Lastly , there ' s an exercise called Nordic Response 2024 happening in Norway , Finland , and Sweden starting today and ending on March 15th . The exercise has over 20 , 000 NATO forces from 14 nations , including about 5 , 000 from the U . S . Marine Corps , Navy , Army , and Air Force . It ' s designed to strengthen teamwork and cooperation among allies and partners . Nordic Response will test the ability of Arctic nations and others to operate in tough conditions up north . This year ' s event is part of NATO ' s Steadfast Defender 2024 and the U . S . European Command ' s coordinated Large Scale Global Exercise ' 24 . Shifting to the Indo - Pacific region , I want to mention the State Department ' s statements about the reckless actions of Chinese ships against Philippine vessels . The Chinese ships caused collisions , used water cannons , and put lives at risk . We call on China to follow the international tribunal ' s decision from 2016 . The U . S . will stand by our ally , the Philippines , and our mutual defense treaty is strong . Lastly , we want to recognize Women ' s History Month , honoring the women who have paved the way and continue to serve in the Armed Forces . Their contributions are invaluable . Now , I ' m ready for your questions . A . P . Tara , you ' re sitting on the side today . What would you like to ask?I don ' t have any new updates at the moment , but we ' ll keep you posted . In terms of using U . S . personnel and military in Gaza for delivering aid , we would only be in a supporting role . The U . S . Agency for International Development leads humanitarian assistance efforts . As for Ukraine aid , we ' re urging Congress to pass the supplemental funding quickly . Airdrops are coordinated with the Israeli Defense Forces and local residents are notified for safety . No one is there to receive the aid on the ground . In regards to the Houthi situation , I don ' t have any announcements about additional resources needed in the region . So , moving forward , our strategy will be to collaborate with international partners and allies to disrupt and weaken Houthi capabilities , as well as working with global shipping companies and countries to ensure safe passage through the waterway . As for military resources in the region , we already have significant capability there , but we will continue to work with allies and partners and welcome any additional assistance as needed . In terms of aid delivery in Gaza , the Department of Defense will be in a supporting role , as the U . S . government has already provided significant humanitarian assistance . As for Secretary Austin ' s meeting with Minister Gantz , we won ' t speak for him , but the readout provides the extent of information we can share . Regarding operations in Rafah , Secretary Austin emphasized the need for a credible and implementable plan , but I can ' t provide further details on that at this time . RYDER: We haven ' t seen a plan from the Israelis for Rafah operations yet . Q: Do you think congressional approval is needed for further strikes in Yemen after 60 days? GEN . RYDER: The White House has discussed this issue extensively , citing UN resolutions and self - defense rights . I suggest referring to that for more information . Thank you . Q: Hey , can I quickly ask if the Pentagon has seen any Israeli military plans for Gaza since October? GEN . RYDER: We ' ve had ongoing discussions with the Israeli Defense Force and Ministry of Defense regarding their operations , but I won ' t get into specifics . They usually keep us informed , and we communicate at multiple levels . Q: Can you confirm if you ' ve actually seen a plan or not? GEN . RYDER: In the past , they have shared operational details with us . That ' s all I can say . Q: Can you elaborate on how you ' re coordinating with local residents for safety during airdrops? GEN . RYDER: I don ' t have more details to provide beyond what I ' ve already mentioned . Thank you . Q: Are discussions about sending a hospital ship to the area being considered along with the maritime corridor? GEN . RYDER: We ' re working with the interagency to assess requirements and determine the best way to meet them , which could include commercial or contracted options . But , you know , the DOD has some unique abilities , and that ' s what we ' ll bring to the table . But , hey , I don ' t want to jump ahead of the planning process , so , yeah . Q: Thanks . So , there are aid trucks at the border waiting to go in , but they ' re being held up . This seems like it ' s forcing the U . S . to airdrop aid , which is more dangerous and expensive . Is the Pentagon annoyed that it ' s in this position because of Israel ' s actions? GEN . RYDER: The Pentagon doesn ' t get annoyed . We just get busy . So , yeah , obviously , not enough aid is getting into Gaza , as the president has said . The Department of Defense is helping with the broader U . S . government effort to contribute to that . We definitely want to see more aid delivered by ground routes . It ' s a complex situation on the ground , though . It ' s not as simple as driving trucks in . There ' s a screening process and safety concerns . But like I said , aid isn ' t getting in fast enough . So , the airdrops we started over the weekend are meant to supplement those efforts , but we ' re not stopping there . USAID and others will keep looking for ways to expedite aid delivery , in coordination with other countries . Thank you . Let ' s go to Phil Stewart , Reuters . Q: Hey , can you give us an idea of when the meeting with Minister Gantz was scheduled? We didn ' t think there was a meeting yesterday . When did it actually get scheduled? And just to follow up on Missy ' s question , do you think it would be safe for U . S . troops to be in Gaza to secure a maritime corridor or distribute aid? Or is that not an option? Thanks . GEN . RYDER: Yeah , thanks , Phil . As far as I know , there are no plans to send U . S . forces into Gaza . So , that ' s that . The meeting was scheduled last night . We found a spot in the schedule and penciled it in , and it was confirmed this morning . The Secretary appreciated the chance to talk to Minister Gantz . So , yeah . Thank you . Let ' s go to Lara Seligman , Politico . Q: Hi , Pat . Thanks for doing this . Hey Lara , just to follow up on the maritime route , has the Pentagon ruled out sending U . S . troops to Gaza for this humanitarian mission? GEN . RYDER: As far as I know , there are no plans to put U . S . forces on the ground in Gaza at this time . Thanks . Fadi Q: Thanks , General . So , since USAID is leading the aid delivery to Gaza , do they have trucks in Egypt? GEN . RYDER: You ' ll have to ask them about that . Q: Okay , and regarding the security concerns , why is it a problem to deliver aid through the ground route? Did the Israelis screen the aid that was dropped on Gaza? GEN . RYDER: I can ' t speak to the specifics , but I know that getting aid into Gaza , whether through Egypt or Israel , requires ensuring security . We ' re exploring different options to make it happen . Q: Alright , but when the aid was dropped from the air , did the Israelis screen it? GEN . RYDER: No , they didn ' t . Q: So they allowed the aid without screening it? GEN . RYDER: That ' s correct . Ryo Q: Hi , General . I want to ask about China ' s military spending . They announced a 7 . 2 percent increase this year , but there are concerns about transparency . Does the Pentagon believe China ' s actual defense spending might be higher than what they publicly announce? GEN . RYDER: Well , I can ' t reveal any specific intelligence , but we do monitor China ' s military strategy and urge them to be more transparent about their defense spending and actions worldwide . GEN . RYDER: Correct . Q: Thanks , General . I have a couple of questions for you . Firstly , how does the Pentagon address the apparent contradiction of providing bombs to Israel while also providing ready - to - eat meals to the Palestinians? Q: Thank you , General . There have been a lot of engagements between Ankara and Washington recently . The Deputy Undersecretary of Defense met with the Turkish National Security Advisor in Ankara a couple of weeks ago . The Turkish spy ship is currently in Washington . The Foreign Minister will be visiting in a few days . The Turkish President also mentioned resolving issues regarding Iraqi borders and creating a security corridor in Syria . Given all this contact , would it be surprising for the Pentagon if Turkey actually launches cross - border operations in northern Iraq and Syria? GEN . RYDER: So , as we ' ve mentioned before , we understand a few things here . Firstly , Israel was attacked by Hamas on October 7th , resulting in over 1 , 200 casualties and more than 200 hostages being taken , with some still being held by Hamas . Hamas has not disarmed and continues to pose a significant threat to Israel ' s existence . Israel has the inherent right to defend itself . Separately , just wanted to follow up on the situation in the South China Sea . It seems like China is continuing with their dangerous behavior despite the US commitment to support the Philippines . So , what is the Pentagon planning to do practically to change China ' s behavior in the South China Sea? GEN . RYDER: Well , we are already taking steps in that direction . We are leading by example and working closely with partners and allies in the region to ensure that countries can operate within the boundaries of international law . The key is to work together in a positive and productive manner to maintain security and stability in the region , rather than adding to tensions . Our focus will continue to be on regional security , stability , and prosperity . Thank you . GEN . RYDER: Thanks . I don ' t have any comment on that . All I can say is that we have previously discussed the challenges that cross - border attacks would pose , especially in relation to the mission to defeat ISIS . Turkey is an important ally , but I can ' t provide any further insight on these specific conversations . Q: So your position on that hasn ' t changed?As a long - standing partner of the United States , we fully support Israel ' s right to defend itself and will continue to provide them with the necessary support to protect their citizens from terrorist attacks by Hamas . We also recognize the importance of ensuring the safety of people in Gaza and have provided over $180 million in humanitarian assistance . Our goal is to see Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side by side , without the threat of Hamas causing chaos . In terms of potential aid corridors , we have unique capabilities but cannot provide specifics at this time . As for recent incidents of espionage within the military , we take these matters seriously and individuals who commit inappropriate actions will be held accountable . In general , no , but we do understand that insider threats are a serious matter . That ' s why everyone in the Department of Defense , from trainees to high - ranking officials , receives training on handling sensitive information . If you break the rules , you ' ll be held accountable . That ' s all I have to say about that . Now , let ' s move on to the Secretary ' s meeting with the Lithuanian Defense Minister . Unfortunately , I can ' t provide more details beyond what was already said . It was a productive meeting , and the Secretary expressed support for Lithuania ' s assistance to Ukraine and NATO . As for Moldova , I don ' t have any specific information . You should contact the State Department for more details on the relationship there . Now , let ' s hear from Jared and Heather with their questions . Gen . Ryder: Right now , I don ' t have any announcements to make . As far as I know , we ' re not currently planning to send U . S . troops to Haiti for security missions , such as supporting the Haitian Armed Forces or police . We ' re closely monitoring the situation and staying in touch with the State Department about the ground situation . That ' s where we stand at the moment , Tara . Gen . Ryder: Yeah , Luis , there are a few things . As I mentioned before , I recommend checking out the Secretary ' s speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum , where he addressed this issue . Basically , there are two aspects here . Firstly , it ' s the right thing to do . There are people suffering and in need of help , and the Department of Defense has the capability to airdrop food . So we ' re taking that approach to support the broader effort . Tara: Some critics have said that a multinational force won ' t be enough and that U . S . troops will be needed to get the situation under control . Tara: Yeah , the airdrops , they ' re pretty costly and complicated . So how long do you think they can actually keep doing them sustainably? Gen . Ryder: That ' s an interesting statement . Okay , Luis , you ' re up with your two questions . So yeah , just to reiterate , we don ' t want to jump ahead of the process . Like I said , we ' re actively looking at our options , and if that means including assets , you know , like the things you mentioned , then yeah , we ' ll have more to discuss later on . But for now , I just don ' t want to get ahead of ourselves . Okay , let ' s take a few more questions . Yes , ma ' am . Let ' s go to Tara . Luis: First , regarding the statement about the meeting with Minister Gantz , it mentioned that the Secretary expressed strong concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza . You mentioned earlier why the administration is concerned . Can you elaborate on the Secretary ' s specific concerns and how he expressed them strongly? Gen . Ryder: Well , the frequency of future airdrop missions will depend on various factors , like risk assessments . But the main point is , we ' ll keep exploring ways to deliver aid by air . I can ' t publicly disclose the specific tempo and timing of future drops , partly to ensure a safe drop zone for civilians in Gaza . But as the President mentioned , not enough aid is getting in , so we ' ll do our part to help with that and support the overall U . S . government effort . Thank you . Tara: I wanted to ask about Haiti . With the worsening security situation there , is the Pentagon considering sending U . S . troops or ships as a deterrent to prevent it from becoming a bigger problem?But , you know , we also understand that Israel is dealing with some serious stuff from Hamas . We just don ' t want to let beating Hamas in the short term lead to bigger problems in the long run . We don ' t want to give Hamas more power and make life even harder for the people in Gaza . So , it ' s really important that we deal with this situation and make sure that innocent Palestinians get the help they need and that we bring security and stability back to this region as fast as we can . And , of course , we want Israelis and Palestinians to live peacefully together , without Hamas causing trouble . Oh , and by the way , has there been any talk about cutting off military aid to Israel? What would be the upside of that? Just curious .

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