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>> Ainsley: MASS PROTESTS
GROWING ACROSS CHINA AS
PROTESTERS DEMAND AN END TO THE
DISTRICTS COVID MEASURES AND
LOCKDOWNS.
>> Steve: MEANWHILE HERE
STATEWIDE CRITICS ACCUSING THE
WHITE HOUSE OF BEING SO SOFT IN
RESPONSE TO THOSE CHINESE
PROTESTERS PUSHING BACK AGAINST
THEIR COMMUNIST LEADER.
>> Brian: WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL
SECURITY COORDINATOR JOHN KIRBY.
ADMIRAL KIRBY IS HERE TO
RESPOND.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE LACK
OF FIRMNESS IN THE RESPONSE FROM
THE ADMINISTRATION?
IS THERE A REASON WHY WE ARE
BEING SO SOFT ABOUT NOT
SUPPORTING FULLY THE PROTESTERS
ON THE GROUND AND WHAT THEY ARE
STANDING FOR -- ALONG WITH THE
JOURNALISTS THAT ARE GETTING
BEATEN.
>> HEY, BRIAN, GOOD MORNING TO
YOU ALL.
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU GUYS.
I WOULD NOT SAY AT ALL THAT WE
WOULD AGREE WITH CRITICISM THAT
WE HAVE BEEN LESS THAN FIRM OR
CONSISTENT.
IN FACT, BRIAN, WE HAVE BEEN
VERY, CONSISTENT ABOUT THE RIGHT
OF PEACEFUL PROTEST AND VERY
VOCAL ABOUT IT IN CHINA JUST
OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THESE
INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE ABLE TO
PEACEFULLY PROTEST AND ASSEMBLE
AND MAKE THEIR MINDS KNOWN TO
THEIR GOVERNMENT THERE IN CHINA
JUST LIKE WE HAVE SAID THE SAME
IN IRAN AND AROUND THE WORLD.
WE STAND UP FOR PEACEFUL PROTEST
AND AGAIN WE HAVE BEEN VERY
CONSISTENT ABOUT THAT.
>> Steve: ABSOLUTELY.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS ALWAYS FOR
PEACEFUL PROTESTS BUT, I DON’T J
KNOW WHAT THE PROTESTERS ARE
SAYING HEY, XI JINPING HAS GOT
TO GO OR LOOSEN THE COVID
RESTRICTIONS KEEPING PEOPLE
STUCK IN THEIR HOUSES FOR
MONTHS.
SO BETWEEN HE HAS GOT TO GO OR
LOOSEN RESTRICTIONS, WHICH SIDE
IS THE WHITE HOUSE ON WHEN IT
COMES TO SUPPORTING THE
PROTESTERS?
>> STEVE, WEAR ON THE SIDE OF
PEACEFUL PROTEST.
WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF
INDIVIDUALS BEING ABLE TO FREELY
ASSEMBLE AND EXPRESS THEIR
VIEWS, WHATEVER THOSE VIEWS ARE.
WE ARE NOT TAKING A SIDE IN
TERMS OF WHAT THESE PROTESTERS
ARE ABOUT.
LARGELY THOUGH, STEVE.
>> Brian: WHY?
>> THESE PROTESTERS ARE REALLY
OUT THERE ABOUT THE LOCKDOWN.
THEIR MAIN CONCERN THAT DROVE
THEM TO THE STREETS WAS THE VERY
SEVERE, VERY STRIN JENTD CODY
POLICIES BY XI’S ADMINISTRATION
AND THAT’S WHAT HAS REALLY BEEN
DRIVING ALL THIS PUBLIC PROTEST.
>> Ainsley: YOU SAID THE
PRESIDENT IS NOT GOING TO SPEAK
FOR THE PROTESTERS YOU GOT A LOT
OF CRITICISM FOR THAT SAYING
THEY CAN’T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY RISK BEING BEATEN OR
ARRESTED.
DAN CRENSHAW TWEETED WHY IS IT
SO HARD FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION
TO SUPPORT FREEDOM, PURE COWARD
TO DIS?
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> WHAT I MEANT BY SAYING THAT
WE ARE NOT GOING TO PUT OUR
WORDS INTO THEIR MOUTHS.
THEY ARE SPEAKING FOR
THEMSELVES.
THEY ARE OUT IN THE STREETS.
THEY ARE BRAVING THE ELEMENTS TO
MAKE CLEAR WHAT THEIR VIEWS ARE
THEY ARE SPEAKING FOR
THEMSELVES.
WE’LL STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT OF
EVERY CITIZEN AROUND THE WORLD
TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK UP FREELY
AND PEACEFULLY FOR WHAT THEY
BELIEVE IN.
THAT’S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
IT’S NOT ABOUT US INSERTING OUR
LANGUAGE OUR OUR RHETORIC INTO
WHAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
>> Brian: HERE WHAT HAPPENS THEY
SAID.
THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY
SPOKESPERSON PUT THIS OUT THERE.
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IN THE
U.S., 1 MILLION COVID DEATHS,
40,000 GUN DEATHS PER YEAR AND
MORE THAN 100,000 FENTANYL
DEATHS IN 2021 ALONE.
BY THE WAY THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
DESERVE SOMETHING FAR BETTER
THAN THAT WHAT WE WANT IS TO
PROTECT OUR PEOPLE’S LIVES AND
ENSURE THEM A BETTER LIFE.
SO, SO, ADMIRABLE, BY YOU
SPEAKING BACK AND HAVING A WEAK
RESPONSE THAT’S THE RESPONSE YOU
GET.
IN YOUR FACE THEIR PROPAGANDA.
>> I DON’T THINK, FIRST OF ALL,
BRIAN, I WOULD DISAGREE THAT WE
ARE TAKING A STEP BACK OR WE GOT
A WEAK RESPONSE.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR
CONSISTENT AND VERY PUBLICLY SO.
NUMBER TWO, I DON’T THINK WE ARE
GOING TO TAKE LESSONS OR ADVICE
ABOUT FREEDOM FROM THE PRC.
THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY,
VERY HARD HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES TO MOVE PAST THIS
PANDEMIC.
GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED.
MAKING IT OBVIOUS AND CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT THE INFORMATION THAT
YOU NEED TO GET WELL OUT THERE
IS AND PUTTING A THERAPEUTICS
OUT THERE.
AND, OF COURSE, MAKING SURE THAT
WE’RE STAYING AHEAD OF EACH AND
EVERY VARIANT.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
AGGRESSIVE ABOUT THAT.
WE DON’T BELIEVE, HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES THAT LOCKDOWNS ARE
THE ANSWER.
WHAT THE ANSWER IS MORE
VACCINES, GETTING PEOPLE MORE
INFORMED.
GETTING THEM READY TO DEAL WITH
THIS AS THESE NEW VARIANTS
EVOLVE AND CHANGE.
>> Steve: AS YOU HAVE SAID, THE
WHITE HOUSE SUPPORTS THE
PROTESTERS.
YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, JOHN, THE
PROTESTERS THERE IN CHINA HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO USE THEIR APPLE
PHONES AND AIR DROP FROM ONE
PROTESTER TO ANOTHER TO AVOID
CENSORSHIP.
BUT NOW APPLE IN CHINA HAS
CHANGED APPARENTLY THE
TECHNOLOGY SO THAT AIR DROP ONLY
WORKS IN LIKE 10 MINUTES NOW.
WHAT IS THE WHITE HOUSE’S
RESPONSE TO IT APPEARS THEY ARE
ESSENTIALLY HELPING THE
GOVERNMENT OF CHINA CLAMP DOWN
ON THE PROTESTERS BEING ABLE TO
FREELY COMMUNICATE WITH EACH
OTHER?
>> APPLE SHOULD SPEAK TO THEIR
DECISIONS AS A CORPORATE ENTITY
OF COURSE.
>> Steve: JOHN, YOU ARE STANDING
UP FOR THE PROTESTERS.
THE PROTESTERS WANT TO
COMMUNICATE AND APPLE IS MAKING
THAT IMPOSSIBLE.
>> IN GENERAL, STEVE, AND YOU
KNOW, THIS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT
THIS MANY TIMES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS
PEOPLE FREELY ASSEMBLE AND
PROTEST THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO
AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE
AND ARE ABLE TO SHARE
INFORMATION WITH ONE ANOTHER.
WE ARE ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF OPEN,
FREE, COMMUNICATIONS WITH
CITIZENS AROUND THE WORLD.
>> Ainsley: LET’S TALK ABOUT THE
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT’S ANNUAL
REPORT IT IS SAYING THAT BIDEN’S
FUMBLED WITHDRAWAL FROM
AFGHANISTAN WAS A PROPAGANDA
GIFT TO CHINA.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
>> NO, I DO NOT.
AND I DON’T KNOW THAT THAT’S THE
PENTAGON’S ASSESSMENT THAT IT
WAS A PROPAGANDA GIFT TO CHINA.
IF ANYTHING, NATIONS LIKE CHINA
AND RUSSIA TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT
WE DID IN AFGHANISTAN.
AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS
MANY, MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST
YEAR AND HAD TO MARVEL AT THE
SPEED, THE EFFICIENCY AND THE
EFFECTIVENESS.
>> Brian: OH, PLEASE.
>> VERY SMALL NUMBER OF TROOPS,
BRIAN, YOU LISTEN TO KNEE NOW,
HEAR ME OUT.
SMALL NUMBER OF TROOPS WERE ABLE
TO MOVE THAT MANY AFGHANS SAFELY
OUT OF THAT COUNTRY.
NO OTHER NATION IN THE WORLD CAN
DO THAT.
>> Brian: THE WAY YOU WITHDREW
IS THE ISSUE ADMIRAL.
THE WAY OUR MILITARY MOVED IN
AND OUT IS A SEPARATE ISSUE.
YOUR DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CLAIM AS
PART OF ITS ANNUAL REPORT TO
CONGRESS ON NATIONAL SECURITY
DEVELOPMENTS, SUGGEST THAT CHINA
CAPITALIZED ON THE WITHDRAWAL TO
CONVINCE WORLD LEADERS THE U.S.
IS NOT A RELIABLE ALLY.
IT’S NOT BRIAN KILMEADE TALKING.
IT’S YOUR DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.
THE PRC EMPLOYED MULTIPLE
DIPLOMATIC TOOLS IN AN ATTEMPT
TO U.S. AND PARTNER INFLUENCE
AND HIGHLIGHTS THE U.S.
WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN.
THE DEATH OF 13 AND HOW MANY
PEOPLE WE GOT OUT, THAT’S ONE
ISSUE.
BUFF THE WAY WE DID IT, THE WAY
WE PROMISED THAT GOVERNMENT
WOULD STAND UP THE WAY WE WERE
GOING TO LEAVE AND HAVE A
TRANSITION, THE DISASTER THAT
TOOK PLACE IS ONE OF THE MANY
PROBLEMS ALONG WITH THE SOLDIERS
THAT ARE SUFFERING NOW BY THE
WAY YOU ENDED THAT 20 YEAR WAR
NOT YOU BUT THE ADMINISTRATION
IS THAT CHINA IS USING IT AND
YOU COULD ARGUE THAT RUSSIA
INVADED UKRAINE BECAUSE OF IT.
>> BRIAN, SO THE REPORT SAID
THAT CHINA ATTEMPTED TO
CAPITALIZE ON IT.
THAT’S A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM
SAYING THAT THEY DID OR WERE
ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS.
I MEAN, THEY SPREAD PROPAGANDA
ABOUT EVERYTHING, BRIAN.
YOU KNOW THAT BUT, LOOK AT.
>> Brian: HOW DO YOU RATE THE
WAY WE LEFT?
HOW DON’T ASK.
>> RALLIED AROUND UKRAINE.
CHINA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO
SUCCEED.
I TRIED TO CONVINCE PEOPLE WITH
SOME SORT OF WEAKNESS BY THE
UNITED STATES.
>> Brian: AS A MILITARY OFFICER,
FORGET ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT GOT
OUT BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT
COLLAPSED THAT YOU PROMISED
WOULDN’T, HOW DO YOU
CHARACTERIZE THE WAY WE LEFT
AFGHANISTAN?
BECAUSE MOST CLEAR-THINKING
PEOPLE SAY WORST THAN THE
EMBARRASSMENT OF SAIGON.
WHETHER A DO YOU SAY?
>> I WILL SAY THE SAME THING TO
YOU, BRIAN HERE TODAY THAT I
HAVE SAID TO YOU MANY, MANY
TIMES IN THE PAST.
WE HAVE ADMITTED AND
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT NOT EVERYTHING
ABOUT THE WITHDRAWAL WAS DONE
PERFECTLY.
THAT THERE WERE CERTAINLY
MISTAKES MADE.
WE HAVE INVESTIGATED THOSE
MISTAKES.
WE HAVE OBSERVED UP FOR THOSE
MISTAKES.
>>
>> Brian: THE PRESIDENT HAS NOT
BEEN TAKING A BRIEFING I KNOW
THIS FOR A FACT.
THEY HAD A REPORT PUT TOGETHER
ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG IN
AFGHANISTAN.
THE PRESIDENT WOULDN’T EVEN TAKE
AN ORAL BRIEF ON IT.
WHY IS THAT, ADMIRAL?
>> IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
FOR THE PRESIDENT TO END OUR WAR
IN AFGHANISTAN, BRIAN.
IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO
BRIGHTENING OUR TROOPS HOME.
RIGHT THING TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS
ON OTHER CHALLENGES LIKE CHINA.
>> Brian: COULD HAVE DONE BOTH.
A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN
DOES NOT GET YOUR EYE OFF THE
BALL.
WE HAVE A MASSIVE MILITARY.
YOU COULD HAVE LEFT A FEW
THOUSAND IN THERE AND STOP WHAT
WE’RE WITNESSING NOW WHICH IS A
TERROR HAVEN FOR AL-QAEDA AND,
GUESS WHAT?
BIN LADEN’S SON IS NOW BACK
THERE.
>> BRIAN, ASK SOME AL-QAEDA
LEADERS HOW SAFE THEY FEEL IN
AFGHANISTAN RIGHT NOW.
>> Brian: YOU KILLED ONE.
YOU KILLED ONE.
>> THERE ARE
THOUSANDS BACK.
>> THE LEADER OF AL-QAEDA INSIDE
AFGHANISTAN, NOT JUST ONE.
>> NOT JUST SOME GUY ON THE
STREET CORNER, BRIAN.
>> Brian: TURNING YOUR BACK,
ADMIRAL.
>> EXECUTED.
>> HOW MANY BACK, HOW MANY ISIS
ARE BACK IN.
>> WE SAID THAT AL-QAEDA WOULD
BE BACK IN AFGHANISTAN EVEN
BEFORE WE LEFT THEY WERE
STARTING TO MOVE BACK IN, BRIAN.
WE ARE WATCHING IT VERY CLOSELY.
THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
EXECUTE THAT STRIKE, THE LEADER
BY THE WAY NOT JUST SOME GUY ON
THE STREET CORNER BUT THE LEADER
TELLS YOU THAT OUR OVER THE
HORIZON COUNTER-TERRORISM
CAPABILITIES ARE ACTUALLY QUITE
EFFECTIVE.
>> Brian: REALLY?
HE IS THE OVER.
IF YOU HAD OVER THE HORIZON
CAPABILITIES YOU WOULD KILLED
MORE THAN ONE BECAUSE THOUSANDS
ARE BACK.
>> NOT ABOUT KILLING EVERY
SINGLE THOUSAND TERRORISTS EVERY
GIVEN DAY.
WE WATCH THESE CAREFULLY.
WHERE THEY DEVELOP TO A DEGREE
WE THINK OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
IS AT RISK WE TAKE ACTION AND WE
DID THAT.
>> Brian: OUR ASSETS HAVE LEFT.
YOU KNOW THEY ARE GONE.
>> WE HAVE OVER THE HORIZON
CAPABILITIES.
YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT
THIS.
I’M NOT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE EVERY SINGLE ASSET
AVAILABLE TO US THAT WE DID A
YEAR OR SO AGO, BUT WE HAVE
ENOUGH AND WE ARE WORKING TO
IMPROVE THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY.
>> Steve: JOHN KIRBY JOINING US
FROM THE NORTH LAWN OF THE WHITE
HOUSE.
ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU AND
GETTING THE POINT OF VIEW FROM