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AND EN-- MIKE POMPEO IS IN SINGAPORE FOR THE NOMURA INVESTMENT FORUM ASIA. AND JOINS US HERE IN THE STUDIO. MIKE, GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. WE SPOKE LAST I THINK ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS AGO. HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
MIKE: GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
HASLINDA: WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS THINKING OF IMPOSING A 10% TARIFF, AT LEAST, ON QUITE A NUMBER OF NATIONS, ON THE BACK OF WHAT HE DEEMS AS LABOR PRACTICES. I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS MOVE AS HE TRIES TO NEGOTIATE ANY -- AN IRAN DEAL?
MIKE: THE PRESIDENT HAS USED TARIFFS TO TRY AND ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES. THAT'S A LEGITIMATE USE OF AMERICA'S POWER TO TAX, RIGHT? IT'S A VERY REASONABLE THING WHEN YOU THINK OTHER NATIONS ARE NOT BEHAVING IN A WAY THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO YOUR CITIZENS, THE PEOPLE THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT. HOPEFULLY, YOU'LL SET OUT CLEARLY THIS IS THE BEHAVIOR WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU REMOVE THE TARIFF, AND COUNTRIES COMPETE. AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE UNITED STATES. THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. OTHER COUNTRIES WILL MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES.
HASLINDA: IS IT PERHAPS A DISTRACTION, MEANT TO BE A DISTRACTION FOR THE WORLD?
MIKE: NO, IT'S NOT A DISTRACTION. IT'S POLICY. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN AT THIS ON TARIFFS FOR DECADES. THIS IS NOT A DISTRACTION.
HASLINDA: AT A TIME WHEN HE'S ACTUALLY TRYING TO NEGOTIATE --
MIKE: NOT PRESIDENT TRUMP TRYING TO DISTRACT ANYONE. THAT'S A SILLY MEDIA NARRATIVE. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SIMPLY TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES THAT HE SET OUT TO ACHIEVE.
HASLINDA: IS HE ACTUALLY GETTING WHAT HE WANTS? WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE IRAN WAR, HE TALKED ABOUT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS, AND NOW WE'RE INTO THE FOURTH MONTH. HAS IT WORKED FOR THE U.S.? HAS -- HAS HIS STRATEGY WORKED?
MIKE: FOUR MONTHS. FOUR MONTHS. THAT'S NOTHING. THINK ABOUT HOW LONG MANY WARS HAVE GONE ON, RIGHT? THIS IS -- THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE MILITARY CAMPAIGN. HE HAS SET BACK THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM MASSIVELY, AND SOMETHING NO PREVIOUS PRESIDENT WAS PREPARED TO DO. HE SET BACK THE IRANIAN MISSILE PROGRAM, THEIR BALLISTIC MISSILE CAPABILITIES, MASSIVELY. NO OTHER PRESIDENT WAS WILLING TO DO THAT, TO TAKE THE RISKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. HE HAS SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED A SUPERIOR OUTCOME FOR NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BUT FOR THE REGION, FOR ISRAEL, FOR ALL THE PARTICIPANTS. AND HE'S GIVEN THE IRANIAN PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A LIFE THAT IS FAR BETTER THAN WHEN -- ONE THEY'VE BEEN UNDER THE LAST YEARS.
HASLINDA: AND IRAN STILL HAS LEVERAGE. WE TALKED ABOUT HOW IRAN IS POSSIBLY AT ITS WEAKEST LEVEL IN 19 -- SINCE 1979.
MIKE: BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP, YES.
HASLINDA: HERE WE ARE. IRAN IS STILL HAVING THE CAPACITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE U.S. IT STILL HAS THOSE MISSILES.
MIKE: NO DOUBT.
HASLINDA: TO THREATEN THE WORLD.
MIKE: THEY STILL HAVE SOME MISSILES. THEY STILL HAVE THE INTENTION OF BUILDING A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THE TRUMP REGIME IS STILL ON ITS BACK FOOT, AND IT CAN PUT MINES IN THE WATER AND SHAHEED DRONES IN THE AIR. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DETERMINED TO ACHIEVE AN OBJECTIVE TO GET THE STRAIT OPEN. THAT DELIVERS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE IRANIAN PEOPLE. NO PRESIDENT HAS PUT THE WORLD IN A POSITION WHERE THIS OPPORTUNITY WAS IN FRONT OF US LIKE WE SEE IT TODAY.
HASLINDA: SO WE CAN EXPECT A DEAL.
MIKE: IT'S UP TO THE IRANIANS. IN THE END, THE IRANIAN REGIME IS A BUNCH OF THUGS AND A BUNCH OF THEOCRATS AND BELIEVE IN THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL AND THE GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT WE REACH ANY DEAL THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. THEY HAVE SIGNED MULTIPLE DOCUMENTS AND HAVE EXACTLY HONORED ZERO OF THEM. NO REASON TO EXPECT THAT ANY AGREEMENT THEY WOULD SIGN WITH THIS PRESIDENT OR ANY OTHER PRESIDENT WOULD BE HONORED BY THEM. WE HAVE TO WATCH WHAT THE IRANIANS DO, NOT WHAT THEY SAY OR WRITE.
HASLINDA: RIGHT NOW, THE PERCEPTION OUT THERE IS THAT THE ISRAELIS ARE THE ONES IN THE WAY OF A DEAL BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN, BECAUSE ISRAEL AND THE U.S. HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON HOW THIS WAR SHOULD END. WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT?
MIKE: THAT'S NONSENSE.
HASLINDA: WHY IS THAT?
MIKE: JUST TOTAL NONSENSE. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS STORY SOMEHOW THAT HE WAS BEING CONTROLLED BY NETANYAHU OR HE'S IGNORING NETANYAHU. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS EVALUATING WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE. HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE OF KEEPING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAFE FROM THE REGIME THAT HAS KILLED HUNDREDS OF AMERICANS OVER THE LAST YEARS. WE SHOULD NOT FORGET THE IRANIAN REGIME HOSTS AL QAEDA, SITS IN TEHRAN, KILLED 3,000 OF OUR PEOPLE ON 9-11. PRESIDENT -- THE PRESIDENT IS DETERMINED FOR AN OUTCOME SUPERIOR TO WHAT -- WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED A SILLY NUKE DEAL. AND I'M CONFIDENT TRUMP WILL DELIVER AGAINST THAT COMMITMENT.
HASLINDA: DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT THE DEAL THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS TRYING TO SIGN IS IN NO WAY PUTTING AMERICA FIRST?
MIKE: WE DON'T KNOW WHAT A PIECE OF PAPER MAY OR MAY NOT BE SIGNED.
HASLINDA: WHY DID YOU SAY THAT, THOUGH?
MIKE: I DIDN'T SAY THAT. I SAID THE STRAIT NEEDS TO BE OPENED. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ACHIEVE THAT. WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE THE IRANIAN REGIME CAPITULATES AND ALLOWS IT TO BE OPEN, OR WE HAVE TO PRY IT OPEN WITH OUR HANDS AND THE RISK OF AMERICANS. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. I HOPE THE IRANIAN REGIME WILL COME TO ITS SENSES. JUST TODAY, THEY FIRED A -- AT BAHRAIN AND KUWAIT SIMULTANEOUSLY. THEY FIRED INTO ISRAEL THROUGH THEIR PROXY HEZBOLLAH. THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT HAMAS, WHO HAS NOT DISARMED. THE IRANIAN REGIME STILL HAS CAPABILITIES, AND WE WILL HAVE TO DO THE HARD WORK TO CONVINCE THEM TO GIVE UP THOSE CAPABILITIES OR BEHAVE IN A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT WAY. AND WHETHER WE SIGNED A PIECE OF PAPER ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OR NOT, I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP UNDERSTANDS THIS REGIME FAR BETTER THAN ANY PREVIOUS PRESIDENT EVER HAS.
HASLINDA: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I MEAN, YOU'VE HAD DIRECT EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH THE IRANIANS. WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?
MIKE: I CONTINUE TO HAVE EXPERIENCE. THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO KILL ME. THIS IRANIAN REGIME IS TRYING TO KILL MANY FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND KILLED MANY AMERICANS OVER THE YEARS. I WOULD CONTINUE TO PUT THE ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON THEM THAT WE HAVE. THIS BLOCKADE IS PUTTING ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON THE REGIME. I'M CONFIDENT THEY ARE CONFUSED. I'M CONFIDENT THEY ARE FRACTURED. I THINK YOU SEE THAT IN THE IRANIAN RESPONSES WITH STORIES OF PEOPLE THREATENING TO RESIGN OR NOT RESIGN. I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF CHAOS INSIDE OF IRAN, AND THAT CAN ONLY BE GOOD FOR THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IN HUMAN RIGHTS, BASIC DIGNITY, AND PROPERTY RIGHTS, SOMETHING THE IRANIAN REGIME IS NEVER GOING TO HONOR IN ITS CURRENT CONFIGURATION.
HASLINDA: IT IS SO CLEAR THAT THE IRANIANS HAVE BEEN WEAKENED SO DRAMATICALLY. SOME HAVE SUGGESTED IT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. JUST OPEN IT UP. DAMAGE -- DO AS MUCH DAMAGE AS YOU CAN ON IRAN AND LET THE WORLD GO ON. YET IT'S SO DITCH.
MIKE: WHEN YOU DO THAT, PUT MORE AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK. AND THIS IS A DIFFICULT DECISION THAT ONLY PRESIDENTS CAN MAKE, AND THEY'LL MAKE IT BASED ON THE DECISION THAT THEY HAVE. I THINK IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT WE WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AT IT AND PROVIDE MORE WEAPONRY TO THE ISRAELIS AND FIGHT ALONGSIDE THEM TO DO MORE DAMAGE TO THE IRANIAN REGIME. KINETIC DAMAGE. BUT I HOPE I'M WRONG. I HOPE IN THE END THE IRANIAN REGIME COMES TO A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT DECISION AND THE IRANIAN PEOPLE GET CONTROL OF THAT NATION. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THE IRANIAN PEOPLE COULD BE WELCOMED BACK INTO THE WORLD OF CIVILIZED HUMANITY.
HASLINDA: CAN WE SEE LONG-TERM PEACE? WHAT WOULD THAT TAKE?
MIKE: WE CAN. WE'RE FAR CLOSER TO IT TODAY THAN UNDER ANY PREVIOUS PRESIDENT. NOT ONLY THE GOOD WORK THAT DELIVERED THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS, MULTIPLE NATIONS RECOGNIZING THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF ISRAEL TO EXIST DURING THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST TERM. NOW YOU HAVE THE GULF ARAB STATES ALL UNDERSTANDING THAT THEIR PRIMARY THREAT IS NOT FROM ISRAEL, BUT THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN. AND THEY CAN NOW ALL SEE THAT. THEY HAVE SEEN THEIR MUSLIM BROTHERS FIRE ON THEM, RIGHT? IT WASN'T THE UNITED STATES OR ISRAEL THAT FIRED ON SAUDI ARABIA OR BAHRAIN OR KUWAIT. IT WAS THE MUSLIM THEOCRACY HEADQUARTERED IN TEHRAN.
HASLINDA: AND THE U.S. UNILATERALLY -- MOVED UNILATERALLY WITHOUT CONSULTING ITS ALLIES. SURELY THERE'S REASON TO DISTRUST THE POSITION OF THE U.S.?
MIKE: I'M VERY CONFIDENT THE GULF ARAB STATES ARE THRILLED AT THE DAMAGE THAT'S BEEN INFLICTED ON THE IRANIAN REGIME. THEY ARE FAR SAFER TODAY, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM KNOWS IT.
HASLINDA: HOW ABOUT THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA? WHERE IS IT TODAY, YOU THINK? HOW ARE YOU ASSESSING THE BROMANCE WE SAW IN BEIJING BETWEEN XI JINPING AND DONALD TRUMP?
MIKE: DON'T MISTAKE PERSONAL INTERACTIONS FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATIONS. THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY IS INTENT ON CREATING GLOBAL HEGEMONY. XI JINPING HAS SAID TAIWAN IS PART OF CHINA, AND THAT'S WRONG. AND WORKING WITH PARTNERS -- YOU CAN WATCH. YOU CAN WATCH THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY OF THE -- THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS TAKEN TO STRENGTHEN THE AMERICAN ECONOMY AND PUT THE CHINESE ECONOMY ON ITS BACK FOOT. I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES TODAY. AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE OF WASHINGTON. THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE CHOICES THAT BEIJING HAS MADE. BEIJING HAS MADE THE CHOICE TO BE AN AGGRESSIVE NATION, THAT'S GONE TO WAR WITH EVERY ONE OF ITS BORDERING NATIONS. KINETIC WAR. THAT'S NOT HOW THE U.S. OPERATES, AND NOT HOW WE ROLL. WE HOPE THAT THE LEADERSHIP IN CHINA WILL FUNDAMENTALLY COME TO ITS SENSES AND DECIDE IT JUST WANTS TO GO COMPETE IN THE WORLD, AND NOT DOMINATE THE WORLD IN A WAY THAT DENIES BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, SKIM PRISONS, MILLION MUSLIMS IN THE WESTERN PART OF ITS NATIONS, COMMITTING GENOCIDE. THAT'S INDECENT AND NOT A PARTNER FOR THE UNITED STATES.
HASLINDA: DESPITE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I HEAR YOU. DESPITE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THOUGH, THE WORLD IS REASSESSING ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S. AND ALSO THE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS FOR THEMSELVES. WE'VE HAD NATIONS TALKING ABOUT A RESET. WE TALK ABOUT PRIME MINISTER -- A WORLD IN RUPTURE. PEOPLE ARE REASSESSING THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCES, AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE U.S., NOT BECAUSE OF CHINA.
MIKE: I'M CONVINCED THE NATIONS WILL DECIDE THAT THEIR BEST PARTNER IS NOT THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY. THAT THEIR BEST PARTNER IS NOT THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN AND THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF RUSSIA. THEY WILL CONCLUDE THAT WESTERN CIVILIZATION DEPENDS ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ITS LEADERSHIP, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ALONGSIDE US TO ACHIEVE THAT. I'M THOROUGHLY CONVINCED OF THAT.
HASLINDA: IS THERE A SOFTENING IN THE STANCE THAT THE U.S. IS ADOPTING TOWARD CHINA? I ASK BECAUSE WHEN WE LISTEN TO PETE HEGSETH, THE SECRETARY OF WAR, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF TAIWAN. PRESUMABLY THIS IS A U.S. THAT IS TRYING TO STILL REDEFINE ITS RELATIONS WITH CHINA.
MIKE: YEAH. I --
HASLINDA: NOT THE RIVAL.
MIKE: THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY IS ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT'S CERTAINLY CLEAR. THEY THINK SO. THEY HAVE BEEN AT WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY FOR 40 YEARS, AND WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT. WE. NOT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA. THIS IS BETWEEN WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND A MODEL OF A MARXIST-LENINIST REGIME THAT SITS IN THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY. NOT THE CHINESE PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT'S THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION, BUT THE CHINESE -- THE CHINESE. AND PETE HEGSETH MAY NOT -- SECRETARY HEGSETH MAY NOT HAVE MENTIONED, BUT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS MOVED MORE WEAPONRY AND HAS PUT MORE EFFORT INTO MAKING ALLIANCES IN THE REGION THAN ANY PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING EVEN WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. I THINK THEY OUGHT TO LEAN INTO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY IN A WAY THAT DELIVERS GOOD OUTCOMES FOR WESTERN CIVILIZATION. AND I'VE WATCHED WHAT THEY'VE DONE SO FAR, AND I'M CONFIDENT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN THE REMAINING 2 1/2 YEARS.
HASLINDA: IS TAIWAN STILL KEY IN AMERICA'S -- TOWARD CHINA?
MIKE: YEAH. IT'S KEY FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. ONE, A BIG PIECE -- MILITARY STRATEGIC MATTER, THE WAY THE WESTERN PACIFIC IS LAID OUT. IT MATTERS AN AWFUL LOT TO AMERICAN SECURITY. WE HAVE FORCES IN GUAM, IN JAPAN, IN SOUTH KOREA, SO -- CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS A MILITARY MATTER, FOR SURE. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT AS A COMMERCIAL MATTER. IT HOSTS THE -- SOME OF THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES THAT YOUR CAR, MY CAR, OUR PHONES, ALL RUN ON. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY. SO IT'S DEEP IN THE INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO MAKE SURE THAT TAIWAN DOESN'T EITHER COME UNDER THE ACTUAL OR EVEN THE PERCEIVED OR POLITICAL CONTROL OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.
HASLINDA: IS IT WORRYING THAT PETE HEGSETH'S REFUSAL TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE U.S. WILL PROCEED WITH THE -- TO TAIWAN? HOW ARE YOU READING THAT?
MIKE: NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT AT ALL.
HASLINDA: WHY NOT?
MIKE: I'M -- THE UNITED STATES WILL DO THE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT FOR THE TAIWANESE PEOPLE AND THE TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND FOR OUR ALLIES IN THE PACIFIC AS WELL.
HASLINDA: MIGHT IT BE A BARGAINING CHIP? IN THE U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS?
MIKE: I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY UNLIKELY AND A LEFT-WING MEDIA STORY.
HASLINDA: WHY IS THAT?
MIKE: I DON'T KNOW. YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE LEFT-WING MEDIA WHY THEY'RE MAKING THAT STORY UP. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A BARGAIN CHIP. TAIWAN MATTERS. THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO DO THE NECESSARY.
HASLINDA: HOW ARE YOU ASSESSING THE BIGGEST RISKS FOR ASIAN NATIONS RIGHT NOW? WE'RE SEEING HOW CHINA HAS BEEN A BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE U.S. DEEMS AS ITS PRIORITIES IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD?
MIKE: OH, SURE. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. THEY HAVE BUILT A MILITARY OUTPOST WHEN THEY PROMISED PRESIDENT OBAMA THEY WOULDN'T IN THE ROSE GARDEN IN 2015, IF I HAVE THE YEAR RIGHT. THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY AGGRESSIVE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA FOR A LONG TIME. THEY CLAIM THAT IT'S JUST THEIR BIG LAKE. SO THIS IS A CONTINUED CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL HAVE TO CONFRONT. THE CHINESE WILL USE THEIR ECONOMIC LEVERAGE AGAINST THE PACIFIC NATIONS, RIGHT? THE ISLAND NATIONS IN THE PACIFIC, AUSTRALIA. THEY'LL TRY AND USE ECONOMIC POWER AGAINST SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES AS WELL. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE ALLIANCE MUST STICK TOGETHER. THE GOOD FRIENDS AND PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY HAVE TO HANG TOGETHER. WORK TOGETHER. AND I'M CONFIDENT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT ALONGSIDE OF US, AND IT WILL -- WE WILL BE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM. AND SECRETARY RUBIO USED THE WORDS THE OTHER DAY, WE'RE A PACIFIC NATION. THE UNITED STATES HAS ENORMOUS INTERESTS IN KEEPING FREE AND OPEN NAVIGATION THROUGH NOT ONLY THE STRAIT OF TAIWAN BUT THE STRAITS OF MALACCA AS WELL, AND MAKING SURE THE ENTIRE WORLD OPERATES ON A MODEL THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE ONE BEIJING WANTS.
HASLINDA: THE U.S. WANTS ITS ALLIES TO CONTRIBUTE IN A MORE SIGNIFICANT WAY IN TERMS OF DEFENSE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ASIA NATIONS CAN DO TO THAT END?
MIKE: YEAH. THEY -- THEY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THEIR OWN DEFENSE.
HASLINDA: BUT -- WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP SHOULD THEY BE HAVING, THE U.S. OR AMONG THEMSELVES? HOW SHOULD THEY POSITION THEMSELVES STRATEGICALLY?
MIKE: EVERY NATION MUST DO THE NECESSARY TO DEFEND THEIR OWN SOVEREIGNTY. THEY -- WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE FRIENDS. THEY SHOULD HAVE ALLIES AND PARTNERS. IN THE END, LEADERS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE TO DO THAT WHICH IS NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN BORDERS AND THEIR OWN BOUNDARIES AND OWN NATION'S SOVEREIGNTY. SO SMALLER COUNTRIES WILL NEED PARTNERS AND FRIENDS. THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN A GREAT FRIEND AND PARTNER FOR NEARLY EVERY ONE OF THOSE NATIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA FOR DECADES. THEY SHOULD EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE. BUT THEY SHOULD ALSO STEP UP. MORE OF THEIR OWN RESOURCES AND MORE OF THEIR OWN CAPABILITIES AND MORE OF THEIR OWN TOOLS BROUGHT TO BEAR TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. AND THEN THEY SHOULD WORK ALONGSIDE THEIR OTHER PARTNERS IN THE REGION. HERE WE SIT IN SINGAPORE TODAY, A GREAT AMERICAN PARTNER FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. HUGELY STRATEGIC FOR OUR EFFORTS HERE IN THE PACIFIC. THEY BEHAVE IN A WAY THAT SINGAPORE HAS BEHAVED, AND SEE THAT THEIR OWN DEFENSE MATTERS FOR THEIR OWN PEOPLE. AND THEY GET THAT RIGHT, I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE A SOLID PARTNER FOR THEM FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME.
HASLINDA: WHEN MIGHT THE NEXT FLASHPOINT BE?
MIKE: OH, GOODNESS. ONE CAN NEVER DO PREDICTIONS.
HASLINDA: WHAT ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT?
MIKE: I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY. ITS CONTINUED EFFORTS TO UNDERMINE NATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, AFRICA, SOUTH AMERICA, CERTAINLY IN ASIA AS WELL. I'M WORRIED ABOUT POLITICAL ISLAM. POLITICAL ISLAM IS STILL ALIVE. RADICAL ISLAMISM IS SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN INVADE POCKETS OF EUROPE. WE'VE SEEN RISK OF THAT IN SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES, LIKE THE LARGEST MUSLIM NATIONS AREN'T IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY'RE NOT VERY FAR FROM WHERE WE'RE SITTING TODAY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT RADICAL ISLAM IS CONTINUED TO BE WATCHED. THAT COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS REMAIN STRONG. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT IMPACT PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE IN SINGAPORE AND ALL ACROSS THIS REGION DEEPLY AND EVERY DAY.
HASLINDA: HOW ABOUT THE STATE OF THE POLITICS IN THE U.S.? AND SOME HAVE SUGGESTED PERHAPS YOU MIGHT RUN IN 2028. MIGHT THAT BE THE CASE?
MIKE: OH, GOODNESS KNOWS WHAT THE -- WHAT THE LORD WILL BRING. A LONG WAY. WE HAVE PRIMARY ELECTIONS TODAY.
HASLINDA: WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED?
MIKE: WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER IT IS THE UNITED STATES ELECTS, UNDERSTANDS THE THREATS IN THE WORLD AND HOW THAT PROTECTS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IF I CAN BE PART OF THAT IN SOME WAY, SO BE IT.
HASLINDA: IT IS AN AMERICA THAT NO LONGER WANTS TO PLAY THE ROLE OF POLICEMAN IN THE WORLD, CORRECT?
MIKE: I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY ROLE TO BE THE POLICEMAN. BUT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WORLD. WE'RE THE MOST EXCEPTIONAL NATION IN THE HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION. AND WITHOUT AMERICAN LEADERSHIP, THE WORLD IS A FAR MORE.