00:00Mr. Secretary, simple yes or no question, were you with President Trump during any
00:05of those conversations he had with people with oil interests in Venezuela?
00:10about the possibility of deposing Maduro?
00:13That's not a simple yes or no question.
00:15But I can answer it quickly.
00:16The president and his family have used the office of the president.
00:20The president and his family have used the presidency to pocket 1.4 billion plus dollars.
00:25Since he was sworn in.
00:26New York Times analysis entitled Trump's plundering of America.
00:30Indicates that some of that is a result of the president selling.
00:35Corruption here at home.
00:36But much of it relates to the president selling out U.S. interests over.
00:40overseas to make a killing for his family, including giving away sensitive U.S.
00:45conductor and A.I. technologies to the U.A.E. while the U.A.E. pumped two billion
00:50dollars into one of the Trump family ventures.
00:53And then there are all the other.
00:55Trump deals that are intertwined with tariff or foreign policy matters.
01:00Golf courses in Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.
01:02Trump hotels and office buildings in other countries.
01:05countries.
01:06And of course there is the 400 million dollar jet from Qatar.
01:09The list goes.
01:10On and on.
01:11By any measure.
01:12This is the most corrupt administration.
01:15in American history.
01:16We also see the president wielding U.S. power overseas.
01:20in a way that advances the interests of his billionaire buddies at the expense of American.
01:25interests.
01:26It was Ron Louder who has business ventures in Greenland who reportedly.
01:30first put the idea of grabbing Greenland into President Trump's mind.
01:34And in the case of.
01:35in Venezuela.
01:36President Trump has said he talked to oil executives about toppling Maduro.
01:40and going into Venezuela before anyone in Congress knew.
01:45We know that in President Trump's mind.
01:46We know that in President Trump's mind.
01:48that Posey Maduro was.
01:50It was not about stopping the flow of fentanyl or drugs in the United States.
01:53He cut the budget.
01:55for DEA.
01:56He pardoned the former Honduran president.
01:59convicted of.
02:00drug running.
02:01And the new president.
02:02Delce Rodriguez.
02:03has herself been long suspended.
02:05suspected by DEA.
02:06of being involved in drug smuggling.
02:08She's also a long.
02:10time hardened communist leader.
02:11So this operation certainly was not about.
02:14bringing more freedom.
02:15democracy.
02:16to Venezuela.
02:17In fact.
02:18the president told us.
02:19what it was all about.
02:20at his big press conference.
02:21after seizing.
02:22Maduro.
02:23The president said it.
02:25was about.
02:26oil.
02:27oil.
02:28oil.
02:29He used the word.
02:30oil.
02:3119 times.
02:30never mentioned democracy.
02:31or freedom.
02:32or human rights.
02:35And so the pattern of corruption.
02:37is clear.
02:38Now.
02:39President Trump has said.
02:40publicly.
02:41that he had.
02:42communications with folks.
02:43from the oil industry.
02:44about.
02:45going into Venezuela.
02:46before anyone here.
02:47in Congress.
02:48was notified.
02:50Mr. Secretary.
02:51simple yes or no question.
02:52Were you with.
02:53President Trump.
02:54during any.
02:55of those conversations.
02:56he had.
02:57with.
02:58with people.
02:59with.
03:00oil interests.
03:01in Venezuela.
03:00about the possibility.
03:01of deposing.
03:02maduro.
03:03that's not a simple.
03:04yes or no question.
03:05but I can.
03:06I can answer it quickly.
03:07and that is.
03:08the president always elicits opinions.
03:09from all sorts of people.
03:10including.
03:11for example.
03:12chevron.
03:13has an active license.
03:14in Venezuela.
03:15they operate in Venezuela.
03:15they've been doing so.
03:16even when the sanctions.
03:17were in place.
03:18so of course.
03:19you would ask chevron.
03:20what is your opinion.
03:20of Delce Rodriguez.
03:21is what are your opinion.
03:22of their economy.
03:23and of their prospect.
03:24but the notion.
03:25that somehow.
03:26the president.
03:25authorized this challenge.
03:26at the urging.
03:27of all executives.
03:28is absurd.
03:29that never happened.
03:30Mr. Secretary.
03:30I'm asking.
03:31whether you were.
03:32with the president.
03:33that never happened.
03:34I couldn't be with him.
03:35because.
03:35it never happened.
03:36the oil executives.
03:37were not involved.
03:38whatsoever.
03:39in any of the planning.
03:40on this matter.
03:41none.
03:42did the president.
03:43as he said publicly.
03:44inform them.
03:45about.
03:45the US.
03:46operations.
03:47I think those.
03:48all of those executives.
03:49learned about this operation.
03:50the same time.
03:51everybody else did.
03:52well.
03:53president trump.
03:54has said the opposite.
03:55in public.
03:56no no no.
03:55yes he has.
03:56I mean.
03:57he said it.
03:58I think it was aboard.
03:59air force one.
04:00on an airplane.
04:01it's on public record.
04:00you can take a look.
04:01look.
04:05miss an update.
04:06download.
04:07the one India app now.
04:10the one.
04:11Uh.
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