▶ 0:00:57Test
▶ 0:13:38>> let's talk about our delays in the baltimore parkway. That is what we see in both directions headed toward 175. It was noted as northbound.
▶ 0:15:44>> this hearing will come to order. The committee meets today to consider the nominations of vice admiral charles b. Cooper ii to be commander the united states central command and lieutenant general alexus g. Grynkewich to be commander in the european command and supreme allied commander, europe . I welcome the nominees and their families and their willingness to serve the nation.
▶ 0:16:07I want to recognize the remarkable skill, courage and professionalism displayed by the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who participated in operation midnight hammer over the weekend. President trump was right to authorize the mission to strike iran's nuclear facilities and address this long-standing threat to the united states. We gave the ayatollah every chance to negotiate peacefully. The iranian leader rejected.
▶ 0:16:39He instead chose to continue his pursuit of a nuclear weapon and support of terrorism rather than a peaceful resolution that would have been -- they find themselves in today is of their own making. Members of the committee will have questions about operation midnight hammer and the united states' iran policy.
▶ 0:17:05There will be a classified briefing were all sentenced -- senators with senior administration officials to address many of these questions. If confirmed, admiral cooper will assume command with a seismic shift across the middle east. These changes were precipitated by hamas's barbaric attacks on israel on october 7, 2023. Since then the military capabilities have been degraded.
▶ 0:17:38Hezbollah has been eliminated and hamas has been crushed. The longtime ally in the region is out of power in in exile. It and its terrorist allies are weaker than they have been in decades but the job is not done. We must do all we can to support the defense of israel and ensure that american forces in the region have what they need.
▶ 0:18:05I hope to hear admiral cooper's description of the course protection requirements needed in order to continue to run proxies and other threats from the region. And lastly, we must not lose sight of the threat posed by radical islamists like isis and al qaeda. Isis and al qaeda remain intent on killing americans.
▶ 0:18:37I'm interested in and rule cooper's testimony about the capabilities of terrorist groups in the region and with the counterterrorism strategy should be in order to counter this threat. As to the general, you will take command on you, and nato at a time of great uncertainty.
▶ 0:18:59Vladimir putin continues to remind the west that russia remains an enemy, one which is willing to use force to vindicate long-held grievances and to violate international law. The dictator's invasion of ukraine has reigned death and destruction among the democratic people and serves as a warning that the military threat from russia is as relevant today as it ever has been.
▶ 0:19:24Indeed earlier this month, the nato secretary general warned that "russia could be ready to use military force against nato in five years." be added that pollutant of hospice process were economy produces more munitions in three months than the whole of nato produces in a year.
▶ 0:19:44Rush is not just a danger to our nato allies -- russia is not just a judy chu are not -- nato allies -- russia is not just a danger to our nato allies with the homeland. We will hear the general's views on the threat russia poses as well as his plans to counter it. The united states faces a daunting challenge we must deter and defeat to nuclear peer adversaries.
▶ 0:20:15That task highlights the important role allies play in security. President trump deserves considerable credit for dramatically increasing security to nato and is now actively debating a commitment for members to spend 5% of their gdp on defense. Amid this encouraging development, there are some in the pentagon that believe in the U.S. must draw down military presence in europe.
▶ 0:20:49This thinking bewilders most of us on this committee given rush's aggression and willingness for allies to share our collective defense burden. Our presence in europe helps deter russia and also has additional benefits including enabling and assisting military operations in the areas of operation. That is important now as intentions once again rise in the middle east.
▶ 0:21:20With that I look forward to the hearing today and I turned to my colleague, the ranking member read.
▶ 0:21:26Sen. Reed: Think you very much. Welcome vice admiral cooper and lieutenant grynkewich and thank you for stepping forward. I extend my appreciation to your families who were with you every step of the way. One of the reasons you are here before us. This is a very dangerous moment.
▶ 0:21:56Sen. Reed: On saturday strikes ordered on nuclear facilities in iran. Thousands of service members executed a remarkable global operation that significantly damage the nuclear infrastructure although we await the final assessment. This was carried out with incredible skill and bravery.
▶ 0:22:23Sen. Reed: It is imperative that we prevent iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons but I am concerned about the consequences of this attack. Iran has already retaliated by launching ballistic missiles at basis in qatar and iraq, threatening tens of thousands of american groups. Fortunately they were in a simple we must recognize the risk of igniting a broader regional war.
▶ 0:22:53Sen. Reed: The forces in the region must continue to brace for more attacks and indeed we have seen additional attacks between israel and iran. I urge the trump administration to pursue diplomacy and international engagement to prevent further violence. Admiral cooper, I trust you understand the situation with which you have been nominated. In this regard, your distinguished record of service is encouraging.
▶ 0:23:24Sen. Reed: Your career as a war commander in the middle east, including your current position as deputy commander and previous commander of the fifth fleet should serve you well. If confirmed as commander, you will not only need to adjust the iran crisis but continue to navigate a difficult environment surrounding israel's war against hamas in gaza, the ever present threat in yemen and the
▶ 0:23:54Sen. Reed: Resurgence of isis in syria and iraq. The administration has announced significant force reduction in these areas. I would like to know how you would address each of these threats and how U.S. military options can align with iranian nuclear negotiations and any plans you have to build capacity of the regional partners such as the lebanese armed forces. As we navigate the conflicts in the middle east, the security environment in europe remains fraught.
▶ 0:24:24Sen. Reed: Nato leaders are gathering in brussels to address urgent issues, including the war in ukraine and russia is increasingly aggressive posture toward the west. I am hopeful president trump will take this opportunity to clearly express america's solidarity with our nato allies. Admiral holsey -- lt.
▶ 0:24:45Sen. Reed: General grynkewich, you have served as the backbone as the effort to support ukraine, enabling the ukrainians to succeed on the battlefield while sending unmistakable message to america's adversaries around the globe. However, in recent months, the position of the united states seem to have reversed with the trump administration challenging our allies while attempting to negotiate directly with vladimir putin.
▶ 0:25:14Sen. Reed: I would point out that putin has suffered immense costs in ukraine in his turn to iran and north korea to sustain his work. In contrast, the ukrainian will terrifies bravely and demonstrates stunning battlefield innovations such as recent drone attacks deep within russian territory. I would argue that there is never a time to appease putin but this certainly is not now.
▶ 0:25:41Sen. Reed: I'm also concerned by the administration's plan to slash funding and reduce U.S. force presence in you, -- ucom. I think it is imperative that we provide a significant supplemental emergency appropriations to ukraine to continue the fight and send a strong signal to putin that we are not giving up.
▶ 0:26:13Sen. Reed: General, I would appreciate your assessment on future U.S. military activities and investments needed in the responsibility to uphold our steadfast commitment to american security. If confirmed, you will lead the forces at a momentous time. I am grateful for your willingness to step forward and meet this challenge. I look forward to your testimony.
▶ 0:26:43Chair Wicker: Thank you very much senator reed. We will take opening statements no longer than five minutes if you don't mind. We will begin with you, admiral cooper. Her opening statements.
▶ 0:26:57Vice Adm. Cooper: Good morning, as the proud son of a career army officer and vietnam veteran and grandson of a world war ii veteran and the pacific, I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to appear before you . I would like to think the president of the united states of defense in joint chiefs of staff for the faith, trust and confidence in nominating me to serve as the next commander of U.S. central command. I'm honored to join with lt.
▶ 0:27:30Vice Adm. Cooper: General grynkewich, general grynkewich. Having served with him in at challenging times, he is the best we have to offer and it is a wonderful privilege to be with him today. I'm joined by my wife susan, my high school sweetheart from alabama and the anchor of our family. She was there when my parents signed a waiver so that I could attend the naval academy at 17.
▶ 0:27:52Vice Adm. Cooper: As I marked for decades wearing the cloth of the nation next week, I know none of it would have been possible without susan's boundless love not only to your family but thousands of families around the world. She has been my strength throughout this amazing journey. Also with this cash with us is our daughter katie, cardiovascular nurse in florida and andrew, a nurse and marine veteran of iraq and afghanistan, our son bradford a welder is working on a U.S. title -- U.S.
▶ 0:28:25Vice Adm. Cooper: Guider missile. He and his wife are unable to be here today as they prepare for the imminent arrival of grandchild number three, a future member of the U.S. naval academy class of 24/7, sorry senator reed -- 047. I have the support of my brothers and sister allows.
▶ 0:28:52Vice Adm. Cooper: I've spent my adult life on navy ships deploying around the world, included a tour on -- in afghanistan. Supporting the coopers has truly been a team sport and I deeply and thankful for their love these many years. My greatest inspiration for continued service has come from those I've had the privilege to lead alongside. We are laser focused on war fighting, lethality and the readiness.
▶ 0:29:24Vice Adm. Cooper: I honor them and their families and the sacrifices they make for the nation. I would like to specifically acknowledge the execution of the joint force of an incredibly complex mission in iran this past weekend and suspenseful -- successful for the base. This community shares in my pride. I have had the privilege of leading in the central command area.
▶ 0:29:50Vice Adm. Cooper: That has given me a front row seat to both the volatility and promise of the middle east. It is also reinforced a clear understanding, the middle east is incredibly dynamic today. There are challenges for sure but also real strategic opportunities. If confirmed, I will work with this committee to shape outcomes in advance of our national interest.
▶ 0:30:11Vice Adm. Cooper: I would like to acknowledge and thank the current commander of central command and his wife and family for a lifetime of service for our country and our nations have been blessed to have them at the home of central command for the past 39 months. I would like to think this committee for your steadfast commitment to the oversight that makes our force stronger. If confirmed, pledged to maintain a transparent and fully responsive relationship with this committee heard I look forward to your questions today. Thank you very much.
▶ 0:30:39Chair Wicker: Thank you admiral cooper and thank you for your kind words. And I think they are shared by all of us. Before I recognize you lt. General grynkewich, would you get together with admiral cooper and see if you can get that grandson of his in the air force academy at the appropriate time? I would be happy to.
▶ 0:31:09Chair Wicker: We all make mistakes.
▶ 0:31:10Sen. Reed: Clearly they are not qualified for west point but that is ok. >> chairman wicker, ranking member read and distinguished members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today.
▶ 0:31:29Sen. Reed: I would also like to thank president trump, secretary hegseth and the general for their trust and confidence in me and for the opportunity, if confirmed, to continue serving in leading those who raise the right hand and swore an oath of service to our nation. Today I am honored to testify alongside vice admiral brad cooper, the nominee for united states central command.
▶ 0:31:52Sen. Reed: Brad and I fought alongside each other in our previous jobs as maritime commanders and having seen red in action, I know of no other leader more focused on leadership, or fighting and excellence. Upfront, I would like to thank my family for their support and sacrifice throughout my career. A former air force chief of staff used to remind us that our families are the best possible deal the military could ever get.
▶ 0:32:20Sen. Reed: Our spouses toiled to take care of the troops and families we need and the children learn to make friends and grow roots quickly as we move from assignment to assignment. My wife, shannon, is here with me. We have been married for 27 years and over that time she has been a tireless supporter, not just of me but all military families. Our son, justin, a rising junior currently oversees for a summer program endured or he would say experienced 10 moves by the time he was 17. He attended three high schools.
▶ 0:32:52Sen. Reed: I asked him if he wanted to stay in place with his mom for his senior year of school when I received an assignment as he completed the 11th grade. With the year-long deployment for me during his freshman year still fresh on his mind, he said no way. I don't want to be the reason the family is a part. We are super proud of justin and can't wait to see him this summer.
▶ 0:33:13Sen. Reed: Representing the much broader swath of family and friends who supported us over the years, we are also joined by shannon sister sarah, whose kids, despite my previous nomination and confirmation by this body, still insist on referring to me as uncle to star t-- to tar.
▶ 0:33:45Sen. Reed: -- two star. My mother recognized the encouragement from my uncles. She sent me to georgia military prep school. I was mentored by lieutenant colonel kurt landers, a retired helicopter pilot, who told me that flying was great but if I wanted to do it, I had to consider the air force, and the rest is history. Since I first marched up the ramp at the U.S.
▶ 0:34:10Sen. Reed: Air force academy on day one of basic cadet training in june 1989, countless others have shaped and molded me as an airman, fighter pilot, and as a leader. No one gets to this point in the military career without a legion of friends, mentors and supporters and for all those who make me who I am today, I am filled with gratitude. In my current role on the joint staff, had the privilege of seeing the broad swath of global challenges facing america today.
▶ 0:34:38Sen. Reed: Our adversaries are converging and the risks of conflict with one or more gross each and every day. Accordingly, it is more essential than ever for us to focus on war fighting readiness and lethality at all echelons. If confirmed, I look forward to working with this committee and congress on this and other issues of critical importance to U.S. forces in europe and to the alliance.
▶ 0:35:00Sen. Reed: While the indo pacific has risen in importance over the previous two decades, european and american security remain as intertwined as our history, our cultures and our economies. As such, a strong nato capable of defending europe remains essential to american interests and if confirmed, it will be the honor of my life time to leave not only U.S. forces in the european region but the men and women from across the alliance within allied command operations.
▶ 0:35:28Sen. Reed: Finally, I would like to offer a brief word of thanks to the current commander of ucomm and his wife. They have lead during a highly consequential time and I know the nation joins shannon and I and wishing them all the best as they head into their next chapter after an incredible 38 years of service to the army, joint force and the alliance. Thank you again for the opportunity to be here today and I look forward to your questions.
▶ 0:35:54Chair Wicker: Thank you both gentlemen. In our -- order to exercise oversight responsibilities, it is important the committee and other appropriate committees of the congress be able to receive testimony things and other communications and information. So I asked standard questions that we ask of every nominee. You can just simply say yes or no. A lot of together, simultaneously.
▶ 0:36:23Chair Wicker: Have you adhere to applicable laws and conscious -- conflict of interest? >> yes.
▶ 0:36:30Chair Wicker: Heavy agreed to give your personal views even if they differ from those in power? >> yes.
▶ 0:36:38Chair Wicker: Have you undertaken any actions that would appear to presume the outcome of the process? >> no.
▶ 0:36:47Chair Wicker: Will you ensure your staff are guys with deadlines for communications including questions for the records and hearings? >> yes.
▶ 0:37:02Chair Wicker: We will cooperate in providing witnesses and reapers in response to congressional requests? >> yes.
▶ 0:37:04Chair Wicker: Will they be protected for the reprisal? >> yes.
▶ 0:37:10Chair Wicker: Do you -- agree to appear before this committee upon request? >> yes.
▶ 0:37:16Chair Wicker: We provide documents and electronic forms of communication in a timely manner when requested by a duly constituted committee or to consult with the community regarding the basis for any good-faith delay or denial in providing such documents? >> yes.
▶ 0:37:34Chair Wicker: That concludes the standard questions. Now we will begin round of questions. Each senator will be allowed five minutes. Let me ask a question that I've asked to all nominees this year and also to the secretary of defense just recently at his latest hearing for this committee.
▶ 0:37:59Chair Wicker: In that regards reconciliation in the 150 billion dollars we anticipate will be put in the reconciliation bill for defense. Much of the funding in defense reconciliation is not specific and would typically be at the discretion of the department of defense. We will write specific recommendations for them. A quick yes or no from each of you.
▶ 0:38:25Chair Wicker: Admiral cooper, do you commit to follow the congress spending recommendations in defense reconciliation unequivocally?
▶ 0:38:31Vice Adm. Cooper: Yes.
▶ 0:38:33Chair Wicker: Lieutenant general ?
▶ 0:38:40Lt. General Grynkewich: Yes sir.
▶ 0:38:42Chair Wicker: Admiral cooper, you spent a number of years serving in senior military positions in the middle east and it is fair to say you understand the iranian threat better than most. How would you characterize iran's ability to threaten the united states, israel and our partners in the region today after what has happened during the last weekend?
▶ 0:39:10Chair Wicker: How does the threat compared to just a few years ago before hamas attacked israel in october of 2023? You will be talking about the iranian threat as well as the terrorist proxies.
▶ 0:39:24Lt. General Grynkewich: Thank you very much -- vice adm.
▶ 0:39:28Cooper: Thank you very much for the question. We would all agree that iran is the number one source and sponsor of terror throughout the world. At the strategic level, they have been weakened since the events of october 7. At the tactical level, they have been degraded and the degree to which that degradation has taken place in the last 12 days is best discussed in a classified forum.
▶ 0:39:55Cooper: I think with can more ably articulate the specifics of what that looks likes as a result of the last 12 days in conflict with israel.
▶ 0:40:00Chair Wicker: I do understand that and mentioned that in my opening statements. Would you agree with me that the remarkable effectiveness on israel's military campaign against iran and proxies has directly affected in a positive way american national security?
▶ 0:40:21Vice Adm. Cooper: I would.
▶ 0:40:24Chair Wicker: How so?
▶ 0:40:26Vice Adm. Cooper: If you look at where the threats have been and look at decades of iranian sponsorship of terrorism and you see the blood on the hands of the iranians from has below -- hezbollah with hundreds of the attacks against security members, they have and continue to be threats to the united states.
▶ 0:40:47Chair Wicker: These terrorist groups could possibly have engaged in the reign of terror without the assistance and backing of the iranian regime, could they?
▶ 0:40:57Vice Adm. Cooper: They could not.
▶ 0:40:59Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Lieutenant general greg lieutenant general gr, let me agree with the distinguished ranking member there is no time to appease putin but if ever there were, it surely would not be now.
▶ 0:41:20Chair Wicker: This is no time, in my judgment, for us to let up in support of those who would resist his illegal invasion of neighbors. Lt. General grynkewich, the general has testify that ground combat forces are central to determine russian aggression in europe.
▶ 0:41:43Chair Wicker: Can you describe the value of maintaining a strong force posture in europe and specifically, ucomm has rotational. What impact to the united states continental united states have our defense in your goals?
▶ 0:42:08Lt. General Grynkewich: I agree that land combat power is critical in the european theater, a large land mass. If we look at the situation today, many of the forces that were forward posture in europe are in a perfect position to swing his action to support the general during the crisis in the middle east.
▶ 0:42:36Lt. General Grynkewich: A good pivot point which you can move forces to any region of the world for combat operations. With respect to any potential reduction in force posture, I don't want to get ahead of any posture reviews that the department is undertaking right now but I do commit to providing a detailed assessment and military advice to the secretary of defense as they go through the posture review and understanding the importance that the ground power it has.
▶ 0:43:04Chair Wicker: I will yield back and recognize my friend, senator reed.
▶ 0:43:10Sen. Reed: First, let me begin by saluting the outstanding soldiers who left a distinguished legacy. Admiral, we have something in common, my father served in the united states navy in world war ii and went to west point and your father served in the army in world war ii and in the navy. We have something in common.
▶ 0:43:37Vice Adm. Cooper: Yes sir.
▶ 0:43:39Sen. Reed: Why the critical moments is the possibility of iranian and russian collaboration which the foreign minister was just in moscow I believe yesterday. The iranians have given significant help in the fight against ukraine and I am sure they are demanding reciprocal support.
▶ 0:44:06Sen. Reed: Both the general and the admiral, from a military perspective, what happens at the iranians and russians begin to collaborate more closely in supplying the iranians with equipment or with technicians or a whole range of things?
▶ 0:44:22Vice Adm. Cooper: Thank you for that. First, I would note the iranian and russian collaboration and would add into that mix the collaboration with north korea and china. At the strategic level, that access is troubling and one we will have to keep our eye on and if confirmed, I will absolutely do that.
▶ 0:44:42Vice Adm. Cooper: We have seen the tactical applications of support from iran to russia and tactical implications of chinese companies providing sensors and weapons and components to iran who ship them and they shot at americans. We need to call these out more. That emerging access is when we need to pay attention to.
▶ 0:45:02Sen. Reed: General?
▶ 0:45:06Lt. General Grynkewich: I agree with my good friend admiral cooper on this. From a european perspective, the iranian supply of drones to the russians and their extensive use in ukraine has contributed to countless numbers of casualties. That is one thing I agree we need to keep a close eye on.
▶ 0:45:28Lt. General Grynkewich: No doubt in my mind we have seen the use of north korean troops in the russian fight in ukraine and china is providing economic support to the entire group of this adversary alignment that we start to see. In a future context as we start to think about potential conflicts against great powers, we do need to worry about the potential for the conflicts and think about how we posture ourselves and allies to help deal with that.
▶ 0:45:58Lt. General Grynkewich: That is one reason I think the increased spending we are seeing from nato partners is going to be absolutely essential to success of the alliance moving forward.
▶ 0:46:05Sen. Reed: I think your occurrence admiral cooper, not a linear process. Things happen which are quite unexpected.
▶ 0:46:20Sen. Reed: One aspect of this, and it was pointed out by one of the more prospective commentators about the area, is that iran might draw the lesson that their only deterrence is to have an nuclear weapon. It could accelerate the process of trying to obtain a weapon. What is your assessment of the possibility of that?
▶ 0:46:48Lt. General Grynkewich: As we sit here now, it is a dynamic time. For sure at the thing I think we need to do and are doing with clarity is making sure our men and women are safe in the middle east and that is where our focus is today.
▶ 0:47:07Sen. Reed: A final question. Admiral cooper, the proxy network of the iranians has been significantly degraded by israeli attacks primarily books also other factors, a change in leadership in syria. How are we going to continue that denigration in the proxies? That is one aspect.
▶ 0:47:38Sen. Reed: Second, do you sense and this might be for the closed session, that those proxy will come back to iranians and start being active?
▶ 0:47:49Lt. General Grynkewich: I would agree the proxies are degraded. If confirmed, it would be a priority of mine to deter conflict through the deterrence of iran and those proxies. We will have to continue to watch them very closely. While those two proxies have been degraded, we still have the iranian militia groups and the houthis. >> thank you Mr.
▶ 0:48:15Lt. General Grynkewich: Chairman, and thank you both admiral cooper and lt. General grynkewich, for your service and that of your family for many years here general, you are nominated not only to serve as commander of the year us european command but also the supreme allied commander, europe, who is responsible for all nato military operations and forces.
▶ 0:48:45Lt. General Grynkewich: That includes the american nuclear forces that are assigned to nato. Nato is a nuclear alliance. The role you would assume in nato has always been filled by an american, beginning with general eisenhower in 1950. How do you view the role of nuclear deterrence with respect to the nato alliance?
▶ 0:49:08Lt. General Grynkewich: Senator, in my view, the U.S. strategic nuclear forces under the command of the strategic commander are foundational to the security of all of europe and foundational to the security of the alliance and underpin global security in many ways. They are absolutely essential.
▶ 0:49:35Lt. General Grynkewich: I also would note the forward positioning of certain nuclear capabilities on the continent and those provide very important backstop against any potential threat coming from the east. >> you earlier were asked about the increased, higher role of spending from our nato partners to 5% of gdp.
▶ 0:50:00Lt. General Grynkewich: I am curious how you would work to coordinate among the nato members to ensure that their investments would be complementary to each other and to the alliance as a whole.
▶ 0:50:16Lt. General Grynkewich: If confirmed that would be my major responsibility to see that any increased spending was done in a way that benefited the alliance and ensure capability targets the alliance has agreed to. I would also note the work that has been done on the nato plans and their specific requirements and capabilities that are essential to the effective execution of those plans.
▶ 0:50:40Lt. General Grynkewich: In certain countries have strengths in particular areas in some countries are very strong in the land domain and others have a stronger position in the maritime domain. Within all of the domains, there is a variety of capabilities. My goal would be to work very hard with our allies and partners in the region to bring all of that together in a coherent fashion to increase the strength of the alliance. >> do you know if discussions are going on right now with that?
▶ 0:51:12Lt. General Grynkewich: Ma'am, I am certain of those have started it. >> admiral cooper, yesterday we had the opportunity to visit and a classified session together and we talked about iran's influence in both syria and lebanon and how that has been changed with recent events. It sounds like there are real opportunities in the future for more stability and peace within those nations.
▶ 0:51:40Lt. General Grynkewich: What do you assess and post syria and lebanon would it mean for the region in its entirety?
▶ 0:51:56Vice Adm. Cooper: First, I enjoyed our conversation yesterday. When I think of syria, I think stability can translate into security in the united states. Isis thrives in a chaos. If the government of syria seven months into the resistance can help suppress that threat along with the U.S. forces in the region, that stability helps create our own security.
▶ 0:52:17Vice Adm. Cooper: I'm optimistic for the future but at the beginning of the new government, we have seen several steps, including the ambassador being appointed as a syria envoy who has made several trips. Everything we do in syria it be diplomatically led and we are headed in that direction.
▶ 0:52:36Vice Adm. Cooper: >> if you are confirmed, how would you ensure that the actions are integrated both with state and treasury to support more stability, growing stability within syria?
▶ 0:52:50Vice Adm. Cooper: Senator, I would anticipate we would be very closely, diplomatically led and drafting as policies sharpen and we will be prepared to provide our best military advice for those. >> thank you.
▶ 0:53:06Chair Wicker: Senator hirono?
▶ 0:53:14Sen. Hirono: Welcome to you and your families. Thank you for your service. To ensure the fitness of nominees for the positions to which they have been nominated, I asked the following two foundational questions of all nominees before any of the committees on which I sit. So I will ask these questions of you. We will start with admiral cooper and then go on to the general.
▶ 0:53:42Sen. Hirono: Since you became a legal adult, have ever made unwanted requests for central favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?
▶ 0:53:51Vice Adm. Cooper: I have not.
▶ 0:53:54Lt. General Grynkewich: I have not.
▶ 0:53:58Sen. Hirono: Have you ever face any consequences of this conduct?
▶ 0:54:03Lt. General Grynkewich: No.
▶ 0:54:04Vice Adm. Cooper: No.
▶ 0:54:07Sen. Hirono: The situation in the middle east risks drawing the U.S. and allies into a protracted war, risking the lives of american service members without a clear plan for what comes next and iran should not have a nuclear weapon, which is why we were in support of the 2015 jcpoa which allowed them to inspect suspected iranian
▶ 0:54:39Sen. Hirono: Facilities. Only congress can declare war and the vast majority of americans oppose another endless conflict in the middle east. Even after the announced cease-fire, the situation remains highly volatile while ongoing attacks, involving regional crisis continues.
▶ 0:55:05Sen. Hirono: So the regime must use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to avoid further escalation and instability in the region. Admiral cooper, I am concerned about additional escalation following the strikes on iran's nuclear facilities and despite the president's cease-fire announcements, the situation clearly remains volatile with renewed attacks and conflicting claims.
▶ 0:55:32Sen. Hirono: What steps is central plan taking or should take to deter further renewed retaliation, especially as tensions remain high?
▶ 0:55:44Vice Adm. Cooper: Senator, first I would agree that the middle east is a very dynamic region today and endangers do exist. From a military perspective, our number one priority is the safety of our men and women in uniform mother first protection we are laser focused on that today and if confirmed, it would remain minor with priority to take care of our men and women in uniform.
▶ 0:56:07Sen. Hirono: We have some 40,000 troops in the area and so protection of those trips would be critical, but do you have any ideas about what central command can do to ensure the region becomes more stable? For example, would you support a diplomatic efforts? As a first step?
▶ 0:56:39Vice Adm. Cooper: Step one is diplomatically led as we celebrate multi-month period and in support of that, the number of options as required by law were provided to support that diplomatically led effort. If confirmed, I would provide those same options.
▶ 0:56:58Sen. Hirono: Does central command have a role in fostering these diplomatic engagement in discussions?
▶ 0:57:02Lt. General Grynkewich: Central central command has and has for decades but it is strong and able to nurture those relationships.
▶ 0:57:15Sen. Hirono: How would central command balance the need to continue protecting our allies, israel, with the emerging threat to U.S. forces of some 40,000 troops in the region following this weekend's strike of the nuclear facilities?
▶ 0:57:30Vice Adm. Cooper: This is something we have been focused on for many years, particularly illuminating since the october 7 attacks in 20 23 and a priority every day and I would anticipate that will continue and if confirmed that would certainly be a priority of mine.
▶ 0:57:47Sen. Hirono: We have a situation in which the head of our intelligence forces, basically intelligence agency, said that iran was not pursuing its nuclear ambitions and you have a president that says I don't believe her. This does not give us much reassurance of what is actually happening in the region. I know I am balance my time.
▶ 0:58:19Sen. Hirono: But that volatility remains. Thank you very much.
▶ 0:58:20Chair Wicker: Senator cotton?
▶ 0:58:24Sen. Cotton: Congratulations on your nominations and thank you to your families for their sacrifice and think for the men and women you represent and will represent for their service as well. I want to commend you both and everyone was involved in the exceptionally successful mission against iran over the weekend. Admiral cooper, I want to return to a brief point you made with senator wicker.
▶ 0:58:48Sen. Cotton: Although we have dealt a massive setback to iran's nuclear threats, which is the worst kind of threat they can post, iran still poses a severe threat to our troops and americans around the world, right?
▶ 0:59:02Vice Adm. Cooper: They do. They possess considerable tactical capability, one element of which we saw yesterday which we forward.
▶ 0:59:16Sen. Cotton: As the next commander of central command, one of your top priorities will be to continue the aggressive defensive posture and to continue the deterrence that has now been reestablished against iran to defend our troops in the region as well as all of our friends in israel and arab nations.
▶ 0:59:32Vice Adm. Cooper: Absolutely, it would be an important priority.
▶ 0:59:38Sen. Cotton: I know that resident trump is -- president trump is aware of this that even if they had a weak response, there may not sincerely be another one and it could be missiles and rockets or blow up an embassy around the world are targeting american citizens for terrorist attacks, something we have to be constantly on guard against because iran has been terrorizing the americans of lezz war for 46 years. Is that right?
▶ 1:00:04Vice Adm. Cooper: Completely agree. We have to be in three point stance and ready to go every day.
▶ 1:00:11Sen. Cotton: Iran did not become a terrorist state because the united states bound the nuclear bunkers, they bombed it because they are a terrorist state. Is that right?
▶ 1:00:22I Would Vice Adm. Cooper: I would agree.
▶ 1:00:25Sen. Cotton: The attacks with the best base and emissions in the first time they have been employed in combat operations, they were incredibly successful. The worst both in the middle east since october 7 and in ukraine has also revealed the fragility of munitions production in this country and the defense industry. Would you agree that we need to do a lot more to increase capacity for our munitions industrial base?
▶ 1:00:54Vice Adm. Cooper: I would, sir. It is a very significant concern. I know senior leadership at dod is focused on it. It is not a new issue but one we need to focus on now.
▶ 1:01:07Sen. Cotton: Lt. General grynkewich, in your current role and anticipated role in europe, you would agree as well that we need to significantly extend munitions in the country?
▶ 1:01:20Lt. General Grynkewich: I would. As the director along with my colleagues for managing those munitions and pushing into the fight, I am acutely aware of some of the limitations we have and if confirmed, I would advocate for strong investment on both sides of the atlantic and industrial base.
▶ 1:01:39Sen. Cotton: Our industrial base includes the defense contractors and companies that make this in the private sector but also organic industrial base within the department and given the track record over the last three years, would you agree that we really need and all of the above strategy and need to push both the private sector and lean on the assets we already have in the department of defense to produce munitions the war fighters need?
▶ 1:02:00Lt. General Grynkewich: I would. The organic industrial base does need that attention. On the private sector side, we need to focus not just on traditional contractors but expand competitive space to new entrants to get as much production capacity as possible.
▶ 1:02:18Sen. Cotton: Admiral cooper, I think you were nodding. Was like to state that for the record?
▶ 1:02:23Vice Adm. Cooper: Absolutely, that is the correct -- that is correct.
▶ 1:02:32Sen. Cotton: The use of drones lunching inside the country as well as a few weeks ago by ukraine inside russia has reviewed once again the threat that drones can pose to our bases in the united states and I worked with a lot of the senators to address that threat in the U.S.
▶ 1:02:51Sen. Cotton: And we are going to try to expand on that but general, it is also a threat in europe, the prospect of nato or american bases being attacked by drones as we thought in iran or ukraine. How do you assess the threat right now?
▶ 1:03:09Lt. General Grynkewich: It is an acute threat, a new technology and investment in counter capability and the ability to do the same sort of activities with our own drones needs vigorous attention.
▶ 1:03:21Sen. Cotton: Thank you. If israel can do it to iran and ukraine can do it to russia, we can't assume the bad guys can do it to us and our troops and bases overseas and here at home and we need to counteract it. Take you.
▶ 1:03:35Chair Wicker: Senator king.
▶ 1:03:39Sen. King: Thank you, Mr. chairman. Senator lankford and I three weeks ago were in your ao are, admiral, in baghdad -- aor in baghdad and türkiye.
▶ 1:03:58Sen. King: I want to say what wonderful people we have working with us, particularly in the lebanon state department, intelligence community, this country is very fortunate to have the quality people we have in dangerous and difficult situations -- circumstances for your nodding, I presume you agree?
▶ 1:04:16Vice Adm. Cooper: We have extraordinary men and women serving throughout the world.
▶ 1:04:23Sen. King: We learned that none of the countries want us to leave. There are uncertainties and instabilities. In iraq, probably the last proxy is right now of iran are the iran inspired militias in iraq. Have an election coming up this fall and that has been one of the significant dangers.
▶ 1:04:45Sen. King: What I am getting at is, it seems to me given the renewed volatilities, this region has been volatile it seems like forever but the renewed volatility in the last several months is not a good time to be drawing down our forces because they are viewed as stabilizing forces and all of those countries in the middle east. Do you have thoughts about that?
▶ 1:05:11Vice Adm. Cooper: I think it is first and foremost to remember what our forces are doing in iraq and syria, and it is focusing on the counter threat to defeat isis operation.
▶ 1:05:24Sen. King: That was going to be my next question. Isis, a deep concern that it is reconstituting in syria given the changes there. The point is, I believe it is not a time to be retrenching, given the developments of just the last several months.
▶ 1:05:44Vice Adm. Cooper: I completely agree. I believe stability is an aspect of security and our approach today is to assess and move forward on the conditions based assessment. Giving -- given the dynamics, it could look different. If confirmed, I will continue to assess what our posture need to -- needs to be and make recommendations accordingly.
▶ 1:06:12Sen. King: Syria is in a very, I almost said precarious but in an important place. Everyone we talked to said that there is really no plan b.
▶ 1:06:30Sen. King: They have done a good job of being the envoy but it seems to me that syria is a place we need to watch because if he goes away, then all of a sudden it is open season for isis and other potential terrorist groups.
▶ 1:06:44Vice Adm. Cooper: I completely agree. I think stability in syria hinges on the current leader remaining in place and that is important for U.S. homeland defense and offense forward. As you described, the ambassador is leading this effort diplomatically. The U.S.
▶ 1:07:01Vice Adm. Cooper: Military has had a role but it would be to provide the best military advice on what that could look like going forward pay for sure right now, the troops in syria remain focused on the counter isis and we will see what that looks like in the future but it is an encouraging sign.
▶ 1:07:21Sen. King: Lt. General grynkewich, the issue of russian activity along the border of the baltic states, my understanding is there is some probing and buildup of russian troops along that border. Is that something we should be watching carefully?
▶ 1:07:44Lt. General Grynkewich: I think we should, especially as the russian war economy continues, if and when we are able to achieve the objective of cease fire in ukraine, russia will have more troops they can put in the region which from the military perspective we will have to pay a lot of attention to.
▶ 1:08:04Sen. King: A friend in maine and I were discussing this and they said russia isn't interested in any other parts of the world, just ukraine. My response was why did finland join nato after 75 years? They know what russia could and probably would do. Is it important for us strategically to continue the support of the ukrainians in terms, and the kind of way we have done in the past to maintain military intelligence support?
▶ 1:08:31Lt. General Grynkewich: Senator, I think the ukrainians have done an incredible job defending. They are forcing the russians to make only incremental advances at a tremendous cost. I think we should continue the effort to support them that has allowed them to perform so well.
▶ 1:08:52Sen. King: Thank you so much.
▶ 1:08:54Chair Wicker: Senator king, u.n. Senator cotton have made a strong bipartisan points and I appreciate that line of questioning in particular.
▶ 1:09:05Sen. Rounds: Thank you, Mr. chairman. To both of you and your families, thank you all for your service to our country. You both come as very qualified individuals to the new jobs in which you will step into very shortly. I want to take a little time and talk about what I feel is one of the most important aspects of this new position that each of you will be in very shortly.
▶ 1:09:35Sen. Rounds: That is, the difference between when we ask someone who doesn't wear the uniform of the united states of america but rather a suit and tie and when they come before this committee, some from outside of government who will give us their own opinion about issues and policies and positions, but then we have the individuals who come from an administration.
▶ 1:10:00Sen. Rounds: I have been here 10 years and have seen four different administrations in which individuals come and they give us their opinion on what happens or a position with regard to policy. We take their statements with a grain of salt, recognizing that they represent an administration's point of view.
▶ 1:10:21Sen. Rounds: When we come to you as members of the armed services from the different branches and we ask for your professional military opinion, it is perhaps one of the most important things you can do to provide us directly and without color the black-and-white of exactly what you think because that's what we rely on in terms of truth.
▶ 1:10:50Sen. Rounds: And I want to go into this a little bit because just as an example, a number of assess -- a number of us have asked about the spectrum and the important of the spectrum and managing it on behalf of the defense of the country by the department of defense.
▶ 1:11:07Sen. Rounds: On 28 different occasions, we have asked specifically -- on 28 different locations, we have asked specifically those wearing the uniform their opinion and in some cases, I suspect they're honest and straightforward answers have probably gotten them into a little bit of hot water with individuals who simply wear a suit and try in an administration. Nonetheless, they have hit adhered to the principle that they are provided to give us a straightforward answer.
▶ 1:11:36Sen. Rounds: It is the most important thing you can do in before this committee. I lay that out for you because this is what makes the difference between a young man's ability to defend himself on the battlefield. I want to start, lt. General grynkewich, you have served and flown a fourth and fifth generation aircraft.
▶ 1:12:03Sen. Rounds: Things are going to change very rapidly on the battlefield for young men and women today on the battlefield, would you say if the enemy can see you, a young man or woman regardless if he is in a tank or aircraft or a command center, if they can see you, they can cure -- kill you. Is that a fair statement?
▶ 1:12:24Lt. General Grynkewich: I think it is in most cases. There are a few times they can see us and try to take a swipe and we have ways to defeat that but it is the transparency on the modern battlefield based on what we have seen both in brat's current -- brad's current role in the russian fight. >> if they can see you, can they kill you?
▶ 1:12:51Vice Adm. Cooper: Absolutely, the stealth advantage or advantage of maneuver or that which we have at times is critical. And I spent my entire adult life at sea on guided missile destroyers and cruisers. They aren't national assets and would be rendered highly ineffective without the spectrum management you have been advocating for.
▶ 1:13:25Sen. Rounds: If I could simply eat once again strongly recommend when the question from any member of this committee, republican or democrat is given to you and asked for your professional opinion is because we are trying to find out exactly what is going on and even if it is uncomfortable, this is where the rubber really meets the road when you provide the information to us, we make better decisions.
▶ 1:13:53Sen. Rounds: And that is I think what this is all about, the oversight does not work if we cannot count on you for that straightforward, hard-hitting response to our questions. With that, I yield back.
▶ 1:14:07Chair Wicker: Thank you for that question. Senator king.
▶ 1:14:13Sen. King: Thank you, Mr. chair. Congratulation to the nominees. Admiral cooper, your lead in congress will give you innate sensitivity to the relationship that the article one and article two branches must have on these important issues. Congratulations to both of you. I put it on the U.S.
▶ 1:14:36Sen. King: Getting into an offensive war with iran and praying and I know we all are that the cease-fire will hold. That would be great news for the region, great news for us. I think there are differences of opinion in this body as there would be in the american public about the virtues of offensive war between the united states and iran and I understand those differences, but I hope my colleagues will agree that something of this magnitude should not be the decision of one person.
▶ 1:15:04Sen. King: The framers of the constitution decided very carefully that the initiation of offensive war is something that should happen after about of congress. In this instance, not only no congressional authorization, there is no congressional consultation and there wasn't even congressional notification. I have taken the position since I came here under president obama's second term, president trump's first term, president biden's term, president trump's second term that I don't want to have the decision about whether we send our sons and daughters to war rest on one person.
▶ 1:15:35Sen. King: However much I agree with that person. I don't think it should rest on the shoulders or rest on the say so or the whims or the daily mood by fiber come attitude of one person. In particular when in this instance the israeli foreign minister said the nuclear program of iran had been knocked back at least two or three years , our own intelligent said they were not moving to a nuclear weapon. The need to strike without notifying congress I find deeply disturbed urging. -- discouraging.
▶ 1:16:08Sen. King: I just hope my colleagues will stand for the proposition whatever we think about the virtues of war with iran that congress should be weighing in on this. Yes or no, come should be consulted? We are the people selected representatives and we look our constituents in the eye. We have kids or spouses in the military. We ought to be having a debate and having about not just allowing this to be done on autopilot by a single person whether or not we share the party affiliation or whether we -- agree with that person.
▶ 1:16:38Sen. King: Senator cotton said something that is true and picks up, admiral cooper, something you said, iran was the chief source of instability in the region and they are. Senator cotton said they have posed a risk to americans for the last 46 years have they have. Everything he said was true and every thing you said was true. In labouisse to say the truth will hold the truth and nothing but the truth.
▶ 1:17:02Sen. King: Sometimes we admit the whole truth because -- if we are going to grapple with hopefully diplomatic resolutions to these issues, we have got to be completely truthful. Everything you said about iran was accurate, but what nobody seems to say in a committee like this is the united states acted to change the iranian regime 1953 by knocking off a democratically chosen prime minister at the behest of the british whose oil interests were at stake. This is widely admitted.
▶ 1:17:33Sen. King: Anybody was to research operation ajax, go take a look. Eisenhower project that knocked off the iranian civilian democratic the elected leader. After that happened, the U.S. helped installed a dictator, the shah of iran. We trained the secret place of iran and that dictator brutally rolled iran for about 25 years.
▶ 1:17:54Sen. King: Iran, which have been pro-american because american fought for iranian sovereignty at the end of world war ii and the soviet union wanted to gobble it up, then 25 years of U.S. propping up a dictator over iranians led the deep anti-american hostility. When the shaw was thrown out of office, U.S. gave the shah refuge, we refused to give a back and the held american hostage, violation of international law.
▶ 1:18:26Sen. King: In subsequent years, the U.S. military shutdown an iranian passenger jet, and the 1980's, killed 290 civilians. That was on us, not them. The U.S. gave weapons to iraq when saddam hussein invaded iran , a huge war that cost 300,000 iranian lives. He was provide weapons for iraq -- the U.S. provided weapons to iraq to kill iranians.
▶ 1:18:55Sen. King: We invaded a next-door neighbor to the east, afghanistan, to topple regime, a next-door neighbor to the west, iraq, to topple regime. We took a diplomatic deal with iran the first in seven years that was actually working according to the iea and president trump's first national security cabinet and we tore it up.
▶ 1:19:14Sen. King: If you're going to try to find a diplomatic resolution, we not only have to acknowledge the iranian terror that you truthfully recognize but we also have to recognize that in a diplomatic solution, they have some points of concerns well. If we don't deal with all of them, we won't find the diplomatic resolution that we would want rather than war. Thank you.
▶ 1:19:35Chair Wicker: Senator ernst.
▶ 1:19:39Sen. Ernst: Gentlemen, I want to thank you for being here today. I especially want to thank your spouses and your family members for being here as well. We know it takes a whole group of folks to help you succeed in what you do and we are grateful for their service as well. I would like to start with you, admiral cooper, operation midnight hammer is on everyone's minds.
▶ 1:20:04Sen. Ernst: I want to thank the incredible pilots, warriors, support teams for all that they did to make it a successful mission. I am extremely proud of team america. I will start with you, senator king mentioned isis. I want to go a little bit further on that because we still see them as a big threat to those americans and others that serve and live in the middle east.
▶ 1:20:34Sen. Ernst: Just last week we saw isis extremists bomb a church in damascus, so we know they are still operating. It is a clear indication that threat requires continued vigilance. Given the current volatility across the region just in your estimation, looking at the resurgence of isis, other terrorist organizations, what indicators are you watching most closely when it comes to those terrorist groups?
▶ 1:21:07Vice Adm Cooper: Thank you for the question. Defending the homeland broadly and defending it forward is of critical importance to us, specifically that translates to keeping a thumb on isis which predominantly exists in three places -- syria, iraq, and on the afghan-pakistan border. We are focused on the problems that every single day.
▶ 1:21:35Vice Adm Cooper: I only have to go back a few months to the events in new orleans at the beginning of the year, the events as you described in the church bombing, to show isis remains a threat. If confirmed, I will remain nose-down on this threat read it is an absolute priority.
▶ 1:21:52Sen. Ernst: No doubt we would love to see our american troops be able to withdraw from other places around the globe but we know that is not realistic. Our american military men and women provide great stability whether it is in syria, iraq, other places. We have 1800 iowa army national guardsmen that were just mobilized to go into iraq and syria. They will have boots on the ground very soon to continue with those stability operations.
▶ 1:22:20Sen. Ernst: As we look at other ways we might be able to bring troops home, again, maybe not realistic at this time, if you could walk us through our partners in the region and would they be able to fully absorb those missions and provide for the stability without american presence?
▶ 1:22:39Vice Adm Cooper: U.S. presence is indispensable in the execution of the counter isis mission today. We have let it, we will eat it today, and I anticipate will in the future. -- we have led it, we will lead it today, and I anticipate we will in the future. We are fortunate to have 20 countries contribute in but america is leading.
▶ 1:23:04Sen. Ernst: I appreciate that. I agree with that sentiment. It is extremely important have american military leadership. I also believe in diplomacy but there are times when we need our boots on the ground to provide that leadership for other nations. They look to us for that leadership. Very, very important. In the time I have remaining, lt
▶ 1:23:28Gen Grynkewich: -- general grynkewich we have quite a number of troops that serve in europe today and about 100,000 in europe, 20,000 deployed to eastern europe.
▶ 1:23:44Gen Grynkewich: Again, for you, we have not announced any formal drawdowns of military men and women in europe, but how do you assess our current force posture in europe and what adjustments may be necessary to sustain deterrence and reassure our nato allies?
▶ 1:24:02Lt Gen Grynkewich: Senator, in my current role on the joint staff, I am acutely aware of the global demand on our forces about the ao are that brad works in today in europe and the indo-pacific. As I look at what that european force posture needs to be, clearly, there is been some benefit for the forces we have had but clearly, the forces also stressed and there may be needs to be adjustments.
▶ 1:24:28Lt Gen Grynkewich: I will need to perform a full assessment on that but as part of that assessment, I will look at creative ways we can bolster our partners on the continent and international guard in the work they're doing in kosovo and the state program is certainly a key element that we will consider.
▶ 1:24:44Sen. Ernst: We love our american military leadership. Thank you.
▶ 1:24:49Chair Wicker: Senator warren.
▶ 1:24:54Sen. Moran: Congratulations to both of you on your nominations. It seems like donald trump is once again thing red light/green light, this time war with iran. Three nights ago he bombed three sites and warned of "many targets left to strike" and threatened "tragedy" if iran did not mutely capitulate.
▶ 1:25:19Sen. Moran: Last night he declared the war is over but now the cease-fire seems to be changing every few hours and no one seems to know if it will hold. No one wants iran to have a nuclear weapon, but experts and intelligence have told us time and again iran's nuclear program cannot be bombed out of existence. So the question is, what does president trump's plan? Another endless war in the middle east?
▶ 1:25:48Sen. Moran: Vice admiral cooper, are currently the deputy commander of U.S. central command. You are nominated to be commander. But you are already there. You don't decide policy, obviously, you carry out the president's orders. Today I want to ask you if you have any clarity from president trump, the commander-in-chief who chose this war come on what comes next?
▶ 1:26:14Sen. Moran: Vice admiral cooper come has president trump communicated to give you whether or not he could contemplate american troops fighting in iran?
▶ 1:26:22Vice Adm Cooper: As we sit here at a very dynamic time, literally as we are sitting here, the military's number one priority is the safety and security of our men and women in the middle east we had that remains our priority. As I look to the future with the prospect of confirmation, my obligation and my duty would be to provide secretary of defense and the president a range of options to deal with policies that he would lead.
▶ 1:26:47Sen. Warren: Are you working on plans to deploy troops if the president orders it?
▶ 1:26:53Vice Adm Cooper: We are working on plans every single day. I think this form is not the appropriate forum to talk about specific plans or what we are doing today. I can capture that in a classified environment.
▶ 1:27:07Sen. Warren: I'm just trying to get whether or not there are plans. I'm not asking for what they are in particular. But I take it from what you're saying, the president has not ruled out and boots on the ground in iran?
▶ 1:27:21Vice Adm Cooper: From a military perspective, it is critically important we provide the maximum latitude decisions the president to decide on key plans and directions. We will be standing by to execute those.
▶ 1:27:37Sen. Warren: So on saturday, president trump and his administration claimed that the goal was to end israel's nuclear program, not --iran's nuclear program.
▶ 1:27:51Sen. Warren: And then on sunday, the president reversed course posting, "if the current iranian regime is unable to make iran great again, why would there be regime change?" yesterday he said, "god bless iran." vice admiral cooper come has president trump communicated to you how long he intends this war could go on if the cease-fire breaks?
▶ 1:28:20Vice Adm Cooper: Our role from a military perspective is to remain ready for a wide range of contingencies, protect our people, and that is what we are doing.
▶ 1:28:30Sen. Warren: So you're preparing for protected war?
▶ 1:28:31Vice Adm Cooper: It would be inappropriate to comment on a specific action that we are prepared for a wide range of contingencies.
▶ 1:28:40Sen. Warren: I'm asking about your preparations, not what actions you will take. Our service members who volunteer to give so much have a right to know that the president of the united states values their lives and sends them into harms way only when we clearly have a plan to understand how this text united states of america -- how this protects the united states of america.
▶ 1:29:04Sen. Warren: I'm very concerned about the president's on again/off again explanations of why this bombing has taken place and that he is doing with no answer authority. Only congress can declare war. The senate must vote immediately to prevent another endless war. I want to raise one more question. That is reports the trump administration wants to dismantle reforms developed under the first trump administration to prevent civilian harm.
▶ 1:29:34Sen. Warren: Killing civilians is not only wrong, it threatens national security. General stanley mcchrystal called it insurgent math create meaning for every sibling you kill, you create 10 new enemies. Vice admiral cooper, why is it important to U.S. national security to prevent civilian harm?
▶ 1:29:50Vice Adm Cooper: Thank you for your advocacy and passion on this issue. I share your passion. If confirmed, I will continue to do what I do today which is take an organization that is moving I believe from compliance to having civilian -- art of our culture.
▶ 1:30:11Chair Wicker: Thank you senator warren. Senator scott.
▶ 1:30:15Sen. Scott: Thank you. Congratulations to both of you and your family. Thank you for your service and the sacrifice of your families. I was at the white house yesterday. President trump was elated of the success of the bombings in iran and was very hopeful there is a cease-fire that will hold. I think we all would love to make sure iran does not have nuclear weapons.
▶ 1:30:45Sen. Scott: So I'm very appreciative president was willing to make the decision and do it. Not many people would have made that decision. It looks up we are going to get a positive outcome. For both of you, is the world a safer place with president trump in office and iranian nuclear facilities taken out?
▶ 1:31:06Lt Gen Grynkewich: No country in the world once iran to have a nuclear weapon. It is a safer place.
▶ 1:31:13Vice Adm Cooper: The world is safer with iran not having a nuclear weapon.
▶ 1:31:18Sen. Scott: How do you think it changes the dynamics are some people that have decided to be enemies like russia and communist china and north korea? How do you think it changes your thought process knowing united states -- that we have a president willing to defend freedom of the world, especially our freedom?
▶ 1:31:40Lt Gen Grynkewich: I will echo some of the comments the ranking member and chair made earlier on the incredible performance of the joint force projecting american combat power from the continental united states halfway around the globe. I think that sends a message to everyone about the ability of america to reach out and touch any target anytime we want to.
▶ 1:32:02Vice Adm Cooper: My assessment would be that china and russia are looking at this from a deterrence angle. No deterrence -- capability, capacity, well, messaging. This is a strong demonstration of will and I anticipate other countries are watching.
▶ 1:32:20Sen. Scott: For each of you, when you take over your roles, what will be your thought process to make sure we have the right assets, the right people, the right strategy that you will be responsible for?
▶ 1:32:34Lt Gen Grynkewich: Chairman, I have had the benefit of a global view of problems from my current position on the joint staff. As I dive and issues on the european continent, the types of things I will be focused on will could the readiness of our war fighters -- including both U.S. war fighters and if I'm lucky enough to be confirmed the war fighters across the alliance.
▶ 1:33:00Lt Gen Grynkewich: I also think it will be very important to look at the pivots and the character award that are occurring right now in terms of unmanned and digital technologies, both from things like unmanned surface vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, but also the underlying application of artificial intelligence and the connective tissue that allows us to effectively command and control. Those will be some of my key focus areas.
▶ 1:33:22Vice Adm Cooper: Senator, I would never stuff for -- four years of expense I've had including three years living about 100 miles from iran and orient my priorities generally in three areas -- defending the homeland, trade sites and keeping our thumb on terrorists in the middle east. I would look at deterring iran and its proxies. I think that is a critical element of our national security. And I would look at countering china.
▶ 1:33:47Vice Adm Cooper: I also agree that -- with my friend here that the character of warfare is changing and I think everything we can do tactically to get war fighting tools into the hands of war fighters faster is something that should be pursued with a sense of urgency.
▶ 1:34:02Sen. Scott: Thank you. What is the imports of the abraham accords in our relationships with -- our military relationships with the partnerships with the arab countries that are supportive of israel?
▶ 1:34:13Vice Adm Cooper: The abraham accords were signed in fall 2020. The we solace income ship from european orientation into -- israel shift to centcom. The confluence of those events and alignment and agreement that iran is a principal threat presents extraordinary opportunities to advance security and enhance deterrence to the abraham accords countries.
▶ 1:34:39Sen. Scott: Thank you for your service. Congratulations on your nomination. I know you guys will both do a great job.
▶ 1:34:45Chair Wicker: Senator kelly.
▶ 1:34:48Sen. Kelly: Thank you for being here today and congratulations to you both in your nominations. I want to take a moment to discuss isr, the requirements in two theaters I think routinely make heavy use of isr. Could each of you believe -- briefly describe the isr requirements in your respective theaters? And how important isr is for you to execute your strategy?
▶ 1:35:19Vice Adm Cooper: I think of this into buckets, the isr necessary to keep our eyes on and defend our homeland against terrace throughout the region and also think it is important to have the isr to keep our eyes on to deter iran. Those are the two principal areas.
▶ 1:35:37Lt Gen Grynkewich: In the european theater, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance is essential. It is essential to keeping track of russian activity both in the maritime and air domain and to protect the avenues that might threaten our homeland and essential to monitor the eastern flank of the alliance.
▶ 1:35:58Sen. Kelly: One trained I think is the reliance on space-based platforms instead of aircraft. I think my view is probably continue to need both.
▶ 1:36:14Sen. Kelly: In centcom, admiral, you have a challenge here, possibly head of you, with regards to the strait of hormuz and the possibility that the iranians could use minds deployed by ships. I don't think they could deploy them by aircraft. I might be wrong about that.
▶ 1:36:35Sen. Kelly: Could you talk about how the isr requirement, if you have to deal with it continuing aggressive iran but with regards to closing down the straits and what that can be to operations for the fifth fleet for centcom?
▶ 1:36:54Lt Gen Grynkewich: In my own experience for having command of the fleet for nearly three years and the associate of task force which is coalition in nature against sufficient capacity and capability to handle the threat, isr is a critical enabler to get into the left of any iranian actions treated it would be important for us to watch what they are doing and attempt to both anticipate and react faster . It is a significant threat, known threat, and when we are watching.
▶ 1:37:24Sen. Kelly: What what are the action be they start to deploy sea mines? Do you have an adequate number of mine sweepers? How do you protect shipping going to that 30 mile strait?
▶ 1:37:40Vice Adm Cooper: Iran has thousands of sea mines. With the largest force -- we have the largest force.
▶ 1:37:52Sen. Kelly: What ships of theirs will be used to deploy sea mines?
▶ 1:37:55Vice Adm Cooper: We have a good understanding of what that would look like.
▶ 1:38:01Sen. Kelly: Do we track where ships are located and would we know if they start pulling out of port?
▶ 1:38:07Vice Adm Cooper: We track them closely and yes we would know.
▶ 1:38:12Sen. Kelly: I have a quick question about close air support. We have been -- we are in the process of divesting -- this is for you come in general, primarily -- divesting from the a10 platform, special operations forces capability with the 1k, possibly we could try to do this more with f-16s, and 35's.
▶ 1:38:42Sen. Kelly: I want your opinion because there is also a trend here away from what we think of lord of the ground, slow movers, apaches is an example, we are no longer going to upgrade to e's but if we wound up in a conflict in europe, I think close air support is something we are going to continue to need. I just want your thoughts on that and where we should go.
▶ 1:39:08Lt Gen Grynkewich: Thank you for the question. I do agree given the characteristics of geography of europe close air support would be essential to any battle that we found ourselves in. If we unfortunately got to that point, it will be important to show we have that capability as a deterrent to help us not to get there. Two things I think about with respect to the future of close air support.
▶ 1:39:30Lt Gen Grynkewich: One is if are using traditional aircraft to execute this mission, I do need them to be survivable in a much more does the protected from an air defense perspective environment and we see that in ukraine were neither side is able to get close air support into the battlefield in a traditional sense because of the air defense. They have resorted now to less traditional means of close air support using first person viewer drones, attack drones, etc. We can look at those aspects in the future.
▶ 1:40:01Chair Wicker: How is that working? The use of alternative close air support?
▶ 1:40:09Lt Gen Grynkewich: My assessment is that some of those alternatives are proving to be extremely lethal on the battlefield in ukraine. The pace of innovation that we have seen early on both sides of the equation has shown smaller drones processing maneuvered with lethal payloads can have a devastating effect on enemy forces on the frontline.
▶ 1:40:33Chair Wicker: At less expense to the taxpayer?
▶ 1:40:35Lt Gen Grynkewich: Much less.
▶ 1:40:38Chair Wicker: Senator tuberville?
▶ 1:40:41Sen. Tuberville: Thank you for your service and moving our families around. Like a coach, do not stay very long in one spot. Admiral, good to see your family here. Good alabama folks. Montgomery? Might be my neighbor here and here and have after our run for governor and win it. Hopefully, they vote for me.
▶ 1:41:07Sen. Tuberville: General, what is your relationship with the nato commanders in the bigger countries that we have?
▶ 1:41:13Lt Gen Grynkewich: Senator, I have worked with european partners around the world over the years in a variety of coalition environments read I know many of the leaders across all of those countries. It is a solid relationship.
▶ 1:41:28Sen. Tuberville: What about turkey?
▶ 1:41:30Lt Gen Grynkewich: I've had the privilege of visiting several times over the course of my career. I have great respect for the military capabilities they can bring to bear.
▶ 1:41:39Sen. Tuberville: Largest military in nato? Lt gen
▶ 1:41:42Grynkewich: Yes, sir.
▶ 1:41:46Sen. Tuberville: This ukraine-russia war that is been going on for a long time, a lot of people -- we have spent a lot of money. Can ukraine win?
▶ 1:41:56Lt Gen Grynkewich: Senator, I think they can win will stop I think any time your own homeland is threatened, you fight with the tenacity that is difficult for us to conceive of win -- if we haven't found ourselves in that same situation.
▶ 1:42:12Sen. Tuberville: They have absolutely fought hard. You have to give it to them. Admiral, we have not talked about the houthis. I think we bombed them for 30 straight days. Is that correct?
▶ 1:42:27Vice Adm Cooper: We bombed them for 51 straight days in conjunction with operation rough riders.
▶ 1:42:34Sen. Tuberville: Have we stopped?
▶ 1:42:35Vice Adm Cooper: The president gave the military a very precise mission which was to restore the freedom of navigation and that mission was successfully executed. We have freedom of navigation today. We agreed cease-fire several weeks ago, now 40 days ago if the houthis did not shoot at us, we would not shoot at them. They have not shot at us and we have not shot at them. We have multiple examples of destroyers going back and forth.
▶ 1:43:05Sen. Tuberville: But what about merchant ships?
▶ 1:43:07Vice Adm Cooper: There are merchant ships flowing through today. If we walk back to the fall of 2023 when the houthis started their actions, it took several months for the flow of commerce to leave the red sea. I would expect it will take several months for it to fully conduct.
▶ 1:43:23Several -- Sen. Tuberville: My understanding is the houthis are one of the strongest groups backed by iran. Is that correct?
▶ 1:43:31Vice Adm Cooper: There been supported with arms, people, training, isr for the better part of 10 years. They are well supported.
▶ 1:43:39Sen. Tuberville: China supports them?
▶ 1:43:41Vice Adm Cooper: They do.
▶ 1:43:44Sen. Tuberville: Do you think this is going to be an on and off project with the houthis over the years or are we going to be able to stabilize it?
▶ 1:43:53Vice Adm Cooper: I think we are now 40 days into this. The ball is in the houthis' cour t. I think the policies associated with the cease-fire remain in place and we will just be prepared for a military perspective for a wide range of contingency as is our obligation to do so.
▶ 1:44:13Sen. Tuberville: Do we actually know who the leadership is that controls the houthis?
▶ 1:44:18Vice Adm Cooper: We do, sir.
▶ 1:44:21Sen. Tuberville: General over the past few months, have we talk to them? They talk back to us? How does that work?
▶ 1:44:28Vice Adm Cooper: Communications is done through diplomatic channels. The houthis are foreign terrorist organization, we don't have conversation --
▶ 1:44:38Sen. Tuberville: So who does the president talk to?
▶ 1:44:42Vice Adm Cooper: He uses the envoy for the middle east and esther steve witkoff who helped -- ambassador steve witkoff.
▶ 1:44:52Sen. Tuberville: They must be tough rascals. We bombed them for 51 days and they're still kicking.
▶ 1:44:58Vice Adm Cooper: They are extreme we will supplied by the iranians.
▶ 1:45:02Sen. Tuberville: Are they dug in?
▶ 1:45:03Vice Adm Cooper: As we have seen, groups are going underground. Hamas, hezbollah, houthis. This is a serious issue we will have to look at in the future.
▶ 1:45:13Sen. Tuberville: We do make a bomb in huntsville called the moaab. They do a lot of damage. We have a few left. Maybe in the future if we can get them to reconcile -- we are going to have to have full passage in the red sea. If we are going to get ai going, we have to get supply chains going. We can't haphazardly wonder if they are going to sink one of our ships. Thank you. Good luck to both of you.
▶ 1:45:42Chair Wicker: I'm going to recognize senator blumenthal next but let me ask this, general grynkewich, the houthis are not an ethnic group come are they?
▶ 1:45:57Lt Gen Grynkewich: Sir, they are a group more than anything. But also some tribal affiliations.
▶ 1:46:06Chair Wicker: They exist for a purpose. They have constituted themselves for one purpose, have they not?
▶ 1:46:19Lt Gen Grynkewich: They view themselves as the enemies of america, israel, and the jewish people.
▶ 1:46:27Chair Wicker: So if they are withholding for now, is it your judgment that they have reformed and they will not rain tear on us or the region -- terror on us for the region in the future?
▶ 1:46:47Lt Gen Grynkewich: I would argue from my time in my current role on the joint staff and previous time in central command the houthis are likely to be a persistent problem that we will be dealing with in the future a few times.
▶ 1:47:02Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Senator blumenthal.
▶ 1:47:07Sen. Blumenthal: Thank you. Thank you both for your service, to your family says, and thank you for the conversation that you had with me last week. I join you in expressing my gratitude and admiration for the incredible work done by our servicemen and women in the latest strike against iran.
▶ 1:47:32Sen. Blumenthal: The use of our b2's and the intelligence that we were able to glean that enabled the strike even though we don't know fully the extent of its success I think is deeply impressive. I want to join in thanking our own military.
▶ 1:47:55Sen. Blumenthal: But let me ask you, admiral cooper, how would you assess the importance of the israeli military and intelligence contribution making it impossible for us to engage in that military operation?
▶ 1:48:11Sen. Blumenthal: Would it have been possible without the israelis in effect disabling and in some instances destroying the capability of their proxies and iran itself in its air defenses?
▶ 1:48:26Vice Adm Cooper: Thank you for that. Without getting into specifics, which I think are best addressed in a classified environment, it is fair to say and was articulated this past weekend that there were israeli actions that we benefited from but were not directly tied to association with -- associated with the specific operation.
▶ 1:48:49Sen. Blumenthal: It may not of been a direct partnership but certainly the contributions of the israeli military were actually short nearly significant in whatever success we had. Would you agree?
▶ 1:49:04Vice Adm Cooper: I agree.
▶ 1:49:07Sen. Blumenthal: Them me ask you now to follow up on some questions that you and I talked about, the importance of drones and unmanned aerial systems. My view is that the nature of modern warfare is changing before our eyes in real time.
▶ 1:49:30Sen. Blumenthal: The threat that we see now in the area where you are going have responsibility, where you have had that responsibility is asymmetric from many of those terrorist groups that attack, for example, tower 22 and killed a number of our servicemen there.
▶ 1:49:52Sen. Blumenthal: Are we sufficiently protected in the area now against possible iranian retaliation against the 40,000 and and women in uniform that we have in that area?
▶ 1:50:03Vice Adm Cooper: I do agree the nature and the character of warfare is changing before our very eyes. This is why think the important work of this committee whether it is the forage act or anything associated with it or even accelerate the delivery of countering ua systems or other war fighting tools into the hands of the war fighters forward. Those are all value added and needed imminently.
▶ 1:50:25Vice Adm Cooper: If I look back specifically toward the tower 22 incident and the ensuing now 17 or 18 months, we have made considerable improvements across the board, employing an edit capability and non-kinetic capability. Leaps and bounds ahead of where we were before. Having said that, it would never be satisfied that we have the maximum readiness. I will never be satisfied we have enough to protect our men and women in uniform and focus on this every single day.
▶ 1:50:56Sen. Blumenthal: We have done a lot that we have more work to do. Ukrainians are producing 4.5 one million drones this year. The report I've seen is the united states producing about 100,000. I'm not sure those figures are exactly right. There in the public realm. Clearly in my view, the united states is not producing enough drones. We are not supporting the industries that produce those drones as much as we should. Would you agree we need to do more?
▶ 1:51:25Vice Adm Cooper: In my own experience come having commit of the navy's first unmet artificial intelligence task force, I am very familiar with the capabilities that exist in america's elite tech sector. I believe anita leverage that tech sector -- I believe we need to leverage that tech sector. We could do more.
▶ 1:51:45Sen. Blumenthal: I am delighted to hear you think ukraine can win, general. My view is ukraine must win. It must win because if it fails, putin will present a threat to our nato allies. Do you agree?
▶ 1:52:04Lt Gen Grynkewich: Senator, I think however the war in ukraine ends, putin has developed a war economy and machine that is underpinned by that war economy that will create a force that just by its very presence will be something from a military perspective we will have to carefully consider how to provide options to the alliance. If I'm confirmed.
▶ 1:52:34Sen. Blumenthal: I look forward to continuing these conversations with both of you and welcome you being so forthcoming.
▶ 1:52:39Chair Wicker: Gentlemen, the figures about drone production, with regard to ukraine versus the united states, are they accurate? Is that a pretty accurate assessment a production rate?
▶ 1:52:58Lt Gen Grynkewich: I don't know if the exact numbers are accurate, but the order of magnitude in the scale that senator blumenthal was describing I think is representative of the problem we face.
▶ 1:53:08Chair Wicker: Admiral cooper?
▶ 1:53:10Vice Adm Cooper: Sin perspective. Order of magnitude and skill is about the same. I agree.
▶ 1:53:15Chair Wicker: It is hard to understand how we go forward without increasing our rate. That is my opinion. Do either of you care to comment on that?
▶ 1:53:31Vice Adm Cooper: I think america's extraordinary tech sector has the capability and will to produce at scale. It is simply a matter of prioritization. With the appropriate authorities.
▶ 1:53:43Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Senator budd?
▶ 1:53:48Sen. Budd: I've enjoyed our conversations recently and admiral, are always so wonderful host. Thank you for that. Hello from my wife to yours. Admiral cooper, last may I met with prime minister resigning of the iraqi kurdistan regional government in my office here. And also visited the region last year. I was concerned to hear about delays in the delivery of U.S. provided defense equipment to the kurdish forces.
▶ 1:54:19Sen. Budd: As you know, the peshmerga play a very important role in preventing the resurgence of isis in iraq. Are you tracking delays in the delivery of equipment through baghdad?
▶ 1:54:31Vice Adm Cooper: First, thank you for your passion in support of the peshmerga. Great teammates. I have been tracking these delays will stop friction points. I think we have been able to work through and if confirmed, it would be a matter priority for me, the staff, and the technical staff on the ground to eliminate those delays and get the resources into the hands of the peshmerga as soon as possible.
▶ 1:54:55Sen. Budd: Any particular levers that centcom to make sure those delays are ended and they receive the defense equipment?
▶ 1:55:00Vice Adm Cooper: Give a strong relationship with the iraqi security force and military. Welever that to break down the barriers. I'm optimistic.
▶ 1:55:15Sen. Budd: Thank you. The united states and israel worked together a number of years to address the challenges of locating, mapping, and destroying hardened, buried targets and tunnels and their networks. I have led this in the senate securing funding last year for the program to do that. Can you describe the ongoing challenges and the relevance of countering subterranean threats in centcom and weather continued funding in this area is needed?
▶ 1:55:41Vice Adm Cooper: I think in the central command, and I think it had anticipate the future globally, you will see threats begin to go underground whether were talking about hamas, hezbollah, the houthis, iranians, other adversaries watching to see where they can gain an advantage. In my current capacity, I have visited on multiple occasions a subterranean commando unit in israel that goes after this problem set.
▶ 1:56:06Vice Adm Cooper: I think as we look to the future and if confirmed, we need to focus on two areas -- sensors and munitions. If confirmed, I would advocate for both of those.
▶ 1:56:14Sen. Budd: You said they have gone underground and you mean that literally. This program is still relevant.
▶ 1:56:18Vice Adm Cooper: Humans, robots, dogs.
▶ 1:56:23Sen. Budd: General, I enjoyed our visit yesterday. Technology is changing the character of warfare is demonstrated by the ukrainians in the fight against russians. If confirmed in your new role as supreme allied commander in europe, how you prioritize just the question is about prioritization. How you prioritize investments in emerging technologies and what areas you think are most critical? Lt gen grynkewich: thank you.
▶ 1:56:49Sen. Budd: If confirmed, as I look across the alliance, there are certain countries that would have a very strong value proposition in terms of being able to bring unmanned technologies to bear whether they are aerial technologies or maritime capabilities as well. Prevent very effective in the biloxi region for example. I would definitely put a high priority on those. They are very cost-effective.
▶ 1:57:15Sen. Budd: They are way to build on the battlefield and understanding that will face mass in terms of the russia threat, I think developing that asymmetric option is going to be essential to european security in the future.
▶ 1:57:28Sen. Budd: Thank you. Admiral, it is really disheartening for all of us to see the state of afghanistan, especially after the biden-harris administration's disastrous withdrawal. And the abandonment of so many afghans to return to taliban rule. My concern in the region is the return of terrorist networks like isa scores on to the country but also the broader region.
▶ 1:57:54Sen. Budd: How would you work with the regional partners to deny extremist groups safe haven in south asia?
▶ 1:57:59Vice Adm Cooper: Isisk operates principally on the afghan border. The mechanism we use to address the issue today is through relationship with pakistan, specifically focused on counterterrorism. We have seen the benefit of this relationship in the last couple of months with the handover of the mastermind U.S. authorities several months ago.
▶ 1:58:25Vice Adm Cooper: If confirmed, will continue to invest in this middle to middle counterterrorism relationship with pakistan. It is good for america and helps keep america safe.
▶ 1:58:33Sen. Budd: I wish you both good luck.
▶ 1:58:35Chair Wicker: Thank you. Senator duckworth.
▶ 1:58:39Sen. Duckworth: Thank you. I want to start by associating myself and my colleague senator king's many strong statements on the need for congressional authorization for exactly the kind of military strike on iran the president legally ordered on saturday. I have been committed to congress reasserting its responsibility under the war powers at since my first election and I support senator king's work power resolution. I ran for congress because of this issue.
▶ 1:59:05Sen. Duckworth: So when the drums of war started beating in washington again, I would be in position to make sure our leaders fully consider the true cost of war not just in dollars and cents but in the sacrifices and blood of our troops. I have long said iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon but this goal could and should have been pursued through diplomatic means. There was no imminent threat to the U.S. or our troops. There wasn't -- it was not time to strike, not when the democratically elected representative had not had a chance to weigh the costs and risks against the gains.
▶ 1:59:35Sen. Duckworth: To make an informed decision on behalf of our constituents and to make sure the president is not getting us into yet another forever war in the middle east. Service members will be the ones to risk their lives. No plan and no and state. The commander-in-chief owes it to them and to all americans to uphold the constitution that they swore to uphold and defend.
▶ 1:59:57Sen. Duckworth: Vice admiral cooper, I know you are here to be considered to be centcom commander but you is but -- she have also been serving as the deputy commander with all the events this week absent a centcom posture hearing, have questions for you in that capacity because I deem it relevant to how you will perhaps carry out your role as centcom commander should you be confirmed. Your knowledge, what did centcom recommend in terms of declaration of war prior to the operation?
▶ 2:00:26Vice Adm Cooper: First, I am mindful and holly respectful of the role you come this committee come in the congress played overall. I think the matter of directions and orders given are to policy and -- our role from a military perspective as it has been if confirmed I will adopt the same approach to provide the widest range of options to our decision-makers and remained as ready as possible to implement them when ordered.
▶ 2:00:58Sen. Duckworth: You did not answer my question. Your knowledge, what did centcom recommend to the white house in terms of congressional declaration of war and consultation prior to the operation? I'm going to ask it -- I asked you what was your recommendation?
▶ 2:01:13Vice Adm Cooper: Senator, in my current capacity, familiar with the operations associated over the last couple of weeks. I think those conversations are best conducted in a classified environment.
▶ 2:01:25Sen. Duckworth: Let's do that then. What is the end game currently being sought and how will you know centcom if? That is been achieved?
▶ 2:01:35Vice Adm Cooper: We have maintained first and foremost protecting our men and women in uniform for their safety rate that is our priority today. We maintain a readiness for a wide range of contingencies as expected. Our role -- and mine if confirmed -- will be to provide my best military advice to support the policies as they would be given to us in the future.
▶ 2:01:57Sen. Duckworth: So you don't have an opinion on what the end game would be or what the mission accomplished -- what the benchmark would be? You can't tell us that? We're just going to obama for a nation and not know what the end goal is or the offramp is?
▶ 2:02:13Vice Adm Cooper: Those goals are obviously always driven by policy in the united states military will stand by to implement the policy as ordered.
▶ 2:02:23Sen. Duckworth: I was alarmed by the president's reckless statements on sunday that suggested he might order our military pursue regime change as the end game in iran. Like men who served and sacrificed in a wreck, I am sick with anger and dread at the thought that in 2020 five from the president of the united states is talking of toppling another government in the middle east, drawing americans into a destabilizing military action in a volatile region, and the chaos that follows perhaps for decades to come.
▶ 2:02:50Sen. Duckworth: Vice admiral cooper come if confirmed as a commander of centcom, tensions continue with iran, will provide recommendations to give amendment and offramp from further military action without seeking regime change in iran as an option not necessarily the white house will decide -- we provide that as one of the options?
▶ 2:03:06Vice Adm Cooper: I will provide my best military advice.
▶ 2:03:12Sen. Duckworth: Ok. With current leading many americans in the region to fear being caught in the crosshairs, I am concerned about whether we are doing enough to support americans who may want to evacuate. Admiral cooper, can you speak the way centcom smooth evacuation of american citizens from a dangerous region if required?
▶ 2:03:29Vice Adm Cooper: Centcom has posture to support the diplomatically ordered evacuations of a variety of forums. We have seen recently in authorized departure from bahrain, israel, separate diplomatic departures from baghdad. In general, we are always posture to support diplomatic and policy lead direction of evacuation.
▶ 2:03:51Sen. Duckworth: I think that would give americans in the region comfort. Thank you.
▶ 2:03:57Chair Wicker: Senator schmitt.
▶ 2:04:00Sen. Schmitt: I will say I am actually kind of taken aback the hypocrisy and cognitive dissidents I have heard from the other side of the aisle in this hearing is stunning even by washington's theaters. This -- let's pick apart some of these arguments. President trump avoided much to the chagrin of many who wanted more entanglements in the middle east over surgical and strategic strike that was in the core interest of the U.S. period.
▶ 2:04:29Sen. Schmitt: Regime change he was talking about was from the inside. If that is going to happen. The democratic party effectively at this point is the pro-war party. There is no diplomacy. It is just about pick your theater. That is where they want to go. The whole idea that iran was even in this position is because obama sent them truckloads or should say pallets of cash and joe biden look the other way.
▶ 2:04:57Sen. Schmitt: And they were able to arm and fund the houthis and hamas and hezbollah, a problem that then had to be dealt with by israel. This sort of looking the other way now and using language like not being tied up in a forever war, listening to my democratic colleagues, that is where we would be right now in europe and ukraine.
▶ 2:05:18Sen. Schmitt: They want the immediate admission of ukraine into nato and the united states directly engaged grid thank god we have a president that will engage in diplomacy and understand, by the way, the inconsistency that I hear from the other side of the aisle. On one hand, ukraine is going to win. On the other hand, putin is on the verge of steamrolling through europe. It is nonsense. It does not make any sense.
▶ 2:05:43Sen. Schmitt: The fact is, the democrats are criticizing president trump now who achieved something that if you would been sitting here two years ago and looked at the map of the middle east, would have been impossible to think of. He used the bunker busting bombs, flung the beaches from missouri, they were in the air for 30 hours -- flown the b2s from missouri met in the air for 30 hours. They completed that mission.
▶ 2:06:13Sen. Schmitt: The president acted under his core article two powers. Spare me the next constitutional crisis. Every week it is some ridiculously fake new constitutional crisis. Obama used that same authority to drop thousands of bombs. We did not hear a word. The only thing that finds the democratic party right now is they are anti-trump. They stand for nothing. Nothing else.
▶ 2:06:42Sen. Schmitt: Incoherent, wondering foreign policy, domestic agenda that has been adopted by the radical left read that's it. By the way, I also want to point out for every conferee that is come to this committee and others, the question has been asked, will you abide by the law? We are literally now less than 12 hours after a district judge approved by this senate when the democrats were in charge in the lame-duck president who is now defined the supreme court.
▶ 2:07:11Sen. Schmitt: A district court judge who is now defined the supreme court who said you have to deport these seven criminals who raped graham and peoples with disabilities. Let's have a bit of a reality check. About what is going on in this country right now. Maybe we could actually celebrate a president who executed something in the core national interests of the united states and they got on the phone and got two parties together who have been at war for effectively generations.
▶ 2:07:44Sen. Schmitt: There are certain moments that you just feel like you are outside of your own body watching something that is so inconsistent justice or some sort of daily political point. Should we have a conversation about article one powers versus article two powers? Absolutely. The president was clearly within his article two powers to do this.
▶ 2:08:05Sen. Schmitt: I do want to ask with a limited time I suppose I have left, general, nato -- the president is heading to the nato summit. Our european allies for a very long time now, generations, have abused the generosity of the united states of america because we are subsidizing them social welfare programs in europe. There's going to be a commitment 5%. I guess I would like to hear from each one of you how you'll use the role that they will actually do that. I don't mean for pensions.
▶ 2:08:36Sen. Schmitt: I mean for munitions. 5% of your gdp declaration they don't win wars, bullets do. Missiles do. Their defense base is more atrophied than ours. But what role can you play in your conversations with leaders over there they're actually going to live up to their commitments as opposed to just sort of making these proclamations and never really doing anything about it?
▶ 2:08:59Lt Gen Grynkewich: Thank you for the question. If confirmed, I think that is one of my key roles is to look at that increased investment the alliance has agreed to or is on the cusp of agreeing to the summit. And ensuring it is put into real capability, hard military capability that will allow europeans to take the lead for defense and allow americans to continue to participate in that defense. But also meet our other global requirements.
▶ 2:09:25Vice Adm Cooper: I think a little bit of a dynamic situation in the middle east, some other countries have deep pockets for yard they're very committed to by american weapons and sensors. I think obligation is to make sure the fms process can deliver those weapons in a reasonable timeframe. I would advocate for that if confirmed.
▶ 2:09:46Chair Wicker: Senator peters.
▶ 2:09:52Sen. Peters: Gentlemen, thank you for being here and for your service. Vice admiral cooper, the strait of hormuz approximately 21 million barrels of oil per day -- impacting asia as well as
▶ 2:10:22Sen. Peters: Europe's energy security. We know a closure would not only disrupt 1.2 billion dollars in oil experts daily but it could also trigger double-digit percentage increases in global energy prices, prompt increase insurance surcharges on shipping, and require significant military response to restore maritime security.
▶ 2:10:44Sen. Peters: My question for you, sir, our current force posture and naval assets in centcom sufficient to deter or counter if a blockade in the straits?
▶ 2:10:56Vice Adm Cooper: I am very familiar with the problems my threes commanding the fifth fleet which includes a pretty substantial mind force in the region. I personally -- probably 50 times in my career. It is a complex problem for sure. A small narrow waterway. The key to this is getting to the left of the problem, establishing the posture which we have today. Keeping our eyes on iranian activity which is exactly with U.S. military is doing today. If confirmed, we continue to do that in the future.
▶ 2:11:27Sen. Peters: How quickly could the U.S. and allied naval forces secure freedom of navigation if commercial shipping is indeed intact in the straits?
▶ 2:11:35Vice Adm Cooper: The specifics are highly classified. We would think of this in terms of weeks and months. Logistics in the gulf region that will cut off I mention?
▶ 2:11:54Vice Adm Cooper: One of the three strategic points in the middle east along with thesuez. There would be significant impact strategically.
▶ 2:12:04Sen. Peters: Even before the U.S. attacks on its nuclear facilities, it was reported that china has been indirectly supporting houthi rebels by purchasing large quantities of iranian oil. These purchases ulcers earns economy.
▶ 2:12:27Sen. Peters: The chinese companies have been implicated in providing dual use technology such as satellite imagery, missile and drone components to the houthis and in return chinese vessels have been allowed safe passage through the red sea. My question for you is in light of the recent escalation in tensions in the region, could you elaborate on how china support of the houthis service or broader goals they have in the middle east as well as global trade routes?
▶ 2:12:53Vice Adm Cooper: I completely agree with your characterization. It would be a priority of mine call of the things the chinese are doing and not doing. They're providing sensors and components to the iranians, shipping the hoodoos who organize them and arrange them to shoot at americans. I think that is unacceptable. I think with a talk about that. Here's what they are not doing.
▶ 2:13:22Vice Adm Cooper: 10 year period of three ships in the gulf of eigen, therefore heresy but have not caught a single parent. Turn to complete blind eye to the years of flow of weapons into the houthis that it added up shooting at americans. That is unacceptable and we have to call that out.
▶ 2:13:39Sen. Peters: Very good. Vice admiral cooper, our committee received testament early this year from the 494th fighter squadron leadership about the important role the f-15 eagle has been playing in the middle east. During the april attack on israel, the air force described the f-15 e operations as "the largest indian engagement over 50 years." it is for a reported coalition forces in israel destroyed nearly 99% of all inbound weapons and drones coming in from iran.
▶ 2:14:11Sen. Peters: The brand-new f-15ex is an even more capable aircraft. The brand-new aircraft is building a larger pay road -- range.
▶ 2:14:28Sen. Peters: My question for you, can you talk about the importance of the f-15 as well as the future f-15ex's coming online, what that means for centcom operations and how do you envision utilizing them in the future and how great is your need for them?
▶ 2:14:43Vice Adm Cooper: The f-15 deployed today, they are doing indispensable work. My expectation is the next version of f-15 would just upped the ante come up the game and enhance its capability. I am looking for to the future.
▶ 2:14:57Chair Wicker: Thank you. Senator sheehy.
▶ 2:15:04Sen. Sheehy: Thank you. Cocom commanders don't really own equipment, they rented from the services. What is your concern right now, admiral, regarding our magazine depth to be able to support sustained operations in centcom?
▶ 2:15:21Vice Adm Cooper: I am concerned about everything that one of the concerns would be munitions and magazine depth as you described. On one hand, I think we have taken a very strong and positive role in judicious use as an example over the last year we have gone from firing at $2 million missile at $100,000 drones to just recently firing $25,000 vietnam-era modified rockets against these drones. I think we are in the direction.
▶ 2:15:54Vice Adm Cooper: I think the senior department of defense officials are focused on this matter. I think we need to move with a sense of urgency.
▶ 2:16:00Sen. Sheehy: How to close the feedback loop between the war fighters who ultimately are represented by you? You controlling the war fighters? How do we close acquisition feedback loop to ensure as you are fighting ships in the red sea, as your dropping bombs on iran or elsewhere, those magazine depth needs and munitions requirements -- are those demand signals are being real time relayed back to the industrial base to the
▶ 2:16:31Sen. Sheehy: Acquisition command so there's not a one to five year lag between you getting what you need, it happens much faster. What can we do institutionally to improve that process?
▶ 2:16:39Vice Adm Cooper: There are number of measures. One of them is the chairman's proposal on -- cutting the red tape and provide the leverage for us to take amicus tech sector who produces exquisite sensors and weapons and cut the thomas to get it from the tech center into the hands of war fighters. Anything associated with that policy or statute-wise will be helpful.
▶ 2:17:07Sen. Sheehy: One of the keys, involving the combat commanders in that process. You're the ones being asked if I the systems. -- asked to fight the systems. In the siloing, we lose oftentimes the grounding of what makes those systems excellent which is grounding war fighters. As you are on the precipice of taking over our most active combatant command because general carrillo was my boss when I fought the war.
▶ 2:17:37Sen. Sheehy: Great american leader. I encourage you to try to make that vocal change. I know as uniformed officer, up to salute and move out but at the same time you can be an agent for change and help us as we try to fix this process because it is going to take uniformed leaders and elected leaders working together to make sure we finally bridge this gap. It has been a really annoying problem that has been building for decades.
▶ 2:18:00Sen. Sheehy: I would encourage you to try to make that change in uniform and ensure your cocom demand signals make it back into the acquisition pipeline quickly so there reacted to. What percentage right now of U.S. naval assets does centcom have at its disposal for the current conflicts?
▶ 2:18:18Vice Adm Cooper: Less than 10% as a general rule. Depending on what specialty we are talking about.
▶ 2:18:29Sen. Sheehy: We are concluding basically a year and have come the longest persisting naval combat since late day gulf and relatively good allocation and naval resources would argue is probably not where it should be. That is for me to say not you to say. General, it is been a while since we have had a major security crisis in europe until ukraine.
▶ 2:18:57Sen. Sheehy: That broke seven years of relative strength quality. How do you evaluate the ability of our partners to defend themselves going forward? Largely veered -- european if instructor has been a tent with america as a soul tentpole depending on us. We know the u.k. Is very much a shell of what used to be. How do you evaluate the ability of our partners in the next five years to scale up and be ready to defend themselves?
▶ 2:19:21Lt Gen Grynkewich: Senator, I think the ongoing nato summit and the likely outcome of a commitment to increase defense spending is going to result in real capability. If confirmed, out of a key role in ensuring it is real capability and it is the right capability to meet targets the alliances are agreed upon. I also think that you talked a little bit about the industrial base year on the united states side of the atlantic.
▶ 2:19:49Lt Gen Grynkewich: I think european industrial base also requires investment. That is why as part of that 5%, some of the money going in every structure is going to be essential to allow sustained investment in the industrial base and incentivize companies to keep production lines open so they can meet that demand signal and combatant commandment makes that as you eloquently described.
▶ 2:20:11Sen. Sheehy: Thank you.
▶ 2:20:13Chair Wicker: Senator rosen.
▶ 2:20:16Sen. Rosen: Thank you for holding this hearing. I want to thank the nominees for your service, your willingness to continue to serve, and congratulations on your nomination. I see your families. I can tell by these miles how proud they are of you and we are thankful. Admiral cooper, it is wonderful to see you again. I very much enjoyed visiting and 2023 in bahrain and we learned so much about the fifth fleet.
▶ 2:20:49Sen. Rosen: I want to take just a moment to think are brave service members who conducted the strikes on iran this past weekend. We know and you know everybody watching that we have the do everything in our power to ensure the safety of all of our troops, all of our personnel deployed throughout the region. I appreciate their service and all of your sacrifice. About the long-term strategy to deter iran.
▶ 2:21:15Sen. Rosen: As we wait to assess the impact of this weakens strikes on iran sticker programs, we cannot forget their continued support for terrorism. The region. Thankfully, iran is on its back legs. The fall of assad's brutal dictatorship in syria is already having profound applications for iran which supported that regime since 2011. Coupled with a defeat in gaza and the decapitation of hezbollah's leadership in lebanon, assad's club says left iran more isolated than decades.
▶ 2:21:46Sen. Rosen: However, across the region iran works against american interest and post is one of the greatest and persistent threats to U.S. coalition forces. Over the years, sadly, hundreds of americans have been killed by iranian militias including three soldiers killed last year in jordan. Our response after the fact has been a strategy that is more reactive than proactive. Admiral, can you discuss the specific threats iranian backed militias posed to the U.S.
▶ 2:22:15Sen. Rosen: Coalition forces and what will you advocate that we do if confirmed to proactively count target them and you have -- does centcom have the necessary authorities to target these militias other than the ability to act in self-defense is so critical?
▶ 2:22:32Vice Adm Cooper: Great to see you and fond memories from several years ago. I think you will describe what others have described as a seismic shift in the region. With respect to hamas, hezbollah, the assad regime's collapse can activities with the houthis. If we reflect on the last 20 months, I think it is important to remember the iranian aligned militia group and the houthis have attacked a mac it's about 500 times.
▶ 2:23:02Vice Adm Cooper: I don't thing that is particularly well understood but that is about the number. In this ensuing period, we have implemented dozens of specific measures to enhance security of our men and women at sea and on bases throughout the region. It is our number one priority today. If confirmed, it would continue to be my number one priority.
▶ 2:23:21Sen. Rosen: Can you advise how we work to stop the flow of iranian weapons to the proxies throughout the middle east?
▶ 2:23:27Vice Adm Cooper: We work with partners each and every day, a variety apartments whether it is in syria with the sdf, our iraqi friends, friends at sea because the flow goes in the air, sea, and on land.
▶ 2:23:44Sen. Rosen: General, to talk about china's lessons from ukraine. As china has been identified as a challenge for the department of defense across both the trump and biden administration. As former cia director brennan said, "no one is watching U.S.
▶ 2:23:59Sen. Rosen: Support for ukraine more closely than chinese leaders." and abandoning ukraine would be "one of the surest ways to rekindle chinese perceptions of american fecklessness and stoke chinese aggressiveness." general, what message does it send it to china if the U.S. ceases to support ukraine? And what lessons is the chairman likely to take from the conflict of the russians are able to achieve their objectives?
▶ 2:24:28Lt Gen Grynkewich: Senator, the president has been clear on this objective and ukraine are to achieve and to the were in ceasefire and if confirmed, our responsibility will be to provide him of wide range of options in order to achieve that objective. I think in terms of the lessons from ukraine, from a purely military perspective, I will tell you there are 10 of them. Pivot and character of war, use of drone technology.
▶ 2:24:56Lt Gen Grynkewich: Whether it is one way attack drones iran has applied to the russians that have been used against ukrainian cities, whether it is north korean support ballistic missiles, troops. All of those lessons are absolutely pertinent to the conflict on taiwan. I think we are learning just as much as the chinese are from our current partnership.
▶ 2:25:21Sen. Rosen: I will take this question for off the record because my time is up, but I'm going to let you hear it. How do you think a rabbit and to the war in ukraine and russia saver will affect united states standing around the world? I'm glad to take that off the record and thus the chairman rules otherwise. -- unless the chairman rules otherwise.
▶ 2:25:41Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Senator sheehy, do you wish to engage in a second round of questioning? I want to thank our witnesses that members of the committee. For the information of members. Questions for the record will be due to the committee by 6:00 p.m. Today. With that and with the thanks of the committee to our witnesses, we are adjourned. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap.org]