:51):
countries that are trapped inside of the of the golf
and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by this
Iranian regime. You know, for more than two months now,
these innocent sailors and commercial crew members have been stranded
out at sea because Iran is conducting something that's not
just criminal. It's criminal, for sure, but it's desperate and destructive.
This blockade of the straits of hormones. Nations from around
(06:13):
the world, the overwhelming majority of whom are not even
engaged in any military hostilities, are now at risk not
just of losing their cargo, but the lives of their
own citizens because of this blockade. These ships. You know,
you don't leave a ship out there for this long.
You start running out of food, you start running out
of potable water, essential supplies, And they're at the mercy
of this piracy and what it is, it's piracy. And
(06:37):
not only that, but some of them have seen, you know,
been open fire on and rained down senseless attacks on
several civilian ships already, so frankly, the way to put it,
these are innocent bystanders. These are countries that and ships
and so forth that have nothing to do with any
of this, and nonetheless are being caught in the middle
of it and being held hostage merely because Iran could
do that, just because of just as the regime rutally
(07:00):
slaughtered tens of thousands of their own citizens for the
crime of peaceful protests because they're unhappy with the quality
of life or the lack of quality of life in
Iran today. And so they're sitting ducks, they're isolated, they're starving,
they're vulnerable, and at least ten sailors have already died
as a result of the civilian sailors. So already many
nations privately and some publicly have asked the United States
(07:22):
to help free their ships and to restore freedom of
navigation in the Straits of Hormus and this critical artery
of global trade. And so President Trump, as he always does,
stepped up and answer the calls for their help, and
he's directed the United States military to guide these stranded
ships to safety, to provide a protective bubble into which
they can operate and move product and get themselves out
(07:42):
of there and out of the harm's way. And this
is the first step towards reopening the strait and bringing
this regime's last ditch act of economic arson, bringing that
to a close. Only we're doing it not only because
we were asked, but because we're the only ones who can.
Only we have the power to sort of take the
steps that we've taken now under this president, under President Trump,
the United States, we'll help our friends, We're going to
(08:05):
stand up to rogue regimes like the one in Tehran,
and we're going to be unashamed to use our power
and our abilities to project military power in the service
of our national interests above all else. Now, what's really
important for you to report it, for everyone to understand,
is this is not an offensive operation. This is a
defensive operation. And what that means is very simple. There's
(08:25):
no shooting unless we're shot at first. Okay, we're not
attacking them, we're not. But if they are attacking us,
so they're attacking a ship, you need to respond to that.
You're not going to let some fast boat come up
on a ship and shoot it up. We're going to
respond to it. And we've been successful at I don't
know what the exact number is, but I know a
number of those fast boats have now been targeted and
we'll continue to be If they oppose a threat to
our forces, we'll shoot down drones, we'll shoot down missiles.
(08:48):
But it's defensive in nature. This is defensive. So if
you hear stories about attacks and launching of firing back
and forth, it's not back and forth. We are only
responding if attacked first. This is a defensive operation, and
that's what's occurring here. Just about the importance of the
straits for a moment. This is approximately a quarter of
the world's oil trade, along with significant volumes of fuel
(09:08):
and fertilizer that operate through the Straits of Horrormus. The
Iranian regime cannot be allowed to dictate who uses this
vital waterway. I don't think this is also being reported enough.
Maybe you are reporting. I don't read everyone. I don't
know many damn outlets here. I don't know who you
all are, but I mean, I know who some of
you are, but I don't know all of you are.
But I will say this about it. This is an
(09:28):
international waterway. Okay, this is an international waterway, and international
law is very clear. And I love it because everybody
always talks about international law. In this international law on
this is very clear international waterways. No country can control them.
There is no international law that allows you to say,
I'm going to put minds in an international body of
water and I'm going to blow up ships that don't
listen to us and try to go through. That's what
(09:49):
Iran is doing. This is a criminal act, and someone
needs to do something about it something needs to be done.
It's completely illegal, completely illegitimate, and completely unacceptable. And that's
why the United the State's militaries guiding stranded commercial ships
safely through the strait and is working to restore freedom
of navigation and putting an end to these efforts to
glow to hold the global economy hostage. So far, as
(10:11):
a proof of concept and as a proof of function,
two US flag merchant ships have successfully transferred the Strait
of Hormues in the first stages of this project, and
they're now safely on their way. The US military is
deploying the necessary assets to extend this defensive umbrella over
commercial shipping. But there should be no mistake, and as
I said this already, this is a defensive operation. I
(10:32):
want to reiterate that point. This is important to understand.
If no shots are fired at the ships and no
shots are fired at us, we're not firing shots. But
if we're fired on, we will respond, and we will
respond with lethal efficiency. The assets supporting this project, by
the way, include guided missile destroyers, over one hundred land
and sea based aircraft, multi domain unmanned platforms, and fifteen
(10:53):
thousand of the finest military service members on the planet.
These forces have already destroyed. As I told you, ear
I thought it was six, it's seven Iranian fastboats that
fail to heed our warnings. And by fast boats we're
talking about, you know, some of these things look like
Boston whaler's okay, so these are not like navy ships,
but nonetheless they come fast that these boats try to
swarm them, try to harm them. We're not going to
(11:14):
let that happen. So seven of them now sit at
the bottom of the sea, along with, by the way,
the rest of Iran's navy. That's where you can find
their navy today, and we're going to continue to systematically
clear this passageway through the straits to restore freedom of navigation. Now,
while this project steadily progresses, Operation Epic Fury Economic Fury,
I'm sorry, continues to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian
(11:36):
regime and what remains of their already frail economy. Today,
inflation in Iran is seventy percent and their currency is
in total and complete freefall. The US sanctions enforcement is
stepping up. It's moving in lockstep with the naval blockade
to degrade Iran's cape capacity to generate, to move and
repatriate revenue. It directly targets the regime's primary revenue lifeline.
(12:00):
The blockade alone is costing Iran as much as five
hundred million dollars a day in lost revenue. Ninety percent
of total Iranian trade has been halted, causing permanent damage
to Iran's oil infrastructure as well as are forced to
shut in again. All of this is in response to
their piracy. It cannot be that you have these straits
(12:20):
and they blow up any ship that moves and the
only ships they get to go through where there is
You can't have a situation in which the straits are
close to everyone else but they benefit from the piracy.
That can't happen. That's why the blockade is in place,
and that's why these sanctions are crippling them. Any foreign
financial by the way, Treasury is now identifying and cutting
off every dollar of revenue that's flowing to this regime.
And so look, any foreign financial institution or commercial actor
(12:44):
that enables Iran sanctions evasion is going to face secondary
sanctions exposure and a loss of access to the US
financial system. As President Trump is said, and the facts
clearly bear out, the United States of America holds all
the cards. There is no scenario here in which if
they decide to join the ladder of escalation, they wind
up getting the last say. But our preference is for
(13:06):
these straits to be opened to the way they're supposed
to be open, back to the way it was. Anyone
can use it, no minds in the water, nobody paying tolls.
That's what we have to get back to a next
to goal here. Every day the conflict continues, however, our
leverage on Iran will continue to increase and their position
will continue to weaken, especially as the blockade really begins
to bide in conjunction with the sanctions. So look, the
(13:27):
times come for Iran to make a sensible choice. And
it's not easy for them to do that, obviously, because
they have a fracture in their own leadership system. And
apart from that, I mean, the top people in that
government are to say the least, you know, they're insane
in the brain, and so we need to address that.
And it's difficult because it's hard to get past that
in their system. But it's important for them to make
(13:49):
a sensible choice and the one that's right for their people.
The president, our president has proven time and again that
his preference is peace, but Iran must accept the reality
of this situation and come to the negotiation table and
accept terms that are good for them but ultimately good
for the world. The diplomatic path, if there's a real
diplomatic path, I'm not knowing what's going to be one,
But if there's a real diplomatic path, and we continue
(14:09):
to explore it, Steve and Jarreed are working on that
very hard. If there is one there, it could be
one that leads them to reconstruction, to prosperity and to stability,
and to not marry.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
We continue the Secretary of State Mark or Rubio giving
a briefing on operation Well Economic Epic Fury, if you will,
and that is opening the Straight and escorting ships in
and out of the Straight or Hormones will go back
to the press conference for stations along the Sean Hannity
Show network. We're going to continue our coverage the world.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
The alternative is growing isolation, economic collapse, and ultimately total defeat.
I know what the right choice is for Iran. I
hope that the people over there making decisions will make
the right one. The last point I would make, and
it really is important for them to understand this is
they really shouldn't test the will of the United States,
at least not under President Donald Trump. He has proven
time and again that he will back up what he says,
(15:02):
and if they test them ultimately, they will lose. The
hard way, the easy way, the long way, the short way,
they will lose and without it's time for your questions.
So I wanted to start with you first.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
I have the parent Humming Independent Journalist Secretary A. Rubio.
Have you seen any recent indications that Aron is willing
to give up this nuclear weapons program that is credible,
verifiable and that would lead to an immediate de escalation.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Well, look, this is a long standing problem for them, right,
I mean they have wanted they have always said they
don't want a nuclear weapon. That's because they've always said that.
They just don't mean it. And why do you say, well,
how do you know they don't mean it, Well, we
don't mean it because they do all They're doing all
the things and historically have tried to do all the
things that you do if you want a nuclear weapons program.
For example, they innovate and try to innovate long range
(15:48):
livery missiles that now in some cases, are capable of
reaching much of Europe. They build these large underground centrifuges
for enrichment activity. There are many there are countries in
the world that are involved in the enrichment business, but
these guys do it in mountains and in caves and
in hiding. They've always had secret components of their nuclear
program undisclosed to the world, and we know for a
(16:09):
fact that they retain highly enriched uranium at sixty percent
that they that they did so, and that has no
civilian use, none, zero, whatsoever. So they have an opportunity
here to agree to something that will make it clear
that they're not interested in the One thing is to
say we don't want a nuclear weapon, and other thing
is to do the things that prove you don't want
a nuclear weapon. By the way, if what Iran wants
is a civilian nuclear program for power plants and stuff
(16:32):
like that, there are a lot of countries in the
world that have that, and they don't enrich they import
the enriched material. You know, they could have that if
that's what they wanted, But they're not acting like that's
what they wanted. They're acting like they want a military,
you know, nuclear program. That's unacceptable. So that's the process
we're engaged in now to create. That's the object of
this diplomacy is to come up with some level of
(16:54):
understanding about what are the topics that they've agreed to
negotiate on. We don't have to have the actual agreement
written out of one day. This is highly complex and
highly technical, but we have to have a diplomatic solution
that is very clear about the topics that they are
willing to negotiate on and the extent and the concessions
are willing to make at the front end in order
to make those talks worthwhile. That's what Stephen Jarrett and
the whole team is working on, and I hope to
(17:16):
have good news on it. That's the outcome we would prefer.
That's the outcome we would have preferred a year ago.
That's the outcome I think most of us would have
preferred a long time ago. But that's not the option
they've given us given their activity. All right, can I
there's no way I can figure out who to call on.
I'm just gonna like press right in the metal right there?
You right there? Yet? Yeah, in the back robe. Let's
takes president. I'll go to you next, go ahead.
Speaker 5 (17:38):
Thank you, secretary, going right, Welcome to the White House.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Sir, Yeah to you, Yes, sir, thank you. I have
two questions. Are two separate issues that they get two
questions for these two questions. There's a lot of people
in here. All right, well you answer it. You can
ask me two questions. I'll give you one answer and
I'll pick the one I like better. Thank you, miss
your secretary. The first has to do with the blockade.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
There are lawmakers from both parties who claim the blockade
is an active war.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
What do you say to that? And my second question
has to do with the fuel embargo of Cuba.
Speaker 6 (18:14):
How long, mister secretary, will that lasts?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Okay, two things? All right, good, I'll answer both your
questions because I like the second one through the first
one on the blockade, and so why do we have
a blockade. We have a blockade because they are shut
down the straits. So I don't know which members of
Congress you're talking to, but here's what I would ask them.
I would ask everybody here, very simple. These guys have
shut down the straits of Hormuds. This is what Iron
is saying. We will shut down the straits no one
can go through. No country in the world can go
(18:37):
through unless we allow you to go through, and you
have to pay us. But our ships can go through,
meeting the Iranian ships as much as they want. That's crazy.
Who would agree to that? So how are we going
to have a situation where they get to close the
straits to everybody and the only people who are allowed
to go through there are one hundred percent without paying anything,
are the Iranians. If you do that, they'll keep the
straits closed forever. They're trying to make this some new normal, Okay,
(18:58):
under no circumstance is can we ever allow them to
normalize the fact that they get to blow up commercial
ships and put mines in the water. So the response
to that is, we're going to blockade your ships. If
everyone's ships are not getting out, your ships are not
getting out either. That's not an active war. That's a
defensive measure. It's a counter to what they have decided
to do. You know what is an active war? Putting
mines in the water. Why don't the members of Congress,
(19:20):
whoever it is, is complaining about it. They should be
all over that these guys put mines in the water,
That alone. You. Mining in the water is illegal period,
under any circumstances, and they've done it. This is crazy stuff,
but this is what they've done on Cuba. Oil blockade
on Cuba. There's no oil blockade on Cuba, per se.
Here's what's happening with Cuba. Okay. Cuba used to get
free oil from Venezuela. Used to give them a bunch
(19:42):
of free oil. They would take like sixty percent of
that oil and resell it for cash. It wouldn't even
go to benefit the people. So the only blockade that's
happened is the Cubans have decided, I mean, the Venezuelans
have decided, we're not giving you free oil anymore. And
you can only imagine nowadays the way oil prices aren't.
No one's giving away free oil, much less to a
failed regime. So the problem with Cuba is worse. Okay.
(20:02):
Their economic model doesn't work, doesn't work, and the people
who are in charge can't fix it. And the reason
that I can't fix it is not just because they're communists.
That's bad enough, but they're incompetent communists. The only thing
worse than a communist is an incompetent one and that's
what so incompetent communist run that country. They don't know
how to fix it, they really don't. And we have
ninety miles from our shores a failed state that also
(20:23):
happens to be friendly territory for some of our adversaries.
So it's an unacceptable status quo and we'll be addressing it,
but not today.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
Okay, Secretary Riverace, you are going to the Vatican to
me with the Pope.
Speaker 8 (20:36):
Is this an attempt to smooth things over with the
Pope given the rhetoric between President Trump and Uglia?
Speaker 3 (20:43):
No, I mean it's a trip we had planned from before,
and obviously we had some stuff that happened, and no, look,
there's a lot to talk about with the Vatican. I'll
give you one example. The Pope just returned from a
trip to Africa, where the church is growing very vibrantly,
and we have shared concerns about religious freedom, religious right.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
We have Secretary of State Mark or Rubio holding a
press conference. He's kind of joked he was filling in
for Caroline Levitt for stations along the Sean Hannity Show
radio network. We are going to continue our coverage so
the break. I know some of you may have to
break away. We will continue on the other side as well,
and we have a lot more coming up in today's program.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I'd love to talk to them about that. The topic
of Cuba. You know, we gave Cuba six million dollars
of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won't let us distribute it.
We distributed it through the church. We'd like to do more.
We're willing to give more humanitarian aid to Cuba, by
the way, distributed through the church, but the Cuban regime
has to allow us to do it. They won't allow
us to give their own people more humanitarian aid, and
we're willing to do it through the church. So there's
(21:39):
a lot to talk about.
Speaker 9 (21:40):
And the President recently said that the Pope is endangering
a lot of Catholics as a result of his rhetoric
around the Iran war.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Is that ESSENTI I don't think that's an accurate description
of what he said. I think what the President basically
said is that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon because
they would use it against places that have a lot
of Catholics and Christians and others for that matter. It
goes back to the central point. I think there without
trying to speak for him, but I think I can
characterize it this way. He doesn't understand why anybody, leave
aside the Pope, the President and I for that matter,
(22:08):
I think most people I cannot understand why anyone would
think that it's a good idea for Roan to ever
have a nuclear weapon. Look what they're doing with the
Straits right now. They're holding the whole world hostage. They
have these sailors, you know, on commercial ships that are
going to starve to death out there. They don't care.
They don't care that this is melting down the economies
around the world, even of their own allies. This is
what they're doing with the Straits. What do you think
(22:29):
they would do if they had a nuclear weapon. They
would hold the world hostage with that nuclear weapon. That's
what they would do. They would do exactly to the
world with a nuclear weapon what they're doing now with
the Straits. And I think the President's point is how
anyone cannot see that as an unacceptable outcome and an
unacceptable risk is beyond him. It's puzzling, and someone has
to do something about it. The difference between this president
and like the six presidents that preceded them where that
(22:51):
he's the only one that's actually been willing to do
something about it. Everyone says Ron can't have a nuclear weapon,
but you've got to do something about it at some point,
and he's been willing to address that threat. And that's
what he promised he would do when he got elected.
By the way, is addressed threats like this. I wish apologize.
Can you put name tags on? Thank you so much?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
Mister story are you with I'm with Rudel Media Network?
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Okay, mister secretary.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
The President has said multiple times that Whippins square provided
to the Curtish.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Group is to pass on the Iranian people.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
However, Kritican polical parties on the regional government says that
I have not received such a weapons even since claim
these weapons remain in the US space in the region.
Can you clarify who those whippions were given to and
whether you intend to retrieve them or sion want to
pass to the Iranian people.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah. Look, ultimate what the President is expressing, and I
think has repeatedly, is he wished the Iranian people had
You know, look, he's heartbroken by these images. You think
about it, you're an Iranian, Okay, you're unhappy that your
economy doesn't work for you. You don't have freedom, you don't
have an opportunity to express yourself. You know, you've got
friends that have been shot in the head because they're
out protesting, and he it's heartbreaking to him to see
(24:01):
that these people are abused in this way and have
no measures to take against their own government as a
result of it. By the way, this goes back. If
you guys remember the protests in two thousand and nine
where they slaughtered people in the street. This is a
vicious regime, guys. Okay, these are people that hang people
from cranes in the town square so everyone can see.
They continue these executions of people and have done continue
to do so for over a decade and a half now.
(24:24):
And so I think what the President is expressing is
the desire that he wishes the Iranian people had an
ability to fight back against some of these things that
are happening to them. And I would view that as
distinct and separate from the specifics of this operation that
was ongoing before it concluded, and certainly different from the
operation that's going on now right the Secretary, I'm behind you,
(24:49):
not Columbia right there. Yes, ma'am, mister, thank you so much.
Speaker 7 (24:53):
In it ceased fire, are less fire? It And the
second question, you think it would be a to achieve
an agreement between Lebanon and Israel and without risking a
civil war?
Speaker 3 (25:05):
And Lebanon, what are you doing? What are you doing? No?
I got it, I got the desert question. So look,
here's the challenge with Lebanon. Okay, there's no problem between
the Lebanese government and the Israeli government. Israel doesn't claim
any land in Lebanon belongs to them, and by and large,
I think a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is
imminently achievable and should be the problem with Israel and
(25:25):
Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon. It's Hesbela. Hesbela operates
from inside of Lebanese territory. They terrorize and attack Israelis,
but they also are inflicting tremendous damage on the Lebanese people.
The reason why Lebanon gets attacked by Israel is because
of Hesbela, because Hesbela is hiding in some house launching
rockets against Israelis and then they get hit. So what
(25:45):
you're seeing now is Israeli responses to either attacks or
perceive threats. And this is going to be This is
not new, This has been going on for a very
long time. What is our hope. Our hope is to
engage the Lebanese and Israeli governments under our mediation at
the table to achieve this, and that is having Lebanese
armed forces in a Lebanese government not just with the willingness,
(26:06):
but with the capability to begin to challenge Hesbela and
disarm them because the Lebanese people are also victims of Hesbela.
And by the way, on the topic of Hesbela and Lebanon,
who is behind Hesbela? Why do they exist? They're an
agent of Iran. If you go through that Middle East
and you identify every problem hamas Hesbela to some extent
to who's these obviously and others behind every one of
(26:28):
these groups is Tehran. So apart from the nuclear weapons,
apart from all these other things, these guys are behind
all the bad actors. Hesbela is a wing. It's an
extension of Iranian desire to destabilize the region. So we're
very committed to this process. It's not going to be easy.
You're asking me a complex question. You know, this has
been going for a very long time. It's not going
to be easy. We're going to do everything we can
to make sure that both sides continue to talk so
(26:50):
that progress can be made on some sort of permanent
ceasefire that isn't constantly spoiled by Hesbela and by Hesbala violence.
Speaker 10 (26:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Thanks, I'm just going I'm winning it guys.
Speaker 10 (27:01):
Okay, yes, you mentioned the two US shifts that safely
the ass straight offour moves. Are other shifts being told
is safer to get back to regular levels or are
we still going to see limits in place well overseeable future.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
For obvious reasons, I'm not going to broadcast who we're
talking to or who we're telling them to move. I mean,
we want these operations to be safe, and I think
as it unfolds and ships get through, we'll make those
announcements after the fact, just for operational security purposes. But
the goal here is pretty simple. Establish a zone of
transit that is protected by a bubble the United States
both naval and air assets, and then allow ships who
(27:33):
want to move to move through there and get to
market to begin to increase confidence in the ability to
do so. That doesn't happen in twelve hours. It takes
time to set up that bubble and gain that confidence.
But that's the goal. We have been in touch. We've
been in touch, I don't know, with a bunch of
different liners about moving and we're hoping to continue to
improve the security situation and we'll start to see some
of that movement and we'll announce it as it happens
(27:56):
after the fact. We're not going to be like broadcasting
hey tomorrow at twelve ship X is going to be
coming for obvious reasons because that degrades the security. But
we feel confident we're going to be able to achieve that. Look,
it's not going to solve the whole Straits problem. It's
going to solve a lot of it. But it's important
to challenge what Iran is doing. Now. Guys, again, I
wonder if you take anything away today. I can't tell
you what to write, but we Iran cannot be allowed
(28:17):
to normalize this control of the streets. It's completely unlawful, illegal, Uh,
it's it's outrageous and every country in the world should
be joining us and condemning it and doing something about it.
But the United States has stepped up and is trying to.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
Do something.
Speaker 10 (28:30):
Regardingretary.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
I'm sorry, we'll see if we get the Columbia, you
guys have an election.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Talk to Michael Ross with Daily Mail. I was curious
about your meeting with Southcomb earlier. There was a picture
a map of Cuba behind you. What did you discuss
with Southcomb? Southcomb about Cuba? And do you have any updates.
I'm here to tell you what I discussed the South
but it had to do someone with Cuba.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
I was, well, I mean, Cuba's in Southcombe. You know,
it's the closest part. And so the second point I
was there, our ambassadors were in from the whole Western hemisphere.
I was addressing them and meeting the general who just
took command of South Com and there happened to be
a map of Cuba, and I said, it'd be good.
We took a picture in front of that map, because
it's like the closest thing in south comp to the
United States. So there it is. We have maps of
other countries. But but but but they didn't have that
(29:19):
map in the red right there in the red in
the red.
Speaker 7 (29:25):
Okay, can I ask you in Spanish or can I.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
You can answer Spanish, I have to translate for them.
Speaker 7 (29:32):
Would you have well, I'll say you in English and
if you can answer in both languages. Today I take
the web page of the State Department, and there's still
a twenty five million dollar bounty on a Secretary of
Interior for drug trafficking and narco terrorism. I was wondering
if that has been put on hold or if you're
negotiating with President Desiz to turn him over a se
(29:56):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Have any updates for you on the website. Is what
it is, and that's where it stands. That policy hasn't changed.
But guys, I mean, let's be mature here a little bit.
I'm not going to tell you about what we're talking
about with the leader of these countries that love to
that tells me on the STEM and Cambie I to
(30:18):
the demos of it, the politics the United States on
that the policy United States on that topic hasn't changed.
When it does, you know, obviously it will inform you.
But I don't have any news for you on that today.
Right there in the green I'll get to you. So
you guys, all the TV people, Yeah, go ahead, I'm sorry,
I'm learning. They gave me a little map. I don't
know where I put it. Of the people here, some
(30:38):
of you had like red X's I'm kidding, no, you
get out, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (30:42):
Thank you, mister secretary.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Be a rich crace of gas in the country right
now is four dollars and fifty cents.
Speaker 9 (30:47):
Do you have a thought on how long Americans are
supposed to kind of accept this?
Speaker 7 (30:51):
Do you think it will affect Republicans' majorities in the midterms?
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Well, I don't. I'm not going to expeculate on the
politics of it. You can tell me. I mean, look,
it's obviously being driven by global events. That that was
true during the Russia of Ukraine war as well, where
you saw that come up. It's one of Look, we
don't benefit from the Straits as much as other countries.
I don't know you've seen what the gas prices are
like in other parts of the world that are really
suffering big time. So we're very fortunate that the United States,
I believe right now is like the world's largest net
(31:15):
exporter of oil and natural gas as a result, not
because of this war, but because we have this capacity.
So we've been insulated to some degree. We're obviously still
vulnerable to some extent to global prices and so, but
in the end, I mean, we're more insulated than other countries,
even though that's not welcome news to Americans that are
paying more at the pump, no doubt about it, and
it certainly is one of the circumstances of it. There
are people that were predicting we would be much higher
(31:36):
at this point, but we're not taking that for granted.
Suffice it to say that this is think about it
this way. Everyone needs to think about it this way.
If Iran had a nuclear weapon and they decided to
close the straits and make our gas prices like nine
dollars a gallon or eight dollars a gallon, we wouldn't
be able to do anything about it because they have
a nuclear weapon, and a nuclear armed Iran could do
whatever they hell they want with the straits and there's
(31:58):
nothing anyone would be able to do about it. And
that's one of the many reasons, apart from like the
massive loss of life and the nuclear strike, why Iron
can never have a nuclear weapon. I mean, so this
is an example. If they had a nuclear weapon, they
closed the straits and they would tell her, well, what
are you going to do about it? We have a
nuclear weapon, we can attack you with it. That's the
world none of us want to lead behind. It won't
happen under this president's watch, but some future president and
(32:19):
future you know, and the future Americans will have to
deal with this. So just one more example why these
guys can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapons.
Right there, you both are wearing black. She's closer. No,
you don't have black, ye blue on it. I'm colored black,
but I know blue and black right there, Yes, ma'am, No, No,
(32:40):
you the first one I called on. Thank you, Thank you.
This is chaos. Guys, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (32:45):
And you've long been a leading voice on human rights
in China, so including.
Speaker 9 (32:51):
Religious persecution and forced organ harvesting. So President Trump prepares
to meet She's in pay next week.
Speaker 8 (32:57):
Do you expect human rights concerns to be on the table.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Well, we always raise those issues, and they remain through
and I think we've proven in some cases it's most
effective to raise them in the appropriate setting. But we
always raise those issues are important to us, among with others,
of course, but those issues remain prominent in our view
and in our conversation about these things, and it will
continue to raise them in the appropriate forms. All Right,
these guys are gonna get mad. Go ahead, I'm sorry,
(33:21):
thank you.
Speaker 9 (33:22):
Sigment can be associated press. You mentioned earlier that some
countries are privately in public indicated their willingness to help
with Project Freedom. Can you say how many have reached
out to the US with the offers of help and
what kind of capability?
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Well, and I mean thank you for your question. That's
a good question. I mean multiple countries have said we
got to do something about it and fix it.
Speaker 9 (33:40):
Like dozens or single visions or more than I hunt
or I don't know.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
I don't put a number on it. I would just
tell you that here's what I would say about it.
The capabilities is the issue. Okay. A lot of countries
are loved to do something about it. They don't have
a navy, right or they can't get there in time,
or they can't others, you know, or less you know
that some unfortunately do have a navy, are saying, oh,
we'll be involved, but we'll be involved after it's over. Well,
after it's over. It's kind of like, you know, that
makes sense, So you know, we'd like to have it now.
(34:05):
There may be some utility in a post you know,
closure mission. I'm not downplaying that, but I think that's
been the challenge. But there are other ways they can help,
unique ways that they can help. And I don't want
to get into who these countries are for obvious reasons,
you know, because they are prepared to help us in
certain ways, but maybe don't want that publicly disclosed for
no other reason than impact of foreign policy. It could
(34:26):
have some domestic gramifications, but ultimately I don't want to
mislead you. The primary responsibility for this Project Freedom is
on the United States because we're the only country that
can project power in that part of the world the
way we're doing now, we're the only ones that can
do it, and we're going to do it as a
favor to the world. Understand this, This is a favor
to the world because it's their ships that are stranded,
it's their fuel supplies that are stranded. By the way,
(34:47):
it's their humanitarian there's humanitarian aid destined for different countries
in the world that's stranded in the Persian Gulf right now.
It's the fertilizer that they need for their food and
crops that's stranded in the person. Not our fertilizer, their fertilizer.
So we want to be helpful, and that's why the
President stepped forward, because we're the only ones that can. Frankly,
we're the only ones that can.
Speaker 11 (35:06):
Any time de Secretary on the rising oil and gas prices,
the President has said that this is a small price
to pay.
Speaker 10 (35:11):
For getting rid of a nuclear weapon.
Speaker 11 (35:13):
But ten weeks in, are we any closer to getting
rid of Aron's nuclear materia?
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (35:17):
But look, here's the way to think about Iran. And
this is what I described at the very beginning of
this what was Iran's plan. You have to understand what
their plan was. Their plan was they were going to
build this conventional shield where they would have so many
thousands of missiles and drones and rockets that they couldn't
be attacked. And behind that conventional shield that they were
trying to build, they would then break out and do
whatever they wanted with a nuclear program. They no longer
(35:37):
have that conventional shield. Okay, we told you guys from
the very beginning, and we're very consistent in this messaging.
The operation that has concluded was going to destroy their navy.
They have no navy left. They don't not a navy.
They have small boats in Boston whalers, but they don't
have a navy left. They don't have an air force.
I challenge you, when is the last time you read
or heard about an Iranian jet flying anywhere. They don't
(35:58):
have an air force. Missile launching capability has been substantially degraded,
and their industrial base, their defense industrial base has been severely,
severely damaged. So their ability to build a shield behind
which they could hide their nuclear program was wiped out.
That's a very substantial achievement, and that was the purpose
of this operation from day one.
Speaker 9 (36:17):
The nuclear material in order for this war to end.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
Well, that's one of the topics that needs to be discussed.
I don't know about I think you're linking the operation
is over epic fury. As a president notified Congress, we're
done with that stage of it. Okay, We're now onto
this project of freedom. As far as the negotiation is concerned,
I think the President's been clear that part of the
negotiation process has to be not just the enrichment, but
what happens to this material that's buried deep somewhere that
(36:41):
they have still had access to if they ever wanted
to dig it out. That has to be addressed, and
that's being addressed in the negotiation. I'm not going to
go further on what progress has been made on that
topic because I don't want to endanger the negotiations, but
suffice it to say that the President and this entire
team is aware of the centrality of that question and
that will have to be addressed one way or the other. Yes,
(37:04):
thank you, thank you. I'm sorry.
Speaker 8 (37:05):
I have another two part question for you.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Okay, First, are.
Speaker 8 (37:09):
You taking part in those negotiations that use just detailed there?
And then secondly, presidential has made it clear that the
US doesn't rely on the straight up hoor movies, So
why should Americans even care about Project Freedom and these
ship shipping tankers going through Well?
Speaker 3 (37:25):
I think on the second point is the one I
want to address first, and that is why should Americans
care and why it matters to us? Because ultimately these
things have an impact on the global economy, which ultimately
has an impact in our economy in the long term.
That's number one. Number two, because if we live in
a world where a rogue state like this Iranian regime
is allowed to claim as a new normal control over
international shipping lane. It will not be long before you
(37:47):
see that happen in multiple shipping lanes around the world.
I can identify for you six or seven, six or
seven vital shipping lanes around the world that some countries
can decide. Guess what if Iron was able to do it,
we're going to do it too. We're we're not going
to start charging tolls and it'll get closer and closer
to us. That's unacceptable. We cannot live in a world.
There's a lot of time and energy been invested in
(38:08):
behind the idea that international waters are free for the
free flow of goods. The stuff we make in this
country and export has to go through international shipping lanes.
And for us to live in a world where a
country can decide now we own the international shipping lane
and you have to pay us if you want to
use it, that is a normal that we will never
be able to accept. And that's what the Iranians are
trying to get us to do. So we're doing two
things about it, and we haven't talked about the second
(38:29):
one enough. The second thing we're doing is we're going
to the UN. Everybody loves the UN. Right, we're trying
to go to the UN and we're saying, okay, countries
of the world condemn this, say that it is wrong
for you to put minds there. It is wrong for
you to shoot at commercial vessels. Guys. That's what we're
talking about here. These guys are bombing commercial vessels. They're
not bombing naval vessels. They're bombing commercial tankers. It's just outrageous.
(38:52):
That needs to stop and it needs to end. And
if he doesn't, then the world should be diplomatically and
economically isolating Iran as well. But if we live in
a world where global shipping lanes can be taken over
by countries that don't have a direct impact on Americans
in the short and the long term, and we can't
let it start by Iran doing it, and we're the
only ones that can do anything about it, righty.
Speaker 10 (39:18):
Mister Secretary. Does the President intend.
Speaker 7 (39:20):
To press Beije on its Taiwan policy when he visits
China next week?
Speaker 3 (39:24):
I'm sure Taiwan will be a topic or conversation. It
always is. As you know, we understand the Chinese understand
our position on that topic. We understand theirs, and I
think both parties without you know, getting ahead of myself
with what will happen in the talks, but I think
both countries understand that it is neither one of our
interests to see anything destabilize happen in that part of
the world. We don't need any destabilizing events to occur
(39:47):
with regards to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indo Pacific,
and I think that's to the mutual benefit of both
the United States and the Chinese.
Speaker 11 (39:57):
Carara Kashtano from Lindzel TV, thank you for taking my questions.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
How does the State's Department what happened? Whey? Is everydy giggling?
What happened to go? Oh? I'm sorry? Are they mean me? No?
They're not means oh? Okay, I don't think they are.
Speaker 9 (40:09):
I hope not.
Speaker 11 (40:10):
But I'm here LTV and nights to ask you a
question today, sir. How does the State Department interpret the
president's retonal remarks when he said, quote the Iranian people
need to have guns and I think they are getting
some guns end quote.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
What did he mean?
Speaker 11 (40:23):
And do those comments relate to any ongoing or potential
US actions like supplying those weapons?
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Well, I think it goes back to the question I
was asked a moment ago. I think the President thinks
it's heartbreaking that the Iranian people are abused by this
regime the way they are. In the end, I mean,
this regime is not guys. I know I've said this.
I think I said this in my hearing before the
Senate when I got confirmed. I don't know of any
country in the world where there's a bigger difference between
the people and the people who run the country. Okay,
this country is run by radical Shia clerics, and that's
(40:50):
not what Iran and the Iranian people are now. They
may be Shia, but they're not radicals, and they're not clerics,
and they just want a normal life and a regular
life and in many ways a very cosmopolitan country with
a with an incredible history, incredible history and incredible legacy
and the like. So there's this huge divide between the
people of Iran, whom we sympathize with, and who the
president sympathized with because they're the ones suffering. Look, the
(41:11):
world is a victim of Iran. Okay, the world is
a victim of Iran because they're terrorists because of what
they're doing now in the streets. But the people of
Iran are daily victims of the regime, and the president
has deep sympathy for what they're going through, and I
think he's just expressing that sympathy and that frustration that
they don't have the ability to do more to get
rid of this regime that has crushed this country and
isolated it from the world, which is a country that
(41:33):
shouldn't be isolated from workers. It's people are phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
I wish I had like a dice go ahead. Yeah no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
right there, because I'm going to Italy. Way I thought
I'm not going to Okay, he's Italian. I know him.
He used to cover Capitol Hill. You're Italian, right for years?
For many years?
Speaker 12 (41:54):
Okay, two short questions for you, damn questions first as
you first, as you head to the Vatican in Italy,
how do you view the Pope's global role and it
current your political shift and what.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Are your objective?
Speaker 1 (42:10):
And it's kind of going around at this point. I'm
a pretty amazing press conference with the Secretary of State
Marco Rubio. For those people that have been just spreading
lies and misinformation, and propaganda about what the purpose of
America's involvement with Iran is and the necessity for it,
(42:31):
and what the President's motivation has been. At that point,
you can't argue with dumb and stupid because Uranian regime,
and he explained this in great detail, if they ever
had a nuclear weapon, forget about the straight of Horn moves,
they would be able to hold any water international waterway
they wanted hostage because that nuclear weapon or those nuclear
(42:54):
weapons would hold the world hostage. And this is what
Steve Whitkoff was saying when they were twelve away from
being able to enrich the sixty percent enriched uranium to
weapons grade ninety percent. And that is why every single
source I've ever had said to me over and over again,
the president had no choice but to act. Can I
(43:19):
convince people that want to believe conspiracy theories? Israel made
him do it, BB made him do it, Fox News
made him do it. No, I can't convince them. But
if you understand common sense, this is this is the necessity.
(43:58):
All right, everybody, we will be right back if le's
call eight hundred nine four one Sean. By the way,
there's more than that. We actually have Jim Jordan coming
up in mere moments. I did hear the music, you know, yes,
for the record, By the way, Marco Ruby has been
phenomenal in this entire press conference. It was, you know,
(44:21):
explaining if you had any doubt what was at stake
with Iran. I think he spelled it out as clearly
as anybody has. All Right, we'll continue
Thanks to all of you for being with us. Right
down our toll free telephone number if you want to
be a part of the program as eight hundred and
ninety four to one, Sean if you want to join us.
Any moment, we expect the Secretary of State Mark or
Rubio is going to be I guess giving a briefing.
It looks like it's going to be right where Caroline
Levitt usually gives her briefing. Congratulations to her, by the way,
(00:22):
she recently had her second baby, by the way, one
of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Later
in this program today, JB. Pritzker, Now there's been three
assassination attempts against Donald Trump, three and JB. Pritzker is
claiming Trump set the tone for political violence. What he's
(00:44):
responsible for three assassination attempts and Nazi fascist, racist Gestapo
and all the rhetoric of the radical left, the legacy
media mob has not contributed to this dehumanizing, violent atmosphere.
We now find find ourselves living in assassination culture. We
now find ourselves living in. Is he going to blame
(01:06):
you know, Charlie Kirk next for being assassinated because Charlie
Kirk has a different point of view and would have,
you know, civil conversations with kids on college campuses. It's unbelievable. Now,
we also have a tape of JB. Pritzker, moron that
he is who wants to be president like Aaven Newsom
(01:27):
in one tape. You know, we just put a montage
together of him calling Trump a Nazi, comparing him to
a Nazi six times. And meanwhile, you know, he's setting
the tone and it's a terrible thing, and it's it's
terrible and it shouldn't be this way. Well, maybe he
should stop saying is a Nazi.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I think the environment. Look, our leaders set the tone
in this country. And I think that the President of
the United States has set a tone where political violence
is okay. He's advocated it himself before. It's a terrible thing.
I mean, he's experience, That's what I'm saying. He's experienced.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
He's set the tone. That's a terrible thing. Let's listen
to the governor's set the tone. Count. You know, every
time he says makes a comparison to a Nazi.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Just you know, Count, I studied the Holocaust. I'd helped
to build a Holocaust Museum. This is what happened in
the early days of the Nazi regime in Germany. Everything
that he has done has been tearing down constitutional democracy.
And that's what happened in Nazi Germany. It doesn't take
very long to tear apart a constitutional republic. Indeed, the
(02:36):
Nazis did it in fifty three days, and our democracy
is almost as fragile, and we're seeing it right now.
The dangers that we saw in in you know, Nazi Germany,
especially in the earliest days of Nazi Germany, are the
dangers that we need to react to now. People have
(02:58):
criticized me for talking about the Nazi regime. It's the
one I know most about because.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I helped to Later it's Nazi, Nazi, Nazi, Nazi Nazi.
The tone is a terrible thing. Uh, you're setting the tone,
you idiot, And and as is pretty much every every
elected democrat. Unbelievable. So on my podcast, and we'll play
this later in the program, you know, back to back.
(03:28):
I've had now Daan Bongino and I've had Cash Battel.
We just dropped Cash Battel this morning. Later I will
play for you, and Dan Bongino said something that was amazing.
I think this is the most amazing untold story, uh,
that there are good people in the FBI that purposefully
(03:49):
hid the evidence in those quote burn bags that they found,
you know, the burn bags. Cash Battel told me on
the podcast. The burn bags were in a safer room
that nobody even knew existed, which means that somebody left
it there on purpose, is what Bongino had told me,
And that they put it there on purpose so that
(04:11):
eventually we would find it, because that's all the evidence
against all the corruption in the MPI. Why do you
hear this tape? If you haven't watched the video podcast,
you need to check it out. You can get it
on YouTube and wherever you get your video podcast. But
the two of them together, but I mean, I mean,
Cash just spells it out. They weren't supposed to find
(04:33):
it in the sense that it was put in a
place purposely hidden because all the people before him didn't
want it to be seen. They put it in a
burn bag, which is classified information that is designed to
be burned so nobody ever gets a hold of it.
But they purposely saved it. And I know you're very
interested in this story. It looks like Eric mister fangfang
(04:58):
swall well apparently was a bigger degenerate than we knew,
apparently sending nude photos and videos of him pleasuring himself
through Snapchat and regularly slid into the dms of random women,
you know, all while he was married, and the lurid
(05:19):
details and apparently I wonder it just disgusting. Anyway, Marco
Rubio is taking to the podium. Let's listen in it
dropped off people in this country.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Hello, thank you guys for having me today. I'll be
filling in for Caroline today obviously, so I'll have a
brief remarks here and then we'll get to your questions.
As you know, over the weekend, the President announced this
Project Freedom, and the goal of it is to frankly,
if you want to talk about it, it's to rescue
like almost twenty three thousand civilians from eighty seven different
(05:51):
countries that are trapped inside of the of the golf
and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by this
Iranian regime. You know, for more than two months now,
these innocent sailors and commercial crew members have been stranded
out at sea because Iran is conducting something that's not
just criminal. It's criminal, for sure, but it's desperate and destructive.
This blockade of the straits of hormones. Nations from around
(06:13):
the world, the overwhelming majority of whom are not even
engaged in any military hostilities, are now at risk not
just of losing their cargo, but the lives of their
own citizens because of this blockade. These ships. You know,
you don't leave a ship out there for this long.
You start running out of food, you start running out
of potable water, essential supplies, And they're at the mercy
of this piracy and what it is, it's piracy. And
(06:37):
not only that, but some of them have seen, you know,
been open fire on and rained down senseless attacks on
several civilian ships already, so frankly, the way to put it,
these are innocent bystanders. These are countries that and ships
and so forth that have nothing to do with any
of this, and nonetheless are being caught in the middle
of it and being held hostage merely because Iran could
do that, just because of just as the regime rutally
(07:00):
slaughtered tens of thousands of their own citizens for the
crime of peaceful protests because they're unhappy with the quality
of life or the lack of quality of life in
Iran today. And so they're sitting ducks, they're isolated, they're starving,
they're vulnerable, and at least ten sailors have already died
as a result of the civilian sailors. So already many
nations privately and some publicly have asked the United States
(07:22):
to help free their ships and to restore freedom of
navigation in the Straits of Hormus and this critical artery
of global trade. And so President Trump, as he always does,
stepped up and answer the calls for their help, and
he's directed the United States military to guide these stranded
ships to safety, to provide a protective bubble into which
they can operate and move product and get themselves out
(07:42):
of there and out of the harm's way. And this
is the first step towards reopening the strait and bringing
this regime's last ditch act of economic arson, bringing that
to a close. Only we're doing it not only because
we were asked, but because we're the only ones who can.
Only we have the power to sort of take the
steps that we've taken now under this president, under President Trump,
the United States, we'll help our friends, We're going to
(08:05):
stand up to rogue regimes like the one in Tehran,
and we're going to be unashamed to use our power
and our abilities to project military power in the service
of our national interests above all else. Now, what's really
important for you to report it, for everyone to understand,
is this is not an offensive operation. This is a
defensive operation. And what that means is very simple. There's
(08:25):
no shooting unless we're shot at first. Okay, we're not
attacking them, we're not. But if they are attacking us,
so they're attacking a ship, you need to respond to that.
You're not going to let some fast boat come up
on a ship and shoot it up. We're going to
respond to it. And we've been successful at I don't
know what the exact number is, but I know a
number of those fast boats have now been targeted and
we'll continue to be If they oppose a threat to
our forces, we'll shoot down drones, we'll shoot down missiles.
(08:48):
But it's defensive in nature. This is defensive. So if
you hear stories about attacks and launching of firing back
and forth, it's not back and forth. We are only
responding if attacked first. This is a defensive operation, and
that's what's occurring here. Just about the importance of the
straits for a moment. This is approximately a quarter of
the world's oil trade, along with significant volumes of fuel
(09:08):
and fertilizer that operate through the Straits of Horrormus. The
Iranian regime cannot be allowed to dictate who uses this
vital waterway. I don't think this is also being reported enough.
Maybe you are reporting. I don't read everyone. I don't
know many damn outlets here. I don't know who you
all are, but I mean, I know who some of
you are, but I don't know all of you are.
But I will say this about it. This is an
(09:28):
international waterway. Okay, this is an international waterway, and international
law is very clear. And I love it because everybody
always talks about international law. In this international law on
this is very clear international waterways. No country can control them.
There is no international law that allows you to say,
I'm going to put minds in an international body of
water and I'm going to blow up ships that don't
listen to us and try to go through. That's what
(09:49):
Iran is doing. This is a criminal act, and someone
needs to do something about it something needs to be done.
It's completely illegal, completely illegitimate, and completely unacceptable. And that's
why the United the State's militaries guiding stranded commercial ships
safely through the strait and is working to restore freedom
of navigation and putting an end to these efforts to
glow to hold the global economy hostage. So far, as
(10:11):
a proof of concept and as a proof of function,
two US flag merchant ships have successfully transferred the Strait
of Hormues in the first stages of this project, and
they're now safely on their way. The US military is
deploying the necessary assets to extend this defensive umbrella over
commercial shipping. But there should be no mistake, and as
I said this already, this is a defensive operation. I
(10:32):
want to reiterate that point. This is important to understand.
If no shots are fired at the ships and no
shots are fired at us, we're not firing shots. But
if we're fired on, we will respond, and we will
respond with lethal efficiency. The assets supporting this project, by
the way, include guided missile destroyers, over one hundred land
and sea based aircraft, multi domain unmanned platforms, and fifteen
(10:53):
thousand of the finest military service members on the planet.
These forces have already destroyed. As I told you, ear
I thought it was six, it's seven Iranian fastboats that
fail to heed our warnings. And by fast boats we're
talking about, you know, some of these things look like
Boston whaler's okay, so these are not like navy ships,
but nonetheless they come fast that these boats try to
swarm them, try to harm them. We're not going to
(11:14):
let that happen. So seven of them now sit at
the bottom of the sea, along with, by the way,
the rest of Iran's navy. That's where you can find
their navy today, and we're going to continue to systematically
clear this passageway through the straits to restore freedom of navigation. Now,
while this project steadily progresses, Operation Epic Fury Economic Fury,
I'm sorry, continues to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian
(11:36):
regime and what remains of their already frail economy. Today,
inflation in Iran is seventy percent and their currency is
in total and complete freefall. The US sanctions enforcement is
stepping up. It's moving in lockstep with the naval blockade
to degrade Iran's cape capacity to generate, to move and
repatriate revenue. It directly targets the regime's primary revenue lifeline.
(12:00):
The blockade alone is costing Iran as much as five
hundred million dollars a day in lost revenue. Ninety percent
of total Iranian trade has been halted, causing permanent damage
to Iran's oil infrastructure as well as are forced to
shut in again. All of this is in response to
their piracy. It cannot be that you have these straits
(12:20):
and they blow up any ship that moves and the
only ships they get to go through where there is
You can't have a situation in which the straits are
close to everyone else but they benefit from the piracy.
That can't happen. That's why the blockade is in place,
and that's why these sanctions are crippling them. Any foreign
financial by the way, Treasury is now identifying and cutting
off every dollar of revenue that's flowing to this regime.
And so look, any foreign financial institution or commercial actor
(12:44):
that enables Iran sanctions evasion is going to face secondary
sanctions exposure and a loss of access to the US
financial system. As President Trump is said, and the facts
clearly bear out, the United States of America holds all
the cards. There is no scenario here in which if
they decide to join the ladder of escalation, they wind
up getting the last say. But our preference is for
(13:06):
these straits to be opened to the way they're supposed
to be open, back to the way it was. Anyone
can use it, no minds in the water, nobody paying tolls.
That's what we have to get back to a next
to goal here. Every day the conflict continues, however, our
leverage on Iran will continue to increase and their position
will continue to weaken, especially as the blockade really begins
to bide in conjunction with the sanctions. So look, the
(13:27):
times come for Iran to make a sensible choice. And
it's not easy for them to do that, obviously, because
they have a fracture in their own leadership system. And
apart from that, I mean, the top people in that
government are to say the least, you know, they're insane
in the brain, and so we need to address that.
And it's difficult because it's hard to get past that
in their system. But it's important for them to make
(13:49):
a sensible choice and the one that's right for their people.
The president, our president has proven time and again that
his preference is peace, but Iran must accept the reality
of this situation and come to the negotiation table and
accept terms that are good for them but ultimately good
for the world. The diplomatic path, if there's a real
diplomatic path, I'm not knowing what's going to be one,
But if there's a real diplomatic path, and we continue
(14:09):
to explore it, Steve and Jarreed are working on that
very hard. If there is one there, it could be
one that leads them to reconstruction, to prosperity and to stability,
and to not marry.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
We continue the Secretary of State Mark or Rubio giving
a briefing on operation Well Economic Epic Fury, if you will,
and that is opening the Straight and escorting ships in
and out of the Straight or Hormones will go back
to the press conference for stations along the Sean Hannity
Show network. We're going to continue our coverage the world.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
The alternative is growing isolation, economic collapse, and ultimately total defeat.
I know what the right choice is for Iran. I
hope that the people over there making decisions will make
the right one. The last point I would make, and
it really is important for them to understand this is
they really shouldn't test the will of the United States,
at least not under President Donald Trump. He has proven
time and again that he will back up what he says,
(15:02):
and if they test them ultimately, they will lose. The
hard way, the easy way, the long way, the short way,
they will lose and without it's time for your questions.
So I wanted to start with you first.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
I have the parent Humming Independent Journalist Secretary A. Rubio.
Have you seen any recent indications that Aron is willing
to give up this nuclear weapons program that is credible,
verifiable and that would lead to an immediate de escalation.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Well, look, this is a long standing problem for them, right,
I mean they have wanted they have always said they
don't want a nuclear weapon. That's because they've always said that.
They just don't mean it. And why do you say, well,
how do you know they don't mean it, Well, we
don't mean it because they do all They're doing all
the things and historically have tried to do all the
things that you do if you want a nuclear weapons program.
For example, they innovate and try to innovate long range
(15:48):
livery missiles that now in some cases, are capable of
reaching much of Europe. They build these large underground centrifuges
for enrichment activity. There are many there are countries in
the world that are involved in the enrichment business, but
these guys do it in mountains and in caves and
in hiding. They've always had secret components of their nuclear
program undisclosed to the world, and we know for a
(16:09):
fact that they retain highly enriched uranium at sixty percent
that they that they did so, and that has no
civilian use, none, zero, whatsoever. So they have an opportunity
here to agree to something that will make it clear
that they're not interested in the One thing is to
say we don't want a nuclear weapon, and other thing
is to do the things that prove you don't want
a nuclear weapon. By the way, if what Iran wants
is a civilian nuclear program for power plants and stuff
(16:32):
like that, there are a lot of countries in the
world that have that, and they don't enrich they import
the enriched material. You know, they could have that if
that's what they wanted, But they're not acting like that's
what they wanted. They're acting like they want a military,
you know, nuclear program. That's unacceptable. So that's the process
we're engaged in now to create. That's the object of
this diplomacy is to come up with some level of
(16:54):
understanding about what are the topics that they've agreed to
negotiate on. We don't have to have the actual agreement
written out of one day. This is highly complex and
highly technical, but we have to have a diplomatic solution
that is very clear about the topics that they are
willing to negotiate on and the extent and the concessions
are willing to make at the front end in order
to make those talks worthwhile. That's what Stephen Jarrett and
the whole team is working on, and I hope to
(17:16):
have good news on it. That's the outcome we would prefer.
That's the outcome we would have preferred a year ago.
That's the outcome I think most of us would have
preferred a long time ago. But that's not the option
they've given us given their activity. All right, can I
there's no way I can figure out who to call on.
I'm just gonna like press right in the metal right there?
You right there? Yet? Yeah, in the back robe. Let's
takes president. I'll go to you next, go ahead.
Speaker 5 (17:38):
Thank you, secretary, going right, Welcome to the White House.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Sir, Yeah to you, Yes, sir, thank you. I have
two questions. Are two separate issues that they get two
questions for these two questions. There's a lot of people
in here. All right, well you answer it. You can
ask me two questions. I'll give you one answer and
I'll pick the one I like better. Thank you, miss
your secretary. The first has to do with the blockade.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
There are lawmakers from both parties who claim the blockade
is an active war.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
What do you say to that? And my second question
has to do with the fuel embargo of Cuba.
Speaker 6 (18:14):
How long, mister secretary, will that lasts?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Okay, two things? All right, good, I'll answer both your
questions because I like the second one through the first
one on the blockade, and so why do we have
a blockade. We have a blockade because they are shut
down the straits. So I don't know which members of
Congress you're talking to, but here's what I would ask them.
I would ask everybody here, very simple. These guys have
shut down the straits of Hormuds. This is what Iron
is saying. We will shut down the straits no one
can go through. No country in the world can go
(18:37):
through unless we allow you to go through, and you
have to pay us. But our ships can go through,
meeting the Iranian ships as much as they want. That's crazy.
Who would agree to that? So how are we going
to have a situation where they get to close the
straits to everybody and the only people who are allowed
to go through there are one hundred percent without paying anything,
are the Iranians. If you do that, they'll keep the
straits closed forever. They're trying to make this some new normal, Okay,
(18:58):
under no circumstance is can we ever allow them to
normalize the fact that they get to blow up commercial
ships and put mines in the water. So the response
to that is, we're going to blockade your ships. If
everyone's ships are not getting out, your ships are not
getting out either. That's not an active war. That's a
defensive measure. It's a counter to what they have decided
to do. You know what is an active war? Putting
mines in the water. Why don't the members of Congress,
(19:20):
whoever it is, is complaining about it. They should be
all over that these guys put mines in the water,
That alone. You. Mining in the water is illegal period,
under any circumstances, and they've done it. This is crazy stuff,
but this is what they've done on Cuba. Oil blockade
on Cuba. There's no oil blockade on Cuba, per se.
Here's what's happening with Cuba. Okay. Cuba used to get
free oil from Venezuela. Used to give them a bunch
(19:42):
of free oil. They would take like sixty percent of
that oil and resell it for cash. It wouldn't even
go to benefit the people. So the only blockade that's
happened is the Cubans have decided, I mean, the Venezuelans
have decided, we're not giving you free oil anymore. And
you can only imagine nowadays the way oil prices aren't.
No one's giving away free oil, much less to a
failed regime. So the problem with Cuba is worse. Okay.
(20:02):
Their economic model doesn't work, doesn't work, and the people
who are in charge can't fix it. And the reason
that I can't fix it is not just because they're communists.
That's bad enough, but they're incompetent communists. The only thing
worse than a communist is an incompetent one and that's
what so incompetent communist run that country. They don't know
how to fix it, they really don't. And we have
ninety miles from our shores a failed state that also
(20:23):
happens to be friendly territory for some of our adversaries.
So it's an unacceptable status quo and we'll be addressing it,
but not today.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
Okay, Secretary Riverace, you are going to the Vatican to
me with the Pope.
Speaker 8 (20:36):
Is this an attempt to smooth things over with the
Pope given the rhetoric between President Trump and Uglia?
Speaker 3 (20:43):
No, I mean it's a trip we had planned from before,
and obviously we had some stuff that happened, and no, look,
there's a lot to talk about with the Vatican. I'll
give you one example. The Pope just returned from a
trip to Africa, where the church is growing very vibrantly,
and we have shared concerns about religious freedom, religious right.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
We have Secretary of State Mark or Rubio holding a
press conference. He's kind of joked he was filling in
for Caroline Levitt for stations along the Sean Hannity Show
radio network. We are going to continue our coverage so
the break. I know some of you may have to
break away. We will continue on the other side as well,
and we have a lot more coming up in today's program.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I'd love to talk to them about that. The topic
of Cuba. You know, we gave Cuba six million dollars
of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won't let us distribute it.
We distributed it through the church. We'd like to do more.
We're willing to give more humanitarian aid to Cuba, by
the way, distributed through the church, but the Cuban regime
has to allow us to do it. They won't allow
us to give their own people more humanitarian aid, and
we're willing to do it through the church. So there's
(21:39):
a lot to talk about.
Speaker 9 (21:40):
And the President recently said that the Pope is endangering
a lot of Catholics as a result of his rhetoric
around the Iran war.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Is that ESSENTI I don't think that's an accurate description
of what he said. I think what the President basically
said is that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon because
they would use it against places that have a lot
of Catholics and Christians and others for that matter. It
goes back to the central point. I think there without
trying to speak for him, but I think I can
characterize it this way. He doesn't understand why anybody, leave
aside the Pope, the President and I for that matter,
(22:08):
I think most people I cannot understand why anyone would
think that it's a good idea for Roan to ever
have a nuclear weapon. Look what they're doing with the
Straits right now. They're holding the whole world hostage. They
have these sailors, you know, on commercial ships that are
going to starve to death out there. They don't care.
They don't care that this is melting down the economies
around the world, even of their own allies. This is
what they're doing with the Straits. What do you think
(22:29):
they would do if they had a nuclear weapon. They
would hold the world hostage with that nuclear weapon. That's
what they would do. They would do exactly to the
world with a nuclear weapon what they're doing now with
the Straits. And I think the President's point is how
anyone cannot see that as an unacceptable outcome and an
unacceptable risk is beyond him. It's puzzling, and someone has
to do something about it. The difference between this president
and like the six presidents that preceded them where that
(22:51):
he's the only one that's actually been willing to do
something about it. Everyone says Ron can't have a nuclear weapon,
but you've got to do something about it at some point,
and he's been willing to address that threat. And that's
what he promised he would do when he got elected.
By the way, is addressed threats like this. I wish apologize.
Can you put name tags on? Thank you so much?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
Mister story are you with I'm with Rudel Media Network?
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Okay, mister secretary.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
The President has said multiple times that Whippins square provided
to the Curtish.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Group is to pass on the Iranian people.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
However, Kritican polical parties on the regional government says that
I have not received such a weapons even since claim
these weapons remain in the US space in the region.
Can you clarify who those whippions were given to and
whether you intend to retrieve them or sion want to
pass to the Iranian people.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah. Look, ultimate what the President is expressing, and I
think has repeatedly, is he wished the Iranian people had
You know, look, he's heartbroken by these images. You think
about it, you're an Iranian, Okay, you're unhappy that your
economy doesn't work for you. You don't have freedom, you don't
have an opportunity to express yourself. You know, you've got
friends that have been shot in the head because they're
out protesting, and he it's heartbreaking to him to see
(24:01):
that these people are abused in this way and have
no measures to take against their own government as a
result of it. By the way, this goes back. If
you guys remember the protests in two thousand and nine
where they slaughtered people in the street. This is a
vicious regime, guys. Okay, these are people that hang people
from cranes in the town square so everyone can see.
They continue these executions of people and have done continue
to do so for over a decade and a half now.
(24:24):
And so I think what the President is expressing is
the desire that he wishes the Iranian people had an
ability to fight back against some of these things that
are happening to them. And I would view that as
distinct and separate from the specifics of this operation that
was ongoing before it concluded, and certainly different from the
operation that's going on now right the Secretary, I'm behind you,
(24:49):
not Columbia right there. Yes, ma'am, mister, thank you so much.
Speaker 7 (24:53):
In it ceased fire, are less fire? It And the
second question, you think it would be a to achieve
an agreement between Lebanon and Israel and without risking a
civil war?
Speaker 3 (25:05):
And Lebanon, what are you doing? What are you doing? No?
I got it, I got the desert question. So look,
here's the challenge with Lebanon. Okay, there's no problem between
the Lebanese government and the Israeli government. Israel doesn't claim
any land in Lebanon belongs to them, and by and large,
I think a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is
imminently achievable and should be the problem with Israel and
(25:25):
Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon. It's Hesbela. Hesbela operates
from inside of Lebanese territory. They terrorize and attack Israelis,
but they also are inflicting tremendous damage on the Lebanese people.
The reason why Lebanon gets attacked by Israel is because
of Hesbela, because Hesbela is hiding in some house launching
rockets against Israelis and then they get hit. So what
(25:45):
you're seeing now is Israeli responses to either attacks or
perceive threats. And this is going to be This is
not new, This has been going on for a very
long time. What is our hope. Our hope is to
engage the Lebanese and Israeli governments under our mediation at
the table to achieve this, and that is having Lebanese
armed forces in a Lebanese government not just with the willingness,
(26:06):
but with the capability to begin to challenge Hesbela and
disarm them because the Lebanese people are also victims of Hesbela.
And by the way, on the topic of Hesbela and Lebanon,
who is behind Hesbela? Why do they exist? They're an
agent of Iran. If you go through that Middle East
and you identify every problem hamas Hesbela to some extent
to who's these obviously and others behind every one of
(26:28):
these groups is Tehran. So apart from the nuclear weapons,
apart from all these other things, these guys are behind
all the bad actors. Hesbela is a wing. It's an
extension of Iranian desire to destabilize the region. So we're
very committed to this process. It's not going to be easy.
You're asking me a complex question. You know, this has
been going for a very long time. It's not going
to be easy. We're going to do everything we can
to make sure that both sides continue to talk so
(26:50):
that progress can be made on some sort of permanent
ceasefire that isn't constantly spoiled by Hesbela and by Hesbala violence.
Speaker 10 (26:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Thanks, I'm just going I'm winning it guys.
Speaker 10 (27:01):
Okay, yes, you mentioned the two US shifts that safely
the ass straight offour moves. Are other shifts being told
is safer to get back to regular levels or are
we still going to see limits in place well overseeable future.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
For obvious reasons, I'm not going to broadcast who we're
talking to or who we're telling them to move. I mean,
we want these operations to be safe, and I think
as it unfolds and ships get through, we'll make those
announcements after the fact, just for operational security purposes. But
the goal here is pretty simple. Establish a zone of
transit that is protected by a bubble the United States
both naval and air assets, and then allow ships who
(27:33):
want to move to move through there and get to
market to begin to increase confidence in the ability to
do so. That doesn't happen in twelve hours. It takes
time to set up that bubble and gain that confidence.
But that's the goal. We have been in touch. We've
been in touch, I don't know, with a bunch of
different liners about moving and we're hoping to continue to
improve the security situation and we'll start to see some
of that movement and we'll announce it as it happens
(27:56):
after the fact. We're not going to be like broadcasting
hey tomorrow at twelve ship X is going to be
coming for obvious reasons because that degrades the security. But
we feel confident we're going to be able to achieve that. Look,
it's not going to solve the whole Straits problem. It's
going to solve a lot of it. But it's important
to challenge what Iran is doing. Now. Guys, again, I
wonder if you take anything away today. I can't tell
you what to write, but we Iran cannot be allowed
(28:17):
to normalize this control of the streets. It's completely unlawful, illegal, Uh,
it's it's outrageous and every country in the world should
be joining us and condemning it and doing something about it.
But the United States has stepped up and is trying to.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
Do something.
Speaker 10 (28:30):
Regardingretary.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
I'm sorry, we'll see if we get the Columbia, you
guys have an election.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Talk to Michael Ross with Daily Mail. I was curious
about your meeting with Southcomb earlier. There was a picture
a map of Cuba behind you. What did you discuss
with Southcomb? Southcomb about Cuba? And do you have any updates.
I'm here to tell you what I discussed the South
but it had to do someone with Cuba.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
I was, well, I mean, Cuba's in Southcombe. You know,
it's the closest part. And so the second point I
was there, our ambassadors were in from the whole Western hemisphere.
I was addressing them and meeting the general who just
took command of South Com and there happened to be
a map of Cuba, and I said, it'd be good.
We took a picture in front of that map, because
it's like the closest thing in south comp to the
United States. So there it is. We have maps of
other countries. But but but but they didn't have that
(29:19):
map in the red right there in the red in
the red.
Speaker 7 (29:25):
Okay, can I ask you in Spanish or can I.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
You can answer Spanish, I have to translate for them.
Speaker 7 (29:32):
Would you have well, I'll say you in English and
if you can answer in both languages. Today I take
the web page of the State Department, and there's still
a twenty five million dollar bounty on a Secretary of
Interior for drug trafficking and narco terrorism. I was wondering
if that has been put on hold or if you're
negotiating with President Desiz to turn him over a se
(29:56):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Have any updates for you on the website. Is what
it is, and that's where it stands. That policy hasn't changed.
But guys, I mean, let's be mature here a little bit.
I'm not going to tell you about what we're talking
about with the leader of these countries that love to
that tells me on the STEM and Cambie I to
(30:18):
the demos of it, the politics the United States on
that the policy United States on that topic hasn't changed.
When it does, you know, obviously it will inform you.
But I don't have any news for you on that today.
Right there in the green I'll get to you. So
you guys, all the TV people, Yeah, go ahead, I'm sorry,
I'm learning. They gave me a little map. I don't
know where I put it. Of the people here, some
(30:38):
of you had like red X's I'm kidding, no, you
get out, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (30:42):
Thank you, mister secretary.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Be a rich crace of gas in the country right
now is four dollars and fifty cents.
Speaker 9 (30:47):
Do you have a thought on how long Americans are
supposed to kind of accept this?
Speaker 7 (30:51):
Do you think it will affect Republicans' majorities in the midterms?
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Well, I don't. I'm not going to expeculate on the
politics of it. You can tell me. I mean, look,
it's obviously being driven by global events. That that was
true during the Russia of Ukraine war as well, where
you saw that come up. It's one of Look, we
don't benefit from the Straits as much as other countries.
I don't know you've seen what the gas prices are
like in other parts of the world that are really
suffering big time. So we're very fortunate that the United States,
I believe right now is like the world's largest net
(31:15):
exporter of oil and natural gas as a result, not
because of this war, but because we have this capacity.
So we've been insulated to some degree. We're obviously still
vulnerable to some extent to global prices and so, but
in the end, I mean, we're more insulated than other countries,
even though that's not welcome news to Americans that are
paying more at the pump, no doubt about it, and
it certainly is one of the circumstances of it. There
are people that were predicting we would be much higher
(31:36):
at this point, but we're not taking that for granted.
Suffice it to say that this is think about it
this way. Everyone needs to think about it this way.
If Iran had a nuclear weapon and they decided to
close the straits and make our gas prices like nine
dollars a gallon or eight dollars a gallon, we wouldn't
be able to do anything about it because they have
a nuclear weapon, and a nuclear armed Iran could do
whatever they hell they want with the straits and there's
(31:58):
nothing anyone would be able to do about it. And
that's one of the many reasons, apart from like the
massive loss of life and the nuclear strike, why Iron
can never have a nuclear weapon. I mean, so this
is an example. If they had a nuclear weapon, they
closed the straits and they would tell her, well, what
are you going to do about it? We have a
nuclear weapon, we can attack you with it. That's the
world none of us want to lead behind. It won't
happen under this president's watch, but some future president and
(32:19):
future you know, and the future Americans will have to
deal with this. So just one more example why these
guys can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapons.
Right there, you both are wearing black. She's closer. No,
you don't have black, ye blue on it. I'm colored black,
but I know blue and black right there, Yes, ma'am, No, No,
(32:40):
you the first one I called on. Thank you, Thank you.
This is chaos. Guys, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (32:45):
And you've long been a leading voice on human rights
in China, so including.
Speaker 9 (32:51):
Religious persecution and forced organ harvesting. So President Trump prepares
to meet She's in pay next week.
Speaker 8 (32:57):
Do you expect human rights concerns to be on the table.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Well, we always raise those issues, and they remain through
and I think we've proven in some cases it's most
effective to raise them in the appropriate setting. But we
always raise those issues are important to us, among with others,
of course, but those issues remain prominent in our view
and in our conversation about these things, and it will
continue to raise them in the appropriate forms. All Right,
these guys are gonna get mad. Go ahead, I'm sorry,
(33:21):
thank you.
Speaker 9 (33:22):
Sigment can be associated press. You mentioned earlier that some
countries are privately in public indicated their willingness to help
with Project Freedom. Can you say how many have reached
out to the US with the offers of help and
what kind of capability?
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Well, and I mean thank you for your question. That's
a good question. I mean multiple countries have said we
got to do something about it and fix it.
Speaker 9 (33:40):
Like dozens or single visions or more than I hunt
or I don't know.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
I don't put a number on it. I would just
tell you that here's what I would say about it.
The capabilities is the issue. Okay. A lot of countries
are loved to do something about it. They don't have
a navy, right or they can't get there in time,
or they can't others, you know, or less you know
that some unfortunately do have a navy, are saying, oh,
we'll be involved, but we'll be involved after it's over. Well,
after it's over. It's kind of like, you know, that
makes sense, So you know, we'd like to have it now.
(34:05):
There may be some utility in a post you know,
closure mission. I'm not downplaying that, but I think that's
been the challenge. But there are other ways they can help,
unique ways that they can help. And I don't want
to get into who these countries are for obvious reasons,
you know, because they are prepared to help us in
certain ways, but maybe don't want that publicly disclosed for
no other reason than impact of foreign policy. It could
(34:26):
have some domestic gramifications, but ultimately I don't want to
mislead you. The primary responsibility for this Project Freedom is
on the United States because we're the only country that
can project power in that part of the world the
way we're doing now, we're the only ones that can
do it, and we're going to do it as a
favor to the world. Understand this, This is a favor
to the world because it's their ships that are stranded,
it's their fuel supplies that are stranded. By the way,
(34:47):
it's their humanitarian there's humanitarian aid destined for different countries
in the world that's stranded in the Persian Gulf right now.
It's the fertilizer that they need for their food and
crops that's stranded in the person. Not our fertilizer, their fertilizer.
So we want to be helpful, and that's why the
President stepped forward, because we're the only ones that can. Frankly,
we're the only ones that can.
Speaker 11 (35:06):
Any time de Secretary on the rising oil and gas prices,
the President has said that this is a small price
to pay.
Speaker 10 (35:11):
For getting rid of a nuclear weapon.
Speaker 11 (35:13):
But ten weeks in, are we any closer to getting
rid of Aron's nuclear materia?
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (35:17):
But look, here's the way to think about Iran. And
this is what I described at the very beginning of
this what was Iran's plan. You have to understand what
their plan was. Their plan was they were going to
build this conventional shield where they would have so many
thousands of missiles and drones and rockets that they couldn't
be attacked. And behind that conventional shield that they were
trying to build, they would then break out and do
whatever they wanted with a nuclear program. They no longer
(35:37):
have that conventional shield. Okay, we told you guys from
the very beginning, and we're very consistent in this messaging.
The operation that has concluded was going to destroy their navy.
They have no navy left. They don't not a navy.
They have small boats in Boston whalers, but they don't
have a navy left. They don't have an air force.
I challenge you, when is the last time you read
or heard about an Iranian jet flying anywhere. They don't
(35:58):
have an air force. Missile launching capability has been substantially degraded,
and their industrial base, their defense industrial base has been severely,
severely damaged. So their ability to build a shield behind
which they could hide their nuclear program was wiped out.
That's a very substantial achievement, and that was the purpose
of this operation from day one.
Speaker 9 (36:17):
The nuclear material in order for this war to end.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
Well, that's one of the topics that needs to be discussed.
I don't know about I think you're linking the operation
is over epic fury. As a president notified Congress, we're
done with that stage of it. Okay, We're now onto
this project of freedom. As far as the negotiation is concerned,
I think the President's been clear that part of the
negotiation process has to be not just the enrichment, but
what happens to this material that's buried deep somewhere that
(36:41):
they have still had access to if they ever wanted
to dig it out. That has to be addressed, and
that's being addressed in the negotiation. I'm not going to
go further on what progress has been made on that
topic because I don't want to endanger the negotiations, but
suffice it to say that the President and this entire
team is aware of the centrality of that question and
that will have to be addressed one way or the other. Yes,
(37:04):
thank you, thank you. I'm sorry.
Speaker 8 (37:05):
I have another two part question for you.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Okay, First, are.
Speaker 8 (37:09):
You taking part in those negotiations that use just detailed there?
And then secondly, presidential has made it clear that the
US doesn't rely on the straight up hoor movies, So
why should Americans even care about Project Freedom and these
ship shipping tankers going through Well?
Speaker 3 (37:25):
I think on the second point is the one I
want to address first, and that is why should Americans
care and why it matters to us? Because ultimately these
things have an impact on the global economy, which ultimately
has an impact in our economy in the long term.
That's number one. Number two, because if we live in
a world where a rogue state like this Iranian regime
is allowed to claim as a new normal control over
international shipping lane. It will not be long before you
(37:47):
see that happen in multiple shipping lanes around the world.
I can identify for you six or seven, six or
seven vital shipping lanes around the world that some countries
can decide. Guess what if Iron was able to do it,
we're going to do it too. We're we're not going
to start charging tolls and it'll get closer and closer
to us. That's unacceptable. We cannot live in a world.
There's a lot of time and energy been invested in
(38:08):
behind the idea that international waters are free for the
free flow of goods. The stuff we make in this
country and export has to go through international shipping lanes.
And for us to live in a world where a
country can decide now we own the international shipping lane
and you have to pay us if you want to
use it, that is a normal that we will never
be able to accept. And that's what the Iranians are
trying to get us to do. So we're doing two
things about it, and we haven't talked about the second
(38:29):
one enough. The second thing we're doing is we're going
to the UN. Everybody loves the UN. Right, we're trying
to go to the UN and we're saying, okay, countries
of the world condemn this, say that it is wrong
for you to put minds there. It is wrong for
you to shoot at commercial vessels. Guys. That's what we're
talking about here. These guys are bombing commercial vessels. They're
not bombing naval vessels. They're bombing commercial tankers. It's just outrageous.
(38:52):
That needs to stop and it needs to end. And
if he doesn't, then the world should be diplomatically and
economically isolating Iran as well. But if we live in
a world where global shipping lanes can be taken over
by countries that don't have a direct impact on Americans
in the short and the long term, and we can't
let it start by Iran doing it, and we're the
only ones that can do anything about it, righty.
Speaker 10 (39:18):
Mister Secretary. Does the President intend.
Speaker 7 (39:20):
To press Beije on its Taiwan policy when he visits
China next week?
Speaker 3 (39:24):
I'm sure Taiwan will be a topic or conversation. It
always is. As you know, we understand the Chinese understand
our position on that topic. We understand theirs, and I
think both parties without you know, getting ahead of myself
with what will happen in the talks, but I think
both countries understand that it is neither one of our
interests to see anything destabilize happen in that part of
the world. We don't need any destabilizing events to occur
(39:47):
with regards to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indo Pacific,
and I think that's to the mutual benefit of both
the United States and the Chinese.
Speaker 11 (39:57):
Carara Kashtano from Lindzel TV, thank you for taking my questions.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
How does the State's Department what happened? Whey? Is everydy giggling?
What happened to go? Oh? I'm sorry? Are they mean me? No?
They're not means oh? Okay, I don't think they are.
Speaker 9 (40:09):
I hope not.
Speaker 11 (40:10):
But I'm here LTV and nights to ask you a
question today, sir. How does the State Department interpret the
president's retonal remarks when he said, quote the Iranian people
need to have guns and I think they are getting
some guns end quote.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
What did he mean?
Speaker 11 (40:23):
And do those comments relate to any ongoing or potential
US actions like supplying those weapons?
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Well, I think it goes back to the question I
was asked a moment ago. I think the President thinks
it's heartbreaking that the Iranian people are abused by this
regime the way they are. In the end, I mean,
this regime is not guys. I know I've said this.
I think I said this in my hearing before the
Senate when I got confirmed. I don't know of any
country in the world where there's a bigger difference between
the people and the people who run the country. Okay,
this country is run by radical Shia clerics, and that's
(40:50):
not what Iran and the Iranian people are now. They
may be Shia, but they're not radicals, and they're not clerics,
and they just want a normal life and a regular
life and in many ways a very cosmopolitan country with
a with an incredible history, incredible history and incredible legacy
and the like. So there's this huge divide between the
people of Iran, whom we sympathize with, and who the
president sympathized with because they're the ones suffering. Look, the
(41:11):
world is a victim of Iran. Okay, the world is
a victim of Iran because they're terrorists because of what
they're doing now in the streets. But the people of
Iran are daily victims of the regime, and the president
has deep sympathy for what they're going through, and I
think he's just expressing that sympathy and that frustration that
they don't have the ability to do more to get
rid of this regime that has crushed this country and
isolated it from the world, which is a country that
(41:33):
shouldn't be isolated from workers. It's people are phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
I wish I had like a dice go ahead. Yeah no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
right there, because I'm going to Italy. Way I thought
I'm not going to Okay, he's Italian. I know him.
He used to cover Capitol Hill. You're Italian, right for years?
For many years?
Speaker 12 (41:54):
Okay, two short questions for you, damn questions first as
you first, as you head to the Vatican in Italy,
how do you view the Pope's global role and it
current your political shift and what.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Are your objective?
Speaker 1 (42:10):
And it's kind of going around at this point. I'm
a pretty amazing press conference with the Secretary of State
Marco Rubio. For those people that have been just spreading
lies and misinformation, and propaganda about what the purpose of
America's involvement with Iran is and the necessity for it,
(42:31):
and what the President's motivation has been. At that point,
you can't argue with dumb and stupid because Uranian regime,
and he explained this in great detail, if they ever
had a nuclear weapon, forget about the straight of Horn moves,
they would be able to hold any water international waterway
they wanted hostage because that nuclear weapon or those nuclear
(42:54):
weapons would hold the world hostage. And this is what
Steve Whitkoff was saying when they were twelve away from
being able to enrich the sixty percent enriched uranium to
weapons grade ninety percent. And that is why every single
source I've ever had said to me over and over again,
the president had no choice but to act. Can I
(43:19):
convince people that want to believe conspiracy theories? Israel made
him do it, BB made him do it, Fox News
made him do it. No, I can't convince them. But
if you understand common sense, this is this is the necessity.
(43:58):
All right, everybody, we will be right back if le's
call eight hundred nine four one Sean. By the way,
there's more than that. We actually have Jim Jordan coming
up in mere moments. I did hear the music, you know, yes,
for the record, By the way, Marco Ruby has been
phenomenal in this entire press conference. It was, you know,
(44:21):
explaining if you had any doubt what was at stake
with Iran. I think he spelled it out as clearly
as anybody has. All Right, we'll continue
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Sean Hannity
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