(AGENPARL) – Thu 20 March 2025 You are subscribed to Collected Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
Department Press Briefing – March 19, 2025 [ https://www.state.gov/briefings/department-press-briefing-march-19-2025/ ] 03/19/2025 08:09 PM EDT
Tammy Bruce, Department Spokesperson
Washington, D.C.
Home [ https://www.state.gov ]Department Press Briefing – March 19, 2025 hide
Department Press Briefing – March 19, 2025
March 19, 2025
2:13 p.m. EDT
*MS BRUCE:* That clock is wrong, because I know I’m not early. Thank you for your patience, everyone.
*QUESTION:* It runs on a battery, and it needs to be —
*MS BRUCE:* It runs on a battery?
*QUESTION:* In fact, we just had a time change; it might not have ever been – sprang forward.
*MS BRUCE:* Maybe never. Maybe never. Some things never change, like Matt Lee. Some things never change.
All right. So everyone’s here? We’re all good? Hi, how are you?
*QUESTION:* Great.
*MS BRUCE:* Do we have a seat? Great. Thank you.
So I’ve got – I do have something, an announcement I’m going to make, but then I think you’ve all received the statement that has been released from Secretary Rubio and the NSA Director Waltz. And I’ll be reading that as well for those who are watching from home and around the world.
All right. We’re all good? All right. Thank you again, everybody. I just want to remind you as I walk into this room now, this is my third time walking into this room. I do so with a whole host of people behind me, literally and figuratively. And without their assistance and without the staff of this department, this briefing would not be possible. The nature of the work that happens is intensive; it is quiet. I won’t say it’s anonymous because we all know who’s doing the work. But these are people who work every day to analyze, to research, to design, to help move forward the agenda and the policy of the Trump Administration and the Secretary of State. And it is terrific work for the American people. So again, I want to thank everyone for making it possible for me to be standing here as well.
So let’s get started. Again, I have a little bit of a – of a – what we call a topper here, for everyone who’s watching, and welcome aboard. Let’s see here. All right. To begin, as Secretary Rubio made clear yesterday, Venezuela is obligated to accept its repatriated citizens from the United States. This is not an issue for debate or negotiation, nor does it merit any reward. Unless the Maduro regime accepts a consistent flow of deportation flights without further excuses or delays, the U.S. will impose new, severe, and escalating sanctions.
As President Trump made clear in his proclamation, TDA is closely associated – closely aligned with, and indeed has infiltrated the Maduro regime. Maduro had – maintains close ties to regime-sponsored narcoterrorists. The Maduro regime must accept back all Venezuelan aliens deported by the United States, especially their murderers, rapists, criminals, human traffickers, and other illegally present criminals in the United States. End of discussion. We will impose new and more severe sanctions upon any failure to do so or delays.
Let me be clear. The United States Government will enforce the laws of the United States. We will deport illegal aliens from our country. And we will have made clear that we expect countries to accept their nationals illegally present in the United States. We thank our partners in our region and around the world who are partnering with us to stop illegal immigration and combat vicious transnational crime. These efforts help all of us by making our entire region safer and more secure.
On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, President Trump spoke with President Putin yesterday. As President Trump said, it was a good a productive phone conversation. Both President Trump and President Putin agreed on the need for this conflict to end with a lasting peace. They agreed, quote: “The movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire, and permanent peace.”
Today President Trump spoke with President Zelenskyy. As President Trump said, it was, quote, “a very good telephone call… much of the discussion… based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs.” In addition to these conversations, everybody’s talking. Special Envoy Witkoff met with Putin last week. Last weekend Secretary Rubio spoke with Foreign Minister Lavrov. And, of course, Secretary Rubio and National Security Advisor Waltz met with the Ukrainian delegation in Jeddah. Negotiations will continue in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.
On reports of Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure overnight, attacks like these are precisely why President Trump is committed to peace. It is time for the death and destruction to stop and for an end to this senseless war. As Secretary Rubio has said, there is no military solution to this war. All sides need to move to a ceasefire; President Trump has made this clear as well. We cannot get to the table for negotiations to end the war without a ceasefire in place. The shooting has to stop first.
Finally, we’d like to welcome home the NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, which of course we all watched yesterday. It was a remarkable scene, with the dolphins that greeted them in the ocean also getting their own time on television. It was a fabulous event, and it reminded us about the nature of the 21st century, the modern age, and how progress continues.
Now, you also have – that’s the opening here, what I’ve seen, of course, over the last 24 or 48 hours. Of course, there’s always something that feels like it should have been a month of news that is happening on a daily basis. But we also have a direct statement, which I’m going to read to you as well, and to those who are watching from home or from their offices and from around the world – a statement from Secretary Rubio and the National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz. And this also directly addresses some issues that we’re expecting to come up certainly in the next week and the nature of where things stand at this point. And so here is that statement from the Secretary of State and the National Security Advisor:
“Today, President Donald J. Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a fantastic phone conversation.  President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for a productive start for the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11th. The meeting of the senior officials from both nations significantly helped in moving toward ending the war. 
“President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for the support of the United States, especially the Javelin missiles that President Trump was first to provide, and his efforts towards peace. The leaders agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war, and that lasting peace under President Trump’s leadership can be achieved.
“President Trump fully briefed President Zelenskyy on his conversation with Russian President Putin and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk, and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved.  President Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems. President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.
“The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy. Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire. They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security.”
So let me just remind you here that that is technical teams; it will not be principals going to those negotiations.
“President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President’s leadership in this effort and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire.
“President Trump also discussed Ukraine’s electrical supply and nuclear power plants.  He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise.  American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
“President Zelenskyy also thanked President Trump for continuing to push humanitarian concerns, including the exchange of POWs.  He noted they had just had a successful exchange and thanked the President for his leadership.  President Trump also asked President Zelenskyy about the children who gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted.  President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home.  
“They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work. The presidents noted the positive work of their advisors and representatives, especially Secretary Rubio, National Security Advisor Waltz, Special Envoy Kellogg, and others.  The presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire. The presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible. The presidents emphasized that in further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security.”
So we are closer to peace than, of course, we have been at any other point. But still I know you might have some questions – I don’t know why – and I’m here to answer those questions.
Matt?
*QUESTION:* Thank you, Tammy. Can I just start with – since you opened with Venezuela, I – and this can be a very simple yes or no answer – did you get an answer to the question I asked on Monday about whether using the AEA for these deportations means that you recognize Maduro – Maduro’s government – and that he is the – and him as the legitimate leader of Venezuela? If you –
*MS BRUCE:* I do have an answer to that.
*QUESTION:* You do? Okay.
*MS BRUCE:* And the answer is no.
*QUESTION:* No. Okay.
*MS BRUCE:* The answer is no. There is clearly – we’ve made it clear, and it’s been obvious for quite some time, that Maduro is a dictator. It is a regime that we do not recognize. And we also understand, of course, that what we demand of him is something that has got to happen; I made that clear in my topper. The AEA proclamation is still valid, of course. That is currently being challenged in court, so I’m not going to comment on that litigation. But at the same time, it’s not a regime we recognize; we don’t recognize him as the president or a legitimate ruler at all.
*QUESTION:* Okay. Secondly then – and again, these are going to be extremely brief – on Friday, the Secretary signed, along with Pete Hegseth and the head of the National Defense University, this order removing the head of USIP.
*MS BRUCE:* That’s the Institute for Peace?
*QUESTION:* Yes.
*MS BRUCE:* Yes.
*QUESTION:* Correct. I’m curious to know when and where the Secretary signed this.
*MS BRUCE:* Well, it’s been signed and —
*QUESTION:* Well —
*MS BRUCE:* And I don’t have the details of exactly where he was. He was in many places. In the 21st century —
*QUESTION:* I know. (Laughter.) We were with him, both of us.
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, we – well, but you – we weren’t with him. We were on an airplane, and he was in the giant Secretary of State area that is away from us. He wasn’t with you.
*QUESTION:* Yeah.
*MS BRUCE:* He wasn’t – but there’s plenty of ways in which something can be signed, and —
*QUESTION:* Okay, well, fine. But can you – can you assure us that it was – his signature was not done by autopen?
*MS BRUCE:* I – I’ve never known him to do that.
*QUESTION:* Okay.
*MS BRUCE:* But what I can tell you is that it was signed.
*QUESTION:* Okay.
*MS BRUCE:* It was signed. Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Next one – next one is –
*MS BRUCE:* All right. So this is like the Matt Lee show.
Yes, Daphne.
*QUESTION:* Well, no, no, no, it’s not trying to —
*MS BRUCE:* And Daphne, we can – we can come –
*QUESTION:* Look, you can give a yes-or-no question – yes-or-no answer.
*MS BRUCE: *Are we staying in the same region that I’ve —
*QUESTION: *Do you have any – do – can you tell us anything about Pete Marocco and his move from USAID?
*MS BRUCE: *Well, Pete Marocco is returning to the State Department full time as the director of foreign assistance, an indispensable role in aligning all U.S. Government foreign assistance with the President’s priorities. So he is returning to that job and he will – you will, I’m sure, no doubt be hearing from him in a variety of different ways. All right, now, Daphne and Matt, that’s it.
*QUESTION:* Okay. Okay. And then the last one, now hold on. Tammy. Tammy. Tammy. Tammy.
*MS BRUCE: *All right, now, Daphne. Matt, that’s it. Daphne, let’s go. No, excuse me. Three questions.
*QUESTION: *All right, fine.
*MS BRUCE: *Daphne.
*QUESTION: *Thank you. So the White House has said that it has moved beyond the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal. Has that already been agreed to and signed?
*MS BRUCE: *Well, I’m – what I know is – and you’ve noted their comment is that at this point we’re dealing with a whole host of things. That is not something that is being addressed at this moment, so I can’t say what the disposition is, but I would just refer you to how they commented on it.
*QUESTION: *And can I just follow up on what you said about negotiations continuing in Saudi Arabia?
*MS BRUCE: *Yeah.
*QUESTION: *Who will be representing the U.S. in these talks between the technical teams with Russia?
*QUESTION: *Well, it’ll be senior staff. That’s all I can tell. So it will not be principals; it’ll be senior staff addressing technical frameworks. And of course the timing is important. It’ll be in the coming days, so when they said it would be quickly, as President Trump requested, it’s happening quickly, and we’ll see some results of that, I think, very soon.
Yes.
*QUESTION: *Just to follow up on that, Tammy, these technical talks, are they bilateral, trilateral, what is the format here? Are all of the parties going to be in one room?
*MS BRUCE: *I think that’s – I probably – I think that’s probably still being discussed or arranged, and so I can’t really speak about the nature of the specifics of the arrangement, but it’s enough to be able to work on, technically draw up and deal with the nature of what was agreed upon in the call between the two presidents. And there’ll be people there who will be able to do that, yeah.
*QUESTION: *And then on the issue of the abducted children —
*MS BRUCE: *Yes.
*QUESTION: *It was brought up in the Zelenskyy call, according to that statement, but the administration has cut off the funding for the research into the abduction of these children, some 30,000. And there’s reports that the data collected on these children could have possibly been deleted. Do you have any comment on the decision to terminate the funding and the whereabouts of the data?
*MS BRUCE: *Well, the funding has been cut based on the assessments that we’ve been making regarding a whole host of funding, if it worked within our framework of what was in America’s interests. What I can tell you, though, is also that the conspiracy theory or the fear or whatever it was about data being deleted is untrue. So that is false. The data exists. It was not in the State Department’s control. It was the people running that framework, but we know who is running the data and the website, and we know fully that the data exists and it’s not been deleted and it’s not missing. So that’s the good news.
Yes, Michael.
*QUESTION: *Why is it not in America’s interest to track —
*MS BRUCE: *Michael.
*QUESTION: *Yeah, on the (inaudible).
*MS BRUCE: *I’m sorry, Michael?
*QUESTION: *Tammy, you referred early on in your opening about a ceasefire would apply to energy and infrastructure.
*MS BRUCE:* Yeah.
*QUESTION:* The statement says – agrees on a partial ceasefire against energy. It doesn’t say anything about other types of infrastructure. Can you explain what specifically the partial ceasefire covers, and when it says energy, what does that mean specifically? Does it mean the electrical grid? Does it mean power plants? What really is covered by the ceasefire?
*MS BRUCE: *I think when we have technical teams moving to an area within days to discuss the technical aspects, we’ll get those answers. But one thing that is clear is that, as I’ve noted, we’ve never been more – we’ve never been closer to the full ceasefire. As Envoy Witkoff noted last night, that it is just a short way away to a complete ceasefire. That is clearly the goal. The goal has been a ceasefire within which we can begin negotiations for peace itself. That has not changed.
So we’ve – of course, as we know, this is an agreement – this agreement reflects us being closer to an end to this and is really the – an – the first agreement that has created the potential of a de-escalation, which is what we want, and of course closer as a result to a full ceasefire so that this can end. The conversations between the parties involved – President Trump, Secretary Rubio, Waltz, Witkoff, Kellogg, et cetera – multiple conversations to all the parties involved, and they’ve actually moved to the table in this regard through shuttle diplomacy. And so we’ve never been closer.
So at this point when it comes to the technical of understanding, we’ll learn that certainly in a few days. But this is the right trajectory brought to you by President Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Nadia.
*QUESTION: *Thank you, Tammy. Do you believe that diplomacy is still the best option to deal with Iran considering some reports that maybe the President has given them two month only, other options are still on the table? And on Gaza, while Israel is going after Hamas there’s reported of 400 people being killed – the majority are civilians, including 185 children. What is the United States doing to tell Israel to spare the life of civilians or to avoid them at least?
*MS BRUCE: *Well, first of all on the question of Iran, it’s been clear, Secretary Rubio’s made it clear that, of course, as the world’s top diplomat, that diplomacy matters. And we continue – diplomacy includes, of course, there’s a whole host of things in the toolbox for diplomacy, and the world understands this as well. So of course, yes, diplomacy is the best way to handle the situation.
And regarding – was it about Gaza?
*QUESTION: *The civilian casualties in Gaza —
*MS BRUCE: *Yeah.
*QUESTION: *— including 180 children have been killed.
*MS BRUCE: *Yeah, it’s – it’s horrible. This entire – it is the 21st century, and the savagery unleashed by terrorist groups, death squads of Iran, entities that have an investment in the suffering never ending, the use of people – the Gazans in particular – as cannon fodder for a dynamic that the world has decried for decades, and finally we are here, and we’ve had enough of a conversation within the framework of this needing to an end. And at the start, President Trump and Secretary Rubio demanded a new way of looking at how we end this – these – this framework of death of destruction, this cycle. And we are still in that process. And their demand that we can’t continue on is made clear by the fact that Hamas had an offer, a bridge to continue on to the second phase which they rejected. It was not a dynamic that was clearly going to end well in their rejecting it, but they did so anyway. And it’s a horrible result of more decisions by Hamas that continue the suffering, but that has been the history.
And so it is – we decry – we not only decry the loss of life and the impact on children around the world, but enough to where President Trump has a term – one term – and his focus has clearly been peace on this planet in every single fashion. And it will essentially be able to work because he’s known of getting – he’s known to get results, he’s known to be serious, and we’re seeing it move forward. So it’s a shame that Hamas has allowed this to occur, but look nowhere else other than the people who have facilitated this suffering from the beginning. The Trump Administration, Secretary Rubio, the Department of State of this country are determined and are the ones working to make sure that this stops, and certainly the region understands that this is a real opportunity finally to change what’s been happening in the world. Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Can I follow up, Tammy?
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* (Off-mike.)
*QUESTION:* Can I?
*MS BRUCE:* Yeah, staying in this region, please.
*QUESTION:* On Gaza, I was just wondering if Secretary Rubio had had any conversations since the strikes with his Israeli counterparts. And are you trying to ensure that when Isreal does these strikes using U.S. weapons that they’re targeting – being as careful as possible in their targeting?
*MS BRUCE:* I can tell you that of course our teams are constantly in touch. There has been no phone call arranged yet – direct phone call – between Secretary Rubio and Israeli counterparts or Israeli leadership. But of course, this is not a situation where – if it’s out of the news, the teams working to change the environment stop and leave an office or stop and just do something else. So this is a constant – as you might imagine, a constant effort on every element of foreign policy, certainly when it comes to war, ceasefires, ending conflict. So they’re constantly working. And certainly we always – we want peace. We’re working for this because we deplore the loss of life, as do the Israelis – every – these are things that are happening that none of us want to continue, and so it’s always – it’s difficult, but those conversations are ongoing. And of course we stand with Israel in every circumstance. They are our ally. And we continue to work to make sure that this conflict is – that we’re able to stop it.
*QUESTION:* Tammy, can I —
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, Said, please.
*QUESTION:* Thank you. Thank you, Tammy. I mean, just to follow up on Nadia’s question, there were 180 Palestinian children that were killed and so on. Now, my question to you that – Israel has used like a hundred fighter jets supplied by the United States of America. There is absolutely no ground-to-air defenses in Gaza, so there was no response whatsoever. And that – hence the – I guess the quest for restraint and so on that the U.S. probably should ask Isreal. On the issue – the humanitarian issue, it’s not only the bombing. I mean, there’s – there was a humanitarian catastrophe to begin with, with the holding of the aid and so on, and now we have this situation. Is the United States concerned that there is a looming catastrophe, probably of apocalyptic nature, coming through?
*MS BRUCE:* The actions of the world against what’s happening make it clear that we are going to get this to be stopped. What I can tell you is it is a catastrophe, and there was a ceasefire on December 7th – October 7th, I should say. There was a ceasefire and it was broken by – you want apocalyptic – by the massacre of 1,200 people, the taking of over 250 hostages, remaining hostages that still are in unknown conditions, certain – certainly Edan Alexander deserves to be free, and he still is not.
So when we think about why we’re in this situation, let us not forget – you talk about never forgetting certain things that happen – and it’s important to keep reminding people of the things that – what sparked this, the obscenity of October 7th, the obscenity of this wholesale massacre that was videotaped, involving the slaughter of children, of babies, of women – women being raped as then they’re murdered while they’re being raped in front of every – it – we – some things are so difficult, we choose to not think about them or hold them in our consciousness because we can’t. But in this situation, it is a mistake to look at dynamics within a section of what has occurred and remember the history of what has led us here and the extraordinary surprise at the American approach – the Trump approach – to try something new because this can’t continue. As a – as a civilized world, it can’t continue.
So yes, we decry everything that is going on, which is why we are doing what we are doing now.
*QUESTION:* (Off-mike.)
*QUESTION:* A quick follow-up on the solution.
*MS BRUCE:* All right. Yeah. Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* I just want to follow up there on the material point about the State Department is bound by the Leahy laws and other laws of the United States when it supplies weapons to its ally Israel. The point has been made that over half of these casualties or those killed were women and children. So is there a process underway in this building to assess if those actions using American weapons were compliant with international law?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, what we do, we work and apply international law. We apply – we apply certainly our applicable U.S. laws, I should say. And that is something, of course, that we are committed to. That’s what we ask of others to do, and that’s what we’re doing.
Yeah. Yes, ma’am.
*QUESTION:* Is it okay if I shift regions?
*MS BRUCE:* I’m sorry?
*QUESTION:* Can I shift away (inaudible)?
*MS BRUCE:* I – are we going to shift – you have a few more questions here?
*QUESTION:* (Off-mike.)
*MS BRUCE:* I will come right back to you.
*QUESTION:* Thank you.
*MS BRUCE:* There. Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Thanks, Tammy. Couple of questions. Number one, on the Israel-Hamas unraveling of the ceasefire, I understand the U.S.’s position. What about the actual plan? The first time around there was an immense political investment made in garnering a ceasefire. Is the U.S. planning, through the State Department, again to invest that much political capital in getting a ceasefire back in place? And if so, is the route the first time – as the first time, to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu? Is it now to pressure Qatar to lean on Hamas? What is the plan of action here?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, first, I’m not going to discuss negotiations or diplomatic conversations or plans that might be emerging or not. What we do know and, I think, has been very public is the fact that President Trump is not just wanting a peaceful day or a peaceful week. Secretary Rubio is not flying around to speak with his counterparts, to handle summits, and speaking with the parties involved so that we can have a peaceful fortnight. This is over; it is over. The people – all of us are subjected – certainly not as much as the people on the ground in the Middle East, but the world has to be done with this situation.
So the commitment we would – with the nature of what the – President Trump has already been able to create in his first term, in his personal life, the nature of the commitment of Secretary Rubio, that we have got an understanding of what – enough of a history of knowing what has happened, that we know it has to be handled differently. The region understands this, and the Trump Administration is – we have this window of this administration to change the trajectory of what has been decades and decades, coming up on a hundred years, of carnage that is now unacceptable.
So if we – if it’s going to be done, everything that is necessary to get it done will be delivered by President Trump.
All right, yeah.
*QUESTION:* One other question, if I can.
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, ma’am.
*QUESTION:* Thank you. Thank you, Tammy. I have two questions, and Russia, North Korea and South Korea. First question on South Korea. It was revealed that former Biden administration classified South Korea as a sensitive country in the Department of Energy in January 2025. What is the specific reason for classifying South Korea as a sensitive country, and what is the Trump Administration’s stance on allies and —
*MS BRUCE:* All right, so I’m going to – let me answer that, is that in fact I have to refer you to the Department of Energy. All right? So that’s – that’s the Department of Energy designation.
*QUESTION:* Okay.
*MS BRUCE:* And also, obviously – I’ll reiterate – is that we, the United States, greatly values the close relationship we have with the Republic of Korea on scientific research collaboration, and we look forward to continued robust cooperation. So that’s my answer there.
And I promised you I would come to you.
*QUESTION:* Thank you very much.
*QUESTION:* Can I have one more on Russia? Russia?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, let’s – well —
*QUESTION:* Russian deputy —
*MS BRUCE:* Do you – do you want to cede?
*QUESTION: *I – it’s your call.
*MS BRUCE:* All right.
*QUESTION:* Yeah, thank you.
*QUESTION:* Well, maybe I ask and then you go back? I —
*MS BRUCE:* All right, that – well, let’s do that. All right, go ahead.
*QUESTION:* Whatever you think is best.
*MS BRUCE:* I’ll be back with you. Sure. Why not?
*QUESTION:* Since we’re off the region anyways.
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, ma’am.
*QUESTION:* I want to ask about the case of this missing spring breaker in the Dominican Republic who’s feared to have drowned. Authorities in the country have effectively detained an American college student who is a witness in the case by withholding his passport. Is the State Department working to bring him home?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, you’re talking about Joshua Riibe, if I’m saying his last name right. Yes. So we – and I say this often and will probably be saying it a lot more – is that there is no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens who are overseas. We – that matters to us. We are aware of this situation, certainly, and we take seriously our commitment to assist U.S. citizens abroad. It is a situation where I can’t discuss, certainly, specifics, but we know that the U.S. embassy is in communication with him and his family and his lawyer, and we are providing consular assistance as well. So that’s where I have to sit it, and I hope that answers your question. Is that right?
All right, we’ll go back here.
*QUESTION:* Thank you again.
*MS BRUCE:* So about Russia, yes?
*QUESTION:* Yes. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko visited North Korea last weekend and discussed the war in Ukraine with North Korean Kim Jong-un. How does the Trump Administration concerns about the military cooperation between the Russia and North Korea, but the Russians, they still want to be – remain the North Korean troops in Russia, Moscow? Thank you.
*MS BRUCE:* Right, so you’re asking about the nature of our reaction to Russian and North Korea and their alliance, essentially. So we know, of course, that’s a perfect example of how third countries like the DPRK have perpetuated this war. So this is a dynamic that other countries are involved in and certainly very specifically the DPRK, and they bear responsibility for the nature of what’s going on. We continue to be concerned about their direct involvement in the war, their military deployment to Russia, and any support provided by the Russian Federation to North Korea in return also must end. So they’re realizing the situation is changing, and that’s good news, but we certainly – I think it’s been made very clear the difference.
*QUESTION:* Thank you.
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, ma’am.
*QUESTION:* Thank you. Following up on the Ukrainian children, the grant that you confirmed has been terminated to the research initiative at Yale University, does the Trump Administration and the State Department believe that it is in the interest of the United States and the American people to support initiatives like that one that has been gathering evidence on Moscow’s abduction of Ukrainian children?
And you mentioned that Trump had spoken to Zelenskyy about this and he had said he would work closely with both parties to make sure that those Ukrainian children are returned home. Are you saying that this administration and this department are going to help find other initiatives or support other initiatives to help find and bring back those Ukrainian children?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, as our review began when it came to foreign aid, I cautioned everyone to not associate buildings or an infrastructure or the existing status quo as being the only way possible to achieve our goals, and that includes foreign aid. We were of course reminded that while certain things were being cut, it didn’t mean we were stepping away from foreign aid. It’s about stepping away from abuse and a waste of money and an infrastructure and a bureaucracy that ends up taking the finances that exist and us needing to have a – finally an even playing field to determine what’s been working, what isn’t working, how to start again without an infrastructure that’s going to take a majority of the funding in order to breathe life into itself so that we can actually spend money and do work that gets directly to the heart of the matter and saves people’s lives, gets them lifesaving assistance that is aligned, as those things are, with the American point of view and the American —
*QUESTION:* Are you saying that initiative was abusing funds?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, I know that it was cut, and it was cut as – and the things that have been cut were not assessed to be within the framework of what mattered to this administration on the issue of making America safe and secure or more prosperous. But also it’s an issue about waste and abuse. So when we think about a particular effort, it’s important to realize that it’s the goal that we need to address versus a particular structure that might be happening. So when we have a funded grant at a university that might be cut because it’s been determined that it needed to be cut, and then you’ve got the presidents of the nations involved in the issue talking about it personally on the phone, the president of the most powerful country in the world saying, “I’m going to do something here. I’m going, we’re going to work on this,” I think that’s a pretty good, clear indication that we can still work on issues that matter and make them happen without it being in a certain structure that has existed. So it’s – I think that’s pretty clear. It was very important for President Trump’s comments to President Zelenskyy on that matter.
Yes.
*QUESTION:* Thank you.
*MS BRUCE:* Shaun.
*QUESTION:* Sure. Can I go back to the issue of cuts in U.S. Government-funded media?
*MS BRUCE:* Sure.
*QUESTION:* Radio Marti – the Secretary has long been supportive of that. It’s broadcasting into Cuba. Does the Secretary support the elimination of Radio Marti?
*MS BRUCE:* I have not spoken to him about the specifics of the nature of these particular programs, but what I said on Monday is – I’ll repeat here, is that the American sensibility we value and have talked about and it matters to us, the issue of people’s voices being heard, the issue of freedom of speech, freedom of expression. And the – I think the desire and the ability to do that is always a priority when it comes to how we spread the word of democracy and want to improve the quality of people’s lives. How that happens might change over time, and I think that’s, again, bringing us back to the fact that we’ve gotten used to a certain infrastructure, but how we apply the values that we hold may change. And so I will ask him. We’ll take that back as a specific question for the Secretary. That is something that I think is important and I’ll find out for you. But what I do know is that his number one priority is to make sure this nation is safe financially, that Americans are safe, that we are secure within this world, and that’s going to be part of, I think, the transition that happens.
Yes.
*QUESTION:* Could I do a brief —
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Follow-up on —
*QUESTION:* Going back to Ukraine talks, if I may. The Secretary last week met with Ukrainian colleagues and he discussed full ceasefire deal, and he gave a press conference – the latest one I think was in Canada – where he said that when we’re going to talk to Russian leadership, we will know, “if they say no” – I’m going to quote the Secretary – “ tell us a lot about” their goals – “and what their goals are and what the mindset is.” The concern is that this current achievement that you have, Russia might be using these negotiations to accelerate victory, to weaken Ukraine, to strengthen itself on energy; infrastructure deal or ceasefire will help Russia more than Ukraine. Because right now winter is over.
*MS BRUCE:* There’s lots of conversations that we have that are suppositions and what we imagine because of our own experience and what we think may or may not happen. But there’s something very specific happening right now. Conversations between the top leaders, conversations between all the parties involved, measures so that people will be meeting in the coming days to get to specifics – no one’s waiting for the next week to maybe have another call, to maybe figure out something. Maybe you’ll show up. These are specific actions that are being taken immediately.
So we’ve been in this really fast environment where everything’s happening fast. The good news is, so is peace. We’ve never been closer. So there’s all kinds of reasons that might be informing President Putin’s reasoning. I don’t know and I’m not going to guess at what those are. What I do know is what President Trump is doing, the hard and fast framework of what we expect in the next few days in Saudi Arabia, the people who are committed to this, and that everyone now is at a table to get to the same goal.
*QUESTION:* Thank you. On Iran, if I may – Tammy.
*MS BRUCE:* Yeah, all right. Daphne.
*QUESTION:* Just a question on Türkiye. President Erdogan’s main political rival has been detained on charges of corruption in aiding a terrorist group. What’s the U.S. stance on this? Do you have any concerns?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, we would encourage Türkiye to respect human rights, to handle its own internal framework appropriately. But yeah, it’s – we’re not going to comment on the decision-making, the internal decision-making of another country, but – except to remind them that we expect them to behave in a manner that respects the rights of all of its citizens. And I think that’s pretty obvious. But it’s good to repeat.
*QUESTION:* (Off-mike.)
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, sir, standing.
*QUESTION:* Thank you.
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Tammy. In Pakistan, the most popular leader, Imran Khan, has been in jail now for last few years.
*MS BRUCE:* Could you introduce yourself, too? First time seeing you.
*QUESTION:* Jalil Afridi, from the Frontier Post.
*MS BRUCE:* Jalil. Nice to meet you, sir.
*QUESTION:* Thank you, Tammy. In Pakistan, the most popular leader with the majority number of seats in the parliament, Imran Khan, and the biggest charity collector as well, has been languishing in jail since last two years, and in two years everything in the country, whether it is the democracy, whether it is the women rights – everything has been shattered since last two years. President Trump was talking a lot about Pakistan before the elections, and thousands of his new voters in the U.S. and millions of Pakistanis are expecting him to take some sort of action with regard to that country. Do you have anything in mind or have heard anything the President said?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, I – what I can tell you, as I’ve just noted about Türkiye, is I’m not going to comment on the internal frameworks of another country. I do know that – what’s it been, eight weeks? President Trump’s been here eight weeks?
*QUESTION:* Yes.
*MS BRUCE:* And it’s – a lot’s going on. Right? Regarding his intentions and actions, you can reach out to the White House. But I do think that President Trump has made it clear that – as has Secretary Rubio – that we care about the planet. We care about our neighbors. We care about what’s happening on the globe. And that’s been evidenced by our actions. So thank you, sir.
Yes. All right, now, I’ve been – go with you. I’ve been skipping around you here, and there’s no reason for that.
*QUESTION:* Thank you, Tammy. Switching to deportations, if I may, a couple questions. One: Has there been any direct exchanges with Venezuela since last Saturday regarding the deportation flights that you mentioned before the ones that are supposed to take Venezuelans directly back to Venezuela? And also, I’d like to know if there’s any details that can be shared regarding an agreement with El Salvador in regards of El Salvador incarcerating members of Tren de Aragua organization? Thanks.
*MS BRUCE:* Well, I think the – we know of one request that El Salvador had, which is they wanted two of the worst MS-13 members deported back to them. And we said okay. So they got those two MS-13 gang members. What we also know when it comes to El Salvador is they’ve dedicated – they’re dedicated to working with partners to end the crisis of illegal immigration; is committed to accept certain individuals removed from the United States, according – including the TDA members. And they also – besides the MS-13 members, they also requested 21 of its most wanted gang members, who are El Salvadoran, to go back as well. So we accommodated that also. And we plan to work with Congress to provide assistance to support El Salvador’s corrections system, which seems fair.
And on – so on Venezuela, you’re asking if there’s been any more? Well, I think the message that I mentioned at the top of this briefing was that they’ve got to start doing it or there’s going to be serious problems. There’s going to be sanctions, and we will be reacting. So they’ve been told they’ve got to. At this point, I don’t believe any more, certainly, has moved, and certainly some of this we’re looking at the judge’s order, et cetera. But what we do know is that deportation flights will continue to other countries and other regions.
All right.
*QUESTION:* Can I just follow up on that (inaudible)?
*MS BRUCE:* Oh, yes. Yes, please. Yes, Nick.
*QUESTION:* On Friday, Special Envoy Grenell announced that Venezuela had agreed to accept the repatriation flights.
*MS BRUCE:* Well, that’s nice.
*QUESTION:* And now —
*MS BRUCE:* It’s nice to say so and —
*QUESTION:* Right.
*MS BRUCE:* — and doing it – doing it will be an important gesture.
*QUESTION:* But have they signaled that they’re reneging on that agreement that’s been announced, or —
*MS BRUCE:* Well, the – again, I’ll refer you to the Secretary’s tweet, which I think speaks for itself. It was very strong. President Trump said also that Maduro has not been taking Venezuelan deportees back fast enough, and this is not something that will be negotiated. Also, nor does it merit any reward of any sort. And also, if he does not accept the return of the deportees, of course, we will start to employ escalating sanctions. So it is about what our requirements are for a – well, I’ll just leave it at that. I was going into my talk-radio mode, and that was not going to be appropriate.
Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Thank you very much. Hi, I’m from Al Jazeera.
*MS BRUCE:* Very good. Nice to meet you.
*QUESTION:* I just want to go back to the statement about Ukraine in which it is stated that American ownership of power plants within Ukraine would be a way of guaranteeing their protection. Is – are we talking about physical ownership, taking over ownership of the plants from the Ukrainian authorities?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, again, that comes from President Trump, who is one of the best businessmen we think has ever been around, and he knows how to make deals, and there is a serious consideration, in fact, that if you have an American-owned entity via a company, perhaps – not certainly the government necessarily – that that creates – I think the presumption is, is that it creates a deterrent to strike; that you have also an economic partnership that increases the economic viability of a nation, the general certainly infrastructure stability of a nation when you have people running your infrastructure or in a particular part of the infrastructure who know what they’re doing, and that maintains not just the economic framework but also a security framework because of the nature and the need for energy.
It also is – I think it is – and I don’t want to presume what President Trump was considering, but just as a regular person, you’d realize that it is probably somewhat beneficial to have an economic relationship with a nation that has a history of being able to protect itself and protect its friends and makes it a little bit more difficult to attack you because of what the results might be.
All right.
*QUESTION:* On Middle East —
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Ahmed Hazeem, Al Jazeera Arabic this time. Just want to go back to Gaza. I don’t think that I got some of your answer there. Is the U.S. proposal that Hamas rejected, as you said, is it still on the table? And are you still pushing for another kind of a deal to end this new escalation now and get us back to the track to negotiation for the second – for the second phase of the original ceasefire agreement?
*MS BRUCE:* Yes, I – knowing the envoys – the special envoys that we have, it’s not that anything is off the table. It is about adhering to what the bridge would be, would have been, and that is something that can still happen. So that’s what we hope for. It’s what – why we do this, right? It’s wanting to have that and to try to forestall saying no and going back to the old dynamic. So when you’ve worked hard on an issue and you’ve – it’s a proposal that’s been made, that certainly is something that can be revisited.
All right. Yes, sir.
*QUESTION:* Thank you, Tammy. I have one question on Iraq. How does this administration, looking at the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad over the budget —
*MS BRUCE:* I’m sorry, between what?
*QUESTION:* Between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Iraqi Government over the energy issue and also over the budget issue. And are you willing to help to resolve this issue?
And my second question: You said that diplomacy is the best tool to approach the Iran, to resolve the issues between you, but what we hear from the Iranian foreign minister, they say that there are no – that they don’t go to negotiate with the U.S. with the maximum pressure. How do you see this condition? Are you willing to get them some relief?
*MS BRUCE:* Well, here’s – here’s what I’ll say about the Iraqi Government: that we’re urging the Iraqi Government to reach an agreement – you were talking about energy, yes —
*QUESTION:* Yeah.
*MS BRUCE:* — with the international oil companies to resume oil exports through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline as soon as possible, and to honor the existing contracts with U.S. companies. So we’re – that’s part of the issue. Reopening the ITP ensures Iraqi oil can reach global, especially European markets. Iraq benefits from the stability of resilient supply chains, as we all do.
Regarding Iran, I’m not – I can’t speak to their reasoning on most anything, obviously. But it’s – President Trump has an approach that he is committed to because he wants a result, and we are seeing some of those results now, and we will continue to see more. Certainly the Houthis are seeing the results of what we are committed to do to make sure that things change in this planet, and I have no doubt Iran has noticed that.
Yes, ma’am.
*QUESTION:* Yes. There are reports in the Lebanese media that Morgan —
*MS BRUCE:* I’m sorry, in which media?
*QUESTION:* Lebanese media.
*MS BRUCE:* Lebanese media, yes.
*QUESTION:* Yes – that Morgan Ortagus had calls with the speaker and the prime minister, pressuring – I’m quoting here – “pressuring them” to start negotiations, political negotiations, with the Israeli beyond the ceasefire. Is this accurate? Are you trying to start negotiations —
*MS BRUCE:* Well, you’re asking a question about something that you saw in media that may or may not have happened and so is a hypothetical and that I should speculate. I can’t do that. We’re going to move on.
Yes, ma’am, in the back. Right there, with glasses. Yes, ma’am.
*QUESTION:* I want to move to the Red Sea, please, and talk about the Red Sea shipping.
*MS BRUCE:* I’d say stay right here, but yes, go ahead.
*QUESTION:* Yeah. The commercial activity there, obviously very disrupted. Is the United States working with partners like Great Britain, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia to solve the problem with Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, or is that just a U.S. attack right now?
*MS BRUCE:* That is – that’s – I need to go back and check because I was going to presume here, and I need to go back and check and see regarding what other elements might be involved. But let’s make sure we get that to her, should we? All right. Good.
*QUESTION:* And can I also ask that – on Ukraine with the power plants in Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kursk, if there is any move to have some observers come and look? Because those have been at least on generators, some of them for three years.
*MS BRUCE:* Well, I’m sure that when we – we are just – Saudi Arabia, will have with this meeting of the technical individuals, that that’s even a point after a ceasefire has been achieved, right? When you have observers, right, that is not – none of that is going to be discussed. Nothing with either Russia or Ukraine is going – can be discussed regarding that until we have a ceasefire to where then we can move to talk about the specifics of how to implement the security as we move forward. So we will.
*QUESTION:* There are people that are in place to observe.
*MS BRUCE:* All right. All right. I’m – do one more, and we’ll —
*QUESTION:* Yeah, on Bangladesh.
*MS BRUCE:* I’m sorry?
*QUESTION:* On Bangladesh?
*MS BRUCE:* Bangladesh, all right. Yes.
*QUESTION:* Thank you so much, and Tammy, congratulations. This is your third time, but this is my first time here. Thank you so much. And what —
*MS BRUCE:* All right, good. So I’m not the newbie, then.
*QUESTION:* Okay.
*MS BRUCE:* Good.
*QUESTION:* U.S. intelligence chief, Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, has warned about Bangladesh, the growing threat of Islamist extremism and effort to establish an Islamic caliphate. While she didn’t directly accuse the interim government of – led by Muhammad Yunus, but Muhammad Yunus has vehemently denied these concern, calling them untrue. However, just yesterday, a large pro-caliphate rally took place in Dhaka University.
*MS BRUCE:* Okay.
*QUESTION:* If you let – this is the picture here.
*MS BRUCE:* Right.
*QUESTION:* Raising serious concern about the situation.
*MS BRUCE:* All right.
*QUESTION:* Given the U.S. Government ongoing concern, U.S. considering taking severe sanctions such as sanction against Yunus government?
And second part, lawlessness – second.
*MS BRUCE:* A second part? May – may I address this? Let me – in general, may I address this, sir? Thank you.
*QUESTION:* And 180 or —
*MS BRUCE:* Let – I will – let me – I think we’re looking for a response, and I’m going to give you one.
*QUESTION:* Please.
*MS BRUCE:* We condemn any instances of violence or intolerance directed toward members of minority communities in any country and have welcomed measures taken by Bangladesh’s interim government to ensure safety and security for all in Bangladesh. That’s what we’re watching. That’s what we expect. And that will be what continues.
*QUESTION:* And the young —
*MS BRUCE:* Thank you, everyone. Got a very busy day in front of us. Thank you, everyone.
*QUESTION:* Thank you so much.
*MS BRUCE:* Thanks for being here. (Inaudible.) We will do it. I know. There might be more things to talk about on Friday. Thank you, everyone. Have a great day.
(The briefing was concluded at 3:06 p.m.)
# # #
Tags
Bangladesh [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/bangladesh/ ] El Salvador [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/el-salvador/ ] Iran [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/iran/ ] Iraq [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/iraq/ ] Israel [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/israel/ ] North Korea [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/north-korea/ ] Office of the Spokesperson [ https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-public-diplomacy-and-public-affairs/bureau-of-global-public-affairs/office-of-the-spokesperson/ ] Pakistan [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/pakistan/ ] Palestinian Territories [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/palestinian-territories/ ] Russia [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/russia/ ] South Korea [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/south-korea/ ] Turkey [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/turkey/ ] Ukraine [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/ukraine/ ] Venezuela [ https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/venezuela/ ] body { font-size: 1em; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; color: #333333; } ________________________________________________________________________
Stay connected with the State Department:
The Great Seal [ http://www.state.gov/ ]RSS Feed [ http://www.state.gov/misc/echannels/66791.htm ]Facebook [ https://www.facebook.com/statedept ]Flickr [ http://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos ] YouTube [ http://www.youtube.com/user/statevideo ] Instagram [ http://instagram.com/statedept ]
________________________________________________________________________