LIVE: US Ambassador to UN Mike Waltz testifies before Congress amid iran War |Trump's foreign policy

[00:00:00]nations reform and I appreciate your leadership in that den of snakes. While I continue to doubt the effectiveness and the value of the United Nations as an organization, I look forward to hearing your testimony, hearing about the successes that you have had in rooting out that rot, the obstacles that you continue to face, and learning about those UN institutions and cultures where the rot is so deep you and your leadership team have yet to been able to affect it.

[00:00:28]Now recognize uh I would actually remind other members of the committee that opening statements may be submitted for the record. Again, we are pleased to have a distinguished panel of witnesses before us today on this topic. The Honorable Mike Waltz, representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for the US Department of State and the Honorable Jeff Bartos, representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for UN Management and Reform for US Department of State. We're honored to have you both. Ambassador Waltz was honored to have you as a colleague here. This committee recognizes the importance of the issues before us and is grateful to have you here to speak with us. Your full statements will be made a part of the record. I'll ask each of you to keep your remarks as short as you can. I recognize you Ambassador Waltz for any opening statement that you would like to make.

[00:01:16]>> Well, thank you uh Chairman Mast and Ranking Member Meeks and members of the committee. It's good to see you again.

[00:01:21]It's good to be back. A little different to be on this side of the of the DAS, I have to admit.

[00:01:26]Uh, Mr. Chairman, colleagues, it should surprise no one uh that I share the view that the UN has drifted badly from its core mission. We've all seen it. And that's from my former constituents in Florida, to my UN colleagues who say the same thing every day to I think most of you this morning. My charge from President Trump is to help the UN realize its potential. We are getting the United Nations back to basics, back to maintaining the peace and maintaining security around the world.

[00:01:59]Unfortunately, the UN has tried to become all things to all people and has literally done nothing but grow for its 80year history. Its budget just in the last 25 years has tripled in size and I don't think we've seen a tripling of peace break out around the world. Uh we as part of our reform effort have worked with the UN which they have to do by consensus to cut its budget for the first time in its existence ever. We cut it by a billion dollars over the last 6 months alone. And by the way again that requires consensus of all 190 countries to agree on every line of the budget.

[00:02:41]Imagine if this body had to get all f if this Congress had to get 535 members uh to agree on a budget, but this gentleman, Ambassador Bartos and his team at all 190 countries to agree, and they should be, I think, appreciated for that. We've also eliminated 4,000 headquarters bureaucrats, cut peacekeepers by 25% around the world, and importantly, we've ended peacekeeping missions that have not lived up to their mandate, that have failed, those like UNIFIL and Lebanon.

[00:03:12]Uh we have made it clear that UNIFIL needs to stand down and negotiations are underway with what would replace it. We're also changing the way UN does development aid. Trump, who I do believe is a peace president, can use to help the United States deliver peace, share the burden, and advance an America first policy. And under President Trump, we drove a number of things and a number of successes the American people should be proud of. We drove a landmark Security Council resolution condemning Iran's attacks on its neighbors and the weaponization of the Straits of Ormuz. I hear all the time, we don't have countries that agree with us, that we don't have allies that agree with us. Yet, in this instance, we set a UN record.

[00:04:33]36 countries agreed with us that Iran's behavior is in absolute violation of international law. When President Trump proposed his 20point Gaza peace plan, we secured a security council endorsement without opposition of that plan. It now anchors an international stabilization force, local Palestinian government governance, a World Bank managed reconstruction fund funded largely by regional partners. Not American taxpayers. I say again, not American taxpayers. And for the first time in a decade, there are zero hostages in Gaza.

[00:05:09]Something that just six, seven months ago, everyone thought was impossible. In Haiti, Mr. Mr. Chairman, where you mentioned under the last administration, we had a billion dollars of US taxpayer dollars going to fund just a thousand Kenyan policemen where drugs, guns, thugs threaten the United States, our southern border, uh, Europe, West Africa, and the Caribbean. We now have a gang suppression force with an offensive mandate with international troops, franophhone troops, not US troops. and UN logistics have now cut our costs by 75%.

[00:05:45]In Western Sahara, we're pushing peace for the first time in 50 years, and our friends and adversaries are seeing what the UN can accomplish when it gets refocused, when it does fewer things better. Uh, look, uh, colleagues, there's still more to do. We certainly realize that there is more in our crosshairs for reform, slashing these ridiculous benefits programs. I think that would be quite hard to explain to your constituents why UN bureaucrats have private schools paid for yet our own constituents are struggling to go to their schools. A 17% pension contribution 17% more than anywhere else in the United States in the world that we're aware of. And we're fighting this year for a reform-minded Secretary General. Look, at the end of the day, we need more Americans serving in UN agencies, for our businesses and standard setting bodies, and for ultimately a UN that again does less better for the American people. Our charge is to make the UN great again.

[00:06:51]Thank you.

[00:06:52]>> Thank you, Ambassador Waltz. Ambassador Bartos, anything you'd like to add?

[00:06:58]>> Yes. Uh, just briefly, first, Chairman Mass, thank you for your hospitality.

[00:07:02]Thank you for being allowing us to be here. It's an honor to be with you uh ranking member Meeks uh and to your staff. We've had a wonderful working relationship both with the majority staff and the ranking member staff, the minority staff throughout my time. We've been at the post for about 10 months and worked very very closely with uh with the staff here and really appreciate the professionalism and the diligence of everyone we get a chance to work with.

[00:07:24]If I could just set the table, last July when Ambassador Waltz, Ambassador Letta and I sat for our confirmation hearings uh just across the way in the Senate in the foreign relations committee, we were told things like very fairly told, by the way, UN reform is an oxymoron. It's impossible. Uh some senators even said, "Good luck with that." My wife even asked me, "Why? Why are you doing this job? Uh it seems impossible." Uh but we hit the ground running in September.

[00:07:51]First day at work was the president's speech on the floor of the general assembly. And we have not come up for air. We have not stopped running hard since minute one of of putting our right hands up and taking the oath of office that we were all so honored to do. And this work is amazing the work we get to do. Ambassador Waltz and I wrote an op-ed in January uh just a couple months ago and it was entitled Reforming the UN was impossible until President Trump came along.

[00:08:18]And that is the spirit in which we've taken all of our work here and what we've achieved in six months with the president's vision and leadership with the secretary's support, vision, and leadership. And with the remarkable team we get to work with at the State Department, and of course with Ambassador Waltz's leadership as our chief of mission, as he said, we have achieved $1.1 billion in budget cuts across the regular budget and the peacekeeping budget. Not only is this historic reform, it has the first budget cut in the history of the 80 80-year history of the organization. And we did that in the last 6 months. 4,000 civilian posts cut. Um repatriating 25% of peacekeepers who were underperforming. That's diplomatic nice speak of saying these were these were sexual abusers. These were these were troops uh who were engaging in sexual exploitation and abuse. And because the US drove these reforms, force commanders had the political cover, those their words, not mine. They had the political cover to send home uh these abusers.

[00:09:16]First time really in a long time that they've been able to do that. Um culture at the UN. What have we done to address culture? Our team for for years has worked on before you as a troop contributing country, you could send equipment into theater, park it, and get reimbursed just for having it sit there.

[00:09:33]our team and I have a remarkable management reform team that I get to work with at the mission. They've been working on this for years, but we drove it through uh this spring uh in the contingent owned equipment working group. There is such a thing at the UN.

[00:09:45]Who knew? Uh we changed the way the culture of the UN. Now to get reimbursed, you have to put the equipment into use. It has to be used.

[00:09:53]It has to be working. It has to be effective. It has to go out on patrol.

[00:09:56]Saving 30 million a year when it's fully up and running. But more importantly, the culture of the UN. No longer are you getting paid for not doing anything. And these are such important foundational changes and chairman as you said as ambassador Waltz said we have what we have reached for uh thus far far exceeds our grasp. We have to go way further uh over the next two plus years to achieve real meaningful durable consequential reform. That's our charge from the president. But that's what we're doing every day. And so we bring as you and I have discussed there's so much work left to do. If I could just say also and the ambassador touched on this, the UN in standard setting bodies like the ITU, like WIPO, like IMO, we are bringing US leadership to make sure that our interests are not only preserved but also our interests lead because if we're not leading, our adversaries are waiting in the wings to do that. And so we are bringing that American leadership, that American innovation, that American focus to do just that. Um, I look forward to your questions. As I said, it's an honor to be here and thank you for having us.

[00:11:00]>> Thank you, Ambassador Bartos. Ranking member Meeks, do you want to forgo your questions?

[00:11:05]>> For go.

[00:11:06]>> Yeah.

[00:11:06]>> Never.

[00:11:07]>> You okay? Just checking.

[00:11:10]>> You're up.

[00:11:14]>> Uh, let me start this. I want to because this committee we have not had any real oversight on this uh war of choice of uh President Trump uh and and I know that uh Ambassador Waltz you've been the face of that at the UN uh and so I just have a few questions I want to ask you in that regards. You know, uh, the White House declared on June 19th that President Trump's ceasefire agreement with Iran, quote, ensures Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon, unquote.

[00:11:48]But the International Atomic Energy Agency, an organization in the UN system, has reported that its inspectors have been unable to access uh Iran's highlyenriched Ukrainian stockpile or previously declared nuclear facilities for nearly a year. So, I'm going to ask you a simple question because I'm trying to figure this out since we have not had uh any oversight in this regards and and any hearings on it. Um I'm going to take advantage of this. Can the IAEA account today for all of Iran's enriched uranium and verify that Iran has not moved nuclear material or equipment to undeclared locations? Do you know? Yes. Yes or no?

[00:12:34]>> Uh thank you ranking members. In terms of oversight, I'll note that Secretary Rubio has testified before this committee this year. Um but in terms of the IEA, you're you're absolutely right.

[00:12:45]uh Iran is not allowing uh the inspectors access to the sites uh in um contravention of its obligations of the nuclear non-prololiferation treaty.

[00:12:55]Unfortunately, that's one of the things uh that our technical negotiators are negotiating now. We are in constant contact with uh the director general Raphael Gi. Uh Iran has to let those inspectors back in. By contrast, you have the United Arab Emirates just over the Gulf with a uh civilian nuclear program that does allow the inspectors full access.

[00:13:18]>> Confuses Iran kicked the inspectors out.

[00:13:21]They have to let him back in.

[00:13:22]>> What confuses me is that the president will then tells the American people on June 19th that his ceasefire agreement has eliminated Iran's path to a nuclear weapon. So why would he say that if in fact what you just said that the IAEA cannot verify and there's no one else verified so that it has not been eliminated. But at one time the president said because of this agreement that he made that the uh that Iran's uh uh path to a nuclear weapon have been eliminated. In fact he also said that they was completely annihilated uh you know on June 19th etc. But it seems as though he was not telling the truth then. Uh and now we hear something else differently then. So that's what I'm concerned about is uh you know what what the president is talking about because it is the president that tore up the JCPOA in his first term. Uh and uh and I believe that uh you told Fox News on June 22nd that quote uh that what we never saw with Obama or the Obama administration trying to do the CPO the JCPOA 2.0 was a credible military option on the table. Now we've spent the DoD budget has uh almost tripled and I don't see more peace that's happening there.

[00:14:41]The American people is uh is paying for that. So I I um uh look there was a pursued you pursued the milit the military action. It has cost at least 37.5 billion according to Pete Hexf and others say up to 100 billion.

[00:15:01]So what I'm trying to find out and what I'm asking you before I move to the UN real quick, what has this war achieved on the nuclear threat that diplomacy, sanctions, inspections, and allied coordination did not?

[00:15:14]>> Well, number one, going to the UN, we have snapback sanctions that are back in place. The U the international community has joined the United States and that maximum pressure that is >> in place with the with the JCPOA also.

[00:15:27]>> Uh well that the actual no I'm sorry.

[00:15:32]the the sanctions were lifted. They were snapped back under this administration.

[00:15:36]Number one. Number two, you're right.

[00:15:38]The Iranians cheated under JCPOA. That was exposed. The IAA verified that there were sites that they hid that were not discovered under that agreement and that they were growing their nuclear program.

[00:15:48]President Trump did obliterate the nuclear program last June. But now, but it is very clear the Iranians still intend to reconstitute it. They still intend to enrich and they still have highlyenriched and they still have highenriched uranium that we have to deal with negotiate wasn't over $4. Food prices were not going up. We were not spending nearly a billion dollars almost a day. The he's coming back now asking the Senate and we'll be asking the House about 300 for 300 billion dollars more.

[00:16:18]There's not been he's not come to Congress. Uh he has not talked about and talked with us on how we end this war.

[00:16:25]Secretary Rubio has been before Congress. Secretary >> and he has not answered the question also. So I'm taking advantage of everybody that is coming here because unfortunately there's been no oversight in this committee and you have been the face of this war at the UN. Sir, ranking member and proud to be here. [snorts] >> Thank you Ranking Member Meeks. You may not recall the oversight of Secretary Rubio just about a month ago because you left halfway through and never came back. So maybe you forgot about it. That might make sense. I'm going to recognize my representative. Well, you must have.

[00:16:55]>> I did not. He did not. He has not. Have we had And he came here.

[00:16:59]>> You probably don't remember because you missed half of it.

[00:17:01]>> I didn't miss half of it. I could see it in my office.

[00:17:03]>> He missed half.

[00:17:03]>> You don't know what I missed.

[00:17:04]>> So, I know what you missed. I know you weren't. I know you weren't sitting here.

[00:17:07]>> I know you have not had any hearings and oversight.

[00:17:10]>> I know you weren't sitting here next to the rest.

[00:17:12]>> Hey, Mike. Nothing ever changes.

[00:17:15]>> Well, this was him when he was here.

[00:17:17]>> Also, I I would thank you for attending Monday's classified briefing. I think it might have been the first one you attended. So, thank you for attending that. But, Representative McCll, you're recognized.

[00:17:26]>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ambassador Waltz. Great to see you again. It's great to see a friend and a former colleague in this position. Uh, and let me just say, I think you're doing an outstanding job. Reforming the United Nations is quite a daunting task. as uh Ambassador Bartos, you mentioned your wife questioning your sanity and taking on the job, but I commend you for it. Uh let me just I want to follow up with Iran. You know, since 1979, a dark veil of terror has reigned over the Middle East. This, in my judgment, was a reckoning that was eventually going to happen. It was unavoidable with this regime as long as the regime is in power. I commend this president for being the first president to take on this regime and Iran on its path to a nuclear bomb.

[00:18:20]Negotiating in the past hasn't worked.

[00:18:22]Uh I have to be honest with you, Ambassador. I'm not sanguin about the current negotiations. I understand we have to give that a chance and give peace a chance. We have to try to negotiate. But I do think that as um Reagan said peace through strength as Cole Pal talked about the the PAL doctrine either you go all in to win or you get the hell out of there. Um I right now they're reconstituting their centrifuges uh in underground storage facilities. Um and they're their launch pads are still striking. It is my sincere hope and it's not your responsibility but this that the president unleashes our department of war on Iran. I know that's what is happening now to take out the launch pads, to take out the IRGC, to let MSAD and Israel do its job because I think as long as this regime's in power, we're going to continue to have this problem. And Russia providing targeting information is absolutely unacceptable uh from my point of view and I think from the United States point of view.

[00:19:33]I'm really pleased to see the White House join with Lindsey Graham as I went to Ukraine. His last wishes were his Russian sanctions bill to pass.

[00:19:44]I will be introducing that in the Congress here today. Uh and I want to thank the White House for its work there because nothing will end that war sooner than passing that sanctions bill. It's a path to peace, not a path to war. My question to you is the Straits of Horm Moose, we're a nate net neck game producer.

[00:20:05]We don't really even have to rely on this. We are doing this to the benefit of our European allies. Uh the UN Security Council, you know, I want to ask you where where is the UN Security Council? I applaud the president as well for getting the Gulf States involved to help finance this operation because it's in their best interest to open up these straits. I think it's a very doable thing if we unleash our military and allow them to do what they do best, sir.

[00:20:38]And you know the military better than I do. They're fully capable of accomplishing uh this mission. I know that's not the hat you wear today, but I'd like for you to comment on the overall status of the Straits and what role, if any, or are you know the Gulf States, but I think the Gulf States are stepping up. What role any is the United Nations and Security Council playing in this?

[00:21:05]>> Well, thank you. And just to set the table for for the answer, I want to answer that very specifically. You're absolutely right. Iran has been at war with the United States since 1979. Has killed thousands of my fellow servicemen in Iraq, in Lebanon, in the Gulf, uh, literally all over the world, in addition to its plots here in the United States and to kill the president of the United States and members uh, of his cabinet. Yet, Iran is in the worst place, is in the weakest place it has been through a combination of both military and diplomacy. uh in in its war against the United States in Lebanon. Uh you have the Lebanese government. You had the president here yesterday and today. You have Lebanon negotiating with Israel for the first time. You have the Assad regime is gone. Uh and probably the most hope in Syria that we've seen in a generation. You just had the Iraqi president here in Texas signing deals with American oil uh and gas companies.

[00:22:05]uh and the Iranian regime is literally cratering economically, militarily uh and and at war, frankly, with its own people in addition to the region. To your point on the streets of Warmouth, Secretary Bessant just said yesterday, China, the main buyer of Iran, illegal Iranian oil, has cut its purchases by half and nobody else wants to buy it.

[00:22:26]The blockade is absolutely working. And then on the UN, uh look, we've had uh Iran absolutely diplomatically isolated.

[00:22:35]We may not pay a a lot of attention to what happens in the UN Security Council here in our media, but I can tell you around the rest of the world. They are glued to every word. It's the only forum Iran really has on the global stage. And a 140 countries have sided with us and condemned their attacks on civilian shipping, the mines that they're putting in international waterways, uh, and their, um, and their violations of international law across the board.

[00:23:01]Keeping them diplomatically isolated is my job. And as the ranking member mentioned, we also have sanctions authority. The snapback sanctions that were lifted under the JCPOA are now back in place and the rest of the world has joined us in that economic isolation.

[00:23:16]>> Thank you, sir. Representative Sherman.

[00:23:19]Uh I thank Mr. McCall for pointing out that America is self-sufficient in oil.

[00:23:25]Our oil does not go through the straight of Hormuz. If we prohibited the export of American oil except for refine and return, then we would be paying American prices for American oil. Instead, the president has decided that we need to pay that world price to the great enrichment of American oil producers that have done nothing except sell us the same oil at the same gas stations now for a much higher price. The ranking member was correct to point out that this committee has not provided oversight for this horrendous war in Iran. But even more timely is that we need hearings in this committee about the uh proposed nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. Now, there are those who think that the Saudi uh that the Saudi possession of nuclear technology is totally benign, but I've been involved in this for a long time.

[00:24:23]And I remember when the most powerful monarch in the Middle East was a good friend of America. And the Sha got his hands on important US military technology. Thank God nothing nuclear.

[00:24:35]And everything the Sha had in 1978 was in the Muller's hands in 1979. We have no idea who is going to be running Saudi Arabia 10 years from now. Um Mr. Waltz, uh the administration has decided to share certain elements of the nuclear cooperation agreement uh with the press and so all I have is press reports. Have you read the agreement?

[00:25:04]Uh Mr. Charman, I have seen the agreement. Uh any chance we'll get to see the agreement? uh could you provide it to us perhaps today perhaps uh e either in a classified session or an open session?

[00:25:15]>> I would happily take that for the record and that's obviously to the secretary and the president what he should >> as to the secretary. Let me point out that Senator Rubio and I in 2018 introduced the No Nuclear Weapons for Saudi Arabia Act, which mandated that any agreement with Saudi Arabia would have to have the affirmative approval of the United States Congress. And I miss Senator Rubio. The Secretary Rubio takes a completely different position. Now, the press reports indicate >> Can I just be clear for the record? I I understood you to mean theou that with Iran. I have not seen any proposal about Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia. So you have not.

[00:26:01]>> Oh, so you have not read Okay. Well, then he won't share it with you or us uh until some later date. He'll have to share it with us at a later date. Um but the press reports indicate that there'll be no that Saudi Arabia is not agreeing to the additional protocol.

[00:26:19]The United Arab Emirates did agree to the additional protocol. Is there any reason we should be bombing Iran because they won't agree to limit their nuclear program while telling Saudi Arabia we give them the green light and they don't even have to agree to these additional?

[00:26:37]>> Absolutely. There's been half a dozen uh UN resolutions saying Iran cannot and should not have a nuclear weapon.

[00:26:45]Reclaiming my time. Reclaiming my time.

[00:26:48]There's a reason we should be.

[00:26:49]>> Mr. Chairman, can you keep order? Saudi Arabia. It's kind of a ridiculous.

[00:26:52]>> Mr. Chairman, can you keep order?

[00:26:53]>> You asked him a question. He's trying to answer.

[00:26:55]>> I reclaimed my time. Who owns the time?

[00:26:58]>> That's not a real thing.

[00:26:59]>> It's It's not a real thing for members of this committee to control their five minutes of time.

[00:27:04]>> You asked a question. That's >> And I got a filibuster and I stopped the filibuster. Wasting your time with me >> to hear uh this side of the aisle. I look forward to this committee being run in accordance with committee rules and only the departure from committee rules prevents us from exposing the great hypocrisy here. Saudi Arabia is not agreeing to the additional inspections that could make sure that their program is not used for nuclear uh uh to develop a nuclear weapon. We have no idea who will be running Saudi Arabia 10 years from now. We are bombing Iran because they insist upon enriching and reprocessing. We are uh entering into an agreement with Saudi Arabia, giving them the green light to reprocess and to enrich. We are uh and and the only difference I see here is that Westinghouse stands to make an awful lot of money on this deal whereas the Iranians were not enriching American companies. Uh, I look forward to having a uh a process with Congress where you'll tell us what you're doing and I uh hope that Senator Rubio will return to us and insist that Congress approve any agreement. I know that someone will introduce uh or I predict someone will introduce a resolution of disapproval and I invite members of this committee who have worked with us to prevent nuclear weapons in the Middle East from non-democratic countries to join in that effort. I yield back. Representative yields back just so everybody knows. I shouldn't have to tell people this, but if you ask the witnesses a question, I'm not going to prevent them from answering you. I would think that's common sense.

[00:28:47]Representative Smith, you're recogniz the time belongs to the member.

[00:28:52]>> Time is not time member.

[00:28:54]>> Well, I'm gonna have this regular order in this hearing.

[00:28:58]>> There there's order. He asked a question. The witness was trying to answer. You know, >> the witness was trying to filibuster.

[00:29:03]>> This is your guys ask questions. His determination to make sure >> you ask about Rubio's shoes and you don't want answers about his shoes.

[00:29:10]>> He controls the time.

[00:29:14]>> Members controls the time. as you seem unfamiliar with the rules of this committee.

[00:29:17]>> Members control the >> Don't ask questions. Not a witness.

[00:29:20]>> Don't ask questions if you don't want control. Well, the witnesses can't answer yes or no. Also, >> they can answer. You got to give them a chance.

[00:29:26]>> They don't answer.

[00:29:27]>> They try to filibuster.

[00:29:28]>> They don't if you talk over them.

[00:29:30]>> They try to filibuster.

[00:29:33]>> Consider yourself warned. You ask them a question, they're going to have the opportunity.

[00:29:37]>> We got to apply by the rules of this committee. The members control the time.

[00:29:41]You are not going to control the time of the members of at least this side of the aisle. The members control their own time. They determine whether or not their question is being answered or not.

[00:29:50]They determine because they only have five minutes whether they want to move on to another question. We're not going to have a situation where witnesses can filibuster and members can't ask the questions they want to answer.

[00:30:01]>> Let me just not rule in this committee.

[00:30:03]>> You will have a situation. I want you to be, you know, make sure you understand because sometimes you leave and you don't come back. I want you to understand that if your members ask a question, the witness are going to have the opportunity to answer. Um whether you leave and come back, it'll be the same rule. So just so you know, >> this is not high school trying to represent recognized.

[00:30:20]>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And first of all, let me just say a very special thanks to ambassadors Wallace and Bartos for your extraordinary leadership, your tenacity, your vision. I am so glad we have the A team at the United Nations and you are indeed that. You know, in 2011, I would note parathetically, even President Obama cut off funding to UNESCO, and I remember it well, uh, because of their rampant anti-semitism.

[00:30:43]Uh, so withholding funding to an egregiously flawed institution or agency is in the best interests of not only the United Nations, but of course, the United States of America. So, thank you for that. I do want to thank you for working and [clears throat] pushing so hard uh to to reform a system that is so egregiously flawed and broken. So many of the agencies, it is in disrepair, including peacekeeping. Uh you know, I went to Darur and I went to Sudan several times, but in Darur, I met with the peacekeepers when they first were deployed. Found out they were getting a dollar a day. Came back, talked to Conisa Rice, our Secretary of State, said this is outrageous. And of course she worked to reform that and to fix that. Uh in 2005 I became aware that UN peacekeepers in the Congo were raping little children. Ambassador Swing was in charge of that mission. When I raised these issues I was dismissed and then dissed. So I went there and I met with the people. I ran into an OIO Mounty who was in charge of investigating. He was a font of information. came back here, had four hearings on it and said, "How dare they? They they go in there to protect and they're raping little children 10, 12 years old, and for a meal, these kids were being exploited by UN peacekeepers." Kofi and to his credit, tried to reform it. And then what did he do? He turned around um it was he had a zero tolerance policy and he repatriated people who were, you know, committing these crimes. And then I had another hearing because we soon found out and the hearing was called zero compliance with the zero tolerance uh towards human trafficking. I say that as the author of the trafficking victims protection act of 2000 and four other anti-human trafficking laws. I take this seriously and the UN has to be on the side absolutely of protection. So thank you for what you're doing there as well on Nigeria. Mike Secretary Waltz, thank you for your leadership on Nigeria. You are the one of the few people I know who is deployed there to try to help protect those who are being slaughtered including the Christians. Yes, Muslims get killed too uh if they speak out.

[00:32:55]Christians get targeted because of the infidels and the radical Islamic belief is you deserve to die and whether it be Boka Haram, ISIS West Africa or the fani uh we need to do more and you have taken the lead on that and I and you might want to speak to that if you would because I think Nigeria is one of those cases where if the government gets serious and I mean really serious they can come off the CPC designation but do so by meriting it. I yield.

[00:33:22]Well, uh, thank you, Representative Smith, and thank you for your long history of taking these issues on and actually getting out there on the ground to see them, uh, firsthand rather than opining from DC. And, and I will say, I have to give credit where credit's due.

[00:33:36]Secretary Gutish has taken on the issue in a meaningful way of not just peacekeepers, but it's often local vendors being paid by the UN who are conducting this type of abuse on uh, Nigeria. Yes, we are taking the persecution of Christians very seriously. Um, I have to say I did not have Nicki Minaj on my dance card, but to have her with her global following at the UN to put a spotlight on this issue was a real honor. And I think it's one of the things uh the UN can do well in terms of having that global platform and having the entire world right there in New York. And we've seen uh the Nigerian government move as a response to the president's attention, our attention, her attention, and others on the issue.

[00:34:21]They're cooperating with us more than they were on counterterrorism. They're cooperating in terms of their security force capacity. They still have some work to do, frankly, in terms of the Sharia law that is in place in many of these local provinces. And make no mistake, churches are being burned, pastors are being executed, uh people are being arrested literally for just wearing a cross around their neck. Uh and the Christian religion is the most persecuted religion in the world right now. And this administration and I, as its representative at the UN, are taking it incredibly seriously in every action that we can.

[00:34:59]>> I do thank you so much for that. you know, on anti-semitism. I'm almost out of time, but um the UN has been accused credibly in many of its agencies of being profoundly anti-semitic, including UNRA um which is a child soldier factory where you teach a kid uh a Palestinian youth from his earliest days to hate Jews and to hate America. And I've read their documents. I've had hearings on the textbooks. So, I'm out of time. So, u thank you for the work that you're doing in that room as well.

[00:35:28]>> Representative Keading, >> Mr. Mr. Chairman, may I just a quick quick response to on the work we're doing on combating anti-semitism?

[00:35:36]May I very briefly uh Representative Smith, thank you for the point. Uh the UN's really at a crossroads since the day we landed, but really even before that, the president came into office with a focus on this and his leadership and vision, the secretary and and everyone we work with at state has been focused on this issue. Uh the UN's at a crossroads. It does a lot of good work in the field in the humanitarian space, really important work. And at the same time, it employs a lunatic like Franchesca Albanz, an absolute lunatic, a a violent anti-American, anti- capitalist, anti-West, anti-Jude Christian, anti-Jew, anti-Israel bigot.

[00:36:12]She puts on that UN uniform and she it's such a disservice to the brave humanitarians who are out in the field risking their lives for total strangers.

[00:36:21]And it does such a disservice to the brand of the UN. It is the greatest self-sabotage as a businessman I've ever seen in my business career that the UN allows its brand to be soiled and spoiled by this bigot. And the UN has a decision to make with a new secretary general coming in. Are they going to continue to tolerate this bigotry, this hatred of America and the West and Jews and Israel? Or are they going to move in a new direction? And we are watching, not only watching very closely, we have a great team that works on it every day.

[00:36:47]And we are, rest assured, sir, we are going to hold them accountable.

[00:36:51]>> Representative Keing. Ambassador Waltz, uh, in your opening statement, you took great pride in pointing out, uh, the hundreds of countries that sided with the US, uh, on given resolutions.

[00:37:03]And uh I just want to note uh a point of shame to the brought to this country when the US sided with a three countries Russia, Bellarus and North Korea and refusing to condemn Russia's actions uh illegal actions, illegal aggression against Ukraine and denied supporting their territorial integrity. Prior to uh being in Congress, uh I was a district attorney. I had my own sexual assault unit, uh my own sexual assault investigatory unit, prosecutorial unit.

[00:37:36]I started a a child advocacy uh to treat children that were victims of sexual assault. And I worked with regional and federal-based task force dealing with human trafficking, particularly trafficking of children.

[00:37:52]And in Congress, I had the opportunity to travel and to uh hold a hearing uh with Ukrainian, mostly uh women on the ground risking their lives in a hot war zone uh trying to bring rescue, recovery, and treatment to children that were sexually assaulted by Russian soldiers. The stories they told me were horrific. Serial rapes occurring to young children with Russian soldiers starting in the morning, continuing through the day and all night with their parents and grandparents being forced to witness this terrible, terrible examples of sexual assault uh time and time again and war crimes with Ukraine.

[00:38:38]Now I want to ask you given all that and given my experience knowing that we're going to combat this. We have to do this uh on uh an international basis and a regional basis to be successful the way I was with those task force. Uh why did the US withdraw from the UN on key offices? the offices for children in armed conflict, the office of sexual violence in conflict, the office of violence against children. Why would the US ever withdraw given what I just laid out, given what Russia's doing, but given what's happening all over the world? Why would they ever withdraw for that?

[00:39:21]Congressman, I would not conflate the our evaluation of the effectiveness of a particular office of an organization versus caring about the issue. I just last week hosted with Tim Tibo and the Tibo Foundation.

[00:39:35]>> Thank you for your point, sir. I know.

[00:39:36]Can I answer your question?

[00:39:39]>> You answered that. Now I'm taking your answer that you gave me and I'm asking you another question.

[00:39:44]>> Sure.

[00:39:44]>> And I wasted time doing it. Don't filibuster me. Listen, it's 10 seconds.

[00:39:48]You just said you just said you were talking about having agencies that you didn't have control over that were ineffective. Okay, let's talk about one that the Trump administration does have control over that does have the ability to shape and that's the State Department.

[00:40:05]If that's the case, why did the Trump administration when it has control with the State Department, why did they fire 70% of the department's trafficking in person's office? uh and that office as you know uh closes legal gaps and deals with online exploitation sexual exploitation of children. The office develops protection and partnerships with foreign countries with the goal of strengthening that capacity, preventing and effectively prosecuting and convicting child traffickers. So all right, you don't want you just want to dismiss the meager probably monies that it takes to deal with international you had control.

[00:40:47]>> President Trump just signed this year an executive order. President Trump just signed this year an executive order getting after in a very serious way sexual exploitation of children. I just hosted a major event at the UN around the sexual exploitation with INL with T with the International Law Enforcement with the UN Office of Drugs Control. You're subjectively the Tibo Foundation perspective. What is it?

[00:41:13]No, I'm giving you an answer. The president takes this very seriously. You just don't like the answer. This is a great I wonder how you would have reacted when you one headong into your witness to answer the question very seriously. The first lady cut 70% of the people Ukrainian children from Russian camps. The first lady herself is going after this executive order and we know how they're working out. The executive order deals it has force of law as you are. Your administration is sitting there withdrawing from having a place at the table on these critical issues and you're sitting there putting >> I just gave you three examples of how we're taking the being the most important thing and you're hurting children. US should be a leader in this.

[00:41:59]They shouldn't be withdrawing from this.

[00:42:00]They shouldn't be cutting personnel from this.

[00:42:03]>> I yield back.

[00:42:05]>> Mr. Kitty, would you like an extra 5 seconds where he was answering you earlier?

[00:42:10]>> Sir, I was answering the in part question that was there. He kept trying to filibuster. Let's not have this hearing about filibustering. What goes around comes around.

[00:42:19]>> Just wanted to make sure you didn't want an extra 5 seconds when he tried to answer. Uh, Representative Wilson.

[00:42:24]>> Thank you very much. Chairman Brian Mast and indeed thank both of you for being here today and I particularly appreciate Secretary Walls your last your lifelong achievements uh as a graduate of Virginia Military Institute uh and uh for the people of the United States military service public service. Thank you. Uh and Mr. Vartos, we appreciate UVA Law School too. Uh with that in mind, I want to congratulate you on your success implementing a streamlined US mission to the United Nations. For far too long, America has helped foot the bill for programs that are undermining American national security. Your success has amplified the reform so appreciated by former UN ambassador Nikki Haley.

[00:43:06]Friends of freedom and democracy are to be recognized in totalitarian dictatorships promoting to terrorism are exposed by you and former ambassador Haley. Additionally, uh I'm really concerned uh that uh to assist you, I've addressed a letter to you and Secretary Rubio uh requesting a review of certain UN officials who are promoting extremist and anti-semitic ideologies. These bureaucrats have called for the arrest of President Donald Trump and Secretary Heget. They have called for minimize they have minimized Hamas atrocities dismissing murderous rapes that claiming they didn't occur. Additionally, they have questioned democracy while visiting Thrron in praising Havana, Cuba. With that in mind, I'd like to uh submit uh the letter for the record.

[00:43:58]>> Without objection.

[00:43:59]>> Additionally, uh Mr. Ambassador, under your leadership, I appreciate your efforts to address diversion of critical aid to prevent food and other critical aid to provide that it go to those intended instead of being diverted to dictatorships. What's the status of reforms to uh pro protect programs that really are legitimate?

[00:44:23]Ambassador Waltz or both?

[00:44:26]Well, I'll just tell you from a from a broader sense that we have uh worked at the aid diversion program by pooling uh our funding by downsizing the number of agencies uh that receive some of the funding. Again, that doesn't mean we don't care about the issue. It means we're trying to make it much more effective. I can tell you representative how many times across Africa and the Middle East that I pulled up to a ministry in a small country. It has maybe six people in it and there's 18 UN cars outside from 18 different agencies.

[00:44:59]All well-meaning but highly highly uh inefficient. So we've pulled that funding. We've forced a number of these agencies to use shared warehousing, aviation fleets, vehicle fleets, shipping uh mechanisms so that more cents on the dollar actually gets to people in need. And they now have uh the UN organization called OCHA now has data up on a dashboard publicly available. We are auditing that data. We are uh providing that kind of oversight, but the entire world can see now where that money is going. That level of transparency was not there just a year ago. and and indeed to get the aid to the people rather than diverted to dictatorships to maintain their power.

[00:45:38]With that in mind too, President Trump has acted courageously to destroy the Iranian nuclear capability. It was envoy Steve Woff who identified that uh Iran was bragging that they could provide 11 bombs uh with the capabilities they had.

[00:45:54]Uh and it should be uh reminded to the American people simultaneously they're chanting death to Israel, death to America. And so it's not a hypothetical of what they might be doing. With that in mind, Mr. and Ambassador Walls, you've said our relationship with the Gulf allies has never been stronger, which I agree with.

[00:46:12]Additionally, they've all thanked uh the United States and President Trump for acting before Iran could destroy the region with nuclear weapons. With that in mind, uh the only country that has not adjacent to uh Iran that has been helpful is the Republic of Georgia. Uh the rigged elections in Georgia uh by the Georgian Dream Party has resulted in a a political party which is anti-American, pro- Iranian. Uh what's being done to strengthen our allies and then uh try to reform uh enemies?

[00:46:49]Well, I would just add uh importantly to the countries that don't necessarily neighbor Iran, but that have been incredibly helpful. Uh Jordan uh as well um which as you know was just struck uh and has been struck repeatedly, not just uh as a result of this conflict was struck and where he lost servicemen uh and women under the last administration as well. I'll have to take that for the for uh the record, Representative Wilson. in terms of our specific actions in Georgia, there's not a large UN presence uh there and I don't know if Ambassador Bartos you wanted to comment.

[00:47:21]>> Representative Wilson, I just want to say thank you for your leadership on the issue of the special raper tours. I made reference to one lunatic uh franchise.

[00:47:29]Unfortunately, she's first among equals amongst the crazies, but she's not the only crazy and your letter is really important. And just to give a couple quick example, uh there's a special raptor on unilateral coercive measures that we happen to know has received over $1 million in foreign funding from countries like China. And rest rest assured, sir, uh that our administration is taking action and that every option, sir, is on the table.

[00:47:51]>> Well, we have faith in both of you.

[00:47:53]Thank you for your service.

[00:47:54]Representative