e-mails beginning to these e—mails beginning to wonder_ these e—mails beginning to wonder very— these e—mails beginning to wonder very seriously- these e—mails beginning to wonder very seriously if. these e—mails beginning to. wonder very seriously if they should — wonder very seriously if they should continue. _ let you change the subject. you have _ let you change the subject. you have been— let you change the subject. you have been instrumental- let you change the subject. you have been instrumental in- have been instrumental in securing _ have been instrumental in securing pardons- have been instrumental in securing pardons for- have been instrumental in. securing pardons for several convicted _ securing pardons for several convicted war— securing pardons for several convicted war criminals, - securing pardons for severalj convicted war criminals, and securing pardons for several. convicted war criminals, and at least _ convicted war criminals, and at least two — convicted war criminals, and at least two of— convicted war criminals, and at least two of these _ convicted war criminals, and at least two of these cases, - convicted war criminals, and at least two of these cases, the l least two of these cases, the military— least two of these cases, the military personnel— least two of these cases, the military personnel who- least two of these cases, thei military personnel who served in combat _ military personnel who served in combat were _ military personnel who served in combat were not _ military personnel who served j in combat were not supportive in combat were not supportive in parts — in combat were not supportive in parts and _ in combat were not supportive in parts and they— in combat were not supportive in parts and they did - in combat were not supportive in parts and they did their- in parts and they did their duty— in parts and they did their duty as _ in parts and they did their duty as soldiers _ in parts and they did their duty as soldiers to - in parts and they did their duty as soldiers to report| in parts and they did their- duty as soldiers to report war crimes — duty as soldiers to report war crimes your— duty as soldiers to report war crimes. your definition - duty as soldiers to report war| crimes. your definition seems to embrace _ crimes. your definition seems to embrace those _ crimes. your definition seems to embrace those people - crimes. your definition seems to embrace those people who| crimes. your definition seems. to embrace those people who do commit — to embrace those people who do commit war— to embrace those people who do commit war crimes, _ to embrace those people who do commit war crimes, rather- to embrace those people who do commit war crimes, rather thani commit war crimes, rather than those _ commit war crimes, rather than those who— commit war crimes, ratherthan those who stand _ commit war crimes, ratherthan those who stand up _ commit war crimes, ratherthan those who stand up and - commit war crimes, ratherthan those who stand up and say, i those who stand up and say, this— those who stand up and say, this is— those who stand up and say, this is not— those who stand up and say, this is not right. _ those who stand up and say, this is not right. so- those who stand up and say, this is not right. so what- those who stand up and say, this is not right. so what is. this is not right. so what is the — this is not right. so what is the response _ this is not right. so what is the response of— this is not right. so what is the response of the - this is not right. so what is| the response of the service members _ the response of the service members who— the response of the service members who personally. the response of the service - members who personally witness these _ members who personally witness these and — members who personally witness these and took _ members who personally witness these and took courage - members who personally witness these and took courage report. these and took courage report these — these and took courage report these to— these and took courage report these to their— these and took courage report these to their seniors... - these and took courage report these to their seniors... [-

these to their seniors... have led men in combat these to their seniors..._ have led men in combat directly and i had to make very difficult decisions and i thought very deeply about the balance between legality and lethality, and making sure that the men and women on the front line have the opportunity to destroy with and close the enemy and that lawyers are not the ones getting in the way, and i'm not talking about disavowing the laws of war or the geneva convention, i'm talking about restrictive rules of engagement that these men and women behind me understand they have lived with on the battlefield which has made it more difficult to defeat our enemies, and in many of the cases you are talking about, there was evidence withheld, there was evidence withheld, there was evidence withheld, there was misconduct, and as someone who looks case—by—case and defaults to the men and women with dust on their boots, not those who are second—guessing in washington, dc. i look case—by—case and i was proud to work with president trump to understand those cases and make sure that our warriors are always looked out for. .,, ..,, ,

out for. those cases were adjudicated _ out for. those cases were adjudicated by _ out for. those cases were adjudicated by people - out for. those cases were adjudicated by people in i adjudicated by people in washington _ adjudicated by people in washington or— adjudicated by people in washington or alone - washington or alone non—commissioned i washington or alone - non—commissioned officers washington or alone _ non—commissioned officers who had also — non—commissioned officers who had also served _ non—commissioned officers who had also served and _ non—commissioned officers who had also served and sacrificed . had also served and sacrificed and believed _ had also served and sacrificed and believed in— had also served and sacrificed and believed in the _ had also served and sacrificed and believed in the ethic- had also served and sacrificed and believed in the ethic of i and believed in the ethic of the military, _ and believed in the ethic of the military, who _ and believed in the ethic of the military, who were - and believed in the ethic of the military, who were the| the military, who were the court — the military, who were the court martial? _ the military, who were the court martial?— court martial? they were actually _ court martial? they were actually acquitted - court martial? they were actually acquitted in - court martial? they were - actually acquitted in multiple cases. , ., , cases. some were but others were convicted _ cases. some were but others were convicted and _ cases. some were but others were convicted and you - cases. some were but others| were convicted and you asked for a — were convicted and you asked for a pardon. _ were convicted and you asked for a pardon, that— were convicted and you asked for a pardon, that is- were convicted and you asked for a pardon, that is the - were convicted and you asked for a pardon, that is the onlyi for a pardon, that is the only reason — for a pardon, that is the only reason you _ for a pardon, that is the only reason you asked _ for a pardon, that is the only reason you asked for - for a pardon, that is the only reason you asked for one, i reason you asked for one, because _ reason you asked for one, because they _ reason you asked for one, because they were - reason you asked for one, . because they were convicted, and the — because they were convicted, and the other— because they were convicted, and the other factor, - because they were convicted, and the other factor, you - because they were convicted, i and the other factor, you have already— and the other factor, you have already disparaged _ and the other factor, you have already disparaged in - and the other factor, you have already disparaged in writing i already disparaged in writing the geneva _ already disparaged in writing the geneva convention- already disparaged in writing the geneva convention and i already disparaged in writing . the geneva convention and the rules— the geneva convention and the rules of— the geneva convention and the rules of law, _ the geneva convention and the rules of law, all— the geneva convention and the rules of law, all of _ the geneva convention and the rules of law, all of these - rules of law, all of these things _ rules of law, all of these things how— rules of law, all of these things. how will- rules of law, all of these things. how will you - rules of law, all of these things. how will you be. rules of law, all of these - things. how will you be able to effectively _ things. how will you be able to effectively lead _ things. how will you be able to effectively lead a _ things. how will you be able to effectively lead a military- things. how will you be able to effectively lead a military in . effectively lead a military in which — effectively lead a military in which one _ effectively lead a military in which one of— effectively lead a military in which one of the _ effectively lead a military in which one of the principal. which one of the principal elements— which one of the principal elements is— which one of the principal elements is discipline, i which one of the principal- elements is discipline, respect for lawful— elements is discipline, respect for lawful authority? _ elements is discipline, respect for lawful authority? you - elements is discipline, respect for lawful authority? you have | for lawful authority? you have made — for lawful authority? you have made statements _ for lawful authority? you have made statements to - for lawful authority? you have made statements to your- for lawful authority? you have i made statements to your platoon after being — made statements to your platoon after being briefed _ made statements to your platoon after being briefed by— made statements to your platoon after being briefed by a _ after being briefed by a officer. _ after being briefed by a officer, and _ after being briefed by a officer, and would - after being briefed by a officer, and would you i after being briefed by a - officer, and would you explain what — officer, and would you explain what a — officer, and would you explain what a jag _ officer, and would you explain what a jag is— officer, and would you explain what a jag is quite _ officer, and would you explain what a jag is quite i— officer, and would you explain what a jag is quite i don't- what a jag is quite i don't

think— what a jag is quite i don't think i_ what a jag is quite i don't think i need _ what a jag is quite i don't think i need to. - what a jag is quite i don't think i need to. why- what a jag is quite i don't| think i need to. why not? because _ think i need to. why not? because the _ think i need to. why not? because the men- think i need to. why not? because the men and - think i need to. why not? - because the men and women watching understand.- because the men and women watching understand. allow my colleagues _ watching understand. allow my colleagues to _ watching understand. allow my colleagues to understand. - watching understand. allow my colleagues to understand. a i watching understand. allow my| colleagues to understand. a jag officer would _ colleagues to understand. a jag officer would put _ colleagues to understand. a jag officer would put his _ colleagues to understand. a jag officer would put his and - colleagues to understand. officer would put his and her priorities in front of those who are making the tough calls. thank you very much. senator fisher — thank you very much. senator fisher. ~ u, thank you very much. senator fisher. ~ _, ., thank you very much. senator fisher. ~ ., , ., . thank you very much. senator fisher. ~ ., . fisher. welcome to you and your famil . fisher. welcome to you and your family- thank — fisher. welcome to you and your family. thank you _ fisher. welcome to you and your family. thank you for _ fisher. welcome to you and your family. thank you for the - family. thank you for the meeting. nuclearweapons family. thank you for the meeting. nuclear weapons are foundational to our national defence _ foundational to our national defence and having a safe, effective and credible nuclear deterrent underpins our alliances and deters adversaries. nuclear deterrence has been — adversaries. nuclear deterrence has been and we have agreed on this, _ has been and we have agreed on this, it _ has been and we have agreed on this, it must continue to be unequivocally the highest

priority mission of the department of defence. deterrence only works if our adversaries believe that our nuclear— adversaries believe that our nuclear forces are effective and — nuclear forces are effective and credible, and all three tegs— and credible, and all three legs of— and credible, and all three legs of the triad are undergoing a generational recapitalisation programme and we cannot afford any more delays _ we cannot afford any more delays in _ we cannot afford any more delays in those programmes. do you believe and agree that president trump's 2018 review that preventing adversary nuclear _ that preventing adversary nuclear attacks is the highest priority— nuclear attacks is the highest priority of the us?— priority of the us? yes, i do. will you _ priority of the us? yes, i do. will you commit _ priority of the us? yes, i do. will you commit to _ priority of the us? yes, i do. will you commit to using - priority of the us? yes, i do. i will you commit to using every tool available to deliver these systems — tool available to deliver these systems on schedule?- tool available to deliver these systems on schedule? yes, i do, because ultimately _ systems on schedule? yes, i do, because ultimately our— systems on schedule? yes, i do, because ultimately our survival l because ultimately our survival is reliant upon the capability

and the perception and the reality of the capability of our nuclear triad and we need to invest in its modernisation for the defence of our nation. former secretaries of defence have — former secretaries of defence have stated that nuclear deterrence is the highest priority, we have not really seen — priority, we have not really seen that translated into budget request. 0r using the tools— budget request. 0r using the tools like the defence production act. you have spoken about— production act. you have spoken about increasing lethality and getting — about increasing lethality and getting programmes done faster so how— getting programmes done faster so how would you actually implement a culture change so that we — implement a culture change so that we can see these delivery schedules move forward and be rewarded? in most every briefing _ rewarded? in most every briefing we have, the schedules were _ briefing we have, the schedules were almost too late, so what would — were almost too late, so what would you _ were almost too late, so what would you do?— would you do? focus first on the things — would you do? focus first on the things that _ would you do? focus first on the things that are _ would you do? focus first on the things that are most - the things that are most important is we have discussed, the nuclear triad, understanding whether it is db 21 or the minute man to the

sentinel, in all aspects of the columbia class, what are the priorities that need to be focused on and make sure that in those cases, and you mentioned it, the defence production act, emergency powers, if we are in a place where the nuclear capabilities are not perceived as the power that they have, that is a problem, but president trump understands the power of nuclear deterrence. it understands the power of nuclear deterrence.- understands the power of nuclear deterrence. it is the existential _ nuclear deterrence. it is the existential threat _ nuclear deterrence. it is the existential threat to - nuclear deterrence. it is the existential threat to this - existential threat to this nation, _ existential threat to this nation, so how do you change the culture? it is notjust the production act that will enable it to _ production act that will enable it to be — production act that will enable it to be done, so how will you move — it to be done, so how will you move forward faster gradient competition is important, critically important, using silicon valley _ critically important, using silicon valley which - critically important, using silicon valley which has i critically important, using - silicon valley which has shown a willingness and capability to bring its best technologies to bear at the pentagon, which has become too insular and tries to

block new technologies and come again, we have to embrace that and provide great strategic capital initiatives to provide loans to companies to participate, because you have to invest in the industrial base for the longer term projects and we have the capability, the missiles and the munitions, to feel that emergent technologies that we need on the battlefield right now, so as we learn things, like in the war in ukraine, when we look at things we are going to face, find ways to rapidly field those using off—the—shelf technologies or standard designs, modular designs, and another easy one that became evident is digital designs. the pentagon often are built entire systems without first using a digital design. this means you build prototypes and then scrap them and start over again and no private sector business could survive doing business that wake so there's a lot of innovation and

i'm going to hire a lot of smart people to help that. —— doing business that way. it smart people to help that. -- doing business that way. it was established _ doing business that way. it was established to _ doing business that way. it was established to a _ doing business that way. it was established to a new _ doing business that way. it was established to a new position, l established to a new position, the assistant secretary of defence for nuclear deterrence chemical — defence for nuclear deterrence chemical and biological defence policy— chemical and biological defence policy and programmes, and that was established so we could cut through— was established so we could cut through a — was established so we could cut through a lot of the bureaucratic stove pipes that we see — bureaucratic stove pipes that we see in— bureaucratic stove pipes that we see in the office of the secretary of defence, and if confirmed, will you direct the department of defence components to expeditiously implement this reform? it implement this reform? sounds... implement this reform? it sounds... it— implement this reform? it sounds... it is— implement this reform? it sounds... it is correct. - implement this reform? it sounds... it is correct. i. implement this reform? it i sounds... it is correct. itake our sounds... it is correct. itake your word — sounds... it is correct. itake your word it— sounds... it is correct. i take your word it is _ sounds... it is correct. i take your word it is sound - sounds... it is correct. i take your word it is sound and - sounds... it is correct. i take your word it is sound and we | your word it is sound and we look forward to that.- look forward to that. thank ou. look forward to that. thank you- during _ look forward to that. thank you. during the _ look forward to that. thank you. during the first - look forward to that. thank you. during the first trump administration, the 2018 nuclear— administration, the 2018 nuclear review said the us

needed _ nuclear review said the us needed to once again deploy a system — needed to once again deploy a system to offset significant russian and chinese theatre range — russian and chinese theatre range nuclear capabilities, and since _ range nuclear capabilities, and since then congress on a strong bibartisan — since then congress on a strong bipartisan basis has directed the navy and the national nuclear— the navy and the national nuclear security administration to continue this effort. do you support— to continue this effort. do you support this programme? as of riaht now support this programme? as of right now based _ support this programme? as of right now based on _ support this programme? as of right now based on what - support this programme? as of right now based on what i - support this programme? r: rrf right now based on what i know, i do, but one of my answers i will repeat this morning is getting an opportunity to look under the hood at classified material and getting an understanding of true capabilities versus enemy capabilities versus enemy capabilities because what i know on the nucleoside is that russia and china are rushing to modernise and build arsenals larger than ours —— the nucleoside. the systems we elevate will be tied to whether

those capabilities are needed based on the adversaries we face. ~ ., , ., based on the adversaries we face. ~ ., .~ , . face. would you make sure that the programme _ face. would you make sure that the programme is _ face. would you make sure that the programme is executed - the programme is executed according to law? absolutely. absolutely- — according to law? absolutely. absolutely. what _ according to law? absolutely. absolutely. what is _ according to law? absolutely. absolutely. what is your - according to law? absolutely. absolutely. what is your plan | absolutely. what is your plan to revitalise _ absolutely. what is your plan to revitalise the _ absolutely. what is your plan to revitalise the industrial- to revitalise the industrial base _ to revitalise the industrial base in— to revitalise the industrial base in this country? needs to be real short. _ base in this country? needs to be real short. serious- be real short. serious investment, - be real short. serious investment, targeted | be real short. serious. investment, targeted at be real short. serious— investment, targeted at systems that we truly need, by also incentivising competition and laser focused from the office of secretary of defence to the particular initiatives to revive them so it's notjust one system but multiple systems. one system but multiple systems— one system but multiple s stems. ., . ., one system but multiple sstems. ., . ., systems. you may want to expand on that on — systems. you may want to expand on that on the — systems. you may want to expand on that on the record. _ systems. you may want to expand on that on the record. at - systems. you may want to expand on that on the record. at this - on that on the record. at this point, — on that on the record. at this point, i— on that on the record. at this point. i would _ on that on the record. at this point, i would ask— on that on the record. at this point, i would ask for- on that on the record. at this| point, i would ask for consent to enter— point, i would ask for consent to enter into— point, i would ask for consent to enter into the _ point, i would ask for consent to enter into the record - point, i would ask for consent to enter into the record a - to enter into the record a letter— to enter into the record a letter organised - to enter into the record a letter organised by- to enter into the record a letter organised by a - to enter into the record a i letter organised by a group

called _ letter organised by a group called ftag _ letter organised by a group called flag officers - letter organised by a group called flag officers for - called flag officers for america _ called flag officers for america which- called flag officers for america which has - called flag officers for| america which has 120 called flag officers for - america which has 120 retired america which has120 retired generals— america which has 120 retired generals and _ america which has 120 retired generals and admirals - america which has 120 retired| generals and admirals offering their— generals and admirals offering their support _ generals and admirals offering their support for— generals and admirals offering their support for the _ their support for the nomination- their support for the nomination of- their support for the nomination of pete. their support for the - nomination of pete hegseth. their support for the _ nomination of pete hegseth. it is entered _ nomination of pete hegseth. it is entered into _ nomination of pete hegseth. it is entered into the _ nomination of pete hegseth. it is entered into the record. - is entered into the record. good _ is entered into the record. good morning. _ is entered into the record. good morning.— is entered into the record. good morning. i good morning. good morning. i was pleased _ good morning. good morning. i was pleased and _ good morning. good morning. i was pleased and i _ good morning. good morning. i was pleased and i was - good morning. good morning. i | was pleased and i was contacted on your— was pleased and i was contacted on your behalf about meeting before — on your behalf about meeting before this hearing and i have been — before this hearing and i have been on — before this hearing and i have been on this committee since 2011— been on this committee since 2011 and _ been on this committee since 2011 and during that time i have — 2011 and during that time i have voted to confirm six nominees to be secretary of defence _ nominees to be secretary of defence from three administrations, two democratic and one — administrations, two democratic and one republican and the first— and one republican and the first -- _ and one republican and the first —— and all the nominees met— first —— and all the nominees met with _ first —— and all the nominees met with me before the hearing so i met with me before the hearing so i was — met with me before the hearing so i was disappointed when no one ever— so i was disappointed when no one ever followed up when we followed — one ever followed up when we followed up with your office and you _ followed up with your office and you were not able to meet. do you — and you were not able to meet. do you understand that if you are confirmed to be secretary of defence that you will have a

responsibility to meet with all members of this committee 1515 00:12:03,067 --> 00:1