Jake Tapper sits down with Amb. Nikki Haley

JOINING ME NOW IS THE U.S.
AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED
NATIONS, NIKKI HALEY.
THANKS FOR COMING ON AGAIN.
>> THANKS.
>> TODAY YOU CONFRONTED YOUR
RUSSIAN COUNTERPART ABOUT RUSSIA
SUPPORT FOR THE ASSAD REGIME AND
THEIR CONTINUED VETOES.
>> RUSSIA CONTINUES TO COVER FOR
A LEADER WHO USES CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AGAINST HIS PEOPLE.
ASSAD CONTINUES TO DO THESE
THINGS BECAUSE THEY KNOW RUSSIA
WILL CONTINUE TO COVER FOR THEM.
>> I GUESS MY QUESTION IS YOU'VE
BEEN A FORCEFUL ADVOCATE AGAINST
THE BRUTALITY WE'VE SEEN FROM
THE ASSAD REGIME AND RUSSIA
BEING A PATRON OF IT.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS PREPARED TO DO
TO GET THE RUSSIANS TO CORPORATE
IN TERMS OF SANCTIONS OR
ANYTHING ELSE?
>> FIRST OF ALL, LET'S LOOK AT
THE ACTUAL SITUATION.
THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING BY THE
DAY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING
HUMANITARIAN AID THEY NEED
BECAUSE THE ASSAD REGIME IS
KEEPING IT OUT AND NOT ALLOWING
IT TO GET IN IT.
TODAY THE RUSSIANS BASICALLY
SAID, LOOK, THE REASON THAT THIS
IS HAPPENING IS BECAUSE THEY
NEED ALL THAT MEDICAL CARE FOR
THE MILITARY.
THE MILITARY DOESN'T NEED BABY
FORMULA.
THE MILITARY DOESN'T NEED
DIAPERS AND DIALYSIS TREATMENT.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE KEEPING FROM
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED.
SO WHAT YOU'VE GOT IS A REGIME
WHO IS SAYING YOU EITHER BOW
DOWN TO US OR WE'RE GOING TO
STARVE YOU TO DEATH.
RUSSIA IS ALLOWING THIS TO
HAPPEN.
THERE WAS A REPORT RELEASED
TODAY ABOUT HOW AWFUL THE
AWE
HUMANITARIAN ISSUE WAS, BUT THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEEDS TO
PUT PRESSURE ON RUSSIA BECAUSE
EVERY DAY THAT PEOPLE DIE IN
SYRIA IT'S ON RUSSIA'S HANDS IN
THAT WAY.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH.
WE DID HAVE A SECURITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION A FEW WEEKS AGO AND
RUSSIA WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT
VETOED IT.
THEY'RE STANDING ON AN ISLAND
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH IT
AS BEST WE CAN.
>> NO PLANS FOR SANCTIONS
AGAINST RUSSIA FOR THIS ACTION
THEY ARE SUPPORTING.
>> WE ARE CONTINUING TO TALK
ABOUT THE ISSUE AND I THINK
WE'LL HANDLE IT ACCORDINGLY.
>> I WANT TO GET YOUR REACTION
TO NEW CNN POLLS OUT JUST
MINUTES AGO.
LOOK AT HOW AMERICANS VIEW
RUSSIA NOW COMPARED TO 2014.
41% SAY RUSSIA IS FRIENDLY.
THAT'S ALMOST DOUBLE THE NUMBERS
FROM THREE YEARS AGO.
IN 2014, 16% SAID RUSSIA IS
FRIENDLY AND NOW 56% OF
AMERICANS SAY THAT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A MYSTERY
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID
VERY VERY POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT
RUSSIA UNTIL ABOUT THREE WEEKS
AGO.
THIS MUST ALARM YOU THAT YOUR
PARTY SEEMS TO HAVE A DIFFERENT
VIEW OF PUTIN THAN YOU DO.
>> IT DOESN'T ALARM ME AT ALL.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE
PRESIDENT HAS DONE, HE'S DONE AN
INCREDIBLE JOB WITH FOREIGN
ISSUES.
WE'VE SAID IF WE CAN WORK WITH
THEM, ESPECIALLY ON TERRORISM
EFFORTS, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT IF
THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG WE'RE
GOING TO CALL THEM OUT.
IT MEANS WE WORK WITH THEM WHEN
WE CAN AND WHEN WE CAN'T WORK
WITH THEM, WE SAY THE TRUTH.
>> DO YOU THINK RUSSIA IS AN
ALLY OR FRIENDLY NATION?
>> I THINK RUSSIA'S AN ALLY WHEN
THEY WANT TO BE AND THEY'RE NOT
AN ALLY WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO
BE.
THE DAYS THEY'RE AN ALLY I WILL
WORK WITH THEM.
>> WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE
LIKELIHOOD OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
AND RUSSIANS THE IMPROPER
CONTACT, MORE THAN 07 -- 70% OF
AMERICANS SAID IT WAS LIKELY.
I KNOW YOU WERE NOT PART OF THE
CAMPAIGN, BUT AS SOMEBODY WHO
OBVIOUSLY HAS A LOUD AND
CREDIBLE VOICE, DON'T YOU THINK
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IT
WOULD BEHOOVE THEM TO BE MORE
TRANSPARENT ABOUT EVERYTHING
THEY KNOW TO PUT THESE CONCERNS
TO REST?
>> I'VE STAYED OUT OF THAT
BECAUSE I WASN'T PART OF THE
CAMPAIGN SO I CAN'T GIVE ANY
SORT OF FACTUAL INFORMATION ON
THAT.
IT'S NOT INVOLVED IN MY WORLD
OVER AT THE UNITED NATIONS.
NO ONE ELSE IS TALKING ABOUT IT.
SO I'VE KIND OF STAYED AWAY FROM
THAT AND STAYED OUT OF THAT
CHATTER.
>> WE'RE GETTING WORD THAT THE
U.S. IS SENDING MORE TROOPS TO
AFGHANISTAN, THIS ON THE HEELS
OF THESE STRIKES, 59 TOMAHAWK
MISSILES AGAINST THE ASSAD
REGIME IN SYRIA, DROPPING THE
MOAB AGAINST ISIS IN
AFGHANISTAN.
THERE ARE MORE U.S. SOLDIERS ON
THE GROUND IN SYRIA AND IRAQ.
EXTENDED MILITARY OPERATIONS IN
YEMEN AND AFRICA.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE UNITED
STATES IS ENGAGED MILITARILY
MORE AROUND THE GLOBE NOW THAN
WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP FIRST TOOK
OFFICE.
DO YOU THINK THAT THAT IN IN HE
W
ANY WAY IS A CONTRADICTION FROM
HOW HE TALKED ABOUT AMERICA
FIRST AND HOW HE TALKED ABOUT
DISENTANGLING THE UNITED STATES.
>> THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
IS HAPPY TO SEE THE UNITED
STATES LEAD AGAIN AND I THINK
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO
MAKE SURE ANY SCENARIO THAT
COULD CAUSE HARM TO AMERICANS
WE'RE MAKING SURE WE KEEP IT
STABLE AND CONTROL THE
SITUATION.
MATTIS WAS TRYING TO LOOK AND
SEE WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO
STABILIZE THE AREA.
WHEN YOU'RE SEEING WHAT WE'RE
DOING IN NORTH KOREA, THOSE
PLANS ARE IN PLACE TO PROTECT
AMERICANS WHETHER IT'S ON
MILITARY BASES OR HERE AT HOME.
YOU'VE SEEN A PRESIDENT IN A
SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME HAS SHOWN
LEADERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY IN A WAY WE HAVEN'T
SEEN IN A LONG TIME AND THERE IS
A HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF COMING OUT
OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
TO SEE AMERICA LEAD AGAIN.
IT'S BEING TAKEN VERY WELL.
>> LET'S TURN TO NORTH KOREA.
YESTERDAY MATTIS AND TILLERSON
PUT OUT A STATEMENT THAT SAYS WE
MAIN REPAIRED TO DEFEND
OURSELVES AND OUR ALLIES.
IS IT LIKELY THAT THE U.S. IS
HEADED TO A MILITARY
CONFRONTATION WITH KIM JONG-UN.
>> I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS IN
TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
WITH NORTH KOREA, IT'S ALL
SCENARIOS ARE ON THE TABLE SO IT
REALLY IS UP TO NORTH KOREA.
BASED ON WHAT NORTH KOREA DOES,
WE HAVE A PLAN FOR EVERY ONE OF
THOSE SCENARIOS.
I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE TRIED
TO SAY TO NORTH KOREA IS WE'RE
NOT LOOKING TO PICK A FIGHT, BUT
DON'T GIVE US A REASON TO HAVE
ONE.
IT'S NOW UP TO NORTH KOREA.
WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS WE HAVE
SEEN UNPRECEDENTED GREAT
PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINA IN THE
FACT THAT THEY HAVE REALLY PUT
THE PRESSURE ON NORTH KOREA.
WE'RE ENCOURAGING THEM TO
CONTINUE THE PRESSURE ON NORTH
KOREA BECAUSE THAT IS ONE
COUNTRY THAT CAN GET THEM TO
MOVE.
THAT GOES BACK TO PRESIDENT
TRUMP'S FOREIGN POLICY
RELATIONSHIPS THAT HE'S
DEVELOPING, THE NEW RELATIONSHIP
HE HAS WITH CHINA IS PRETTY
AMAZING.
THE IDEA THAT WE WERE FOR
EXAMPLE THE SYRIAN RESOLUTION
THAT WE HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO, THE IDEA WE COULD PULL
CHINA OFF RUSSIA WHEN THEY HAD
BEEN WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES
BEFORE REALLY IS A TESTAMENT TO
HOW THESE FOREIGN RELATIONS ARE
WORKING OUT.
>> SPEAKING OF FOREIGN REL
RELATIONS, THE WHITE HOUSE IS
TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER THE
U.S. SHOULD PULL OUT OF THE
IRANIAN NUCLEAR DEAL.
WHAT KIND OF PUSH BACK ARE YOU
GETTING FROM U.S. ALLIES WITH
WHOM THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
NEGOTIATED THAT AGREEMENT WHICH
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID WAS THE
WORST DEAL EVER SIGNED, WOULD
THEY OBJECT IF THE U.S.
WITHDREW.
>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT THE IRAN
DEAL FROM ALL OF THE ALLY
NATIONS AND OTHERWISE IS WHAT
WE'RE HEARING IS THEY'RE ALL
WONDERING EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO, BUT WHAT WE'RE
FOCUSED ON IS WHAT JUST HAPPENED
AND WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA DID
WITH THAT IRAN DEAL WAS HE JUST
BASICALLY STRENGTHENED THE ONE
STATE THAT SPONSORS TERRORISM
AND HE JUST TOOK ALL THE
SANCTIONS OFF OF THE COUNTRY
THAT CONTINUES TO CAUSE THE MOST
HAVOC.
THERE'S IT'S SYRIA OR IRAQ, BUT
IF YOU LOOK AT IRAN YOU SEE
THERE'S BAD INFLUENCE.
BEING THAT STATE SPONSORED
TERRORISM IS SOMETHING WE DON'T
WANT TO REWARD.
IT'S A MATTER OF LOOKING AT WHAT
HAPPENED AND PRESIDENT OBAMA
SAID I'M GOING TO KICK THIS CAN
DOWN THE ROAD AND WAIT AND LET
ANOTHER PRESIDENT HANDLE IT AND
WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SAYING IS
LET'S ANALYZE THIS, I DON'T WANT
TO PUT THIS ON SOMEONE ELSE'S
PLATE.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO
WITH IT.
>> DO YOU THINK THE U.S. SHOULD
WITHDRAW FROM THAT TREATY?
>> I THINK THEY NEED TO CONTINUE
DISCUSSIONS AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT I KNOW THAT THE NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL WE'RE
CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT WE
NEED TO LOOK AT THE SAFETY OF
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT THIS
DOES AND HOW THIS EMPOWERS IRAN
TO CONTINUE THE VIOLENT ACTS WE
KNOW THEY DO TO CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT TERRORISM IN THE WAY
THEY DO AND WE NEED TO REALLY
DECIDE DO WE WANT A NUCLEAR IRAN
BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING VERY
DANGEROUS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
THEIR

Jake Tapper sits down with Amb. Nikki Haley

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