The next is a transcript of an interview with White Home Nationwide Safety Adviser Jake Sullivan on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Nov. 10, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re again with White Home Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan. Jake, good to have you ever right here.
JAKE SULLIVAN: Thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So we all know President Biden and President elect Trump will meet within the Oval Workplace on Wednesday. There are a variety of fires around the globe. What’s it that President Biden needs to ship when it comes to a spotlight and message?
JAKE SULLIVAN: Properly, the primary and most essential message will probably be that President Biden is dedicated to the peaceable switch of energy and to a accountable handoff from one president to the following, which is in the most effective custom of our nation and has been for the final 240 years. After which they may undergo the highest points, each home and overseas coverage points. Together with what is occurring in Europe and Asia and the Center East. And the President may have the possibility to clarify to President Trump how he sees issues, the place they stand and and discuss to President Trump about how President Trump is considering taking over these- these points when he takes workplace.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, let’s go to Ukraine, as a result of we simply heard from Senator Hagerty that world view from that portion of the Republican Occasion proper now. We all know the struggle is increasing there. The North Korean troops appear to have entered the struggle. You’ve all these adversaries all-in on Russia successful there. What are you able to do within the remaining 70 days to form of change what’s occurring on the bottom, or Trump-proof the technique, so to talk?
JAKE SULLIVAN: Properly, look, our method stays the identical as it has been for the final two and a half years, which is to place Ukraine within the strongest doable place on the battlefield, in order that it’s finally within the strongest doable place on the negotiating desk. And it must be as much as Ukraine to determine, for its personal sovereignty and its personal territorial integrity, when and the way it goes to the negotiating desk. It must be as much as america and a coalition of countries that we now have constructed to proceed to provide Ukraine with the means to defend itself towards brutal Russian aggression.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You have acquired like, what, $6 billion in cash left that is already–
JAKE SULLIVAN: –And President Biden made clear when President Zelensky was right here in Washington a few months in the past that we’d spend all the assets that have been offered to us by the Congress on time and in full. That means that by January 20, we may have despatched the total quantity of assets and assist to Ukraine the Congress has approved. And naturally, President Biden may have the chance over the following 70 days to make the case to the Congress and to the incoming administration that america shouldn’t stroll away from Ukraine, that strolling away from Ukraine means extra instability in Europe. And finally, because the Japanese Prime Minister mentioned, If we stroll away from Ukraine in Europe, the query about America’s dedication to our allies in Asia will develop.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you imply President Biden goes to ask Congress to go more cash for Ukraine earlier than he leaves workplace?
JAKE SULLIVAN: Look, I am not right here to place ahead a particular legislative proposal. President Biden will make the case that we do want ongoing assets for Ukraine past the top of his time period, as a result of the risk to Ukraine will stay it doesn’t matter what precisely occurs on the battlefield or on the negotiating desk, and america shouldn’t stroll away from its dedication, both to Ukraine or to 50 nations that we now have rallied in protection of Ukraine in each Europe and Asia.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So U.S. intelligence assessed that Russia favored Donald Trump on this election, that Russia interfered in a reasonably dramatic and visual vogue with these faux movies. What consequence are they going to pay, if any, for doing that?
JAKE SULLIVAN: Properly, first, let’s not neglect that we’re at present serving to Ukraine struggle Russia in Ukraine in probably the most dramatic and full throated means one could- might think about. So we’re already doing a considerable variety of issues to impose prices on Russia. We have now additionally handed probably the most sweeping sanctions on Russia that we now have seen towards a serious economic system within the world–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Hagerty was saying it’s- Russia’s doing tremendous even with these sanctions.
JAKE SULLIVAN: Properly, to begin with, you’ll be able to see in many various methods, whether or not it is inflation in Russia, whether or not it is their skill over time to truly develop their economic system, their know-how, their capability to spend money on new sources of vitality happening the road, that the image for Russia appears to be like more and more bleak as time goes on, and that the sanctions are biting, they haven’t stopped, clearly, Russia from having the ability to perform its navy operations in Ukraine right this moment, however they’ve painted a darker image for Ukraine- for Russia tomorrow.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you aware what Russia is giving North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in alternate for the lads he’s sending to struggle on the battlefield in Ukraine?
JAKE SULLIVAN: We do not know for certain, and albeit, I believe Vladimir Putin would not know for certain. I believe he in all probability hasn’t determined precisely what he will do for North Korea on a going ahead foundation. However I’ll inform you this, Kim Jong Un expects that he will get one thing vital, in all probability within the type of navy and know-how assist from Russia–
MARGARET BRENNAN: For its nuclear program?
JAKE SULLIVAN: And that is a definite chance. I am unable to say precisely what is going to occur, however we now have already heard the Russians come out and say that North Korea’s nuclear program must be checked out in another way right this moment than it was 5 or ten years in the past. So the priority concerning the relationship between Russia and North Korea, in each instructions, may be very actual and one thing that all the nations of the free world want to concentrate to.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So Prime Minister Netanyahu mentioned he spoke to Donald Trump thrice up to now few days. The Israeli President Isaac Herzog is coming to the White Home. That was simply introduced. What makes you suppose in these remaining days of the Biden administration that Benjamin Netanyahu would comply with peace in Gaza or comply with peace in Lebanon and never maintain on to that political capital for the brand new president?
JAKE SULLIVAN: Prime Minister Netanyahu will make his selections, and he’ll communicate to his selections. This is what I see. First in Gaza, it actually, right this moment, just isn’t Israel that’s standing in the way in which of a stop hearth and hostage deal. It’s Hamas. Israel has mentioned it is ready to do a brief stop hearth for a variety of hostages after which attempt to construct on that to get all the hostages home–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you aware what–
JAKE SULLIVAN: –Hamas has mentioned no
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Senator Hagerty was speaking about on that with Hamas?
JAKE SULLIVAN: I do not know concerning the specific assertion he made. What I’ll inform you is, no matter Hamas is saying publicly, what they’re speaking to the mediators isn’t any, we is not going to do a stop hearth and hostage deal right now. So what we have to do is get the remainder of the world to proceed to extend stress on Hamas to return to the desk, to do a deal in Gaza, as a result of the Israeli authorities has mentioned it is ready to take a brief step in that course. After which in relation to Lebanon, we now have been actively engaged in discussions with the Israeli authorities. These ought to stay behind closed doorways, however we do imagine that sooner or later the Israeli authorities needs to do a deal that will get its residents again residence. I do not suppose it is doing that deal for American politics. I believe it is doing that deal to attempt to safe Israel, and I count on that within the coming weeks, we are going to see progress in that course.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will you maintain Israel to account? As a result of the Secretaries of State and Protection have despatched letters saying that they are not permitting in assist to the diploma they need to, and that there are probably pressured displacements from Northern Gaza. On this program, you have got mentioned that was primarily a purple line.
JAKE SULLIVAN: So mainly what you have got seen from Secretary Austin and Secretary Blinken is a letter to their Israeli counterparts that claims, here’s a set of steps we count on you to take, and we’re going to measure you towards the progress you’re making in direction of these steps. This week, we are going to make our judgments about what sort of progress they’ve made. After which Secretary Austin, Secretary Blinken, the President will make judgments about what we do in response, and I am not going to get forward of that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In a short time, President Xi and President Biden will probably be in the identical place at these summits within the subsequent few days. Will the President confront him about this pervasive and big hacking of telecom firms often known as ‘Salt Hurricane?’
JAKE SULLIVAN: President Biden, each time he sees his Chinese language counterpart, President Xi, speaks to him about cyber-enabled espionage, about cyber attacks–
MARGARET BRENNAN: It is a vital assault.
JAKE SULLIVAN: Sure, it’s. It’s a completely vital assault. It is one thing that the FBI, our Division of Homeland Safety, our whole nationwide safety enterprise is digging into in a giant means. And naturally, will probably be on the agenda between each American official and each Chinese language official within the weeks forward.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Jake Sullivan, so much occurring on the planet. Thanks for coming in and speaking to us. We’ll be proper again with much more Face the Nation.
