Informal Communication

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Washington, D.C.

The Benjamin Franklin Room

QUESTION:  And joining me now is Secretary of State Antony Blinken.  Mr. Secretary, welcome back to Meet the Press.

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Good morning, Kristen.

QUESTION:  So the big question on everyone’s mind, Mr. Secretary:  How did Israel, how did the United States miss what Hamas was planning?

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, first, put this in perspective –

Roles: Everyone: All Users

Regions: Iran , Israel , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Washington, D.C.

Benjamin Franklin Room

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Good afternoon.  Welcome.  Welcome back to the State Department for so many of you.  Welcome to the Ben Franklin Room, newly refurbished.  A lot went into this.  And I think maybe a word about Ben Franklin before we get to today’s event.

As you all know, he was America’s first diplomat, ambassador to France, negotiated our first treaty, charted the Gulf Stream, pioneered el

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Regions: China, France , Japan , Philippines , Ukraine , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Climate and Environment, Coronavirus (COVID-19), Energy, Global Health, Human Rights and Democracy, Treaties and International Agreements

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Washington, D.C.

Omni Shoreham Hotel

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good afternoon, Mandela Fellows.

AUDIENCE: Good afternoon.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: What an incredible pleasure to join you for the first in-person Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit in four years – (applause) – and to see, to feel the incredible energy, the ingenuity, the talent in this room.

Liz, my friend, my colleague, t

Roles: Everyone: All Users

Regions: United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Climate and Environment, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Global Health, Science, Technology, and Innovation