00:00We are here from the president later at some point, but I'm happy to take a few questions now.
00:04Carolyn, can I ask you a couple questions?
00:05First on NATO, because it's obviously something the president's been focusing on.
00:09He did not consult NATO before the war began, and it's a defensive alliance, obviously,
00:14that doesn't traditionally engage in the Middle East preemptively.
00:18Why is it fair for the president to expect NATO allies to help now after the fact?
00:25NATO allies benefit far more from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz than the United States does.
00:30As you know, thanks to this president's energy agenda, we are a net exporter of oil.
00:36We have enough resources here at home for our people, and that's a good thing, thanks to President Trump.
00:41The Strait opening is obviously good for America because it will stabilize the global oil industry.
00:46It will bring prices down again, but it greatly benefits Europe and our allies in NATO,
00:52and the president wants to see them do more.
00:53Look, I think you guys know this.
00:56One of the president's guiding principles is fairness, and he's long called out NATO
01:01for being what he believes sometimes an unfair alliance for the American taxpayer and our American military.
01:08You look at the billions of dollars we spend housing U.S. troops on the soil of our NATO ally
01:14countries.
01:15That's a benefit to them because it serves as a deterrent from our adversaries around the world.
01:19If you look at our unfair trade deals with many of our NATO allies,
01:24the president and his trade team have obviously worked to rectify those new trade deals with the U.K., with
01:28the E.U.
01:29The president wants all of our alliances to be fair for the American people, for the American taxpayer,
01:35and I think he's right to call on them to step up and do more at this time.
01:37If I have a follow-up, I'll ask one other question.
01:52If I have a follow-up, I'll ask one other question.
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