AND SOME BIZARRE COMMENTS FROM
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLING
VLADIMIR PUTIN TO RELEASE
INFORMATION HE MAY OR MAY NOT
HAVE UNDER BIDEN.
SENATOR KEVIN CRAMER FROM NORTH
DAKOTA, START ABOUT YOUR BRIEFING FROM ADMINISTRATION
BRIEFING FROM ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS ON UKRAINE.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO MORE.
WHAT IS THE MORE YOU THINK IS
REASONABLE WE SHOULD BE DOING
THAT WE'RE NOT?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
THE FIRST "MORE" IS THE REQUEST
BY PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY FOR MIGs
OR FIGHTER JETS.
THAT'S ALWAYS AT THE TOP OF THE
LIST.
SETTING THAT ASIDE FOR A MOMENT,
I THINK MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE
THAT WHAT THEY REALLY NEED ARE
BETTER SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE
SYSTEMS.
THEY AGREE WITH THAT, THEY BEING
THE UKRAINIANS.
THEY WANT MORE ADVANCED SYSTEMS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE S-300s AND
SOVIET-ERA DEFENSE SYSTEM, WHICH
IS PRETTY EFFECTIVE BUT IT'S
QUITE OLD.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MORE
LONG-RANGE SYSTEMS AS WELL,
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE
STINGERS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED TO
THIS POINT ARE REALLY SHORT
RANGE
RANGE.
THEY'RE FOR THE MISSILES WHEN
THEY'RE CLOSE TO YOU.
THEY WANT TO HIT THE MISSILES
FURTHER AWAY AND HIKER IN THE
AIR AND I DON'T BLAME THEM.
WE NEED TO DO THAT FOR THEM.
A LOT OF THE URGENCY IS HOW
FAST.
YOU HEARD SENATOR MURPHY.
THAT'S BEING EXPRESSED BY THE
UKRAINIANS AND A NUMBER OF US
PRIOR TO THE BRIEFING YESTERDAY,
THOSE ON THE UKRAINE CAUCUS, MET
WITH MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT
IN UKRAINE AND THEY SAID THE
SAME THING.
IT'S LIKE WE NEED THESE THINGS
YESTERDAY.
IF YOU CAN'T GET THEM TO US
YESTERDAY, PLEASE TODAY OR
TOMORROW AT THE LATEST.
AND THAT'S THE REAL FRUSTRATION,
THE LACK OF CERTAINTY OF HOW,
YOU KNOW, SOON THEY CAN GET
THESE THINGS AND HOW EFFECTIVE
THEY CAN BE.
BUT THAT'S MET WITH ALL KINDS OF
OTHER COMPLICATIONS, CHUCK.
>> RIGHT.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, THE CE
SECTION S-300 ISSUE, ONLY ONE
NATO NATION IS READY TO DO IT, I
BELIEVE, SLOVAKIA.
A COUPLE OTHER NATIONS SEEM TO
HAVE IT BUT DON'T WANT TO DO IT
OUT OF FEAR OF IRRITATING THE
RUSSIANS.
HOW MUCH OF THIS IS A BOOID
ISSUE AND HOW MUCH A NATO ISSUE?
>> I THINK THE NUMBER OF NATIONS
WILLING TO DO SIT GROWING.
I GOT THAT SENSE YESTERDAY.
THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR
STOCKPILES, FIND THEM, SEE IF
THEY EVEN WORK.
THESE ARE OLD SYSTEMS.
THE UNITED STATES HAS SOME AS
WELL.
SO WITHOUT REVEALING TOO MUCH
INFORMATION, THERE ARE A LOT OF
THEM OUT THERE, BUT LET'S ALSO
REMEMBER THESE AREN'T THE LATEST
AND GREATEST, ALTHOUGH THEY
WOULD BE WELCOME.
THEN UP THE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE
OF RESTOCKING THOSE STOCKS
WHEREVER THEY MIGHT BE, AND
WE'RE LOOKING AT BIDEN BUDGET
THAT -- YOU KNOW, THE DEFENSE
BUDGET, WHICH GROWS AT A RATE
ABOUT HALF OF WHAT INFLATION IS
GROWING AT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
CHALLENGES WITH THE NEWER
SYSTEMS.
>> RIGHT.
>> OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH THOSE.
I THINK ONE OF THE TAKE-AWAYS
FOR ME, AT LEAST, WAS WE'RE NOT
VERY WELL PREPARED FOR WAR.
WE'RE PREPARED TO MAYBE SLOW
DOWN DEFEAT FOR THE UKRAINIANS,
BUT I DON'T SEE THAT WE HAVE A
POLICY TO HELP THEM WIN RIGHT
NOW.
>> SO, WHAT KIND OF IMPRESSION
DO YOU HAVE OF WHAT THE
NEGOTIATIONS ARE ABOUT THESE DAY
S
S, WHAT'S IN PLAY, AND WHAT'S
REALISTIC?
IS THERE ANY SENSE OF HOW -- DID
YOU GET ANY SENSE OF HOW THIS
COULD END?
>> I THINK YOU'VE BEEN REPORTING
AS I'VE BEEN LISTENING -- AND BY
THE WAY, I COULD SPEND AN HOUR
LISTENING TO HADLEY TALK ABOUT
THE OIL MARKETS -- BUT I THINK
YOU'VE BEEN REPORTING PRETTY
ACCURATELY WHAT THE STATE OF
PLAY IS, AND THAT IS IT'S NOT
VERY REALISTIC AT LEAST AT THIS
POINT.
VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYS ONE THING,
HE DOES SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
YOU CAN'T RELY ON IT.
AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO.
I MEAN, THE GUY HASN'T REALLY
BEEN SHOOTING STRAIGHT WITH US
FOR A VERY LONG TIME, OBVIOUSLY.
SO THAT'S A FRUSTRATION.
EVIDENTLY HE'S NOT FEELING
ENOUGH INCENTIVE YET TO
NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH.
OBVIOUSLY, HE NEEDS TO COME OUT
OF THIS LOOKING LIKE HE WON
SOMETHING, AND I THINK RIGHT NOW
IF HE GOT OUT OF IT HE WOULD
LOOK LIKE HE DID NOT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T
EVER LEAVE THIS WAR LOOKING LIKE
HE WON SOMETHING.
I THINK WE'RE A LONG WAYS FROM A
TRULY NEGOTIATED FAVORABLE
OUTCOME.
>> I WANT TO HITCH ON THAT LAST
STATEMENT BECAUSE HOW DOES THIS
END WITH HIM IN POWER AND HIM AS
A LOSER, RIGHT?
LIKE THAT'S THE --
>> RIGHT.
>> THAT'S THE PART THAT'S
HARD -- AND I MAY BE ASKING YOU
AN IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION, BUT IT'S
UNDERSTANDABLE WHAT THE
PRESIDENT SAID LAST WEEK.
EVERYBODY WANTS POWER.
SHOULD THAT BE A POLICY?
SHOULD WE PURSUE THIS?
THERE ARE FOOTS ON HIS THROAT.
>> YEAH.
SO, IT'S INTERESTING YOU SAY
THAT, CHUCK, BECAUSE WHEN HE
SAID WHAT HE SAID, THE PRESIDENT
SAID WHAT HE SAID LAST WEEK,
THAT IMPLIED A REGIME CHANGE,
I'M GOING, I THINK HE JUST SAID
WHAT A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE ARE
THINKING, BUT OF COURSE HE'S THE
PRESIDENT, WHEN HE SAYS MIKEL
ITURRIA HAS RAMIFICATIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T PERSONALLY
BELIEVE OUR ALLIES AND
ADVERSARIES TOOK IT AS SERIOUSLY
AS WE SEEMED TO.
AND SECOND OF ALL, YOU DON'T
NEED TO DO ANYTHING TO TORQUE UP
VLADIMIR PUTIN TO BE DUMB.
HES THERE.
I GET YOUR POINT.
AT THE SAME TIME, IS THERE AN
OUTCOME WHERE HE LOSES AND THIS
ENDS WELL WITHOUT HIM BEING
TAKEN OUT?
ALL I WOULD SAY IS THAT I THINK
THAT A REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA
WOULD BE PRETTY WELCOME RIGHT
NOW, BUT I DON'T WANT TO
OVERSIMPLIFY WHAT A REVOLUTION
IN RUSSIA WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHICH
MEANS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO
APPLY ENOUGH PRESSURE AND
PROVIDE ENOUGH TOOLS BOTH IN THE
SANCTIONS SIDE AS WELL AS ON THE
MILITARY SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT
UKRAINE WINS THIS WAR AND THAT
WE DON'T JUST HAVE A POLICY OF
DELAYING THEIR DEFEAT.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE
PRESIDENT IS LIKELY TO UNVEIL
HERE IN A FEW MINUTES ON AN
ENERGY STRATEGY HERE TO TRY TO
SPEED UP, GET MORE OIL INTO THE
MARKET.
IT'S THE ISSUE OF TRYING TO
INCENTIVIZE -- AND I THINK
ISSUING PENALTIES, IF YOU DON'T
USE A LEASE ON GOVERNMENT LANDS
IS ONE WAY, I GUESS, OF INCENT
INCENTIVIZE
INCENTIVIZING, BUT DO YOU THINK
THAT IS AT THIS POINT -- COULD
YOU SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT
TO ESSENTIALLY INCENTIVIZE OIL
COMPANIES, HEY, MAKE THESE
CAPITAL INVESTMENTS?
WE KNOW YOUR SHAREHOLDERS DON'T
WANT IT, BUT YOUR COUNTRY DOES.
DEMOCRACY DOES.
THIS IS -- NOT EVERYTHING SHOULD
BE FOR SHAREHOLDER PROFIT.
>> FIRST OF ALL, CHUCK, THERE
ARE 2,200 LEASES THAT HAVE BEEN
GRANTED THAT ARE IN LITIGATION
RIGHT NOW, LITIGATION.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS 75% OF
THE LEASES ARE BEING USED.
THE PROBLEM IS THEY ALSO HAVE TO
SPEED UP THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
THE APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS TO
DRILL HAS DOUBLED SINCE JUST A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MAYBE EVEN
TRIPLED.
SO YOU CAN'T SAY WE'RE GOING TO
PUNISH YOU IF YOU DON'T USE IT
BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT ISSUE
THE PERMITS THAT YOU NEED TO BE
ABLE TO DRILL.
THAT'S JUST ONE OF MANY
REGULATIONINGS THAT PROVIDE A
LACK OF CERTAINTY FOR THIS
INVESTMENT.
I THOUGHT HADLEY MADE A GREAT
POINT SAYING THESE ARE CAPITAL
INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES.
YOU DON'T JUST TURN A VALVE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE FEDERAL
GRASSLANDS AND OIL COMES OUT.
IT TAKES YEARS.
YOU DON'T NEED 20, 30 YEARS BUT
YOU NEED FIVE TO TEN YEARS OF
CERTAINTY TO TRACK THAT
INVESTMENT TO, YOU KNOW, DO
WHATEVER IS NECESSARY.
>> IN ALL HONESTY, FORGET -- IT
FEELS LIKE SOME PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING FAR POLITICAL EXCUSE NOT
TO DO THIS.
ON SOME OF THESE OIL COMPANIES.
BUT IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THE NEXT
FIVE TO TEN YEARS WILL BE PLENTY
OF PEOPLE CONSUMING FOSSIL
FUELS.
WHY ISN'T IT SEEN AS A GOOD
INVESTMENT?
>> AGAIN, BECAUSE THE REGULATORY
SIDE OF IT IS TO UNPREDICTABLE.
WHEN YOU HAVE --
>> YOU DON'T THINK THAT PIPELINE
IS LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE TO NOT
HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY?
THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO ME.
OR ARE THEY USING IT TO GET RID
OF IT?
>> NO, I'VE NEVER MET AN OIL MAN
THAT DOESN'T WANT TO PRODUCE
MORE.
THEY OVERPRODUCE AS SOON AS THE
PRICE GETS HIGH IF THEY CAN DO
IT, WHICH BRINGS THE PRICE BACK
DOWN.
THE PROBLEM IS UNDER THIS
ADMINISTRATION, THE MARKET
SIGNALS HAVE BEEN SO NEGATIVE
THAT THERE'S NOT A RELATIONSHIP
AS HADLEY TALKED ABOUT.
THERE ARE THESE SIGNALS LIKE
BLAMING THEM, I MEAN, BLAMING
THE OIL COMPANIES FOR THE RISING
PRICES OF GAS.
THEY DON'T BENEFIT ON THE RISING
PRICES OF GAS.
THEY DO BENEFIT ON THE RISING
PRICE OF OIL BUT ONLY IF THEY
CAN PRODUCE IT.
THE NATURAL INCENTIVE IS TO GET
OUT OF THE WAYENED LET THEM
PRODUCE MORE, AND YOU CAN GO
THAT RESPONSIBLY.
IN FACT, IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE TO
PUT THIS ON OTHER COUNTRIES THAT
ARE BIGGER POLLUTERS THAN WE
ARE, WHETHER VENEZUELA, RUSSIA,
AFRICAN COUNTRIES, ENEMIES LIKE
IRAN.
THE LAST THING WE WANT DO IS
EMPOWER THEM.
WE CAN DO IT IN THE UNITED
STATES, BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO
CHANGE HIS TONE AS MUCH AS HIS
POLICIES.
>> I FEEL LIKE US AND CANADA ARE
THE ONLY, QUOTE, GOOD ACTORS
AROUND THE WORLD THAT HAVE AN
OIL SUPPLY.
SENATOR CRAMER, I WANTED TO ASK
YOU ABOUT THIS RESPONSE YOU GAVE
TO A REPORTER ABOUT FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DECISION
YESTERDAY TO CALL ON VLADIMIR
PUTIN TO RELEASE INFORMATION,
WHATEVER INFORMATION HE MIGHT
HAVE ON HUNTER BIDEN.
WHY WOULD YOU WANT THAT
INFORMATION?
WHY WOULD YOU TRUST PROPAGANDA
FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS, YOU KNOW,
RIGHT NOW BASED ON THE
CONVERSATION I HAD EARLIER,
PRESIDENT BIDEN CALLED FOR HIM
TO BE REMOVED FROM POWER?
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO TRUST
ANYTHING?
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO HAVE PUTIN
AT ALL, AND WHY WOULD YOU WANT
TO TRUST ANYTHING PUTIN HAD TO
SAY ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN?
>> SORT OF INTERESTING BECAUSE
RUSSIAN COLLUSION, IF WE WERE TO
BELIEVE EVERYTHING OUT OF
RUSSIA, A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS
DONALD TRUMP.
BUT THAT SAID, MY ANSWER TO THE
QUESTION WAS MORE SARCASTIC THAN
IT WAS ANYTHING BECAUSE I SAID,
THIS IS A WAR CRIMINAL THAT HE'S
SUGGEST PROGRESS ADVISERS
EVIDENCE THAT THERE'S BEEN A
CRIME COMMITTED BY HUNTER BIDEN
AND BY THE BIDEN.
>> YOU'RE SAYING THAT WAS
SARCASM, YOU BELIEVE THE FORMER
PRESIDENT SHOULDN'T BE -- I
MEAN, I'M SORRY, IT COMES ACROSS
AS ALMOST A BIT UNPATRIOTIC TO
ASK LITERALLY THE ENEMY OF THE
FREE WORLD RIGHT NOW FOR
PROPAGANDA FOR A POLITICAL
OPPONENT.
I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE A
HORRENDOUS THING TO DO BY THE
FORMER PRESIDENT.
NO?
>> CHUCK, HEAR'S THE REALITY.
THE HUNTER BIDEN'S NAME WAS
DONALD TRUMP JR., ERIC TRUMP,
THEY'D BE TREATING THE WAR IN
UKRAINE LIKE --
>> SENATOR, THAT IS THE LAZIEST
ATTACK.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MEDIA.
>> IT'S ALSO HONEST.
>> IT DOESN'T MATTER ABOUT THE
MEDIA.
IS IT RIGHT FOR THE FORMER
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TO IS ASK AN ENEMY OF THE FREE
WORLD TO DO THIS?
>> WHAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS
DOING IS NOT BEING COMPARED TO
WHAT THE CURRENT PRESIDENT IS
DOING IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE.
THAT'S THE BIGGER ISSUE.
DONALD TRUMP IS DONALD TRUMP.
HE HASN'T CHANGED.
HE'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
IT'S MORE INTERESTING TO THE
WASHINGTON PRESS CORPS THAN IT
IS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WAS IT THE WISEST THING IN THE
WORLD TO SAY?
PERHAPS NOT, BUT HE'S DONALD
TRUMP AND HE SAYS THESE THINGS.
THE REALITY IS THAT VLADIMIR
PUTIN IS A WAR CRIMINAL.
I WOULDN'T TRUST ANYTHING THAT
CAME OUT OF IT.
IF HE HAD ACTUAL EVIDENCE THAT A
CRIME WAS COMMITTED, IF ANY OF
US HAD EVIDENCE, WE OUGHT TO
PRESENT IT, THAT'S OBVIOUS.
THE PROBLEM IS TO YOUR POINT THE
SOURCE WOULD NOT BE A
TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE, OBVIOUSLY,
BUT ONCE AGAIN DONALD TRUMP
BAITED YOU ALL AND YOU ALL TOOK
THE BAIT.
NOW WE'RE HAVING TO, YOU KNOW,
DISCUSS THIS.
>> I'M NOT GOING TO DEBATE YOU
ABOUT WHETHER TRUMP GETS TOO
MUCH COVERAGE OR NOT ENOUGH.
BUT HE IS THE LEADER OF YOUR
PARTY, SIR.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHETHER
YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, HE'S THE
LEADER OF YOUR PARTY.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH LEADER
OF YOUR PARTY PLAYING FOOTSIE
WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN?
>> HERE'S WHAT I KNOW.
PLAYING FOOTSIE WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN, THE EVIDENCE THAT'S COME
OUT OF THE RECENT INVESTIGATION
SHOWS THAT THERE'S EVIDENCE THE
DEMOCRATS FED INFORMATION INTO
THE WHITE HOUSE TO PLANT
FALSE -- COLLUDED WITH -- YOU'RE
NEVER INTERESTED IN THOSE
THINGS.
>> HOW DOES THAT MAKE WHAT
DONALD TRUMP IS DOING SOMEHOW
BETTER?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT
DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT
BETTER, BUT LET'S A FORMER
PRESIDENT.
WE HAVE A CURRENT PRESIDENT
WHO'S CALLED FOR REGIME CHANGES
IN RUSSIA.
THAT'S DANGEROUS.
WE HAVE A CURRENT PRESIDENT WHO
SAYS THAT SANCTIONS ARE NEVER
INTENDED OR WOULD NEVER DETER
VLADIMIR PUTIN.
WE'RE ALL GOING WHY DID WE ISSUE
SANCTIONS THEN?
I'M WAY FOR CONCERNED AND I
THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
WITH THE CURRENT PRESIDENT AND
HIS BEHAVIOR AND REALLY THE LACK
OF SCRUTINY COMPARED TO A FORMER
PRESIDENT WHO HAS A LONG HISTORY
OF SAYING SORT OF OUTRAGEOUS
THINGS, WHETHER SERIOUSLY OR NOT
SERIOUSLY, AND BEING TAKEN WAY,
WAY, WAY TOO SERIOUSLY, FRANKLY,
BY A PRESS CORPS THAT'S ALL TOO
ANXIOUS TO JUMP ON AN
INTERESTING PERSONALITY TO SAY
THE LEAST.
I'LL ADD WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS
PRESIDENT, RUSSIA DIDN'T INVADE
UKRAINE.
RUSSIA'S INVADED UKRAINE ONLY
WHEN THE BIDENS HAVE EITHER BEEN
VICE PRESIDENT OR PRESIDENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF LIKE
THAT STYLE OF LEADERSHIP.
BY THE WAY, HE BROUGHT THE PRICE
OF OIL AND GAS DOWN BY
UNLEASHING AMERICAN INNOVATION
IN ENERGY.
>> AGAIN, LOOK, RATIONALIZE ON
THAT STUFF, THAT'S A POLITICAL
ARGUMENT.
THAT'S FAIR.
AGAIN, WORKING WITH THE ENEMY
SEEMS TO BE A BRIDGE TOO FAR.
SENATOR KEVIN CRAMER, REPUBLICAN
FROM NORTH DAKOTA, APPRECIATE