from the audience. let's have a look at that. now i want to hand it over to the president of ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. ladies and gentlemen, president putin. president putin? he can beat president putin! president zelensky, i'm so focussed on heating putin, we got to worry about it. anyway, mr president... i'm better. you are a hell of a lot better. president biden has spent the week fending off calls for him to step down as the democrat party's presumptive presidential nominee from more than a dozen members of his own party in congress. the latest appeal comes from arizona congressman greg stanton, hawaii congressman ed case, illinois congressman bradley schneider and michigan congresswoman hillary scholten. but allies of the president, including delaware senator chris coons — continue to rally publicly around mr biden. it comes a day after

peter welch of vermont become the first democratic senator to call for biden to withdraw. mr biden�*s aides insist the election contest remains close, despite the overwhelmingly negative reaction to his tv debate with donald trump. however — allies of the president including delaware senator chris coons — continue to rally publicly around mr biden. joinng me live from california is former democratic congresswoman for california, jane harman. thanks indeed forjoining us on bbc news. we are a few moments away from this press conference thatjoe biden is to deliver. how higher the stakes for him tonight, do you think? film. how higher the stakes for him tonight, do you think? oh, it's a big deal- _ tonight, do you think? oh, it's a big deal. there _ tonight, do you think? oh, it's a big deal. there will- tonight, do you think? oh, it's a big deal. there will be - tonight, do you think? oh, it's a big deal. there will be a - a big deal. there will be a huge viewership and everyone agrees that the debate was a colossal disappointment. and now, there is a circularfiring squad going on in my party, the democratic party. where people

are trying to say more reasons why they think he should step down. what i think he is he should prove, which i think he's capable of proving, that he's capable of proving, that he's a very capable, a good president and he's our best bet to beat donald trump. let's understand that donald trump, vladimir putin, may be victor or bun who will be leading with donald trump during this press conference, i guess in washington or someplace, they have to be salivating at the idea that democrats are pushing the wrong president off his stage. what is coming next? if we had a good plan b and president biden agreed that this is the way to go, that would be a different story, but that's not where we are. today is the last day i think, or second to last day of the nato summit in washington which has gone extremely well. i did hear you play that gaffe when biden was introducing zelensky an hour or so ago. he recovered quickly but to remind people

and i'm someone that's known biden since he was a junior senator, he's gaffe prone. some of us are. do we all wish that we were 20 years younger, certainly i do. but my point is, his presidency really holds its own, his achievements are in more of us and the nato alliance is as strong, stronger than it's ever been, since its founding in 75 years ago in 1949, andi founding in 75 years ago in 1949, and i give the guy i949, and i give the guy credit. and one more point. there could be malign influence in all this, disinformation, misinformation, much of it or some of it coming from foreign sources, i've talked to some very senior people in the administration who think this may be possible. i hope that if this is discovered, the fact about it are put out. and don't think it will stop necessarily evenif think it will stop necessarily even if biden is pushed out. and we have a new team or vice president kamala harris or whatever we have. the

chattering is going to continue. i chattering is going to continue.— continue. i suppose, congresswoman, - continue. i suppose, congresswoman, wej continue. i suppose, - congresswoman, we are continue. i suppose, _ congresswoman, we are hearing this directly from members of your party, it's not coming from some source they can claim it is not coming from them, it's coming from their own statements and so on. just going back to what you said president by needing to prove himself to for you personally see need to prove anything or as far as your concert, he is the best person to be the nominee for your party? well, i think he is _ nominee for your party? well, i think he is the _ nominee for your party? well, i think he is the best _ nominee for your party? well, i think he is the best person. - nominee for your party? well, i think he is the best person. i i think he is the best person. i don't have a plan b what that would be better than president biden, i think he has earned it. ithink biden, i think he has earned it. i think he has to do a good job, i agree, it. i think he has to do a good job, iagree, but let's it. i think he has to do a good job, i agree, but let's talk about members of congress. you know, i was one for many, many years. they read material and are influenced by constituents, again i make the point that some of this may be missed or disinformation. the things that they are reading. i respect their views, a member of congress, i would their views, a member of congress, iwould hope, would have independent views. that's what our congress is for. so

i'm not criticising them for their views, i'm not criticising them for theirviews, i'mjust saying i'm not criticising them for their views, i'm just saying as a party, as a democratic party, a party, as a democratic party, a member of the democratic party, you really have to have a plan b if this action that they are supporting, i'm not, is to to succeed. and one more comment, i did watch the arab spring and some other efforts at regime change over the years, it's easy to topple someone, it's hard to stand up something better. think egypt or think any number of places around the world. so i sure hope that very responsible ideas are surfacing in, in quarters where people are determined to have a different president. i haven't heard those yet, i mean i've heard maybe kamala harris will succeed him, and maybe she should, i'm not knocking her. but how would that happen and who would the price vice

president then become and with the time price in the process, and the democratic national convention, it can't be just freefall. if it's freefall we know who takes advantage of that. . , �* that. 0k, and 'ust while we're chatting. — that. 0k, and 'ust while we're chatting. just — that. 0k, and just while we're chatting, just on _ that. 0k, and just while we're chatting, just on the - that. 0k, and just while we're chatting, just on the other - chatting, just on the other side of our screen there we can see the podium were president biden will hold this press conference shortly, we are told. he hasn't done a press conference like this for many months, we are told it could be in the region of 20—30 minutes long, it will be unscripted and of course, such as the nature of course, such as the nature of press conference and he will take questions from the other journalists there. when you're making those points, congresswoman, the concerns for many in your party, they've been saying when they watched that debate which was only two weeks ago today, it feels like a lot longer in many ways, but when they watched that, they said they could see for themselves thatjoe biden now is not the joe themselves thatjoe biden now is not thejoe biden of those decades long of public service. can you understand the concerns

that perhaps they have? film. that perhaps they have? 0h, totall , that perhaps they have? 0h, totally. i _ that perhaps they have? 0h, totally. i can _ that perhaps they have? oi totally, i can understand that perhaps they have? oi, totally, i can understand them and ifirst totally, i can understand them and i first saw him when he was and i first saw him when he was a 29—year—old, or i guess, just 30, because you have to be 30 to serve in the senate, his wife and young daughter had died in car crashes, two sons were in the hospital, he looks 12 years old and i saw the exact opposite biden. this one is much, much older. i'm not discounting that. i'm just saying let's measure what he offers against what donald trump offers. and let's think that if he's not there, what team do democrats have beat donald trump? i'm saying that i'm betting on biden because i think that we have, in him, someone who can beat donald trump, and i know the poll numbers are getting closer, but polls are fickle, politics is endless, three more months to go is basically three years in politics, so i'm not at all sure that people should make

the decision right this minute. this is an important press conference, it does matter how he handles it, it does matter not to have repeats of that press conference, but it also does matter that this man is achieving a lot and i saw him on the world stage this week in washington at the nato summit and that summit, and that organisation is strong and revised, especially, not exclusively, because of his leadership. exclusively, because of his leadership-— exclusively, because of his leadershit. �* ., ,, ., ., leadership. and congresswoman, when ou leadership. and congresswoman, when you were — leadership. and congresswoman, when you were talking _ leadership. and congresswoman, when you were talking about - leadership. and congresswoman, when you were talking about all l when you were talking about all those important points that face the presidents, pace united states, the national conversation for in many ways for the last week or two has been around the capacity of the president and not on all of those other important issues. he has bedded down, he is defiant, he said he's not going anywhere, he is the person running, assuming he continues in that track and we have no reason to doubt that, how does the democratic party get a handle on this and get back to campaigning, get back to running the country? well, with

difficul . running the country? well, with difficulty- i'm — running the country? well, with difficulty. i'm not— running the country? well, with difficulty. i'm not saying, - running the country? well, with difficulty. i'm not saying, i - difficulty. i'm not saying, i said this was a circular firing squad,it said this was a circular firing squad, it is. i'm questioning where all this material is coming from, and suggesting there could be malign influence, either in the united states or from outside of the united states. and i would suggest it will continue. what has to happen in orderfor biden to win is for the democratic party and independent voters to pull together and to decide that the biggest challenge isn't biden�*s age, but the perspective leadership of donald trump who is telling us exactly what he will do and with respect to nato, it's certainly in the wrong direction. and i think the variety of other things as well, certainly a woman's right to choose, something is personally important to me and my family and most of the women i know. so there is a number of contrast issues, the democratic party has to find a way to come

together, hopefully around this president, if not for some kind of certain plan b. i'm not suggesting that should happen, i don't know what that would be coming you know, it can't be planned chaos or unplanned chaos, but come together so the contrast can be made between our candidate and the republican candidate. and if we can't do that, we can't win. 0k, former congresswoman for california, jane harmon, to stay with us if you can, joining me now is foreign affairs journalist christina ruffini. and on that last point the congresswoman was addressing, how does the democratic party deal with this? it's been two weeks were almost all that's been talked about isjoe biden�*s capacity and we see that death just a short time ago where he called president zelensky president clinton. i think the democratic party itself is figuring out how to answer that question so i can't answer that question so i can't answer it because they don't know how to answer it. i was talking to someone who is a

member of the administration during the debate and i was texting what we were all texting, like this looks really bad and they said look to me, i work with prison biden everyday, this is not indicative of his ability to do hisjob. the problem with that is the ability for the american president to communicate on a global stage is part of the job. the ability to debate rivals, the ability to stand up in front of world leaders and properly named the president of ukraine, and what you just saw, you know, representative harmon who i respect very much that you know, gas happened, they do but the problem is this summit in particular was actually very successful. i was over at nato this week, i interviewed about a dozen leaders from different countries and they were on the same page in a way i haven't heard them in a very long time. there was a lot of fighting back and forth, everyone is supportive, everyone is united and you can chalk that up to the leadership of this president primarily. what everyone was talking about as

soon as i turned the mic off was joe soon as i turned the mic off wasjoe biden and it's a distraction. you think people will rememberfrom this distraction. you think people will remember from this summit is not the communiques, not the speech present zelensky gate, its president biden calling him president putin at the microphone and it's not effective for the democrats and is not effective for the presidency. is not effective for the presidency-— is not effective for the presidency. is not effective for the tresiden . �* _, , presidency. and we could see in that moment — presidency. and we could see in that moment the _ presidency. and we could see in that moment the expression - presidency. and we could see in that moment the expression on | that moment the expression on president zelensky�*s face, the expression on the other world leaders who were standing behind present biden at the time, how was this whole issue being i suppose perceived by them? the reelection campaign is one thing, but as you say there, the day—to—day business of running the united states is the here and now of it. i of running the united states is the here and now of it.- the here and now of it. i can promise _ the here and now of it. i can promise you _ the here and now of it. i can promise you i _ the here and now of it. i can promise you i ask— the here and now of it. i can promise you i ask to - the here and now of it. i can i promise you i ask to everyone i encountered this question, on the record the quick answers were very similar. we have faith in the united states leadership, were not going to comment on an american election, prison biden has done a greatjob with this alliance and we support them come off the record of course was off the record of course was off the record. but he did go around and talk to the different press delegations from all the different

countries and saying what is the number one story you are being asked to file on the summit. forthe being asked to file on the summit. for the most part, the number one story it was ukraine, and that's encouraging the number two story was president biden's health, the number three story with the us elections. nato is impacted by who is the president of the united states. there was always going to be an uptick with the interest in this election due to the timing. 0n the heels of the debate, this is what every minister is talking about behind—the—scenes as one diplomat said we are all kind of on the same page with this other stuff if there's not a lot of fighting there's not much else to talk about so this is what everyone is talking about. ., , ., is what everyone is talking about. . , ., , , is what everyone is talking about. ., , , ., about. there was a sense over the weekend _ about. there was a sense over the weekend there _ about. there was a sense over the weekend there was - about. there was a sense over the weekend there was a - about. there was a sense over| the weekend there was a sense over the weekend there with drip, drip, drip, conversations the democratic party, joe biden sent a letter to the congressional democrats, i hear your concerns, don't worry, i'll stay in the race. basically saying come at me bro. i'm your nominee until you advise further.— advise further. you had all the states come _

advise further. you had all the states come to _ advise further. you had all the states come to ten, _ advise further. you had all the states come to ten, it's - advise further. you had all the states come to ten, it's like i states come to ten, it's like having visitors in your house, everyone is with me on their best behaviour come up with their internal worries aside until the guests leave. that hasn't happened. hasn't slightly undermined joe biden on that world stage i as you're saying, the number two story is will he stay or will he go? i think it's a distraction, and not what the white house and not what the white house and not with the members of nato want to be talking about. talking about that division, while we have guests in the house, after the zelensky comment, after calling him president putin, i reached out to mike mccall who is the ranking member on house foreign affairs he's a republican, the quote i got back is the emperor has no close and if he wants the site, other senior leaders of the democratic party need to stand up and make him for the security of our nation. i'll give you, that the republican. this republican that has a history of working with democrats especially in foreign affairs issues. this is not an extremely right—wing publican but we've also heard criticism from democrats. across the

aisle as well.— aisle as well. we're 'ust tooktngi aisle as well. we're 'ust looking there i aisle as well. we're just looking there christina, | aisle as well. we're just - looking there christina, and scenes from where that press conference will be held shortly. many members of present biden's white house team have taken their seats in the audience there which is usually but not always an indication that the president is not far behind but while we are waiting for him to take the stage, i want to bring in baltimore's former mayor and former president of the conference of mayors, stephanie rawlings blake. how do you thinkjoe biden is fixed to be president and your party's nominee? i fixed to be president and your party's nominee?— fixed to be president and your party's nominee? i think he has been a strong _ party's nominee? i think he has been a strong president - party's nominee? i think he has been a strong president coming is a lot to run on. his debate performance has given the democratic party, the insiders fodder that has really been a distraction, agreed with what the other speakers have said. it's been an unfortunate distraction, and a distraction that should be avoidable when you have what i would say as

arguably the worst president in our american history as his opponent. former president trump has shown himself to be unfit for office, i mean this is a president who told the american people in the midst of a pandemic that they should spray the lysol for gods this is who we are running a against. this is been a distraction from the abominable presidency that was the presidency that was the presidency of donald trump, and we should be focused on that, focused on the strength of the biden presidency from a focus on the threat of project 2025, and the, all of the strong things that president biden has been, that's what we should be focused on and focused on in the future. 50 focused on and focused on in the future-— the future. so are you happy that president _ the future. so are you happy that president biden - the future. so are you happy| that president biden remains the future. so are you happy . that president biden remains as the nominee, or do you wish him

step aside i would never ask president biden to step aside, i think he's been an amazing president. he i think he's been an amazing president-— i think he's been an amazing resident. . , , ., president. he has been a true statesman. — president. he has been a true statesman, he's _ president. he has been a true statesman, he's got - president. he has been a true statesman, he's got not - president. he has been a true statesman, he's got notjust i president. he has been a true| statesman, he's got notjust a strong running mate but a strong running mate but a strong administration. you know, when you think about that question think about the fact that scores of former trump administration officials have led to the american people not to support president trump in his reelection bid. these are people who were inside the white house with former president trump and they are begging the american people not to reelect him because they know his character. they know his ability, they know the fact that former president trump is a danger to america. that is not the case with president biden. while he sees some democrats, a handful, frustrated with his debate performance, you know, and the

chattering class asking for him to step aside, it is not, they are not calling him a threat to our democracy like the former trump administration officials are saying. trump administration officials are saying-— trump administration officials are sa int. ,, , ., , are saying. 0k, stephanie, stay with us there, _ are saying. 0k, stephanie, stay with us there, i _ are saying. 0k, stephanie, stay with us there, i want _ are saying. 0k, stephanie, stay with us there, i want to - are saying. 0k, stephanie, stay with us there, i want to bring i with us there, i want to bring in senior axios correspondent, margaret talev. this is expected to get under way in the next few minutes, which is president biden need to do. . . . , to do. particularly the american _ to do. particularly the american political - to do. particularly the - american political system will be upon him and the challenge is for him even if he were to pull off a masterful news conference it may not do much significantly to assuage people's concerns, but he has a number of opportunities to stumble. you had a little preview of that when he accidentally referred to zelensky as putin and then caught himself, but sort of stepped on what should have been a softball moment, a clear

take away. everything he says and does will be parsed, people will parse the number of questions, who gets the questions, who gets the questions, how he answers the questions, how he answers the questions, and then again it is just one event. what you have is an expectation that nothing was going to happen this week in any case, lawmakers were gone for thejuly four in any case, lawmakers were gone for the july four recess, they have been coming back, the president's focus was on nato, showing a united front with western allies for ukraine. all of that changes literally the minute his news conference begins and as we head into the next week with the republican national convention. so i think there's been a little bit of holding back of the dam and american politicians have a democratic elected officials, donors, activists, there stands and their willingness to come forward may ramp up in the coming days, to some extents with carl as of tonight's performance.—

with carl as of tonight's performance. with carl as of tonight's terformance. ., ., ., performance. and you are a long time white _ performance. and you are a long time white house _ performance. and you are a long| time white house correspondent, head of the white house correspondents association, talk to us a little bit about what's going on at this moment in time. thejournalists what's going on at this moment in time. the journalists are there have been any kind of liaising about who is getting the questions, what they want those questions to be focused on, how many he's going to take, what goes on? i on, how many he's going to take, what goes on?- on, how many he's going to take, what goes on? i will tell ou that take, what goes on? i will tell you that my — take, what goes on? i will tell you that my tradition, - take, what goes on? i will tell you that my tradition, the - you that my tradition, the reporters who will be credentialed to cover nato know that only a few of them will get questions and all of them want to ask a question. so you will see sort of natural back and forth behind the scenes. well, you won't see it, but i know it's happening. among reporters, saying if we only get a couple shots at the core questions of the american public and the world may want to hear, what are those questions? there is usually sort of a group unofficial sourcing or description of wanting to get the sharpest most focused questions possible because of course the press is a representative for the american public and americans

have a lot of questions they would want to ask president biden. right now, if you only get a few shots at that, you want to make sure you really thought through a fair and focused question that is likely to elicit a substantive response that will help address the questions of the people have and that's what you're seeing on the plus side. on the white house's side i'm sure they are quite sure they are thinking about how to put this in the best light and they may try a variety of strategies that anyone has house will employ from trying to guess which reporters are likely to ask more polite questions to wanting in many cases, you would see a white house deliberately pick at least a couple of reporters who are going to ask for a sharpened, pointed questions come up with president on the spot so that he can get credibility or points for being willing to take tough questions. i don't know what those white house's calculus is going to be, we're going to see it in a few

minutes, but those of the machinations that sort of go on on parallel tracks among the press corps, everyone hopes to get a question but they want one of their colleagues who is going to get the question to ask the smartest, most important, useful question possible. but again, there's only so many questions you can ask in a news conference. the follow—up from the debate and questions i think american voters across the political spectrum have are quite unlikely to be resolved. margaret, on that, we have seen in the two weeks since the debate, a lot of retrospective examination of things thatjoe biden has done or said, meetings he's left early and things he's cancelled and so on, one of the points of contention with the white house correspondents is about how rare an occasion like tonight is. isn't it? that this president doesn't hold too many open season, if you want to call them that, press conferences where it isn't regulated down to just one or

two questions where he is prepared to take questions from, but as we say an undetermined number of people tonight. undetermined number of people tonitht. ., v undetermined number of people tonitht. . �*, ,, tonight. that's right, xes did a graphic. — tonight. that's right, xes did a graphic. i _ tonight. that's right, xes did a graphic, i would've - tonight. that's right, xes didj a graphic, i would've brought it with me, the other day that put the number of press conferences and appearances like that the president biden has held up against past presidents and it is a smaller number indeed. anyone who has covered joe biden, since the 90s or before knows that he is gregarious and loquacious and if left to his own devices would love to hang around and answer as many questions as possible will stop and you certainly seen his team basically since the start of his presidency try to limit or manage that time. i think everybody is a belief and this is probably of course still true to some extent was that they were trying to limit the number of gaffes that he would commit. he's well known for putting his foot in his mouth were saying too much or saying

too little. i don't think that for most of the duration of this presidency there has been, you know, the same sort of belief structure of questions that we have seen since the debate about, you know, whether, how many of these bad days, like he said he had a bad night at the debate. i think it was much more thought early on that they want to manage his exposure to the media is so that he doesn't put his foot and his mother say too since the debate, about his age have become much more baked into the questions that journalists are asking, and certainly that the public is asking, i've been watching a number of focus groups looking over polling data and this is a question that you see swing voters, biden voters come a long time biden voters come a long time biden supporters and loyalists, even asking, just saying they want to understand how often

did he have, you know, tough evenings like he had at that debate for? there's a real desire for people who feel they have a more fulsome over understanding of his condition. in his administration sheltering him really raises the questions.— sheltering him really raises the questions. that's why the focus on tonight's _ the questions. that's why the focus on tonight's press - focus on tonight's press conference is greater than perhaps it would normally be for a nato press conference, final press conference at the nato summit. we've just heard that the president is doing about 90 seconds or two minutes, they're about to come here with us we us we have margaret, stephanie and christina. ijust want us we have margaret, stephanie and christina. i just want to bring you in and bear in mind i may have to interrupt you if the present start speaking. what are you hoping to hear from him tonight, or what do you think voters in america are hoping to hear? i’m you think voters in america are hoping to hear?— hoping to hear? i'm hoping to hear the strong _ hoping to hear? i'm hoping to hear the strong joe _ hoping to hear? i'm hoping to hear the strong joe biden - hoping to hear? i'm hoping to| hear the strong joe biden that we heard at the rally following his debate performance two weeks ago. i'm hoping to hear a joe biden that makes it clear

why he's important to nato. this audience, the nato audience i'm sure is nervous about notjust this press conference with the election because they've heard former president trump praise president trump praise president putin. they've heard him threaten to pull out of nato. they know what's on the line with this election, so i'm hoping to hear the strong president biden that i know is there. , ., ., . ., there. christina, how much do ou there. christina, how much do you think _ there. christina, how much do you think are _ there. christina, how much do you think are the _ there. christina, how much do you think are the people - there. christina, how much do you think are the people of. you think are the people of america, the voters interested in seeing what he does tonight? i think people are hyperaware even — i think people are hyperaware even more so in a town where people — even more so in a town where people go— even more so in a town where people go to bars for state of the union in washington, dc, this is— the union in washington, dc, this is a — the union in washington, dc, this is a very politically aware _ this is a very politically aware town. even people who are not normally involved in watching a speech like this, for temple, watching a speech like this, fortemple, ora press for temple, or a press conference, fortemple, ora press conference, its appointment viewing _ conference, its appointment viewing tonight. everybody i've talked — viewing tonight. everybody i've talked to — viewing tonight. everybody i've talked to from folks who never -et talked to from folks who never get involved in politics to nerds _ get involved in politics to nerds like us who are not normally— nerds like us who are not normally involved in watching a speech — normally involved in watching a speech like this, for temple, or a — speech like this, for temple, or a press— speech like this, for temple, or a press conference, it's appointment viewing tonight.

everybody i've talked to from folks — everybody i've talked to from folks who never get involved in politics — folks who never get involved in politics to _ folks who never get involved in politics to nerds like us were always — politics to nerds like us were always about a cartooning in because _ always about a cartooning in because they are waiting to seem _ because they are waiting to see... , , ., ., , see... just going to interrupt ou see... just going to interrupt you also _ see... just going to interrupt you also we _ see... just going to interrupt you also we can _ see... just going to interrupt you also we can go _ see... just going to interrupt you also we can go live - see... just going to interrupt you also we can go live to i you also we can go live to the present at the podium. irate you also we can go live to the present at the podium. we 'ust conctuttett fl present at the podium. we 'ust concluded this i present at the podium. we 'ust concluded this year's �* present at the podium. we 'ust concluded this year's nato]- concluded this year's nato summit. consensus among members was it was a great success. it represented the 75th year of the most important military defensive alliance in the history of the world. we should never forget that nato grew out of the wreckage of world war ii, the most destructive war in history. the idea was to create an alliance of free and democratic nations who would commit themselves to a compact of collective defence. standing together, they knew we would all be safer. attack on one would be treated as an attack on all. and it's worked. because they would be aggressor knows they attack one of us, there will be attacked by all of us. sending that message is the best way to deter aggression and prevent wars in the first place. for those who

thought nato's time had passed, got a rude awakening when putin invaded ukraine. some of the oldest and deepest fears in europe roared back to life. because once again, a murderous madman was on the march. but this time, no—one cowered in appeasement. especially the united states. we collected intelligence that russia was planning to invaded ukraine months before the invasion. i directed the intelligence community to be have a significant amount declassified so i could build an international symposium to oppose the invasion. i won the world that the invasion was imminent, a relative coalition of 15 nations from europe to asia to help ukraine defend itself. many put foreign policy

experts thought that as putin amassed russian forces just 140 miles from kyiv. putin thought it was the mother home of russia, the capital would fall in less than a week. the ukrainian people backed by a coalition to help build, stop them. today, keep nato stands, stronger than it has ever been. during the week of the summit, several heads of state made it a point in their statements to thank the united states and to thank the united states and to thank me personally. for all that nato has achieved. nato is not only stronger, nato is bigger because we led the charge to bring in finland and sweden into the alliance. and it makes a gigantic difference. excuse me. meanwhile, my predecessor has made it clear he has no commitment to nato, he's made it clear that he

would feel no obligation to honour article five. he has only told putin, and i quote, do whatever the hell you want. in fact, the day after putin invaded ukraine, here's what he said. "it was genius. it was wonderful." some forgot that but that's exactly what he said. but i made it clear, a strong nato is essential to american security. and i believe the obligation of article five is sacred. and i would remind all americans, article five is invoked only once in nato's long history, and that was defend america after 9/11. i made it clear that i will not bow down to putin. i will not walk away from ukraine. iwill putin. i will not walk away from ukraine. i will keep nato strong and that's exactly what we did. and exactly what we will continue to do. now, the future of american policy is up to the american people. this is

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