NATIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP
CARE FOR THIS TO REFUGEES.
JOINING US, ROBERT O'BRIEN.
AS THE SAYING GOES, YOU ARE
HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING AND
EVERYTHING IS MOVING QUICKLY
AROUND YOU.
LET'S START WITH SYRIA.
THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT OBVIOUSLY
HAS INSISTED ON A MAJOR MILITARY
OPERATION AND ARE CARRYING IT
OUT.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AND WHAT IS THE
VIEW FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH
YOU AND TALK WITH YOU AGAIN.
LOOK, WE MADE THIS CLEAR TO
PRESIDENT ERDOGAN EARLY ON THAT
THE INVASION OF SYRIA WAS A BAD
IDEA.
WE DID NOT ENDORSE THE MILITARY
OPERATION.
WE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE
MILITARY OPERATION.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING
TO GO WELL IN THE LONG RUN FOR
THE TURKS.
THE PRESIDENT MADE THAT CLEAR.
WE DON'T HAVE TROOPS IN THE AREA
SO THERE IS NO SAFETY ISSUE FOR
AMERICAN SOLDIERS.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE
WATCHING AND MAN TWOARG GREAT
CONCERN.
LOU: NATO, SOME SURPRISE I WOULD
ASSUME AMONGST OUR ALLY IN NATO
AS WELL.
>> I DON'T THINK THIS MILITARY
OPERATION TURKEY LAUNCHED HAS
BEEN GREETED WITH ANY SORT OF
SUPPORT ANYWHERE IN EUROPE AMONG
TURKEY'S NATO ALLIES.
OTHER MEMBERS OF NATO.
THE PRESIDENT MADE CLEAR WHERE
WE STAND, AND IF THERE ARE A UP
IN OF THINGS WE ARE WATCHING
CLOSELY.
THAT IS CIVILIANS AND HOW THEY
ARE IMPACTED BY THIS MILITARY
OPERATION.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE A
HUMANITARIAN DISASTER.
WE HAD A VICTORY AGAINST THE
CALIPHATE AND WE DON'T WANT TO
SEE THAT ROLLED BACK.
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
SITUATION AND WATCHING IT
CLOSELY.
LOU: THE ABILITY, THE PRESIDENT
TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
AND SPEAKING VERY FORTHRIGHTLY
AS IS HIS CUSTOM.
HE MEANS OBVIOUSLY BUSINESS WHEN
HE TOLD ERDOGAN, KEEP OUR
AGREEMENT, PARTICULARLY
VIS-A-VIS THE KURDS OR THERE
WILL BE DISASTROUS COBBSS FOR
THE TURKISH ECONOMY.
>> I THINK WE SAW THAT THE LAST
TIME THERE WAS A RUN-IN WITH
TURKEY RELATING TO PASTOR ANDREW
BRUNSON.
WHEN THE PRESIDENT PUT IN PLACE
THE TARIFFS THE TURKISH LIRE
TOOK A REAL HIT.
I THINK ERDOGAN KNOWS PRESIDENT
TRUMP MEANS BUSINESS.
IF THE TURKS DON'T MEET THEIR
COMMITMENTS AND THIS OPERATION
CONTINUES, THERE IS A GOOD
CHANCE THERE WILL BE ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS.
WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE AS
THE PRESIDENT SAID.
ONE OF THE THINGS THE PRESIDENT
SAID THIS AFTERNOON, THE TURKS
ARE AWARE OF THIS.
THE KURDISH LEADERS ARE AWARE OF
THIS.
THE PRESIDENT MADE THE UNITED
STATES AVAILABLE AND THE GOOD
OFFICES OF THE UNITED STATES
AVAILABLE TO MEDIATE TO BRING
THIS TO YOU A SWIFT CONCLUSION
AND RESTORE PEACE TO THE AREA.
AS THE PRESIDENT SAYS, WE'LL
HAVE TO SEE HOW THE TURKS
RESPOND.
THE KURD WOULD LIKE US TO BE
INVOLVED IN MEDIATING A
RESOLUTION.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH
TURKEY.
LOU: THAT WOULD BE IN THE GREAT
AMERICAN TRADITION IN LINE WITH
OUR HISTORY AS A NATION MORE SO
THAN ADVENTUROUS MILITARILY
POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN
FOLLOWED.
YOU ARE ALSO CHANGING THE OFFICE
OF NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
CONSIDERABLY, A HUGE STAFF IN
THE WHITE HOUSE TO PROVIDE
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO THE
PRESIDENT.
GIVE US YOUR VIEW ABOUT HOW YOU
WANT TO REORIENT IT AND WAIT
WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE WEEKS AND
MONTHS AHEAD.
>> WE JUST HAD A GREAT TOWN HALL
MEETING WITH ALL THE STAFFERS AT
THE NFC.
THEY ARE A DNSC.
THEY ARE A FINE GROUP OF PEOPLE
FROM THE MILITARY TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT.
THEY WORK TIRELESSLY ON BEHALF
OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
OVER THE YEARS, THE JOB OF THE
NSC IS TO COORDINATE POLICY TO
GET THE BEST OPPOSITES FOR THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AND PRESENT THOSE OPTIONS TO
HIM.
DURING THE LAST ADMINISTRATION
THE NUMBER OF STAFFERS, POLICY
STAFFERS AT THE NSC BALLOONED TO
OVER 200.
I SAW THE RESULTS OF THAT.
I TOLD OUR FOLKS WE WANT TO GET
BACK TO THE LEVEL OF STAFF WE
HAD DURING THE FIRST BUSH
ADMINISTRATION WHEN CONDOLEEZZA
RICE WAS THE NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR.
THAT WAS ABOUT 100 STAFFERS.
AND THAT WAS WITH TWO WARS GOING
ON WITH IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
IT BALLOONED INTO A MASSIVE
BUREAUCRACY OR AT THE WHITE
HOUSE UNDER THE LAST
ADMINISTRATION.
WE WANT TO BRING IT BACK TO
HISTORIC LEVELS.
WE THINK WE CAN BE MORE
EFFICIENT AND BETTER SERVE THE
PRESIDENT WITH A STREAMLINED
ORGANIZATION.
LOU: ALL THAT THE FUNCTION OF
GREAT LEADERSHIP.
WE THANK YOU FOR DOING SO.
ROBERTIO BRIAN, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.