>> Chris: KEVIN CORKE
REPORTING FROM MAR-A-LAGO.
KEVIN, THANK YOU.
JOINING US NOW HERE IN
WASHINGTON, THE SECRETARY OF
STATE MIKE POMPEO, WELCOME BACK
TO FOX AND THE SUN SIR.
>> Secretary Pompeo: GREAT TO
BE WITH YOU, THANKS FOR HAVING
ME ON THIS MORNING.
>> Chris: YOU KNOW THAT THE
IRAQI PARLIAMENT IS HOLDING AN
EMERGENCY SESSION TODAY TO
DISCUSS THE QUESTION AS TO
WHETHER U.S. TROOPS, THE 5,000
TRIPS WE HAVE THERE SHOULD
REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY.
IT HAS JUST COME ACROSS THE WIRE
THAT THE IRAQI PRIME MINISTER
SAYS IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF
BOTH IRAQ AND THE U.S. TO END
FOREIGN TROOP PRESENCE IN IRAQ
AND HE ALSO SAYS THAT THE
KILLING OF GENERAL SOLEIMANI AND
ALSO A TOP MILITIA LEADER WAS
BACKED BY IRAN WERE POLITICAL
ASSASSINATIONS.
YOUR REACTIONS ARE?
>> CHRIS, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
SHOULD KNOW THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
WILL NEVER SHY AWAY FROM
PROTECTING AND DEFENDING
AMERICA.
IT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THESE
PAST WEEKS AND DAYS, IT'S WHAT
WE'VE DONE OVER OUR OUR ENTIRE
THREE YEARS WITH OUR MIDDLE EAST
STRATEGY.
THE ACTIVITY ARE SEEING IS FULLY
CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW
WE WILL CONTINUE -- THE
PRESIDENT WAITED AGAIN LAST
NIGHT, WE WILL TAKE THE ACTIONS
NECESSARY TO KEEP AMERICANS
SAFE.
AFTER THE ACTIVITY OF THE DAY
WITH RESPECT TO IRAQ WITH THAT
IN THE COUNTRY, SUPPORTING IRAQI
SOVEREIGNTY, CONTINUING TO TAKE
THEM A TERRORIST THREAT AGAINST
THE IRAQI PEOPLE.
PRIME MINISTER IS THE RESIGNED
PRIME MINISTER, HE IS THE ACTING
PRIME MINISTER.
HE IS UNDER ENORMOUS THREATS
FROM THE VERY IRANIAN LEADERSHIP
THAT IT IS THAT WE ARE PUSHING
BACK AGAINST.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE IRAQI
PEOPLE WANT THE UNITED STATES TO
CONTINUE TO BE THERE TO FIGHT
THE COUNTERTERROR CAMPAIGN AND
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO ALL THE
THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP
AMERICA SAFE.
>> Chris: BUT IF IRAQ -- IT IS
A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY.
IF THEY DEMAND THAT WE LEAVE,
WILL WE LEAVE, AND IF WE DO,
WON'T AUTOMATICALLY HURT THE
FIGHT AGAINST ISIS AND STABILITY
IN THE REGION?
>> Secretary Pompeo: WE WILL
HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE
DO WHEN THE IRAQI LEADERSHIP IN
GOVERNMENT MAKES ITS DECISION,
BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD
KNOW WE WILL MAKE THE RIGHT
DECISION.
WE WILL TAKE ACTIONS THAT
FRANKLY THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION REFUSED TO TAKE
TO DO JUST THAT.
>> Chris: PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS
THAT GENERAL SOLEIMANI WAS
PLANNING A "IMMINENT ATTACK"
AGAINST AMERICANS.
YOU'VE SAID IT WAS A "BIG
ACTION" THAT COULD POTENTIALLY
KILL HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN
DIPLOMATS AND SOLDIERS.
IT WAS THE PLAN?
WHO WERE THE TARGETS, AND HOW
SOON?
>> Secretary Pompeo:
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS RIGHT AND
WHAT HE SAID, SO WAS I.
WE WILL SHARE ALL THE
INTELLIGENCE THAT WE CAN.
I WAS THE CIA DIRECTOR FOR A
LITTLE WHILE.
THERE'S THINGS WE SIMPLY CANNOT
MAKE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE
KNEW AT THAT TIME AND WHAT IN
FACT WE KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE
CONTINUING ACTIVITY.
I THINK THE GENERAL GOT IT RIGHT
WHEN HE SAID WE WERE CULPABLY
NEGLIGENT HAD WE NOT GONE AFTER
SOLEIMANI ONLY HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY.
HE WAS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN
PLOTTING AGAINST AMERICAN
INTERESTS.
WE NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN
WHAT HE HAD PERSONALLY DONE OVER
THE DAYS BEFORE THAT WHEN AN
AMERICAN WAS KILLED ON
DECEMBER 27TH.
IF THERE'S NO SURPRISE, THERE'S
PLENTY OF PUBLIC EVIDENCE ABOUT
THE BAD BEHAVIOR OF SOLEIMANI,
HE WAS A DESIGNATED TERRORIST
AND WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT THING.
>> Chris: I JUST WANT TO PRESS
TO THIS DEGREE, HE HAD BEEN
TARGETING AMERICANS AND OTHER
PEOPLE AROUND THE REGION FOR
DECADES, THE BLOOD OF 600
AMERICANS WAS ON HIS HANDS
DURING THE IRAQ WAR.
THE QUESTION IS THAT THERE ARE
SOME INTELLIGENCE AGENTS WHO ARE
TALKING TO MEDIA OUTLETS WHO ARE
SAYING YES, HE WAS DOING BAD
THINGS, BUT IT WAS ANOTHER DAY
IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND SOME
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS WHO HAVE
BEEN BRIEFED NOW SAY THAT THE
INTELLIGENCE WAS NOT OF AN
IMMINENT ATTACK THAT WAS BIGGER,
MORE WORRISOME.
DON'T THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE
THE RIGHT TO SOME UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT IT WAS, WHY IT WAS SO
URGENT TO TAKE OUT SOLEIMANI NO
NOW?
>> Secretary Pompeo: HAVEN'T
HEARD ANY OF THE CONGRESSIONAL
LEADERS WHO HAVE SEEN THE FULL
SET OF INTELLIGENCE MAKE THE
COMMENTS THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED
BUT I THINK ANY REASONABLE
PERSON WHO SAW THE INTELLIGENCE
THAT THE SENIOR AMERICAN LEADERS
HAD IN THEIR POSSESSION WOULD
HAVE COME THE SAME CONCLUSION
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OUR
LEADERSHIP TEAM DID ABOUT THE
FACT THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
MORE RISK TO AMERICA, MORE RISK
THROUGH INACTION THAN THE ACTION
WE TOOK.
I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR, IT'S
VERY PLAIN WE WILL DO EVERYTHING
WE CAN TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION
WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BUT I
THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THERE ARE CERTAIN
THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T PUT OUT IN
PUBLIC.
YOU GOT TO PROTECT AMERICANS WHO
ARE OUT COLLECTING INTELLIGENCE.
THE INTELLIGENCE WE WILL NEED IN
THE DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD TO
CONTINUE TO DEFEND AND PROTECT
THEM.
>> Chris: IRAN'S LEADERS ARE
BOWING A CRUSHING RESPONSE USING
WORDS LIKE HARD REVENGE.
WHAT DO WE DO IF THEY STRIKE
BACK, IF THEY RETALIATE?
IS THERE A PLAN?
BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE WENT
AFTER SOLEIMANI, HAS THERE BEEN
A CHANGE IN U.S. RESPONSE OR
WHERE NO LONGER GOING TO GO
AFTER THE ENEMY IN THE FIELD, WE
ARE NOW GOING TO GO AFTER IRAN'S
COMMAND AND CONTROL?
>> Secretary Pompeo: THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW THERE IS A
STRATEGY, IT'S A STRATEGY THAT
HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS IN THE
MAKING NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON.
IT'S BEEN A DIPLOMATIC STRATEGY,
AND ECONOMIC STRATEGY.
YOU ARE NOW SEEING ELEMENTS OF
THE MILITARY STRATEGY AND WITH
RESPECT TO TARGETS,
PRESIDENT TRUMP TALKED ABOUT 52
TARGETS THAT NIGHT.
THAT'S NOT NEW IN THE FOLLOWING
SENSE.
WE'VE MADE CLEAR TO THE
THEOCRAT'S AND POP REGRETS THAT
ARE RUNNING AROUND TODAY,
RUNNING INTO THE GROUND AGAINST
THE WILL OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE, WE
MADE CLEAR TO THEM THAT WE WOULD
NOT RESPOND JUST AGAINST THESE
PROXY FORCES THAT THEY RUN IN
YEMEN AND IN SYRIA AND IRAQ AND
LEBANON.
WE MADE CLEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE
BROUGHT HOME TO THEM, TO THE
LEADERSHIP REGIME IN IRAN AND
THAT WE WOULD RAISE COSTS.
WE WOULDN'T JUST ATTACK THEIR
ASYMMETRIC EFFORTS, WE WOULD
RESPOND IN A WAY THAT IMPOSE
COSTS ON THE DECISION-MAKERS WHO
ARE PUTTING AMERICAN LIVES AT
RISK.
>> Chris: SO YOU'RE SAYING TO
THE SUPREME LEADER, YOU'RE
SAYING TO PRESIDENT ROUHANI,
YOU'RE SAYING TO LEADERS OF THE
REVOLUTIONARY GUARD, DON'T THINK
THAT YOU ARE OFF-LIMITS?
>> Secretary Pompeo: WHAT I'M
SAYING IS EXACTLY WHAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID, WE
WILL TAKE RESPONSES THAT ARE
APPROPRIATE AND COMMENCEMENT
WITH ACTIONS THAT THREATEN
AMERICAN LIVES, THAT'S WHAT
WE'VE DONE SO FAR, THERE'S NO
REASON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OR
THE IRANIAN REGIME SHOULD EVER
EXPECT WE WILL DO ANYTHING
DIFFERENT.
>> Chris: YOU TALK ABOUT THE
STRATEGY.
THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN PUSHING
WHAT HE CALLS THE MAXIMUM
PRESSURE STRATEGY SINCE HE TOOK
OFFICE.
HE PULLED OUT OF THE IRAN
NUCLEAR DEAL IN MAY OF 2018, HE
IMPOSED TOUGH ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
AND THIS SUMMER HE SUGGESTED
THAT THE STRATEGY WAS WORKING.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> IRAN IS A MUCH DIFFERENT
COUNTRY THAN TWO AND A HALF
YEARS AGO WHEN I TOOK OVER.
IRAN WAS ALL OVER.
IF THEY HAD 14-18 DIFFERENT
SITES OF CONFLICTION.
THEY WERE ALL OVER.
AND NOW THEY JUST WANT TO -- OH,
THEY WANT TO NEGOTIATE A DEAL SO
BADLY.
>> Chris: BUT IN 2019 ALONE,
IRAN HIT SHIPS, SHOT DOWN A U.S.
DRONE, LAUNCHED AN ATTACK
AGAINST SAUDI OIL FACILITIES, A
DAMAGING ATTACK AND FOR ALL THE
TALK OF ISOLATING A RUN, THEY
JUST CONDUCTED JOINT EXERCISES
WITH CHINA AND RUSSIA.
SO THE QUESTION IS, HAS THE
PRESIDENT'S MAXIMUM PRESSURE
STRATEGY MADE IRAN LESS
AGGRESSIVE OR MORE?
>> Secretary Pompeo: PANIC
AGGRESSION ON THE PART OF THE
IRANIAN LEADERSHIP BECAUSE THEY
KNOW THAT THE IRANIAN PEOPLE ARE
DEMANDING ENORMOUS CHANGE.
AND THEY KNOW THAT THE IRANIAN
PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTED BY AMERICA
IN THAT DEMAND FOR CHANGE.
WE BUILD OUT A HUGE COALITION.
AT GULF STATES, ISRAEL,
COUNTRIES ALL ACROSS THE WORLD
FOR JOINING US.
THEY ARE JOINING US NOT ONLY IN
THE EFFORTS IN THE STRAITS OF
HORMUZ, BUT IN THE AIR DEFENSE
EFFORTS.
ALL ACROSS THE REGION.
THE MALIGN ACTOR OF IRAN HAS
BEEN IDENTIFIED.
REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME IN.
2015 THE OBAMA BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION ESSENTIALLY
HANDED POWER TO THE IRANIAN
LEADERSHIP AND ACTED AS A
QUASI-ALLY OF THEIRS.
BUT UNDERWRITING THEM,
UNDERWRITING THE VERY MILITIAS
THAT KILLED AMERICANS.
THOSE RESOURCES, THE MONEY THEY
HAD TO BUILD OUT THOSE FORCES
WAS PROVIDED TO THEM BY THE
NUCLEAR DEAL.
WE ALLOWED EUROPEANS TO GO TO
BUSINESS THERE, PROVIDED A
$150 BILLION, ALL OF THESE
THINGS OF THE VERY CHALLENGE
THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
HAS HAD TO CORRECT.
STRATEGY IS WORKING, WE ARE
GOING TO STAY THE COURSE AND WE
WILL PROTECT AND DEFEND THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AT EVERY STEP.
>> Chris: JUST YOU KNOW I
ASKING SENATOR VAN HOLLAN ABOUT
THAT IN THE NEXT SEGMENT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO SAYS THAT
HE IS KEEPING HIS CAMPAIGN
PROMISE TO PULL U.S. TROOPS OUT
OF THE MIDDLE EAST.
HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY IN
OCTOBER.
>> THE PLAN IS TO GET OUT OF
ENDLESS WARS, BRING OUR SOLDIERS
BACK HOME, TO NOT BE POLICING
AGENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
IT WAS A QUICK HIT EXCEPT THEY
STAYED FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS.
LET SOMEONE ELSE FIGHT OVER THIS
LONG BLOODSTAINED SAND.
>> Chris: BUT JUST THIS WEEK,
THE U.S. DEPLOYED 100 MARINES TO
THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD,
PLUS 752 THE REGION AND NOW
ANOTHER 3500.
IF THE PRESIDENT PULLING US OUT
OF ENDLESS WARS IN THE
MIDDLE EAST OR WITH HIS ACTION
THIS WEEK DID HE TAKE A BIG STEP
BACK IN?
>> Secretary Pompeo: ENDLESS
WARS ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF
WEAKNESS AND PRESIDENT TRUMP
WILL NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN.
WE ARE GOING TO GET IT RIGHT,
WE'RE GOING TO GET THE FORCE
POSTURE RIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO
GET OUR FACILITIES AS HARDENED
AS WE CAN POSSIBLY GET THEM TO
DEFEND AGAINST WHAT IRAN MAY
POTENTIALLY DO, BUT MAKE NO
MISTAKE, AMERICA'S MISSION IS TO
HAVE OUR FOOTPRINT IN THE
MIDDLE EAST REDUCED WHILE STILL
KEEPING AMERICA SAFE.
SAFE FROM ROGUE REGIMES LIKE THE
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN AND
FROM TERRORIST ACTIVITY BROADLY
THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
SPEEONE'S WAS IT FAIR TO SAY
THAT WHILE THE BIG STRATEGY IS
TO PULL THE U.S. OUT OF ENDLESS
WARS, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM
THERE COULD BE MORE OF A
COMMITMENT?
>> Secretary Pompeo: THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION CREATED AN
ENORMOUS RISK TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IN IRAN.
THIS ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING
TO REDUCE THAT RISK.
>> Chris: FINALLY, SOME
ANALYSTS SUGGEST THAT THE
IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS EMBOLDENED ENEMIES LIKE IRAN
AND NORTH KOREA TO THINK THAT
THEY CAN CONFRONT HIM.
DO YOU THINK THAT IS MISGUIDED
AS IT MAY BE, THAT SOME OF OUR
ENEMIES THINK THAT THIS
PRESIDENT IS MORE VULNERABLE
BECAUSE OF THE IMPEACHMENT
EFFORT?
>> Secretary Pompeo: YOU
SHOULD ASK MR. SOLEIMANI.
>> Chris: I UNDERSTAND THAT,
BUT HE WAS GOING AHEAD BEFORE
YOU KILLED HIM AND THE QUESTION
IS DO YOU THINK THAT IMPEACHMENT
IS EMBOLDENING OUR ENEMIES?
>> Secretary Pompeo: I DON'T.
I THINK THAT OUR ADVERSARIES
UNDERSTAND THE PRESIDENT TRUMP
AND OUR ADMINISTRATION WILL DO
THE RIGHT THING TO PROTECT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE EVERYPLACE THAT
