House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), and Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) spoke with the press on Thursday after receiving a briefing on Russia.
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00:00 (inaudible)
00:04 The Press: Peter, talk to the American people.
00:07 What did you learn in there?
00:08 Secretary Pompeo Let me give you an update.
00:10 We just had an informative meeting of Jake Sullivan.
00:13 This is a matter that we've known about for a few weeks.
00:16 We requested a meeting with the President.
00:18 I did. We did in writing in January.
00:21 It's a serious matter. Some details have leaked.
00:24 There's lots of conjecture.
00:26 But what we're permitted to say in an unclassified setting,
00:29 it is that it is a very serious matter.
00:31 It does involve Russia.
00:32 It's not a matter that can involve delay.
00:34 It's something we have to address seriously
00:37 and on an immediate basis.
00:39 And we are -- I want you to know
00:41 that the White House gave us information today
00:43 that we're going to remain in close contact
00:45 with leaders of Congress on the issue,
00:48 and it will be dealt with.
00:49 There's steady hands at the wheel.
00:50 The United States can't rely on other nations
00:52 to handle matters like this.
00:54 We must do it ourselves, and we will.
00:55 I'm going to yield to the Chairman and the Ranking Member
00:59 or Intelligence Committee to share a few more thoughts.
01:01 The President: I want to thank Jake Sullivan
01:06 for being here today.
01:08 He had a great presentation, very thoughtful,
01:10 of what the administration's options are
01:12 and what they're looking at doing.
01:14 With my Ranking Member, Jim Himes,
01:17 we believe that it was important enough
01:19 to notify the other members of Congress,
01:21 as this is unfolding.
01:22 There will be, I think, times in which Congress
01:24 needs to be engaged in support of the administration.
01:27 I think the bottom line is, is that we all came away
01:30 with a very strong impression
01:31 that the administration is taking this very seriously
01:34 and that the administration has a plan in place.
01:36 We look forward to supporting them
01:38 as they go to implement it.
01:39 I think the Department of Defense today
01:41 has indicated that what we're discussing
01:43 is a Russian anti-satellite weapon.
01:45 I do know that the administration has the belief
01:50 that along this way, they're going to be releasing
01:51 additional information about that.
01:53 But in the interim, I've got great faith
01:56 in what the administration is currently doing
01:59 to address this matter.
02:00 And I appreciate the support and the working relationship
02:03 on a bipartisan basis I have with my Ranking Member,
02:06 Jim Himes.
02:08 >> I concur with what the Speaker and the Chairman
02:10 just said. It was a very constructive meeting.
02:13 The National Security Advisor and the Director
02:14 of National Intelligence and a representative of the Pentagon
02:17 spent a great deal of time with the leadership
02:20 and the Chairman of a number and ranking members
02:21 of a number of committees.
02:23 I think we all walked out of there very satisfied
02:25 that the administration is and has been doing a good job
02:29 tracking this particular threat.
02:32 And my take on the meeting was that the communication
02:36 was as comprehensive and as good as it might be.
02:38 And we look forward to that continuing.
02:40 >> Did the --
02:42 >> Has the NSA reached out? Has the NSA reached out?
02:44 Was it appropriate for you to release that statement?
02:47 (chatter)