- 41 minutes ago
In a wide-ranging interview with MSNOW, Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the growing concerns surrounding Cuba and why stability in the region remains critical to the United States.
Rubio emphasized that it is “not in our national interest to have a failed state” located just 90 miles from America’s shores. He explained that economic collapse, political instability, and ongoing communist rule in Cuba could create serious long-term challenges for both regional security and migration.
The secretary also praised President Trump’s efforts to address issues that previous administrations failed to solve, saying the administration is determined to confront longstanding problems involving Cuba and Latin America.
Supporters of the administration argue that Cuba must modernize and move beyond decades of communist control, while critics continue to debate the effectiveness of U.S. policy toward the island nation.
The interview quickly sparked reactions online as viewers discussed the future of U.S.-Cuba relations and America’s role in shaping policy across the Western Hemisphere.
Rubio emphasized that it is “not in our national interest to have a failed state” located just 90 miles from America’s shores. He explained that economic collapse, political instability, and ongoing communist rule in Cuba could create serious long-term challenges for both regional security and migration.
The secretary also praised President Trump’s efforts to address issues that previous administrations failed to solve, saying the administration is determined to confront longstanding problems involving Cuba and Latin America.
Supporters of the administration argue that Cuba must modernize and move beyond decades of communist control, while critics continue to debate the effectiveness of U.S. policy toward the island nation.
The interview quickly sparked reactions online as viewers discussed the future of U.S.-Cuba relations and America’s role in shaping policy across the Western Hemisphere.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Mr. Secretary, we thank you so much for your time.
00:02I do want to start by asking you, are you surprised that you're even here in China?
00:07As a U.S. senator, you know you were sanctioned by China because of what you said,
00:11talking about China's record when it came to human rights abuses.
00:14You have never shied away from that.
00:16Do you still feel the same way now that you're in this country?
00:18Yeah, I mean, the difference is my job now is no longer just to be a senator.
00:21My job is a different job.
00:22I'm the chief diplomat of the country, and I execute on the president's foreign policy.
00:26The second thing I would say is, irrespective of that, even in my time in the Senate,
00:29I would always acknowledge that the United States and China have to have a relationship.
00:33It's the two largest economies in the world, probably the two most powerful militaries in the world,
00:37and I think it's irresponsible for us not to have direct dialogue with them.
00:41In areas where we can find mutual cooperation, I think there's probably virtually no problem in the world
00:46that we can't solve if we work together on.
00:49But with two big, powerful countries like this, there's always going to be irritants.
00:53There's always going to be areas of disagreement, and it's our job.
00:55For the sake of our respective countries, but ultimately for the world's, for the sake of the world,
01:00to try to manage those areas of difference.
01:03You know, they've got red lines and things they never want to talk about, but we have them as well.
01:07And our job is to do and promote the policies that are in the best interest of the United States.
01:12So for our viewers at home, there's so much going on in the world,
01:15and the world is watching what's happening here.
01:18What's the main takeaway you can tell our viewers at home?
01:20What was negotiated? What's been decided?
01:23How is it going to change their lives back in America?
01:25Well, first and foremost, I mean, part of the problem we face in the United States for a long time
01:28is we've allowed our nation to be de-industrialized.
01:31If you think about factories, manufacturing, all kinds of key industries that have left the country,
01:35lithium batteries, that's something America invented, and China now dominates that market.
01:40So I always said it, and I always said it when I was in the Senate.
01:43China's doing what I would do if I were Chinese, and now we're a Chinese leader.
01:46They are trying to dominate the world and all these key industries of the future.
01:50We may not like it, but that's what they're going to do because they're acting in their best interest.
01:54We have to act in our best interest.
01:55I'm the Secretary of State of the United States, and before that, as you pointed out,
01:58a Senator for the United States.
02:00I work for the President of the United States.
02:02Our job is to promote the interest of our country and to bring back as many of those industries as
02:07possible.
02:08So the areas we're always going to be talking to them about is unfair competition,
02:12their control of critical supply chains.
02:14There's so many critical supply chains that we are reliant on, but not just us, the world, overly reliant.
02:19So I think what you'll see as a result, two things I think are resulting today.
02:23There is some agreement they're going to buy more of certain things, which is important,
02:26like American airplanes, American jet engines.
02:28But I think the other thing that's important for us is to keep up the work of re-industrializing America,
02:34bringing back to the United States those industries that are key to us.
02:37The Chinese aren't going to like it because they want to dominate those industries,
02:40but that's what's good for the American people.
02:42The second point is just that engagement between the presidents of the respective countries is critically important
02:47because they were able to talk about the Straits of Hormuz.
02:50We were able to talk about North Korea.
02:53We were able to talk about all these other parts of the world where China plays a role as well.
02:57So just to nail down some specifics here, we're talking about the purchasing of airplanes, Boeing airplanes,
03:02and then also there's been some reports about beef as well.
03:04Is there anything you can shed light on that?
03:06Well, I think the details will be announced later today.
03:08I don't want to get ahead of the actual announcement by the trade representative,
03:11but there's going to be some agricultural purchases which are important,
03:13and they're important for our growers, and China needs those things.
03:16We hope in the future to expand it to energy purchase.
03:19The United States is a net supplier of energy now to the world.
03:23We're one of the world's, if not the world's, largest energy supplier at this point.
03:26Obviously, when it comes to the airplanes and the engines,
03:29those are American factories and American workers that are making that,
03:31and so anytime you can gain access to a market as large as this one, that's a very positive thing.
03:36But there's a lot of work yet to be done.
03:38The CEO of NVIDIA is here with you guys.
03:41He traveled with the president on Air Force One.
03:43Were AI chips discussed at all?
03:46In the context of the president's conversation with President Xi, no.
03:49We didn't get into the level of specificity.
03:50We know what that is.
03:51I mean, at the end of the day, the United States remains a dominant player in the space of AI
03:56and in the space of semiconductors and chips.
03:59That said, the Chinese are investing billions and billions of dollars in their own industry,
04:03so that's going to be an area of competition.
04:05Do you think AI chips should be sold to China?
04:07Well, I think, as you've seen, the president's announced that certain chips can be sold.
04:10Obviously, it's up to the Chinese to accept it.
04:12But I think we always have to establish our area of dominance.
04:16In essence, the cutting edge, the things that give us an advantage,
04:18it would be dumb and stupid for us to sell that to anybody,
04:21especially a country that's going to reverse-engineer it and leapfrog it.
04:24So I think that's understood, maturely speaking.
04:27There are things the United States still has dominant position in,
04:29and from our national security perspective, we should keep that dominance.
04:32We want to keep that dominance. The Chinese are going to do their best to catch us and even surpass
04:36us.
04:37We shouldn't make it easy for them the way we kind of did for 20 years
04:40when we sort of had a different view of this relationship.
04:42Yeah. I want to read you something.
04:44Your counterpart, the foreign minister, has put out a statement,
04:47which you may have seen or you may haven't seen.
04:49I want to make sure you hear about it.
04:51He says, quote,
05:03And again, the context of all this is that President Xi stressed to President Trump
05:07that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations.
05:12Talk to me about that moment when that was discussed.
05:14We certainly feel that way, and they always raise that issue, and we understand they raise that issue.
05:18From our perspective, any forced change in the status quo and the situation that's there now would be bad for
05:23both countries.
05:24One of the things the Chinese emphasize, which we agree, is strategic stability in our relationship,
05:28a constructive relationship, but also one that establishes strategic stability
05:33so that we don't have misunderstandings that could lead to broader conflict.
05:36And so we always reiterate the point.
05:38We hear them when they say this.
05:40We always respond by saying anything that would compel or force a change in what we have now would be
05:45problematic.
05:45And that we would certainly, our policies on that have not changed.
05:49It's been pretty consistent across multiple presidential administrations and remains consistent now.
05:53Did President Xi request to President Trump not to sell weapons to Taiwan?
05:57Well, that topic may have been, has been discussed in the past.
06:01It did not feature prominently in today's discussion.
06:02We know what their position on that is already.
06:04Remember, Congress plays a role in that process as well.
06:07And we have sold them weapons in the past.
06:09That's existed as recently as December, which they were very upset about.
06:13And that's a decision the president gets to make.
06:15As Congress appropriates and as Congress decides what to do with those topics, we will respond accordingly.
06:20But nothing has changed in the way the U.S. views the relationship with Taiwan.
06:24It will defend Taiwan, as has been historically.
06:26Yeah, U.S. policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today and as of the meeting that
06:32we had here today.
06:32It was raised. They always raise it on their side.
06:35We always make clear our position and we move on to the other topics.
06:38We know where they stand and I think they know where we stand.
06:40Do you think China wants to invade Taiwan?
06:42Well, I think China's preference is probably to have Taiwan willingly, voluntarily join them.
06:47In a perfect world, what they would want is some vote or a referendum in Taiwan that agrees to fold
06:51in.
06:52I think that's what they would prefer.
06:54Ultimately, it's featured prominently in President Xi's mandate in the time he's been in office.
07:00He's made clear that what they call reunification, it's what they call it, is something that has to happen at
07:05some point.
07:06We think it would be a terrible mistake to force that through force or anything of that nature.
07:10There would be repercussions for that globally, not just from the United States.
07:14And we kind of leave it there.
07:15That sort of ambiguity is what I think has defined the way we characterize this issue.
07:21And the reason being strategic ambiguity is we don't want to see conflict.
07:24We don't want to see something disruptive happen because I think it would be very disruptive for the world and
07:28for both countries.
07:29I know you're watching China.
07:30You don't think they're ramping up their military to do something in Taiwan?
07:33Well, I think they're ramping up their military in general.
07:36I mean, the pace of growth in the Chinese military over the last 10 years has no precedent, none.
07:41I mean, just what they've done with their navy alone over the last, they've put billions and billions and billions
07:45of dollars in their system.
07:47So it's, you know, you look at it, I mean, it's hard to ignore how fast and how big.
07:50So I don't think it's just limited to Taiwan.
07:52I think they have ambitions to ultimately be able to project power globally the way the U.S. does now.
07:57They're not, they're still behind us in that regard.
08:00But there's nonetheless, they are investing a lot of money.
08:02They are right now the world's second most powerful military, without a doubt.
08:06Let's talk about Iran.
08:07Did President Trump raise the issue of Iran with China?
08:09He did, and it was important because the Chinese side said they are not in favor of militarizing the Straits
08:16of Hormuz,
08:16and they're not in favor of a tolling system.
08:19And that's our position.
08:20We don't, we will never support an Iranian tolling system in the Straits of Hormuz,
08:24nor do we think they have a right to put mines in international waters.
08:27And so it's good that we have alliance, or at least agreement on that point.
08:31I think the fundamental question is what are we going to do about it?
08:33We have a resolution now before the United Nations, in which a hundred and something countries have co-signed.
08:39The Bahrainis are the sponsor, but we're strongly behind it and been pushing very hard on it.
08:43And it very clearly makes those points.
08:45So we hope the Chinese will vote for it.
08:46So right now we haven't gotten their commitment to vote for it yet at the United Nations.
08:49Maybe that'll change after today's meeting. I don't know.
08:51Can you help me understand what exactly did President Trump ask President Xi for when it comes to Iran?
08:57He didn't ask him for anything.
08:58I mean, we're not asking for China's help, or we don't need their help.
09:01But he raises the issue.
09:01We raise the issue to make clear what our position is, and to make it clear so they understand.
09:06Because, I mean, it's logical we would talk about it, given how dominant that issue is.
09:10Our position is very clear. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
09:13And that's what they were, you know, they were trying, they were on the verge of building a conventional capability
09:17where they had so many rockets, so many drones, that you couldn't do anything against them.
09:22They would hide behind that conventional shield to do whatever they wanted with their nuclear program in the future.
09:26That's why the president chose to act.
09:28In response to that, Iran has decided that they're going to take an international waterway and turn it into theirs
09:34and charge tolls for it.
09:36We're not going to allow that to happen, and that's why there's a blockade.
09:39It's a direct result of what they've done.
09:41So if everyone's ships can't get out, Iran's ships can't get out.
09:44They can't be the only one that benefit from it.
09:46And I think on the issue of tolling and on militarizing, in essence what Iran is doing, the Chinese side
09:51today was very clear that they oppose that.
09:53They oppose exactly what?
09:54They oppose what Iran is doing.
09:56I mean, they oppose the militarization of the straits in international waterway, and they oppose charging a toll, which is
10:02what Iran is claiming to try to set up.
10:04They want to set up a system where ships have to pay Iran to use an international waterway.
10:08And now they've got to do something about it.
10:10They should vote for our resolution at the U.N.
10:12Does China agree with the United States that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon?
10:16Yeah, and what they've said is that Iran is signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and so therefore they should
10:21not have a nuclear weapon.
10:22And they reiterated that point again today.
10:24Maybe not as forcefully as I'm making it, but they've certainly reiterated that in the past.
10:28Today it wouldn't the first time they said it.
10:29So the U.S. and China came to common ground with the fact that they both don't want Iran to
10:35have a nuclear weapon.
10:35I just want to make sure we're clear on this.
10:36Yeah, but let me be clear on this.
10:37I don't know if there's a country on the planet.
10:40I don't know about North Korea, but I don't know if there's a country on the planet that is in
10:43favor of this regime and Iran having nuclear weapons.
10:46I don't know of any.
10:46I think the difference is we actually are trying to do something about it.
10:49Other countries are against it, but they're not willing to do anything about it.
10:52So I think the Chinese simply reiterated what has been their position in the past, which is that they don't
10:57want to see them have a nuclear weapon.
10:59The Russians would say the same thing.
11:00Certainly all of their Gulf neighbors would say the same thing as well.
11:03I think the difference, of course, is we're actually trying to do something about it.
11:06You know, for our viewers back home in America, every day Americans are spending more and more, and they're saving
11:13less and less.
11:14How do you explain to them why is this taking so long in Iran?
11:17Well, first of all, I would say obviously it may seem like a long time from the perspective of other
11:21conflicts that we've seen in the past.
11:23It's only been weeks, not months, and certainly not years.
11:25But longer than the president has told the American people to be fair.
11:27Well, we achieved the missions of Epic Fury.
11:29We destroyed the – there is no Iranian Navy.
11:31There is no Iranian Navy.
11:32They have small little speed boats with a machine gun on it, but that's not a Navy.
11:35They're actual Navy.
11:36And they had a Navy.
11:37They had a Navy that had carriers on them, not aircraft carriers traditionally, but the ones that could launch drones
11:42from them.
11:42Those things are completely gone.
11:43I understand, but the strait is closed.
11:45There's still uranium.
11:46Well, the straits are closed is their reaction to the aftermath of Epic Fury.
11:51They decided they're going to take the world hostage.
11:53And my point is what they're doing now with the straits, they would have done, once they acquired a nuclear
11:57weapon,
11:58or once they built their conventional capabilities where they could hide behind to a certain level,
12:02understand what I'm saying by this.
12:03If you have 20,000 missiles, you can't possibly shoot down 20,000 missiles.
12:08I mean, they would overwhelm your systems.
12:10Once they establish that point of immunity, not only could they hold the world hostage with a nuclear program,
12:15they could hold the world hostage with the straits.
12:17It's not the first time they've tried to control the straits.
12:19And what they're doing is illegal.
12:21It violates every law on the books in terms of international law, which all these countries in Europe love to
12:25talk about.
12:26They have militarized the straits.
12:28They are threatening to sink commercial vessels that don't pay them a toll.
12:32That's unacceptable to the whole world, not just to us.
12:34Will Project Freedom return?
12:36Are we going to start bombing Iran again?
12:37The reason why Project Freedom stopped was at the request of Pakistan.
12:40And they said, the Pakistanis said, if you guys stop Project Freedom,
12:44we think we can get to a deal.
12:45And so in the interest of diplomacy, the president would prefer to have a diplomatic solution to this problem with
12:50Iran.
12:51We went ahead and agreed to stop it.
12:53By the way, we agreed to stop it.
12:55We had destroyers inside the Persian Gulf.
12:57We said, okay, we're going to stop.
12:58We're moving our destroyers out.
12:59They get fired upon by the Iranians.
13:01And that's the activity you saw last week.
13:03We still prefer, the president strongly prefers a diplomatic solution.
13:07We're going to continue to try to work on one.
13:09We've given this regime in Iran every opportunity to reach one.
13:12But part of the problem we're having, frankly, is they're divided internally.
13:15Within Iran, they're divided internally, and it makes it hard to get counter-proposals from them.
13:20On that point, is the new Ayatollah part of any part of this negotiations?
13:24Do you have any evidence?
13:25Is there any understanding that the new Ayatollah is active in advising Iranians' leadership?
13:31Well, I think what's clear is that the people we're negotiating with, like their foreign minister, is not the decision
13:35maker.
13:35So he has to go back to their system.
13:38Now, whether that's a council or a supreme leader or what have you, it's not clear.
13:41But he goes back to someone and gets approval for what he's allowed to agree to and what not to
13:46agree to.
13:47In many cases, the feeling is we are negotiating with someone who then has to turn around and negotiate with
13:51someone in his own system, in his own country.
13:53So oftentimes it takes four or five days to get responses from the Iranian side.
13:57That's been an impediment here.
13:59It also, I think, is insight to the weakness of this regime at this point and what they're facing internally.
14:04But nonetheless, we're going to keep working at it because we'd like to see a diplomatic solution.
14:08That is our preference.
14:09I'm not going to talk about what the options that the president has.
14:11He has options to do other things if diplomacy fails, but we're going to give diplomacy every chance to succeed.
14:16How much longer are Americans going to have to wait?
14:18Well, I won't put a timeline on how long it'll take to reach a diplomatic solution.
14:21We want to reach one.
14:22I think what has to happen, irrespective, is the straits have to be reopened.
14:25I understand, once again, just to reiterate, what they have decided is there's this international waterway.
14:30It doesn't belong to them.
14:31I get it, but can that happen without Iran's cooperation?
14:33Can that happen?
14:34Well, it can happen one of two ways.
14:35It can happen because the world, either Iran decides to do it or the whole world decides to impose a
14:40cost on them for what they're doing.
14:42And the whole hundred-something countries at the U.N. have signed up and said we are against what they're
14:47doing.
14:47I think the job now is to get them to actually do something about it.
14:50Are they willing to diplomatically isolate Iran?
14:52Are they willing to impose sanctions on Iran to force them to remove those mines and stop shooting at ships
14:57that are going through the straits?
14:58Because let's be clear, it's hurt our consumers.
15:00There's no doubt about it, okay?
15:02We are not immune to global oil prices at some point because we do buy from the global market.
15:06But other countries around the world are paying a much higher price.
15:09They have as much or more to care about the straits than we do.
15:12They've got to get involved in this as well.
15:14As the president was leaving for China, did he make a mistake when he told a reporter that America's financial
15:20situation isn't playing, quote,
15:22even a little bit of a role in his motivations to make a deal with Iran?
15:26No, I think what the president is claiming is that Iran's not going to use that as leverage against this.
15:30Doesn't that sound out of touch, though?
15:31I mean, Americans are spending so much for gas.
15:33Because I think what the president is making clear is that we're not going to let Iran use that as
15:36leverage.
15:37Think about what the Iranians are thinking.
15:39The Iranians, and they watch this.
15:40Remember, there's no free press.
15:41There is no you in Iran, right?
15:43There is no press in Iran that can criticize the regime or, say, you know, create any pressure on them.
15:49And I think what the president is making clear is if the Iranians think that they are going to, you
15:54know,
15:54use our domestic politics to pressure him into a bad deal, that's not going to happen.
15:58We've taken extraordinary measures to keep gas prices lower than they are in some other parts of the world,
16:04and it will go down.
16:05Those straits will be open, and we will see those prices go down.
16:07And actually, I think you're going to see a dramatic reduction in oil over time.
16:11Because all of that pent-up oil that's being held hostage by Iran, once that reaches the marketplace, it will
16:16have a very positive impact.
16:18But I would also say there's a price attached to a nuclear Iran.
16:21If Iran ever acquires a nuclear weapon, they will immediately, what would stop them from controlling the straits then?
16:27And then forget about it being a three-month or a six-month problem.
16:29It could be a permanent one.
16:31I want to turn to Cuba now.
16:32The State Department just re-upped the offer of $100 million in aid to Cuba.
16:37Cuba's foreign minister says that's an absolute lie, that there is no money coming.
16:41Are there any strings attached to that $100 million in aid?
16:44The only strings attached is that they have to be distributed by non-governmental sources like the Catholic Church.
16:48I was at the Vatican last week.
16:50I spoke to the Catholic Church again.
16:51They're willing to play that role.
16:53So what's the holdup?
16:54Cuba's lying?
16:54Cuba.
16:55They're holdup.
16:55Yeah, they're lying.
16:57They lie all the time.
16:58How can he say it's not a real offer?
17:00We've made it to them privately.
17:01We're not making it public.
17:03There's $100 million.
17:04By the way, we've given them humanitarian aid.
17:06After the hurricane, we provided them $6 million of humanitarian aid, $3 million of which was distributed, $3 million of
17:13which is still being held up but is available for them.
17:16Now we're saying here's $100 million of humanitarian aid.
17:19So I don't know if they watch your broadcast in Cuba, but if they are, the Cuban people should know.
17:22There's $100 million of food and medicine available for them right now, and the only reason it's not reaching the
17:28Cuban people is because of the regime.
17:30The only string attached is it has to be distributed by non-governmental organizations.
17:36This can't be humanitarian aid that the government steals for itself.
17:39In a year, will someone named Diaz-Canel or Castro be in charge in Cuba?
17:44I don't know.
17:44I hope not because if they are, then Cuba will probably not have progressed.
17:48But is there still a plan for changing Cuba?
17:50Sure. I mean, look, the change in Cuba is their economy doesn't function.
17:53It's not a functional economy.
17:54No, I get that, but what is the U.S. plan?
17:56I'm trying to understand the U.S. plan.
17:57Well, I wouldn't tell you exactly what our plan is because I don't want them to know what our plan
18:00is.
18:00But our plan for Cuba is a prosperous future.
18:02That's what we want.
18:03It's in our national interest.
18:05And to have a prosperous Cuba, not to have a failed state 90 miles from our shores.
18:09So how do you have a prosperous state where people can succeed?
18:12Understand Cubans.
18:12You know this, you understand this as well as I do because of where we come from.
18:16Cubans are successful everywhere in the world except one place, Cuba.
18:20And so that's what we want.
18:21We don't want Cubans not to have to leave that island in order to be successful.
18:25But they can't because the current model they have is, it's not just them.
18:28It's broken.
18:29It doesn't work.
18:29And it will never change as long as the people that are there now are running it.
18:33They are closed-minded, unfortunately.
18:34I hope I'm wrong.
18:36I would love for them to come to their senses and say, okay, we recognize this really has to change
18:39and it has to change big, but right now they don't seem to be indicating that.
18:43They seem to be digging in.
18:44I have only a few more questions.
18:45I think we're getting close to time, but I'm going to be honest with you because I have the timer
18:49here.
18:50I do want to ask you, going back to China, did the president bring up the case of Jimmy Lai?
18:56The president always raises that case and a couple others.
18:59And obviously we'll hope to get a positive response from that.
19:03And, you know, some of these things are best handled outside of the spotlight, but it was raised.
19:07Those issues are always raised in our meetings.
19:09Would the U.S. provide a safe haven for Jimmy Lai if China were to release him?
19:13Could he come to the United States?
19:13I think we would like to see him released.
19:15The president's made that point publicly and in other meetings.
19:19We hope the Chinese system will be responsive to that.
19:21And we'd be open to any arrangement that would work for them as long as he's given us freedom.
19:25It's really at this point a humanitarian situation because of his age and health.
19:29Yeah, 78.
19:30Two more questions.
19:31There was a tweet that went viral.
19:33It was put out by communications staffer Steve Chung.
19:36It showed you in a Nike track suit and it said that you were on Air Force One wearing the
19:42Nike Venezuela gear.
19:44Something to that effect.
19:44I think you know what I'm talking about.
19:46Yeah, Stephen put that out.
19:46Was that some type of...
19:48No, it's a comfortable suit.
19:49Were you trying to set a sign?
19:50No, no.
19:50What's the context for that?
19:51There's no context.
19:52It's a nice suit.
19:52I mean, I like it.
19:53It's comfortable.
19:53It was the same one Maduro was wearing.
19:55It is.
19:55But you know what?
19:56He copied me because I had it before.
19:57I don't know when he bought his.
19:58I don't even know that was his.
20:00The bottom line is that that's a suit that it's comfortable.
20:03I don't know.
20:03There was no message.
20:04I didn't even know he was taking the picture.
20:06Okay.
20:06And then finally, I don't know if you were watching the president on Monday, but he was at the podium
20:10and he was maybe making a joke, but he was surveying the audience.
20:14And I know you're secretary of state.
20:16You don't like to talk about your political future.
20:18But he asked a group of supporters to clap if they like Vice President J.D. Vance or if they
20:23liked you better.
20:24Sounded like it was pretty even.
20:25What do you think about that?
20:26Would you want to be president?
20:28Look, I know this is going to sound like a typical job.
20:30I'm going to be in this job for the next two and a half years.
20:33I'm going to do that job.
20:34I'm going to finish the job for this president.
20:35I'm enjoying it very much.
20:37I think we're going to make a lot of good things happen.
20:39J.D. is a very good friend of mine.
20:41If J.D. runs for president, I think he'd be a phenomenal candidate.
20:43I've said publicly, and I'll say it again, I'll be the first person to sign up and support him.
20:47I think J.D. would do great.
20:48Would you want to be a vice president?
20:50I want to be the secretary of state, and I'll worry about the future and the future.
20:53I'm not saying, you know, I'm not telling you that that's what I'm aiming for.
20:55You know, I've been doing this for a long time, too.
20:57I was in the Senate starting in 2010.
20:59So I'd like to do some other things with my life at some point, although public service
21:02is an honor to be able to be involved in.
21:04Okay.
21:05I do want to ask you, because we did so much reporting on Chinese EVs.
21:08There's two arguments against Chinese EVs in the U.S.
21:10One, from automakers.
21:12It'll cripple the industry because they're so cheap.
21:14But elected leaders have also said it's an issue of national security.
21:17Do you truly believe if China's EVs come to the U.S., it's an issue of national security?
21:24Yes, because it'll wipe out an industry.
21:26But it's not just the EV.
21:27It's all of the other things that go into making them, all the other components of it
21:32that are related to other industries as well.
21:34But ask the Europeans.
21:36The Europeans right now, their EV model, they're being flooded with Chinese EVs.
21:40It is wiping out their industry over there.
21:42So, again, we already have a lot of critical vulnerabilities.
21:45There are already things we rely on in our economy where we get 95 percent of it or 85 percent
21:49of it from China.
21:51That's a vulnerability we can't continue to allow it to expand to other fields.
21:55Yeah.
21:55Mr. Secretary, we thank you for your time.
21:57Yeah.
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