AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Well, the meeting with President-elect Bolsonaro came as a result of President Trump's call on election night in Brazil to congratulate President-elect Bolsonaro. They had a really outstanding phone call - I think developed a personal relationship, even remotely. President Trump was the first foreign leader to call President-elect Bolsonaro.
So, following up on this, we thought it would be useful and certainly very helpful to the United States to hear from the President-elect what his priorities are, what he's looking for in the relationship.
From the perspective of the United States, we see this as a historic opportunity for Brazil and the United States to work together in a whole host of areas: economics, security, and a range of others. So I'm really looking forward to hearing what the President-elect's priorities are, try and respond to him, and try to tell him a little bit about what President Trump's views are. And hopefully, when President-elect Bolsonaro is inaugurated on January the 1st, that the two leaders can really get off to a running start.
So I'm just really there to prepare the ground for them.
Q Ambassador Bolton, you tweeted earlier today about a case involving an American family that's being held in China. Is the President - have you talked to the President about this case? What is he - if so, what has he told you? And will he bring this up directly at his meeting with Xi Jinping and expect the family to be allowed to leave before any trade deal is done?
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Well, I've discussed the question of American hostages and people wrongfully held with him on a whole range of subjects. I don't want to get into what his reaction was, because I don't think those conversations should be public. But this is a matter of real concern to us. And I think, given that the range of issues that President Xi and President Trump will be covering, it's entirely possible that that would come up.
Q Ambassador Bolton.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Yeah.
Q Thank you. Back to that meeting with President Putin and President Trump. Will President Trump condemn Russia's aggression in Ukraine? Does the U.S. consider it an act of war? And has he spoken with either Putin or Poroshenko about what happened?
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Look, Ambassador Haley, in the very estimable position of U.N. ambassador, spoke for the United States yesterday at the Security Council and we're going to stand on that statement.
Q Ambassador Bolton, I just had a question about the - you mentioned the bilat with the Turkish leader. They've been very critical of the U.S. position backing Saudi Arabia with respect to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Are you concerned that that will affect the relations with the U.S. ally?
And I wanted to follow up - that audio intelligence of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, have you heard that tape? And does it conclusively point to the Crown Prince as ordering the killing of Jamal Khashoggi?
And one final one -
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: I'm supposed to remember all these? (Laughter.)
Q I'll prompt you, if need help.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Thank you.
Q And finally, is it true the White House is blocking Gina Haspel from speaking to senators about that audio intelligence on Wednesday?
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: So, let me take the question of the tape first. No, I haven't listened to it. And I guess I should ask you, why do you think I should? What do you think I'll learn from it?
Q Well, you're the National Security Advisor. You might have access to that sort of intelligence.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Yeah. How many in this room speak Arabic?
Q You don't have access to an interpreter?
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: What, you want me to listen to it? What am I going to learn from - I mean, if they were speaking Korean, I wouldn't learn any more from it either.
Q Well, an interpreter would be able to tell you what's going on.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Well, then I can read a transcript, too.
Q Okay. So you don't think it's important that you hear that as the National Security Advisor?
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: I'm just trying to make the point that everybody who says, "Why don't you listen to the tape?" Unless you speak Arabic, what are you going to get from it, really?
The President - the President has spoken to our position on this issue. He's spoken very clearly. And that is our position.
Now, tell me the other questions.
Q Are you blocking Gina Haspel from -
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: No, certainly not.
Q - sharing information with members of the Congress?
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Certainly not. Certainly not.
Okay? No, back here in the back.
Q Mr. Bolton, could you -
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Sorry. The man in the back.
Q Okay, so the Argentinian authority captured two Hezbollah suspects last week. And Brazil probably is going to follow the American footsteps and blacklist Hezbollah also on terrorist list.
And also, Hezbollah is replying for the sanctions - the last sanctions - by blocking the formation of the new government; it's a quotation for Saad Hariri. So how will you put all this together? Is it going to be discussed in the G[20] Summit - [G]20 Summit - Iran and Hezbollah influence the region?
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Well, I expect in the bilateral meetings, depending on the country, that there will be substantial conversation about counterterrorism efforts where we participate together. That's certainly something that may well come up in Brazil with the President-elect Bolsonaro. And I think it's one of President Trump's biggest priorities, to extend cooperation against terrorism, whether it's Hezbollah or Hamas or others.
So, entirely likely, it could be a subject.
Yes, ma'am.
Q Ambassador, going back to the Khashoggi issue. Being informed about an issue is part of, I guess, what is in the scope of national security.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: We try to be.
Q Okay. But in the midst of it, why not - I'm going to go back to that question again, sir. Why not get a translator to understand, to hear what happened? You could find out a little bit more than what they've told you by listening.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: People who speak Arabic have listened to the tape, and they have given us the substance of what's in it.
Q And you trust those who've given you the substance -
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: I don't speak Arabic.
Q I know. But a translator - you could hear the emotion, and a translator could help you understand what happened at that time to relay to the President, to the United States, and to convey to the world what happened.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: I'm very satisfied that we know what the tape picked up. And it was factored into the President's decision. And he's announced his position very clearly.
Q As economic security is national security, I think this should be in your lane.
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: I was going to defer to Larry, but it's -
Q (Laughs.) Let me see if I can keep it in your lane, if I could. The talks with China have been marked with intransigence, disappointment. Larry was talking about that at length this morning - this idea of some sense of optimism going into this Saturday night dinner with Xi. Is it based on any notion that Xi is going to suddenly say, you know, "This idea of intellectual property theft and forced technology transfer, protectionist tariffs - I don't know what we were thinking. It was a bad idea. Let's level the playing field and start anew."
AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Well, I think President Trump has developed a very positive relationship with President Xi. They've met. They've spoken over the phone. Obviously, both leaders carry in to any discussion like this their national interest. And I think it's instructive and I think the Chinese side believes the same thing - to have the two leaders exchange their views in the presence of their senior advisors. And not with the expectation that, at this meeting, there'll be some substantial agreement coming out of it, but that there would be an indication, a kind of way ahead that the advisors could then pursue.
And I see Sarah is so eager to be here to answer your questions (inaudible).
MS. SANDERS: I was going to give him one more but -
Q Well, Mr. Kudlow deferred a question to him. Could he answer the question that was deferred to him, please? Mr. Bolton. (Inaudible) Bolton.
MS. SANDERS: I think he's already going. (Laughter.)
As you know, the new President of Mexico will be inaugurated on Saturday. To represent the United States in Mexico City, President Trump has asked the Vice President Mike Pence to lead a delegation that will include the Second Lady of the United States Karen Pence, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, United States Embassy Mexico City Diplomat John Creamer, and Assistant Secretary of State Kimberly Breier.
Lastly, this morning, we learned the sad news that three U.S. service members were killed and three wounded when an explosive device detonated in Afghanistan.
The wounded service members were evacuated and are receiving medical care. We extend our thoughts and prayers to the loved ones of those killed and to those recovering.
The United States is grateful for their service and forever in debt of their sacrifice.
With that, I'll take your questions.
Justin.
Q Sarah, the Guardian is reporting today that Paul Manafort met with Julian Assange around the time that he was coming onboard with the Trump campaign. I'm wondering if you know if that meeting took place, and if you remain confident in the White House's repeated denials that no campaign officials were involved in discussions about the plans to release John Podesta's emails?
MS. SANDERS: Certainly, I remain confident in the White House's assertion that the President was involved in no wrongdoing - was not part of any collusion. The things that have to do with Mr. Manafort, I would refer you to his attorneys to address that.
