On Wednesday, Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh held a press briefing.
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NewsTranscript
00:00MODERATOR All right, good afternoon, everyone.
00:09Just a few things at the top here, and then happy to dive in and take your questions.
00:13Today Secretary Austin is traveling to Brussels to host the 23rd Ukraine Defense Contact Group
00:18tomorrow, June 13th.
00:20The Secretary will be joined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General C.Q.
00:24Brown, and senior military officials from nearly 50 nations to discuss the ongoing war
00:29in Ukraine, and encourage continued support from the international community to provide
00:34the Ukrainians with the means necessary to defend their sovereign territory.
00:38Also while he's in Brussels, Secretary Austin will participate in the NATO Defense Ministerial
00:42on June 14th at NATO headquarters.
00:46And now switching to a few operational updates on the temporary pier, or the joint logistics
00:51over-the-shore capability that is being used to surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
00:56As you know, for the past two days – excuse me – as you know, for two days the temporary
01:01pier was not operational due to high sea states.
01:05As of yesterday, June 11th, U.S. Central Command resumed the delivery of humanitarian assistance
01:10into Gaza with more than 500 metric tons of aid delivered to the marshaling area, and
01:17today delivered another over 500 metric tons as well to the marshaling area.
01:23In total, since May 17th, Central Command assisted in the delivery of more than 2,500
01:30metric tons, or approximately 5.6 million pounds, of humanitarian aid to the shore for
01:35onward distribution.
01:37Additionally, the one remaining Army vessel that was beached in Gaza on May 25th was recovered
01:43last night, and we greatly appreciate the IDF's assistance with recovery of that vessel.
01:49Changing gears, the National Guard is wrapping up its largest annual cyber exercise this
01:54weekend at the Virginia National Guard State Military Reservation outside Virginia Beach.
02:00Exercise Cyber Shield 2024 brings together nearly 1,000 participants from National Guard
02:05units in 41 states and territories, 27 defensive cyber operations elements, nine international
02:12partner nations, and the active-duty Air Force with a focus on defending critical infrastructure
02:17against cyber threats.
02:20Building off the DoD's 2023 cyber strategy, exercises like Cyber Shield 2024 are leveraging
02:26industry-leading courses and force-on-force cyber attack simulations to grow collaborative
02:32and interoperable capabilities among local, state, national, and international partners
02:37for unified defense and all-domain deterrence.
02:41And finally, Abe Denmark, the Secretary's senior advisor for AUKUS, is departing the
02:47Pentagon.
02:48We want to thank Abe for his leadership building strong coalitions, bringing us even closer
02:52to two of our closest allies, the UK and Australia, and for strengthening security across the
02:58Indo-Pacific.
03:00He was a key architect of the AUKUS Pillar 1 Optimal Pathway announced by the President
03:05and the prime ministers, and instrumental in developing advanced capability cooperation
03:10in AUKUS Pillar 2.
03:12On behalf of the Secretary of Defense, we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
03:15And with that, I'd be happy to take your questions.
03:17Lita.
03:18QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
03:19MS.
03:20NULAND Thank you, Sabrina.
03:21Two things.
03:22One, when does the U.S. expect to deliver the new Patriot system to Ukraine, and what
03:28impact does the Secretary and the military believe that will have on the war there?
03:35And then just – secondly, on the – just to follow up on the pier, has any aid moved
03:41from the marshaling area into Gaza that you're aware of?
03:47And how big of a problem is this, that aid is just going to keep mounting?
03:51Do you have any sense that it will resume at all?
03:54MS.
03:55CARRINGTON Let me take the last part first.
03:57So to my knowledge, since aid has started flowing in from yesterday and today, it's
04:03being collected in the marshaling area, getting ready for when the UNWFP is ready to distribute.
04:11That distribution hasn't happened, to my knowledge.
04:13I'd refer you to USAID and WFP to speak more to that.
04:18I know that they are conducting a security review.
04:22So while they do that, it is in the marshaling area.
04:25The good news is, is that it's on the beach.
04:27So it's a step closer to getting to the people who need it most.
04:31So I just don't have an update on when that will be further distributed.
04:36In terms of your first question on Ukraine and air defenses, I've seen some of the
04:40reporting out there on the Patriot.
04:43I don't have any announcements to make on a Patriot battery today.
04:48What I can tell you – and I won't – not getting ahead of the Secretary, but something
04:51that he continues to emphasize when he has – hosts the Ukraine Defense Contact Group
04:56is that we know air defenses are a priority for Ukraine.
05:00It's something that they need, whether it be in the Patriot or other forms.
05:06And so I'm sure that's going to be a topic of discussion tomorrow at the UDCG.
05:11Won't get ahead of the Secretary and don't have any announcements to make.
05:15But we'll certainly keep you updated if there are any other additional presidential
05:19drawdown packages.
05:20Jen.
05:21Sabrina, just to follow up.
05:24So of the 2,500 tons that have been delivered to Gaza, all are still in the marshaling area?
05:29None have been distributed?
05:30No.
05:31So for better numbers on the distribution, I'd refer you to the WFP and USAID to speak
05:37more to that.
05:38I'm speaking about the aid deliveries from the temporary pier from yesterday and today.
05:45That aid remains in the marshaling area and just collated there.
05:50The aid that was – that came off the pier before we had to – what's the right word
05:57– remove it and then re-anchor it, that aid had been distributed on, or at least went
06:00to the warehouses.
06:01And how seriously are you taking the arrival of this Russian flotilla in Havana and the
06:08exercises being – taking place in the Caribbean?
06:11So we take – we've been tracking the Russians' plans for this.
06:16This is not a surprise.
06:17We've seen them do this – these type of port calls before, and these are routine naval
06:22visits that we've seen under different administrations.
06:26We're always constantly going to monitor any foreign vessels operating near U.S. territorial
06:32waters.
06:33We, of course, take it seriously, but these exercises don't pose a threat to the United
06:38States.
06:39When was the last time that Russian naval vessels were off the coast of Florida or in
06:44Cuba?
06:45I'd refer you to NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM to speak more to that.
06:47I know they have done exercises previous years under different administrations, but
06:54I don't have those exact dates in front of me.
06:55Kelly.
06:56Yeah, just to follow up on Jen's questioning on what's happening with Russian warships
07:01moving into Cuba.
07:02It did happen in different administrations, as you're saying, but the timing of it happening
07:06now with what's happening in Ukraine, with President Biden taking off for the G7 in Italy,
07:12meeting with world leaders and not Vladimir Putin, is this seen as some sort of muscle
07:16flexing on the side of Russia?
07:19You know, I'd refer you to the Russians to speak to their own operations and exercises.
07:24It certainly wouldn't come as a surprise to us if we see more activity around the United
07:30States.
07:31And they do have a global exercise that will, I think, likely culminate this fall.
07:38Something that we're going to continue to monitor, again, I think what's important here
07:41is that what Russia is doing in these exercises, they don't pose a threat to the United States,
07:46but of course we're going to continue to monitor.
07:48And have they gotten close to – I know we have our U.S. ships kind of repositioned in
07:53the area monitoring it.
07:54Have they gotten close, or can you say how close they've gotten to our ships?
07:57I don't have those specifics.
07:59I would direct you to NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM as well to speak more to that.
08:02I just don't have that right now.
08:04Konstantin, did I see you had a question right there?
08:08So just continuing on that line of questioning, are you able to say what the U.S. military
08:13responded with?
08:15So I mean, we are continuing to monitor.
08:18I can tell you that the Navy's U.S. 2nd Fleet, U.S. 4th Fleet, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic
08:24Area, and Canadian Joint Task Force Atlantic are conducting routine operations throughout
08:29the Atlantic.
08:30But we're going to continue to monitor what's happening in the region.
08:34But that's all I have in terms of specifics.
08:36And then one last detail.
08:37Are you able to say how close the Russian ships got to the coast of Florida?
08:41I don't have those specific details.
08:42I'd direct you to NORTHCOM for that.
08:43I'm just going to go to the phones and then happy to come back into the room.
08:47Fadi Mansour, Al Jazeera.
08:50Fadi, I don't know if you can hear us.
08:59Okay.
09:00Maybe not.
09:01Idrees Ali, Reuters.
09:02Two quick questions.
09:03Are you aware of any of the aid either becoming inedible or unusable because it's been in
09:10the marshalling area or in warehouses for so long?
09:14And is the Secretary frustrated with either the World Food Program or USAID for apparently
09:20not foreseeing some of the challenges that they're now facing in delivering the aid that's
09:25just collecting in the marshalling area?
09:27Thanks, Idrees.
09:29So in terms of the actual aid, I can't really speak to that.
09:33I would direct you to USAID and the World Food Program to speak more to the specifics
09:38on the donations and some of the concerns there.
09:43But to my knowledge, the aid that has moved on and off the pier from yesterday and today
09:50has been aid that, when the WFP is ready to continue forward with onward distribution,
09:57will be used well and get into the hands of the Palestinian people that need it most.
10:02In terms of your question of, are there any frustrations, there are not.
10:07I mean, we're working hand in glove with USAID, who has been a great partner in calling
10:14together different nations, different NGOs to donate aid to a population that desperately
10:21needs it.
10:22We are the conduit for getting that aid to the people who need it the most.
10:27But USAID has been instrumental in making sure that we are getting those donations from
10:31other countries and NGOs as well.
10:34So we certainly value their partnership.
10:37The WFP, of course, is taking the security measures that they need to do and the reviews
10:41that they need to do in order to feel safe and secure and to operate within Gaza.
10:48We're not standing in the way of that.
10:50We are just ready and waiting to help with getting aid from Cyprus to the temporary pier
10:56into the marshalling area so that aid can get to the people that need it most.
11:00I'm happy to come back in the room.
11:02Janie.
11:03I don't have anything to read out of a specific meeting, Janie.
11:32I'm not exactly tracking what you mentioned, but of course, we're always monitoring what's
11:36happening on the peninsula and aware of DPRK's provocative activities over the last few days
11:44and weeks.
11:45But I don't have anything specific on a meeting that you just mentioned.
11:48Well, our senior officer recently mentioned about if China and Russia do not reduce their
11:57nuclear weapons, U.S. might increase the nuclear deployment.
12:06The U.S. will adjust its nuclear – I mean, nuclear hostile capabilities, or what is that?
12:14Thanks, Janie, for the question.
12:15A bit of a hypothetical there, as you can appreciate.
12:19It's not going to get into more specifics, but we're always assessing what Russia – what
12:28the PRC are doing.
12:30I don't have any announcements to make in terms of forced posture changes to our own
12:34nuclear posture – or changes to our nuclear posture, I should say.
12:39But we're going to continue to monitor, and I just don't have anything more for you
12:43on that.
12:44Yes.
12:45Thank you, Sabrina.
12:46The prime minister, Netanyahu, has said that Israel is prepared for a strong action in
12:52the northern part of the border with Lebanon.
12:55And yesterday we heard that Secretary Austin, he already discussed with his Israeli counterpart
13:00the efforts to de-escalate tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border.
13:06So my question, do you have – do you worry about any maybe potential war more dangerous
13:13in that specific area, and what tools does Secretary Austin have he can maybe prevent
13:21that area from getting more escalation?
13:24Thank you.
13:25Yeah.
13:26No, thanks for the question.
13:27As you saw, we put out a readout of Secretary Austin's call with Minister Gallant.
13:31This was something that was discussed.
13:33We are seeing an increase in activity in the north, and we don't want things to escalate
13:39into a broader regional conflict.
13:42And that's something that is not new, that's something that we've said from the very
13:45beginning from when Hamas first launched its brutal attack on October 7th.
13:51We never want to see an escalation of tensions in the region.
13:54And we took very specific steps from the beginning with the Secretary making that decision, and
13:59of course with the President, to have the Ford go into the eastern Med.
14:04We're going to continue to urge for de-escalation.
14:08That was something that the Secretary spoke with Minister Gallant about at length yesterday.
14:13I'm not going to get into more specifics of the call itself, but we don't want to see
14:17a wider regional conflict, and that's why we do want to see a de-escalation of tensions
14:21in the region.
14:22Can I follow up?
14:23Yeah, of course.
14:24If there is a deal – do you expect if there is a deal to – a ceasefire deal will happen
14:30in Gaza, do you believe that will de-escalate this area, the tension in the north of Israel
14:37and Lebanon?
14:38Well, I think a ceasefire would certainly lead to a de-escalation of tensions, but that
14:43is something that's still being worked.
14:45As you've seen, Secretary Blinken is in the region.
14:47I know he made some – he's been meeting with different partners in the region.
14:52He made some comments earlier today.
14:54I don't have anything additional to add to what he said already, but certainly it
14:57could bring further – it would lead to further de-escalation, which is a good thing.
15:03Yes, in the back.
15:04Thank you so much for this opportunity.
15:06Two quick questions.
15:08Sure.
15:09Some of the media reports suggest with the recent visits by the Pentagon defense officials
15:15in Riyadh, they had talks with the Arab military chiefs.
15:18So as meanwhile United States is engaged diplomatically with Saudi Arabia and Israel for ties normalization,
15:25so is there any consideration with the defense officials that after the normalization there
15:30is another potential threat in Middle East for the U.S., so U.S. is preparing for that?
15:35No.
15:36No, I think what you're referring to is some of our officials just traveling within
15:43the region doing – whether it's diplomatic meetings or meeting with their counterparts,
15:47this is something that happens often and very frequently.
15:51That's not an indication that tensions are rising.
15:54That is something that's, frankly, part of the portfolio of where these officials
15:58sit.
15:59So no, it's about deepening those partnerships.
16:02Of course they're going to talk about and discuss what's happening in the region.
16:07It wouldn't be imprudent not to.
16:09So that's something that, of course, is always on the table and discussed.
16:12But no, it doesn't indicate anything one way or the other.
16:16Sure.
16:17I want to ask, like, the United States have counter-security cooperation with Pakistan.
16:23So from the month of May and from the timeline long ago, we observed that number of aerial
16:30strikes happened in Afghanistan or on the neighboring border of the Pakistan, so a number
16:36of high-value targets got hit.
16:38So I want to know, like, is there any intelligence sharing or coordination by United States towards
16:44Pakistan regarding the onward Pakistan counterterrorism operations regarding TTP, the top-value targets?
16:54I don't have anything to add on that.
16:55I mean, if you're talking about our ongoing efforts to go after ISIS militants or ISIS
17:03senior leaders, of course, that's something that we continue to work on in the region.
17:07But I don't have anything more on that.
17:10I'm sorry.
17:11Tom.
17:12Thank you.
17:13Good afternoon.
17:14Yeah.
17:15Excuse me.
17:16This morning, Secretary General Soltenberg and Prime Minister Orban of Hungary had a
17:22press conference where they announced that Hungary would no longer veto or block NATO
17:28country efforts to support Ukraine in exchange for not – for NATO not considering Hungary
17:35to give money and material for the war in Ukraine.
17:39What's the Department of Defense's assessment on how this will impact now support for Ukraine
17:44among NATO nations?
17:45I'm sorry.
17:46I haven't seen the reports from this morning.
17:49I don't have anything to add to what Secretary General and his engagement with Orban.
17:56But I would say that, of course, we want to see countries around the world, our partners
18:03and allies, continue to support Ukraine, and that is exactly what the Secretary is going
18:09to be doing tomorrow with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, but I don't have anything
18:13additional to add.
18:14I'm sorry.
18:15I just – I haven't seen some of the reporting from that meeting.
18:16Yeah, of course.
18:17Yes.
18:18Thanks.
18:19But the day before yesterday, Indo-Paco's Commander Paparao said in an interview with
18:23The Washington Post, if China invade Taiwan, he will make it hellscape with drones.
18:29And as of August 23rd, Pentagon announced that aim to deploy thousands of autonomous
18:35systems within the next 18 to 24 months.
18:39So have there been any change to this plan, or how do you view the feasibility of this
18:44project?
18:45I'm going to let Admiral Paparao's comments stand for themselves.
18:49I don't have anything to add.
18:52What I can tell you is the Secretary just concluded his 10th visit to the Indo-Pacific
18:56region.
18:58Something that, of course, was on the minds and something that he spoke to at the Shangri-La
19:02Dialogue was our pacing challenge of the PRC.
19:06So we're continuing to monitor what the PRC is doing in the region, some of their
19:11behavior around – whether it be the Second Thomas Shoal or other areas within the Indo-Pacific.
19:19But I just don't have more to add onto those comments.
19:21Okay.
19:22I'm going to see if we got Fadi Mansour back from Al Jazeera on the phones.
19:25Otherwise, I can wrap it up.
19:28Hi, Sabina.
19:29Can you hear me now?
19:30I can hear you now.
19:32Thank you for taking my question again.
19:34In the readout from the phone call between Secretary Austin and Gallant, the Secretary
19:39congratulated Mr. Gallant on the rescue of four Israeli hostages, an operation that health
19:46authorities in Gaza says resulted in the death of more than 270 Palestinians.
19:53Half of them are – almost half of them are women and children.
19:57Did the Secretary discuss the civilian casualties as a result of this operation?
20:04And if so, why wasn't it included in the readout?
20:08Thanks, Fadi, for the question.
20:10The Secretary – of course, it's something that is always on the top of our minds, something
20:15that the Secretary has brought up in various engagements with Minister Gallant and other
20:20officials within the Israeli Government.
20:25Of course, we are deeply concerned by some of the reports that we are seeing out of Gaza
20:31when it comes to civilian casualties.
20:33It's something that we're always very frank about whenever it's a call or a private
20:38engagement or publicly from here.
20:40It's something that we're going to continue to speak to the Israelis about.
20:43It's something that we're concerned about, but I just don't have anything additional
20:46to add other than what we put out in the readout yesterday, which you referenced.
20:51Okay.
20:52Nancy.
20:53But do you know, though, if the Secretary broached that specifically in yesterday's
20:57call?
20:58He talked about the operation broadly.
21:00I'm not going to go into more specifics of the call.
21:04It is a – it was a pretty sensitive operation, and we are glad to see the success of these
21:08four hostages that were returned home.
21:11Blanket, we are always concerned about the reports of civilian casualties coming out
21:17of Gaza.
21:18It's something that he reiterates constantly in his calls with Minister Gallant, not just
21:24him but from other officials in this building.
21:26It's something that does come up routinely.
21:28I'm not going to get into more specifics, but there were certainly questions about the
21:33operations that were asked, and I'm just going to leave it at that.
21:37Okay.
21:38Thanks, everyone.