still sending their kids here to fight. how do you respond to that? >> first and foremost, it's e portant for the american people to know that president trump's view of this is that the afghan people are leading this fight. our armed forces here, with new freedom, new flexibility, and new resources, are supporting their efforts to take the fight to the enemies of both of our countries. and the objective here, though, is just as much about standing up government institutions as it is about defeating the enemy in the field. >> reporter: how do you explain to the american people how they should understand what just happened this month, with mike flynn pleading guilty to lying to the f.b.i. about his contacts with the russian ambassador, which the president said he lied not only to you about but to the f.b.i., and that's why the president fired him? >> my view of all these matters is that the special counsel has a job to do. we're fully cooperating with that inquiry. but for the president and myself and our entire administration, we're focused on what the american people hired us to do.