English subtitles for clip: File:7-17-15- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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I see some of my radio
colleagues have decided to

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trade places today, so I
encourage that kind of

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outside-the-box thinking.

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(laughter)

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If you guys want to do a
little musical chairs, that

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would be fine with me.

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Welcome to the
Friday briefing,

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it's finally Friday.

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It's been a very interesting
and even historic week here

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at the White House.

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So I've decided today to
pull a little page from a

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strategy that has been
employed very effectively by

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some of our cable news
colleagues here, that in

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addition to the regularly
scheduled programming, we'll

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have a little bit of a crawl
across the bottom with some

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additional information
that can supplement your

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understanding of some of the
arguments that are being

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made as it relates to the
historic Iran agreement that

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was announced today.

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I'm happy to discuss that if
you'd like, but I know there

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are a number of other questions
that may be top of

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mind.

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So, Darlene, do you
want to get us started?

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The Press: Yes, thank you.

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I have a couple of questions
on the shooting yesterday in

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Chattanooga.

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And I was wondering if
there's any information

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emerging yet that points to
a possible motive for the

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killing of those
four Marines.

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Mr. Earnest: Darlene, this
tragic shooting occurred

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only about 24 hours ago.

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And the President yesterday
took the opportunity to

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convey his condolences to
the families of those who

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were lost in the shooting.

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Those families continue
to be in the thoughts and

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prayers of everybody here at
the White House, even today.

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The President received a
briefing yesterday both from

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the Director of the
FBI, as well as his top

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counterterrorism advisor
here at the White House,

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Lisa Monaco, to get an
update on the investigation.

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The Attorney General,
Loretta Lynch, is obviously

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involved in these ongoing
investigative efforts.

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At this point, I do not have
an update on the status of

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their investigation.

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I know that the FBI made
clear yesterday that they're

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looking at a variety of
possible motives, including

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the possibility of
domestic terrorism.

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So that is a part of their
ongoing investigation, but I

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will allow the investigators
themselves to provide you

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with an update when
they're able to.

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The President indicated
yesterday that he wanted to

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try to keep the American
public informed as much as

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possible, in a timely
fashion, on this ongoing

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investigation.

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And I'm confident that
our investigators will do

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exactly that.

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The Press: And what about
information on whether

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anyone else was involved
in the shooting?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, obviously
they're taking a look at all

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of these questions
in the context of the

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investigation.

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I don't have additional
information about that.

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The Press: The Army Chief
of Staff said earlier today

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that security at military
recruiting centers and

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reserve centers
would be reviewed.

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Does the President think
it's time to beef up

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security at
places like that?

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Mr. Earnest: The President
certainly believes that it's

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appropriate for the
Department of Defense to

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conduct a review like that.

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The President alluded to
this in his statement

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yesterday, that it's
important for us to take the

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necessary steps to ensure
that our men and women in

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uniform are safe,
particularly when it comes

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to our men and women in
uniform here at home.

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And there was an
announcement from the

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Department of Homeland
Security about some

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additional steps that
they would be taking.

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There are some facilities
that are jointly operated by

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the federal government and
the Department of Defense,

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where the Department of
Homeland Security has

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jurisdiction.

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So I'd refer you to the
Department of Homeland

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Security for additional
steps that they can tell you

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about.

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There will be some steps,
I'm confident, that they

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won't be able to
discuss publicly.

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But it certainly makes sense
that the Department of

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Defense would be considering
doing something similar.

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The Press: And then, lastly,
the daily guidance for today

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included this rare line;
it said the President will

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remain overnight in New
York to spend time

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with his daughters.

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Usually, you all would just
say he's remaining overnight

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in New York.

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Can you flesh out the
father-daughter weekend a

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little bit?

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Mr. Earnest: This is an
opportunity -- as you know,

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the President is and had
been scheduled to travel to

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New York for a
fundraising event.

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That is not
particularly unusual.

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But yes, the President is
looking forward to a rare

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opportunity that he'll have
to spend a little personal

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time with his daughters in
New York over the weekend.

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I don't anticipate that
we'll have a lot of details

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in advance about
their activities.

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But the press pool will
obviously be there with the

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President, and we'll inform
-- your colleagues will be

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participating -- well, maybe
not participating, but at

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least traveling along.

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(laughter)

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That might interfere with
the personal nature of the

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father-daughter time.

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But obviously we'll make
sure that you guys are aware

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of what they're up to.

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Julia.

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The Press: Josh, what can
you tell us about the

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President's meeting with the
Saudi Foreign Minister this

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morning?

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Were there any discussions
of commitments the U.S.

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might make to defend Saudi
Arabia in the context of the

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Iran deal?

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Mr. Earnest: Julia, this is
a meeting that King Salman

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requested the President host
in the conversation that the

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two leaders had
earlier this week.

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I believe it was actually on
Tuesday that the President

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had the opportunity to
speak with King Salman via

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telephone in Philadelphia.

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So as a result of that
request, the President did

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sit down and have a
discussion with the Saudi

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Foreign Minister,
Adel al-Jubeir

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<https://en.wikipedia.org/wi
ki/Adel_al-Jubeir>, to

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discuss a range of regional
and bilateral issues,

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including the recent
historic agreement that was

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announced this week.

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As you'll recall from the
Camp David meetings that

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occurred back in May, the
President and the GCC

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leaders pledged to further
deepen the security

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cooperation between the
United States and our GCC

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partners.

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That includes building an
even stronger, enduring, and

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comprehensive strategic
partnership aimed at

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enhancing regional
stability and prosperity.

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And in the context of those
discussions, the Foreign

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Minister and the President
also talked about the

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important bilateral
relationship that exists

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between the United
States and Saudi Arabia.

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And there was a discussion
about how to further enhance

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that close and
longstanding partnership.

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And I guess that will be the
subject of some discussions

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that Secretary Carter will
have with his counterparts

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when he visits Saudi
Arabia next week.

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There also was an
opportunity for the

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President and the Foreign
Minister to discuss some

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other regional issues,
including the ongoing

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humanitarian crisis in Yemen
-- crises, I guess, in Yemen

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and Syria.

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And there was a discussion
about how to move both those

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conflicts toward a
political solution.

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There also was a discussion
of the ongoing counter-ISIL

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campaign of which Saudi
Arabia is an important part.

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We certainly value the kind
of contribution that Saudi

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Arabia has already
made to that effort.

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And there was a discussion
about the progress that that

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effort is making as well.

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The Press: So thos
discussions on how to

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further enhance commitments,
were those firm or were they

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kind of ongoing?

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Or were there
commitments made?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, they
were a continuation of

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discussions that took place
at Camp David back in May.

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And you'll recall that the
strategic priority that the

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United States has identified
is to not just deepen the

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bilateral security
cooperation that exists

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between the United States
and each individual GCC

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country, but rather
to facilitate better

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coordination and cooperation
among the GCC countries, and

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that there may be equipment
and skills and training that

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the United States can offer
that would make those

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countries more effective in
coordinating their security

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efforts.

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In some cases, that involved
the interoperability of some

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hardware.

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In some cases, that just
involves facilitating

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training so that they can
more effectively coordinate

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their efforts.

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And the President and the
GCC leaders, when they

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discussed this issue at Camp
David, agreed that there's

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clearly an important role
for the United States in

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terms of standing closely
with our GCC partners when

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it comes to their
security situation.

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But that should not be to
the exclusion of the GCC

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countries operating
more effectively when

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coordinating with one
another to provide for their

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own security.

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The Press: Also, this
morning, Secretary Kerry was

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speaking on MSNBC, and he
said that he raised the

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topic during the Iran
negotiations of Americans

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being detained in Iran every
time he had a chance to meet

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with the Iranians in
the final weeks of the

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negotiations.

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And he described it as he's
very, very hopeful that

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Tehran may listen and
release those three

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Americans.

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Does the President share
that same level of optimism?

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And what evidence does Kerry
have, or the President have,

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to be that optimistic?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I guess
for the characterization of

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the Secretary's comments,
I'd refer you to the State

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Department.

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But I think this -- what his
comments should indicate to

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you is the priority that the
President places on the safe

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return of these Americans.

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And I think the President
gave a persuasive

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explanation in his news
conference earlier this week

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in describing why he did not
believe it was in the best

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interest of those detained
Americans to be used as

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bargaining chips in a
nuclear negotiation.

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The first reason is that
it was not a foregone

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conclusion that a nuclear
agreement would be reached.

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And by attaching the plight
of these unjustly detained

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Americans to a deal that may
or may not go through does

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not seem like the most
effective way to ensure

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their safe and
prompt return.

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But -- and I think the
President went to great

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lengths to convey this too
-- that does not mean that

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these individuals and their
safe return are not a

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priority.

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In fact, they are.

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And the fact that Secretary
Kerry so frequently raised

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them in the context of the
negotiations I think should

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be an indication to you
where the well-being of

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these American citizens
falls on our priority list.

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The Press: Is there evidence
that something may be in the

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pipes, that we may
see a release soon?

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Mr. Earnest: What there is
evidence of is a rigorous

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U.S.

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government effort to try to
secure the release of these

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individuals.

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But I don't have a detailed
update to provide you on our

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ongoing efforts.

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Michelle.

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The Press: You just
mentioned that there might

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be some equipment or
expertise or otherwise that

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the U.S.

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could offer to Saudi Arabia.

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Did the President make such
an offer either in his talk

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with King Salman or with
the Foreign Minister today?

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00:10:45,978 --> 00:10:48,948
Mr. Earnest: Again, the
discussions that took place

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00:10:48,948 --> 00:10:51,317
both on the telephone with
King Salman earlier this

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00:10:51,317 --> 00:10:54,453
week and in the Oval Office
with the Foreign Minister

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00:10:54,453 --> 00:10:57,055
today were a continuation of
the discussions that took

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00:10:57,056 --> 00:10:58,057
place at Camp David.

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00:10:58,057 --> 00:11:03,963
And the other thing I think
that is notable about this

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00:11:03,963 --> 00:11:09,367
is that there was unanimity
of opinion that those kinds

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00:11:09,368 --> 00:11:13,039
of conversations are
constructive, and do further

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00:11:13,039 --> 00:11:15,040
deepen and advance the
relationship between the

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00:11:15,041 --> 00:11:17,043
United States and our
partners in the Middle East,

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00:11:17,043 --> 00:11:19,045
particularly in
the Gulf region.

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00:11:19,045 --> 00:11:22,348
And the President
understands that the U.S.

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00:11:22,348 --> 00:11:26,886
relationship with each of
those countries is critical

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00:11:26,886 --> 00:11:29,320
to the national security of
each of those individual

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00:11:29,321 --> 00:11:30,322
countries.

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00:11:30,322 --> 00:11:32,324
The President has also
concluded that having a

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00:11:32,324 --> 00:11:34,325
strong relationship with
those countries is clearly

267
00:11:34,326 --> 00:11:36,328
within the national security
interest of the United

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00:11:36,328 --> 00:11:37,329
States.

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And that's the essence of
these kinds of ongoing

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00:11:39,331 --> 00:11:40,332
consultations.

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00:11:40,332 --> 00:11:42,334
And again, these are
consultations that will

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00:11:42,334 --> 00:11:45,404
continue when Secretary
Carter visits Saudi Arabia

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00:11:45,404 --> 00:11:46,405
early next week.

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00:11:46,405 --> 00:11:48,406
The Press: And why wasn't
that meeting put on the

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00:11:48,407 --> 00:11:49,408
schedule?

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00:11:49,408 --> 00:11:51,677
Mr. Earnest: Well
typically, when -- well,

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00:11:51,677 --> 00:11:54,914
I'll start by saying that it
is a little unusual for the

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00:11:54,914 --> 00:11:57,750
President to meet with the
official of a country who's

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00:11:57,750 --> 00:12:00,319
not also the head of state.

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00:12:00,319 --> 00:12:04,857
And this was, as I
mentioned, a particular

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00:12:04,857 --> 00:12:09,762
request from King Salman
that the King made in the

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00:12:09,762 --> 00:12:11,763
context of their
telephone conversation.

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00:12:11,764 --> 00:12:13,966
So this is not something
that was formally listed on

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00:12:13,966 --> 00:12:19,939
the President's guidance,
but that's the explanation

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00:12:19,939 --> 00:12:20,939
for why.

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00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:22,942
The Press: And in the
outreach that the White

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00:12:22,942 --> 00:12:26,378
House has been doing with
people here, as well as

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00:12:26,378 --> 00:12:29,515
overseas, the White House
mentioned yesterday that

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00:12:29,515 --> 00:12:33,185
there were a number of
offers made to have these

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00:12:33,185 --> 00:12:36,555
intensive consultations with
Israel, but they repeatedly

291
00:12:36,555 --> 00:12:38,424
turned it down.

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00:12:38,424 --> 00:12:40,759
Why are they not
wanting to have

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00:12:40,759 --> 00:12:41,760
those discussions right now?

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00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:43,762
Mr. Earnest: I guess that's
a question that you should

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00:12:43,762 --> 00:12:44,762
ask them.

296
00:12:44,763 --> 00:12:49,568
The fact is this is -- the
President believes strongly

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00:12:49,568 --> 00:12:55,007
in the value of the security
cooperation between the

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00:12:55,007 --> 00:12:56,675
United States and Israel.

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00:12:56,675 --> 00:12:59,777
And there are a variety of
ways in which that national

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00:12:59,778 --> 00:13:02,882
security cooperation
benefits the United States

301
00:13:02,882 --> 00:13:03,882
and our national security.

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00:13:03,883 --> 00:13:06,519
And we've heard a number of
Israeli officials indicate

303
00:13:08,587 --> 00:13:10,589
that the security
cooperation -- or the

304
00:13:10,589 --> 00:13:13,425
security relationship that
Israel has with the United

305
00:13:13,425 --> 00:13:19,798
States is critical to the
basic national security

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00:13:19,798 --> 00:13:20,799
of Israel.

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00:13:20,799 --> 00:13:24,103
And that's measured
in a variety of ways.

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00:13:24,103 --> 00:13:27,372
I think the most
illustrative example is the

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00:13:27,373 --> 00:13:29,675
effectiveness of the Iron
Dome system that was

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00:13:29,675 --> 00:13:33,646
initiated, implemented, and
ramped up at the direction

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00:13:33,646 --> 00:13:35,580
of President Barack Obama.

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00:13:35,581 --> 00:13:42,488
This is a system that last
summer shot down a number of

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00:13:42,488 --> 00:13:45,224
rockets that were fired by
extremists in Gaza that were

314
00:13:45,224 --> 00:13:48,827
aimed squarely at
Israeli civilians.

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00:13:48,827 --> 00:13:53,165
That has turned out to be a
very powerful tool in saving

316
00:13:53,165 --> 00:13:55,134
the lives of
Israeli citizens.

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00:13:57,369 --> 00:13:59,572
And the President has
communicated directly to

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00:13:59,572 --> 00:14:02,808
Prime Minister Netanyahu
a willingness and even a

319
00:14:02,808 --> 00:14:05,843
desire to enter into
specific discussions about

320
00:14:05,844 --> 00:14:09,515
how our security cooperation
could be deepened and

321
00:14:09,515 --> 00:14:12,251
strengthened and
further enhanced.

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00:14:12,251 --> 00:14:15,654
And we stand ready and
eager to initiate that

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00:14:15,654 --> 00:14:19,925
conversation or to enter
into that conversation when

324
00:14:19,925 --> 00:14:21,926
the Israeli officials
determine that they are

325
00:14:21,927 --> 00:14:23,195
prepared to do so.

326
00:14:23,662 --> 00:14:26,599
I would indicate that this
is not a -- let me say two

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00:14:26,599 --> 00:14:27,833
other things.

328
00:14:27,833 --> 00:14:32,471
This is not an indication
that somehow the security

329
00:14:32,471 --> 00:14:36,275
cooperation between the
United States and Israel has

330
00:14:36,275 --> 00:14:39,111
been degraded in any way.

331
00:14:39,111 --> 00:14:42,014
In fact, Prime Minister
Netanyahu has indicated that

332
00:14:42,014 --> 00:14:44,817
the level of security
cooperation that his country

333
00:14:44,817 --> 00:14:46,819
has received from the
Obama administration is

334
00:14:46,819 --> 00:14:50,322
unprecedented, and that
cooperation continues.

335
00:14:50,322 --> 00:14:52,324
And I can just give you two
examples of that over the

336
00:14:52,324 --> 00:14:53,324
course of the next week.

337
00:14:53,559 --> 00:14:56,028
The first is, Defense
Secretary Ash Carter will be

338
00:14:56,028 --> 00:14:59,164
traveling to Israel early
next week, where he'll be

339
00:14:59,164 --> 00:15:01,165
meeting with his
counterparts and other

340
00:15:01,166 --> 00:15:04,803
senior Israeli officials to
discuss our ongoing security

341
00:15:04,803 --> 00:15:05,804
cooperation.

342
00:15:05,804 --> 00:15:09,641
And just this week, I
understand that the head of

343
00:15:09,642 --> 00:15:12,278
counterterrorism at the
State Department convened an

344
00:15:12,278 --> 00:15:18,984
important security
cooperation meeting with the

345
00:15:18,984 --> 00:15:21,387
Israeli Deputy National
Security Advisor.

346
00:15:21,387 --> 00:15:23,856
And this was a discussion
where they talked about a

347
00:15:23,856 --> 00:15:27,693
range of issues, including
shared concerns -- these are

348
00:15:27,693 --> 00:15:29,962
concerns shared by the
United States and Israel --

349
00:15:29,962 --> 00:15:32,264
about Iran's destabilizing
activities in the region,

350
00:15:32,264 --> 00:15:35,467
including by supporting
their proxies in the region,

351
00:15:35,467 --> 00:15:42,207
like Hezbollah, that
do menace Israel.

352
00:15:42,207 --> 00:15:46,779
So this kind of security
cooperation is ongoing and

353
00:15:46,779 --> 00:15:48,781
the administration is
eager to seize on the next

354
00:15:48,781 --> 00:15:53,618
opportunity that emerges to
start discussing how we can

355
00:15:53,619 --> 00:15:54,787
deepen that cooperation.

356
00:15:54,787 --> 00:15:56,822
The Press: When was that
meeting, did you say?

357
00:15:56,822 --> 00:15:58,824
Mr. Earnest: The State
Department meeting?

358
00:15:58,824 --> 00:15:59,824
The Press: Yes.

359
00:15:59,825 --> 00:16:01,827
Mr. Earnest: It was a
meeting that occurred

360
00:16:01,827 --> 00:16:02,828
earlier this week.

361
00:16:02,828 --> 00:16:03,829
I'm not sure which day.

362
00:16:03,829 --> 00:16:05,830
I'm sure the State
Department can give you more

363
00:16:05,831 --> 00:16:06,832
details on it.

364
00:16:06,832 --> 00:16:07,833
The Press: Okay.

365
00:16:07,833 --> 00:16:09,834
And then the outreach that
you've been doing with

366
00:16:09,835 --> 00:16:11,837
members of Congress here --
even some Democrats have

367
00:16:11,837 --> 00:16:12,838
expressed skepticism.

368
00:16:12,838 --> 00:16:15,607
Is the White House's stance
that if they were to vote

369
00:16:15,607 --> 00:16:19,144
and then possibly even
override a veto to keep

370
00:16:19,144 --> 00:16:22,581
congressional sanctions
in place, would the U.S.

371
00:16:22,581 --> 00:16:25,617
then be in violation of the
deal, or would the deal

372
00:16:25,617 --> 00:16:26,617
break apart?

373
00:16:26,618 --> 00:16:30,622
Or what are you conveying
to members of Congress that

374
00:16:30,622 --> 00:16:33,092
would be the biggest problem
if that were to happen?

375
00:16:33,092 --> 00:16:36,095
Mr. Earnest: Well, look,
the fact is, if the United

376
00:16:36,095 --> 00:16:43,135
States Congress were to
successfully kill this

377
00:16:43,135 --> 00:16:50,776
agreement, it would have
a terrible impact on the

378
00:16:50,776 --> 00:16:52,911
standing of the United
States in the world.

379
00:16:52,911 --> 00:16:54,912
This is an agreement not
just between the United

380
00:16:54,913 --> 00:16:58,317
States and Iran; this is an
agreement between the United

381
00:16:58,317 --> 00:17:04,656
States, Russia, China,
Germany, the U.K., and

382
00:17:04,656 --> 00:17:08,292
France, and Iran.

383
00:17:08,292 --> 00:17:11,696
And this is an agreement
that is enthusiastically

384
00:17:11,696 --> 00:17:14,632
supported by, as the
President said, 99 percent

385
00:17:14,633 --> 00:17:15,634
of the international
community.

386
00:17:15,634 --> 00:17:21,406
And for the United States,
because of a congressional

387
00:17:21,406 --> 00:17:26,110
action, to isolate our
country on such an important

388
00:17:26,111 --> 00:17:29,715
issue would be devastating
to our standing in the

389
00:17:29,715 --> 00:17:30,716
world.

390
00:17:30,716 --> 00:17:33,519
It also would have some very
practical consequences.

391
00:17:33,519 --> 00:17:37,756
The first is that the reason
that our sanctions regime

392
00:17:37,756 --> 00:17:40,659
against Iran succeeded in
compelling them to the

393
00:17:40,659 --> 00:17:43,495
negotiating table is because
it had a devastating impact

394
00:17:43,495 --> 00:17:45,264
on their economy.

395
00:17:45,264 --> 00:17:48,367
The economic ties between
the United States and Iran

396
00:17:48,367 --> 00:17:50,869
are not particularly
significant, primarily

397
00:17:50,869 --> 00:17:53,338
because there are a whole
host of other sanctions and

398
00:17:53,338 --> 00:17:55,340
embargoes that the United
States has unilaterally

399
00:17:55,340 --> 00:17:56,574
placed on Iran.

400
00:17:56,575 --> 00:17:59,077
The key to the success
of this latest round of

401
00:17:59,077 --> 00:18:03,482
sanctions has been the
aggressive enforcement of

402
00:18:03,482 --> 00:18:05,617
countries around the world,
including countries that

403
00:18:05,617 --> 00:18:07,719
aren't even a party to this
particular agreement --

404
00:18:07,719 --> 00:18:13,992
countries like India, Japan,
South Korea, and others that

405
00:18:13,992 --> 00:18:17,863
previously relied heavily on
the importation of Iranian

406
00:18:17,863 --> 00:18:21,500
oil -- and by scaling back
their oil purchases that had

407
00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:25,037
a negative impact on Iran's
economy but also had a

408
00:18:25,037 --> 00:18:28,040
negative impact on the
domestic economy of those

409
00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:29,241
individual countries.

410
00:18:29,241 --> 00:18:33,679
So the point is that the
sanctions regime would

411
00:18:33,679 --> 00:18:35,047
collapse if Iran*(Congress)

412
00:18:35,047 --> 00:18:37,049
were to kill this deal.

413
00:18:37,049 --> 00:18:40,085
And what that means is it
means that the international

414
00:18:40,085 --> 00:18:44,857
leverage that we have
previously used to reach

415
00:18:44,857 --> 00:18:48,393
this agreement would vanish.

416
00:18:48,393 --> 00:18:56,034
The second is, Iran would
still obtain the financial

417
00:18:56,034 --> 00:18:58,871
benefits of sanctions relief
-- something that our

418
00:18:58,871 --> 00:19:02,274
critics have described
as a financial windfall.

419
00:19:02,274 --> 00:19:05,244
And the problem is, is Iran
is going to get all of that

420
00:19:05,244 --> 00:19:08,679
money and the United States
doesn't get anything for it.

421
00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,316
Right now, because of the
sanctions relief that's

422
00:19:11,316 --> 00:19:13,852
being offered, Iran
is taking a number of

423
00:19:13,852 --> 00:19:16,188
significant steps to curtail
their nuclear program.

424
00:19:16,188 --> 00:19:18,590
They're going to
dramatically reduce their

425
00:19:18,590 --> 00:19:21,426
stockpile of
enriched uranium.

426
00:19:21,426 --> 00:19:25,264
They're going to remove
13,000 centrifuges.

427
00:19:25,264 --> 00:19:31,469
They're going to overhaul
and essentially dismantle,

428
00:19:31,470 --> 00:19:38,076
or all but dismantle, their
plutonium reactor at Arak.

429
00:19:38,076 --> 00:19:45,517
And Iran has committed to
cooperating with the most

430
00:19:45,517 --> 00:19:47,519
intrusive set of inspections
that have ever been imposed

431
00:19:47,519 --> 00:19:49,087
on a country's
nuclear program.

432
00:19:49,087 --> 00:19:51,256
But if the U.S.

433
00:19:51,256 --> 00:19:55,727
Congress votes to kill this
deal, Iran will get all the

434
00:19:55,727 --> 00:19:58,363
benefits of this deal
without having to give up

435
00:19:58,363 --> 00:20:00,532
anything.

436
00:20:00,532 --> 00:20:03,467
And that's what I think
ultimately has to be a

437
00:20:03,468 --> 00:20:05,470
fundamental question that
members of Congress have to

438
00:20:05,470 --> 00:20:07,673
ask themselves.

439
00:20:07,673 --> 00:20:10,742
Because the fact is, at
this point, based on the

440
00:20:10,742 --> 00:20:12,778
conclusion that's been
reached by 99 percent of the

441
00:20:12,778 --> 00:20:16,548
international community,
Iran is going to begin at

442
00:20:16,548 --> 00:20:18,784
some point -- under this
deal -- will begin to

443
00:20:18,784 --> 00:20:21,420
receive sanctions relief
after they have taken

444
00:20:21,420 --> 00:20:25,824
demonstrable verified steps
to significantly curtail

445
00:20:25,824 --> 00:20:28,093
their nuclear program, and
to make a public commitment

446
00:20:28,093 --> 00:20:30,162
that they will not obtain a
nuclear weapon and that they

447
00:20:30,162 --> 00:20:33,131
will cooperate with a set of
international inspections

448
00:20:33,131 --> 00:20:35,200
that will verify that they
do not obtain a nuclear

449
00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,636
weapon.

450
00:20:37,636 --> 00:20:42,975
Or Congress can vote to
allow Iran to get off

451
00:20:42,975 --> 00:20:45,644
scot-free, and to get all
the sanctions relief.

452
00:20:46,645 --> 00:20:48,614
That's the fundamental
question that is facing

453
00:20:48,614 --> 00:20:49,615
members of
Congress right now.

454
00:20:49,615 --> 00:20:52,317
And this is the essence of
the case that administration

455
00:20:52,317 --> 00:20:54,319
officials have been making
to individual members of

456
00:20:54,319 --> 00:20:57,254
Congress, and this will
be the case that senior

457
00:20:57,255 --> 00:20:59,825
administration officials
will be making in open

458
00:20:59,825 --> 00:21:02,527
testimony in
Congress next week.

459
00:21:02,527 --> 00:21:03,528
Jon.

460
00:21:03,528 --> 00:21:05,530
The Press: Help
me with the math.

461
00:21:05,530 --> 00:21:07,264
You said a number of
times, 99 percent

462
00:21:07,265 --> 00:21:08,333
of the world community.

463
00:21:08,333 --> 00:21:11,169
The President said 99
percent of the world.

464
00:21:11,169 --> 00:21:11,837
Where is that
number coming from?

465
00:21:13,205 --> 00:21:14,539
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
guess if you look at the

466
00:21:14,539 --> 00:21:17,275
population of the countries
that are represented in this

467
00:21:17,275 --> 00:21:20,345
particular agreement, the
vast majority -- 99 percent

468
00:21:20,345 --> 00:21:23,315
of the world -- is on the
side of the United States

469
00:21:23,315 --> 00:21:25,350
and our international
partners in implementing

470
00:21:25,350 --> 00:21:26,351
this agreement.

471
00:21:26,351 --> 00:21:28,487
The Press: Have you done the
math on our allies in the

472
00:21:28,487 --> 00:21:30,822
region, the ones that would
be most directly affected by

473
00:21:30,822 --> 00:21:31,822
this agreement?

474
00:21:31,823 --> 00:21:34,226
What percentage of our
allies in the Middle East

475
00:21:34,226 --> 00:21:34,860
support this deal?

476
00:21:35,460 --> 00:21:38,997
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I'll let them all speak for

477
00:21:38,997 --> 00:21:40,365
themselves.

478
00:21:40,365 --> 00:21:42,834
But at least when it
comes to Foreign Minister

479
00:21:42,834 --> 00:21:46,538
Al-Jubeir, who is at the
Oval Office today, he

480
00:21:46,538 --> 00:21:49,141
indicated that -- when
he was at Camp David he

481
00:21:49,141 --> 00:21:51,810
indicated that "we" --
meaning, Saudi Arabia --

482
00:21:51,810 --> 00:21:53,812
"welcome the discussions on
the nuclear program between

483
00:21:53,812 --> 00:21:55,514
the P5+1 and Iran."

484
00:21:55,514 --> 00:21:57,515
And Saudi Arabia has been
assured that the objective

485
00:21:57,516 --> 00:21:59,885
is to deny Iran the ability
to have a nuclear weapon,

486
00:21:59,885 --> 00:22:02,154
and that all pathways to
a nuclear weapon will

487
00:22:02,154 --> 00:22:03,388
be closed.

488
00:22:03,388 --> 00:22:04,889
The Press: So you're telling
me the Saudis support this

489
00:22:04,890 --> 00:22:05,323
deal?

490
00:22:05,924 --> 00:22:06,792
Mr. Earnest: I'm telling you
that the Saudis will speak

491
00:22:06,792 --> 00:22:07,626
for themselves.

492
00:22:07,626 --> 00:22:09,761
But they -- it's
clear that the --

493
00:22:09,761 --> 00:22:10,928
The Press: But you -- I just
asked you about our allies

494
00:22:10,929 --> 00:22:13,331
So I know he
supported diplomacy.

495
00:22:13,331 --> 00:22:15,900
Mr. Earnest: But again, you
can ask them what their view

496
00:22:15,901 --> 00:22:16,902
is of the agreement.

497
00:22:16,902 --> 00:22:18,336
The Press: But the President
just met with him; I assume

498
00:22:18,336 --> 00:22:19,004
the topic came up.

499
00:22:19,004 --> 00:22:19,804
Mr. Earnest: I assure
you that it did.

500
00:22:19,805 --> 00:22:20,739
The Press: Do the Saudis
support this deal?

501
00:22:20,739 --> 00:22:21,473
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I will let them speak for

502
00:22:21,473 --> 00:22:22,307
themselves.

503
00:22:22,307 --> 00:22:23,108
The Press: Do the Emiratis
support this deal?

504
00:22:23,108 --> 00:22:24,076
Mr. Earnest: I will let
them speak for themselves.

505
00:22:24,076 --> 00:22:24,943
The Press: Do the Israelis
support this deal?

506
00:22:24,943 --> 00:22:26,311
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
they made pretty clear that

507
00:22:26,311 --> 00:22:27,012
they don't.

508
00:22:27,012 --> 00:22:28,312
(laughter)

509
00:22:28,313 --> 00:22:29,715
But I think what's clear,
Jon, is you know who does

510
00:22:29,715 --> 00:22:30,749
support the deal?

511
00:22:30,749 --> 00:22:33,185
The Germans, the
British, the French.

512
00:22:33,185 --> 00:22:35,120
Certainly, the President.

513
00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:37,755
The Chinese, the Russians,
the South Koreans, the

514
00:22:37,756 --> 00:22:38,990
Japanese, the Indians.

515
00:22:38,990 --> 00:22:41,126
All of the countries that
were involved in pressuring

516
00:22:41,126 --> 00:22:42,694
Iran to come to the
negotiating table in the

517
00:22:42,694 --> 00:22:43,428
first place.

518
00:22:44,362 --> 00:22:48,467
The Press: So the President
is going to be in New York.

519
00:22:48,467 --> 00:22:50,469
We understand he is not
staying at the Waldorf,

520
00:22:50,469 --> 00:22:53,338
which is typically
where he stays.

521
00:22:53,338 --> 00:22:56,141
Is this because the Chinese
now own the Waldorf?

522
00:22:56,842 --> 00:22:58,076
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any details about where the

523
00:22:58,076 --> 00:22:59,745
President will stay tonight.

524
00:22:59,745 --> 00:23:01,580
Obviously there are a number
of factors that influence

525
00:23:01,580 --> 00:23:04,049
the decision about where the
President will spend the

526
00:23:04,049 --> 00:23:06,818
night when he is not
at the White House.

527
00:23:06,818 --> 00:23:08,620
And I don't have an update
for you in terms of those

528
00:23:08,620 --> 00:23:09,588
logistics.

529
00:23:09,588 --> 00:23:10,622
The Press: But is
this a concern?

530
00:23:10,622 --> 00:23:12,224
And I know this came up
shortly after the sale of

531
00:23:12,224 --> 00:23:13,759
the Waldorf.

532
00:23:13,759 --> 00:23:16,528
But this is obviously the
home of the United States

533
00:23:16,528 --> 00:23:18,263
Ambassador to the
United Nations.

534
00:23:18,263 --> 00:23:20,966
It's a place the President
typically almost always

535
00:23:20,966 --> 00:23:22,734
stays when he's in New York.

536
00:23:22,734 --> 00:23:26,338
Is there a concern about
basically it being hosted by

537
00:23:26,338 --> 00:23:27,072
the Chinese?

538
00:23:27,639 --> 00:23:30,108
Mr. Earnest: Well, at this
point, I don't know -- it

539
00:23:30,108 --> 00:23:33,178
is, as Darlene pointed
out, it is unusual for the

540
00:23:33,178 --> 00:23:35,147
President to be spending
the night in New York.

541
00:23:35,147 --> 00:23:37,849
Typically, the President
will just do day trips to

542
00:23:37,849 --> 00:23:38,783
New York and come back.

543
00:23:38,784 --> 00:23:40,252
So typically the only time
that he would spend time

544
00:23:40,252 --> 00:23:43,088
overnight in New York is
when he'd stay two or three

545
00:23:43,088 --> 00:23:45,490
days for the United
Nations General Assembly.

546
00:23:45,490 --> 00:23:48,160
And when he does, he does
typically stay at the

547
00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:49,161
Waldorf.

548
00:23:49,161 --> 00:23:51,163
But I don't have an update
for you in terms --

549
00:23:52,364 --> 00:23:54,065
The Press: Will he be staying
at the Waldorf this year.

550
00:23:54,566 --> 00:23:55,233
Mr. Earnest: I don't know
where the President will be

551
00:23:55,233 --> 00:23:55,801
staying this year.

552
00:23:55,801 --> 00:23:56,368
The Press: Okay.

553
00:23:56,368 --> 00:23:57,769
And then I just also want
to ask you this question of

554
00:23:57,769 --> 00:23:58,904
Congress.

555
00:23:58,904 --> 00:24:06,411
A number of congressional --
a number of senators of both

556
00:24:06,411 --> 00:24:10,015
parties have raised concerns
that basically this deal is

557
00:24:10,015 --> 00:24:12,884
going to be voted on at the
United Nations before it is

558
00:24:12,884 --> 00:24:14,252
voted on by the U.S.

559
00:24:14,252 --> 00:24:15,253
Congress.

560
00:24:15,253 --> 00:24:17,856
Is there any hesitation
about that here at the

561
00:24:17,856 --> 00:24:19,357
White House to go to the U.N.

562
00:24:19,357 --> 00:24:20,591
before you actually
go to Congress?

563
00:24:21,293 --> 00:24:22,260
Mr. Earnest: No.

564
00:24:22,260 --> 00:24:24,496
And the reason is that --
the first is, it's important

565
00:24:24,496 --> 00:24:26,464
to reflect that this
agreement is not between the

566
00:24:26,464 --> 00:24:31,168
United States and Iran; this
is an agreement between the

567
00:24:31,169 --> 00:24:33,738
P5+1 and Iran.

568
00:24:33,738 --> 00:24:36,675
And I know you know this,
but just for those who are

569
00:24:36,675 --> 00:24:40,245
following this debate, P5 is
actually a reference to the

570
00:24:40,245 --> 00:24:42,379
five permanent
members of the U.N.

571
00:24:42,380 --> 00:24:44,015
Security Council.

572
00:24:44,015 --> 00:24:46,685
So it certainly is natural
that those who are party to

573
00:24:46,685 --> 00:24:50,355
this agreement would be
acting promptly to take it

574
00:24:50,355 --> 00:24:51,356
up.

575
00:24:51,356 --> 00:24:54,025
But what is clear are
a couple of things.

576
00:24:54,025 --> 00:24:57,229
The first is, there is
nothing that the United

577
00:24:57,229 --> 00:25:00,665
Nations Security Council
will do that would have an

578
00:25:00,665 --> 00:25:03,702
impact on sanctions that
are imposed by the United

579
00:25:03,702 --> 00:25:05,904
States, sanctions that
are imposed by Congress,

580
00:25:05,904 --> 00:25:07,906
sanctions that are imposed
by executive order.

581
00:25:07,906 --> 00:25:10,475
The United Nations Security
Council has no jurisdiction

582
00:25:10,475 --> 00:25:12,444
over that, and they won't
have any influence over the

583
00:25:12,444 --> 00:25:14,879
decisions that are made
as they relate to U.S.

584
00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:15,881
sanctions.

585
00:25:15,881 --> 00:25:22,988
The second thing is that
the way that this vote is

586
00:25:22,988 --> 00:25:25,924
structured actually does
reflect significant

587
00:25:25,924 --> 00:25:30,662
deference to the United
States Congress, and that is

588
00:25:30,662 --> 00:25:33,865
we do anticipate that in the
next few days there will be

589
00:25:33,865 --> 00:25:36,434
a vote by the United Nations
Security Council, but it

590
00:25:36,434 --> 00:25:39,104
will not be adopted
for 90 days.

591
00:25:39,104 --> 00:25:43,541
And what that means is -- or
I guess what's convenient

592
00:25:43,541 --> 00:25:46,610
about that is we know that
there is a 60-day window for

593
00:25:46,611 --> 00:25:49,781
Congress to consider
this agreement.

594
00:25:49,781 --> 00:25:54,019
And that means that Congress
will have ample opportunity

595
00:25:54,019 --> 00:25:59,190
to do so, within their
60-day window, before this

596
00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:04,796
agreement is sort of
formally adopted after the

597
00:26:04,796 --> 00:26:05,797
U.N.

598
00:26:05,797 --> 00:26:06,798
Security Council vote.

599
00:26:06,798 --> 00:26:08,800
Let's move around
a little bit.

600
00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:09,901
Let's see -- Justin.

601
00:26:09,901 --> 00:26:12,971
The Press: First, if I can
just follow up on what you

602
00:26:12,971 --> 00:26:13,972
said to Jon.

603
00:26:13,972 --> 00:26:17,075
I'm wondering if that means
-- I know that you guys

604
00:26:17,075 --> 00:26:20,278
don't think it's likely
that Congress will have a

605
00:26:20,278 --> 00:26:23,348
veto-proof way to
overturn the deal.

606
00:26:23,348 --> 00:26:27,052
But if they were, would
you go back to the United

607
00:26:27,052 --> 00:26:30,054
Nations during that 30-day
period and ask them to

608
00:26:30,055 --> 00:26:31,723
revoke the
agreement that's --

609
00:26:31,723 --> 00:26:34,826
Mr. Earnest: At this point,
I would not speculate on

610
00:26:34,826 --> 00:26:36,995
what would happen if
Congress were to take the

611
00:26:36,995 --> 00:26:40,899
devastating effort -- or to
succeed in the devastating

612
00:26:40,899 --> 00:26:43,334
effort to undermine the
successful implementation of

613
00:26:43,335 --> 00:26:44,369
this agreement.

614
00:26:44,369 --> 00:26:47,772
The Press: Can you talk
maybe generally -- I know

615
00:26:47,772 --> 00:26:51,876
that there's a lot of
outreach going on with

616
00:26:51,876 --> 00:26:53,878
Capitol Hill -- but where
you're targeting your

617
00:26:53,878 --> 00:26:54,879
support?

618
00:26:54,879 --> 00:26:56,680
I know the other day you
mentioned House Democrats

619
00:26:56,681 --> 00:26:58,350
that had written a letter,
and you felt like that was a

620
00:26:58,350 --> 00:27:03,855
number that kind of
prevented, or was enough to

621
00:27:03,855 --> 00:27:04,923
sustain a veto.

622
00:27:04,923 --> 00:27:07,058
Is that the group that
you're mainly focused on

623
00:27:07,058 --> 00:27:07,892
showing up at this point?

624
00:27:08,660 --> 00:27:10,061
Mr. Earnest: Well, let
me be clear about that.

625
00:27:10,061 --> 00:27:12,930
What that letter said -- and
we can produce that letter

626
00:27:12,931 --> 00:27:14,366
for you if you don't
have it in front of you.

627
00:27:14,366 --> 00:27:16,868
This was a letter that was
written in May by about 100

628
00:27:16,868 --> 00:27:19,737
-- I think it was signed by
about 150 House Democrats.

629
00:27:19,738 --> 00:27:22,207
And that is enough to
sustain a Presidential veto.

630
00:27:22,207 --> 00:27:24,809
And what these Democrats
indicated at the time was

631
00:27:24,809 --> 00:27:28,178
that they were supportive --
again, generally speaking,

632
00:27:28,179 --> 00:27:30,181
you should quote from the
letter -- but that they were

633
00:27:30,181 --> 00:27:33,351
supportive of a final
agreement that reflects the

634
00:27:33,351 --> 00:27:37,355
kind of outlines that were
established in the Lausanne

635
00:27:37,355 --> 00:27:41,259
agreement in early April.

636
00:27:41,292 --> 00:27:43,328
And so that does give us
some confidence that we've

637
00:27:43,328 --> 00:27:46,364
got strong support
among House Democrats.

638
00:27:46,364 --> 00:27:49,167
That, truly, is not support
that we take for granted.

639
00:27:49,167 --> 00:27:51,770
And there have been a number
of conversations -- too many

640
00:27:51,770 --> 00:27:54,139
to count already --
between senior White House

641
00:27:54,139 --> 00:27:57,976
officials, senior national
security officials, and

642
00:27:57,976 --> 00:28:00,045
House Democrats.

643
00:28:00,045 --> 00:28:02,013
But those are certainly not
the only conversations that

644
00:28:02,013 --> 00:28:03,014
have occurred.

645
00:28:03,014 --> 00:28:05,984
The President himself has
had conversations with

646
00:28:05,984 --> 00:28:09,987
senior leaders in Congress
in both parties, and between --

647
00:28:11,423 --> 00:28:12,257
The Press: Has that gone
past the four leaders that

648
00:28:12,257 --> 00:28:13,258
you read out?

649
00:28:13,958 --> 00:28:16,494
Mr. Earnest: I won't get
into the details of exactly

650
00:28:16,494 --> 00:28:18,495
who the President called,
but I can confirm for you

651
00:28:18,496 --> 00:28:20,498
that they were in both
houses and in both parties.

652
00:28:20,498 --> 00:28:22,500
But there have been, again,
a large number of other

653
00:28:22,500 --> 00:28:26,004
conversations that Secretary
Kerry has engaged in, that

654
00:28:26,004 --> 00:28:29,573
the Chief of Staff, Denis
McDonough, that the national

655
00:28:29,574 --> 00:28:32,210
security advisor, Susan
Rice -- all of those senior

656
00:28:32,210 --> 00:28:34,612
officials have spent ample
-- significant time on the

657
00:28:34,612 --> 00:28:36,614
phone with members of
Congress, in some cases even

658
00:28:36,614 --> 00:28:38,083
had meetings in person.

659
00:28:38,450 --> 00:28:40,785
There have been a number of
other group meetings that

660
00:28:40,785 --> 00:28:44,689
have been convened by other
national security advisors

661
00:28:44,689 --> 00:28:46,658
to the President.

662
00:28:46,658 --> 00:28:48,726
And these consultations
will continue.

663
00:28:48,726 --> 00:28:52,864
And they will -- these
conversations will continue

664
00:28:52,864 --> 00:28:54,866
between Democrats
and Republicans.

665
00:28:54,866 --> 00:28:58,503
And the other thing that
I would say, to put it

666
00:28:58,503 --> 00:29:02,841
bluntly, is that if there is
anybody in Congress who has

667
00:29:02,841 --> 00:29:04,842
questions about the
agreement -- look, it's

668
00:29:04,843 --> 00:29:05,844
complicated.

669
00:29:05,844 --> 00:29:07,846
You guys have probably --
many of you probably thumbed

670
00:29:07,846 --> 00:29:09,114
through this already.

671
00:29:09,114 --> 00:29:11,449
There are a lot technical
details that are included in

672
00:29:11,449 --> 00:29:13,952
here, and we have
acknowledged on the front

673
00:29:13,952 --> 00:29:15,954
end that these technical
details are critically

674
00:29:15,954 --> 00:29:16,955
important.

675
00:29:16,955 --> 00:29:18,923
That's why we spent so much
time negotiating them.

676
00:29:18,923 --> 00:29:21,126
And frankly, that's why we
blew past the deadline on

677
00:29:21,126 --> 00:29:23,995
June 30th to make sure that
the details were right.

678
00:29:23,995 --> 00:29:25,964
So it certainly is
understandable that there

679
00:29:25,964 --> 00:29:28,666
would be specific questions
that people would have, and

680
00:29:28,666 --> 00:29:30,668
we would welcome the
opportunity to get to answer

681
00:29:30,668 --> 00:29:32,669
them regardless of who in
Congress is actually asking

682
00:29:32,670 --> 00:29:33,671
the questions.

683
00:29:33,671 --> 00:29:36,007
So I can assure you that if
there are individual members

684
00:29:36,007 --> 00:29:38,710
of Congress that want to
have a phone call or have a

685
00:29:38,710 --> 00:29:42,480
meeting to discuss this,
that we can put them in

686
00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:44,916
touch with a relevant member
of the President's national

687
00:29:44,916 --> 00:29:47,217
security team to have that
discussion and to answer all

688
00:29:47,218 --> 00:29:48,219
the questions
that they have.

689
00:29:48,219 --> 00:29:50,221
The Press: Two
quick travel ones.

690
00:29:50,221 --> 00:29:53,291
The first is, are there any
plans for the President to

691
00:29:53,291 --> 00:29:54,626
go visit Chattanooga?

692
00:29:54,626 --> 00:29:58,396
And the second is related
to the fundraiser today

693
00:29:58,396 --> 00:29:59,364
in New York.

694
00:29:59,364 --> 00:30:01,866
I know in previous off-years
you guys have kind of set a

695
00:30:01,866 --> 00:30:06,137
number of fundraising goals
for fundraisers for the

696
00:30:06,137 --> 00:30:07,172
President, for the DNC.

697
00:30:07,172 --> 00:30:11,176
Obviously, we're going into
2016 elections and it's

698
00:30:11,176 --> 00:30:13,410
going to be
extremely expensive.

699
00:30:13,411 --> 00:30:14,879
And so I'm wondering if you
guys have concrete, tangible

700
00:30:14,879 --> 00:30:17,549
goals of how much the
President hopes to fundraise

701
00:30:17,549 --> 00:30:19,517
or how many fundraisers
he hopes to do.

702
00:30:19,517 --> 00:30:20,818
Mr. Earnest: Justin, at this
point, I don't have any

703
00:30:20,818 --> 00:30:22,687
updates to the President's
travel as it relates to

704
00:30:22,687 --> 00:30:24,289
Tennessee, but we'll
certainly keep you updated

705
00:30:24,289 --> 00:30:25,823
if that changes.

706
00:30:25,823 --> 00:30:27,825
I don't have a tangible
number to give you in terms

707
00:30:27,825 --> 00:30:29,561
of our fundraising goal.

708
00:30:29,561 --> 00:30:34,799
The President is mindful of
both the significant stakes

709
00:30:34,799 --> 00:30:37,535
in the next election,
and also his ongoing

710
00:30:37,535 --> 00:30:41,372
responsibility, even though
he's not on the ballot, to

711
00:30:41,372 --> 00:30:43,408
be strongly supportive of
those Democrats who share

712
00:30:43,408 --> 00:30:45,409
his vision for the
future of the country.

713
00:30:45,410 --> 00:30:48,446
And so the President has
been engaged in some

714
00:30:48,446 --> 00:30:50,415
fundraising efforts already,
and I'm confident that over

715
00:30:50,415 --> 00:30:52,716
the next year and a half
that the President's

716
00:30:52,717 --> 00:30:55,186
engagement in this political
debate in the advance of the

717
00:30:55,186 --> 00:30:58,121
next Presidential election
will only increase.

718
00:30:58,122 --> 00:30:59,057
Kristen.

719
00:30:59,057 --> 00:30:59,891
The Press: Josh, thanks.

720
00:30:59,891 --> 00:31:02,293
I want to go back to
the issue of the U.N.

721
00:31:02,293 --> 00:31:04,495
Why submit a draft
resolution at this

722
00:31:04,495 --> 00:31:05,729
very moment?

723
00:31:05,730 --> 00:31:07,799
And I understand the
explanation that you gave to

724
00:31:07,799 --> 00:31:09,968
Jon, but it has clearly
only roiled a number of

725
00:31:09,968 --> 00:31:10,969
lawmakers.

726
00:31:10,969 --> 00:31:13,871
It seems like at this moment
you're trying to sell this

727
00:31:13,871 --> 00:31:16,140
deal to lawmakers
to get them onboard.

728
00:31:16,140 --> 00:31:20,011
Why do that at this moment
when it seems to have only

729
00:31:20,011 --> 00:31:21,012
aggravated that situation?

730
00:31:21,012 --> 00:31:23,581
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
Kristen, this is an

731
00:31:23,581 --> 00:31:25,850
agreement that was
negotiated between Iran and

732
00:31:25,850 --> 00:31:28,119
the five permanent
members of the U.N.

733
00:31:28,119 --> 00:31:29,419
Security Council
and Germany.

734
00:31:29,420 --> 00:31:32,056
And it makes sense that once
that agreement has been

735
00:31:32,056 --> 00:31:34,359
reached, that the U.N.

736
00:31:34,359 --> 00:31:38,029
Security Council would act
promptly to consider the

737
00:31:38,029 --> 00:31:39,030
agreement.

738
00:31:39,030 --> 00:31:40,164
And that's what
they're doing.

739
00:31:40,164 --> 00:31:43,401
But out of deference to the
United States Congress,

740
00:31:43,401 --> 00:31:49,240
there is a 90-day window
before this approved

741
00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,943
resolution is
formally adopted.

742
00:31:51,943 --> 00:31:57,014
And what that means is it
means that there will be

743
00:31:57,015 --> 00:32:00,551
time for Congress to use
all the 60 days that they

744
00:32:00,551 --> 00:32:03,855
themselves requested to
review the agreement, and to

745
00:32:03,855 --> 00:32:08,960
consider that agreement and
even vote on it before the

746
00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:10,962
action that is
taken at the U.N.

747
00:32:10,962 --> 00:32:12,530
is formally adopted.

748
00:32:12,530 --> 00:32:17,035
And it bears repeating that
there is nothing that the

749
00:32:17,035 --> 00:32:21,472
United Nations Security
Council can or will do to

750
00:32:21,472 --> 00:32:24,542
impact the sanctions that
the United States has put in

751
00:32:24,542 --> 00:32:27,544
place, particularly those
sanctions over which

752
00:32:27,545 --> 00:32:29,080
Congress has jurisdiction.

753
00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,316
The Press: Secretary Kerry
said earlier today that he

754
00:32:31,316 --> 00:32:34,552
will be traveling to Doha to
speak with officials in the

755
00:32:34,552 --> 00:32:36,553
Gulf States about
the Iran deal.

756
00:32:36,554 --> 00:32:39,424
What will the President's
outreach look like in the

757
00:32:39,424 --> 00:32:41,426
coming weeks?

758
00:32:41,426 --> 00:32:44,962
And what does he say to the
argument that some officials

759
00:32:44,962 --> 00:32:47,365
there have been making that
this ultimately emboldens

760
00:32:47,365 --> 00:32:49,334
Iran, whether or not you
agree with this deal?

761
00:32:49,334 --> 00:32:50,601
That ultimately
it emboldens Iran?

762
00:32:51,502 --> 00:32:53,404
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
administration will continue

763
00:32:53,404 --> 00:32:55,540
to engage with our
partners in the region.

764
00:32:55,540 --> 00:32:56,541
And I think --

765
00:32:56,541 --> 00:32:58,543
The Press: What will
the President do?

766
00:32:58,543 --> 00:33:00,544
What will that
outreach look like?

767
00:33:00,545 --> 00:33:02,513
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
it's important to remember

768
00:33:02,513 --> 00:33:04,514
Secretary Carter is
traveling to the Middle East

769
00:33:04,515 --> 00:33:06,517
over the weekend and into
next week where he'll spend

770
00:33:06,517 --> 00:33:08,519
time both in Israel and
Saudi Arabia meeting with

771
00:33:08,519 --> 00:33:09,520
top officials there.

772
00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,522
I'm confident that there
will be some discussion of

773
00:33:11,522 --> 00:33:14,891
this Iran agreement, but
certainly not the only thing

774
00:33:14,892 --> 00:33:16,761
that's on the agenda there.

775
00:33:16,761 --> 00:33:18,963
You mentioned Secretary
Kerry's meeting.

776
00:33:18,963 --> 00:33:21,065
You've made careful note,
I'm sure, of all of the

777
00:33:21,065 --> 00:33:23,067
telephone calls that the
President has already

778
00:33:23,067 --> 00:33:26,337
conducted this week with our
allies and partners around

779
00:33:26,337 --> 00:33:28,673
the world to discuss this.

780
00:33:28,673 --> 00:33:30,675
So I think that's an
indication that there will

781
00:33:30,675 --> 00:33:33,511
be -- that there's a high
level -- a commitment to

782
00:33:33,511 --> 00:33:36,848
high-level engagement when
it comes to discussing this

783
00:33:36,848 --> 00:33:40,717
issue with our partners
and our allies.

784
00:33:40,718 --> 00:33:42,720
As it relates to the
question that you've raised

785
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:47,158
about an emboldened Iran, I
guess I would disagree with

786
00:33:47,158 --> 00:33:50,895
I think a basic premise of
that question, because as a

787
00:33:50,895 --> 00:33:52,897
result of this agreement,
Iran will not obtain a

788
00:33:52,897 --> 00:33:53,931
nuclear weapon.

789
00:33:53,931 --> 00:33:55,933
There is nothing that Iran
could do to be further

790
00:33:55,933 --> 00:33:58,102
emboldened than to
obtain a nuclear weapon.

791
00:33:58,836 --> 00:34:03,107
So by taking the prospect of
a nuclear-armed Iran off the

792
00:34:03,107 --> 00:34:08,946
table, we can now focus on
the other steps that are

793
00:34:08,946 --> 00:34:15,652
necessary to constrain their
threatening of Israel, their

794
00:34:15,652 --> 00:34:18,855
support for terrorism, their
support for proxies that

795
00:34:18,856 --> 00:34:20,925
destabilize the political
situation in the volatile

796
00:34:20,925 --> 00:34:22,226
Middle East.

797
00:34:22,226 --> 00:34:27,298
These are other significant
concerns of our allies and

798
00:34:27,297 --> 00:34:29,299
partners in the region, and
the United States remains

799
00:34:29,300 --> 00:34:31,803
committed to helping those
countries address them.

800
00:34:31,803 --> 00:34:33,804
But, as the President said
in his news conference on

801
00:34:33,804 --> 00:34:37,408
Wednesday, there's a reason
that this has been -- that

802
00:34:37,408 --> 00:34:39,610
preventing Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon

803
00:34:39,610 --> 00:34:41,612
has been a top priority
for the President.

804
00:34:41,612 --> 00:34:44,348
Because a nuclear-armed
Iran only makes them more

805
00:34:44,348 --> 00:34:46,984
dangerous, and certainly
does only further embolden

806
00:34:46,984 --> 00:34:47,985
them.

807
00:34:47,985 --> 00:34:49,954
This is a view that's
been articulated by Prime

808
00:34:49,954 --> 00:34:52,023
Minister Netanyahu himself.

809
00:34:52,023 --> 00:34:55,159
So this is a shared priority
against which we are making

810
00:34:55,159 --> 00:34:56,160
important progress.

811
00:34:56,159 --> 00:34:59,763
The Press: And can you
characterize to what extent

812
00:34:59,764 --> 00:35:01,766
did this specific issue come
up during today's meeting?

813
00:35:01,766 --> 00:35:03,768
Mr. Earnest: I
know that it did.

814
00:35:03,768 --> 00:35:05,770
I don't have details of the
conversation, but, yes, you

815
00:35:05,770 --> 00:35:08,773
can be assured that this was
-- a significant part of the

816
00:35:08,773 --> 00:35:11,509
discussion was on this
particular issue, both the

817
00:35:11,509 --> 00:35:15,079
agreement that's been
reached, but also deepening

818
00:35:15,079 --> 00:35:17,081
the security cooperation
between the United States

819
00:35:17,081 --> 00:35:20,051
and our GCC partners to
counter Iran's destabilizing

820
00:35:20,051 --> 00:35:21,185
activities in the Gulf.

821
00:35:21,185 --> 00:35:23,354
The Press: I want to ask
you about a domestic issue,

822
00:35:23,354 --> 00:35:25,689
something that has been
the topic of big debate.

823
00:35:25,690 --> 00:35:28,926
Some employees with Planned
Parenthood were captured on

824
00:35:28,926 --> 00:35:32,129
video talking about fetal
remains, the remains of

825
00:35:32,129 --> 00:35:33,130
aborted fetuses.

826
00:35:33,130 --> 00:35:36,567
Does the President have a
reaction to this debate?

827
00:35:37,068 --> 00:35:38,636
Mr. Earnest: I haven't
spoken to the President

828
00:35:38,636 --> 00:35:41,639
about this particular issue,
and I'll acknowledge that I

829
00:35:41,639 --> 00:35:44,108
have not seen the particular
video in question.

830
00:35:44,108 --> 00:35:50,648
I did read the news reports
indicating that the policies

831
00:35:50,648 --> 00:35:53,851
that are followed by Planned
Parenthood are entirely

832
00:35:53,851 --> 00:35:56,420
consistent with the
strictest ethical guidelines

833
00:35:56,420 --> 00:35:59,690
that have been established
in the health care industry.

834
00:35:59,690 --> 00:36:01,692
But for those kinds of
details, I'd obviously refer

835
00:36:01,692 --> 00:36:02,627
you to Planned Parenthood.

836
00:36:02,627 --> 00:36:03,895
The Press: And, Josh, just
more broadly, does the

837
00:36:03,895 --> 00:36:07,098
President think that it is
ethical to use the remains

838
00:36:07,098 --> 00:36:08,933
of aborted fetuses
for medical research?

839
00:36:09,567 --> 00:36:11,202
Mr. Earnest: Well, there are
medical ethicists that have

840
00:36:11,202 --> 00:36:14,005
taken a close look at this,
and Planned Parenthood, I

841
00:36:14,005 --> 00:36:16,140
understand, has said that
they follow those ethical

842
00:36:16,140 --> 00:36:18,542
guidelines and, in fact, the
highest of those ethical

843
00:36:18,543 --> 00:36:19,544
guidelines.

844
00:36:19,544 --> 00:36:21,546
For their compliance with
them and what exactly that

845
00:36:21,546 --> 00:36:23,513
means, I'd obviously
refer you to them.

846
00:36:23,514 --> 00:36:25,550
I don't have intimate detail
of --or intimate knowledge

847
00:36:25,550 --> 00:36:27,552
of the kinds of practices
that they engage in.

848
00:36:27,552 --> 00:36:30,354
The Press: And you haven't
seen the video, so no

849
00:36:30,354 --> 00:36:31,022
indication that
the President has?

850
00:36:31,589 --> 00:36:33,691
Mr. Earnest: I don't
know if he has or not.

851
00:36:33,691 --> 00:36:34,759
Andrew.

852
00:36:34,759 --> 00:36:37,895
The Press: Quick question on
Israel, a related question.

853
00:36:37,895 --> 00:36:41,799
Is the administration
considering the release of

854
00:36:41,799 --> 00:36:42,934
Jonathan Pollard?

855
00:36:42,934 --> 00:36:47,004
Mr. Earnest: Well, I know
that there is -- what I'd do

856
00:36:47,004 --> 00:36:51,642
is I'd refer you to the
Department of Justice on

857
00:36:51,642 --> 00:36:52,643
this.

858
00:36:52,643 --> 00:36:55,913
Obviously, Mr. Pollard is
somebody that has been

859
00:36:55,913 --> 00:36:59,984
charged with serious crimes
and is being confined in our

860
00:36:59,984 --> 00:37:03,520
criminal justice system, and
I don't have any update on

861
00:37:03,521 --> 00:37:04,522
his status.

862
00:37:04,522 --> 00:37:06,524
I'd refer you to the
Department of Justice on

863
00:37:06,524 --> 00:37:07,525
that.

864
00:37:07,525 --> 00:37:09,060
The Press: And just in
the meeting with Foreign

865
00:37:09,060 --> 00:37:12,096
Minister Jubeir, was there
any discussion of a visit by

866
00:37:12,096 --> 00:37:12,697
King Salman?

867
00:37:13,664 --> 00:37:16,834
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any potential visits to talk

868
00:37:16,834 --> 00:37:18,836
about at this point, but if
we have any updates on that

869
00:37:18,836 --> 00:37:21,538
we'll let you know.

870
00:37:21,539 --> 00:37:22,540
JC.

871
00:37:22,540 --> 00:37:25,543
The Press: Continuing on
the discussion with the

872
00:37:25,543 --> 00:37:29,013
ambassador, was there any
indication or discussion

873
00:37:29,013 --> 00:37:32,750
with the President of the
ambassador's team meeting

874
00:37:32,750 --> 00:37:35,252
with his counterparts in
Israel in the lead-up to the

875
00:37:35,252 --> 00:37:36,020
Iran nuclear deal?

876
00:37:37,655 --> 00:37:38,656
Mr. Earnest: I'm sorry,
say that one more time.

877
00:37:38,656 --> 00:37:40,558
The Press: Was there any
discussions with the

878
00:37:40,558 --> 00:37:44,829
President in that meeting
with -- in terms of any

879
00:37:44,829 --> 00:37:48,666
Saudi meetings with the
Israelis in the lead-up to

880
00:37:48,666 --> 00:37:51,002
the Iran nuclear deal?

881
00:37:51,535 --> 00:37:52,603
Mr. Earnest: No, I'm not
aware of any meetings

882
00:37:52,603 --> 00:37:54,905
between the Saudis and the
Israelis, but I'd refer you

883
00:37:54,905 --> 00:37:57,942
to those two parties
for details about that.

884
00:37:57,942 --> 00:37:58,943
Gardiner.

885
00:37:58,943 --> 00:38:00,478
The Press: I'm just
wondering if the President

886
00:38:00,478 --> 00:38:04,281
-- obviously opposition
to this deal in Israel is

887
00:38:04,281 --> 00:38:07,084
bipartisan across
the spectrum.

888
00:38:07,084 --> 00:38:08,685
Would the President be
interested in going to

889
00:38:08,686 --> 00:38:12,289
Israel and explaining the
deal to Knesset, as Bibi

890
00:38:12,289 --> 00:38:14,125
did, coming here
to Congress?

891
00:38:14,125 --> 00:38:15,026
(laughter)

892
00:38:15,893 --> 00:38:17,628
Mr. Earnest: That is a
provocative idea, Gardiner.

893
00:38:17,628 --> 00:38:18,696
The Press: Knesset
invited him --

894
00:38:19,597 --> 00:38:20,998
Mr. Earnest: Right, exactly.

895
00:38:20,998 --> 00:38:28,939
To answer your basic
question, I'm not aware of

896
00:38:28,939 --> 00:38:31,308
any plans to do
anything like that.

897
00:38:31,308 --> 00:38:33,310
But more generally, the
President is mindful of the

898
00:38:33,310 --> 00:38:35,312
fact that this agreement
is something that is being

899
00:38:35,312 --> 00:38:37,314
carefully scrutinized
in Israel.

900
00:38:37,314 --> 00:38:43,553
The President I think was
pretty forthright about

901
00:38:43,554 --> 00:38:46,490
acknowledging in the news
conference that he convened

902
00:38:46,490 --> 00:38:51,294
with all of you on Wednesday
that he's not just aware of

903
00:38:51,295 --> 00:38:56,701
the concerns that many
Israelis have about Iran and

904
00:38:56,701 --> 00:38:57,702
Iran's behavior.

905
00:38:57,702 --> 00:39:01,105
The President was forthright
about acknowledging that

906
00:39:01,105 --> 00:39:03,107
those concerns are
entirely legitimate.

907
00:39:03,107 --> 00:39:08,212
And the President has also
been pretty forthright about

908
00:39:08,212 --> 00:39:11,949
acknowledging that the
President has those concerns

909
00:39:11,949 --> 00:39:16,554
in mind when he goes to this
effort to prevent Iran from

910
00:39:16,554 --> 00:39:17,555
obtaining a nuclear weapon.

911
00:39:18,155 --> 00:39:20,124
It continues to be the
President's view that the

912
00:39:20,124 --> 00:39:22,125
best way for us to prevent
Iran from obtaining a

913
00:39:22,126 --> 00:39:24,128
nuclear weapon is
through diplomacy.

914
00:39:24,128 --> 00:39:27,364
It's through diplomacy that
Iran will voluntarily take

915
00:39:27,364 --> 00:39:31,035
the steps that are needed
to shrink their uranium

916
00:39:31,035 --> 00:39:35,740
stockpile by 98 percent, to
remove 13,000 centrifuges,

917
00:39:35,740 --> 00:39:41,611
to fill in the calandria at
their heavy-water reactor

918
00:39:41,612 --> 00:39:46,016
with cement to ensure that
it can no longer be used to

919
00:39:46,016 --> 00:39:48,786
produce weapons-grade
plutonium.

920
00:39:49,820 --> 00:39:51,822
This is the best way for
us to prevent Iran from

921
00:39:51,822 --> 00:39:52,823
obtaining a nuclear weapon.

922
00:39:52,823 --> 00:39:55,792
And the important part of
this is not that Iran has

923
00:39:55,793 --> 00:39:58,462
made those commitments, but
that we can actually check

924
00:39:58,462 --> 00:40:00,464
to make sure that they live
up to those commitments.

925
00:40:00,464 --> 00:40:03,768
And we have imposed the
toughest, most intrusive set

926
00:40:03,768 --> 00:40:05,770
of inspections that have
ever been imposed on a

927
00:40:05,770 --> 00:40:08,072
country's nuclear program to
verify their compliance to

928
00:40:08,072 --> 00:40:09,073
the agreement.

929
00:40:09,073 --> 00:40:12,910
Now, what's also true is
that does not eliminate

930
00:40:12,910 --> 00:40:14,912
other concerns with
Iran's behavior.

931
00:40:14,912 --> 00:40:20,484
But when Iran threatens
Israel and uses anti-Semitic

932
00:40:20,484 --> 00:40:24,087
rhetoric to do so, that's
something that we strongly

933
00:40:24,088 --> 00:40:25,089
condemn.

934
00:40:25,089 --> 00:40:28,959
And we understand -- the
President understands the

935
00:40:28,959 --> 00:40:32,096
very significant danger that
that poses to the nation of

936
00:40:32,096 --> 00:40:33,731
Israel.

937
00:40:33,731 --> 00:40:37,001
But that danger would be
even more severe if Iran had

938
00:40:37,001 --> 00:40:38,002
a nuclear weapon.

939
00:40:38,002 --> 00:40:40,004
And that's why the President
has made this a priority,

940
00:40:40,004 --> 00:40:42,006
and the President is
committed -- in even

941
00:40:42,006 --> 00:40:44,008
conversations with Prime
Minister Netanyahu -- to

942
00:40:44,008 --> 00:40:48,678
trying to work more
effectively together to

943
00:40:48,679 --> 00:40:52,583
counter many of the
destabilizing actions that

944
00:40:52,583 --> 00:40:54,718
Iran engages in in the
region, including by

945
00:40:54,718 --> 00:40:55,719
supporting Hezbollah.

946
00:40:55,719 --> 00:40:57,721
The Press: Hey, Josh,
what if the Israeli Prime

947
00:40:57,721 --> 00:41:00,157
Minister -- he's already
said that all options are on

948
00:41:00,157 --> 00:41:01,158
the table for him.

949
00:41:01,158 --> 00:41:03,227
What if the
Israelis, using U.S.

950
00:41:03,227 --> 00:41:06,964
equipment, bombed the Fordow
facility and some of these

951
00:41:06,964 --> 00:41:09,266
other Iranian
nuclear facilities?

952
00:41:09,266 --> 00:41:10,334
How would the U.S.

953
00:41:10,334 --> 00:41:11,402
respond to that?

954
00:41:11,402 --> 00:41:16,841
Obviously, we have deals
where we have sworn support

955
00:41:16,841 --> 00:41:19,076
with the Israelis in
almost any regional war.

956
00:41:19,076 --> 00:41:22,313
What if they create a
regional war that we don't

957
00:41:22,313 --> 00:41:24,348
want them to, in this case?

958
00:41:24,348 --> 00:41:27,685
Mr. Earnest: Well, Gardiner,
I wouldn't want to speculate

959
00:41:27,685 --> 00:41:29,687
on that particular
hypothetical beyond

960
00:41:29,687 --> 00:41:32,223
acknowledging that obviously
Israel -- the leaders of

961
00:41:32,223 --> 00:41:39,029
Israel are entitled, of
course, to take the steps

962
00:41:39,029 --> 00:41:41,799
that they believe are
necessary for the defense of

963
00:41:41,799 --> 00:41:42,800
their country.

964
00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:44,869
They have a responsibility
to make those decisions.

965
00:41:44,869 --> 00:41:50,875
But the President has also
indicated that the military

966
00:41:54,645 --> 00:41:57,581
option on the part of the
United States is one that

967
00:41:57,581 --> 00:41:59,450
continues to be available.

968
00:41:59,450 --> 00:42:02,218
But the more effective way,
the best way for us to

969
00:42:02,219 --> 00:42:05,522
prevent Iran from obtaining
a nuclear weapon is through

970
00:42:05,522 --> 00:42:07,991
principled diplomacy -- an
agreement that's structured

971
00:42:07,992 --> 00:42:11,729
exactly like this one that
requires Iran to take some

972
00:42:11,729 --> 00:42:15,198
significant steps to curtail
their nuclear program, and

973
00:42:15,199 --> 00:42:18,335
to agree to have those steps
be rigorously verified by

974
00:42:18,335 --> 00:42:19,336
the international community.

975
00:42:19,336 --> 00:42:21,738
The Press: Ash Carter is
going to be in Israel next

976
00:42:21,739 --> 00:42:22,740
week.

977
00:42:22,740 --> 00:42:25,542
He's going to be asking sort
of what the Israelis need.

978
00:42:25,542 --> 00:42:29,145
What if the Israelis ask for
these bunker-busting bombs

979
00:42:29,146 --> 00:42:32,783
and equipment that would
allow them to do this

980
00:42:32,783 --> 00:42:34,551
bombing raid on their own?

981
00:42:34,551 --> 00:42:35,552
How would the U.S.

982
00:42:35,552 --> 00:42:37,554
respond to those
sort of requests?

983
00:42:37,554 --> 00:42:39,556
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't
want to preview those

984
00:42:39,556 --> 00:42:40,557
conversations at this point.

985
00:42:40,557 --> 00:42:43,359
But as a general matter, I
can tell you that part of

986
00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:45,996
the message that Secretary
Carter will be delivering

987
00:42:45,996 --> 00:42:48,632
when he travels to Israel --
and I believe this will be

988
00:42:48,632 --> 00:42:50,734
his first trip as the
Secretary of Defense to

989
00:42:50,734 --> 00:42:53,504
Israel -- that the message
that he'll be delivering is

990
00:42:53,504 --> 00:42:58,475
that the United States and
President Obama himself is

991
00:42:58,475 --> 00:43:04,348
committed to strengthening
the security cooperation

992
00:43:04,348 --> 00:43:07,651
relationship that Prime
Minister Netanyahu himself

993
00:43:07,651 --> 00:43:11,788
has already described as
unprecedented in its scope

994
00:43:11,789 --> 00:43:12,790
and depth.

995
00:43:12,790 --> 00:43:13,791
The Press: One more.

996
00:43:13,791 --> 00:43:14,792
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

997
00:43:14,792 --> 00:43:17,995
The Press: As part of the
deal, Iran can appeal to the

998
00:43:17,995 --> 00:43:20,998
Security Council if it feels
that any members of the P5+1

999
00:43:20,998 --> 00:43:22,499
are not abiding
by the agreement.

1000
00:43:22,499 --> 00:43:25,502
If Congress votes
this down, the U.S.

1001
00:43:25,502 --> 00:43:27,871
of course will not be able
to abide by the agreement

1002
00:43:27,871 --> 00:43:29,273
through sanctions.

1003
00:43:29,273 --> 00:43:30,240
If the U.S.

1004
00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:32,575
does not lift its sanctions,
Iran could potentially

1005
00:43:32,576 --> 00:43:34,178
appeal to the U.N.

1006
00:43:34,178 --> 00:43:36,613
Security Council about
the failure to lift those

1007
00:43:36,613 --> 00:43:37,614
sanctions.

1008
00:43:37,614 --> 00:43:40,351
Would the Security Council
vote then, trump that of the

1009
00:43:40,351 --> 00:43:41,452
United States Congress?

1010
00:43:41,452 --> 00:43:43,120
Is that a concern in this?

1011
00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:45,856
Mr. Earnest: Well, Gardiner,
I'm not going to speculate

1012
00:43:45,856 --> 00:43:49,326
at this point about what
would happen if Congress

1013
00:43:49,326 --> 00:43:51,729
were to devastate the
standing of the United

1014
00:43:51,729 --> 00:43:54,464
States in the international
community, and essentially

1015
00:43:54,465 --> 00:43:57,001
give Iran the opportunity
to get all the benefits of

1016
00:43:57,001 --> 00:44:00,337
sanctions relief without
having to take any steps to

1017
00:44:00,337 --> 00:44:04,074
submit to international
verification or any of the

1018
00:44:04,074 --> 00:44:06,844
steps that are required
to curtail their

1019
00:44:06,844 --> 00:44:08,579
nuclear program.

1020
00:44:08,579 --> 00:44:09,546
Major.

1021
00:44:09,546 --> 00:44:11,015
The Press: Josh, can we
follow up on a couple of

1022
00:44:11,015 --> 00:44:12,016
those lines of questioning.

1023
00:44:12,016 --> 00:44:14,318
Take the question about a
potential Israeli military

1024
00:44:14,318 --> 00:44:16,887
strike a step backward.

1025
00:44:16,887 --> 00:44:18,622
Will the President argue
-- even maybe in the

1026
00:44:18,622 --> 00:44:22,058
conversation with the Prime
Minister -- that with the

1027
00:44:22,059 --> 00:44:27,097
deal it is now less
necessary and Iran is less

1028
00:44:27,097 --> 00:44:31,301
threatening to Israel in
terms of a nuclear question

1029
00:44:31,301 --> 00:44:33,804
than it was before the deal?

1030
00:44:33,804 --> 00:44:36,673
That any reasons Israel
might entertain are less

1031
00:44:36,673 --> 00:44:38,207
menacing than
they were before?

1032
00:44:38,208 --> 00:44:39,610
Mr. Earnest: And
the reason --

1033
00:44:39,610 --> 00:44:42,379
The Press: Is that what
the President would say?

1034
00:44:42,379 --> 00:44:44,381
Mr. Earnest: That is
certainly part of the

1035
00:44:44,381 --> 00:44:45,382
argument.

1036
00:44:45,382 --> 00:44:47,384
And that is because the
foundation of this argument

1037
00:44:47,384 --> 00:44:50,120
is that as it -- what our
intelligence analysts assess

1038
00:44:50,120 --> 00:44:53,424
right now is that the
breakout period for Iran is

1039
00:44:53,424 --> 00:44:55,025
only two to three months.

1040
00:44:55,025 --> 00:44:57,494
Once this agreement is
implemented, the breakout

1041
00:44:57,494 --> 00:45:00,831
period for Iran would be
lengthened significantly to

1042
00:45:00,831 --> 00:45:05,702
a year, and we would also
be in a position to verify

1043
00:45:05,702 --> 00:45:07,871
Iran's compliance
with the agreement.

1044
00:45:07,871 --> 00:45:12,276
That means that we're going
to have much greater insight

1045
00:45:12,276 --> 00:45:15,913
into the details of
Iran's nuclear program.

1046
00:45:15,913 --> 00:45:20,350
And we do believe that
when you sort of compare a

1047
00:45:20,350 --> 00:45:23,854
nuclear-armed Iran versus a
non-nuclear armed Iran, that

1048
00:45:23,854 --> 00:45:27,491
we would much rather have
the latter because it is not

1049
00:45:27,491 --> 00:45:31,628
as dangerous as a
nuclear-armed Iran would be.

1050
00:45:31,628 --> 00:45:33,797
When it comes to Israel's
national security, that

1051
00:45:33,797 --> 00:45:36,266
doesn't downplay the
concerns that we have with a

1052
00:45:36,266 --> 00:45:38,268
number of their other
activities in the region.

1053
00:45:38,268 --> 00:45:40,270
The Press: That's the
President's perspective.

1054
00:45:40,270 --> 00:45:42,272
Clearly you would expect the
Defense Secretary to carry

1055
00:45:42,272 --> 00:45:45,976
that very same message to
Israel based on this topline

1056
00:45:45,976 --> 00:45:46,977
assessment, right?

1057
00:45:46,977 --> 00:45:47,978
Mr. Earnest: That's correct.

1058
00:45:47,978 --> 00:45:49,980
The Press: Is it fair and
logical, therefore, to

1059
00:45:49,980 --> 00:45:52,916
assume that everything that
corresponds between these

1060
00:45:52,916 --> 00:45:56,253
two nations in terms of
security cooperation would

1061
00:45:56,253 --> 00:45:58,255
be informed by
that judgment?

1062
00:45:58,255 --> 00:46:00,224
Meaning, if there were
requests for some of the

1063
00:46:00,224 --> 00:46:03,093
material that you were just
asked about, those requests

1064
00:46:03,093 --> 00:46:06,096
would be viewed within
this new context.

1065
00:46:06,096 --> 00:46:08,999
Iran is less threatening,
the danger is diminished;

1066
00:46:08,999 --> 00:46:12,169
therefore, that's the
context in which all those

1067
00:46:12,169 --> 00:46:15,172
requests will be judged --
not the one that existed

1068
00:46:15,172 --> 00:46:16,640
before the deal.

1069
00:46:16,640 --> 00:46:17,174
Fair to assume that?

1070
00:46:17,908 --> 00:46:21,478
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
it is fair to assume that.

1071
00:46:21,478 --> 00:46:23,480
However, what I would also
commend to your attention is

1072
00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:27,584
just the reminder that, for
some period of time now, the

1073
00:46:27,584 --> 00:46:32,388
United States has been
having conversations with

1074
00:46:32,389 --> 00:46:35,092
Israel about how we can
further strengthen and

1075
00:46:35,092 --> 00:46:37,094
deepen our security
cooperation.

1076
00:46:37,094 --> 00:46:39,196
These are conversations that
have even been had between

1077
00:46:39,196 --> 00:46:41,198
the two leaders
of our countries.

1078
00:46:41,198 --> 00:46:43,834
The Press: But the
fundamental question is,

1079
00:46:43,834 --> 00:46:46,303
every discussion about
whether it's within Israel's

1080
00:46:46,303 --> 00:46:49,272
rights to strike the
materials they might have to

1081
00:46:49,273 --> 00:46:52,042
carry that out are in a
different context because

1082
00:46:52,042 --> 00:46:53,177
you have this deal now?

1083
00:46:53,177 --> 00:46:55,913
And the threat is
diminished, and therefore

1084
00:46:55,913 --> 00:46:58,282
all the conversations
that might come under the

1085
00:46:58,282 --> 00:47:00,417
umbrella are in a completely
different context?

1086
00:47:00,884 --> 00:47:04,688
Mr. Earnest: Well, what is
true is that the breakout

1087
00:47:04,688 --> 00:47:08,759
period has been lengthened,
and that means that -- and

1088
00:47:08,759 --> 00:47:11,662
we have assurance, or we
will have assurance that

1089
00:47:11,662 --> 00:47:14,631
Iran is complying
with the agreement.

1090
00:47:14,631 --> 00:47:17,134
If, at some point, we
determine that they are not

1091
00:47:17,134 --> 00:47:19,136
complying with the
agreement, we will continue

1092
00:47:19,136 --> 00:47:21,138
to have the wide range of
options in front of us that

1093
00:47:21,138 --> 00:47:23,140
we do today, and whether
that means snapping back

1094
00:47:23,140 --> 00:47:26,676
sanctions or even deploying
a military option.

1095
00:47:26,677 --> 00:47:28,679
The other thing I would
point out about the military

1096
00:47:28,679 --> 00:47:30,681
option is that if the
agreement has been

1097
00:47:30,681 --> 00:47:35,485
implemented, and Iran has
started to take the steps to

1098
00:47:35,485 --> 00:47:37,621
-- and it will be
implemented once Iran has

1099
00:47:37,621 --> 00:47:39,623
taken the steps to limit
their nuclear program.

1100
00:47:39,623 --> 00:47:41,625
That's one other thing that
I didn't mention earlier,

1101
00:47:41,625 --> 00:47:44,628
which is sanctions relief
will not start until Iran

1102
00:47:44,628 --> 00:47:46,763
has taken all of these
substantial steps to begin

1103
00:47:46,763 --> 00:47:49,232
to curtail their
nuclear program.

1104
00:47:49,233 --> 00:47:51,235
That's an important thing
for us to keep in mind here.

1105
00:47:51,235 --> 00:47:53,503
But the point is, is that
if over the course of this

1106
00:47:53,503 --> 00:47:56,139
10-year agreement, at some
point Iran's leaders change

1107
00:47:56,139 --> 00:47:58,875
course and they decide that
either they want to cheat or

1108
00:47:58,875 --> 00:48:00,944
they just want to publicly
indicate that they're going

1109
00:48:00,944 --> 00:48:03,580
to break out and try to
obtain a nuclear weapon, it

1110
00:48:03,580 --> 00:48:08,085
would take a year for them
acquire enough fissile

1111
00:48:08,085 --> 00:48:09,453
material to build a bomb.

1112
00:48:09,686 --> 00:48:11,588
But here's the key thing.

1113
00:48:11,588 --> 00:48:13,790
The military option would
remain on the table, but the

1114
00:48:13,790 --> 00:48:16,727
fact is, that military
option would be enhanced

1115
00:48:16,727 --> 00:48:20,497
because we'd been spending
the intervening number of

1116
00:48:20,497 --> 00:48:24,835
years gathering
significantly more detail

1117
00:48:24,835 --> 00:48:26,603
about Iran's
nuclear program.

1118
00:48:26,603 --> 00:48:29,439
So when it comes to the
targeting decisions that

1119
00:48:29,439 --> 00:48:32,609
would be made by military
officials either in Israel

1120
00:48:32,609 --> 00:48:36,313
or the United States, those
targeting decisions would be

1121
00:48:36,313 --> 00:48:40,917
significantly informed, and
our capabilities improved,

1122
00:48:40,917 --> 00:48:42,919
based on the knowledge that
has been gained in the

1123
00:48:42,919 --> 00:48:44,921
intervening years through
this inspections regime.

1124
00:48:44,921 --> 00:48:47,591
The Press: So if Israel
wants to contemplate it, it

1125
00:48:47,591 --> 00:48:48,592
should wait?

1126
00:48:48,592 --> 00:48:50,594
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
what we believe --

1127
00:48:50,594 --> 00:48:52,596
The Press: That's
what you just said.

1128
00:48:52,596 --> 00:48:54,598
Mr. Earnest: What we believe
is the best way for us to

1129
00:48:54,598 --> 00:48:56,600
prevent Iran from obtaining
a nuclear weapon is through

1130
00:48:56,600 --> 00:48:58,602
diplomacy, and that's
what's been achieved here.

1131
00:48:58,602 --> 00:49:01,538
But if at some point
down the line, after the

1132
00:49:01,538 --> 00:49:03,874
agreement has been
implemented, if Iran does

1133
00:49:03,874 --> 00:49:06,709
indicate a willingness to
cheat, or they just announce

1134
00:49:06,710 --> 00:49:09,146
that they're going to go
and sprint toward a nuclear

1135
00:49:09,146 --> 00:49:12,182
weapon, that distance would
be much longer than it is

1136
00:49:12,182 --> 00:49:14,984
today, and the ability of
the international community

1137
00:49:14,985 --> 00:49:16,987
to respond would be
strengthened because our

1138
00:49:16,987 --> 00:49:19,323
political hand would be
strengthened and the

1139
00:49:19,323 --> 00:49:23,026
capabilities of our military
planners would be enhanced

1140
00:49:23,026 --> 00:49:26,830
because of our significantly
increased knowledge of

1141
00:49:26,830 --> 00:49:27,831
Iran's nuclear program.

1142
00:49:27,831 --> 00:49:29,833
The Press: I just want
to ask about the Pollard

1143
00:49:29,833 --> 00:49:31,835
situation, because your
predecessors have never

1144
00:49:31,835 --> 00:49:32,836
hesitated on that question.

1145
00:49:32,836 --> 00:49:34,837
And I don't know if you
didn't expect it or you were

1146
00:49:34,838 --> 00:49:37,541
trying to convey something,
but previously, when

1147
00:49:37,541 --> 00:49:39,543
Pollard's name has been
brought up, the answer is

1148
00:49:39,543 --> 00:49:40,911
very swift and resolute.

1149
00:49:40,911 --> 00:49:42,913
It's not on the table,
it's not being discussed.

1150
00:49:42,913 --> 00:49:44,915
The crime is a crime, the
conviction is a conviction.

1151
00:49:44,915 --> 00:49:48,151
It stands -- despite the
fact there has been annual

1152
00:49:48,151 --> 00:49:51,120
lobbying of varying
intensity, but every year

1153
00:49:51,121 --> 00:49:53,557
from the Israelis, whoever
the government is, about

1154
00:49:53,557 --> 00:49:54,691
Jonathan Pollard's release.

1155
00:49:54,691 --> 00:49:58,194
Did you hesitate because
that is now, at some level

1156
00:49:58,195 --> 00:50:01,498
or another, being discussed?

1157
00:50:01,498 --> 00:50:04,368
Or were you just not
anticipating the question?

1158
00:50:04,801 --> 00:50:06,636
Mr. Earnest: I was not
anticipating the question.

1159
00:50:06,636 --> 00:50:10,440
But what I can tell you is
that there -- I'm certainly

1160
00:50:10,440 --> 00:50:13,777
not aware of any sort of
renewed discussion about

1161
00:50:13,777 --> 00:50:17,647
what had been previously
discussed about releasing

1162
00:50:17,647 --> 00:50:23,653
him outside of the normal
Department of Justice

1163
00:50:27,457 --> 00:50:29,459
procedures that
are in place.

1164
00:50:29,459 --> 00:50:32,696
There has been some
discussion about releasing

1165
00:50:32,696 --> 00:50:38,969
him primarily -- that has
been reported on, about

1166
00:50:38,969 --> 00:50:42,672
releasing him prior to
his next parole hearing.

1167
00:50:42,672 --> 00:50:46,109
And so I don't want to leave
you with the impression that

1168
00:50:46,109 --> 00:50:47,277
that position has changed.

1169
00:50:47,277 --> 00:50:51,782
The Press: So it hasn't
become a new topic within

1170
00:50:51,782 --> 00:50:55,152
the conversations in the
aftermath of the Iran deal

1171
00:50:55,152 --> 00:50:57,954
or any other things that
might sweeten Israel's

1172
00:50:57,954 --> 00:50:58,955
assessment of it?

1173
00:50:58,955 --> 00:51:00,957
Mr. Earnest: Not
that I'm aware of.

1174
00:51:00,957 --> 00:51:04,327
But for the details of his
current incarceration, I'd

1175
00:51:04,327 --> 00:51:06,329
encourage you to check with
the Department of Justice.

1176
00:51:06,329 --> 00:51:08,331
They may have more
information for you.

1177
00:51:08,331 --> 00:51:10,333
The Press: A question about
the trip to Oklahoma.

1178
00:51:10,333 --> 00:51:12,335
The President said, in a
question from the pool,

1179
00:51:12,335 --> 00:51:14,337
after meeting with some of
the inmates, that they were

1180
00:51:14,337 --> 00:51:17,140
there after doing stupid
things, making mistakes, he

1181
00:51:17,140 --> 00:51:20,277
said -- there but for the
grace of God, suggesting

1182
00:51:20,277 --> 00:51:22,279
that -- and I want
to ask you this.

1183
00:51:22,279 --> 00:51:25,482
Did he mean to suggest that
the people in there that he

1184
00:51:25,482 --> 00:51:29,052
met with were arbitrarily
arrested, prosecuted in

1185
00:51:29,052 --> 00:51:31,688
there because it was
sort of an accident?

1186
00:51:31,688 --> 00:51:34,624
Or such a low-level mistake
that they shouldn't have

1187
00:51:34,624 --> 00:51:36,593
been there in
the first place?

1188
00:51:36,593 --> 00:51:39,129
Or that their sentences
should be dramatically

1189
00:51:39,129 --> 00:51:40,130
reduced?

1190
00:51:40,130 --> 00:51:42,632
And if the latter is the
case, my reading of the

1191
00:51:42,632 --> 00:51:44,901
Durbin and Lee legislation,
which this White House has

1192
00:51:44,901 --> 00:51:47,703
endorsed, doesn't take
away mandatory minimums.

1193
00:51:47,704 --> 00:51:50,106
It provides a little bit
more discretion for federal

1194
00:51:50,106 --> 00:51:54,744
judges; but in the main, it
keeps most of the sentencing

1195
00:51:54,744 --> 00:51:58,548
guidelines and the
prosecution of the past

1196
00:51:58,548 --> 00:51:59,515
in place.

1197
00:51:59,516 --> 00:52:00,784
Does the President want
to go farther than that?

1198
00:52:01,451 --> 00:52:04,688
Mr. Earnest: Well, there are
a number of factors that

1199
00:52:04,688 --> 00:52:08,925
influence the sentences that
are given to the individuals

1200
00:52:08,925 --> 00:52:10,927
who are charged and
convicted of serious crimes

1201
00:52:13,530 --> 00:52:16,032
-- well, I should say,
certainly of serious crimes,

1202
00:52:16,032 --> 00:52:19,469
but also of crimes that
relate to non-violent drug

1203
00:52:19,469 --> 00:52:20,704
offenses.

1204
00:52:20,704 --> 00:52:23,206
And they're influenced by a
number of things -- things

1205
00:52:23,206 --> 00:52:27,744
like mandatory minimums, but
also things like the policy

1206
00:52:27,744 --> 00:52:31,248
that is in place for
prosecutors who are trying

1207
00:52:31,248 --> 00:52:33,416
to make charging decisions;
that there are significant

1208
00:52:33,416 --> 00:52:35,752
decisions that need to be
made by prosecutors when it

1209
00:52:35,752 --> 00:52:39,055
comes to how serious a crime
that individuals should be

1210
00:52:39,055 --> 00:52:41,057
charged with based
on their conduct.

1211
00:52:41,224 --> 00:52:43,560
So the point that I'm making
is that there are a variety

1212
00:52:43,560 --> 00:52:46,229
of things that influence the
kind of sentence that is

1213
00:52:46,229 --> 00:52:49,633
handed down, and it is those
variety of things that will

1214
00:52:49,633 --> 00:52:53,203
be considered in the
discussions with Congress as

1215
00:52:53,203 --> 00:52:55,438
we sort of work toward some
criminal justice reform.

1216
00:52:55,438 --> 00:52:58,808
But as it relates to the
President's comments, I do

1217
00:52:58,808 --> 00:53:01,344
-- let me give you a -- the
President wasn't trying to

1218
00:53:01,344 --> 00:53:03,346
make either of the points
that you suggested.

1219
00:53:03,346 --> 00:53:08,919
The point that the President
was trying to make is that

1220
00:53:08,919 --> 00:53:11,654
for him, in some ways, this
is -- the point that he was

1221
00:53:11,655 --> 00:53:13,657
trying to make is even
outside the context of the

1222
00:53:13,657 --> 00:53:16,893
criminal justice system,
that these individuals did

1223
00:53:16,893 --> 00:53:21,431
things that landed
them in prison.

1224
00:53:21,431 --> 00:53:24,634
And it also set them on a
path that made prison more

1225
00:53:24,634 --> 00:53:27,203
likely because they didn't
benefit from the influence

1226
00:53:27,203 --> 00:53:32,375
of good parents or good
schools or caring teachers

1227
00:53:32,375 --> 00:53:34,344
or people in their community
that could provide some

1228
00:53:34,344 --> 00:53:36,746
structure to their lives;
that even if they did make a

1229
00:53:36,746 --> 00:53:39,549
mistake, that they didn't
allow one mistake to put

1230
00:53:39,549 --> 00:53:42,886
them on a path that had
them end up in prison.

1231
00:53:42,886 --> 00:53:47,390
And the point the President
was making is that he has

1232
00:53:47,390 --> 00:53:50,259
acknowledged and has, as he
wrote about in his book,

1233
00:53:50,260 --> 00:53:52,896
made some mistakes in his
own life, but he benefitted

1234
00:53:52,896 --> 00:53:57,534
from having grandparents
in Hawaii, teachers at his

1235
00:53:57,534 --> 00:54:02,005
school, obviously a very
devoted mother who worked

1236
00:54:02,005 --> 00:54:07,010
hard to keep him on the
right path despite his

1237
00:54:07,010 --> 00:54:08,011
mistakes.

1238
00:54:08,011 --> 00:54:10,013
And the point that he was
making is that if he didn't

1239
00:54:10,013 --> 00:54:12,749
have that kind of support
structure in his life, it is

1240
00:54:12,749 --> 00:54:15,884
not hard to imagine that he
would have ended up on the

1241
00:54:15,885 --> 00:54:18,989
same path that led these
men to that prison.

1242
00:54:18,989 --> 00:54:21,024
The Press: So this is a
comment about the structure,

1243
00:54:21,024 --> 00:54:25,528
not necessarily the
underlying crime itself, the

1244
00:54:25,528 --> 00:54:27,731
adequacy, or the fairness
of the prosecution, or the

1245
00:54:27,731 --> 00:54:29,366
sentences meted out?

1246
00:54:29,833 --> 00:54:30,567
Mr. Earnest: Right.

1247
00:54:30,567 --> 00:54:33,436
Clearly all those things are
related, but the point that

1248
00:54:33,436 --> 00:54:36,139
the President was making is
this very specific one about

1249
00:54:36,139 --> 00:54:40,744
the kind of support
structure that is

1250
00:54:40,744 --> 00:54:42,579
particularly needed for
young men of color.

1251
00:54:42,579 --> 00:54:45,882
And this is part of My
Brother's Keeper initiative

1252
00:54:45,882 --> 00:54:48,585
that the President has spent
a lot of time talking about;

1253
00:54:48,585 --> 00:54:50,754
that trying to put in place
these support structures for

1254
00:54:50,754 --> 00:54:54,257
young men of color that
may be coming from a

1255
00:54:54,257 --> 00:54:56,526
single-parent home and may
not be coming from the

1256
00:54:56,526 --> 00:54:58,627
highest-rated school in
their community, that they

1257
00:54:58,628 --> 00:55:01,564
will benefit from additional
support structures that,

1258
00:55:01,564 --> 00:55:04,234
even if they make one
mistake, could prevent them

1259
00:55:04,234 --> 00:55:07,671
from going down a path that
ends in a prison cell.

1260
00:55:07,671 --> 00:55:08,672
Kevin.

1261
00:55:08,672 --> 00:55:09,673
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1262
00:55:09,673 --> 00:55:11,674
I wanted to follow up on
something you said earlier,

1263
00:55:11,675 --> 00:55:12,676
give you another run at it.

1264
00:55:12,676 --> 00:55:15,578
I was trying to understand
-- Secretary Kerry was

1265
00:55:15,578 --> 00:55:17,580
saying during the
conversations with the

1266
00:55:17,580 --> 00:55:20,517
Iranians that he repeatedly
would bring up the American

1267
00:55:20,517 --> 00:55:23,352
captives that are being held
there, and yet the President

1268
00:55:23,353 --> 00:55:25,588
made it very clear that it
was not part of the deal

1269
00:55:25,588 --> 00:55:29,025
because it would give the
Iranians more leverage in

1270
00:55:29,025 --> 00:55:31,027
some ways and would make
the deal more difficult.

1271
00:55:31,027 --> 00:55:32,896
And I'm just trying to
make sense of the two.

1272
00:55:32,896 --> 00:55:33,396
Can you help me unpack that?

1273
00:55:34,964 --> 00:55:37,200
Mr. Earnest: Well, actually,
the point the President was

1274
00:55:37,200 --> 00:55:44,374
making, Kevin, is that if we
included the wellbeing of

1275
00:55:44,374 --> 00:55:47,109
these Americans as
bargaining chips in the

1276
00:55:47,110 --> 00:55:50,680
nuclear deal, it would only
make it harder to secure the

1277
00:55:50,680 --> 00:55:52,682
release of these
American citizens.

1278
00:55:52,682 --> 00:55:54,917
And the reason for that is
simply that the successful

1279
00:55:54,918 --> 00:55:57,821
completion of a final
nuclear agreement was not a

1280
00:55:57,821 --> 00:55:58,822
foregone conclusion.

1281
00:55:58,822 --> 00:56:02,225
And if we had gotten the
case of these Americans

1282
00:56:02,225 --> 00:56:06,663
wrapped up in a nuclear
discussion that ultimately

1283
00:56:06,663 --> 00:56:11,134
didn't come to an agreement,
the ability of the United

1284
00:56:11,134 --> 00:56:13,169
States to secure their
release would have been

1285
00:56:13,169 --> 00:56:15,004
significantly set back.

1286
00:56:15,004 --> 00:56:18,641
So what the President and
Secretary Kerry did was they

1287
00:56:18,641 --> 00:56:22,345
worked assiduously to keep
them separate, to not allow

1288
00:56:22,345 --> 00:56:25,381
these American citizens to
be used as bargaining chips

1289
00:56:25,381 --> 00:56:27,917
in a nuclear
discussion with Iran.

1290
00:56:27,917 --> 00:56:32,255
But what Secretary Kerry
did in the context of these

1291
00:56:32,255 --> 00:56:35,225
meetings is insist on the
release of these Americans

1292
00:56:35,225 --> 00:56:37,227
who had been unjustly
detained in Iran.

1293
00:56:37,227 --> 00:56:39,229
We're not going to make
concessions to Iran in the

1294
00:56:39,229 --> 00:56:41,297
context of an agreement to
secure their release; we

1295
00:56:41,297 --> 00:56:43,299
just think they should be
released right now and they

1296
00:56:43,299 --> 00:56:45,301
should be given the
opportunity to come home and

1297
00:56:45,301 --> 00:56:47,303
be reunited with
their families.

1298
00:56:47,303 --> 00:56:49,305
And that shouldn't be
contingent on anything.

1299
00:56:49,305 --> 00:56:51,941
The Press: I want to ask
you about the tragedy

1300
00:56:51,941 --> 00:56:54,042
in Chattanooga.

1301
00:56:54,043 --> 00:56:57,981
There's been some discussion
about the fact that perhaps

1302
00:56:57,981 --> 00:57:00,950
if military personnel were
able to be armed, they could

1303
00:57:00,950 --> 00:57:02,952
have better protected
themselves.

1304
00:57:02,952 --> 00:57:06,856
If that were deemed
appropriate by DOD, would

1305
00:57:06,856 --> 00:57:07,924
the White House
support that?

1306
00:57:07,924 --> 00:57:10,527
Mr. Earnest: Well
obviously, these decisions

1307
00:57:10,527 --> 00:57:13,963
about how best to ensure the
safety of our men and women

1308
00:57:13,963 --> 00:57:16,833
in uniform are decisions
that are made by the

1309
00:57:16,833 --> 00:57:17,934
Department of Defense.

1310
00:57:17,934 --> 00:57:21,171
And as you alluded to, there
is a Department of Defense

1311
00:57:21,171 --> 00:57:24,307
policy that's been in place
for quite some time, in sort

1312
00:57:24,307 --> 00:57:28,977
of at a workplace like a
recruiting station here in

1313
00:57:28,978 --> 00:57:32,782
the United States, that
would prevent military

1314
00:57:32,782 --> 00:57:34,784
personnel from
carrying weapons.

1315
00:57:34,784 --> 00:57:39,222
But those are security
decisions that will be made

1316
00:57:39,222 --> 00:57:41,224
by the Department of
Defense, and they will be

1317
00:57:41,224 --> 00:57:43,927
made not with politics in
mind but with the safety and

1318
00:57:43,927 --> 00:57:46,262
security of our men and
women in uniform in mind.

1319
00:57:46,262 --> 00:57:49,165
And obviously those are the
kinds of policy decisions

1320
00:57:49,165 --> 00:57:51,167
that the Commander-in-Chief
would support.

1321
00:57:51,167 --> 00:57:52,168
The Press: A couple more.

1322
00:57:52,168 --> 00:57:54,304
One on the meeting today
with the Saudi Foreign Minister.

1323
00:57:55,305 --> 00:57:57,540
Can you understand that the
main concern that they would

1324
00:57:57,540 --> 00:57:59,909
have, especially given the
proxy wars that have been

1325
00:57:59,909 --> 00:58:02,178
happening with the Iranians,
and what can the President

1326
00:58:02,178 --> 00:58:06,616
do to assuage their concerns
that anything you do to

1327
00:58:06,616 --> 00:58:10,019
either elevate Iran
economically or even

1328
00:58:10,019 --> 00:58:13,423
politically makes them a
bigger player in the region

1329
00:58:13,423 --> 00:58:15,859
and therefore a bigger
threat to the Saudis and

1330
00:58:15,859 --> 00:58:17,160
other GCC partners?

1331
00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:23,399
Mr. Earnest: There's no
scenario where Iran is a

1332
00:58:23,399 --> 00:58:26,836
bigger threat than when
they have a nuclear weapon.

1333
00:58:26,836 --> 00:58:30,573
And that is why the
President has gone to great

1334
00:58:30,573 --> 00:58:34,109
lengths and supported nearly
two years of negotiations to

1335
00:58:34,110 --> 00:58:36,379
prevent them from obtaining
a nuclear weapon.

1336
00:58:36,379 --> 00:58:39,315
And that is the case that
the President made not just

1337
00:58:39,315 --> 00:58:42,185
to members of Congress but
to our partners all around

1338
00:58:42,185 --> 00:58:43,186
the globe.

1339
00:58:43,186 --> 00:58:47,390
That in no way is intended
to diminish the significant

1340
00:58:47,390 --> 00:58:50,460
concerns that our partners
and our allies in the Middle

1341
00:58:50,460 --> 00:58:54,130
East have with Iran's
support for terrorism, their

1342
00:58:54,130 --> 00:58:56,165
support for proxies that
destabilize a political

1343
00:58:56,165 --> 00:58:58,768
situation in countries
throughout the Middle East.

1344
00:58:58,768 --> 00:59:00,770
And we're going to be
responsive to those

1345
00:59:00,770 --> 00:59:03,439
concerns, and we're going
to continue to work closely

1346
00:59:03,439 --> 00:59:05,441
with those countries
to deepen our security

1347
00:59:05,441 --> 00:59:07,442
cooperation and
more effectively

1348
00:59:07,443 --> 00:59:08,444
counterIsrael's*(Iran's)

1349
00:59:08,444 --> 00:59:12,849
efforts to support, for
example, Hezbollah rebels

1350
00:59:12,849 --> 00:59:16,386
that are operating in
Lebanon or Houthi rebels

1351
00:59:16,386 --> 00:59:18,855
that are operating and
destabilizing the political

1352
00:59:18,855 --> 00:59:19,856
situation in Yemen.

1353
00:59:19,856 --> 00:59:21,858
The Press: Last, I
want to ask you about

1354
00:59:21,858 --> 00:59:22,859
Glass-Steagall.

1355
00:59:22,859 --> 00:59:25,495
There's been some talk
about bringing that back.

1356
00:59:25,495 --> 00:59:28,364
Elizabeth Warren, Bernie
Sanders, among others, think

1357
00:59:28,364 --> 00:59:29,365
that would be a good idea.

1358
00:59:29,365 --> 00:59:31,366
Does the President
agree with that?

1359
00:59:31,367 --> 00:59:33,369
Mr. Earnest: Kevin, what we
believe is that Wall Street

1360
00:59:33,369 --> 00:59:40,069
reform has been incredibly
effective in reforming our financial system --