>> Michael: KEVIN CORKE IN
WEST PALM BEACH, THANKS A LOT.
LET'S GET THE LATEST FROM
AMERICA'S TOP DIPLOMAT,
SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO
JOINS US TONIGHT.
THE IMAGES ARE STRIKING, WHAT IS
YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT WE SAW
IN BAGHDAD TODAY?
>> WHAT WE SAW WAS A RAINY AND
BACKED TERRORISTS, MANY OF THEMH
BACKED TERRORISTS, MANY OF THEMV
BACKED TERRORISTS, MANY OF THEME
BEEN DESIGNATED TERRORISTS
TERRORISTS, WE SAW
PRESIDENT TRUMP DROP A QUICK,
DECISIVE, PRUDENT RESPONSE BY
MAKING SURE WE HAVE ALL THE
RESOURCES NECESSARY TO KEEP OUR
PEOPLE SAFE AND SECURE THE
COMPOUND AS WELL.
AS WE GO INTO THE EVENING
TONIGHT WE WILL CONTINUE TO
WATCH AND MONITOR -- AS YOU KNOW
IT'S A DIFFICULT PLACE, WE
CONTINUE TO TAKE THE SITUATION
SERIOUSLY.
>> Michael: ANY PLANS TO
EVACUATE THE EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD?
>> NUN.
>> Michael: ANY PLANS TO PULL
SOME OF THE 5,000 TROOPS IN IRAQ
OUT?
>> NONE.
>> Michael: OKAY.
IF WE ARE REPORTING UP TO 4,000
MORE TROOPS, THE 82ND AIRBORNE
COULD BE GOING INTO THE REGION
TO BOLSTER AMERICAN FORCES IN
THE REGION, IS THAT ACCURATE?
>> YOU HAVE TO PUT THIS IN A
LARGER CONTEXT.
THIS IS 40 YEARS OF THE ISLAMIC
REPUBLIC OF IRAN ENGAGED.
WE CAME IN WHEN THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED LOTS OF
MONEY THAT WAS USED FOR THAT
NUCLEAR PROGRAM, LOTS OF MONEY
THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR TERROR
ALL AROUND THE WORLD TO DEVELOP
THEIR MISSILE PROGRAM.
WE PUT REAL PRESSURE ON THE
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD THE
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
ACCOUNTABLE WHEREVER WE FIND
THEIR MALIGN ACTIVITY AND WE
WILL MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO DO SO.
>> Michael: IS THAT LIKELY TO
BE MORE SHIPS IN THE REGION?
>> I'LL LEAVE TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE TO TALK ABOUT THE
SPECIFICS.
IT'S TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL
THAT WE NEED TO PERFORM THE
MISSIONS THAT HE SET BEFORE US.
>> Michael: WHAT'S YOUR
ASSESSMENT OF THE IRAQI
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO WHAT WE
SAW THE EMBASSY TODAY.
>> WE WORKED ALONGSIDE THEM,
EARLIER THIS MORNING I SPOKE
WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, LATER
IN THE DAY SOME OF MY OFFICIALS
SPOKE AS YOUR PIECE REPORTED, WE
WERE URGING THEM TO CONTINUE TO
FULFILL THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THEM DEPLOY
FORCES THERE TO DO THAT, WE
CONTINUE TO ASK THEM TO DO
EVERYTHING IT TAKES TO ENSURE
THAT FACILITY IS PROTECTED.
>> Michael: IS THE
ADMINISTRATION CONFIDENT THE
IRAQIS CAN PROTECT U.S.
PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES GOING
FORWARD?
>> WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE
THAT GETS DONE.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
DO EVERYTHING WE CAN AND HAVE
THE RESOURCES TO PUSH BACK
AGAINST ANYTHING.
>> Michael: PRESIDENT TRUMP
TWEETED THIS AFTERNOON "IRAN
WILL BE HELD FULLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR LIVES LOSS OR DAMAGE
INCURRED AT ANY OF OUR
FACILITIES.
THEY WILL PAY A VERY BIG PRICE,
THIS IS NOT A WARNING.
IT IS A THREAT -- HAPPY NEW
YEAR."
>> WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
CONVINCING THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
OF IRAN TO BEHAVE LIKE A NORMAL
NATION, WE INHERITED A TERRIBLE
NUCLEAR DEAL, WE INHERITED A
TERRIBLE SITUATION WHERE THE
REGIME HAD A LOT OF MONEY TO
FOMENT BAD THINGS AROUND THE
WORLD.
WE HAVE IMPOSED AN INCREDIBLE
ECONOMIC BURDEN, WE HAVE WATCHED
THE IRANIAN PEOPLE DEMAND THEIR
LEADERS BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY.
THE IRANIANS RESPONDED BY
KILLING HUNDREDS OF THEIR OWN
CITIZENS -- WE WATCHED EVEN IN
BEIRUT, WE SAW PROTESTERS, THEY
WEREN'T COVERED IN YOUR FOOTAGE
BUT WE SAW PROTESTERS, REAL
PROTESTERS, NOT IRANIAN BACKED
MILITIA MEN WHO HAD BEEN
DIRECTED TO GO -- REAL
PROTESTERS DEMANDING TO SAY
THOSE FOLKS AT THE EMBASSY,
THOSE AREN'T IRAQI.
THERE
THOSE AREN'T PEOPLE WHO CARE
ABOUT IRAQ AND WE WANT AND A
ROCK THAT IS FREE, INDEPENDENT,
AND SOBRAN.
>> Michael: WE REPORTED AT THE
TOP, 100 U.S. MARINES GOING TO
THE EMBASSY.
>> THEIR ROLE IS SECURITY AND
DETERRENCE TO ENSURE THAT WE
HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO
COMBAT ANYTHING THAT SHOULD COME
AT THE EMBASSY BUT ALSO TO
SIGNAL VERY CLEARLY TO THOSE WHO
MIGHT THINK ABOUT BRINGING HARM
TO OUR FACILITIES THAT THEY
OUGHT TO THINK TWICE.
THESE ARE VERY CAPABLE YOUNG MEN
PREPARED TO DELIVER REAL FORCE.
>> Michael: ARE OTHER ASSETS
LIKELY TO GO INTO IRAQ?
>> ABSOLUTELY, IF REQUIRED I'M
CONFIDENT PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL
AUTHORIZE WHATEVER IT TAKES TO
KEEP YOUNG AMERICAN MEN AND
WOMEN SAFE.
>> Michael: NOW THAT ISIS IS
LARGELY DEFEATED, IS IT YOUR
SENSE THAT THE IRANIANS WANT THE
U.S. OUT OF THE REGION?
>> I THINK THEY PROBABLY DO BUT
MORE THAN THAT THE ISLAMIC
REPUBLIC OF IRAN HAS HAD A
SINGULAR MISSION.
IT'S KLEPTO KRATZ, THEO KRATZ,
THEY WANT TO STEAL STUFF, LOOT,
AND DESTROY THE LIVES OF THEIR
OWN PEOPLE.
THEY PROTECT THEMSELVES BY
FOMENTING TERROR AROUND THE
WORLD.
YOU'VE SEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKE
VERY CLEAR WE WILL CONTINUE
SUPPORT THE IRANIAN PEOPLE.
>> Michael: WHAT DO YOU THINK
WOULD HAPPEN IF THE
UNITED STATES WERE TO LEAVE IRA
IRAQ?
>> I DON'T WANT TO ENGAGE IN
HYPOTHETICAL.
YOU TALKED ABOUT ISIS, THERE'S
STILL A THREAT OF TERRORISM IN
PARTS OF IRAQ AND ANBAR PROVINCE
AND OTHER PLACES.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS COMMITTED TO
COMPLETING THE MISSION.
THE CALIPHATE IS GONE,
PRESIDENT TRUMP PUT TOGETHER A
STRATEGY THAT DELIBERATE
DESTRUCTION DEFEAT 100% LOCK,
STOCK, AND BARREL OF THE
CALIPHATE.
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THE REMNANTS
OF ISIS CAN'T HARM US HERE.
>> Michael: ARE MORE
AIR STRIKES LIKELY?
>> I DON'T COMMENT ON FUTURE
ACTIVITY, ONLY TO SAY WE ARE
COMMITTED TO THE PROJECT THAT WE
BEGAN WHEN WE MADE THE POLICY
DECISION AT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
DIRECTION, WE WILL PUSH BACK
AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
IRAN AND CREATE STABILITY
THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST, WE
ARE STILL FULLY COMMITTED TO
THAT MISSION.
>> Michael: YOU HAVE A BUSY
SCHEDULE AT THE START OF 2020
INCLUDING GOING TO UKRAINE.
IT IS A SITUATION LIKELY TO
DISRUPT YOUR PLANNING?
>> I'M HOPEFUL I CAN STILL
FULFILL THOSE COMMITMENTS.
I WILL MAKE SURE I'M IN THE
RIGHT PLACE TO ENSURE OUR PEOPLE
AND THE PEOPLE OF THE
STATE DEPARTMENT AND THE
AMERICANS ARE SAFE AND SECURE IN
THE MIDDLE EAST.
IF THAT MEANS I HAVE TO CHANGE
OR DELAY MY TRIP A LITTLE BIT
THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO.
>> Michael: NORTH KOREAN
LEADERS SAYING THE WORLD WILL
SEE A NEW STRATEGIC WEAPON IN
THE NEAR FUTURE, YOUR
ASSESSMENT?
>> I'VE SEEN THAT REPORTING
PUBLICLY.
IF PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME INTO
OFFICE WITH A THREAT TO WAR ANDA
TRUE CONCERN FOR THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
WE CAN DELIVER A BETTER OUTCOME
FOR THE PEOPLE OF NORTH KOREA
AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THE
PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN KIM WILL
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.