Jacky Rosen Presses Trump's Canada Ambassador Nominee About Lack Of Shared Intel By U.S. Allies

22 hours ago

During Thursday's Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) questioned former Ambassador to the Netherlands Pete Hoekstra, Trump's nominee for Ambassador to Canada.

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Transcript

00:00Senator Rosen, thank you

00:02Thank You chair British ranking member Shaheen for holding this hearing today

00:06Thank you to the witnesses for your previous service and again for being here

00:10I want to talk a little bit about Connor counter narcotics efforts

00:14So ambassador Johnson as you're aware Mexico is one of the United States closest partners

00:20We share a 2,000 mile border that contains 47 active land ports of entry

00:26I probably represent a state with a large Latino population many with having family ties to Mexico

00:33I've also helped advance legislation to stop the flow of deadly drugs across the southern border by cracking down

00:40Transnational criminals, but I know that we cannot combat this crisis alone

00:44We have to work closely with our partners like Mexico to address the flow of illicit drugs

00:49Coming into our country

00:51So, mr. Johnson, can you speak to the importance of u.s. Support for counter knock?

00:57Narcotics programming and do you think that it is in the United States best interest to cut funding for programs that cut?

01:05That combat the flow of illegal drugs in our hemisphere

01:08And how do you think Mexico would react to a decision to cut that funding that helps combat the flow?

01:15Thank you for the question senator and thank you for your efforts which I am sure have saved American lives

01:21It's something that

01:23The the flow of illegal drugs is something that we can't immediately turn off completely

01:28I think it's it's it's a continuing process

01:31It's it's improvements that have to be made as quickly as we can

01:35We absolutely are more effective if we work with partners and not just Mexican partners, but partners throughout the region

01:43and that's why I think

01:46Organizations like JTF Bravo and JTF alpha play such an important role because that includes a presence from a lot of the the countries in

01:53The region and we can share that information

01:57And I think that's key to to continuing to improve at a steady rate I think Mexico is

02:05Collaboration funding to be sure that we're meeting all the

02:09Future threats current and future prepared for future threats. Yes. Yes senator. I agree

02:14And I know there's a review going on right now of a lot of those programs there have been waivers granted

02:19Already, and I am confident that throughout the review process those programs that have the greatest impact will continue

02:27Thank you. Thank you

02:28I want to move on to you ambassador Hoekstra the Five Eyes Alliance of which Canada is a member

02:34It's one of the most successful

02:36Intelligence sharing alliances in the world. It's been key to US military responses including in Syria Iraq

02:43Afghanistan and yet the Trump administration has taken actions that have caused our allies to reconsider

02:51Reconsider what information can be shared with the United States?

02:55So ambassador the Five Eyes Alliance is based on a high level of mutual trust. That's how all relationships the foundation, right?

03:03So in your opinion

03:04Do you think it makes us safer or stronger if our allies decide to scale back the intelligence that they share with us out of?

03:10Concern that they can't trust the United States

03:16I've spent a lot of times on Five Eyes. I spent a lot of time on intelligence and it's clear that the

03:23cooperation

03:24You know Five Eyes is unique. It's unique internationally

03:29And each of us brings certain strengths

03:33to that relationship and

03:36It it is critical that

03:39So are you willing to fight to be sure that it remains resilient and fully operational?

03:45Absolutely, you brought up

03:47you know, you brought up the

03:50Continuing threat of transnational organizations

03:54Okay on those kinds of issues those kinds of threats. We talked earlier with a ranking member about fentanyl

04:02It

04:03It's not a huge amount that goes across our border from Canada, but we can expect tomorrow

04:08It could be something else. I mean tomorrow could be something else and

04:11Closer because I think what we're looking at

04:14is these relationships

04:17and taking the relationship of Five Eyes and

04:21Applying it to law enforcement and those types of things building our relationship

04:26Will enable us potentially get a better handle of fentanyl and drugs coming across the border whether it is from

04:34Mexico whether it's from Canada or somewhere else

04:38So I think we're in agreement that our strength and safety and security around the world is based on levels of trust our partnership

04:45collaboration and

04:46Cooperation with our allies to fight against those who wish to harm us

04:50We as if confirmed I will do everything that I can to strengthen that relationship on Fives Five Eyes law enforcement

05:00Cooperation trade those are all opportunities to make all you know to make Canada and America

05:07Safer secure and more prosperous closer cooperation. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Chair

Jacky Rosen Presses Trump's Canada Ambassador Nominee About Lack Of Shared Intel By U.S. Allies

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