2:19 p.m. EDT

MS BRUCE: I missed you. I did. I missed you. I don’t know – you could not have missed me because of Tommy Pigott. (Laughter.) Thank you for taking care of him – being nice the first day and not so much the next day. (Laughter.) But thank you, Tommy. Great job. And very proud and honored that you were standing up here. Thank you. I appreciate it.

Thank you, everyone, for being here. Welcome aboard. Daphne smiling – that’s a good sign, but she’s always smiling. That might be a bad sign.

We do, of course, have a statement and a few announcements here. And thank you, again, all, for being here. We condemn the heinous murder of two staff members from the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. last night. Every day we talk about in this room the aftermath of one of the most obscene attacks on Jews in history. The October 7th massacre was a reminder to the world that Jew hatred and murder is the hallmark of terrorists and monsters around the world. The envy feeding this hate is thousands of years old. It is now the 21st century, and it is time for the barbarity to end.

While this obscenity happened in Washington, D.C., we have a President and a Secretary of State that recognize the importance of saying enough is enough and, genuinely, never again. There is a reason why we stand in solidarity with Israel. There is a reason why we stand with our partners at the Israeli embassy. And there is a reason why we stand with the Jewish people here in the United States and around the world – because America has a history of not allowing the monsters among us to destroy life, the future, and everything that matters.

The Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service is providing ongoing support to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and their investigation of this incident and coordinating with other federal and local law enforcement partners. As Secretary Marco Rubio has said, “make no mistake: we will track down those responsible and bring them to justice.” “Our prayers their loved ones.” Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky – Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky may their memory be a blessing.

Now, on Capitol Hill this week, Secretary Rubio went before Congress to share how we are implementing President Trump’s vision of an America First foreign policy. He made clear that America is back and that securing our boarders, making communities safer, and combatting criminal cartels are once again key priorities of our foreign policy. He also explained how the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of State will enable the department to deliver on President Trump’s foreign policy agenda that makes America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. The budget request and the State Department’s reorganization will ensure our ability to respond to the challenges of the 21st century on behalf of the American people.

And now finally – ahead of Memorial Day, which I know we’re all looking forward to, I want to recognize and honor the Americans who gave their lives to defend our freedom. Their bravery, service, and sacrifice represent the very best of America. The heroes of this country would have preferred long, enjoyable, quiet lives. But instead, they answered the call when we needed them the most.

Every day that we simply enjoy is due to the sacrifice of the men and women who died on the field. We will never forget those who have given all to defend our country, our way of life, and the American people. God bless all who have served and are serving our nation.

And now ready for your questions. Daphne, yes, ma’am.

QUESTION: Following the shooting last night, are U.S. embassies on any sort of special alert or thinking about any change in posture?

MS BRUCE: I can’t speak to security measures that are being implemented or being discussed or decided upon. What I did note in my topper is that, in fact, we are working certainly with the D.C. Metropolitan Police, and the security of this building, of American diplomats, of diplomats throughout this city is of paramount importance to the United States of America. We act on that every single day, and certainly we’re continuing to do that today and in the days that come as well.

QUESTION: And has Secretary Rubio had any conversations with Israeli officials, with the Israeli ambassador today?

MS BRUCE: I can’t remark on the specifics of any conversations that have been had, but I know that, of course, you’ve seen his messages, the tweets, and of course, we will hear – no doubt again soon – about the nature of what’s transpiring. But I can tell you that he is – as all of us are – is heartbroken. We’re all affected by this. It is something we deal with in a sense, of course, every day. This administration, the Secretary’s work, the President’s work – and often – I don’t know how they do it. It’s – I have maybe 40, 45 minutes with you guys twice a week. And these are issues that are existential all the time. And I know that, again, my work is made easier because I know the people running this country care about life and about the condition of our lives, and so that’s the most I can say separate from, certainly, specifics of who they’re speaking with.

All right. Yes, Andrea Mitchell.

QUESTION: Hi. Thank you very much. A couple of questions about South Africa and also Sudan, if you don’t mind. On South Africa, the State Department is empowered legally with deciding when a genocide exists. Has there been an investigation that supports any such contention? Because there is no credible evidence from any authority on the ground there, in their government, in NGOs, or elsewhere that we can find to support an allegation of genocide, that white farmers are at all as disadvantaged as the crime wave there that is a problem for – against blacks in much greater numbers and proportionally even greater numbers than whites?

The fact-checkers have shown that the white crosses were put up as a protest against the criminal movement and against the death of the farmers. The crosses and the burial were all part of a protest against the criminality, not as described. So what information was given to the White House, if any, by the State Department, by the experts in the field, to support what was described as an ambush widely around the world of a South African visitor who had a celebrated background as a leader of a biracial government and someone who was jailed with Mandela and who has been one of the civic leaders of a new South Africa, as troubled as their history has been, as troubled as their current situation?

MS BRUCE: Well, I would say that, as we all knew, of course, the President has been very vocal about his concern about the violence, the nature of what’s been transpiring in South Africa. The president did not come to the United States of America unaware of the position and the posture of the President and of the Secretary of State and of his administration. So I would argue against very much that there was some kind of an ambush. His – South Africa also has been facing a dynamic where there’s been regular criticism, ranging from not just the collapse, in some ways, when it comes to the violence in civil society, but then the referral of Israel with the ICJ for the issues of genocide while ignoring Hamas, cozying up to Iran, the general choices that they’ve made.

In the meantime, also, of passing a law that has allowed them to take the property, to possess property of white Afrikaner farmers with no reason. One element is equity. And so when you’re doing – when you’re passing laws like that that target a group – ostensibly sending a message to the population that these people are – have a price to pay, there’s something that they need to be doing, that they’re – that they deserve to have their land taken; combined with the chants of “Kill the Boer,” the massive rallies where encouragement of violence is prevalent and is at the core of it; in addition to the association South Africa and its president have chosen to make, like with Iran, and their actions against Israel – it creates a picture that is worthwhile having a conversation in the Oval Office. And that is, I think – it is the transparency of the President, certainly, both leaders aware of what the concerns have been and what the arguments have been.

So I don’t think that President Ramaphosa was somehow surprised or shocked at the fact that we have an honest man who’s in the White House, who’s spoken and continued to speak about the violence and the trajectory of South Africa.

QUESTION: Well, what I’m just suggesting is that the facts matter with the credibility of the President. And that the – as it was explained in the Oval Office and it has been explained elsewhere, that is a minority party, a protest party that is legally permissible. But that the white agricultural minister said in the Oval Office: that’s why we joined the coalition, to make sure that they didn’t get into the parliament, that they don’t have power. They’ve been – they’ve been opposed and —

MS BRUCE: Well – and the nature of the weeds of something like that, where that individual – you saw also the larger video of the thousands and thousands of individuals in a stadium framework. And I think that what Americans in the world and what South Africans see is a movement and an attitude that is not only not punished, but reinforced —

QUESTION: But it’s not a majority movement —

MS BRUCE: — but Andrea – reinforced with a law that says, oh, those people that you’re calling to have be killed, yeah, let’s take their land. Who does that? Who does that in the midst of that environment? And I think that when we think about – I’m not certainly going to get ahead of the President. President Trump is someone that the world knows says what he thinks and acts on what he thinks. But I think that it was very clear – and he’s been clear, as has the Secretary – about the problems with South Africa, the nature of the signals that it sends, the quality or lack thereof of life, the fact that we have taken in refugees, very basic standard of looking for asylum, they’ve met that standard, and it’s more than just complaining. It is about acting and finding –

QUESTION: Well, now that you’ve brought that up —

MS BRUCE: — an element that – where we can make a difference for those people.

QUESTION: Taking of the land, first of all, it’s with judicial review when it has happened.

MS BRUCE: (Laughter.) All right. Yeah.

QUESTION: It’s not – it’s not (inaudible) —

MS BRUCE: Now let me – but let me correct you right there, Andrea, and then I’m going to move on. This particular law they tout has not even been implemented yet.

QUESTION: That’s correct.

MS BRUCE: This is – but – so it’s not about judicial review. The law – if you have a judicial review of a law that says there is no standard, well, then you’ll have judicial review of no standard.

QUESTION: But they have not taken land so —

MS BRUCE: All right. But this – and it is in part, I would argue, because of the global attention that has been placed on them because of President Donald Trump’s attitude, his comments, and bringing attention to that framework in general. That is why that hasn’t been acted on. And I – we’ll move on, but I think I’ve been clear.

QUESTION: No, but you brought up these refugees.

MS BRUCE: Yes, Matt. I think you have probably something to say.

QUESTION: Excuse me, you brought up the refugees, Tammy. Let me just —

QUESTION: Follow-up —

MS BRUCE: Andrea, four – you’ve had four questions; I’ve answered them. You’ve asked in depth. We are going to move on. Yes, sir. I’m sure others might have the same sort of questions.

QUESTION: Thanks.

MS BRUCE: Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Thanks, Tammy. I – two, I think should be quick ones on sanctions. One, can you just explain the discrepancy or apparent discrepancy between what Secretary Rubio tweeted last night on Venezuela sanctions and what Special Envoy Grenell said? The Secretary’s saying that they would – the Chevron waiver would not be extended, and Special Envoy Grenell is saying it would be. And then just secondly, on Sudan – I’m sorry, Syria sanctions.

MS BRUCE: Syria.

QUESTION: Just what’s the status of the relief that the President promised last week? Thank you.

MS BRUCE: Well, I can tell you that the Secretary did – he put up a tweet making it clear where we stand on Chevron, which is a license which is due to expire in May. And what I will speak to is not what others have said, but certainly the people who are in charge of the nature of what we are doing, and that is Secretary Rubio, making it clear that that license is going to expire. And so that’s what I take my lead from, is his remarks in that regard. So there’s no confusion. I think many people on every issue can have a lot of opinions, but I think clearly who we look to are the people who have the power to have the impact and who make the decision, and of course this is at the direction of President Trump as well.

About Syria. Yes, it was a very exciting moment. I was in Riyadh and in the building when President Trump announced that he was lifting the sanctions on Syria. That is something that we’ve discussed, and many people have wondered when that would occur, and clearly the President decided now was the time. And I do know that, of course, there is a team of people who immediately started working on that, who are working on it now.

There is – of course, it’s worth noting that the President has some powers in the nature of what can get done, but sanctions are administered through different departments in this country. So it is – his was a message and certainly the order to reverse our dynamic, to remove the sanctions, which involves departments like the Treasury Department. So it’s – it is a process that will take some time, but as we know with the Trump Administration that they’ve sped up the train a bit and they understand the importance of getting things done quickly, and that is their intention of getting things done quickly, as they take the order from the President from that afternoon.

And we’re working on it; it’s been a week. But I do think, because of not just the urgency but – they understand the urgency, but of the recognition of this administration, the government as a whole, of how the President works, that things have to happen and should happen as quickly as possible. So all I can say is, without a specific date, it will be done quickly, and certainly more quickly than we’re used to.

QUESTION: Thanks.

MS BRUCE: All right. All right. Yes. Yes, ma’am.

QUESTION: Can we go to Gaza?

MS BRUCE: Sure.

QUESTION: Secretary Rubio said in one of his hearings on the Hill that he had met with the World Food Program in Rome. I just want to get clarity on whether this means that the current U.S. policy is for the UN’s leading food program – leading food organization is, like, that they will remain the main food provider for Gaza, hence his meeting with them, or whether that doesn’t —

MS BRUCE: You’re reading an awful lot into a meeting that you heard about.

QUESTION: I – it would be good to get more detail on it —

MS BRUCE: Sure.

QUESTION: — given there’s a lot of reporting on heated conversations between humanitarian organizations —

PARTICIPANT: Sure.

QUESTION: — discussion over this new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. And I’ve got one more after that.

MS BRUCE: Sure. Yes. Sure. Well, Secretary Rubio visited with Cindy McCain, who leads that program, and he doesn’t visit personally to shut something down. It was, from what I know, a very good meeting. I cannot share the details with you, as you might imagine. But I think that regularly we should view the nature – and certainly after the rhetoric the Secretary has used and the actions that the State Department has implemented when it comes to our continuing commitment to lifesaving aid around the world, certainly food aid, is that I would have expected since her office is in our embassy at the Holy See that that is a meeting that should have taken place and did take place.

And I’m looking forward to the nature of that kind of a conversation and what can come from it, and we’ll see. But it was – that entire visit was very good, I think, very – certainly we went to the inaugural mass with the Pope, but overall it was a recognition and a commitment, seeing this from the Secretary, being there, as he is a practicing Catholic, but also knowing how each part of this work mattered and also was implemented on that trip, the nature of what – the importance of Italy, the importance of the Vatican, the importance of faith, and the nature of his work in the process. And, of course, that meeting was part of that work.

QUESTION: So it’s just part of looking at options, or something like —

MS BRUCE: I – I’m not going to speculate or guess. I’m a little psychic but not enough for that, to answer that specifically.

QUESTION: Oh, you’re a little psychic?

MS BRUCE: A little psychic.

QUESTION: So what can you do?

MS BRUCE: Well, nothing you want to know. But it’s – I would – don’t speculate on that, but I do think because of the speed in which we work, we will all see the intention of the Secretary, the nature of what’s happening with the World Food Program under certainly the leadership of Cindy McCain and what her intentions are as well. So we’re looking forward to it.

QUESTION: Okay. Just quickly related —

MS BRUCE: So you had some more. You had Sudan —

QUESTION: Just – no, just one on Gaza as well.

MS BRUCE: Yeah. On Gaza. Yes.

QUESTION: On this Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

MS BRUCE: Sure.

QUESTION: There is reporting about private security that would be used for this new foundation. I just want to understand if this administration is okay with private security personnel for a foundation like that, presumably of which they’ll be armed going into Gaza, and presumably some of the personnel for that private security would be American citizens. Just want to understand what the stance is on —

MS BRUCE: Well, presume – watch out when you use the word “presumably.” Watch out.

QUESTION: I mean, looking at other private security firms and what they do and some of those that work with them —

MS BRUCE: Well, I think that, yes, it’s good that you’re concerned about security. We all are. And that’s been one of the problems we’ve had with Gaza, is the ability to move food aid and medical aid through an arena that is not thinking as you think. They are not concerned about safety. It is about terrorists who’ve been keeping food aid and medical aid from the people of Gaza, and that has impacted our ability to move all that aid, the aid that we’ve wanted to move through, that we would do only when it was safe to do so. So our concern has been constantly about safety and what we could achieve in that environment. That’s the point of ceasefires, is to have safety.

So I would – with that being a standard, that we will support having things move in if it can be safe, that having a security service is important, I think we all would agree. I won’t get into the details of how it’s being managed, but – because that’s the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is private and operates on its own. But clearly when it comes to what one of our core elements was, which is that we support all of this if it can be moved in safely and securely and without falling into the hands of terrorists and the people who are causing death and destruction in that area, it seems like they’ve structured something that can manage that, that can – is the equivalent of something that we can all agree on, and they’re moving forward. So that’s the story, is that we’ve been able to do it – “we” being humanity – that it’s something that all of us have wanted to see, which is a movement of aid.

QUESTION: If they use private security —

MS BRUCE: You need to call them.

QUESTION: — clearance —

MS BRUCE: When we speak about private security – what I look at as the story is that we’ve managed or expect to manage security that gets food and medicine to the people who all of you have wondered about whether or not they’re going to get it. That’s my story, and that’s the story of humanity and the people of the Gaza strip.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: On Iran, Mr. Witkoff is meeting with Mr. Araghchi tomorrow in Rome. Both sides have been stressing on respective positions in the past few days regarding enrichment. Do you see a chance to have a path forward towards compromise or not?

And if I may, a second question. Secretary —

MS BRUCE: Can I answer that one so that we can – and then I will – I won’t lose you, don’t worry.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MS BRUCE: It’s like we’re on a slide. You’re hanging on.

Yes, what I can say is that we’ve made it clear on every project we’re working on, certainly including Russia and Ukraine, that our involvement is really because we feel we can make a difference and that’s why we do it. This additional meeting, certainly the fifth round of the nuclear talks, would not be happening if we didn’t think that there was potential for it. And so I would say that clearly we believe that we are going to succeed. We’ve also been very clear on some basic things, like they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. They’ve been very clear – most of our leaders have been who’ve spoken on it – that this is about no enrichment. And the Iranians are at that table, so they also understand what our position is, and they continue to go. So we feel something’s good enough for us to continue this work.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Second question, Secretary Rubio this week at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said that the past four meetings have been focused on enrichment only. So other issues, like the Iran’s support for the proxies, which is, like, the concern for the regional countries, are those issues going to be discussed later on? Or are they going to be part of another round of discussions?

MS BRUCE: Well, I’m not, again, part of the negotiating team, won’t discuss what might be the plan. But just like an issue of needing a ceasefire before you discuss what the land is going to look like and what the nations are going to be doing after the fact, there’s points that you have to get to before you discuss elements that might not even be a factor if you can’t get to the bright line that allows us to move forward. And that bright line has been enrichment, certainly not getting a nuclear bomb, and those things have to be addressed. I say this because that’s what I’ve seen them do and being very specific, which is fabulous, because nobody’s guessing at what the goal is.

But of course, considering the generational issues involved, this is – and the President has said this about everything he’s worked on – with the generational issues involved that these cannot be solutions that last six months or are able to be broken in 18 months, or in three years your 15-year-old is suddenly pulled into a war because now they’re 18; that these have got to be enduring, fundamentally changing arrangements that only Donald Trump can bring because of the nature of his attitude, his vision, and because of the support of the American people understanding that this was a factor. So I would say – well, I’m not going to go on from that. I think that’ll be it.

Yes. Yes, go ahead. Hi there.

QUESTION: The U.S. sent some migrants to Djibouti, and I’m wondering are you in negotiations with Djibouti to accept these people or are you still trying to get them to South Sudan, who say they won’t take third-country nationals. What’s the State Department’s role in this?

MS BRUCE: Well, we know that, of course, the Secretary’s been very open about the fact that we are negotiating with a number of countries to facilitate the deportation of people who are here in this country illegally. I can say also, as the Secretary’s noted, that we remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass migration and bolster America’s border security. I won’t discuss the diplomatic conversations, which clearly is part of this framework, with specific countries here.

I would also point you to Karoline Leavitt’s remarks the hour before my briefing here, where she noted a court order required the flight to go to Djibouti. And I know the White House has more details on the framework involving that. So we’re currently – just in the sense of handling this in a immigration posture, certainly, it is a reflection of our continued attitude and position, and I don’t think that this situation – it’s certainly in the courts, which I can’t remark on. But we’re familiar with having to make our arguments in a variety of arenas, and this is one of those times. And – but I know Karoline had more specifics.

QUESTION: In South Sudan there was a dispute before with them for not taking somebody and you guys stopped issuing visas.

MS BRUCE: Right.

QUESTION: Has that been resolved?

MS BRUCE: Yeah, the visa situation remains the same. Yes, we reacted in that regard because they had confirmed that this one particular person was a citizen, prepared to take him back, and then that did not happen at the last moment, and so our response was when you’re having a diplomatic negotiation with a country you’re going to respond to certain situations. We can say that in the midst of that, in the aftermath, our posture on visas and all of that has not changed, and we have noted, of course, regularly that we monitor their behavior, their attitudes, which of course continues to matter to us. But we also, though, are currently accepting certain diplomatic and official visa applications if eligibility is determined in that regard, and we do that as always on a case-by-case basis. So at this point I have nothing more to report on that except that it is still in place.

Yes.

QUESTION: Can I just ask a quick follow-up on Iran? Two Iranian sources told my colleague Fred Pleitgen, who is currently in Tehran, that they are concerned about the sincerity of the United States heading into this next round of nuclear talks, and they think Trump is steering the conversation towards deadlock. Obviously, the administration has said that they want an Iran nuclear deal, but is there any – anything you can shed light on in terms of the dialogue between the two sides that might be causing unnamed Iranian sources to tell us this?

MS BRUCE: Unnamed Iranian sources – no, it’s not – that’s not – that doesn’t interest me. It’s gossip at that rate. Certainly when we have – and we’ve said repeatedly to not discuss this in the media because it makes things harder. Everybody has an interest in all of our negotiations doing well. Some people don’t have an interest in that, and that’s where you get unnamed sources from. I don’t know if there’s an Iranian National Enquirer or maybe there is, but that’s not something that I’m going to take seriously.

What is the story and what matters is that everyone is at the table in Rome.

QUESTION: And what is the intention of Steve Witkoff going into the talks in Rome?

MS BRUCE: Well, it’s very clear what I’ve also just said a little earlier and we’ve said in multiple briefings: The goal is to end the – any ability for them to have a nuclear weapon, to change and end the enrichment of their nuclear program, and the intentions of that nuclear program. So it’s a significant structural change in what Iran thinks it’s going to be doing, and that’s the negotiations. I think they’ve been very clear about what the intentions are.

QUESTION: And just one follow-up on a different topic, but this is just coming out now from —

MS BRUCE: Oh, not another one.

QUESTION: — Homeland Security.

MS BRUCE: Not another one.

QUESTION: No, don’t worry. Not like last time.

MS BRUCE: Okay, good.

QUESTION: But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says that DHS is now terminating Harvard’s ability to allow any foreign students to enroll in the university —

MS BRUCE: Right.

QUESTION: — saying in a statement that the administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party. This is obviously a program that isn’t run out of the State Department, but some of these J-1 visas are issued by the State Department. So can you shed some light on this decision by the administration?

MS BRUCE: We’ve seen those reports and we are looking at them. And I can’t answer that immediately, but as soon as we might have an answer, I can get it to you. I’m sure that when we get our answer, we’ll get it to everybody. But yes, so I’ve seen those reports and I would also refer you, of course, to DHS and to Secretary Noem, who might have more details, more answers for you.

Said, nice to see you again. I hope it’s nice to see you. I know it’s —

QUESTION: Thank you. I appreciate it.

MS BRUCE: Okay. Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Really quick. Two quick follow-ups, one on Andrea —

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: — and on South Africa, and then one on Gaza.

MS BRUCE: Sure.

QUESTION: On South Africa, you said that the President was also influenced by what South Africa has done in terms of referring the – its role in the ICC.

MS BRUCE: I said we all have been. We all have been. Yes.

QUESTION: Yeah, well, its role in the ICC.

MS BRUCE: The package. Yes.

QUESTION: Just to clarify that. So he was because South Africa referred Israel to the ICC?

MS BRUCE: Well, it’s – I did not say for a specific event, that that influenced him. I don’t speak – I —

QUESTION: Right. I’m just —

MS BRUCE: President Trump is a very clear man.

QUESTION: Right. Okay.

MS BRUCE: It’s – no one has to wonder his position. But I think for all of us who have been looking at the condition of South Africa, it’s not – it’s never just one thing, is it? It’s a number of things.

QUESTION: It’s —

MS BRUCE: I’ll finish. I know you might not be liking my answer, but I’ll finish.

QUESTION: No, I —

MS BRUCE: Said, I – it is a series of things that point to the intention of an administration or of a regime, and it is usually consistent. So if you’re wondering about the nature of whether – why it matters that people are at a huge stadium shouting “kill the Boer,” which are the – for those at home, the Dutch descendants of the settlers of South Africa, and who are white farmers – combined, then, with a government that says, oh, we reject that, they’re not part of our government, but then pass a law that allows the government to take the property of those very same people simply because they’re white farmers.

So that speaks to the intention of a regime, in addition to their behavior with other nations, their foreign policy, how they would view the victims of October 7th, the Jews, as those who should be referred to a criminal court versus Hamas, in addition to having a rather cozy relationship with Iran.

So you don’t need to be in a seminar at Stanford to understand and to recognize the trajectory of South Africa. That is the argument, for those who are looking at that. Again, beyond one issue. And I think those issues speak quite loudly.

QUESTION: And very quickly on Gaza.

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: Now, the Israelis are saying they allowed maybe six trucks or nine trucks – we don’t know – and international agencies say no trucks were allowed in. Could you clarify, if you have the information: Have any trucks been allowed in, the number of trucks if you know the number, and so on? And what’s next in terms of figures and numbers?

MS BRUCE: Well, I won’t share numbers with you, but what I can tell you – and you know this having covered this situation —

QUESTION: Right.

MS BRUCE: — that Israel has been honest about the nature of what it’s been doing and why as it fights for its security and in its own defense. And there is – if you’re getting a report from Israel about the nature of what has moved into the region, I would suggest that you should take that report seriously. I think that everyone knows that the eyes of the world are on that region, and at the same time the story is – what I would argue – is, as opposed to the numbers, is the fact that aid is moving in to Gaza. And it’s interesting to me, Said, that that is something that I’ve talked with you and we’ve even had some sort of fights about, and that isn’t something that has been recognized. But I’ll do that recognizing and that’s what the real story is.

Yes, sir, in the back.

QUESTION: Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Tammy. A Kurdish delegation led by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is in town. They have signed two energy deals with the U.S. companies valued at 110 billion U.S. dollars. These two deals have been rejected by the Iraqi Government. I’m wondering if you have any comments and reaction to that. And do you have anything to share with us about his scheduled meeting with Secretary Rubio tomorrow?

MS BRUCE: Well, I can tell you that we were pleased to see Prime Minister Barzani sign massive deals with U.S. companies to expand natural gas production in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, which will help Iraq harness its own domestic resources to become energy independent, which we’ve, again, talked about. It’s really great. We’ve talked about these things. Often I can’t give you answers – we don’t know when it’s going to happen – and then to be able to report to you that it has happened. And that is a key administration priority. Being energy independent is obviously a major national security issue. And so these deals – I think it’s like over a hundred billion dollars —

QUESTION: Hundred and ten.

MS BRUCE: Yes. And it’s – that’s what we’ve all been working for. So we support these deals and we have encouraged Baghdad and Erbil to work together to get gas production to commence as soon as possible. At the same time, we have of course the declaration that these are null and void, right?

QUESTION: Yeah.

MS BRUCE: Now, these – this is the kind of shenanigans that can be a problem. But we also know that – I’ll give you a sense of our relationship with Kurdistan. The Kurdistan Regional Government prime minister and his visit to the United States signals our desire to strengthen the U.S. relationship with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, and as you’ve noted, Secretary Rubio will meet with KRG Prime Minister Barzani to discuss expanding trade and investment between the United States and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

He has also stated – Secretary Rubio – that we support the Kurdish autonomy and the U.S. companies doing business there and urge the Government of Iraq to respect this economic lifeline that is necessary to prosper and succeed. We believe that U.S., Iraqi, and Iraqi Kurdish interests are best served by having a strong and resilient Iraqi Kurdistan Region within a sovereign and prosperous federal Iraq.

QUESTION: Thank you so much.

MS BRUCE: All right. Yes, sir. Yes.

QUESTION: I’d like to follow up on the Harvard issue. And —

MS BRUCE: Well, I won’t have much more, but you’re welcome to do it.

QUESTION: You deferred to DHS.

MS BRUCE: Sure.

QUESTION: But in a bigger picture, presumably the United States wants to attract the best and the brightest insofar as foreigners, students, immigrants, and these top-tier universities are one of the most prominent ways to do that. So do you think prohibiting Harvard to enroll foreign students kind of gets in the way of that goal?

MS BRUCE: Well, again, I can’t speak to Secretary Noem’s plans and strategy and her decision to implement this. What I would argue is that we have an interest as a nation, as President Trump has spoken to quite often – that we have an interest as a nation for these universities that are supposed to be the gold standard to actually deliver people who are educated and can function in society and – on campuses that encourage a learning environment as opposed to one of left-wing activism, where you have individuals leaving the university level in this country as our rates are declining when it comes to comprehension in reading and a whole host of other things, that we – it has to be more than just a label or a brand. It has to deliver results for the families that do pay a lot of money for it.

And I think that there’s a point, as you’ve seen – I think it’s obvious from the Trump Administration – with the federal money that flows into those coffers and the nature of the kind of talent – you could speak about foreign talent; let’s speak about American talent. You’ve got a wonderful kid who’s done very, very well, and then you send them to Harvard and the kid comes home and you don’t even recognize them. And they’re definitely primed to be a fabulous left-wing activist, but they’re maybe not going to be able to get a job.

And so this is a recognition and movement that universities around this country are recognizing, that American families have standards. We spend money so our children can be educated in the normal function of life, and we get kids back who have not received the kind of education we expected. COVID highlighted this for many of us, but I think that this opens up a conversation, as it should, between the federal government and the universities that we rely on and have been proud of that we deserve to be proud of them again. And if we’re going to speak about who we rely on for the best and the brightest, there’s plenty of American kids who also deserve to be taken seriously. And I believe that we can handle all of them properly.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Thank you – thanks very much. My question is on U.S.-India relations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump both are very famous in India. As far as U.S. policies are concerned, most Indians are – agree with both of them.

MS BRUCE: I hear you’re pretty famous in India.

QUESTION: (Laughter.) Yes, I am.

MS BRUCE: All right. Keep going.

QUESTION: My question is, Madam —

MS BRUCE: Yes, sir.

QUESTION: — as far as terrorism against India recently in the state of Kashmir is concerned, innocent Indians were – tourists were massacred there.

MS BRUCE: Yes. Oh, yes, we all know that.

QUESTION: Yes, ma’am. My question is that as far as talking with the Pakistanis is concerned, India’s prime minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, and also foreign minister, Mr. Jaishankar, both met with the Secretary Rubio and the President.

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: What they are saying is that as long as terrorism is continue against India – what they said – by Pakistan supporters inside – that they have training centers inside Pakistan.

MS BRUCE: Well, here’s what I can – here’s what I can say.

QUESTION: Talks – sorry.

MS BRUCE: And this is – and I understand your point and what has been a generational concern about violence and terrorism in that region, certainly, with the troubles between India and Pakistan – is that there is a ceasefire. Obviously we know – very close to full-scale war erupting, and what’s very exciting and heartening is that America’s involvement and assistance made a difference in that stopping and a ceasefire that has continued, but of course, within that one expects, as the world noticed, again, that that has not been resolved, that the potential of having these long-term problems resolved has returned. And it is an opportunity, and the good news is – is that unlike some other regions, there has been a commitment to a ceasefire that makes – oh, is that my alarm? (Laughter.) Thank you. I should ask you to put on your alarms. It’s like, oh, Tammy’s done.

All right, we’re going to have – we’re going to have —

QUESTION: Follow up on —

QUESTION: On Bangladesh?

MS BRUCE: We’re – all right, we’ll have one more. In the green jacket, in the back. Yes, ma’am.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy.

MS BRUCE: Make sure her mike is on – just that she’s in the back here. The sound here is —

QUESTION: Yeah – two quick questions – two quick. Do you have any update on the peace deal agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, when we will see this peace deal signed? And also can you tell us if both presidents – President Ramaphosa of South Africa and President Trump – finally managed to overcome the difference and we will see United States and South Africa working together?

MS BRUCE: Well, I’ll answer that one first. I think the meeting with the South African president in the Oval Office speaks to President Trump’s generosity, and the fact that any leader feels comfortable going to meet him, even with difficult conversations and sometimes the problems that happen between two nations with different attitudes. So the fact that it’s President Trump means, of course, there’s always hope. It means, of course, there’ll always be something for the future.

And speaking of the DRC and Rwanda, another very good example of something that has been a generational issue that we are – again, it’s a long process, but they are taking the steps that we’ve asked of them to take, and that’s also very promising. We can look for an update when it comes to what the new dates are and what else is expected. But what I can tell you is is that that continues. Another great change in dynamic – sometimes, though, people forget and don’t continue to ask – and I appreciate that you did – because there isn’t any drama, because there – that things are changing for the better. So it causes less news, right? It – there’s less interest. But it’s worth following up as we watch these particular issues resolve, as of course the news is taken up by other issues.

But this administration is committed across the board to peace and prosperity, and it seems the world is giving them a lot of chances to act on that.

We – do we do – we do one more? One more. Yes, sir.

QUESTION: One —

MS BRUCE: My Italian friend right there.

QUESTION: Two more.

QUESTION: Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, indeed, one is on – about Italy – actually, the Vatican. So —

MS BRUCE: I was there, yeah. Beautiful place.

QUESTION: Yes. I know you —

MS BRUCE: Beautiful place. Very moving.

QUESTION: You were there. And there was also some conversation with Parolin, which is Vatican secretary of state. So are we seeing this conversation because we also have an American pope that can actually better deal with our President? And how close are we to actually the negotiation at the Vatican? And then I have a second question on Russia.

MS BRUCE: Well – yes, obviously, the world – the condition of the world existed before our new Pope Leo. I’m not a Catholic but I’m very moved by the nature of that faith, and it was just a beautiful experience to be there. But I can tell you that, of course, the plans and the conversations with the pope himself and certainly other leaders there was important – it always would be. If you’re going to be in Italy for any reason and you’re the leader of the free world or the Secretary of State of the free world, you want to meet with these people. This is why they’re in their positions, is for that reason.

So I think that that’s – it’s not because Pope Leo is an American. However, it’s pretty terrific, and it’s a reminder that your commitment and your faith and – it can lead you anywhere. And so we, of course, pray for him – success as he moves forward with his duties.

And your – the rest of your question?

QUESTION: Yeah, I have a question about Russia. I mean, not about Russia, about – I’m so sorry —

MS BRUCE: Good.

QUESTION: — about the different approach that we’re seeing from this administration when it come to diplomacy. We saw with – yesterday with South Africa and then with Zelenskyy (inaudible) effective —

MS BRUCE: Well, and I think you’re seeing – I would – I would – I would go as – this will be my – the last answer here – is that we’re seeing —

QUESTION: It’s (inaudible) effective.

MS BRUCE: — different envoys, different styles; ambassadors, the Secretary of State, the President on the phone. Because you have to do that when you’re not simply setting up meetings every three, four, or six weeks; that you’re having meetings to make specific steps and have specific progress, and deadlines about – because you’re a businessperson and you know what’s possible, or you know humanity and you know what’s possible. When he says we need to have new ideas – for Gaza, as an example. He really means that for everything, for how we conduct diplomacy. The Secretary, of course, is on board with that; it’s natural for him. Traditional diplomacy: going, talking, getting deliverables, making sure the relationship is active and alive. And that is how you bond, you make friends, and your relationships with other countries are better.

So the Secretary operates in that fashion, but yes, there’s a huge difference in that we are on – well, certainly we have now, what, three and a half years? You have people who want to make a difference. It’s not just having fun in an office; it’s changing people’s lives for an endurable period of time so that we, our generation – I’m seeing some younger people in this room, of course, always – but for our generation, my generation, that we can think we did everything we could and have had some success in making things better.

That’s the Trump Administration. That will be its legacy. And it’s an honor to be here, and thank you all very much. I appreciate it. I’ll see you on – I’ll see you on – what is today?

QUESTION: Thursday.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

MS BRUCE: I’ll see you on – the trip, it’s like, oh my gosh. I thought I was waking up in a hotel today, but I wasn’t.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MS BRUCE: Thank you, guys. Thank you. Great to see you. Appreciate it.

(The briefing was concluded at 3:05 p.m.)

# # #

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, to express heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the United States ahead of the inauguration of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.  They reaffirmed the strong partnership between the United States and the Holy See and discussed our shared commitment to ending the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.  The United States stands firm in support of freedom of religion and the Secretary looks forward to working with the Holy See to protect these rights globally. 

Secretary Rubio also met with Cardinal Zuppi to discuss the urgent need to end the Russia-Ukraine war.  The Secretary expressed appreciation for the Vatican’s important humanitarian role, including facilitating prisoner exchanges and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children.  He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration under the new leadership of Pope Leo XIV. 

QUESTION:  Mr. Secretary, Your Eminence, will you be discussing Ukraine today?

SECRETARY RUBIO:  Yes, yes, and we thank the Holy See for its willingness to be involved in this process.  Obviously there are a number of countries that have offered that as well, but we think it would be – we’ll talk about that, the status of the talks, the updates after yesterday, and the path forward. 

Thank you.

QUESTION:  Do you think – do you think they can be one of the brokers or the broker in helping get (inaudible)?

SECRETARY RUBIO:  Well, I wouldn’t call it a broker but it certainly is a place that I would think that both sides would be comfortable coming.  So we are grateful for their longstanding efforts not simply on trying to broker peace but on the exchanges of prisoners; there are children that have currently been taken from their homes that the Ukrainians would like to see returned, and they, the Holy See, has been very involved in that regard.  So we’ll talk about that and all of it, and obviously always grateful for the willingness of the Vatican to play this constructive and positive role.

Thank you.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will accompany President Trump to Saudi Arabia and Qatar May 11-14, where the President will look to strengthen ties between the United States and Gulf partners.  Secretary Rubio’s engagements with senior officials will advance solutions to global and regional challenges, expand bilateral trade and investment, and reaffirm our strategic partnerships.

Secretary Rubio will then travel to Antalya, Türkiye, May 14-16 to attend the NATO Informal Foreign Ministers Meeting to discuss security priorities for the Alliance, including increased Allied defense investment and ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Looking towards the NATO Summit in The Hague this June, the Secretary will advance President Trump’s agenda of ensuring that our Allies contribute their fair share to making NATO stronger and more effective. He will then travel to Istanbul, Türkiye for meetings with European counterparts to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and other regional issues of mutual concern.

Secretary Rubio will then travel to Italy and the Holy See, May 16-18 as a member of the U.S. delegation attending Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass.

2:20 p.m. EST

MS BRUCE: Good afternoon. We waited a little bit for the Pope. Thank you, sir. You all know Tommy, Tommy Pigott, my principal deputy. (Laughter.) Thank you again, everyone. Yes, we – obviously, some of the big news which we’ll be talking about here in our announcement momentarily. Thank you for being here.

So first – again, thank you all very much. First, I would like to share a message from Secretary Marco Rubio following the election of a new Pope and the first pope from the United States. Quote, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the 267th successor to Saint Peter. This is a moment of profound significance for the Catholic Church, offering renewed hope and continuity amid the 2025 Jubilee Year to over a billion faithful worldwide. The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility. Jeanette and I are united in prayer for His Holiness, may the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.” That is, again, from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

This morning, Secretary Rubio spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif and Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar. In both calls, the Secretary emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to the violence. He expressed U.S. support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

Today also marks the 80th anniversary of Victory Day for World War II. As President Trump said in his proclamation marking the day, quote, “we celebrate the unmatched might, strength, and power of the American Armed Forces, and we commit to protecting our sacred birthright of liberty against all threats… we offer our unending thanks to every patriot from the Greatest Generation who left behind his home and family to fight for our freedom in distant lands.”

On this 80th anniversary, President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer announced a historic trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom. This trade deal provides American companies unprecedented access to the UK markets and delivers real benefits to American farmers while bolstering U.S. national security. The bottom line is this: This is a great deal for America.

As described by President Trump, quote, “The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.” As President Trump also said today, today’s deal shows you – shows that if you respect America and bring serious proposals to the table, America is open to business and that there are many more deals to come.

Also today, the Ukrainian Rada, their parliament, unanimously voted to ratify the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund that we signed last week, a deal shaped by President Trump’s unmatched ability to get results on the world stage, the best dealmaker in the world. This agreement got 338 votes, well over the 226 needed, demonstrating again that this agreement has been a fully collaborative partnership from start to finish. This is more than policy; it’s a partnership that strengthens America, secures long-term gains for both nations, and proves once again that under President Trump promises made are, in fact, promises kept. We are proud to see these results, and the world now sees what American leadership looks like.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to extend warm wishes for an early happy Mother’s Day to all those preparing to celebrate this weekend. It is a very special time to honor the love, resilience, and selfless dedication of mothers around the world. We join families everywhere in expressing our deep appreciation for moms and all that they and you do.

And with that, we will – we’ll take your questions. But before, I’m going to give my chiming phones to whomever wants to come right back up here, named – Tommy Pigott is the winner of the phones today.

QUESTION: Give them to us.

MS BRUCE: Thank you, sir. (Laughter.) All right. Taking your questions here. Yes, please.

QUESTION: Thanks, Tammy. On India and Pakistan, I saw the readouts of the Secretary’s calls, but can you give us any more details on any requests or commitments that the Secretary made of either the Pakistanis or the Indians moving forward? And there was also a note expressing condolences about civilians killed in his conversation with the Pakistanis. Should we take this to mean that the U.S. does not have fidelity on India’s claims that these were terrorist infrastructures that were struck?

MS BRUCE: Well, I think that having been listening to those calls, some of them, and being in the processes – all of us were in some fashion or another when this conflict began – it was the real focus of the Secretary of State, who has been the center point leading these conversations and these – this outreach. And he’s made very clear focusing on two things: that this should not escalate. This has been a key framework. Clearly this has been an issue for decades and it’s – with what we saw over the last few weeks after the terrorist attack, it was not surprising but very, very disappointing. But it was about, certainly, that it should not escalate. And communication was fundamentally key, that there should be talks, that there should not be silence, and that America obviously was in the center of this in speaking with a variety of leaders of both countries over the last two days.

QUESTION: So has he offered to play a mediation role between the two countries?

MS BRUCE: Well, as you know, I mean, there’s – this has been – every situation – in this particular case, of course, a very delicate and dangerous situation. But in any case, where there’s diplomatic conversations between leaders of countries or really any level where there’s negotiations happening, we are not going to be speaking about the details. That is certainly our policy. We think it’s important to not put details in the midst of the media, the worldwide media, when the work is being done privately between leaders, and we need to really try to keep it that way.

QUESTION: Sorry, and on the terrorist infrastructure, is there anything you can say? Does the U.S. have – have they been provided with any intelligence to back up India’s claims here?

MS BRUCE: Well, what I can say here – a few more things, certainly. We continue to urge India and Pakistan to work towards a responsible solution in this, and we’ve been saying that, certainly, from the beginning. We also want to say that what matters in this particular instance right now where we’re at is that the phone calls happened, that we are remaining engaged with both governments at, again, multiple levels. We, though, will not engage in the nature of discussing what the conversations have been or what we have conveyed. Certainly, there’s a lot already on the record when it comes to our reaction to what’s been happening here.

So there’s some discussion that Pakistan wants an independent investigation as to what has happened regarding the terrorist attack, and, of course, what we say to that is we want the perpetrators to be held accountable and are supportive of any efforts to that end.

All right. Shaun.

QUESTION: One more, please?

QUESTION: Could I (inaudible) just between Jenny’s question?

MS BRUCE: Yeah.

QUESTION: In the statement with – on the readout with the Pakistani prime minister, with Sharif, it says that the Secretary called for the end of any support to terrorist groups. I mean, is it the view of the United States, along with what India says, that Pakistan is supporting terrorist groups?

MS BRUCE: Well, obviously, in today’s world, that’s a call that we have been making for decades. It is the dynamic that we’ve seen in the Middle East, disrupting lives. And clearly what happened in Kashmir is awful, and we’ve all – of course, we send our condolences. The world has rejected the nature of that kind of violence overall, of course, and certainly the President has and continues to. But at this moment in time, there is like one thing that has to stop, which is a back-and-forth and a continuation of this, and that is what we’re focused on right now.

QUESTION: When you say a stop of the back-and-forth, an immediate de-escalation –

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: – are you saying that India after taking action should stop? Is that basically what you’re saying? I mean (inaudible) –

MS BRUCE: Well, the message from the Secretary, and I think from the United States as a whole in general, is that the violence should stop, that military action, war – as we’ve seen in that region, certainly in the Middle East – has clearly for generation proven that it is not a solution because it never ends. There has to be a change in that regard. So obviously, when it comes to solving a problem, this administration has made itself clear, that war, the military, more violence is not a solution. Diplomacy is a solution, new ideas to stop generational violence and problems.

Andrea.

QUESTION: Can I go to the Middle East, then? Is that okay? Okay.

MS BRUCE: Certainly, yes.

QUESTION: Is there any discernible progress on a ceasefire in Gaza? Which would, frankly, conflict with the cabinet decision that Israel took Sunday night, calling up the recruits, but which there is – he’s been in intensive diplomacy, as we understand, including by Mr. Witkoff, his hostage release and ceasefire. And I do have a follow-up on that.

MS BRUCE: Sure. Well, we cannot speak to the ongoing negotiations, but I will note that recent statements by Qatar and Egypt that they are continuing to engage in pursuit of an agreement, and Ambassador Witkoff, of course, and his team are continuing as well. None of that has stopped. So there is action that goes on, but our focus, again, remains clear. I know it’s – and part of the issue of the transparency of this administration is that I think previously you wouldn’t necessarily know exactly what was happening and how it’s going on. Well, this is the nature of it, right?

These are individuals committed to it, and they continue to address it. And of course, worth repeating, Hamas bears sole responsibility for the war and for the resumption of hostilities and for the continuing difficulty in that realm. And we want peace. We want the ceasefire, we want peace, and we remain having to say we want a release of all the hostages.

QUESTION: And to that point, there is a lot of discussion about the Israeli plan for providing food through a hub that would be distributed by the military to avoid Hamas and other gangs.

MS BRUCE: Sure.

QUESTION: If there are non-Hamas gangs, I don’t know what they are, but gangs taking food.

MS BRUCE: Right. Yeah.

QUESTION: There is resistance at the United Nations. Where does the U.S. stand not on negotiations but on the issue of how to get food in? Because the President has expressed concern about starvation and other – the medical needs.

MS BRUCE: Sure, the suffering. Yeah. He’s been very forceful over the last couple of weeks about what needs to happen, about how the Gazan people have been – I think it’s an understatement to say that they’ve been treated horribly by Hamas. And what I can tell you is that there is a – for those of you – I’m sure you’ve seen some elements of this – that as President Trump called for creative solutions that would secure peace, protect Israel, and leave Hamas empty-handed and help Gazans. And due to his inspirational leadership, we are steps away from that solution, from being able to deliver the aid and the food that has been discussed and it’s – I was hoping to introduce it today, but the foundation will be announcing this shortly.

While we don’t have anything to announce in specifics in this regard today, and I will not speak on behalf of the foundation which will be doing the work, we welcome moves to quickly get urgent food aid into Gaza in a way – and this is – you’ve heard me remark on this repeatedly – in a way that the food aid actually gets to those to whom it’s intended. We – it cannot fall into the hands of terrorists such as Hamas, and we support a plan to get in aid right now and urge others to do so as well. Once again, a situation where the status quo continues to fail, and we required new visionary ideas. President Trump said earlier, “We are going to help the people of Gaza because they are being treated very badly by Hamas.” We are taking care of it. And this is in the moment something that looks like it’s going to solve all of those issues.

QUESTION: Is this a nongovernmental foundation?

MS BRUCE: Correct.

QUESTION: And it is not UN?

MS BRUCE: I don’t want to say anything else.

QUESTION: Okay. But it’s not at the Israeli military?

MS BRUCE: What – I will not say anything else about the details. What I can say regarding the UN, as you’ve intimated, has had some problems, but endless press releases and Hamas appeasement have not delivered food, medicine, or shelter to those who need it. This is a new approach with one focus: get help to people right now. We’ve had the conversations every time I’ve been in here, and even on the days that we’re not in here, about the suffering and the problems that we faced. And this is a dynamic that will help solve that. It would be – to say the least – disappointing to let this opportunity to improve Gazan lives go and fail as well as the other efforts have been also.

QUESTION: And with your indulgence, the President mentioned in the Oval Office the other day that it’s his understanding that there are 21, not 24 alive hostages – as in the 59, I guess, which includes those who have died, been murdered. That has not been clarified. Is that the number that –

MS BRUCE: Well, this is – yes, I can’t speak to – the President, of course, speaks for himself. There is –

QUESTION: Was that the office –

MS BRUCE: Information that he has, the nature of what his remarks will be – I won’t be speaking about that or speculating on the nature of what information he has, which is clearly a heck of a lot more than I have. But we do know of just the horrific result of this dynamic as we ask for hostages to come home – often which they come home in body bags. It is – it’s a – it’s unacceptable, and it must end. And I see, Nadia, your hand. Yes, ma’am.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy. Just to follow up on Andrea’s question first, and then I have another question. Mr. Witkoff has briefed the Security Council members. What exactly are you looking for? Is it financial support? Political support? Because you have China and Russia on it. Are they going to be involved partly on this new Gaza charitable fund?

MS BRUCE: Well, that was a conversation that was private, and I’m not going to go into details of what was discussed, as I wouldn’t, as you know, with any kinds of diplomatic conversations between leadership. But yes, that – conversations occurred, but I cannot give you any of those details.

QUESTION: But you don’t want the UN – I mean, not the UN, but the member states to play a role in delivering food or even donating money towards that fund?

MS BRUCE: Well, discussing the mechanisms of what happens here will be more than appropriate when this is announced by the foundation and the details are there. And then I will be more than happy to then go into a framework of answering questions about what certain things mean. But in order to do that, I would be getting ahead of the announcement, and I think that certainly is a mistake. But we will – we can get those details, certainly.

QUESTION: Okay, great. Can I ask you about Saudi?

MS BRUCE: Let’s – we’ll go here, and –

QUESTION: Sure.

MS BRUCE: – we’ll come back around.

QUESTION: Sorry, just to follow up on that.

MS BRUCE: Of course.

QUESTION: You’ve mentioned a few times the foundation. Is this the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation based in Switzerland that’s been – it’s been – people have found that this has been established, but I don’t think – I’m trying to understand the – if that’s the foundation, what’s the relationship –

MS BRUCE: Well, I would encourage – this is the charitable Gaza foundation that we – of course, as you know, has already been in the news. It’s out a bit. It – the – it has not been announced officially. I would think it’s a mistake to try to guess at or speculate. We’re – it’s coming up soon. There’s no reason to try to guess. And then when they make their announcement, you’ll have the details you need.

QUESTION: Before the trip?

MS BRUCE: Oh, I can’t tell – I can’t tell you that at this point.

QUESTION: But – we’re seeing this Swiss-based foundation. You keep mentioning a foundation. So I think it’s understandable that we’re – that’s – people are jumping to that being the basis for –

MS BRUCE: Well, it shouldn’t be because that requires speculation and guessing. And if it – I’m not going to say whether it is or is not, but I’m not a fan of speculating and guessing. And I know you’ve got jobs to do that sometimes you’ll look for information where you can pull those threads together. But that’s not what we’re going to do here. All right? All right.

Yes, sir. Nick.

QUESTION: Thanks. On Iran. There’s new reporting today on a previously undisclosed facility that’s being used as part of Iran’s nuclear program. I want to get your reaction to that, and what impact you think that might have on the ongoing nuclear talks.

MS BRUCE: I can say a little bit of something on that. It won’t – you won’t like it. It won’t be a lot. You won’t wear down your pencil. We have seen those reports and have no comment. (Laughter.) So it’s – I know. And – but reiterating, of course – which I think you also have written down somewhere, I’m sure – Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And the President has said this repeatedly.

QUESTION: Do you think with hidden sites, though, that that’s an indication of how the lack of forthcoming Iran has been on talks and whether or not this could be a hiccup?

MS BRUCE: Well, there are very smart people having those conversations. The world knows what Iran has been doing, and there’s a reason why we’re now trying to talk with them to change the trajectory of what goes on. And, of course, as the President has said and as the Secretary has said about the Russia/Ukraine dynamic, is that we look at actions as opposed to words. And in this case, the experts and the negotiators, the ambassadors, the special envoys, they all know the environment and the dynamic, and I’m sure this adds into it for them.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: On Iran. Is there any new information about the upcoming meeting between the Iranians and the Americans? And do you know where it’s going to be held?

MS BRUCE: I’m sorry, the twenty –

QUESTION: The fourth round of meetings between Iran and the U.S.

MS BRUCE: Oh, the fourth round. I really don’t have a comment on that at this point. What we do know is previously Ambassador Witkoff has noted that it will – something will be happening in the future that the details are not available. This is something that we know there is, again, a continual – there’s continual work on this, and he’s – we know that – I can’t even say that – that he has said, again, we don’t have any specifics at this point. And I don’t have any comment. All right.

All right. Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy. I have two questions, one very quick about Gaza –

MS BRUCE: So I have no comment. Oh, no, so keep going.

QUESTION: (Laughter.) My second –

MS BRUCE: Keep going.

QUESTION: – is about the Houthis.

MS BRUCE: Yes, sir.

QUESTION: About Gaza. You said that the announcement will be soon, but how confident you are that it will be agreed upon by all parties, especially the Israeli part, and Hamas in Gaza?

MS BRUCE: Well, in general I know that President Trump has created a lot of deals; the best dealmaker in the world. He’s now with – after his first term very well acquainted with the players in the world and what it takes. He’s got the best people around him, as we know. But what I can say specifically here is that – about our objective, it remains defending freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region. President Trump has been clear from the start whether – how this ends up, really, is up to the Houthis. We’ve always said that when they stop – that when they stop, we will stop. And that’s where we’re at at this point when it comes to statements that have been made.

President Trump has said, of course, what has happened – as I think all of us can agree – is a positive development. And so that’s where we’re at. And he’s said, as I think you’ll recall, that the president – the Houthis simply don’t want to fight anymore. If – there’s no additional measures that we would report at this stage, and I think that’s really about it. I think we’re – we know, again, it’s not quiet on all fronts, to say the least. But the development itself is key, and we have people working on all of these issues who have an end goal – which is also a fresh framework from the Trump Administration – that there has to be progress, there has to be an endpoint, and that people work towards that. We’ve tended to not see those things, and we have here.

So I’m looking forward to some key results.

QUESTION: But Houthis are saying that the Israeli ships are not part of any deal. Can you confirm?

MS BRUCE: Oh, well –

QUESTION: Or deny?

MS BRUCE: I have no comment on that. I suppose we’ll find out what happens.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy. May I move to Ukraine, please?

MS BRUCE: Certainly.

QUESTION: Now that the minerals deal is in full effect, can you please help us understand where its implications on the ground? In other words, if Russia keeps attacking and targeting those various sites that you are looking to – forward to work on with Ukraine, will that deem to be Russia’s violating your minerals deal with Ukraine?

MS BRUCE: Well, remember, this is not at all related to the negotiations regarding the ceasefire and the conflict. This is a separate dynamic that is an arrangement of an economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine. This is something that is meant, certainly, to endure and to provide – as we know as the brilliance of this is to provide the money coming up in the future to rebuild once this is finished. And that’s what we’re looking at. But it’s also clear to the world and to all the players involved that Ukraine has a partnership with the United States. It is an economic partnership, it is one that will last for generations, and will make a difference for every Ukrainian and will strengthen the national security of that country. And that’s what good business partnerships do across the board.

But again, it is not a mechanism linked to the negotiations, to a ceasefire, to the war. But it certainly is something that, again, when it comes to national security and the nature of who your friends are, as we’ve said, being a friend of the United States is something that can help your country, make it more secure, and opens up the future for people.

So that is, in the midst of all the difficulties for our Ukrainian friends whom we continue to support and have exerted much energy on, not just for one thing – certainly the ceasefire and an end to the conflict is key – but thinking creatively about what do we do to stop this from continuing. And that’s now what – of course a question that we have in multiple parts of the world.

All right, yes, go ahead.

QUESTION: And on that line, Tammy, may I please follow up? You said the ceasefire is key. Is it still your position that complete, unconditional, 30-day-long ceasefire should be the first step?

MS BRUCE: Well, it should be forever. I mean, you can’t discuss – as the President has noted, and the Secretary, you can’t discuss what the results are for peace when people are still getting slaughtered. How – that can’t work. It’s a very low bar for a first step, and that is – remains the first step. It has to happen. We’ve been very clear, the Secretary in particular, that this can only begin – any discussion regarding how the peace endures is when you have a ceasefire, which is, frankly, the first key part of good faith regarding what you intend for the future.

All right, yes.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy. Just switching to Venezuela, the Secretary tweeted about members of the political opposition in Venezuela and this rescue operation in his words –

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: – and that those individuals were welcomed into the United States. There’s been some consternation about a handful of Americans still detained in Venezuela, American citizens. So I just wanted to get some clarity on the ones that were released in this, quote, “rescue operation.” They were Venezuelan citizens. What does this mean for the Americans that are still detained in Venezuela and what could you say to their families who are now a bit concerned about the – securing a release for their loved ones?

MS BRUCE: Well, this was a unique opportunity. I will put it that way. But we also know, as President Trump has promised, is to bring every American home. And that – you want to talk of an enduring promise, and a promise that is kept and grows every week, it seems. So that continues. It is a horrible situation to be in, whether it’s Edan Alexander and the other Americans who are held by Hamas or other situations around the world. The President inherited a horrible situation and he is fixing it.

So we do – this is – for the messaging, what Americans have been appropriately happy about is the fact that when President Trump said we’re going to bring every American home, he meant it and there’s action all the time about that, indicating that that is not just a slogan. It is something that people work on every day to make happen in very different kinds of environments, very different kinds of arrangements. This case was an extraction. And yes, for American families who still have an empty seat at their table as Mother’s Day comes by and other holidays that have been missed, there is no greater friend to the American people and to this country and its legacy than Donald Trump and the people that he has chosen to work with him to gain this success for American individuals. Literally, the forgotten man and woman was the framework America was dealing with, but we won’t let that happen – not only here at home, but abroad.

So those families, certainly our hearts and prayers go with them, but so does the power of the American government and the commitment of Donald Trump. And that is something that will make the difference. That’s what I can say to them.

Yes, go ahead.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy. Following the demonstrations yesterday from pro-Palestinian protestors in Columbia University’s Butler Library, the Secretary also tweeted that the Trump Administration would be reviewing the visa status of the individuals involved. Can you say anything more on that? Is that review underway? And if so, have any of the visas been revoked?

MS BRUCE: Yes, the Secretary had noted that regarding the vandalism, the violence, the holding of that room, that those individuals would be looked at regarding their status and what was happening, and I believe that is ongoing.

So if there is a dynamic, also he noted that Hamas supporters are not going to remain in this country and that action would be taken there. So certainly he’s being consistent. He means it. And in this particular case, you had people arrested and that building was reopened, and I think that the nature of our promise that people who are in this country with a visa and who do not follow our laws or affect the nature of what’s important to our country when it comes to our foreign policy and national security will be acted on in that regard. And yes, he said it, and I believe him, and that’s the words you can take for it, I think.

Yes. Matt Lee is busy doing something?

QUESTION: Well, I’m trying to send your quotes about the Venezuela situation off.

MS BRUCE: Oh, well, he’s writing. Thank you. All right. Well, I will come back around to you.

QUESTION: I don’t have – that was – that was my question on it, and so I don’t have any more.

MS BRUCE: All right, so you got the Venezuela. All right. All right.

All right, yes, ma’am. Right there.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: But I also have a Venezuela question I’m going to –

QUESTION: Venezuela?

MS BRUCE: Do you have Venezuela? You – so do you have Venezuela as well?

QUESTION: No, I don’t. I was –

MS BRUCE: You’ve got a Venezuela. Let’s go ahead. Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you. The Argentine press claims the CIA officers took advantage of a security breach to extract these hostages from the embassy in Caracas. Does the State Department confirm this version?

MS BRUCE: Well, it sounds like a movie to me.

QUESTION: (Laughter.) Yeah.

MS BRUCE: Maybe in a few years or maybe from five years ago. Of course I won’t comment on gossip and speculation and amazing stories. But at this point, those are stories.

QUESTION: I have another question.

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: Diosdado Cabello insists that the release of –

MS BRUCE: I’m sorry, who insists?

MS BRUCE: Diosdado Cabello is one the members of the regime.

MS BRUCE: All right, thank you.

QUESTION: Diosdado Cabello.

MS BRUCE: Yeah, yeah.

QUESTION: It’s okay, it’s okay.

MS BRUCE: Of course.

QUESTION: He insists that the release of the hostages was a result of a negotiation with the United States. Was there such a negotiation? Were Diosdado, the head of the intelligence apparatus, or Maduro aware of what was happening? Or did this happen behind their backs?

MS BRUCE: Well, first of all I have to reject the entire premise. I’m not going to comment on any of those assertions, which is all they are. If and when there will be details about what occurred, you’ll hear it from us. And it may also sound like a movie. I don’t know. But what I do know is that these individuals are now out of harm’s way as we continue to work to pull more individuals out of harm’s way.

All right. Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Tammy?

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy. A question on Syria. I was wondering if you have any reaction to the Syrian interim authority appointment of Ahmed al-Hayes as the commander of a division in northeast Syria. He has been under the U.S. sanctions for serious human rights violation, including the assassination of the Kurdish politician Hevrin Khalaf. Is that the kind of action the United States expects from the Syrian interim authority?

MS BRUCE: Here’s what I can tell you, is that the interim authority’s decision to appoint this individual who has a long record of human rights abuses and undermining our Defeat-ISIS mission to an official position is a serious mistake that the U.S. does not support.

All right.

QUESTION: On Syria.

MS BRUCE: All right.

QUESTION: Syria.

MS BRUCE: Yes. Yes, ma’am.

QUESTION: Thank you. Given the recent U.S. sanction exemption allowing Syria to receive a 29 million monthly grant for the next three months to pay civilian public sector salaries from Qatar, does this signal a potential shift in the stance? Are they satisfying your expectation with the conditions you brought before? So is this a shift, easing sanctions on Syria?

MS BRUCE: Well, we have in place a waiver mechanism from quite some time ago for assistance that would contribute to Syria’s stability in this process, all right? And that waiver dynamic is what has allowed Qatar to provide assistance for salaries of certain workers, so that they would not have needed a new approval, they would not have needed a new waiver. And again, any assistance that works within that framework has to be targeted to, again, helping to stabilize Syria. Certainly it’s not –

QUESTION: So no further sanction relief in the near future for –

MS BRUCE: Well, I can’t say that. I can’t say that at all. I do know that, as we’ve heard, things seem to continue to change. We continue to wait for them to respond in a manner that is appropriate regarding the asks that I’ve detailed for you here a number of times. Those – that situation, of course, is under constant monitoring, constant work, and we take every dynamic seriously, whether it is a backwards situation – something that we do not support, as I’ve just mentioned – or situations where it’s indicated that they’re moving in a direction that we do support.

All right.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MS BRUCE: All right. Yes, sir, in the back. Your glasses, yes, sir. Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy. I just have a question about the meeting on – over the weekend – next weekend. Secretary of Treasury is meeting with the Chinese economic delegates over the weekend, so I’m just wondering: has State Department played any part in that – in scheduling that meeting? Or can you also share how that meeting is scheduled?

MS BRUCE: Well, these are trade talks in Switzerland?

QUESTION: Yes, that’s –

MS BRUCE: Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent and USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer will discuss trade with their Chinese counterpart in that instance, in Switzerland. At President Trump’s direction, the United States is negotiating with countries to rebalance – as you all know, because I’ve said it so many times – to rebalance our trade relations, to achieve reciprocity, open new markets, and protect America’s economic and national security. President Trump’s tariffs on China exist because of China’s longstanding unfair trade practices and its decision to retaliate instead of seeking a path forward.

All right? And I’ll check one more time here with our bullpen. How are we doing? We’re good?

QUESTION: Tammy –

MS BRUCE: All right. That’s – all right. I’m sorry, actually, yes, I was going to come to you after Venezuela. Just go ahead.

QUESTION: No, no problem. On the – Secretary Rubio himself, I think many Americans are – American taxpayers are just wondering how this is going to work between both the State Department as well as the National Security Advisor position.

MS BRUCE: Sure.

QUESTION: And I know that you addressed this before, but this was – it was a week ago.

MS BRUCE: Well, every day there’s something new. Every day there’s –

QUESTION: Many things have happened since then.

MS BRUCE: Yes.

QUESTION: And so was wondering: does this position come with a higher salary? Is he going to have an office over at the White House? How much will he be at the White House, over here? And then I have a follow-up.

MS BRUCE: Well, from initial examinations, it appears as though, despite needing a giant business card with a bunch of jobs on it, he’s being paid one salary. So we – he’s saving Americans money, as a matter of fact, by doing multiple jobs. But I think what’s interesting here – and certainly the India-Pakistan situation highlights this – is that – and we’ve thought about this – that the work of the State Department and foreign policy very often, because of the nature of the world, matches the nature of the National Security Advisor’s work. Of course, we are all working to move forward President Trump’s agenda and his vision for making not just America great, but that also, of course, benefits the world at large.

So we’re looking at a dynamic with Secretary Rubio, in fact – again, being a point person in the lead of this – these initial days of dealing with Pakistan and India – that those conversations have been vital and important, and his role as has made that possible. And of course, it’s – would always be that way. This is not an unusual position for him with the work that he’s already been doing. So I’ve mentioned to our in-house – our resident – reporters that I don’t see and I think most of us don’t see much change at all because of already the nature of the agenda of the Trump Administration and how it’s moved forward.

So with money, he’s saving us some money. And also, remember, this is an interim position, that it is – it’s not a permanent position. He’s – but it matches perfectly well because of the nature of his work anyway. The State Department, as I’ve noted, has an impressive bench of leaders, and our work, of course, continues regularly. And sometimes, instead of seeing him in person, we will have a conversation on the phone. But yes, so we don’t see any – I don’t know if Americans will see any disruption or change other than the successes that come forward with President Trump and Secretary Rubio.

QUESTION: So you’re saying it’s the same exact salary as before?

MS BRUCE: Well, I would – I would have to – I didn’t know what his salary was before; I don’t know what it is right now. But I know that he’s not receiving two salaries or more. That’s what I know.

All right. Shaun, one more time, and we’ll end it here.

QUESTION: Sure. Can I switch topics? Denmark – Denmark announced yesterday that was going to summon the U.S. ambassador over reports of the U.S. stepping up intelligence gathering – espionage, as they put it – in Greenland. Do you have anything to say about this summons or about – or more broadly about the issue of Greenland –

MS BRUCE: This, again, you’ve got to get another pencil out, because it’s going to wear it down. We do not comment on intelligence matters.

QUESTION: How about the summons with the message to Denmark?

MS BRUCE: We’re not going to comment on intelligence matters or issues surrounding what the accusations are here. We just – we’re not going to do it.

All right, you guys. Thank you very much. And for those of you who are moms, happy Mother’s Day coming up. Thank you all very much. And next week, because I will be traveling with the Secretary – I know I’ve said this before, but this time it’s undeniable – will be Mr. Tommy Pigott on Tuesday and Thursday, my principal deputy. So I was going to say be gentle, but don’t be gentle. He’s ready for you and he looks forward to getting you all what you need. Thank you, all, very much.

QUESTION: Thank you, Tammy.

MS BRUCE: Thank you.

(The briefing was concluded at 2:59 p.m.)

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I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the 267th successor to Saint Peter. This is a moment of profound significance for the Catholic Church, offering renewed hope and continuity amid the 2025 Jubilee Year to over a billion faithful worldwide. The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility. Jeanette and I are united in prayer for His Holiness, may the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.