Trump Canada Ambassador Nom Asked Directly If Canada Is A Sovereign State By Chris Coons

11 hours ago

During Thursday's Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) questioned former Ambassador to the Netherlands Pete Hoekstra, Trump's nominee for Ambassador to Canada, about Canada's sovereignty.

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Transcript

00:00Senator Coons. Thank you. Thank you to all three of you former ambassadors to your spouses to your families for your willingness to serve

00:07And I look forward to our conversation today and to working with you and following up with you afterwards

00:13Mr. Johnson, if I might thank you for your military service and that of many in your family to Alina and your and your children

00:19I've heard loud and clear in your testimony that securing the southern border is among your top priorities

00:25It's among mine and I'd like to be a partner in this

00:29One of my concerns is

00:31the drivers of irregular

00:33Migration throughout the hemisphere that lead to people being at the southern border between the United States and Mexico

00:40You would I assume agree that

00:42Thousands of people leave their homes because of political violence

00:46Criminal and gang violence instability from drug trafficking and lack of economic opportunity. Do those strike you as some of the real drivers of migration?

00:54Yes, sir, senator, thank you they do

00:58So then doesn't it stand to reason that we should be partnering throughout the region?

01:02With countries to deter or stop those drivers of migration by training local security forces

01:09conducting joint operations to combat fentanyl providing support to screen for illegal drugs at airports and borders and

01:16combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking

01:19Yes, sir

01:21Then all I'm going to say is I was the chair of the subcommittee that

01:26Appropriated the funding for USAID and the State Department in the last Congress

01:29I am really concerned about the impact of the review of foreign policy foreign aid and how the

01:35Chaos of rescissions and waivers and funding flows has largely shut down

01:40Key programs that were working to deter

01:44young people from partnering with human traffickers

01:47To deter a drug smuggling. Will you pledge to work with me on trying to find ways to identify?

01:54Programs that are effective and that have actually helped our partnership with the Mexican government in preventing the flow of migrants to our southern board

02:04Thank You senator I

02:05Absolutely look forward to working with you on that

02:08And I want to thank you again for a visit. You may tell Salvador when I was there

02:12I think we would have had more if it hadn't been for kovat, but thank you for that

02:16That was important

02:18Sovereignty if I could because I'm going to try and get questions into at least one other sovereignty is a key core principle

02:25I understand that the designation of the drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations reflects

02:31Widespread concern and anger in the United States about the cartels and the impact of fentanyl

02:36Would you agree that we should not take any military action against cartels in Mexican territory?

02:44Without the knowledge and consent of the Mexican government

02:51Sir I think any decision to take action against the cartel inside Mexico

02:58our first

03:00Desire would be that it be done in partnership with our Mexican partners

03:05That said I know that President Trump takes very seriously his responsibility

03:10To safeguard the lives of u.s. Citizens and should there be a case where the lives of u.s. Citizens are at risk

03:16I think all cards are on the table

03:18I cannot respond to what the commander-chief might decide based on the information

03:24He has I've been a private citizen for the last four years

03:27but I

03:29Think we would prefer to work with our partners in Mexico

03:32Let me just make an assertion if I might ambassador you recognize Mexico's our number one trading partner

03:37You've talked about how we could find positive ways to further integrate supply chains further partner with them. We have big opportunities

03:45We have to balance these two

03:47USMCA one of the main accomplishments of the first Trump administration the integration of our economies Canada US Mexico very positive

03:56but if we were to take action without

03:59Consultation and without permission then we are putting at real risk that and that's been a given take that I hope will

04:05Involve respect for sovereignty ambassador Huckster if I might briefly

04:10My colleague senator Cain referenced ways in which negotiation tactics have profoundly unsettled our relationship with Canada

04:18Would you agree that Canada is a sovereign state and should not be even jokingly referred to as the 51st state?

04:27Thank you the Canada is a sovereign state yes how the president

04:32And the relationship between the former prime minister in Canada

04:37the

04:39Characteristics and nature of that relationship. I I don't know okay

04:43I view as a positive that we have a new prime minister in Canada. Yes, and a chance for a reset

04:49Given my time. I will simply assert that

04:53Mexico Japan and Canada are among our most important allies

04:56I'm very encouraged. There is a positive start to the u.s. Japan relationship at the meeting with Prime Minister Shida

05:02But I am hopeful that

05:05casual threats about throwing Canada out of five eyes not respecting our border treaty and

05:11They're potentially being annexed as a 51st state will stop and that a positive respectful

05:18conversation

05:19About our close integration will continue

05:22I look forward to working with you on pressing the Canadians to increase their defense investment and

05:27Pressing the Canadians to meet some of our trading objectives, but also I will continue to press

05:33For a reduction in some of the rhetoric that I think has destabilized our relationship

05:37I'll also recognize that the amount of fentanyl coming into the United States from Canada is minuscule

05:43Relative to the very real challenge at our southern border and I hope we can find a way to move forward in the u.s.

05:48Canada relationship the u.s. Japan relationship and the u.s. Mexico relationship with the leadership of all three of you. Thank you

Trump Canada Ambassador Nom Asked Directly If Canada Is A Sovereign State By Chris Coons

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