Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper weighs in on U.S. relations with Taiwan as fears loom over a potential Chinese invasion of the island and discusses new information on the Chinese spy balloon. #foxnews

Subscribe to Fox News! https://bit.ly/2vaBUvAS
Watch more Fox News Video: http://video.foxnews.com
Watch Fox News Channel Live: http://www.foxnewsgo.com/

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 18 consecutive years. According to a 2020 Brand Keys Consumer Loyalty Engagement Index report, FOX News is the top brand in the country for morning and evening news coverage. A 2019 Suffolk University poll named FOX News as the most trusted source for television news or commentary, while a 2019 Brand Keys Emotion Engagement Analysis survey found that FOX News was the most trusted cable news brand. A 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey also found that among Americans who could name an objective news source, FOX News was the top-cited outlet. Owned by FOX Corporation, FNC is available in nearly 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.

Watch full episodes of your favorite shows
The Five: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-the-five/
Special Report with Bret Baier: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-special-report/
Fox News Primetime: https://video.foxnews.com/playlist/on-air-fox-news-primetime/
Tucker Carlson Tonight: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-tucker-carlson-tonight/
Hannity: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-hannity/
The Ingraham Angle: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-the-ingraham-angle/
Fox News @ Night: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-fox-news-night/

Follow Fox News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoxNews/
Follow Fox News on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoxNews/
Follow Fox News on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxnews/

Let's bring in Former Defense secretary Mark esper he's the author of a sacred Oath Memoirs of a secretary of defense During extraordinary times which we seem To continue living in Mr secretary I Should add so the president said on 60 Minutes we're going to commit uh American men and women uh soldiers uh Planes ships whatever to the defense of Taiwan the White House then walked it Back but then he said it again when he Was in a news conference with Japan's Prime minister so I I come from the School I've covered three presidents and And I come from the school where if the President says it it's policy so what is U.S policy That's right John he said it actually Four times that the United States would Come to taiwan's assistance I actually Think it's the right policy and like you My view is if the president says it's It's policy and I don't know why each And every time White House staff decide To walk it back all it does is fuel fuel Uncertainty by the Chinese and what we Need is less strategic and ambiguity we Need more certainty with regard to the Taiwanese with regard to our allies in a Region such as Japan and Korea and to Beijing that they know we will assist The Taiwanese all right so with with That in mind what should Biden's Response be to Xi Jinping who's rattling

The Sabers again over this visit of Saying when in the meeting with McCarthy And the fact that an entire aircraft Battle group just happened to sail past The southern coast of Taiwan Well first and foremost we have to Continue to assert the principle that American officials will meet with Whomever they want wherever they want Whenever they want and uh we're not Going to be cowed or blustered by the Chinese in the meeting or not meeting With somebody I think secondly we need To continue to explore additional Options to to do more training with the Taiwanese uh more exercises in the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan to kind Of uh you know meet uh uh the Chinese Actions we cannot let them go uh do what They're with Chinese are going to do and Not respond there has to be some type of Response it's what the Chinese respect And probably what they expect as well But this is all diplomacy this is how You me how you message resolve and Determination when you're trying to uh Trying to convey your your policies yeah Florida Congressman Carlos Jimenez was On Fox and Friends earlier today he said That the United States needs to stand Shoulder to shoulder with Taiwan listen Here You know Taiwan is a democratic country They share you know our our ideals and

We need to make sure that she knows that That we stand with Taiwan I mean it's no Secret that you know the Communist Chinese party has has uh eyes on Taiwan Want to want to reunify Taiwan to the Mainland and bring them under control Just like they've done to Hong Kong so Taiwan has ordered 21 billion dollars Worth of U.S armaments they have yet to Be delivered should those deliveries be Expedited Uh prioritized and expedited for sure Because my view is uh and I had visited President Tsai in Taiwan last summer That there were a number of things that Taiwan needed to do and they've already Done it some bold leadership to expand Conscription from six months to one year Uh they're pursuing an asymmetric Strategy but to affect that strategy They need U.S weapons and armaments to Make it real so I think we need to Accelerate and prioritize uh those Things and look with regard to what the Congressman said I think he spot on uh President Reagan said the same thing Which is why I think it's it's so Fitting that speaker McCarthy is meeting With President Tsai today at the Reagan Uh Library out in Simi Valley I wanted To ask you about these new reports that That Chinese spy balloon was sucking up A lot more signals intelligence than First believed Senator Roger wicker has

Said that Congress needs to step in here And they're not bad saying quote if the President could not uphold his duties Congress must step in I intend to lead a Sustained inquiry into the outstanding Questions from this debacle I will also Provide several amendments in this Year's National Defense authorization Act to improve our homeland and missile Defense protocols and capabilities it Really raises the question that was the White House a telling us the truth and And if they weren't why did they allow This balloon to linger so long over U.S Territory knowing what it was doing You know John I think I spoke with you About this one that happened a few weeks Ago and I said the time that I thought It was a mistake for the White House to Assert that the Chinese got no Intelligence or no useful intelligence And my view was we simply don't know Until we get the equipment and we do the Forensics and find out what they were Looking for and why and so I'm not Surprised and I think we're going to Learn more about what the Chinese may Have learned and then it all begs the Bigger question that you raised and Senator wicker race and that is why Didn't we shoot it down when we first Heard or it was first detected in the Illusions and apparently uh what Senator Wicker has said that uh that the NORAD

Commander actually had had to wait a few Days before we could offer options so I I think there's more that is going on There I hope that Congress will pull the Thread and find out what happened why Was it simple uh bureaucratic Incompetence on our side or it was the White House trying to make it a policy Decision not to do anything that might Disrupt uh Anthony blinken's meeting With the Chinese in Beijing the former Secretary of Defense Mark esper thank You for being with us we appreciate it Thanks John I'm Steve Ducey I'm Brian Kilmeade and I'm Ainsley Earhart and Click here to subscribe to the Fox News YouTube page to catch our hottest Interviews and most compelling analysis