PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DONE.
BRIAN: AND BE READY FOR THE
NEXT MOVE.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, GUYS.
BRIAN: MIKE POMPEO VERY KIND
ENOUGH TO BE JOINING US LIVE
AT THIS VERY IMPORTANT
MOMENT.
MR. SECRETARY, THANKS SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US.
CAN YOU BRING US BACK TO
THAT DECISION WHEN YOU
REALIZED YOU WOULD HAVE A
SHOT AT GENERAL SOLEIMANI
AND YOU WANTED TO TAKE THAT
SHOT?
>> WELL, BRIAN, GOOD
MORNING.
STEVE: GOOD MORNING.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE THE
DECISION, A SERIOUS DECISION
WHICH WAS NECESSARY.
THERE WAS AN IMMINENT TACT
ORCHESTRATED A PRIMARY
MOTIVATOR FOR THE ATTACK WAS
QASSEM SOLEIMANI ATTEMPT TO
DISRUPT THAT PLOT.
YOU ULTIMATELY TALKED THIS
MORNING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF
WHO QASSEM SOLEIMANI IS.
HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN LIVES
BLOOD ON HIS HANDS.
WHAT WAS SITTING BEFORE US
WAS HIS TRAVELS THROUGHOUT
THE REGION.
HIS EFFORTS TO MAKE A
SIGNIFICANT STRIKE AGAINST
AMERICANS THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN MANY MUSLIMS KILLED AS
WELL.
IRAQIS, PEOPLE IN OTHER
COUNTRIES AS WELL.
IT WAS A STRIKE THAT WAS
AIMED AT BOTH DISRUPTING
THAT PLOT, DETERRING FURTHER
AGGRESSION.
WE HOPE SETTING THE
CONDITIONS FOR DEESCALATION
AS WELL.
STEVE: ALL RIGHT.
THE PENTAGON DID RELEASE A
STATEMENT THAT ONE.
REASONS THAT HE WAS TAKEN
OUT NOW WAS BECAUSE HE WAS
PLANNING MORE ATTACKS ON
AMERICANS.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT
THAT GENERALLY?
>> STEVE, I CAN'T SAY MUCH
MORE.
BUT YOU NEED NOT LOOK ANY
FURTHER BACK THAN JUST THE
LAST FEW MONTHS.
DOZENS AND DOZENS OF TACHS
AGAINST AMERICAN AND ALLIED
INTERESTS THROUGHOUT THE
REGION BY IRAN AND ITS
PROXIES.
CULMINATING WITH WHAT
HAPPENED WITH AN AMERICAN
KILLED ON 27TH.
WE HAD IRAQI FACILITIES.
THERE HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF
ACTIONS.
WE HAVE WATCHED THAT ACTION
TAKE PLACE.
AMERICAN UAV SHOT DOWN.
THE STRENGTH PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAD SHOWN WAS IMPORTANT.
IT'S NOW THE TIME WE NEEDED
TO TAKE ACTION TO RESTORE
DETERRENCE.
THE MEN AND WOMEN ON THE
GROUND THERE TODAY WE TAKE
SERIOUSLY THE NEED FOR THEIR
SECURITY.
WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR
THIS AND WE ARE PREPARED.
AINSLEY: NOW, IF IRAN DOES
RETALIATE, I HAVE HEARD SOME
EXPERTS SAY THEY DON'T
ALWAYS RETALIATE
IMMEDIATELY.
IT COULD TAKE A LONG TIME.
WHAT ARE THE PRESIDENT'S
MILITARY OPTIONS?
LINDSEY GRAHAM HAS SUGGESTED
MAYBE TAKING OUT THEIR THREE
OIL REFINERIES, WHAT DO YOU
SAY?
>> AINSLEY, I CERTAINLY
DON'T WANT TO GET OUT IN
FRONT OF YOU WHO THE
PRESIDENT WILL DECIDE TO
RESPOND OTHER THAN TO SAY
THIS.
I THINK THE IRANIAN
LEADERSHIP UNDERSTANDS THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL TAKE
ACTION.
WE HAVE MADE THIS CLEAR FOR
MONTHS WHEN I WAS A CIA
DIRECTOR.
WE MADE VERY CLEAR THAT
THESE RESPONSES WOULD BE
SWIFT AND DIVISIVE.
WE HAVE NOW DEMONSTRATED
THAT I HOPE THE LEADERSHIP
WILL SEE THAT AND SEE THEIR
RESOLVE.
THEIR DECISION WILL BE TO
DEESCALATE AND TAKE ACTIONS
CONSISTENT WITH WHAT NORMAL
NATIONS DO.
IN THE EVENT THAT THEY DON'T
AND GO THE OTHER DIRECTION,
I KNOW THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
AND ENTIRE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO
RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.
BRIAN: MR. SECRETARY, I WAS
STRUCK BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE
CALLING OUT YOU AND OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE
ADMINISTRATION, ONE OF WHICH
IS AMBASSADOR CHRIS HILL WHO
FOR 16 MONTHS WAS IN IRAQ.
I REALLY CAN'T POINT OUT
MUCH THAT WENT WELL DURING
HIS TENURE.
HE FELT SECURE ENOUGH TO
MAKE THIS COMMENT A COUPLE
DAYS AGO.
>> THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS A
KIND OF CARTOON IMAGE OF
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT
PART OF THE WORLD.
AND ONE WORRIES WHETHER THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS THE SORT
OF HORSEPOWER AND BRAIN
POWER TO DEAL WITH THEM.
BRIAN: DO YOU HAVE THE BRAIN
POWER OR HORSEPOWER TO DEAL
WITH THIS?
>> I DON'T PAY MUCH
ATTENTION TO WHAT FOLKS LIKE
THAT SAY.
I KNOW PRECISELY WHAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS GIVEN
OUR DIRECTION.
I KNOW THE MISSION SET.
THE WHOLE TEAM DOES.
WE ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING
SURE FOR THE DAY THAT WE ARE
SECURE.
THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING
WE CAN TO PREPARE TO HAVE
THE RESOURCES IN THE REGION
TO RESPONDS.
POSITIONED.
AND WE ARE
AND WE CRE
AND WE CONFIDENT.
WE WATCHED THESE PROTESTS
OVER THE LAST MONTHS.
THESE PROTESTS WEREN'T
AGAINST AMERICA.
THEY WERE AGAINST A TERRIBLE
LEADERSHIP THAT HAD COME OUT
OF IRAQ OVER THE PAST
DECADES.
WE WATCHED LAST NIGHT, YOU
SAW THE VIDEO OF IRAQIS
DANSING IN THE STREETS.
THEY ARE HAPPY, TOO.
THE ABSENCE OF QASSEM
SOLEIMANI IS A BOON TO THIS
REGION.
WE RESISTED RISKS LAST
NIGHT.
IT WAS VERY CLEAR WE DID SO.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE
ACTIONS TO REDUCE RISK AND
PROTECTED AMERICA.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN
VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT AND
NOTHING IS DIFFERENT TODAY
THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY WITH
RESPECT TO THAT.
STEVE: CLEARLY, THIS IS PART
OF THE PRESIDENT'S MAXIMUM
PRESSURE CAMPAIGN WHICH HE
HAS LAUNCHED ON A NUMBER OF
ENTITIES.
IN THE PAST, I KNOW YOU HAVE
BEEN CRITICAL OF CERTAIN
MEMBERS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S
ADMINISTRATION WHO YOU FELT
WERE UNDERMINING THE
PRESIDENT WANTS
PRESIDENT'WANTS
PRESIDENT'SANTS
PRESIDENT'S MTS
PRESIDENT'S MAXIMUM PRESSURE
CAMPAIGN BY SAYING TO IRAN
BEHIND THE SCENES HEY, JUST
HANG ON, ONCE HE LOSES IN
2020 WE WILL BE ABLE TO GO
BACK TO THE WAY THINGS USED
TO BE.
>> YEAH.
THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY IS
NEVER APPROPRIATE,
ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN IT PUTS
AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THOSE
FORMER ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS WILL JUST SIMPLY
GET OFF THE STAGE AND ALLOW
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OUR TEAM
TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
LOOK, WE TOOK A VERY
DIFFERENT APPROACH.
WE DIDN'T SEND PALLETS OF
CASH TO THE IRANIANS.
WE DIDN'T PAY FOR HOSTAGES.
WE DIDN'T CREATE A DEAL
WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM
A CLEAR PATHWAY TO A NUCLEAR
WEAPON.
WE HAVE TAKEN A VERY
DIFFERENT APPROACH.
WE BELIEVE IT'S THE ONE THAT
WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO
SUCCESS AND STABILITY IN THE
MIDDLE EAST.
AINSLEY: THIS IS THE
NON-BENGHAZI.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE
OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE
KILLED.
I HAVE HEARD SEVEN.
I HAVE HEARD EIGHT PEOPLE.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN
ADDITION TO SOLEIMANI WAS
THE ABU ALDI -- WHAT DO YOU
KNOW ABOUT HIM?
>> HE WAS THE LEADER OF THE
IRAQI SHE A.
HE WAS THE PRIMARY CONTACT
FOR QASSEM SOLEIMANI WHEN IT
CAME TO SHE A MILITIA FORCES
ACTING IN IRAQ.
HE WAS A BAD GUY.
I CAN ONLY CONFIRM THAT
GENERAL SOLEIMANI IS DEAD
BUT IF BE A DO YOU MANI HAS
PASSED AWAY AS WELL.
LESS RISK IN THE MIDDLE
EAST.
MORE FREEDOM FOR IRAQIS.
MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR IRAQI
PEOPLE TO STAND UP AND GET
AN INDEPENDENT, FREE,
SOVEREIGN IRAQ BUILT.
IT'S WHAT AMERICA HAS BEEN
THERE FOR.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT
ISIS IN THE REGION.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING
SURE THAT AMERICANS ARE SAFE
FROM TERROR WHEREVER WE FIND
IT.
BRIAN: SO I UNDERSTAND THE
"NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTING
THAT DONALD TRUMP DID
SOMETHING THAT GEORGE W.
BUSH AND BARACK OBAMA DID
NOT WANT TO DO BECAUSE THEY
FEARED THERE WOULD BE
REPRISALS.
THEY COULD HAVE TAKEN OUT
SOLEIMANI IN THE PAST BUT
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE
RISK.
YOU KNOW THERE'S A RISK TO
EVERY MOVE LIKE THIS.
WHY WAS THIS RISK WORTH IT
NOW?
BECAUSE I IMAGINE OVER THE
LAST TWO AND A HALF, THREE
YEARS, HAVE YOU ALSO HAD A
SHOT AT HIM IN THE PAST.
USCIA DIRECTOR OR AS MIGHT
HAVE HEARD FROM YOUR OWN
FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE.
WHY
FOY
FORM -- SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE.
WHY NOW?
>> NOW IT'S IMPORTANT
BECAUSE OF THE ESCALATION
TAKEN PLACE AS WELL
TAKEN PLACE ATTWELL
TAKEN PLACE ATTACLL
TAKEN PLACE ATTACKS
SOLEIMANI WAS PLANNING.
BRIAN, I THINK YOU KNOW,
THIS THE RISK OF DOING
NOTHING IS ENORMOUS.
ENORMOUS IN THE SHORT-TERM
THE IMMINENT ATTACKS
SOLEIMANI WAS PLANNING.
HIGHLY RISKY.
DOING NOTHING IN THIS REGION
SHOWS WEAKNESS.
EMBOLDENED IRAN.
WHAT HAPPENED FOR EIGHT
YEARS WHEN THE IRANIANS FELT
FREE TO CONDUCT HUNDREDS OF
ATTACKS.
WE KNOW THAT THIS DIDN'T
WORK.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS TAKEN
FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT
APPROACH AND WE ARE
CONFIDENT THAT OUR STRATEGY
THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED NOT
ONLY THE ECONOMIC PRESSURE
BUT BUILDING OUT COALITION
FORCES IN THE STRAITS OF
HORMUZ, WORKING TO REINFORCE
OUR SAUDI AND EMIRATI
PARTNERS, ALL THE THINGS
THAT WE HAVE DONE TO CREATE
THE CONDITIONS FOR A MORE
STABLE AND PEACEFUL AND
PROSPEROUS MIDDLE EAST, WE
THINK THIS IS A PART OF.
STEVE: MR. SECRETARY, A
NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS RUNNING
FOR PRESIDENT HAVE SAID YEP,
HE WAS A BAD GUY.
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, A
NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS ARE ALSO
WANTING THE PRESIDENT TO
EXPLAIN WHAT LEGAL AUTHORITY
HE USED TO TAKE THIS GUY
OUT.
BECAUSE HE WASN'T JUST A
TERRORIST.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE
IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
>> YEAH.
WE SHOULDN'T FORGET IT'S
GENERAL SOLEIMANI.
HE IS A MILITARY COMMANDER
ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN PLOTTING
TO KILL AMERICANS IN THE
REGION.
WE HAD AN IMPORTANT SET OF
UNDERLYING REASONS TO TAKE
THIS STRIKE.
IT WAS WHOLLY LAWFUL.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE NOT
ONLY GOT IT RIGHT LEGALLY
BUT WE GOT IT RIGHT
STRATEGICALLY.
AINSLEY: WE HAVE HEARD THE
EXPERTS SAY THIS IS THE
NUMBER TWO GUY OVER THERE I
KNOW YOU DELAYED YOUR TRIP
TO THE MIDDLE EAST.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
NEGOTIATIONS GOING FORWARD?
>> I'M SORRY IS THE QUESTION
ABOUT IRAQ OR IRAN?
AINSLEY: WELL, WHAT DOES
THIS MEAN FOR NEGOTIATIONS
GOING FORWARD?
I KNOW YOU DELAYED YOUR TRIP
TO THE UKRAINE.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN GOING
FORWARD?
>> WELL, THE PRESIDENT HAS
BEEN PRETTY CLEAR.
WE DON'T SEEK WAR WITH IRAN.
BUT WE, AT THE SAME TIME,
ARE NOT GOING TO STAND BY
AND WATCH THE IRANIANS
ESCALATE AND CONTINUE TO PUT
AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK
WITHOUT RESPONDING IN A WAY
THAT DISRUPTS, DEFENDS,
DETERS AND CREATES AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DEESCALATE
THE SITUATION.
BRIAN: ARE YOU PREPARED FOR
THE RETALIATION OF OUR
EMBASSIES AROUND THE REGION
WHETHER IT'S YEMEN, OMAN,
IRAQ IN PARTICULAR, THE WAY
THEY -- THE ONE THING ABOUT
IRAN AND THEY EVEN RUMORED
TO HAVE SLEEPER CELLS HERE.
THEY ARE -- THEY DO -- THEY
ARE PRETTY FANNED OUT.
HOW FORTIFIED AND HOW FIRM
ARE OUR DEFENSES?
>> YEAH, BRIAN.
WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG
TIME THAT THERE WAS RISKS
NOT ONLY IN BAGHDAD AT OUR
EMBASSY.
BUT AROUND THE REGION.
WE HAVE DONE ALL THAT WE CAN
TO PREPARE TO SECURE THOSE
FITTINGS.
DEPARTMENT
THPARTMENT
THOSRTMENT
THOSE MENT
THOSE --NT
THOSE -- FACILITIES.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND
SAY DEPARTMENT WORKED CLEAR.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS CLEAR WE
WILL TAKE ALL NECESSARY
ACTION:
BRIAN: NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
REPORTS WERE YOU WERE ABOUT
TO HIT BACK AT IRAN AFTER
THEY TOOK OUT OUR
200-MILLION-DOLLAR DRONE.
AND OTHERS SAY YOU WERE
READY AND THE PRESIDENT AT
THE LAST MINUTE CHANGED HIS
MIND.
WHEN DID THE PRESIDENT MAKE
THE DECISION AND UP UNTIL
THE LAST MINUTE WERE YOU
READY TO BACK OFF HAD THE
PRESIDENT CHANGED HIS MIND.
>> BRIAN I WON'T TALK ABOUT
THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
I WILL SAY IT WAS A
THOUGHTFUL APPROACH,
INTELLIGENCE BASED APPROACH.
PRESIDENT TRUMP THROUGH THIS
PRO-PROCESS WAS IN CHARGE OF
DIRECTING OUR ACTIONS.
AS WE MOVED THROUGH THE DAY
YESTERDAY, IT BECAME CLEAR
THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISRUPT
THIS PLOT AND WE ACHIEVED
THAT.
STEVE: MR. SECRETARY, FINAL
QUESTION FOR YOU WHILE BRIAN
WAS ASKING ABOUT THE
EMBASSIES AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR TERRORISM OVER THERE,
FOR THE FOLKS WATCHING RIGHT
HERE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE WAY
OVER THERE.
THERE COULD BE SOME
TERRORISM HERE.
BUT SOMETHING THAT IS A REAL
CONCERN IS CYBER TERRORISM.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT
PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN
TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN'T
FIDDLE WITH OUR INTERNET.
>> THERE IS ALWAYS A RISK OF
CYBER ATTACKS.
THEY HAVE A DEEP CAPABILITY.
KNOW WE HAVE CONSIDERED THAT
RISK.
THE RISK IN THE UNITED
STATES IS REAL TOO.
SOLEIMANI THE MAN WE TACK
OUT YESTERDAY ORCHESTRATED
AN ATTACK RIGHT HERE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. NOT TOO
TERRIBLY LONG AGO.
IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.
BUT THAT WAS HIM.
THAT WAS THIS SAME GUY.
IS HE A BAD ACTOR.
HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE
BEIRUT BOMBINGS THAT KILLED
AMERICANS.
THIS IS THE GUY WITH
ENORMOUS BLOOD ON HIS HANDS.
AND THE ACTIONS WE TOOK
YESTERDAY WERE BOTH
CONSISTENT WITH DETERRENCE
AND WITH DISRUPTING THAT
IMMINENT ATTACK.
STEVE: ALL RIGHT.
MIKE POMPEO, THE SECRETARY
OF STATE JOINING US ON A
VERY BUSY DAY.