Secretary Rubio’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
06/01/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
06/01/2025 05:19 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
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June 1, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, at Russia’s request. Secretary Rubio reiterated President Trump’s call for continued direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a lasting peace.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson Russia The Secretary of State Ukraine
Italy National Day
06/02/2025
Italy National Day
06/02/2025 12:01 AM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
HomeItaly National Day
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Italy National Day
Press Statement
June 2, 2025
On behalf of the United States of America, I extend our congratulations to the people of the Italian Republic on your National Day.
Italy is a key Ally in the Euro-Atlantic region. As we confront global security challenges together, we urge all European NATO Allies to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. We appreciate Italy’s continued support for efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and value our ongoing cooperation with Prime Minister Meloni to combat illegal immigration, reduce energy dependency on hostile regimes, and counter unfair trade practices. The United States welcomes Italy’s leadership in advancing critical technologies and building a resilient, mutually beneficial industrial base across Europe.
With over 17 million Americans proudly claiming Italian heritage, our bond is rooted in both history and purpose. Together, we will continue delivering results – ensuring freedom, security, and prosperity for both our nations.
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Italy Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State
On Poland’s Presidential Election
06/02/2025
On Poland’s Presidential Election
06/02/2025 09:46 PM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
HomeOn Poland’s Presidential Election
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On Poland’s Presidential Election
Press Statement
June 2, 2025
The United States extends congratulations to Karol Nawrocki on his election as President of the Republic of Poland. The United States and Poland share a strong and enduring partnership rooted in mutual commitment to security, prosperity, and the rule of law. The Polish people have spoken and support a stronger military and securing their borders. Poland is a model Ally and a key contributor to strengthening the NATO Alliance and its sovereign integrity against today’s challenges and those ahead. Our cooperation in the energy sector— including nuclear energy— supports our expanding commercial ties and advances Poland’s energy security. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Nawrocki and Poland’s government to further our shared priorities.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Elections Office of the Spokesperson Poland The Secretary of State
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
06/03/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
06/03/2025 03:13 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
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June 3, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan today to discuss supporting direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to stop the bloodshed. The Secretary and FM Fidan also discussed Syria and steps the United States has taken to lift sanctions to advance Syria’s path towards stability and becoming a nation at peace with its neighbors.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Turkey
Digital Press Briefing: U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker
06/04/2025
Digital Press Briefing: U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker
06/04/2025 12:56 PM EDT
The Brussels Hub
QUESTION: Good afternoon from the State Department’s Brussels Media Hub. I would like to welcome everyone joining us for today’s virtual press briefing. We are very honored to be joined by Ambassador Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO.
With that, we can get started. Ambassador, thanks as always for joining us today. I’ll turn it over to you for opening remarks.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Yeah. Thank you, John, and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us ahead of tomorrow’s NATO defense ministerial here in Brussels. This ministerial is a critical waypoint as we build momentum towards the NATO summit in The Hague later this month.
The Alliance is approaching this moment with unity and unrelenting focus. The U.S. will be represented by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who arrives this evening, to cement our shared priorities at a pivotal time for NATO’s credibility.
Let me cut to the core of our message: 5 percent. Peace through strength demands nothing less, and it demands it equally from all Allies. This is not going to be just a pledge. This is going to be a commitment. Every Ally must commit to investing at least 5 percent of GDP in defense and security starting now. Again, this is not a suggestion; it’s a baseline for deterrence in a world where threats are (inaudible).
President Trump’s leadership has transformed NATO’s approach to burden sharing. A decade ago, a 2 percent GDP benchmark was a distant goal for most Allies. Today, thanks to America’s unwavering leadership, we’re seeing real movement. Since November’s election, more than 20 Allies have announced defense budget increases, and we anticipate all Allies to be at or over 2 percent this year.
Progress is good, but it’s not enough. This ministerial is about more than numbers. It’s about building NATO – a NATO that’s ready to deter and defeat any threat – conventional, nuclear, cyber, or hybrid. That requires modernized forces, cutting-edge capabilities, and increased lethality. It means turbocharging our collective defense industrial base to produce more – more munitions, more air defense, more heavy armor, and faster.
But this isn’t just about war-fighting power. It’s also about jobs, innovation, and economic strength across the Alliance. From factory floors in the United States to the production lines in Europe, together we can deliver prosperity with security.
The urgency of this moment is undeniable. As the Russia-Ukraine conflict grinds on, Moscow is already preparing for its next move. We are already seeing the Kremlin aim – aims to rebuilding its military. NATO Allies must outpace Russia. We have no other choice. Let me be clear: The time is now. That means investing in mobility to surge forces across borders, investing in cyber defenses to repel attacks, and investing in infrastructure to protect everything from space assets to undersea cables. We need an Alliance built for the threats of 2025 and beyond, not the battlefields of yesterday.
Tomorrow’s ministerial is our chance to align our commitments. The United States expects every Ally to step up – with concrete plans, budgets, timelines, deliverables – to meet the 5 percent target and close capability gaps. And thanks to Donald Trump’s leadership, the Hague Summit will be a moment to lock these commitments in.
I have often said that it is an honor of a lifetime to lead the U.S. mission here at NATO at a time when we can make NATO stronger, our deterrence unassailable, and our resolve crystal-clear. We will defend every inch of Allied territory, and we will do it from a position of unmatched strength.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
MODERATOR: Thanks very much, sir. We’ll start with a first question from Molly Blackall, from The i Paper in the UK, who asks: “Can you confirm that there are – there is no planned U.S. withdrawal from NATO or reduction in its commitment? Also, European Allies are unnerved by the new administration’s rhetoric around NATO. What reassurance do you have for them? Can you pledge the U.S. full support to European Allies should they be invaded by Russia?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: The United States is committed to NATO – full stop. Just this week we had two of our nation’s top officials – my dear friend, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth – from the United States here in Brussels to meet with leadership from the Alliance to discuss shared priorities. Our commitment to Article 5 remains, but we also think it’s reasonable that our Allies be also committed to Article 3, which includes their individual defense and the collective defense. And more than 10 years since the Wales Pledge, we’re only now reaching the point where all of the Allies are fulfilling that obligation from 11 years ago. But yes, the United States remains committed to NATO, and we will continue to be a credible, serious partner in the Alliance.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Next question, this time from Sachiyo Sugita from NHK here in Belgium: “Does the United States support the secretary general’s proposed timeline of reaching 5 percent by 2032, or do you think that this timeline is too ambitious?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, we think that the threats facing NATO are growing and our adversaries are certainly not waiting for us to re-arm or be ready for them to make the first move. We would prefer our Allies move out urgently on reaching the 5 percent.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Next question, this time from Niels Goedegebuur, ANP, from the Netherlands, who asks: “Do you think NATO could do without clear intermediate targets or annually fixed increases to get to 5 percent GDP for defense expenditures?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Yeah, President Trump and the Secretary of State and Defense have called for a credible path to 5 percent. We cannot have another Wales Pledge with a year-10 or 11 hockey stick, and so we are asking all Allies to increase their budgets as far as they can and as quickly as they can, understanding that, again, this is not the United States or the ambassador to NATO from the United States setting this timeline. It is our adversaries and their ability to wage war and to – to fight against the Alliance.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll take maybe a live question now. Augustin Palokaj. Augustin, please, go ahead. Augustin, can you hear us?
Well, why don’t we go to another (inaudible), who asks: “I’d like to ask if Spain is still the main or the only member-state opposed to the 5 percent increase for a defense spending target. If so, what would the consequences be for Spain and the relations with NATO and the U.S. if they veto this new target at the Hague Summit?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: We’re working with all of our Allies to agree to this Hague defense commitment, including our friends in Spain. We look forward to a very successful summit at The Hague, and we expect that all of our Allies will join in the commitment.
MODERATOR: Thank you, Ambassador. Next question from Maria Vasileiou from Ta Nea in Greece: “What is the time horizon for NATO members to meet the 5 percent of GDP and defense spending, and are there going to be gradual safeguards to make sure there is a gradual progress towards this goal?” Sort of a slightly different question that what we had earlier.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Right. Well, President Trump has called on Allies to increase their defense spending because he understands the threats we face. Allies will need to show meaningful progress on increasing their defense budgets to meet the challenge. Our adversaries will not wait for us to be ready. And so we would expect a meaningful and credible growth in those defense budgets year over year, again, trying to match and address any threats or challenges to make sure that our deterrence and defense is strong and we have peace through strength.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Why don’t we try one more live question. Alex Raufoglu. Alex, can you hear us? Alex, can you hear us? We might be having some issues with our —
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Yeah, and John, what was that complaint line that they could call and – (laughter).
QUESTION: Hey, John.
MODERATOR: Oh —
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: There he is.
MODERATOR: — you’re there.
QUESTION: Yeah, that’s different; it means we’re still trying to learn how to how it works. Thank you so much for doing this, Ambassador. Can you please give us a timeline in terms of – in terms of 5 percent, time – 5 percent until when? And second question, I want to get your perspective on the latest on the ground when it comes to Russia and Ukraine, particularly Ukrainian successful drone strikes on Russian nuclear bombers. Thanks so much.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Yeah, thank you. Couple thoughts. First of all, just to be clear, you know, we are currently negotiating, within the North Atlantic Council, the timelines and the – all – what is included in the 5 percent, both from a core defense standpoint and also from a – a defense-related and security-related spending and the timelines and the – and all of that. But let me be clear on this. It is not – there’s not unlimited time. We cannot have another Wales Pledge style where we don’t have a lot of Allies that meet their commitments until year 10 or year 11. So there’s just – I mean – and it’s – and again, it’s not the United States saying that. It is our adversaries that – for example, Russia has announced, I believe, a second army. They are – I think if you’re on the eastern flank, you understand the threat to that.
I have always said that the greatest threat, the biggest threat to the Euro-Atlantic alliance is Russia. At the same time, the United States is obviously involved in a hundred-year, century-long competition with China, and we believe that that is a significant threat to global security and stability.
What was the second question? Did – anybody – I’m looking at – oh, Russia-Ukraine. I’m going to be taking part in the defense ministerial that we’re announcing right now – I mean, that we’re having – that we’re talking about right now.
And I would just say that Karoline Leavitt said it the best. This war needs to come to an end. President Trump feels very strongly about that. There is just thousands of people, including civilians, that are dying, and the cost is very high on both sides. I mean, President Trump wants this war to end, and he knows that it’s not going to be a military solution to the end of this war. It has to be a diplomatic solution. It has to be negotiated resolution, and both sides need to come to the table and resolve this. And until they’re both willing and able and ready to come to the table and resolve this diplomatically, unfortunately this brutal war continues on, but the United States has been very clear we want it to end.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll go to another submitted question, this time from Maarten Rabaey from De Morgen here in Belgium, who asks: “Drone warfare is key in the war in Ukraine, both defensive and offensive on both sides. The latest Ukrainian counterattack, which you just referenced, is a good example of the rapidly evolving and changing face of warfare. Cheap drones destroy strategic bombers. On the opposite side, the Russians keep attacking civilians with cheap Iranian drones. Are NATO air defenses prepared enough to tackle a possible drone attack from adversaries like Russia, Iran, or terrorist groups? And if not, will the summit in The Hague look into that?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Yeah, I was just – I would first refer to Karoline Leavitt’s comments yesterday, where she said that President Trump fully understands the future of warfare and how drones are a big part of that. We expect to see news from the White House policy team on that front in the very new near future. The – President Trump has Secretary Hegseth in place at the Pentagon so that it can make sure that he aligns it with the most lethal fighting force – as the most lethal fighting force in the world. The pending big, beautiful bill increases defense spending and puts attention on the creation of the “Golden Dome” system. And NATO – from a NATO perspective, we recognize that our adversaries are acquiring or developing new systems, including a large number of small, inexpensive, unmanned aircraft systems. NATO continues to take all necessary steps to ensure that its air and missile defense are coherent, resilient, and adaptable to the involving security environment. And obviously we are paying very close attention to the battlefield in the – in Ukraine, and we are trying to learn every single lesson that can possibly be learned about modern warfighting and how quickly it can evolve and how we must innovate and be technologically nimble to address those threats that evolve over time.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll take maybe one more live question. Mattia Bagnoli from ANSA. Mattia, please. Mattia, can you hear us? Your mike’s open if you’d like to engage.
And we seem to have continued technical difficulties. So we’ll go to the next question, sir. Dmytro Shkurko from the National News Agency of Ukraine, but he’s based here in Belgium, asks: “The U.S. declared that there is no military solution to the Russia war in Ukraine. At the same time, the U.S. insists on strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense to respond to Russian aggression. Is the U.S. ready to sell and supply its weapons to Ukraine to enable NATO to rely on the Ukrainian army as an additional deterrent who will – to prevent a possible Russian advance in Europe?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, the United States remains laser-focused, as I mentioned earlier, on negotiations and preserving President Trump’s space to bring an end to the hostilities. So no decisions have been made about future assistance, but let’s be clear, the best way to secure NATO territory is for Allies – for fully resourcing our defense plans here at NATO. We are working towards a defense investment commitment, or as what I like to call the Hague Defense Commitment, that will ensure that we do just that. At the same time, we are counting on Europe to take a leadership position in providing Ukraine with the resources and political capital necessary to reach a durable peace in Ukraine. Europeans have a vested interest in securing peace on their continent, and the United States will continue to be doing all that we can to support that.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Next question from Carsten Volkery from Handelsblatt: “Will the United States agree to naming Russia in a summit declaration as a common threat to the Euro-Atlantic area?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, right now our primary focus for the summit is ensuring the commitment to the 5 percent of GDP towards their individual and collective defense. We have not begun discussions with Allies on a summit statement, but I fully expect that the summit’s statement will be direct, to the point, and will reflect all of the Allies’ current beliefs on the threats and the needs for the collective defense and the individual defense of all Allies.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll go now to Kristina Zeleniuk from 1+1 Media in Ukraine: “Do you expect” – sorry, we – “Do you expect any progress on deploying a European mission in Ukraine, and will the United States provide its guarantees to European Allies for that?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, we appreciate the work the Allies – particularly France and the United Kingdom, together with Germany and others – have undertaken to develop a coalition of the willing. We are counting on all our European Allies to continue to take a leadership position in contributing military resources and providing the political capital to make security guarantees a reality. I will defer to my European counterparts about the details of such a mission, as well as the timeline.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. I think we have time for one or two more. We’ll go to Tetyana Vysotska from European Pravda in Ukraine: “Ukraine’s NATO membership prospects – Russia continues to demand written guarantees that NATO will not expand eastward. What is the U.S. position on this?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Ukraine becoming a member of NATO is currently not on the table, and we are not the only NATO Ally who holds this opinion. However, this decision ultimately lies with President Trump and all 32 Allies to come to a unanimous decision.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll go now to Sergiy Sydorenko, also from European Pravda in Ukraine: “Would you support allowing Allies to spend part of their hard defense spending, which is expected to be set at 3.5 percent of GDP, to the weaponry donated to Ukraine for protecting Europe?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Yeah, I would – like I mentioned earlier, it’s – we are currently in the middle of negotiating all of the contours of the Hague Defense Commitment. And so it’d be premature for me to front-run that as to what it’s in and what’s out, but I certainly think that our Allies would get credit for their support of Ukraine and – but we’ll just leave it at that.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll just do – I know you’re running out of time here so we’ll just take one more question, this time from Leonora Klint, Borsen, from Denmark, who asks: “As President Trump has repeated several times, the U.S. is concerned about the security in the Arctic, specifically in Greenland. Is the American administration satisfied with NATO’s new capability targets that neither takes the Arctic or Greenland into too much consideration?” So it’s not – it doesn’t seem to be taking those territories into consideration when they develop their plans.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, how I would answer that is in a couple directions. First, NATO takes a 360-degree approach to its security and its defense planning. And every iteration of those plans are commented and discussed and negotiated and resolved by all 32 Allies. Obviously, the topic of the High North defense and deterrence is ongoing discussions amongst the United States and all Allies, including Denmark.
When I was getting confirmed, I would meet with various senators in anticipation of my hearing and confirmation, and I would take a map of the world from the North Pole. And so it’s very clear the needs for the security, not only of Greenland but both Canada and all of our NATO Allies that touch the High North. And so this is something that’s an important topic for me personally. I know President Trump is concerned about it, but we’re going to continue to make sure that the NATO defense plans and how we prepare and are capable to defend the High North, address the threats as we see them and how they develop into the future.
MODERATOR: Thank you so much, sir. I know you have a tight schedule today.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Yeah, I’m sorry.
MODERATOR: So I think we’ll end here. Thanks, everybody, for your questions; and Ambassador, thanks always for joining us.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Thank you. My pleasure.
MODERATOR: Shortly, we will send the audio recording of the briefing to all the participating journalists and provide a transcript as soon as it is available. We always love to hear your feedback. You can email us at thebrusselshub@state.gov. Thanks again everyone for joining, and we hope you can join us again for the – in the future for another press briefing. This ends today’s briefing.
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Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Yermak and First Deputy Prime Minister Svyrydenko
06/04/2025
Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Yermak and First Deputy Prime Minister Svyrydenko
06/04/2025 04:01 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeDeputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Yermak and First Deputy Prime Minister Svyrydenko
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Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Yermak and First Deputy Prime Minister Svyrydenko
Readout
June 4, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Ukrainian Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak and First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to discuss the critical importance of a negotiated peace settlement. The Deputy Secretary reiterated President Trump’s call for continued diplomatic efforts, and reviewed the next steps following the June 2 Istanbul meeting between Ukraine and Russia.
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Deputy Secretary of State Office of the Spokesperson Russia Russia-Ukraine War Ukraine
Deputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
06/04/2025
Deputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
06/04/2025 04:06 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeDeputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
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Deputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
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June 4, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau spoke with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto yesterday to reaffirm the strong U.S.-Hungary alliance rooted in shared interests and common values. The call underscored a commitment to supporting national sovereignty and expanding commercial ties, particularly the potential for increased American business opportunities in Hungary.
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Deputy Secretary of State Hungary Office of the Spokesperson
Denmark’s Constitution Day
06/05/2025
Denmark’s Constitution Day
06/05/2025 12:01 AM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
HomeDenmark’s Constitution Day
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Denmark’s Constitution Day
Press Statement
June 5, 2025
On behalf of the United States, I extend my congratulations to the people of the Kingdom of Denmark as you celebrate the anniversary of your Constitution. Our nations share a long history as founding NATO Allies, bound by our commitment to peace and global security.
Our enduring relationship is a testament to our shared history and common strategic interests. Together, we are committed to increased NATO defense spending and burden sharing, ensuring a safe, stable, and prosperous Arctic region and advancing trade and investment between our nations.
As you celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Danish Constitution, I look forward to continuing to build on this strong foundation with the people of Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands.
Tillykke, Denmark!
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Denmark Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State
Sweden National Day
06/06/2025
Sweden National Day
06/06/2025 12:01 AM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
HomeSweden National Day
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Sweden National Day
Press Statement
June 6, 2025
On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the Swedish people on their National Day.
From 1783, when Sweden officially recognized the United States as an independent nation, until now, our two countries have enjoyed a strong partnership to advance mutual interests. As NATO Allies, we stand together to ensure a safer, more secure world. Sweden has made significant contributions to the Alliance and continues to play a pivotal role in our collective defense.
The United States and Sweden have a strong, longstanding trade relationship that brings mutually beneficial prosperity to our citizens. Together, we have made great strides in space, quantum computing, communications, health sciences, and other technologies that are at the forefront of innovation. We also cooperate closely to maintain peace and stability in the critically important Arctic region.
Congratulations to the millions of Swedes and Swedish-Americans celebrating the National Day of Sweden.
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Sweden
Digital Press Briefing with General Randall Reed, Commander of U.S. Transportation Command
06/06/2025
Digital Press Briefing with General Randall Reed, Commander of U.S. Transportation Command
06/06/2025 01:26 AM EDT
General Randall Reed, Commander of U.S. Transportation Command
Asia Pacific Media Hub
MODERATOR: Greetings from the U.S. Department of State’s Asia Pacific Media Hub. I would like to welcome journalists to today’s on-the-record briefing with General Randall Reed, Commander of U.S. Transportation Command. General Reed will talk about his travel throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines and Japan, where he met with senior leaders and worked to strengthen logistics and security partnerships across the region.
With that, let’s get started. General Reed, I’ll turn it over to you for your opening remarks.
GENERAL REED: Natalie, thanks so much, and for the Department of State for hosting this call. And I do want to say thanks to everyone who is joining with us. I have the honor of leading the United States Transportation Command. It provides the United States with incredibly responsive and strategic mobility around the world. The people that make up USTRANSCOM, along with industries, allies, and partners, make us a ready, united, and decisive force able to respond to crises quickly and also sustain humanitarian and military operations worldwide.
I do want to go back and stress the idea of allies and partners for USTRANSCOM, anything that we do. We really can’t do it without very strong partnerships, and that’s really what’s driving my travels out here for this week.
So far I’ve been able to visit with senior officials and multinational servicemembers in the Philippines and Japan. Entirely grateful for their support and hospitality. It’s been a number of years since I’ve been out here and it’s just always great to get back.
During our conversations, we explored ways to enhance collaboration, obviously deter aggression and increase readiness for any potential crisis in this region. I’m looking forward to having the same discussions when I visit the Republic of Korea in a few days. Again, when we talk about partnerships, which is very key for us, the complexities of this region really drive the need for solutions that are multifaceted and involve a number of partners. And maintaining and expanding our relationships in the region is essential as we cooperate and collaborate to ensure a swift U.S. response to any future humanitarian aid and disaster relief operation while also countering threats to international peace and security, whether they originate from state actors or violent extremist groups or what have you.
In this past week, my counterparts and I, we’ve discussed ways to continue cooperation through standing defense agreements and ways we can further strengthen the logistics system. This summer, we’re going to have a series of exercises and we’ll test the current logistics architecture and infrastructure, which provides sustained freedom of maneuver in the region and for the joint force.
I’d also like to say that Mobility Guardian, for example, is just one of those exercises that we’re going to run. We’re seeking to demonstrate our ability to rapidly mobilize, then deploy forces from within the United States to locations throughout the region here. And these exercises will be very key to allow us to test tactics, techniques, and procedures with allies and partners, and allow us to enhance our connectivity across various locations throughout the region.
These exercises and engagements will help us learn. TRANSCOM is a learning organization. It will help us deepen relationships and work together even more closely than we already are to bolster regional security. So together with continued support, we’ll retain the ability to respond to whatever whenever we’re needed.
And so that’s TRANSCOM in a nutshell. That’s the reason why we’re out here traveling. And I’ll pause here and entertain some Q&A.
MODERATOR: Thank you. We will now turn to the question-and-answer portion of today’s briefing. As a reminder, please ensure that your full name and affiliation are displayed and your microphone is enabled.
Our first question goes to David Rising from AP, who sent this question in advance: “As the U.S. seeks to makes its Pacific defenses more nimble and survivable, can you talk about how pre-positioned materials fits into the equation and provide some specifics about what you are doing? Beyond U.S. solo or bilateral work, how will the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience forum fit in?”
GENERAL REED: Thanks, David. When it comes to pre-positioning things, obviously, as a professional transporter and logistician, the closer you can get something to the point of need, the better off we all are. So utilizing pre-positioned stock in a crisis will always be faster than transporting equipment from the other side of the globe, and that can be helpful when needing to deliver a rapid and decisive response to a crisis.
Along those lines, the U.S. has agreements with multiple countries across the globe which allow for pre-positioned stocks, and we even have stocks afloat aligned with a number of regions around the globe as well. Here in this region in particular, the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Reliance* forum, PIPIR, is a multilateral forum of 14 Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic partners who are all collaborating to accelerate Indo-Pacific contributions to defense industrial base resilience. And so working with industry, capital providers, and nongovernment stakeholders, PIPIR is creating that trusted environment for information exchange, technical cooperation, supply chain resilience, and co-production and co-sustainment collaboration.
And then to wrap up the answer to your question here, Secretary Hegseth endorsed PIPIR also, and he announced two marquis projects underneath this forum during his keynote address at Shangri-La. And so pre-position is really important and – but the strength of it really is in the cooperation.
MODERATOR: Okay. The next question will go to Christopher Woody. I see your hand is raised. You are now unmuted. Please, go ahead.
Okay, the audio here – we can’t hear, but Christopher, if you could just check to see if your audio is enabled on your device. Okay, we’ll come back to Christopher.
Let’s take a question from Walter Liu from Business Today in Taiwan, who sent his question in advance: “What do you think the major challenges facing USTRANSCOM in East Asia and the possible short and mid-term solutions to them?”
GENERAL REED: Walter, for logisticians, the challenge here is universal amongst us, and it’s just how large the region is. And when we look at the vast ocean distances we need to cross, in some places the scarcity of established logistics hubs in order to sustain operations, it really drives all logisticians to drive for innovative solutions and stronger partnerships. So again, it’s all about the partnerships.
The Pacific Deterrence Initiative paved the way for the U.S. to strengthen some of those ties, primarily through exercise and logistics agreements. We’re also committed to modernizing and expanding our sealift and airlift fleets. That’s particular to TRANSCOM. In this way, we’re pushing to make sure that we can increase our capacity to move the personnel and equipment rapidly across this vast region that we just spoke about.
MODERATOR: Okay, we got a question from Ben Blanchard from Reuters, based also in Taipei: “How well-prepared in terms of pre-positioning materials are U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific at present to respond to a crisis over Taiwan or in the South China Sea? What areas need further work?”
GENERAL REED: Thank you for – pre-positioning, that is something that we’ve done historically. and one of the things that we continue to do is to assess where the point of need is. So in anyone who’s studying in supply chain management, you look to see where is the point of origin, where is the point of need, where can you establish your stocks that get you closer to the point of need, and that’s something that we work all the time.
MODERATOR: We’ll take a question from Gordon Arthur from the Defense News, based in Christchurch, New Zealand: “If there were a conflict involving China over Taiwan, for argument’s sake, you’re going to have to rely upon shipping across the Pacific for nearly all of your logistics. How will you secure such long shipping lanes, and is it even possible?”
GENERAL REED: Gordon, right now the United States works real closely with partners to ensure that the region remains open and accessible. That’s really what we’re seeking to do. That leads to peace and prosperity. And the region’s seas and skies are governed and used according to international law, and we seek to follow that as well.
In particular, we are building support for security, freedom, and prosperity-based approaches to the maritime domain, including all of the seas here. And so when it comes to operating out here, the main thing is we operate here all the time, and we’d like to make sure that we can continue that.
MODERATOR: Okay, it looks like Christopher Woody has put the question in the chat: “Can you discuss how TRANSCOM and Indo-Pacific Command are thinking about threats to U.S. airlift capabilities, specifically how Chinese missiles and airborne sensors will impact tanker and cargo plane operations?”
GENERAL REED: Thank you for that, Chris. So for the capability of the aircraft, TRANSCOM depends on the United States Air Force to actually provide us the platforms that can operate, and then what TRANSCOM does with INDOPACOM is we are very closely tied together in planning. And TRANSCOM’s role is to support the commander of INDOPACOM. And so in that vein, we work with him and depend on him to make sure that he can provide the protection.
In addition, TRANSCOM is also working with the Air Force and the department to strengthen our connectivity and our communications such that we can become aware of what’s in the space, such that when the crews are operating, they can cooperate with the forces that are already here and make sure that they can close the mission.
MODERATOR: Okay. Ben Doherty, I see that your hand is raised. We’ll try to unmute. I also see the question that you submitted in advance. Please try to go ahead and ask your question verbally. Ben Doherty?
Okay. I’m going to read the question that Ben submitted in advance. He’s from The Guardian, based in Sydney, Australia: “General Reed, you’ve been traveling across the Indo-Pacific, talking to allies about strengthening logistics and security partnerships across the region. I wanted to ask about Bougainville, a province of Papua New Guinea, but which has announced an intention to declare its independence. China has recently started extending the runway at Aropa Airport in Bougainville, a key piece of infrastructure for that island – the president of Bougainville and prime minister of PNG attended a ground-breaking ceremony this week.”
So the question is: “Is the US concerned about Chinese infrastructure projects, or increasing Chinese influence, in Bougainville?”
GENERAL REED: Ben, there’s a lot there. But what I’ll tell you is the United States is committed to deepening and expanding relationships throughout the region in addition to PNG. Both of our countries share a relationship that’s based on trust and mutual interest. And so with that long history of our defense partnerships, commercial links, and people-to-people ties, we continue to follow through with a 15-year defense agreement, which allows for the use of a number of sea and airports for us.
And because of that strong and continuously growing relationship between us, together with commercial partners, we’ll continue to build that relationship and our ability to respond to a crisis in the region.
MODERATOR: Next question is from Mike Yeo from Breaking Defense: “Is there an ongoing plan to increase the number of ships accessible to TRANSCOM through the building of more hulls?”
GENERAL REED: Thanks, Mike, for that question. Anyone who’s been following my hearings in Congress this year know that I’ve been incredibly vocal in getting more capability for sealift. The fleet that we have is capable but aging, and quite simply, we need to get newer, more modern ships for the crews to operate. As we’re able to do that, another thing that I’m seeking to do is with newer, more modern ships. The quality of life for the crews will also improve. And that will make that very important sector of our transportation much more attractive to folks who are seeking a life of purpose and adventure.
MODERATOR: Next question, from Ron Calunsod from Kyodo News, based in Manila: “General Reed, can you please share more details about the exercises you mentioned for this summer, both bilaterally each with the Philippines and Japan and multilaterally among the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines, if any. When, the participating units, and where? Thanks.”
GENERAL REED: Okay. I think Ron was the one who asked the question. What I’ll tell you is the main thing we’re looking for here is to build on the excellent relationships we already have, to sharpen our skills, to increase our capability to communicate and to work with each other, and to do experimentation. Where possible, where we cooperate, if we can determine where we can simplify procedures and perhaps seek more common equipment, that would be great. But in the end, what we’re looking to do is to make sure that, simply, everyone can communicate with each other, that we can transport our goods, that we can sustain, and that we can reset at the end. Thank you.
MODERATOR: The next question comes from Hope Ngo from the International Community Radio, based in Taiwan – Taipei, Taiwan: “What learnings and takeaways, if any, do Ukraine’s recent operation in Russia have for Taiwan defense?”
GENERAL REED: Hope, what I’d share with you here is that I would not draw a link between the two when it comes to logistics. And when I look at logistics, any loggie that’s out there, the whole thing that we’re seeking to do is that we can deliver to whoever needs the services. So being able to deliver to the point of need, that’s what we’re all about. And when we think about logistics, again, it takes partnerships to make sure that we can do that. And so what TRANSCOM does is no matter where we need to go, we work very hard to make sure we have strong partnerships in advance. And so with that being said, no matter what the task we’re given, we are driven to make sure that we can get the task done and just make sure that we can get goods to whoever needs them, wherever they might be.
MODERATOR: Okay. We have time for one final question, and this is from Jonathan Edward from INS News: “What outreach efforts are being made to countries in ASEAN besides the Philippines – mainly Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Indonesia – on the importance in protecting their interests in the South China Sea? Are there any capacity building efforts by the U.S. to assist friendly ASEAN states, such as improving ISR and anti-shipping munitions in the pipeline?”
GENERAL REED: Thanks, Jonathan. Kind of a broad question, but I’ll try to narrow that down just a little bit and say that TRANSCOM works real closely with our fellow combatant command, primarily to ensure that we can contribute to regional stability and uphold international law.
For anything more specific than that outside of transportation, I’d actually have to refer you to USINDOPACOM for that.
And then for your follow-on question, in terms of capacity building, we’re deeply committed to strengthening security capability amongst all the partners. And we recognize a strong and resilient ASEAN is vital to maintaining stability, and we’re an active participant, that being the U.S. and the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus framework, and that includes capacity-building programs. And so I’m not privy to the specifics of that, and so if you need a follow-on, I’ll have to refer you once again to USINDOPACOM for that.
MODERATOR: General Reed, if you have any closing remarks, I’ll turn it back over to you.
GENERAL REED: Thanks, Natalie, and thanks to everybody who joined in today. Thank you for the questions. I’ll tell you, for me, this time went by incredibly fast. It seems like we just sat down. But I want you to know that my team and I are very excited about being here in the theater. Even though it’s been quite some time since I’ve been here, I’ve bumped into some old friends. And the professionalism and the cooperation that exists between the countries is very inspiring. And anyone who has an opportunity to witness it, much less be a part of it, you can’t help but be hopeful about how bright the future is because we work so well together.
And so with that, once again, I want to say thank you. And as we like to say at USTRANSCOM: Together we deliver.
MODERATOR: Thank you, General Reed. Unfortunately, that is all the time we have for today. Thank you for your questions. Thanks again to the General for joining us. We will provide a transcript of this briefing to participating journalists as soon as it is available. We’d also love to hear your feedback, and you can contact us at any time at AsiaPacMedia@state.gov. Thanks again for your participation and we hope you can join us for another briefing soon.
# # #
The Week at State: May 30 – June 5, 2025
06/06/2025
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May 30 – June 5
Here's what happened at State this week. ⤵️🚨 We spotlighted Operation Patriot: major law enforcement actions targeting transnational crime.
💬 Secretary Rubio spoke at the American Compass Fifth Anniversary Gala on the Trump Administration's vision for an America First foreign policy.
🛂 We took action to hold officials accountable for their role in forced labor practices in Cuba.
Law Enforcement Actions with Global Impact
In Massachusetts, the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) worked alongside federal and local agencies in "Operation Patriot," resulting in nearly 1,500 arrests of illegal aliens with criminal convictions, including drug trafficking and organized crime. DSS emphasized the operation's impact on strengthening national security and reducing illegal immigration.
Separately, our Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement announced a seizure of 50,000 kilograms of methamphetamine precursors sent from China to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.
Foreign Policy Starts at Home
Secretary Marco Rubio delivers remarks at the American Compass Fifth Anniversary Gala in Washington, D.C., June 3, 2025. (State Dept./Freddie Everett)
On June 3, Secretary Rubio joined American Compass at their fifth anniversary gala.
In his remarks, Secretary Rubio emphasized that America's economic decisions are increasingly tied to geopolitics and national security. He reaffirmed that foreign policy should serve the American people first, a top priority for the administration.
Accountability for Exploiting Cuban Medical Professionals
On June 3, we imposed visa restrictions on several Central American officials and their family members responsible for Cuban medical mission programs that include elements of forced labor and worker exploitation.
The Cuban labor export program enriches the Cuban regime and deprives Cubans of essential medical care at home.
"The U.S. is serious about its efforts to promote accountability for those linked to the forced labor and exploitation of Cuban medical workers. Visiting the U.S. with a visa is a privilege," Secretary Rubio emphasized on X.
Travel Smarter This Summer
Planning a trip this summer? Check your passport expiration date and research your destination's entry requirements. Some countries require several months of validity for entry.
We encourage travelers to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive emergency alerts and updates.
We issued Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisories for countries like Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and others due to serious risks or limited ability to help U.S. citizens. These advisories help Americans make informed travel decisions. Learn more about your destination at travel.state.gov/destination.
News You May Have MissedPresident Trump signed a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, and Libya.
The U.S. vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Gaza that failed to condemn Hamas or support Israel's right to defend itself.
The Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) group members condemned the deadly attack on a UN humanitarian convoy in Sudan, calling for full respect of international humanitarian law.
Ambassador Henry Wooster was appointed as Chargé d'Affaires in Haiti, leading U.S. policy and global coordination to support Haitian security forces.
Looking AheadJune 15-17: G7 Summit, Alberta, Canada
June 14-July 13: 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
June 24-25: NATO Summit, The Hague
Note to Our Readers
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Sanctioning Iran’s “Shadow Banking” Network of Money Launderers and Illicit Oil Traders
06/06/2025
Sanctioning Iran’s “Shadow Banking” Network of Money Launderers and Illicit Oil Traders
06/06/2025 01:36 PM EDT
Tammy Bruce, Department Spokesperson
HomeSanctioning Iran’s “Shadow Banking” Network of Money Launderers and Illicit Oil Traders
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Sanctioning Iran’s “Shadow Banking” Network of Money Launderers and Illicit Oil Traders
Press Statement
June 6, 2025
Today, the United States is sanctioning over 35 individuals and entities with ties to a network involved in money laundering on behalf of the Iranian regime. This network has laundered billions of dollars through Iranian exchange houses and foreign front companies to sustain Tehran’s campaigns of terror that undermine international peace and security and line the pockets of regime elites. As part of this network, the Zarringhalam brothers and their associates use numerous UAE- and Hong Kong-based front companies to help designated Iranian persons generate revenue from the sale of petroleum and other commodities subject to U.S. sanctions. This is the first action against Iran’s shadow banking network since the President issued the National Security Presidential Memorandum on February 4.
Concurrently, the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) updated an Advisory to help U.S. and international financial institutions identify and report suspicious activities related to Iranian illicit financial activities. The Advisory includes information on forms of illicit finance, as well as red flags associated with Iranian oil smuggling, shadow banking, and procurement of weapons and dual-use components.
The United States will continue to deny Iran access to financial networks and the global banking system as long as Iran continues its destabilizing activities. We will promote accountability for those who seek to undermine international peace and security.
Today’s action is being taken by OFAC pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13902, which targets Iran’s financial and petroleum and petrochemical sectors. This action implements National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which orders a campaign of maximum pressure on Iran. For more information, please refer to Treasury’s Press Releases.
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with French Foreign Minister Barrot
06/07/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with French Foreign Minister Barrot
06/07/2025 01:45 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with French Foreign Minister Barrot
Readout
June 7, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot about developments in the Middle East. Secretary Rubio reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel’s efforts against Hamas and continued commitment to freeing all hostages held in Gaza. The two leaders also discussed ongoing efforts to facilitate an end the war in Ukraine. Secretary Rubio underscored the importance of continued direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a lasting peace. They also reiterated their shared commitment to preventing Iran from developing or obtaining a nuclear weapon.
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