WEBVTT 00:08.240 --> 00:10.240 I just wanted to provide you all an 00:10.240 --> 00:12.680 update on our ongoing efforts on 00:12.680 --> 00:15.230 Hurricane IDa . The president and his 00:15.230 --> 00:17.174 homeland security team are closely 00:17.174 --> 00:19.508 monitoring the impacts of hurricane IDa . 00:19.508 --> 00:22.320 As damage assessments continue . He has 00:22.320 --> 00:24.487 made clear that the state , tribal and 00:24.487 --> 00:26.598 local officials who have requests for 00:26.598 --> 00:28.931 anything have our full support . And we , 00:28.931 --> 00:31.098 of course in close contact today , the 00:31.098 --> 00:33.320 fema administrator and the American red 00:33.320 --> 00:35.320 Cross director in Louisiana to meet 00:35.320 --> 00:37.542 with the governor and survey the damage 00:37.542 --> 00:39.376 from Hurricane IDa Administrator 00:39.376 --> 00:39.290 Creswell . It will travel to 00:39.290 --> 00:41.512 Mississippi tomorrow to meet with state 00:41.512 --> 00:43.679 officials and as IDa continues to move 00:43.679 --> 00:45.901 to the northeast , we expect heavy rain 00:45.901 --> 00:48.068 to continue . There's life threatening 00:48.068 --> 00:50.012 flash flooding . Uh that remains a 00:50.012 --> 00:52.179 threat in west Virginia , pennsylvania 00:52.179 --> 00:54.401 D . C . And elsewhere In the Gulf coach 00:54.401 --> 00:56.679 search and rescue efforts are underway . 00:56.679 --> 00:58.734 12 urban search and rescue teams are 00:58.734 --> 01:00.846 currently operational in Louisiana to 01:00.846 --> 01:02.957 support state and local efforts . The 01:02.957 --> 01:04.957 Coast Guard has been doing overhead 01:04.957 --> 01:06.901 flights including in grand Isle to 01:06.901 --> 01:09.234 search for anyone in need of assistance . 01:09.234 --> 01:11.401 So far , urban search and rescue teams 01:11.401 --> 01:13.123 have assisted over hundreds of 01:13.123 --> 01:15.346 survivors and their work continues . Uh 01:15.346 --> 01:17.457 We're also in regular contact , which 01:17.457 --> 01:19.512 is a huge priority for people in the 01:19.512 --> 01:21.290 region with private electricity 01:21.290 --> 01:23.179 companies to ensure they have the 01:23.179 --> 01:25.179 resources they need as they work to 01:25.179 --> 01:25.110 restore power in Louisiana and 01:25.110 --> 01:27.560 Mississippi where more than 1.1 million 01:27.560 --> 01:30.140 customers remain without electricity . 01:30.140 --> 01:32.251 We've seen some people in Mississippi 01:32.251 --> 01:34.418 get electricity back and we're hopeful 01:34.418 --> 01:36.362 we'll see continued improvements . 01:36.362 --> 01:38.584 There are more than 25,000 Lineman from 01:38.584 --> 01:40.850 32 states in D . C . In the region 01:40.850 --> 01:43.410 racing to restore power And fema has 01:43.410 --> 01:45.880 staged nearly 250 generators in the 01:45.880 --> 01:47.824 region to support impacted areas . 01:47.824 --> 01:49.880 We're going to get more generates to 01:49.880 --> 01:51.769 the area to get more power to the 01:51.769 --> 01:53.769 emergency services that need it the 01:53.769 --> 01:55.880 most . We also want to make sure that 01:55.880 --> 01:57.936 individuals in the impacted areas of 01:57.936 --> 01:59.824 Louisiana know they can apply for 01:59.824 --> 02:02.047 federal assistance . We would encourage 02:02.047 --> 02:04.158 anyone in need of assistance to visit 02:04.158 --> 02:06.269 disaster assistance dot gov or call 1 02:06.269 --> 02:09.040 806 to 1 fema . As of this morning , 40 02:09.040 --> 02:11.040 shelters are open in affected areas 02:11.040 --> 02:13.096 throughout the gulf coast , fema has 02:13.096 --> 02:15.151 staged more than 4.4 million meals , 02:15.151 --> 02:17.207 three to million litres of water and 02:17.207 --> 02:19.484 more than 124,000 troops in the region . 02:19.484 --> 02:21.707 An additional ambulance crews have been 02:21.707 --> 02:23.318 transported to Louisiana and 02:23.318 --> 02:25.096 Mississippi . The Department of 02:25.096 --> 02:27.207 Transportation also issued a Regional 02:27.207 --> 02:29.040 Emergency Declaration for states 02:29.040 --> 02:30.762 including Alabama , Arkansas , 02:30.762 --> 02:32.762 Louisiana Mississippi Tennessee and 02:32.762 --> 02:34.651 texas , providing flexibility for 02:34.651 --> 02:36.818 transporting fuel as well as essential 02:36.818 --> 02:38.818 items like food , water and power , 02:38.818 --> 02:40.818 restoration equipment uh to support 02:40.818 --> 02:43.040 emergency relief efforts . And today we 02:43.040 --> 02:44.929 have two additional actions uh to 02:44.929 --> 02:47.040 announce to increase the availability 02:47.040 --> 02:49.207 of gasoline and ease price pressures . 02:49.207 --> 02:51.373 First , the department will extend and 02:51.373 --> 02:53.373 amend an emergency declaration that 02:53.373 --> 02:53.320 offers temporary flexibility to how 02:53.320 --> 02:55.480 many hours a truck driver can drive . 02:55.490 --> 02:57.601 This applies nationally to goods that 02:57.601 --> 02:59.768 support the Covid 19 response and will 02:59.768 --> 03:01.990 now include gasoline and other types of 03:01.990 --> 03:03.879 fuel building materials , medical 03:03.879 --> 03:06.101 supplies and food because the hurricane 03:06.101 --> 03:07.990 is hitting a region that is a key 03:07.990 --> 03:10.101 center of the nation's oil production 03:10.101 --> 03:09.990 and refining infrastructure . This 03:09.990 --> 03:12.101 waiver should help reduce the risk of 03:12.101 --> 03:14.212 gasoline shortages or price increases 03:14.212 --> 03:16.434 stemming from the hurricane D . O . T . 03:16.434 --> 03:18.657 S . Top priority remains safety in this 03:18.657 --> 03:20.657 waiver is accompanied by additional 03:20.657 --> 03:22.768 safety related reporting requirements 03:22.768 --> 03:24.712 to allow the department to monitor 03:24.712 --> 03:27.046 driver working hours . And second E . P . 03:27.046 --> 03:29.268 A . Has approved emergency fuel waivers 03:29.268 --> 03:31.490 for Louisiana and Mississippi effective 03:31.490 --> 03:30.950 immediately , which will expand the 03:30.950 --> 03:33.140 supply of gasoline that can be sold in 03:33.140 --> 03:34.807 these two states and increase 03:34.807 --> 03:37.300 availability at this critical time . We 03:37.300 --> 03:39.244 are continuing to assess and we'll 03:39.244 --> 03:41.356 continue to provide you all updates . 03:41.356 --> 03:43.467 Why don't you kick it off josh ? Good 03:43.467 --> 03:43.000 to see you . Good to see you . Thanks 03:43.000 --> 03:44.940 jen uh Two subjects . First on 03:44.940 --> 03:47.310 Afghanistan , the President said that 03:47.320 --> 03:49.540 any additional evacuations or go 03:49.540 --> 03:51.596 through diplomatic channels and that 03:51.596 --> 03:53.818 the United States has leverage over the 03:53.818 --> 03:55.984 taliban's . Can you tell us what those 03:55.984 --> 03:57.984 channels look like and what kind of 03:57.984 --> 03:59.818 leverage the United States has ? 03:59.818 --> 04:02.151 Absolutely . Well , first , I would say , 04:02.151 --> 04:04.373 I would point you to the remarks of the 04:04.373 --> 04:06.651 Secretary of State provided last night , 04:06.651 --> 04:08.818 but let me give you some highlights of 04:08.818 --> 04:10.929 that . We have enormous leverage over 04:10.929 --> 04:10.770 the Taliban , including access to the 04:10.770 --> 04:13.103 global marketplace . That's not a small , 04:13.140 --> 04:15.710 it's not a small piece of leverage and 04:15.710 --> 04:17.821 in order to gain access to the global 04:17.821 --> 04:19.599 marketplace . Uh we're gonna be 04:19.599 --> 04:21.599 watching closely as will the global 04:21.599 --> 04:23.821 community . I would note that yesterday 04:23.821 --> 04:25.710 the U . N . Security Council also 04:25.710 --> 04:27.766 signed a passed a resolution uh that 04:27.766 --> 04:29.877 made clear to what the expectation is 04:29.877 --> 04:31.543 in terms of safe travel uh an 04:31.543 --> 04:33.766 evacuation or departure I should say of 04:33.766 --> 04:35.432 individuals who want to leave 04:35.432 --> 04:37.377 Afghanistan and nearly half of the 04:37.377 --> 04:39.599 countries in the world have also signed 04:39.599 --> 04:41.766 on to a statement making clear that is 04:41.766 --> 04:43.988 the expectation , that's the diplomatic 04:43.988 --> 04:45.654 side and the other diplomatic 04:45.654 --> 04:47.821 components that our Secretary of State 04:47.821 --> 04:50.043 will be focused on include establishing 04:50.043 --> 04:50.030 a presence in Doha , which is already 04:50.030 --> 04:52.086 underway , which is a place where we 04:52.086 --> 04:53.697 will be able to operate from 04:53.697 --> 04:55.863 diplomatically . So we can have access 04:55.863 --> 04:57.919 with consular officers and diplomats 04:57.919 --> 05:00.030 who can engage with american citizens 05:00.030 --> 05:02.197 or others our afghan partners who want 05:02.197 --> 05:04.308 to depart . We're working to set that 05:04.308 --> 05:06.530 up now . Uh the other pieces engagement 05:06.530 --> 05:08.586 with the taliban which will continue 05:08.586 --> 05:10.641 through our ongoing channels that we 05:10.641 --> 05:12.863 have with the taliban on the diplomatic 05:12.863 --> 05:14.974 front . The other piece of this which 05:14.974 --> 05:16.919 is very important is operational , 05:16.919 --> 05:18.919 which is opening the airport uh and 05:18.919 --> 05:20.919 regional airports and also ensuring 05:20.919 --> 05:23.030 that there is overland travel that is 05:23.030 --> 05:25.197 possible , which means departing being 05:25.197 --> 05:27.252 able to leave across borders and the 05:27.252 --> 05:27.040 president touched on this in his 05:27.040 --> 05:29.130 statement on the airport front . The 05:29.130 --> 05:31.186 more specific piece we're working on 05:31.186 --> 05:33.241 with the country's and the Turks who 05:33.241 --> 05:35.140 are uh important partners here is 05:35.140 --> 05:36.973 getting the civilian side of the 05:36.973 --> 05:38.973 airport up and operational again so 05:38.973 --> 05:41.560 that we can use that not just for uh 05:41.570 --> 05:43.626 for flights , for people to depart , 05:43.626 --> 05:45.792 but also for humanitarian assistance , 05:45.792 --> 05:48.014 which we work through programs like the 05:48.014 --> 05:49.848 World Food Program and others to 05:49.848 --> 05:51.959 distribute . So there are a number of 05:51.959 --> 05:53.848 channels , this is a priority the 05:53.848 --> 05:55.903 Secretary of State will be leading , 05:55.903 --> 05:58.126 they'll continue to provide updates and 05:58.126 --> 06:00.181 we're hoping to make progress in the 06:00.181 --> 06:02.181 coming days . And secondly , on the 06:02.181 --> 06:04.403 economy , you asked the other day about 06:04.403 --> 06:03.970 the expiration of the extended 06:03.970 --> 06:06.140 unemployment benefits . We know the 06:06.140 --> 06:08.251 black unemployment in this country is 06:08.251 --> 06:10.810 above 8% it's above 7% in new york 06:10.820 --> 06:13.960 Nevada , Illinois , California with the 06:13.960 --> 06:15.960 expiration . How do you ensure that 06:15.960 --> 06:18.016 people in those places still get the 06:18.016 --> 06:20.250 support they need ? You're right Josh . 06:20.250 --> 06:22.361 It's vitally important to look at the 06:22.361 --> 06:24.028 fact that there are different 06:24.028 --> 06:26.194 circumstances in different states . So 06:26.194 --> 06:28.417 if we just take a step back and look at 06:28.417 --> 06:30.194 the national landscape on these 06:30.194 --> 06:32.139 benefits , uh in about half of all 06:32.139 --> 06:34.361 states , 24 governors have already made 06:34.361 --> 06:36.306 the decision to eliminate pandemic 06:36.306 --> 06:38.528 unemployment benefits . That's a choice 06:38.528 --> 06:40.472 they have made In the remaining 26 06:40.472 --> 06:42.361 states , unemployment levels very 06:42.361 --> 06:44.417 pretty widely . From three To 7% and 06:44.417 --> 06:46.306 half of these remaining states of 06:46.306 --> 06:48.306 unemployment rates that are already 06:48.306 --> 06:50.417 less than 5% . So there are differing 06:50.417 --> 06:52.639 needs in different states and governors 06:52.639 --> 06:54.750 are making different decisions . What 06:54.750 --> 06:56.472 we're trying to do and what we 06:56.472 --> 06:56.240 announced about two weeks ago , but 06:56.240 --> 06:58.462 obviously there was a lot of news going 06:58.462 --> 07:01.120 on is our effort to put new tools in 07:01.120 --> 07:03.120 place to help states that choose to 07:03.120 --> 07:05.176 further extend pandemic unemployment 07:05.176 --> 07:07.398 benefits because of those needs because 07:07.398 --> 07:09.398 Uh their states like those you have 07:09.398 --> 07:11.509 mentioned or because they have higher 07:11.509 --> 07:13.509 rates of unemployment among African 07:13.509 --> 07:15.509 Americans or other groups that need 07:15.509 --> 07:15.490 additional assistance . So the 07:15.490 --> 07:17.712 Secretary of Treasury and the Secretary 07:17.712 --> 07:19.934 of Department of Labor sent a letter to 07:19.934 --> 07:21.879 chairman widen and chairman Neil , 07:21.879 --> 07:24.046 underscoring and affirming that states 07:24.046 --> 07:26.101 can use their allocations of the 350 07:26.101 --> 07:26.010 billion of state and local fiscal 07:26.010 --> 07:28.121 relief funds included in the American 07:28.121 --> 07:30.343 rescue plan that is funding that can be 07:30.343 --> 07:32.566 used . The Department of Labor has also 07:32.566 --> 07:34.454 made $90 million in career grants 07:34.454 --> 07:36.399 available to support comprehensive 07:36.399 --> 07:38.621 reemployment services for all americans 07:38.621 --> 07:40.843 and 100 and $46 million in reemployment 07:40.843 --> 07:43.010 services and eligibility assessments . 07:43.010 --> 07:45.232 And the Department of Labor also sent a 07:45.232 --> 07:47.454 letter uh just last week to states with 07:47.454 --> 07:46.960 information about how to leverage 07:46.960 --> 07:49.071 existing UI program infrastructure to 07:49.071 --> 07:51.238 leverage to deliver ongoing support To 07:51.238 --> 07:53.404 unemployed workers . We have also been 07:53.404 --> 07:55.516 engaging directly with states . We've 07:55.516 --> 07:57.627 been engaged now with about 30 states 07:57.627 --> 07:59.738 and counting to talk about what their 07:59.738 --> 08:01.738 specific needs are and how programs 08:01.738 --> 08:03.849 that are available can be eligible to 08:03.849 --> 08:06.016 people in their states . What uh first 08:06.016 --> 08:07.627 on idea . Thank you for that 08:07.627 --> 08:09.738 information . You still tracking that 08:09.738 --> 08:12.071 he might go to the region at some point . 08:12.071 --> 08:14.238 He certainly is open to that . What he 08:14.238 --> 08:16.460 does not want to do is interrupt rescue 08:16.460 --> 08:18.560 and uh uh recovery efforts which as 08:18.560 --> 08:20.560 many of you may or may not know who 08:20.560 --> 08:22.449 have covered hurricanes before uh 08:22.449 --> 08:24.671 people leaving their homes and going to 08:24.671 --> 08:26.893 evacuation centres that can increase in 08:26.893 --> 08:29.004 the days ahead . It isn't always just 08:29.004 --> 08:31.171 in the day after . And certainly there 08:31.171 --> 08:30.830 are ongoing efforts on the ground , as 08:30.830 --> 08:33.052 I just noted . So he's open to that . I 08:33.052 --> 08:35.274 don't have anything to announce at this 08:35.274 --> 08:37.497 point in time . Obviously the president 08:37.497 --> 08:36.990 of the United States going to a region 08:36.990 --> 08:40.730 takes a lot of resources on Afghanistan . 08:41.540 --> 08:44.210 Is there any sense of if and how many 08:44.210 --> 08:47.360 americans might have left today ? Is 08:47.360 --> 08:49.527 there even a way to track that the U . 08:49.527 --> 08:51.749 S . Government at this point ? Well , I 08:51.749 --> 08:53.860 will say we remain in touch through a 08:53.860 --> 08:56.193 range of means of communication , email , 08:56.193 --> 08:58.416 text , WhatsApp . That's something that 08:58.416 --> 09:00.527 we could certainly do from here . But 09:00.527 --> 09:02.582 also having a presence in Doha . And 09:02.582 --> 09:04.582 diplomats in the region will enable 09:04.582 --> 09:07.800 that to happen locally or close by as 09:07.800 --> 09:09.911 well . I don't have an update for you 09:09.911 --> 09:12.133 on the numbers but that's something the 09:12.133 --> 09:14.189 State Department would have the best 09:14.189 --> 09:16.244 assessment of . We have asked him to 09:16.244 --> 09:18.467 talk a little bit about the president's 09:18.467 --> 09:21.360 mood over the last few days or his you 09:21.360 --> 09:23.530 know , his sense of all of this . Few 09:23.530 --> 09:26.190 of us observed , he seemed angry at the 09:26.200 --> 09:28.810 beginning of the speech today . Who is 09:28.810 --> 09:32.610 he mad at ? I would say I'll give you a 09:32.610 --> 09:34.666 different assessment of what I saw , 09:34.666 --> 09:36.700 which is that he gave a forceful 09:36.710 --> 09:39.240 assessment , laid out a forceful case 09:39.240 --> 09:41.560 to the American people as to why it was 09:41.560 --> 09:44.460 time to wind down a 20-year war . Uh 09:44.470 --> 09:47.280 that has led to the loss of thousands 09:47.280 --> 09:49.480 of lives . And in his view . And I 09:49.480 --> 09:51.480 think he made a firm case of this . 09:51.480 --> 09:53.369 It's not in our national security 09:53.369 --> 09:55.536 interest to be on the ground anymore . 09:55.536 --> 09:57.647 North Korea , the ongoing situation . 09:57.647 --> 09:59.758 And what's your current understanding 09:59.758 --> 10:01.591 of what they're doing with their 10:01.591 --> 10:03.758 nuclear program ? Is there any renewed 10:03.758 --> 10:07.440 outreach kim jong un ? Well , we 10:07.440 --> 10:09.551 have left the door open and obviously 10:09.551 --> 10:11.607 reached out through our channels . I 10:11.607 --> 10:13.718 don't have an update for you in terms 10:13.718 --> 10:15.829 of uh any response to our offer offer 10:15.829 --> 10:17.662 remains to meet anywhere anytime 10:17.662 --> 10:19.718 without preconditions were obviously 10:19.718 --> 10:21.773 aware of the reports we've seen over 10:21.773 --> 10:23.718 the last 24 hours and were closely 10:23.718 --> 10:25.551 coordinating with our allies and 10:25.551 --> 10:27.662 partners on developments in assessing 10:27.662 --> 10:29.829 closely Gotcha , The president said in 10:29.829 --> 10:32.100 his remarks just a short time ago that 10:32.110 --> 10:35.040 in April a deadline was set for August 10:35.050 --> 10:37.640 31 in fact in his April remarks . He 10:37.640 --> 10:39.970 set a deadline 1st September 11 . So 10:39.970 --> 10:42.490 what changed over these last few months 10:42.490 --> 10:44.860 between the August 31 deadline and the 10:44.860 --> 10:47.027 September 11 initial deadline was that 10:47.140 --> 10:49.460 The deadline agreed to a new timeframe 10:49.460 --> 10:51.627 agreed to by the Taliban are suggested 10:51.627 --> 10:53.682 by them or by this administration or 10:53.682 --> 10:55.627 what's the discrepancy there . The 10:55.627 --> 10:57.627 military gave their assessment that 10:57.627 --> 11:00.620 they needed 120 days to wind down our 11:00.620 --> 11:02.787 presence in Afghanistan . So we abided 11:02.787 --> 11:05.120 by that . But in the April speech 11:05.170 --> 11:08.200 September 11 was the day The August 31 11:08.210 --> 11:12.030 date just arrived between april and 11:12.030 --> 11:15.060 now . And he bases strategic decisions . 11:15.070 --> 11:16.959 I mean , a tactical decisions , I 11:16.959 --> 11:18.760 should say on the advice of the 11:18.760 --> 11:20.871 military and commanders on the ground 11:20.871 --> 11:23.070 and the timeline they needed to wind 11:23.070 --> 11:25.600 down our presence and hence here we are . 11:25.610 --> 11:27.832 It was his timeline though , it was not 11:27.832 --> 11:30.054 the taliban's timeline . So he moved up 11:30.054 --> 11:32.166 the timeline to August 30 person . We 11:32.166 --> 11:34.280 needed 120 days and we abided by the 11:34.280 --> 11:37.960 advice of the military , Jeff , jen 11:37.970 --> 11:39.914 does , can you clarify whether the 11:39.914 --> 11:42.137 United States has an agreement with the 11:42.137 --> 11:45.490 taliban to allow more americans and 11:45.490 --> 11:47.920 other afghans to eat the cookie ? Well , 11:47.920 --> 11:50.800 I will say Jeff that it is are not just 11:50.810 --> 11:52.990 our expectation , but also the 11:52.990 --> 11:55.400 expectation of 100 countries around the 11:55.400 --> 11:57.660 world . The U . N . Security council 11:57.670 --> 11:59.960 and others that the taliban will abide 11:59.960 --> 12:02.450 by what they committed to last friday , 12:02.460 --> 12:04.682 which is the ability of people to leave 12:04.682 --> 12:06.682 Afghanistan . Should they choose to 12:06.682 --> 12:08.849 leave ? Uh there do need to be ongoing 12:08.849 --> 12:11.127 diplomatic negotiations or discussions . 12:11.127 --> 12:13.293 I should say that's a part of what the 12:13.293 --> 12:15.516 Secretary of state and his team will be 12:15.516 --> 12:17.516 leading . But I would note that the 12:17.516 --> 12:19.404 taliban conveyed that on friday a 12:19.404 --> 12:21.460 leader of the Taliban . Again , more 12:21.460 --> 12:23.682 than half of the countries in the world 12:23.682 --> 12:25.960 have conveyed clearly what they expect . 12:25.960 --> 12:25.930 And the U . N . Security Council signed 12:25.930 --> 12:28.041 a resolution yesterday . So those are 12:28.041 --> 12:30.152 the diplomatic pieces that have moved 12:30.152 --> 12:32.374 forward but this will be a top priority 12:32.374 --> 12:34.486 in the days ahead . The president was 12:34.486 --> 12:36.708 critical today and has been critical of 12:36.708 --> 12:36.630 President trump's former President 12:36.630 --> 12:39.580 trump's deal with the Taliban . Given 12:39.580 --> 12:41.210 that I'm wondering if this 12:41.210 --> 12:43.400 administration of this President gave 12:43.410 --> 12:45.730 any consideration to not moving on to 12:45.740 --> 12:48.280 former president trump's special envoy 12:48.280 --> 12:51.210 to Afghanistan . He stayed on look I 12:51.210 --> 12:53.470 think the president wanted to be clear 12:53.470 --> 12:55.730 about what he was left when he took 12:55.730 --> 12:57.563 office and he laid that out very 12:57.563 --> 13:00.120 clearly in his speech . But just to 13:00.120 --> 13:02.287 reiterate since he gave me a couple an 13:02.287 --> 13:04.453 opportunity . A couple of the points . 13:04.453 --> 13:06.453 Um when the President took office , 13:06.453 --> 13:08.398 there was a deadline that was just 13:08.398 --> 13:10.509 three months away . That included for 13:10.509 --> 13:12.676 me first , that include no requirement 13:12.676 --> 13:14.898 that the Taliban work out a cooperative 13:14.898 --> 13:16.898 governing agreement with the Afghan 13:16.898 --> 13:18.731 government . It did release 5000 13:18.731 --> 13:20.842 prisoners last year including some of 13:20.842 --> 13:22.953 the Taliban's top war commanders . So 13:22.953 --> 13:24.953 the president was walking into that 13:24.953 --> 13:27.009 circumstance . Uh he wanted to leave 13:27.009 --> 13:29.064 Afghanistan . It's a war he has long 13:29.064 --> 13:31.120 felt we needed to depart from . He's 13:31.120 --> 13:33.231 he's felt that was long overdue . But 13:33.231 --> 13:35.398 that was a circumstance he walked into 13:35.398 --> 13:37.509 and frankly , there's a little bit of 13:37.509 --> 13:39.676 selective memory loss from some of the 13:39.676 --> 13:39.110 people who served in the last 13:39.110 --> 13:40.610 administration about these 13:40.610 --> 13:42.388 circumstances . My question was 13:42.388 --> 13:45.840 actually why why hold on to the Afghan 13:45.860 --> 13:47.916 and U . S . Envoy to Afghanistan who 13:47.916 --> 13:50.082 served under president trump ? Why did 13:50.082 --> 13:51.900 President biden hold on to the 13:51.900 --> 13:54.122 President has made changes where he saw 13:54.122 --> 13:56.233 fit and has not made changes where he 13:56.233 --> 13:58.233 felt the person continues to be the 13:58.233 --> 13:58.000 right person for the job . That's not a 13:58.000 --> 14:00.660 political decision . Go ahead . Okay , 14:01.040 --> 14:03.207 so we heard from the National Security 14:03.207 --> 14:05.429 Advisor , Jake Sullivan this morning on 14:05.429 --> 14:07.540 Good morning America . He's mentioned 14:07.540 --> 14:09.651 that 90% of those on the ground there 14:09.651 --> 14:11.762 in Afghanistan and a small number who 14:11.762 --> 14:13.790 remained , they have reached out uh 14:13.800 --> 14:16.650 they got out as many people as as they 14:16.660 --> 14:19.870 could uh is the administration 14:19.870 --> 14:22.037 essentially placing blame on americans 14:22.037 --> 14:24.092 who could not get to the airport any 14:24.092 --> 14:26.280 time . I think what the president 14:26.280 --> 14:28.391 stated clearly . And I know that Jake 14:28.391 --> 14:30.391 Sullivan has stated clearly and our 14:30.391 --> 14:32.613 Secretary of State has stated clearly , 14:32.613 --> 14:34.836 is that our commitment remains uh there 14:34.836 --> 14:36.780 is not an end to our commitment to 14:36.780 --> 14:38.391 american citizens who are in 14:38.391 --> 14:40.558 Afghanistan who want to leave . That's 14:40.558 --> 14:42.669 the same for any country in the world 14:42.669 --> 14:44.891 for american citizens who want to leave 14:44.891 --> 14:44.280 and want to come home to the United 14:44.280 --> 14:46.502 States . It's also important for people 14:46.502 --> 14:48.724 to note and understand what the process 14:48.724 --> 14:50.891 has been and what we've undergone over 14:50.891 --> 14:53.113 the past few months and that's what the 14:53.113 --> 14:55.169 President laid out . Uh and we think 14:55.169 --> 14:55.090 it's still important for the american 14:55.090 --> 14:57.090 people here in the United States to 14:57.090 --> 14:59.312 understand that one of al Qaeda . So we 14:59.312 --> 15:01.368 heard from the President saying that 15:01.368 --> 15:03.590 one of the many reasons to go into this 15:03.590 --> 15:06.150 war was to get al Qaeda . We have heard 15:06.150 --> 15:08.261 that Osama bin laden security because 15:08.261 --> 15:11.150 reportedly returned to Afghanistan has 15:11.150 --> 15:13.094 been seen in public . Do you still 15:13.094 --> 15:15.039 believe or does the administration 15:15.039 --> 15:17.094 believe that al Qaeda is no longer a 15:17.094 --> 15:19.150 threat to America and given the ISIS 15:19.150 --> 15:21.150 attacks that we've seen in the last 15:21.150 --> 15:22.706 week , how confident is the 15:22.706 --> 15:24.940 administration that Afghanistan isn't 15:24.940 --> 15:27.360 already a safe haven for terrorists ? 15:27.540 --> 15:29.596 Well , I think first there is a very 15:29.596 --> 15:31.484 big difference between terrorists 15:31.484 --> 15:33.484 ability to attack U . S . Troops in 15:33.484 --> 15:35.820 Kabul and to attack the homeland . And 15:35.820 --> 15:37.820 we have , we do not assess that any 15:37.820 --> 15:39.931 terrorist group on the ground has the 15:39.931 --> 15:42.042 ability to attack the homeland in the 15:42.042 --> 15:44.098 United States . It is incumbent upon 15:44.098 --> 15:46.209 the President , the national security 15:46.209 --> 15:48.264 team to prevent that from ever being 15:48.264 --> 15:48.070 the case . But there is a very big 15:48.080 --> 15:51.960 difference between those two . But come 15:53.340 --> 15:56.040 I know that the military obviously 15:56.050 --> 15:58.161 recommended to the President at least 15:58.161 --> 15:59.994 you said they recommended to the 15:59.994 --> 16:01.939 President that it would be best to 16:01.939 --> 16:04.390 leave , Keep that August 31 deadline . 16:04.400 --> 16:06.940 But the president himself in his 16:06.940 --> 16:10.030 interview with ACC News that if there's 16:10.040 --> 16:11.984 american citizens left , but we're 16:11.984 --> 16:14.151 gonna stay until we get them all out . 16:15.430 --> 16:17.374 I think the president's understand 16:17.374 --> 16:20.250 explained his rationale for leaving 100 16:20.250 --> 16:22.250 plus Americans behind . But can you 16:22.250 --> 16:26.170 talk about why he allowed his 16:26.170 --> 16:28.337 credibility on this issue that sort of 16:28.337 --> 16:30.503 go out the door on making a promise in 16:30.503 --> 16:32.880 the neck ? Well , first , I would say 16:32.880 --> 16:35.102 that the president remains committed to 16:35.102 --> 16:37.047 getting every american citizen who 16:37.047 --> 16:39.213 wants to get out out . That's , that's 16:39.213 --> 16:41.380 an enduring commitment . One that will 16:41.380 --> 16:43.436 not change . And when we're going to 16:43.436 --> 16:45.380 focus on every single day , uh , I 16:45.380 --> 16:47.436 would also note , um , that over the 16:47.436 --> 16:49.602 course of the last two weeks , we have 16:49.602 --> 16:51.713 seen a terrorist attack that Took the 16:51.713 --> 16:53.790 lives of 13 of our service members . 16:53.940 --> 16:56.040 And there was a part of our , our 16:56.040 --> 16:58.520 assessment always is going to be uh , 16:58.530 --> 17:01.520 the risks risk assessment . So I think 17:01.520 --> 17:03.640 the question was , do you leave 6000 17:03.640 --> 17:05.251 service members as there are 17:05.251 --> 17:08.400 heightening threats , heightening risks 17:08.410 --> 17:10.570 every single day ? Or do you work 17:10.570 --> 17:12.570 through a diplomatic process and 17:12.570 --> 17:14.792 efforts to ensure that we will have the 17:14.792 --> 17:16.959 ability to get these american citizens 17:16.959 --> 17:19.181 out . That's the assessment we made the 17:19.181 --> 17:21.292 terror attack . You and he made clear 17:21.292 --> 17:23.181 that you weren't going to let the 17:23.181 --> 17:25.348 terrorist sort of dictate the timeline 17:25.348 --> 17:27.514 and we didn't and we evacuated tens of 17:27.514 --> 17:29.570 thousands of people . Since then , I 17:29.570 --> 17:31.737 guess . Can you , was it a mistake for 17:31.737 --> 17:33.903 the president to have promised that we 17:33.903 --> 17:36.014 would remain until everybody left the 17:36.014 --> 17:38.014 country . We are going to get every 17:38.014 --> 17:37.990 american citizen out that has not 17:37.990 --> 17:41.080 changed on um you mentioned the 17:41.080 --> 17:43.460 leverage that we might have . How 17:43.470 --> 17:45.637 access to the global marketplace was a 17:45.637 --> 17:48.000 big element of that . Can you kind of 17:48.000 --> 17:50.520 explain how the sanctions regime that's 17:50.520 --> 17:52.576 currently on the taliban is going to 17:52.576 --> 17:54.742 apply to what is now the government of 17:54.742 --> 17:56.770 Afghanistan ? Is there a chance for 17:57.140 --> 17:59.610 Afghanistan , the country to access its 17:59.610 --> 18:03.300 reserves or sort of ? But 18:03.310 --> 18:06.580 because yeah , avoid those sanctions , 18:07.020 --> 18:09.076 the central bank , these sanctions , 18:09.076 --> 18:11.242 are they going to have that ability as 18:11.242 --> 18:13.353 part of this sort of partnership that 18:13.353 --> 18:15.576 you talked about ? Well , it's going to 18:15.576 --> 18:17.631 be based on what their behavior is . 18:17.631 --> 18:19.520 And I think the President clearly 18:19.520 --> 18:21.631 outlined that we're gonna be watching 18:21.631 --> 18:23.742 as the world will uh what the taliban 18:23.742 --> 18:25.631 does . That is certainly allowing 18:25.631 --> 18:27.576 american citizens to depart . It's 18:27.576 --> 18:29.520 certainly allowing afghans and our 18:29.520 --> 18:32.390 partners to depart . It's also how they 18:32.390 --> 18:34.501 operate as it relates to treatment of 18:34.501 --> 18:36.501 women , to human rights . There's a 18:36.501 --> 18:38.557 range of factors at play here . So I 18:38.557 --> 18:40.834 don't have anything to predict for you . 18:40.834 --> 18:42.834 Obviously , there's a great deal of 18:42.834 --> 18:44.779 economic leverage . You referenced 18:44.779 --> 18:46.990 sanctions that are already in place uh 18:47.000 --> 18:49.167 that we have that the global community 18:49.167 --> 18:51.333 has and will have to assess how things 18:51.333 --> 18:53.389 happen over the course of the coming 18:53.389 --> 18:55.667 days , weeks and months ahead , Jackie , 18:56.040 --> 18:58.207 one question on the dignified transfer 18:58.207 --> 19:00.429 and I want to get to Afghanistan . Some 19:00.429 --> 19:02.151 of the Gold star families have 19:02.151 --> 19:04.207 criticized the President President's 19:04.207 --> 19:06.207 conduct at the dignified transfer . 19:06.207 --> 19:08.440 There was a father of one marine who 19:08.440 --> 19:10.607 said that the president appeared to be 19:10.607 --> 19:12.773 checking his watch every time of black 19:12.773 --> 19:14.773 drape transfer case came out of the 19:14.773 --> 19:17.290 plane and a sister of another marine 19:17.300 --> 19:19.189 said that it felt like a fake and 19:19.189 --> 19:21.240 scripted apology . Um , was the 19:21.250 --> 19:23.472 president looking at his watch And does 19:23.472 --> 19:25.800 he have a message to those people who 19:25.810 --> 19:28.700 felt that they were offended ? Well , I 19:28.700 --> 19:31.160 would say his message to all of the 19:31.170 --> 19:33.281 family members who were there . Those 19:33.281 --> 19:36.170 who were not even in attendance is uh , 19:36.180 --> 19:39.630 that he is uh , grateful to their sons 19:39.630 --> 19:42.250 and daughters . The sacrifice they made 19:42.250 --> 19:44.850 to the country that he knows . Uh , 19:44.860 --> 19:46.950 firsthand what it's like to lose a 19:46.950 --> 19:49.006 child . And the fact that no one can 19:49.006 --> 19:51.172 tell you , uh anything or say anything 19:51.172 --> 19:53.283 or there's no words that are going to 19:53.283 --> 19:55.750 fill that hole that is left by that . 19:55.760 --> 19:57.871 Uh , he's not going to speak to . And 19:57.871 --> 19:59.982 I'm not going to speak to the private 19:59.982 --> 20:02.204 conversations . Of course they have the 20:02.204 --> 20:04.149 right uh , to convey whatever they 20:04.149 --> 20:06.260 would like . But I will tell you from 20:06.260 --> 20:08.316 spending a lot of time with him over 20:08.316 --> 20:10.316 the past couple of days that he was 20:10.316 --> 20:12.538 deeply impacted by these family members 20:12.538 --> 20:15.510 who he met uh , just two days ago that 20:15.510 --> 20:17.590 he talks about them frequently in 20:17.590 --> 20:20.100 meetings and and the incredible service 20:20.100 --> 20:21.878 and sacrifice of their sons and 20:21.878 --> 20:24.100 daughters . That is not going to change 20:24.100 --> 20:26.100 their suffering . But I wanted to 20:26.100 --> 20:29.670 convey that still good on the future 20:29.670 --> 20:32.110 aid to the Taliban that Jake Sullivan 20:32.110 --> 20:34.110 was talking about this morning . He 20:34.110 --> 20:36.420 said when it comes to Economic and 20:36.420 --> 20:39.110 Development Assistance , the 20:39.120 --> 20:41.231 relationship with the Taliban will be 20:41.231 --> 20:43.342 about the Taliban actions . Should we 20:43.342 --> 20:45.120 understand that to mean that um 20:45.120 --> 20:47.120 Economic and development assistance 20:47.120 --> 20:49.430 could could translate to taxpayer money 20:49.430 --> 20:51.652 eventually going to the Taliban at some 20:51.652 --> 20:53.819 point . I know it's different from the 20:53.819 --> 20:53.690 humanitarian aid . We've been talking 20:53.690 --> 20:55.720 about the World Food Programme and 20:55.730 --> 20:57.841 things like that . But these specific 20:57.841 --> 20:59.730 references that someone made this 20:59.730 --> 21:01.730 morning . Well , I would I would go 21:01.730 --> 21:03.952 back to kind of the earlier question on 21:03.952 --> 21:06.008 this , There's an enormous amount of 21:06.008 --> 21:08.174 money they have at the Federal and the 21:08.174 --> 21:07.830 Federal Reserve . I shouldn't say they 21:07.840 --> 21:09.896 the government of Afghanistan has in 21:09.896 --> 21:12.062 the Federal Reserve , which they don't 21:12.062 --> 21:13.951 have access to right now . That's 21:13.951 --> 21:16.118 actually their money that's being held 21:16.118 --> 21:17.896 there . Uh So that's one of the 21:17.896 --> 21:20.118 questions here . They're also sanctions 21:20.118 --> 21:19.470 that are in place and a number of 21:19.470 --> 21:21.470 leaders , obviously , that prevents 21:21.470 --> 21:23.470 them from doing business in various 21:23.470 --> 21:25.470 parts of the world . I think that's 21:25.470 --> 21:27.692 really what Jake Sullivan was referring 21:27.692 --> 21:29.914 to . But to get back real quick to this 21:29.914 --> 21:31.914 leverage this issue of leverage . I 21:31.914 --> 21:33.914 understand the U . S . Plans to use 21:33.914 --> 21:35.970 that leverage for safe passage . But 21:35.970 --> 21:38.192 what specifically does the U . S . Also 21:38.192 --> 21:40.359 want to see from the taliban that they 21:40.359 --> 21:42.414 would use that leverage to get ? You 21:42.414 --> 21:44.359 mentioned human rights are women's 21:44.359 --> 21:46.470 rights . Will the US use its leverage 21:46.470 --> 21:48.526 if for example , the taliban doesn't 21:48.526 --> 21:50.637 have girls to go to school or appears 21:50.637 --> 21:52.803 to be violating basic women's rights . 21:52.840 --> 21:55.007 I think the President said that in his 21:55.007 --> 21:57.118 speech , okay , so things like access 21:57.118 --> 21:59.062 to the global marketplace would be 21:59.062 --> 22:01.284 contingent on girls being able to go to 22:01.284 --> 22:03.451 school women's fundamental women . I'm 22:03.451 --> 22:05.673 not here to outline specific parameters 22:05.673 --> 22:07.562 for you . But what I can tell you 22:07.562 --> 22:10.150 broadly is that human rights , women's 22:10.150 --> 22:12.490 rights are certainly what the United 22:12.490 --> 22:14.546 States and also the global community 22:14.546 --> 22:16.768 will be looking at . The President also 22:16.768 --> 22:18.990 said in his speech that that assumption 22:18.990 --> 22:21.340 about how long the afghan government 22:21.340 --> 22:23.451 would hold on , how long the military 22:23.451 --> 22:25.118 would be able to hold on . He 22:25.118 --> 22:27.118 acknowledged that that was a failed 22:27.118 --> 22:29.118 assumption . Who is responsible for 22:29.118 --> 22:31.062 that assumption ? Is the president 22:31.062 --> 22:33.062 frustrated with his team at all for 22:33.062 --> 22:35.229 having made that false assumption . We 22:35.229 --> 22:36.951 don't have the luxury of being 22:36.951 --> 22:39.118 frustrated . Our focus right now is on 22:39.118 --> 22:41.173 uh continuing to move forward on our 22:41.173 --> 22:43.970 diplomatic efforts and continuing to do 22:43.970 --> 22:45.970 everything we can to get our afghan 22:45.970 --> 22:48.137 partners and american citizens out And 22:48.137 --> 22:50.248 to get Afghans who have fought by our 22:50.248 --> 22:52.137 side safely settled in the United 22:52.137 --> 22:54.137 States and 3rd countries around the 22:54.137 --> 22:56.303 world . Go ahead . Military assumption 22:56.303 --> 22:58.470 though , was that assumption ? I don't 22:58.470 --> 23:00.581 think anyone assessed that they would 23:00.581 --> 23:00.290 collapse as quickly as they did . 23:00.300 --> 23:02.411 Anyone , anyone in this room ? Anyone 23:02.411 --> 23:04.578 in the region ? Anyone anywhere in the 23:04.578 --> 23:06.633 world . If you have anyone who did , 23:06.633 --> 23:08.856 I'd be surprised . Go ahead . Thanks to 23:08.856 --> 23:10.744 the Afghan interpreter who helped 23:10.744 --> 23:12.967 rescue . Then Senator joe biden when he 23:12.967 --> 23:14.578 was stranded 13 years ago in 23:14.578 --> 23:16.744 Afghanistan is now in hiding . He told 23:16.744 --> 23:18.967 the Wall Street Journal Journal . Hello 23:18.967 --> 23:21.189 Mr . President saved me and my family . 23:21.189 --> 23:23.356 Don't forget me . What's your response 23:23.356 --> 23:25.467 to him and why is he and other Afghan 23:25.467 --> 23:27.633 allies like him still in the country ? 23:27.633 --> 23:29.689 If the president believes as he said 23:29.689 --> 23:31.356 today that the mission was an 23:31.356 --> 23:33.522 extraordinary success ? Well , I would 23:33.522 --> 23:35.633 say first our message to him is thank 23:35.633 --> 23:37.689 you for fighting by our side for the 23:37.689 --> 23:39.856 last 20 years . Thank you for the role 23:39.856 --> 23:41.967 you played and helping a number of my 23:41.967 --> 23:44.360 favorite people out of a snowstorm and 23:44.360 --> 23:46.550 for all of the work you did . And our 23:46.560 --> 23:48.504 commitment is enduring not just to 23:48.504 --> 23:50.504 American citizens but to our Afghan 23:50.504 --> 23:52.830 partners who have fought by our side 23:52.840 --> 23:55.062 and our efforts and our focus right now 23:55.062 --> 23:57.173 is as you heard general Mackenzie say 23:57.173 --> 23:59.284 and others say over the last 24 hours 23:59.284 --> 24:01.440 is to the diplomatic phase . We will 24:01.440 --> 24:03.280 get you out . We will honor your 24:03.280 --> 24:05.336 service and we're committed to doing 24:05.336 --> 24:08.410 exactly that . But thanks so much , jen 24:08.420 --> 24:10.364 just to build on some of things my 24:10.364 --> 24:12.309 colleagues were saying , President 24:12.309 --> 24:15.300 biden said americans who were given 24:15.310 --> 24:18.130 multiple chances to leave dating back 24:18.130 --> 24:20.520 several months , but things have you 24:20.520 --> 24:23.270 just noted changed dramatically in the 24:23.270 --> 24:25.780 last few weeks . My question is how 24:25.780 --> 24:28.002 many of those families said they wanted 24:28.002 --> 24:30.780 to stay in Afghanistan in the last few 24:30.790 --> 24:33.010 weeks , 23 weeks . And is it really 24:33.010 --> 24:35.380 fair to say for the president to say 24:35.380 --> 24:37.436 that they didn't leave when they had 24:37.436 --> 24:40.080 the chance . As you just mentioned , no 24:40.080 --> 24:42.600 one expected the collapse uh has 24:42.600 --> 24:44.656 happened . And the president himself 24:44.656 --> 24:47.220 for months was publicly saying that the 24:47.220 --> 24:49.331 taliban would not be running things . 24:49.640 --> 24:52.020 Um and that this and also that this 24:52.030 --> 24:54.900 exit would be safe and organized . Well , 24:54.910 --> 24:57.070 I would say first that no one is 24:57.070 --> 24:58.970 placing blame here . I think it's 24:58.970 --> 25:00.914 important for people to understand 25:00.914 --> 25:03.220 though what the process has been and uh 25:03.230 --> 25:05.630 well there are between 100 and 200 25:05.630 --> 25:07.574 American citizens who have not yet 25:07.574 --> 25:10.650 departed . Uh we have also evacuated 25:10.650 --> 25:13.750 more than 5500 american citizens and 25:13.750 --> 25:16.780 their family members And 100 and 15,000 25:16.790 --> 25:19.180 other people from Afghanistan . So more 25:19.180 --> 25:21.670 than 100 and 20,000 people made their 25:21.670 --> 25:24.570 way to the airport or was able to 25:24.570 --> 25:27.530 evacuate from the country . It is also 25:27.540 --> 25:29.596 very understandable and I want to be 25:29.596 --> 25:31.760 very clear here . The vast majority , 25:31.770 --> 25:33.714 if not everyone though , the State 25:33.714 --> 25:35.881 Department would have to speak to this 25:35.881 --> 25:38.048 who is still , there are dual citizens 25:38.048 --> 25:40.103 who have lived their entire lives in 25:40.103 --> 25:42.159 Afghanistan . This is about , I know 25:42.159 --> 25:44.270 this is hard for people to understand 25:44.270 --> 25:46.270 who grew up and live here . This is 25:46.270 --> 25:46.230 where they have lived . This is where 25:46.230 --> 25:48.174 their family members are . This is 25:48.174 --> 25:50.119 their communities . Maybe they own 25:50.119 --> 25:52.230 shops . Maybe they are have 50 family 25:52.230 --> 25:54.452 members are 20 family members . This is 25:54.452 --> 25:56.560 not an easy decision to leave . We 25:56.560 --> 25:58.282 understand that . And what the 25:58.282 --> 26:00.504 president is saying is if you decide to 26:00.504 --> 26:02.560 leave next week , if you decided two 26:02.560 --> 26:04.727 days ago and we couldn't get you out , 26:04.727 --> 26:06.949 we're going to get you out . And that's 26:06.949 --> 26:08.770 what his commitment is , the 26:08.780 --> 26:10.724 immigration system and the refugee 26:10.724 --> 26:13.002 situation . Uh , the immigrant , the U . 26:13.002 --> 26:15.169 S . Immigration system is already very 26:15.169 --> 26:17.730 overstretched , its dysfunctional . Um , 26:17.740 --> 26:20.300 I wanted to know what steps is the 26:20.300 --> 26:23.230 administration taking to ensure that 26:23.240 --> 26:25.407 the tens of thousands of afghan people 26:25.407 --> 26:27.407 who are being resettled here in the 26:27.407 --> 26:29.296 United States are not going to be 26:29.296 --> 26:31.462 caught up in red tape and that they're 26:31.462 --> 26:33.629 going to get the resources they need . 26:33.629 --> 26:35.629 Well , first , uh the president has 26:35.629 --> 26:37.740 asked asked the Secretary of Homeland 26:37.740 --> 26:39.851 Security to lead this effort . Um and 26:39.851 --> 26:41.907 there is a process that includes not 26:41.907 --> 26:43.962 just a thorough background check and 26:43.962 --> 26:46.018 vetting process , but as individuals 26:46.018 --> 26:48.460 come to the United States , some will 26:48.460 --> 26:50.571 end up going to military bases . Will 26:50.571 --> 26:52.682 they help will have access to a range 26:52.682 --> 26:55.480 of resources including vaccines , those 26:55.480 --> 26:57.480 who are on who are parolees will be 26:57.480 --> 26:59.830 required to get those vaccines . Uh and 26:59.830 --> 27:01.997 what we are working to do is ensure we 27:01.997 --> 27:04.163 are leveraging and working with all of 27:04.163 --> 27:06.163 the incredible refugee resettlement 27:06.163 --> 27:08.219 organizations around the country who 27:08.219 --> 27:10.219 are eager and open to helping these 27:10.219 --> 27:12.163 afghan refugees , also to veterans 27:12.163 --> 27:14.400 organizations who are eager and open to 27:14.400 --> 27:17.280 helping these afghan refugees resettle 27:17.280 --> 27:19.391 in the United States and work through 27:19.391 --> 27:21.558 as orderly a process using every level 27:21.558 --> 27:23.891 of government from the U . S . Military , 27:23.891 --> 27:26.058 the Department of Homeland Security to 27:26.058 --> 27:28.336 move this process as rapidly as we can . 27:28.336 --> 27:30.502 But The president was very clear today 27:30.502 --> 27:32.613 as he has been about why he thinks US 27:32.613 --> 27:34.920 forces should not be in Afghanistan 27:34.930 --> 27:37.360 right now . But he was part of the 27:37.370 --> 27:41.250 Obama administration in 2014 when the 27:41.260 --> 27:43.260 then president decided he needed to 27:43.260 --> 27:46.030 send troops back to Iraq after several 27:46.030 --> 27:48.220 years to deal with the Islamic state 27:48.230 --> 27:51.650 threat . Does the president rule out 27:51.660 --> 27:53.470 needing to send troops back to 27:53.470 --> 27:55.490 Afghanistan to deal with a similar 27:55.550 --> 27:58.310 threat should have arised after . I'm 27:58.310 --> 28:00.421 not going to look into a crystal ball 28:00.421 --> 28:02.532 in the future . But I think he's been 28:02.532 --> 28:04.421 pretty clear . He doesn't have an 28:04.421 --> 28:06.366 intention to start another war and 28:06.366 --> 28:08.421 redeploy troops to Afghanistan . And 28:08.421 --> 28:10.532 what we've seen over the past week is 28:10.532 --> 28:12.588 that are over the horizon , capacity 28:12.588 --> 28:14.880 can work and has worked in going after 28:14.880 --> 28:17.030 ISIS targets and killing people who 28:17.030 --> 28:19.252 went after our troops . So that's where 28:19.252 --> 28:21.474 our resources and our focus is going to 28:21.474 --> 28:23.586 be on at this point in time . Another 28:23.586 --> 28:25.808 little bit of a crystal ball question . 28:25.808 --> 28:28.030 Uh I mean ultimately will be ultimately 28:28.030 --> 28:30.141 will be up to the President to decide 28:30.141 --> 28:31.919 whether to establish diplomatic 28:31.919 --> 28:33.974 relations with the taliban calmly or 28:33.974 --> 28:37.170 taliban led government . And while 28:37.180 --> 28:39.291 Secretary Clinton and others have has 28:39.291 --> 28:41.402 set some of the parameters for that , 28:41.440 --> 28:43.607 Does the President himself have a view 28:43.607 --> 28:45.718 about whether it would be appropriate 28:45.718 --> 28:47.750 to ever have a full US diplomatic 28:47.760 --> 28:50.010 relationship with the taliban ? Well 28:50.020 --> 28:52.187 just like in any circumstance it would 28:52.187 --> 28:54.353 depend on the conditions , but there's 28:54.353 --> 28:56.520 no rush to recognition coming from any 28:56.520 --> 28:58.631 aspect of this government or from the 28:58.631 --> 29:00.853 international community , good building 29:00.853 --> 29:02.853 on anne's first question , does the 29:02.853 --> 29:04.853 president envision any situation in 29:04.853 --> 29:07.076 which he might deploy a large amount of 29:07.076 --> 29:08.853 U . S . Troops abroad under his 29:08.853 --> 29:10.687 presidency , any sort of foreign 29:10.687 --> 29:12.853 element that would require the sort of 29:12.853 --> 29:14.909 mass troop deployment . That he just 29:14.909 --> 29:17.131 said we are trying to go fast . I think 29:17.131 --> 29:19.298 one of the pieces that he talked about 29:19.298 --> 29:21.242 in the speech was how he views our 29:21.242 --> 29:23.242 engagement in the world and I think 29:23.242 --> 29:23.000 this is probably why you're asking this 29:23.000 --> 29:25.650 question . Um and the horrible scenes 29:25.650 --> 29:27.817 and memories of the last few weeks and 29:27.817 --> 29:30.290 as we think about how we embark on or 29:30.290 --> 29:33.270 how we use military force , uh these 29:33.270 --> 29:36.130 moments and these divisions of the last 29:36.130 --> 29:38.900 several weeks or months or years should 29:38.900 --> 29:41.067 stick in us . And he made stick in our 29:41.067 --> 29:43.289 minds . He made clear first we must set 29:43.289 --> 29:45.456 missions with clear achievable goals , 29:45.456 --> 29:47.400 not once we will never reach . And 29:47.400 --> 29:47.070 second , we must take clearly focused 29:47.070 --> 29:49.126 on the fundamental national security 29:49.126 --> 29:51.459 interests of the United States . I mean , 29:51.459 --> 29:53.626 the president has not hesitated to use 29:53.626 --> 29:55.681 force when warranted . When he feels 29:55.681 --> 29:57.570 it's been warranted . He has done 29:57.570 --> 29:59.792 strikes in certain parts of the world . 29:59.792 --> 30:01.737 He has made very clear and he said 30:01.737 --> 30:03.848 today , our work with you , we're not 30:03.848 --> 30:05.737 done with you , ISIS . That was a 30:05.737 --> 30:08.070 paraphrase , but he said it better . Uh , 30:08.070 --> 30:10.292 but uh , and that I think sends a clear 30:10.292 --> 30:10.260 message that he's going to go after 30:10.260 --> 30:12.427 terrorists is not going to hesitate to 30:12.427 --> 30:14.593 use the capacities and capabilities we 30:14.593 --> 30:16.760 have . But he also wants to be mindful 30:16.760 --> 30:19.540 about how we use uh thousands and large 30:19.540 --> 30:21.651 swaths of troops . And I think he was 30:21.651 --> 30:23.707 sending a clear message about how he 30:23.707 --> 30:25.929 views that question . The president has 30:25.929 --> 30:27.984 obviously been very consumed by this 30:27.984 --> 30:30.207 situation by hurricane . But as we roll 30:30.207 --> 30:32.151 into september should we expect to 30:32.151 --> 30:34.207 start seeing him doing public events 30:34.207 --> 30:33.930 again for his economic agenda , 30:33.940 --> 30:35.829 particularly facing the months in 30:35.829 --> 30:38.220 Congress that awaits it . Absolutely . 30:38.230 --> 30:40.570 I think you can expect the president to 30:40.580 --> 30:42.860 uh be communicating over the coming 30:42.860 --> 30:44.860 weeks on a range of issues that are 30:44.860 --> 30:46.916 front and center on the minds of the 30:46.916 --> 30:49.027 american people . Certainly he gave a 30:49.027 --> 30:51.193 speech today in Afghanistan , but uh , 30:51.193 --> 30:53.304 certainly you can expect to hear from 30:53.304 --> 30:53.080 him more on his build back better 30:53.080 --> 30:55.970 agenda on Covid and his commitment to 30:55.980 --> 30:58.870 getting the virus under control uh , to 30:58.880 --> 31:01.280 speak to parents and those who have 31:01.280 --> 31:03.502 kids going back to school . There are a 31:03.502 --> 31:05.169 range of issues he's eager to 31:05.169 --> 31:07.502 communicate about ? Absolutely go ahead . 31:07.502 --> 31:09.336 Um Did the president watched the 31:09.336 --> 31:11.391 takeoff of the last flight from from 31:11.391 --> 31:13.613 Afghanistan yesterday ? And has he been 31:13.613 --> 31:15.724 in contact with you know , any of the 31:15.724 --> 31:17.780 service members who were on the last 31:17.780 --> 31:20.370 flight ? Uh Well he did . I know 31:20.370 --> 31:22.481 there's been some reporting out there 31:22.481 --> 31:24.481 on this , but I can confirm for you 31:24.481 --> 31:26.537 that um the president learned of the 31:26.537 --> 31:29.220 last flight uh safely leaving 31:29.220 --> 31:31.220 Afghanistan when he was in the oval 31:31.220 --> 31:33.164 office meeting with members of his 31:33.164 --> 31:35.331 national security team and some senior 31:35.331 --> 31:37.442 advisers and a note was passed to his 31:37.442 --> 31:39.276 national security advisor , Jake 31:39.276 --> 31:41.053 Sullivan who conveyed it to the 31:41.053 --> 31:43.164 President the news to the President . 31:43.164 --> 31:45.387 Obviously in those cases , for those of 31:45.387 --> 31:45.240 you who have watched these events 31:45.240 --> 31:47.120 closely , you have to wait until 31:47.130 --> 31:49.430 they're out of airspace . Hence it was 31:49.430 --> 31:51.210 a little bit before you saw the 31:51.210 --> 31:53.660 announcement by the pentagon . Um And 31:53.660 --> 31:56.510 he has conveyed repeatedly in meetings 31:56.510 --> 31:59.350 that I have at least been in to the 31:59.360 --> 32:01.582 military , how grateful he is for their 32:01.582 --> 32:04.370 work For the fact that they oversaw 32:04.380 --> 32:08.160 historic uh airlift operation . One 32:08.160 --> 32:10.650 that evacuated more than 120,000 people 32:10.650 --> 32:12.650 in the middle of a civil war facing 32:12.650 --> 32:14.594 isis threats . He has conveyed his 32:14.594 --> 32:16.650 gratitude to them and to the work of 32:16.650 --> 32:18.872 his national security team repeatedly . 32:18.872 --> 32:21.039 When does when does the president plan 32:21.039 --> 32:23.261 to sign the bill that was passed in the 32:23.261 --> 32:25.317 Senate today that provides temporary 32:25.317 --> 32:27.483 assistance to americans returning from 32:27.483 --> 32:29.372 Afghanistan ? I'm sure as soon as 32:29.372 --> 32:31.483 possible , but I will have to check , 32:31.483 --> 32:33.483 go ahead and just to go back to the 32:33.483 --> 32:35.483 line of questions from Justin , you 32:35.483 --> 32:37.594 heard the president say today that he 32:37.594 --> 32:37.380 remains committed to getting those 32:37.380 --> 32:39.047 americans out . You said that 32:39.047 --> 32:41.158 commitment remains , you said it's an 32:41.158 --> 32:43.324 enduring commitment . You talked about 32:43.324 --> 32:45.102 the risk assessment that's been 32:45.102 --> 32:47.213 underway over the last couple of days 32:47.213 --> 32:49.213 or weeks , but it was less than two 32:49.213 --> 32:51.324 weeks ago when the president told abc 32:51.324 --> 32:53.213 Yes . When he was asked , are you 32:53.213 --> 32:55.213 committed to making sure troops day 32:55.213 --> 32:57.324 until every american who wants to get 32:57.324 --> 32:59.324 out , gets out , He said , yes . So 32:59.324 --> 33:01.436 obviously situations have changed the 33:01.436 --> 33:03.491 threat increases , you've said , but 33:03.491 --> 33:05.713 Why should those Americans believe that 33:05.713 --> 33:07.824 this commitment is enduring ? When 13 33:07.824 --> 33:10.260 days ago ? That commitment changed 33:10.270 --> 33:12.870 because he's evacuated 5500 American 33:12.870 --> 33:14.960 citizens and their family members 33:14.970 --> 33:18.660 120,000 total people over the last two 33:18.660 --> 33:21.030 weeks , nearly all of them since that 33:21.030 --> 33:24.440 time . But uh , you described the drone 33:24.440 --> 33:26.607 strikes as successful and that America 33:26.607 --> 33:28.829 still has over the horizon capability . 33:28.829 --> 33:30.940 Uh , it appears that several Children 33:30.940 --> 33:33.273 were killed in one of the drone strikes . 33:33.273 --> 33:34.940 Can you say that it was still 33:34.940 --> 33:36.996 successful ? That was the collateral 33:36.996 --> 33:39.218 damage and how the US determine that it 33:39.218 --> 33:41.440 has the intelligence necessary carrying 33:41.440 --> 33:43.607 out these drone strikes . If civilians 33:43.607 --> 33:45.829 can be caught in the crossfire . Well , 33:45.829 --> 33:48.051 first , I would say we take uh civilian 33:48.051 --> 33:47.620 casualties and the possibility of 33:47.620 --> 33:49.342 civilian casualties incredibly 33:49.342 --> 33:51.398 seriously . And our U . S . Military 33:51.398 --> 33:53.564 perhaps more than any other country in 33:53.564 --> 33:55.676 the world . There is an investigation 33:55.676 --> 33:57.676 and I don't believe the military or 33:57.676 --> 33:59.898 centcom has spoken to or confirmed what 33:59.898 --> 34:01.953 has been some reporting out there by 34:01.953 --> 34:04.064 news organizations . I will note that 34:04.064 --> 34:06.231 intent comes statement just two nights 34:06.231 --> 34:08.064 ago , they made clear that their 34:08.064 --> 34:09.953 assessment was that there was the 34:09.953 --> 34:12.009 vehicle that was the target also had 34:12.009 --> 34:14.231 explosives in it . And those explosives 34:14.231 --> 34:16.342 may have also led to an impact on the 34:16.342 --> 34:18.453 ground . But there's an investigation 34:18.453 --> 34:20.398 that's ongoing and that in the two 34:20.398 --> 34:22.509 german drones like the USa terrorists 34:22.509 --> 34:24.676 were killed in both of those shrinks . 34:24.676 --> 34:26.842 I believe that's the assessment that's 34:26.842 --> 34:26.650 been put out by centcom . Go ahead 34:26.650 --> 34:29.660 april jim Afghanistan and 34:30.340 --> 34:34.020 1st 1 to start with . Then Katrina 34:34.020 --> 34:36.350 happened . Then President George W Bush 34:37.440 --> 34:39.820 put the gulf coast in a special 34:39.830 --> 34:42.250 category . And then President Obama , 34:42.260 --> 34:44.316 as you remember you were here at the 34:44.316 --> 34:46.538 time , kept in that category full while 34:46.538 --> 34:48.538 to build it . That guy away at that 34:48.538 --> 34:51.340 point now where some parts of the gulf 34:51.340 --> 34:53.970 coast specifically in New Orleans in 34:53.970 --> 34:55.970 that area will be placed in another 34:55.970 --> 34:58.190 category to help rebuild yet again 34:58.200 --> 35:00.270 because of the devastation of Iowa 35:00.790 --> 35:02.960 april I will say that we're only on a 35:02.960 --> 35:05.127 couple of days into the storm . I know 35:05.127 --> 35:06.849 you've covered these as you've 35:06.849 --> 35:08.849 referenced in the past and we don't 35:08.849 --> 35:10.738 know how to assess yet all of the 35:10.738 --> 35:12.849 impacts . But what I think the people 35:12.849 --> 35:15.071 of the region and the gulf coast should 35:15.071 --> 35:17.182 look at two to evaluate how committed 35:17.182 --> 35:19.238 the president is to . This is all of 35:19.238 --> 35:21.182 the preemptive resources he put in 35:21.182 --> 35:23.071 place all of those he sent to the 35:23.071 --> 35:25.293 region and the number of resources he's 35:25.293 --> 35:27.404 continuing to deploy from the federal 35:27.404 --> 35:29.571 government . So I can't assess that at 35:29.571 --> 35:31.793 this point in time . But I can tell you 35:31.793 --> 35:33.904 that the president receives briefings 35:33.904 --> 35:36.071 about the hurricane every single day , 35:36.071 --> 35:35.810 sometimes more than once a day and has 35:35.810 --> 35:37.643 been for several days . And he's 35:37.643 --> 35:39.866 committed to delivering on whatever the 35:39.866 --> 35:41.699 needs are to help the gulf coast 35:41.699 --> 35:45.570 recover Afghanistan . We talked to red 35:45.570 --> 35:47.970 makes the House the chair of the House 35:48.440 --> 35:50.551 Foreign Affairs Committee and he said 35:50.551 --> 35:52.860 there will indeed be congressional 35:52.860 --> 35:55.580 hearings on the longest war in US 35:55.580 --> 35:58.190 history from the beginning to this 35:58.190 --> 36:00.360 moment . What is the expectation of 36:00.370 --> 36:02.426 this administration when it comes to 36:02.426 --> 36:04.314 these hearings ? And what are you 36:04.314 --> 36:07.010 willing to offer full transparency as 36:07.010 --> 36:09.177 it relates to how all of this happened 36:09.177 --> 36:11.640 beyond these speeches ? But going into 36:11.640 --> 36:14.060 the weeds as to why the House of food . 36:14.060 --> 36:16.050 What when were enlarged ? Well , I 36:16.050 --> 36:18.106 would say first , we've already done 36:18.106 --> 36:19.939 several briefings with members , 36:19.939 --> 36:21.939 including in the classified setting 36:21.939 --> 36:23.939 over the course of the last several 36:23.939 --> 36:25.606 weeks . So that speaks to our 36:25.606 --> 36:25.550 commitment to answering questions . 36:25.550 --> 36:28.090 They have and Uh and being able to play 36:28.090 --> 36:30.630 our role in working with them on on 36:30.640 --> 36:32.807 addressing the last seven months . Now 36:32.807 --> 36:34.584 it's a 20-year war . So there's 36:34.584 --> 36:36.730 obviously a lot to dig into uh 36:36.740 --> 36:38.962 following up on that . But would you be 36:38.962 --> 36:40.907 would you be willing to would this 36:40.907 --> 36:43.129 administration be willing to sit before 36:43.129 --> 36:44.573 hearing some some in this 36:44.573 --> 36:46.684 administration go before congress and 36:46.684 --> 36:48.750 answer questions about their part in 36:48.750 --> 36:50.610 this war ? Again , I think we've 36:50.610 --> 36:52.721 clearly already been participating in 36:52.721 --> 36:54.721 Congresses asks and we have already 36:54.721 --> 36:56.943 been briefing them . There haven't been 36:56.943 --> 36:59.054 specific requests made that I'm aware 36:59.054 --> 37:00.999 of and as they come we'll speak to 37:00.999 --> 37:03.221 those embassies in the area doing um in 37:03.221 --> 37:05.720 europe and spain to support this effort 37:05.730 --> 37:08.950 um to help get americans out and just 37:08.950 --> 37:10.950 this evacuation of going and moving 37:10.950 --> 37:13.172 shifting from the military operation to 37:13.172 --> 37:15.394 that of diplomacy . Well , there's been 37:15.394 --> 37:17.617 a huge role that our nation's diplomats 37:17.617 --> 37:19.617 have been playing already to date . 37:19.617 --> 37:21.561 Obviously there's been a herculean 37:21.561 --> 37:23.672 effort by the U . S . Military on the 37:23.672 --> 37:25.506 ground . But our diplomats , the 37:25.506 --> 37:27.561 consular officers , many of them who 37:27.561 --> 37:29.561 were on the ground or those who are 37:29.561 --> 37:31.783 making tens of thousands of phone calls 37:31.783 --> 37:33.561 to identify afghan applicants , 37:33.561 --> 37:35.617 vulnerable members of the vulnerable 37:35.617 --> 37:37.617 population . American citizens that 37:37.617 --> 37:39.617 work will continue and network will 37:39.617 --> 37:41.783 continue to help get american citizens 37:41.783 --> 37:43.950 and others who have fought by our side 37:43.950 --> 37:43.840 out of the country go ahead Rachel and 37:43.840 --> 37:46.007 the president said there's no deadline 37:46.007 --> 37:48.229 to get the remaining americans who want 37:48.229 --> 37:50.284 to leave out of Afghanistan . But is 37:50.284 --> 37:52.340 there an acceptable timeline for the 37:52.340 --> 37:55.010 president for them coming home ? Well , 37:55.020 --> 37:57.131 I would say Rachel if someone decides 37:57.131 --> 37:58.742 in a year they want to leave 37:58.742 --> 38:00.909 Afghanistan , we're going to help them 38:00.909 --> 38:02.909 leave . If somebody is now ready to 38:02.909 --> 38:04.798 we're going to help them leave as 38:04.798 --> 38:07.020 quickly as possible . So I think that's 38:07.020 --> 38:06.960 what he was conveying . Go ahead . 38:06.970 --> 38:09.640 Thanks jen , I want to follow up on my 38:09.640 --> 38:11.584 question yesterday about deserving 38:11.584 --> 38:13.710 afghans who did not get to leave . I 38:13.710 --> 38:15.932 think many people would understand that 38:15.932 --> 38:18.010 in the fog of war despite the best 38:18.020 --> 38:20.020 efforts of the marines and consular 38:20.020 --> 38:22.020 officers on the ground mistakes are 38:22.020 --> 38:24.187 made . You know , I mean marines could 38:24.187 --> 38:26.298 grab people or push people out of the 38:26.298 --> 38:28.409 gate because of a security threat for 38:28.409 --> 38:30.576 example . But what I was talking about 38:30.576 --> 38:32.740 were these specific allegations from 38:33.120 --> 38:35.176 our sources on the ground and people 38:35.176 --> 38:36.898 were assisting in these rescue 38:36.898 --> 38:40.070 operations who say that because of 38:40.080 --> 38:42.420 inconsistent policies , conflicting 38:42.430 --> 38:45.000 policies and also lack of coordination 38:45.000 --> 38:47.056 between the State Department and the 38:47.056 --> 38:49.160 pentagon . Uh and also competing 38:49.160 --> 38:51.160 interests from people in Washington 38:51.160 --> 38:53.160 with influence or pulling shrinks . 38:53.220 --> 38:55.850 This creates chaos in which vulnerable 38:55.860 --> 38:58.290 afghans including S . I . V . S were 38:58.290 --> 39:01.190 left behind . But individuals who may 39:01.190 --> 39:03.620 not have a who is not an at risk 39:03.620 --> 39:06.710 individual gets to leave . So is the 39:06.710 --> 39:08.740 administration willing to admit 39:08.740 --> 39:10.962 responsibility for this situation . And 39:10.962 --> 39:13.073 what would be your remedy ? I have no 39:13.073 --> 39:14.907 confirmation of what you've just 39:14.907 --> 39:17.129 outlined . What I will tell you is that 39:17.129 --> 39:19.073 117,000 approximately many of them 39:19.073 --> 39:21.018 afghan people who are not american 39:21.018 --> 39:23.129 citizens were evacuated . That's more 39:23.129 --> 39:25.400 people than ever in any airlift in U . 39:25.400 --> 39:27.930 S . History . And we what are U . S . 39:27.930 --> 39:29.986 Marines and what our military did on 39:29.986 --> 39:32.450 the ground was work to evacuate as many 39:32.450 --> 39:34.561 people as humanly possible as quickly 39:34.561 --> 39:36.970 as possible . And many of those people 39:36.980 --> 39:39.091 were S . I . V . Applicants . Many of 39:39.091 --> 39:40.813 them were green card holders . 39:40.813 --> 39:43.036 Obviously we've given you the number of 39:43.036 --> 39:45.036 of of american citizens and many of 39:45.036 --> 39:46.758 them were just people from the 39:46.758 --> 39:48.980 vulnerable populations who we were able 39:48.980 --> 39:51.036 to get out . But we are committed to 39:51.036 --> 39:52.980 continuing to work in a diplomatic 39:52.980 --> 39:55.147 manner to get more people out who want 39:55.147 --> 39:57.147 to evacuate . And I would reiterate 39:57.147 --> 39:59.258 that we've worked already with two uh 39:59.258 --> 40:01.480 to get support for a statement from 100 40:01.480 --> 40:03.647 countries around the world to pass the 40:03.647 --> 40:05.869 U . N . Security Council resolution and 40:05.869 --> 40:07.758 to make clear to the taliban that 40:07.758 --> 40:09.980 that's our expectations . Go ahead lily 40:09.980 --> 40:12.036 pad uh countries agreement . Can you 40:12.036 --> 40:14.200 give us an overall picture of the 40:14.200 --> 40:16.144 structure of these agreements with 40:16.144 --> 40:18.367 these countries , what are we paying or 40:18.367 --> 40:20.478 providing them in return ? And how do 40:20.478 --> 40:22.478 we deal with local resentment . And 40:22.478 --> 40:24.367 this would also apply to you know 40:24.367 --> 40:27.110 people around american basis who may 40:27.110 --> 40:29.840 feel uh concerns about the threat of 40:29.850 --> 40:32.690 either covid or terrorist threat . How 40:32.690 --> 40:35.110 are we we're doing this . We're relying 40:35.110 --> 40:37.166 on all of you to convey clearly what 40:37.166 --> 40:39.110 our Covid protocols are , what our 40:39.110 --> 40:40.999 security protocols are , what our 40:40.999 --> 40:43.166 vetting protocols are . And we're also 40:43.166 --> 40:44.943 communicating very closely with 40:44.943 --> 40:47.054 governors and leaders in the region . 40:47.054 --> 40:49.332 Every country has different agreements . 40:49.332 --> 40:51.443 I wouldn't this is not a quid pro quo 40:51.443 --> 40:51.280 situation . This is where the 40:51.280 --> 40:53.560 international community recognize the 40:53.560 --> 40:55.616 need of the Afghan people and nearly 40:55.616 --> 40:57.504 two dozen countries have met this 40:57.504 --> 41:00.120 moment to have a place where uh 41:00.130 --> 41:02.352 individuals who are leaving Afghanistan 41:02.352 --> 41:04.352 can be some before they go to third 41:04.352 --> 41:06.408 countries , some before they come to 41:06.408 --> 41:08.574 the United States . Go ahead . I think 41:08.574 --> 41:10.519 we've got to move on to go ahead . 41:10.519 --> 41:12.741 Thanks john my question . The president 41:12.741 --> 41:14.963 said that the U . S . Should learn from 41:14.963 --> 41:16.963 its mistakes in the past . Does the 41:16.963 --> 41:16.650 president have any mistakes that he 41:16.650 --> 41:18.930 thinks he made during this withdrawal 41:18.930 --> 41:21.041 in Afghanistan that he wants to learn 41:21.041 --> 41:23.263 from ? Well , I would say , I think the 41:23.263 --> 41:25.486 president has been pretty clear that we 41:25.486 --> 41:27.900 all had an expectation that the Afghan 41:27.900 --> 41:30.120 national security forces would fight 41:30.120 --> 41:32.670 harder at the end , would fight against 41:32.680 --> 41:35.030 the Taliban . We all had an expectation 41:35.030 --> 41:37.670 that uh President Ghani would not flee 41:37.670 --> 41:39.650 the country . Uh Those were not 41:39.660 --> 41:42.240 expectations that were clearly met . So 41:42.310 --> 41:44.477 you can spend a lot of time looking in 41:44.477 --> 41:46.588 the rear view mirror . What our focus 41:46.588 --> 41:49.150 now on is it is on now is moving 41:49.150 --> 41:50.983 forward on our diplomatic effort 41:50.983 --> 41:54.030 settling uh afghan refugees . S ivy 41:54.030 --> 41:56.252 applicants and others who are coming to 41:56.252 --> 41:58.419 the United States doing that in a very 41:58.419 --> 42:00.641 thorough and clear way and also getting 42:00.641 --> 42:02.863 them settled in communities . Um that's 42:02.863 --> 42:04.974 what our focus has to be on That . He 42:04.974 --> 42:07.086 shouldn't have made those assumptions 42:07.086 --> 42:08.974 about the Afghanistan , about the 42:08.974 --> 42:11.141 Afghan government . Is that the lesson 42:11.141 --> 42:10.870 for him then ? I think I think most 42:10.870 --> 42:13.010 people made that made that assumption 42:13.010 --> 42:14.899 but I don't have any more for you 42:14.899 --> 42:17.066 because he said that the us would make 42:17.066 --> 42:19.121 them learn from their mistakes . But 42:19.121 --> 42:21.343 right . And he laid out clearly what he 42:21.343 --> 42:23.621 thinks they are over the past 20 years . 42:23.621 --> 42:25.843 Yeah , not Louisiana Governor said that 42:25.843 --> 42:27.910 he's worried that the power outages 42:27.910 --> 42:30.021 might start affecting the hospitals . 42:30.021 --> 42:32.360 Is there , can you make any 42:32.360 --> 42:34.610 clarification on whether or not the 42:34.620 --> 42:36.550 fema can do anything more to help 42:36.770 --> 42:38.840 companies and whether or not there's 42:38.850 --> 42:41.072 any sort of estimates on whether or not 42:41.072 --> 42:43.294 hospitals will be effective ? Well , so 42:43.294 --> 42:45.517 initial reports from the local hospital 42:45.517 --> 42:47.683 distributor network indicate no supply 42:47.683 --> 42:49.906 chain disruptions . But he is right . I 42:49.906 --> 42:52.017 mean this is an area where we are all 42:52.017 --> 42:53.810 watching and this is why we are 42:53.820 --> 42:55.542 continuing to ensure there are 42:55.542 --> 42:58.130 necessary generators there that we are 42:58.140 --> 42:59.780 engaged closely with health 42:59.780 --> 43:01.836 administrators and others about what 43:01.836 --> 43:04.002 their needs are and how we can deliver 43:04.002 --> 43:06.113 on them . One of the primary limiting 43:06.113 --> 43:08.820 factors um , on oxygen which we don't 43:08.820 --> 43:10.987 see a shortage on . But it's obviously 43:10.987 --> 43:13.153 an issue that we have to watch closely 43:13.153 --> 43:15.209 is actually Hazmat certified drivers 43:15.209 --> 43:17.264 and what this is is people who can , 43:17.264 --> 43:19.560 who can drive around these oxygen tanks 43:19.560 --> 43:22.320 and facilities out to the hospital . So 43:22.400 --> 43:24.622 there's a number of pieces that we have 43:24.622 --> 43:26.844 to work through and we are preparing in 43:26.844 --> 43:28.956 case there is a need in that regard . 43:28.956 --> 43:31.470 Next question . Two quick follow up 43:31.480 --> 43:33.147 yesterday , I asked about the 43:33.147 --> 43:35.340 Washington post story that reported 43:35.350 --> 43:37.980 that the taliban offered uh United 43:37.980 --> 43:41.710 States control of Kabul and instead 43:41.720 --> 43:44.140 it states focused on the airport . Have 43:44.140 --> 43:46.251 you been able to review that report ? 43:46.251 --> 43:48.251 And is it accurate ? Well , I'm not 43:48.251 --> 43:50.584 going to speak to private conversations , 43:50.584 --> 43:52.584 but what I will tell you is that it 43:52.584 --> 43:54.640 obviously required the deployment of 43:54.640 --> 43:57.030 6000 us military forces to secure the 43:57.030 --> 43:58.919 airport given the Afghan national 43:58.919 --> 44:01.610 security forces uh , collapsed from 44:01.620 --> 44:03.620 that protection . Our objective has 44:03.620 --> 44:05.620 never been and the president's been 44:05.620 --> 44:07.842 very clear about this having a military 44:07.842 --> 44:10.450 presence to control Kabul . So that's 44:10.450 --> 44:13.500 never been our objective . Uh , you've 44:13.510 --> 44:15.732 talked about how our commitment remains 44:15.732 --> 44:17.732 to these americans . And you talked 44:17.732 --> 44:20.140 about how we're switching from a 44:20.140 --> 44:22.510 military effort to a diplomatic effort 44:22.890 --> 44:25.057 for the americans who are currently in 44:25.057 --> 44:27.168 hiding and who very much want to come 44:27.168 --> 44:30.300 home . Not the other set . What is the 44:30.300 --> 44:32.244 administration's message to them . 44:32.244 --> 44:34.522 Should they try and head to the border ? 44:34.522 --> 44:36.633 Should they try and book a flight out 44:36.633 --> 44:38.522 of there or should they remain in 44:38.522 --> 44:40.467 hiding and hope that the diplomacy 44:40.467 --> 44:42.467 kicks in ? Well , I would just note 44:42.467 --> 44:44.578 that we are in touch with a number of 44:44.578 --> 44:46.856 these americans , Not everyone perhaps , 44:46.856 --> 44:48.967 but we are in touch . We maybe we are 44:48.967 --> 44:51.022 in touch with as many of them who we 44:51.022 --> 44:53.133 can make contact with through a range 44:53.133 --> 44:55.189 of means that continues and what our 44:55.189 --> 44:57.411 focus is on now . And we'll have day by 44:57.411 --> 44:59.522 day updates . And this is a very fair 44:59.522 --> 45:01.689 and good question is how can we ensure 45:01.689 --> 45:03.911 operationally that there are a range of 45:03.911 --> 45:06.244 options for people to be able to depart . 45:06.244 --> 45:08.078 Some of that maybe overland over 45:08.078 --> 45:10.700 borders , uh some of that maybe through 45:10.710 --> 45:12.930 uh airplanes . And so we're working 45:12.930 --> 45:15.097 again with the countries and the Turks 45:15.097 --> 45:17.041 on that . We're working to get the 45:17.041 --> 45:16.680 civilian side of the airport 45:16.680 --> 45:18.847 operational . But those are all pieces 45:18.847 --> 45:20.791 were focused on the administration 45:20.791 --> 45:23.880 preparing for worst case scenario in 45:23.880 --> 45:26.510 some circumstances hostage situations . 45:27.190 --> 45:29.412 Look , our focus right now is on making 45:29.412 --> 45:32.490 clear to the taliban and two others in 45:32.490 --> 45:34.820 Afghanistan that we are going to get 45:34.820 --> 45:37.042 these american citizens out that we are 45:37.042 --> 45:39.098 going to hold them to that account . 45:39.098 --> 45:41.376 And that's our focus . Thanks everyone . 45:41.376 --> 45:43.250 I'll be back tomorrow . 45:43.720 --> 45:45.470 I'll