1 00:00:01,878 --> 00:00:11,921 Captioning funded by CBS and FORD. We go further, so you can. >> TONIGHT, UKRAINE'S FOREIGN 2 00:00:11,988 --> 00:00:19,962 MINISTER SPEAKS FRANKLY ABOUT HIS COUNTRY'S DANGEROUS STARE DOWN WITH RUSSIA. IN THE EARLY '90s WHEN THE 3 00:00:20,029 --> 00:00:27,069 SOVIET UNION BROKE UP AND UKRAINE BECAME AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY, YOU GAVE UP YOUR NUCLEAR WEAPONS. 4 00:00:27,136 --> 00:00:33,075 DO YOU ALL LOOK BACK ON THAT AND SAY, "IT WAS A MISTAKE." >> I DO. >> DO YOU FEEL THAT THE UNITED 5 00:00:33,142 --> 00:00:41,584 STATES OWES YOU? >> PARTIALLY. ( TICKING ) >> SOMEONE IS TRYING TO SEND US 6 00:00:41,651 --> 00:00:50,393 A MESSAGE THAT THEY CAN STRIKE BLOWS AGAINST US AND WE CAN'T STRIKE BACK. >> THIS FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY 7 00:00:50,460 --> 00:00:57,633 OFFICIAL BELIEVES HE WAS ATTACKED IN WASHINGTON WITH A MYSTERIOUS WEAPON. HE'S NOT ALONE. 8 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:04,073 THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. AND THE F.B.I. ARE INVESTIGATING OTHER INCIDENTS, TWO WERE REPORTED AT THE WHITE HOUSE. 9 00:01:04,140 --> 00:01:11,614 IS THE NATIONAL SECURITY STRUCTURE IN DANGER OF BEING INCAPACITATED DURING A TIME OF CRISIS? 10 00:01:11,681 --> 00:01:17,587 >> NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE. >> BUT IF PEOPLE ARE BEING OVERCOME ON WEST EXECUTIVE 11 00:01:17,653 --> 00:01:23,159 AVENUE, IS THAT AN INDICATION THAT THE WHITE HOUSE AND ITS GROUNDS ARE NO LONGER SAFE? ( TICKING ) 12 00:01:23,226 --> 00:01:29,665 >> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI. 13 00:01:29,732 --> 00:01:37,807 >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES, TONIGHT, ON "60 MINUTES." ( TICKING ) 14 00:01:40,443 --> 00:01:51,621 >> Stahl: THE THREAT OF A RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE KEEPS ESCALATING, AS LAST-MINUTE DIPLOMACY CONTINUES. 15 00:01:51,687 --> 00:01:58,094 PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYS UKRAINE BELONGS WITH RUSSIA, AND WANTS A PROMISE IT WILL NEVER JOIN NATO, THE WESTERN MILITARY 16 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:05,201 ALLIANCE. BUT HIS SABER-RATTLING HAS PRODUCED EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO PREVENT: MORE NATO AND 17 00:02:05,268 --> 00:02:13,543 U.S. TROOPS IN EASTERN EUROPE. STILL, YESTERDAY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY ANGRILY CALLED ON THE WEST TO DO 18 00:02:13,609 --> 00:02:22,685 MORE, SAYING THIS IS NOT ABOUT WAR IN UKRAINE, THIS IS ABOUT WAR IN EUROPE. TODAY PRESIDENT BIDEN MET WITH 19 00:02:22,752 --> 00:02:31,961 THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AT THE WHITE HOUSE, AND SECRETARY OF STATE BLINKEN REPEATED THE U.S. VIEW THAT PUTIN'S PLAN TO 20 00:02:32,028 --> 00:02:37,466 INVADE β€œIS MOVING FORWARD.” WE SPOKE LATE IN THE WEEK WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF UKRAINE, DMYTRO KULEBA, ABOUT THE CRISIS, 21 00:02:37,533 --> 00:02:46,776 AT THE FRONT. >> Dmytro Kuleba: WE STILL SEE A ROOM FOR DIPLOMACY TO-- LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY-- DEMOTIVATE 22 00:02:46,842 --> 00:02:55,651 PRESIDENT PUTIN FROM RESORTING TO A LARGE MILITARY OPERATION. >> Stahl: LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SOME HINTS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT 23 00:02:55,718 --> 00:03:04,760 YOUR GOVERNMENT IS SENDING SIGNALS THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO ABANDON YOUR AMBITION TO ENTER NATO, IN OTHER WORDS, TO SATISFY 24 00:03:04,827 --> 00:03:11,601 ONE OF MR. PUTIN'S BIG DEMANDS. IS THAT TRUE? >> Kuleba: NO. WE ARE NOT SENDING SUCH SIGNALS. 25 00:03:11,667 --> 00:03:18,007 THE MAJORITY OF UKRAINIANS WANT UKRAINE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF NATO. THE ONLY SIGNAL WE ARE SENDING 26 00:03:18,074 --> 00:03:26,248 TO THE WORLD IS THAT IF UKRAINE SUCCEEDS, AND IF RUSSIA PULLS BACK, IT WILL BE MUCH SAFER FOR ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC WORLD. 27 00:03:26,315 --> 00:03:35,858 >> Stahl: ARE YOU FACING ANY KIND OF PRESSURE FROM THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OF THE EUROPEAN NATO MEMBERS THAT YOU SHOULD 28 00:03:35,925 --> 00:03:41,297 LOOSEN UP ON YOUR INSISTENCE? >> Kuleba: THERE ARE SOME COUNTRIES WHO SEND US MESS-- MESSAGES. 29 00:03:41,364 --> 00:03:47,903 AND ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT, AGAIN, UKRAINE IS SEEKING MEMBERSHIP IN NATO. >> Stahl: HAS THERE BEEN ANY 30 00:03:47,970 --> 00:03:54,276 SUBTLE PRESSURE FROM THE UNITED STATES FOR YOU TO ABANDON YOUR DESIRE? >> Kuleba: NO. 31 00:03:54,343 --> 00:04:03,653 SO FAR, THIS MESSAGE IS CA-- CAME FROM FEW EUROPEAN MEMBERS OF NATO. >> Stahl: IS THERE A FEAR THAT 32 00:04:03,719 --> 00:04:08,491 THIS THING IS WIDENING BEYOND WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND YOUR BORDER? >> Kuleba: THIS THING HAS BEEN 33 00:04:08,557 --> 00:04:16,098 WIDE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT UKRAINE. IT'S A GLOBAL-- IT'S ABOUT A GLOBAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN 34 00:04:16,165 --> 00:04:22,471 DEMOCRACIES AND AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES, BETWEEN THOSE WHO WANT TO PLAY BY THE RULES AND THOSE WHO WANT TO REWRITE RULES IN 35 00:04:22,538 --> 00:04:30,413 THEIR FAVOR. >> Stahl: YOU KNOW, IN THE EARLY '90s, WHEN THE SOVIET UNION BROKE UP AND UKRAINE BECAME AN 36 00:04:30,479 --> 00:04:37,319 INDEPENDENT COUNTRY, YOU GAVE UP YOUR NUCLEAR WEAPONS. YOU HAD A-- A GIANT ARSENAL, I THINK THE THIRD-LARGEST NUCLEAR 37 00:04:37,386 --> 00:04:45,327 ARSENAL IN THE WORLD. YOU AGREED TO SEND THE NUKES BACK TO RUSSIA. AND IN RETURN, YOU GOT SECURITY 38 00:04:45,394 --> 00:04:52,968 GUARANTEES FROM THE UNITED STATES AND FROM RUSSIA. DO YOU ALL LOOK BACK ON THAT AND SAY, "WE SHOULD NOT GIVEN UP OUR 39 00:04:53,035 --> 00:04:59,775 NUCLEAR WEAPONS, IT WAS A MISTAKE?" >> Kuleba: I DO. >> Stahl: DO YOU FEEL THAT THE 40 00:04:59,842 --> 00:05:10,820 UNITED STATES OWES YOU? >> Kuleba: PARTIALLY. YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MISTAKES WERE MADE IN HISTORY, OUR CURRENT 41 00:05:10,886 --> 00:05:17,526 LIFE GIVES ALL OF US EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES TO CORRECT THOSE MISTAKES. AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE 42 00:05:17,593 --> 00:05:29,872 ABANDONED OUR NUCLEAR-- NUCLEAR ARSENAL, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE SECURITY ASSURANCES THAT WERE GIVEN TO US FAILED, I THINK SOME 43 00:05:29,939 --> 00:05:43,152 COUNTRIES SHOULD FEEL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, AND WORK HARD ON FINDING THE RIGHT AND EFFICIENT SECURITY GUARANTEE 44 00:05:43,219 --> 00:05:51,160 FOR UKRAINE. >> Stahl: YESTERDAY PUTIN WATCHED TEST LAUNCHES OF RUSSIA'S DREADED LONG-RANGE 45 00:05:51,227 --> 00:05:57,900 NUCLEAR MISSILES. UKRAINE FACES AN EVER-TIGHTENING VISE: RUSSIAN FORCES CONTINUING TO ADVANCE FROM THREE SIDES-- 46 00:05:57,967 --> 00:06:09,011 CHOKING UKRAINE LIKE A BOA CONSTRICTOR, WITH TANKS, FIGHTER JETS, AND UP TO 190,000 TROOPS; RUSSIAN NAVAL EXERCISES IN THE 47 00:06:09,078 --> 00:06:17,520 BLACK SEA THREATENING A BLOCKADE, ALREADY DISRUPTING COMMERCIAL SHIPPING. UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS 48 00:06:17,586 --> 00:06:23,392 ARE UNDER INTENSIFYING SHELLING IN THE EAST. >> Ben Hodges: WHAT A TERRIBLE SHAME THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF 49 00:06:23,459 --> 00:06:30,299 PEOPLE MAY DIE AND-- AND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WILL BE LOST BECAUSE OF-- THIS EGO. 50 00:06:30,366 --> 00:06:38,440 >> Stahl: RETIRED GENERAL BEN HODGES KNOWS A LOT ABOUT VLADIMIR PUTIN. HODGES WAS A NATO COMMANDER IN 51 00:06:38,507 --> 00:06:46,749 2014 WHEN RUSSIA LAST INVADED UKRAINE AND ANNEXED CRIMEA. LATER, HE WAS THE TOP GENERAL OF THE U.S. ARMY IN EUROPE UNTIL 52 00:06:46,816 --> 00:06:53,389 2017. IS PUTIN BOXED IN AT THIS POINT? >> Hodges: NO. >> Stahl: WELL, IF HE 53 00:06:53,455 --> 00:07:02,331 WITHDRAWS... >> Stahl: ISN'T HE EMBARRASSED? >> Hodges: SURE, BUT, I MEAN, THAT'S-- THAT'S-- I'M RELUCTANT 54 00:07:02,398 --> 00:07:08,304 TO SAY HE'S BOXED IN. THIS IS A CRISIS 100% OF HIS OWN MAKING. >> Stahl: YEAH, BUT THE WORLD IS 55 00:07:08,370 --> 00:07:16,312 GOING TO SAY HE WAS ONE-UPPED BY BIDEN. CAN HE-- CAN HE ACCEPT THAT? WE KNOW HIS EGO. 56 00:07:16,378 --> 00:07:24,286 >> Hodges: HIS EGO SHOULD NOT BE OUR-- OUR ULTIMATE CONCERN. OUR ULTIMATE CONCERN HAS GOT TO BE PROTECTING THE VALUES THAT WE 57 00:07:24,353 --> 00:07:32,695 CARE ABOUT. >> Stahl: DO YOU THINK WHAT HAPPENED IN AFGHANISTAN, OUR UGLY RETREAT FROM AFGHANISTAN, 58 00:07:32,761 --> 00:07:41,237 HAD ANY EFFECT ON HIS THINKING? DID HE THINK THE UNITED STATES HAD BECOME SOFT AND WEAK? >> Hodges: I THINK THAT THE WAY 59 00:07:41,303 --> 00:07:53,115 WE CAME OUT OF AFGHANISTAN PROBABLY BROUGHT SOME SATISFACTION TO PRESIDENT PUTIN, TO SEE US STRUGGLE LIKE THIS. 60 00:07:53,182 --> 00:08:03,559 AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IN HIS MIND HE THOUGHT, "OKAY, THIS-- THIS NEW GOVERNMENT DOESN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO MAKE HARD 61 00:08:03,626 --> 00:08:08,797 DECISIONS.” SO, I'M SURE THAT THAT FACTORED INTO HIS CALCULATION. CERTAINLY A MISCALCULATION-- 62 00:08:08,864 --> 00:08:16,972 NONETHELESS. >> Stahl: YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SAID THAT MR. PUTIN COULD-- YOU USED THE BOA CONSTRICTOR 63 00:08:17,039 --> 00:08:25,247 ANALOGY-- CHOKE OFF UKRAINE WITHOUT A FULL INVASION. >> Hodges: WELL, I WAS IN KYIV JUST OVER TWO WEEKS AGO AND HAD 64 00:08:25,314 --> 00:08:32,354 THE CHANCE TO SPEND ABOUT AN HOUR WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, AND HE REALLY IMPRESSED ON ME THE IMPACT THAT HIS ECONOMY WAS 65 00:08:32,421 --> 00:08:38,694 FEELING. THERE ALREADY WAS THIS PRESSURE, THE BOA CONSTRICTOR METAPHOR WAS ALREADY THERE. 66 00:08:38,761 --> 00:08:47,069 >> Stahl: BUT IF HE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT A FULL-SCALE INVASION, WHY WOULD HE MOVE IN? >> Hodges: I DON'T THINK HE IS 67 00:08:47,136 --> 00:08:54,209 GOING TO LAUNCH WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL A FULL-ON INVASION, OR ALL-OUT ASSAULT. I JUST DON'T THINK HE NEEDS TO 68 00:08:54,276 --> 00:09:02,384 DO THAT BECAUSE HE-- THE CONTINUOUS ECONOMIC PRESSURE COULD CHOKE THE GOVERNMENT AND CAUSE IT TO COLLAPSE. 69 00:09:02,451 --> 00:09:12,428 >> Stahl: TO PREVENT THAT, THE U.S. HAS SENT IN $650 MILLION WORTH OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING JAVELIN ANTITANK 70 00:09:12,494 --> 00:09:18,267 MISSILES, LARGE QUANTITIES OF ARTILLERY AND MORTARS, AND SECURE RADIOS. BUT WASHINGTON IS NOT SNDING 71 00:09:18,334 --> 00:09:25,040 TROOPS INTO UKRAINE. FOREIGN MINISTER KULEBA PRAISED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S HANDLING OF THE CRISIS. 72 00:09:25,107 --> 00:09:32,614 HAVE THEY DONE ENOUGH? >> Kuleba: AS LONG AS RUSSIA SITS ON OUR BORDER AND IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES OF UKRAINE, 73 00:09:32,681 --> 00:09:40,389 IT'S NEVER ENOUGH. UKRAINE IS NOT ASKING AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO FIGHT FOR US. THIS IS OUR COUNTRY AND WE WILL 74 00:09:40,456 --> 00:09:53,369 DEFEND IT, BUT, DEAR AMERICANS, WHAT HAPPENS HERE MATTERS TO YOU AS WELL, BECAUSE IF RUSSIA PREVAILS HERE, OTHER MALICIOUS 75 00:09:53,435 --> 00:10:04,279 POWERS ACROSS THE GLOBE WILL REALIZE THAT THE COLLECTIVE WEST IS UNABLE TO DEFEND ITS PRINCIPLES AND WHAT IT STANDS 76 00:10:04,346 --> 00:10:09,952 FOR. AND IT WILL PROVOKE THEM TO ACT MORE AGGRESSIVELY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD TO PURSUE THEIR 77 00:10:10,019 --> 00:10:15,958 INTERESTS AGAINST THE U.S. INTERESTS. >> Stahl: ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT CHINA? 78 00:10:16,025 --> 00:10:21,764 >> Kuleba: I'M JUST SPEAKING. >> Stahl: DO YOU THINK THE UNITED STATES SHOULD IMPOSE SANCTIONS NOW? 79 00:10:21,830 --> 00:10:31,774 >> Kuleba: IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO IMPOSE AT LEAST SOME. >> Stahl: THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THAT YOUR PRESIDENT, AND 80 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:41,450 PERHAPS YOU, HAVE FELT THAT THE, PRESIDENT BIDEN CONTINUALLY SAYING THAT AN INVASION IS IMMINENT, IS BOXING MR. PUTIN IN 81 00:10:41,517 --> 00:10:52,428 AND PERHAPS ALMOST ENCOURAGING AN INVASION. >> Kuleba: NO. WE NEVER-- WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT 82 00:10:52,494 --> 00:11:00,436 PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ENCOURAGING AN INVASION BY RUSSIA, BUT WE WERE VERY OPEN WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT 83 00:11:00,502 --> 00:11:11,213 REGULAR PUBLIC MESSAGES ABOUT THE IMMINENCE OF WAR, THEY CAUSE DAMAGE TO OUR ECONOMY AND TO OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY. 84 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:16,051 >> Stahl: SEEMS PRESIDENT BIDEN GOT THAT MESSAGE. THIS PAST WEEK, HE COMMITTED MORE HELP FOR THE UKRAINIAN 85 00:11:16,118 --> 00:11:23,759 ECONOMY. >> Kuleba: THEY ISSUE $1 BILLION IN LOAN GUARANTEES TO UKRAINE. THIS IS A MESSAGE TO EVERYONE 86 00:11:23,826 --> 00:11:30,165 INVOLVED IN BUSINESS ACTIVITY THAT PARTNERS OF UKRAINE HAVE TRUST IN THIS COUNTRY, AND THEY'RE CONFIDENT THAT THIS 87 00:11:30,232 --> 00:11:36,371 COUNTRY WILL REMAIN STABLE, AND IT'S SAFE DOING BUSINESS IN THIS COUNTRY. >> Stahl: DESPITE THE HIT TO THE 88 00:11:36,438 --> 00:11:44,513 ECONOMY, IN KYIV, THE CAPITAL, IT'S BEEN LOOKING LIKE BUSINESS AS USUAL. JUST ANOTHER EUROPEAN CITY, 89 00:11:44,580 --> 00:11:56,825 BELYING THE DRUMBEAT OF WAR. AT THE CENTER OF THE CRISIS IS 44-YEAR-OLD VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY ON THE FRONTLINES IN FATIGUES OR 90 00:11:56,892 --> 00:12:05,367 DRESSED UP WITH HEADS OF TATE. HE'S AN UNLIKELY LEADER, A POLITICAL NEOPHYTE WHO, LESS THAN THREE YEARS AGO, WAS A 91 00:12:05,434 --> 00:12:13,542 COMEDIAN ON TELEVISION. WE TALKED ABOUT HIM WITH YALE HISTORIAN TIMOTHY SNYDER, AUTHOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS ON THE REGION. 92 00:12:13,609 --> 00:12:23,318 THIS COMEDIAN, REALLY, AN ENTERTAINER GETS ON THE WORLD STAGE, AND HE'S UP AGAINST THIS POWERFUL EX-K.G.B. AGENT WHO 93 00:12:23,385 --> 00:12:30,292 PLAYS CHESS MAGNIFICENTLY. HE'S NEVER LED ANYTHING BEFORE. >> Timothy Snyder: THAT'S TRUE. THIS IS, SO TO SPEAK, A LITTLE 94 00:12:30,359 --> 00:12:36,565 GUY, WHO'S USED TO DEALING WITH BIG GUYS, AND WHO HAS FOUND A WAY TO DO IT, WHICH IS THAT HE'S A LITTLE FUNNIER, HE'S A LITTLE 95 00:12:36,632 --> 00:12:43,739 FASTER, HE'S A LITTLE SHARPER. AND, ONE THING FOR CERTAIN ABOUT HIM, IS THAT HE'S NOT A PRODUCT OF A POLITICAL MACHINE. 96 00:12:43,805 --> 00:12:49,945 AND THAT MAKES HIM A KIND OF WILD CARD IN THIS OVERALL SITUATION. BUT IT IS ALSO WHAT MAKES HIM 97 00:12:50,012 --> 00:12:56,652 INTOLERABLE FOR PUTIN, BECAUSE WHAT PUTIN WANTS IS A PREDICTABLE UKRAINE, A PREDICTABLE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, 98 00:12:56,718 --> 00:13:04,893 AND ZELENSKY, WHATEVER HIS FLAWS, IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. >> Stahl: ZELENSKY IS UKRAINE'S SIXTH PRESIDENT SINCE IT FIRST 99 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:13,068 BECAME AN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRACY JUST 30 YEARS AGO. BEFORE THAT, SAYS HISTORIAN SNYDER, THE COUNTRY'S SUFFERING 100 00:13:13,135 --> 00:13:19,208 WAS PRETTY MUCH UNPARALLELED. >> Snyder: UKRAINE IS AT THE VERY CENTER OF THE HISTORY OF ATROCITY IN THE 20th CENTURY. 101 00:13:19,274 --> 00:13:25,447 IT SUFFERED MORE UNDER STALIN THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THE SOVIET UNION. AND THEN IT SUFFERED MORE UNDER 102 00:13:25,514 --> 00:13:33,422 HITLER, ALONG WITH BELARUS, THAN ANY OTHER PLACE THAT THE GERMANS INVADED. >> Stahl: WHILE THE REST OF THE 103 00:13:33,488 --> 00:13:43,565 WORLD IS ON EDGE, STRANGELY, INSIDE UKRAINE THERE'S CALMNESS. >> Snyder: THEY ARE PERFECTLY AWARE THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY 104 00:13:43,632 --> 00:13:47,769 OF INVASION, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THEY DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS SO EXCEPTIONAL. THEY THINK IT'S COME BEFORE AND 105 00:13:47,836 --> 00:13:55,577 IT CAN COME AGAIN. >> Stahl: IF IT COMES AGAIN, AND THE RUSSIANS INVADE, THEY'LL FACE A UKRAINIAN MILITARY THAT 106 00:13:55,644 --> 00:14:03,151 IS FAR BIGGER, BETTER-TRAINED, MOTIVATED, AND EQUIPPED THAN IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN PUTIN TOOK CRIMEA. 107 00:14:03,218 --> 00:14:13,028 >> Kuleba: LARGE-SCALE INVASION IN UKRAINE BY RUSSIA WILL INFLICT HUGE DAMAGE ON RUSSIA ITSELF. 108 00:14:13,095 --> 00:14:21,403 ECONOMICALLY, BECAUSE OF SANCTIONS THAT WILL BE SLAMMED ON RUSSIA IMMEDIATELY. MILITARILY, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT 109 00:14:21,470 --> 00:14:27,809 THE COUNTRY THAT WILL GIVE UP. THIS IS OUR LAND. WE WILL BE DEFENDING IT. >> Stahl: SO, WHAT HAPPENS IF 110 00:14:27,876 --> 00:14:36,718 THIS IS THE STATUS QUO? THE RUSSIANS HAVE TROOPS ALMOST ALL AROUND YOU. THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE, AND 111 00:14:36,785 --> 00:14:42,524 THEY'RE HURTING YOUR ECONOMY. THEY'RE TRYING TO SUFFOCATE YOU TO THE POINT THAT THEY CAN JUST GET WHAT THEY WANT FROM YOU. 112 00:14:42,591 --> 00:14:50,399 >> Kuleba: WELL, YOU SEE, THEY TRIED TO SUFFOCATE US, AND DESTABILIZE US, AND SHATTER US FROM THE INSIDE FOR THE LAST 300 113 00:14:50,465 --> 00:14:57,673 YEARS. BUT THEY FAILED. I'M STILL SITTING HERE WITH YOU AS FOREIGN MINISTER OF 114 00:14:57,739 --> 00:15:10,752 INDEPENDENT UKRAINE. WE KNOW THE THREAT. WE UNDERSTAND IT. WE LEARNED HOW TO LIVE WITH IT. 115 00:15:11,953 --> 00:15:22,331 >> Pelley: SINCE 2016, U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OVERSEAS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE REPORTED SUDDEN, UNEXPLAINED BRAIN 116 00:15:22,397 --> 00:15:29,771 INJURIES WITH SYMPTOMS OF VERTIGO, CONFUSION, AND MEMORY LOSS. THE C.I.A., F.B.I. AND STATE 117 00:15:29,838 --> 00:15:36,778 DEPARTMENT ARE INVESTIGATING A THEORY THAT SOME OF THESE OFFICIALS WERE INJURED BY AN UNSEEN WEAPON. 118 00:15:36,845 --> 00:15:45,454 WHO MIGHT BE TARGETING AMERICANS, AND WHY, ARE UNKNOWN. INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EUROPE, ASIA, AND LATIN AMERICA, 119 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:53,295 BUT OUR REPORTING HAS FOUND SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS WHO SAY THEY WERE STRICKEN IN WASHINGTON AND ON 120 00:15:53,362 --> 00:16:00,402 THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE. THE FORMER OFFICIALS YOU ARE ABOUT TO MEET ARE REVEALING THEIR EXPERIENCES FOR THE 121 00:16:00,469 --> 00:16:08,577 FIRST TIME. THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING TO MANAGE THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY. 122 00:16:08,643 --> 00:16:13,448 >> Olivia Troye: I COVERED ANY AND ALL EMERGING THREATS, HOMELAND SECURITY INCIDENTS, DOMESTICALLY, SO I COVERED 123 00:16:13,515 --> 00:16:20,188 WHETHER IT WAS FROM MASS SHOOTINGS TO HURRICANES, TO NATURAL DISASTERS. >> Pelley: OLIVIA TROYE WAS 124 00:16:20,255 --> 00:16:28,330 HOMELAND SECURITY AND COUNTERTERRORISM ADVISOR TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE. SHE HAD SERVED IN THE PENTAGON, 125 00:16:28,397 --> 00:16:35,804 DEPLOYED TO IRAQ, SERVED IN THE DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AND THE NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER. 126 00:16:35,871 --> 00:16:44,780 AT THE WHITE HOUSE, SHE WORKED IN THE 19th-CENTURY EISENHOWER EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING BESIDE THE WEST WING. 127 00:16:44,846 --> 00:16:52,954 IN THE SUMMER OF 2019, SHE WAS DESCENDING THESE STAIRS TOWARD THE WHITE HOUSE, WHEN SHE FELT SHE HAD BEEN PHYSICALLY STRUCK. 128 00:16:53,021 --> 00:16:59,661 >> Troye: BUT IT WAS LIKE THIS PIERCING FEELING ON THE SIDE OF MY HEAD. IT WAS LIKE-- I REMEMBER IT WAS 129 00:16:59,728 --> 00:17:09,604 ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY HEAD, AND I GOT LIKE, VERTIGO. I WAS UNSTEADY. I WAS-- I FELT NAUSEOUS. 130 00:17:09,671 --> 00:17:15,877 I WAS SOMEWHAT DISORIENTED, AND I WAS JUST, I REMEMBER THINKING, "OKAY, YOU'VE GOT TO-- DON'T FALL DOWN THE STAIRS. 131 00:17:15,944 --> 00:17:22,851 YOU'VE GOT TO FIND YOUR GROUND AGAIN AND STEADY YOURSELF." >> Pelley: SHE STEADIED HERSELF ON A RAILING, BUT THE "PIERCING 132 00:17:22,918 --> 00:17:28,557 FEELING" CONTINUED, AS SHE PASSED BY THIS ENTRANCE TO THE WEST WING. >> Troye: IT WAS ALMOST LIKE, I 133 00:17:28,623 --> 00:17:33,662 COULDN'T REALLY PROCESS. IT WAS LIKE A PARALYZING PANIC ATTACK. I'VE NEVER HAD THAT. 134 00:17:33,728 --> 00:17:39,267 I'VE NEVER FELT ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND SO, I-- YOU KNOW, I-- I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "I MEAN, DO I 135 00:17:39,334 --> 00:17:45,173 HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR OUT OF THE BLUE? IS THIS WHAT HAPPENS? AM I HAVING A STROKE?" 136 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:50,979 >> Pelley: OLIVIA TROYE WAS INSIDE THE SECURITY PERIMETER, HEADED TO HER CAR. SHE WENT DOWN THE STEPS, PAST 137 00:17:51,046 --> 00:18:01,256 THE WEST WING, AND DOWN THE CLOSED PARKING LOT, USED BY PRESIDENTS, CALLED WEST EXECUTIVE AVENUE. 138 00:18:01,323 --> 00:18:06,061 THEN SHE PASSED THROUGH THE SECRET SERVICE GATE AND OUT TO THE STAFF PARKING IN THE ELLIPSE, SOUTH OF THE WHITE 139 00:18:06,127 --> 00:18:11,099 HOUSE. DID YOU EVER EXPERIENCE ANYTHING LIKE THIS AGAIN? >> Troye: SO, NOT IMMEDIATELY. 140 00:18:11,166 --> 00:18:20,842 BUT I DID AGAIN ABOUT A YEAR LATER. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE STEPS. IT HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES 141 00:18:20,909 --> 00:18:25,647 WALKING TO MY CAR ON THE ELLIPSE. >> Pelley: TELL ME ABOUT THOSE TIMES. 142 00:18:25,714 --> 00:18:33,688 >> Troye: IT WAS A SIMILAR SENSATION, BUT THIS TIME, IT WAS VERY MUCH THE FEELING OF VERTIGO AND DIZZINESS. 143 00:18:33,755 --> 00:18:41,263 AND I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T REALLY WALK. THERE WAS SORT OF-- IT WAS LIKE I HAD A DEPTH PERCEPTION ISSUE, 144 00:18:41,329 --> 00:18:47,469 WHERE I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE THE GROUND WAS. AND I WOULD START WALKING, AND I FELT LIKE I WAS JUST GOING TO 145 00:18:47,536 --> 00:18:55,644 FALL RIGHT INTO THE GROUND. >> Pelley: TROYE SAYS SHE DIDN'T REPORT THE EPISODES BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE SHE WAS 146 00:18:55,710 --> 00:19:03,985 SERIOUSLY ILL, AND SHE WORRIED WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO HER SECURITY CLEARANCE AND CAREER. AFTER THIS INTERVIEW, SHE 147 00:19:04,052 --> 00:19:09,124 REPORTED FOR THE FIRST TIME. >> Troye: THERE IS A HUMAN ASPECT OF IT, OF SHAME. AND, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO ADMIT 148 00:19:09,190 --> 00:19:15,030 YOU'RE SICK? DO YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD AND TELL SOMEONE THAT, ESPECIALLY AS A MEMBER OF THE INTELLIGENCE 149 00:19:15,096 --> 00:19:21,469 COMMUNITY? I THINK I'M STILL PROCESSING ALL OF IT, AND THINKING ABOUT, LIKE, HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE LIKE ME 150 00:19:21,536 --> 00:19:28,577 WHO FELT THIS. >> Pelley: IT APPEARS THERE ARE SEVERAL. A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL 151 00:19:28,643 --> 00:19:37,953 SECURITY COUNCIL SAYS HE WAS STRICKEN IN NOVEMBER 2020, ON THE SAME STEPS BY THE WEST WING. THAT FORMER OFFICIAL, WHOSE 152 00:19:38,019 --> 00:19:45,460 INCIDENT WAS FIRST REPORTED IN THE "NEW YORKER," ASKED US NOT TO NAME HIM. BUT HE DESCRIBED THE INCIDENT TO 153 00:19:45,527 --> 00:19:51,833 A CLOSE COLLEAGUE, JOHN BOLTON, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR. >> John Bolton: THEY HAD 154 00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:57,939 DISORIENTATION AND RINGING IN THEIR EARS, AND JUST A GENERAL INABILITY TO FUNCTION. >> Pelley: BOLTON TOLD US, THE 155 00:19:58,006 --> 00:20:04,746 OFFICIAL SAID HE COULDN'T SPEAK OR THINK CLEARLY. HE WAS TAKEN TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM. 156 00:20:04,813 --> 00:20:13,321 THE FORMER OFFICIAL SENT US THIS NOTE, SAYING THAT, MORE THAN A YEAR LATER, "I'M STILL RECOVERING AND SUFFERING FROM 157 00:20:13,388 --> 00:20:20,829 HEADACHES AND OTHER SYMPTOMS, AND HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TWO OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE RESULT OF 158 00:20:20,895 --> 00:20:28,069 THE ATTACK." HE'S STILL AN OUTPATIENT AT WATER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDIAL CENTER. 159 00:20:28,136 --> 00:20:37,078 >> Bolton: THAT WAS A VERY DEBILITATING ATTACK, AND SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. >> Pelley: THOSE "OTHERS" 160 00:20:37,145 --> 00:20:45,320 INCLUDE MILES TAYLOR, ALSO SPEAKING FOR THE FIRST TIME. TAYLOR WAS DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF AND, LATER, CHIEF OF STAFF OF 161 00:20:45,387 --> 00:20:53,695 THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. >> Miles Taylor: YOUR JOB IS TO OVERSEE THE ROUGHLY 250,000 MEN 162 00:20:53,762 --> 00:21:01,336 AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT CONDUCTED A RANGE OF MISSIONS, FROM AVIATION SECURITY TO BORDER SECURITY TO CYBERSECURITY. 163 00:21:01,403 --> 00:21:08,877 >> Pelley: TAYLOR TOLD US HE WAS HIT WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED BY OLIVIA TROYE. >> Taylor: IT WAS LATE ONE NIGHT 164 00:21:08,943 --> 00:21:19,921 IN APRIL 2018. I'D JUST BECOME DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT, TAKING ON SOME ADDITIONAL SENSITIVE 165 00:21:19,988 --> 00:21:25,760 ISSUES AT D.H.S., AND WOKE UP IN MY APARTMENT THAT NIGHT, A ROW HOUSE ON CAPITOL HILL, TO A REALLY STRANGE SOUND. 166 00:21:25,827 --> 00:21:34,436 >> Pelley: THE SOUND THAT WOKE MILES TAYLOR IS A COMMON EXPERIENCE REPORTED BY DOZENS OF AMERICANS STRICKEN OVERSEAS. 167 00:21:34,502 --> 00:21:40,709 >> Taylor: IT WAS SORT OF A CHIRPING, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN WHAT YOU WOULD THINK IS A CRICKET OR SORT OF A DIGITAL SOUND. 168 00:21:40,775 --> 00:21:46,247 I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO WAKE ME UP. WHAT WAS REALLY STRANGE ABOUT IT IS, I WENT TO THE WINDOW, OPENED 169 00:21:46,314 --> 00:21:51,086 UP MY WINDOW, LOOKED DOWN AT THE STREET. AND, KEEP IN MIND, SCOTT, THIS IS PROBABLY 3:00, 3:30 IN THE 170 00:21:51,152 --> 00:21:55,256 MORNING. AND I SEE A WHITE VAN. AND THE VAN'S BRAKE LIGHTS TURNED ON, AND IT PULLED OFF AND 171 00:21:55,323 --> 00:22:00,261 IT SPED AWAY. >> Pelley: HOW LONG DID IT LAST? >> Taylor: THIS WHOLE EPISODE ONLY LASTED ABOUT SEVEN TO TEN 172 00:22:00,328 --> 00:22:05,633 MINUTES. >> Pelley: HOW DID YOU FEEL THE NEXT DAY? >> Taylor: OFF. 173 00:22:05,700 --> 00:22:13,441 OFF-- NOT READY TO GO TO WORK, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WANTING TO TAKE THE DAY OFF, YOU KNOW, SICK. 174 00:22:13,508 --> 00:22:18,980 >> Pelley: THEN, ABOUT FIVE WEEKS LATER, TAYLOR SAYS IT HAPPENED AGAIN. >> Taylor: NEXT DAY, FEELING 175 00:22:19,047 --> 00:22:26,354 OFF-BALANCE, FEELING JUST OUT OF IT-- AGAIN, THOSE SORT OF CONCUSSION-LIKE SYMPTOMS YOU WOULD HAVE FROM, YOU KNOW, 176 00:22:26,421 --> 00:22:33,461 GETTING KNOCKED PRETTY HARD IN A SPORT. AND THAT INCIDENT STOOD OUT TO ME, BECAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY JUST 177 00:22:33,528 --> 00:22:38,066 GETTING READY TO LEAVE TO GO TO ISRAEL ON A CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION. WE WERE GOING TO MEET THE 178 00:22:38,133 --> 00:22:43,071 ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, HAVE SOME SENSITIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ISRAELIS ON IMPORTANT CYBERSECURITY 179 00:22:43,138 --> 00:22:49,043 ISSUES. AND I REMEMBER BECAUSE I GOT TO THE AIRPLANE AT ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE TO TAKE OFF AND 180 00:22:49,110 --> 00:22:57,452 THOUGHT, "I'M ALREADY NAUSEOUS. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS FLIGHT." >> Pelly: BOTH MILES TAYLOR AND 181 00:22:57,519 --> 00:23:03,691 OLIVIA TROYE BECAME CRITICS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, BUT THEY TOLD US THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT THEY SEE AS A 182 00:23:03,758 --> 00:23:11,599 POTENTIAL THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY. TAYLOR SAYS HE BECAME ALARMED BY THAT THREAT IN 2018 AFTER HE 183 00:23:11,666 --> 00:23:20,408 HEARD OF ANOTHER CASE LIKE HIS IN THE WASHINGTON AREA. >> Taylor: I BECAME AWARE OF A U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, MORE 184 00:23:20,475 --> 00:23:25,847 SENIOR THAN ME, WHO'D EXPERIENCED SIMILAR EPISODES AT THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE. >> Pelley: YOU SAY MORE SENIOR 185 00:23:25,914 --> 00:23:32,353 THAN YOU. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A CABINET- LEVEL SECRETARY? >> Taylor: THIS WAS AN 186 00:23:32,420 --> 00:23:40,395 INDIVIDUAL THAT, YES, WAS ROUGHLY AT THE CABINET LEVEL IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, WHO HAD SIMILAR EPISODES OCCUR. 187 00:23:40,461 --> 00:23:45,533 THAT, TO ME AS A HOMELAND SECURITY PROFESSIONAL, WAS A BIG BLINKING RED LIGHT. I MEAN, TO ME THIS SAID, 188 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:52,740 "FIVE-ALARM FIRE." WE MAY HAVE ONGOING ACTIVITY TARGETING U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HERE IN OUR COUNTRY. 189 00:23:52,807 --> 00:23:59,347 >> Pelley: WHO WAS IT? >> Taylor: I CAN'T SAY THE INDIVIDUAL OUT OF RESPECT FOR, YOU KNOW, THEIR PRIVACY. 190 00:23:59,414 --> 00:24:07,856 I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. BUT SOMEONE SENIOR ENOUGH TO SAY, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A FLUKE. 191 00:24:07,922 --> 00:24:14,028 >> Pelley: MORE THAN A FLUKE. A PATTERN, ACROSS TWO ADMINISTRATIONS. RECENT INJURIES AMONG U.S. 192 00:24:14,095 --> 00:24:23,438 OFFICIALS WERE REPORTED IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA, AHEAD OF A TRIP BY THE VICE PRESIDENT TO VIETNAM, AND IN INDIA, DURING A 193 00:24:23,504 --> 00:24:30,511 VISIT BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. IN 2019, DURING A VISIT BY PRESIDENT TRUMP TO LONDON, TWO 194 00:24:30,578 --> 00:24:40,321 MEMBERS OF JOHN BOLTON'S NATIONAL SECURITY STAFF BECAME ILL IN A HOTEL. >> Bolton: AND THAT IT WAS ON 195 00:24:40,388 --> 00:24:46,494 THE FLOOR WHERE WE'D COMPLETELY TAKEN UP WITH PERSONNEL FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND WHITE HOUSE AGENCIES STRUCK ME AS BEING 196 00:24:46,561 --> 00:24:50,431 PRETTY GOOD EVIDENCE OF A DELIBERATE ATTACK. >> Pelley: YOU BELIEVE IT WAS AN ATTACK? 197 00:24:50,498 --> 00:24:56,337 >> Bolton: I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER HYPOTHESIS, WHEN YOU BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER AND THE PATTERN THAT WE'VE 198 00:24:56,404 --> 00:25:05,046 EXPERIENCED. >> Pelley: BOLTON SAYS, MONTHS LATER, ONE OF THOSE STAFF MEMBERS HURT IN LONDON SAID SHE 199 00:25:05,113 --> 00:25:13,755 WAS OVERCOME, AGAIN, WALKING HER DOG IN THE WASHINGTON AREA. WE HAVE FOUND, SHE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SAYS THEY WERE 200 00:25:13,821 --> 00:25:20,395 ATTACKED ABROAD AND, LATER, AT HOME. YOU MUST HAVE THOUGHT THAT, WHEN YOU WERE HOME IN AMERICA, 201 00:25:20,461 --> 00:25:26,167 THAT YOU WERE SAFE? >> Robyn Garfield: I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN I LANDED FROM CHINA, I LITERALLY WAS KISSING THE 202 00:25:26,234 --> 00:25:32,607 GROUND. >> Pelley: WE MET ROBYN GARFIELD IN 2019. HE'S A COMMERCE DEPARTMENT 203 00:25:32,674 --> 00:25:40,481 OFFICIAL WHO TOLD US THAT HE, HIS WIFE, AND TWO CHILDREN WERE REPEATEDLY HIT IN CHINA. YOUR DAUGHTER WAS LITERALLY 204 00:25:40,548 --> 00:25:46,254 FALLING DOWN? >> Garfield: YES, SHE FELL DOWN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. >> Pelley: THEY WERE EVACUATED, 205 00:25:46,321 --> 00:25:53,661 AND ENROLLED IN A STATE DEPARTMENT TREATMENT PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. RECENTLY, GARFIELD TOLD US HIS 206 00:25:53,728 --> 00:26:01,736 FAMILY WAS HIT AGAIN DURING THEIR YEAR OF TREATMENT IN PHILADELPHIA. >> Garfield: MY WIFE CATAPULTED 207 00:26:01,803 --> 00:26:10,211 OUT OF BED AND SPRINTED DOWN THE HALLWAY TO CHECK THE CHILDREN, WITHOUT ANY WORD. AND SHE CAME BACK, AND SHE TOLD 208 00:26:10,278 --> 00:26:18,486 ME THAT AN EXTREMELY LOUD, PAINFUL, SOUND HAD WOKEN HER UP. >> Pelley: SO, THEY MOVED TO A HOTEL-- WHERE GARFIELD SAYS IT 209 00:26:18,553 --> 00:26:29,163 HAPPENED AGAIN. >> Garfield: AND WE WOKE UP AROUND, I BELIEVE 2:00 A.M., WITH STRANGE VIBRATIONS IN OUR 210 00:26:29,230 --> 00:26:35,370 BODIES, AND A SOUND. >> Pelley: WHICH LED GARFIELD TO CHECK ON HIS CHILDREN, IN ANOTHER ROOM. 211 00:26:35,436 --> 00:26:45,513 >> Garfield: I SAW AN EXTREMELY EERIE SCENE, WHERE BOTH WERE THRASHING IN THEIR BEDS-- ASLEEP, BUT BOTH KICKING AND 212 00:26:45,580 --> 00:26:56,024 MOVING PRETTY AGGRESSIVELY. AND I WENT OVER TO MY DAUGHTER, AND I PUT MY HEAD DOWN NEXT TO HER HEAD, AND I HEARD A VERY 213 00:26:56,090 --> 00:27:01,796 DISTINCT SOUND, JUST RIGHT THERE, SORT OF LIKE WATER RUSHING. SO, I PICKED HER UP, TOOK HER 214 00:27:01,863 --> 00:27:06,134 AND PUT HER WITH MY WIFE, AND I CAME BACK AND I CHECKED MY SON. SAME SOUND, JUST RIGHT NEXT TO HIS HEAD. 215 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:13,674 SO, I PICKED HIM UP, PUT HIM ON MY SHOULDER, WALKED OVER TO MY WIFE, AND I SAID, "WE'RE GETTING OUT OF HERE." 216 00:27:13,741 --> 00:27:21,783 >> Pelley: GARFIELD REPORTED THIS TO THE F.B.I. TODAY, HIS FAMILY IS POSTED ABROAD, WHERE THEY CONTINUE TO 217 00:27:21,849 --> 00:27:29,791 WORK TO IMPROVE BALANCE, EYESIGHT, AND MEMORY. >> Garfield: THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF THIS WHOLE 218 00:27:29,857 --> 00:27:38,800 ISSUE FOR ME, ARE THE CHILDREN WHO'VE BEEN IMPACTED-- BOTH MINE AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS. I PERSONALLY KNOW THE PARENTS 219 00:27:38,866 --> 00:27:45,873 OF, I BELIEVE, EIGHT OTHER CHILDREN. I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE PERSONALLY SEEN BALANCE ISSUES IN CHILDREN 220 00:27:45,940 --> 00:27:53,781 THAT HAVE NEVER HAD THAT; TROUBLE WITH FINDING THEIR WORDS, STUTTERING. AND THEN, CONTINUING CHALLENGES 221 00:27:53,848 --> 00:28:00,088 AROUND VISION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM SOME PARENTS IS THAT THESE ARE MANIFESTING 222 00:28:00,154 --> 00:28:06,427 IN THE CLASSROOM IN REAL, TANGIBLE WAYS. >> Pelley: PERSISTENT NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS ARE NOT 223 00:28:06,494 --> 00:28:16,170 THE ONLY FIGHT THESE AMERICANS HAVE FACED. SOME OF THEIR EARLY REPORTS WERE DISMISSED AS PSYCHOSOMATIC, 224 00:28:16,237 --> 00:28:20,975 OR ILLNESSES CONNECTED TO AN INFECTION OR EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES. SOME WERE TOLD THAT THEY 225 00:28:21,042 --> 00:28:29,150 WERE SUFFERING THE EFFECT OF OLD SPORTS INJURIES. ONE THEORY HAD IT THAT THE SOUND THESE VICTIMS HEARD DURING THE 226 00:28:29,217 --> 00:28:36,657 INCIDENTS WAS ACTUALLY A PARTICULAR SPECIES OF CICADA. >> Unidentified Person: IT WAS ROUGH. 227 00:28:36,724 --> 00:28:41,229 IT WAS ROUGH IN THE BEGINNING. IT WAS A DARK PLACE TO BE. WE WERE KIND OF SHOVED ASIDE, AND THEY WANTED IT TO GO AWAY. 228 00:28:41,295 --> 00:28:47,068 >> Pelley: THIS MAN IS AMONG THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR RECOGNITION. HE'S ONE OF THE FIRST CASES, 229 00:28:47,135 --> 00:28:56,344 FROM 2016. AMERICANS ASSIGNED TO THE U.S. EMBASSY IN CUBA SAY THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE STRUCK AT 230 00:28:56,410 --> 00:29:01,282 HOME, FREQUENTLY, IN THE NIGHT. HE REMEMBERS THE FIRST TIME. >> Unidentified Person: AND THAT NIGHT, ALL THE DOGS STARTED 231 00:29:01,349 --> 00:29:07,288 KICKING OFF, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BARKING, WHICH WAS VERY UNUSUAL FOR THEM ALL TO GO IN CHORUS. AND THEN THIS, JUST, LOUD SOUND, 232 00:29:07,355 --> 00:29:13,561 JUST ABSOLUTELY FILLED MY ROOM. IT FELT LIKE MY HEAD WAS SLOWLY STARTING TO GET CRUSHED. >> Pelley: WE AGREED NOT TO USE 233 00:29:13,628 --> 00:29:21,869 HIS NAME. HE IS NOT ALLOWED TO SAY WHAT FEDERAL AGENCY HE WORKED FOR. >> Unidentified Person: AND THEN 234 00:29:21,936 --> 00:29:26,407 THE SEVERE EAR PAIN STARTED. SO, I LIKEN IT TO, IF YOU PUT A Q-TIP TOO FAR AND YOU BOUNCE IT OFF YOUR EARDRUM. 235 00:29:26,474 --> 00:29:32,813 WELL, IMAGINE TAKING A SHARP PENCIL AND JUST KIND OF POKING THAT. IT WAS VERY JARRING AND PAINFUL. 236 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:38,553 AND EVENTUALLY, I STARTED BLACKING OUT. ( DRUM ) >> Pelley: WITH THE FIRST 237 00:29:38,619 --> 00:29:45,927 PUBLIC REPORTS COMING FROM CUBA, THE AFFLICTION BECAME KNOWN AS "HAVANA SYNDROME." MORE THAN TWO DOZEN EMBASSY 238 00:29:45,993 --> 00:29:52,800 OFFICIALS REPORTED INJURY, BUT AN EARLY F.B.I. REPORT SPECULATED IT WAS ALL MASS HYSTERIA. 239 00:29:52,867 --> 00:30:01,275 HIS BRAIN INJURIES LEFT HIM DISABLED, ESSENTIALLY RETIRED, AT THE AGE OF 36. A WEIGHTED VEST HELPS HIM 240 00:30:01,342 --> 00:30:09,584 BALANCE. HIS SERVICE DOG HELPS WITH WALKING AND HIS LOSS OF VISION. LEGALLY BLIND IN ONE EYE? 241 00:30:09,650 --> 00:30:13,821 >> Unidentified Person: CORRECT. YEAH. >> Pelley: WHAT HAVE THE DOCTORS TOLD YOU? 242 00:30:13,888 --> 00:30:19,293 >> Unidentified Person: IT'S NOT THE EYE, IT'S THE WIRING. >> Pelley: WHAT DO YOU MEAN? >> Unidentified Person: THE EYE 243 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:25,967 FUNCTION, AS ITSELF, IS COMPLETELY CORRECT AND APPROPRIATE. IT'S THE SIGNAL THAT COMES OUT 244 00:30:26,033 --> 00:30:32,006 THE BACK OF THE EYE INTO THE BRAIN, IS WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE, AND NO ONE REALLY KNOWS HOW TO FIX THAT. 245 00:30:32,073 --> 00:30:38,312 >> Pelley: HE IS SPEAKING TONIGHT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO PUT AN END TO DOUBT. YOU HAVE NOT WANTED TO DO THIS 246 00:30:38,379 --> 00:30:42,016 INTERVIEW. >> Unidentified Person: NO. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY WORST NIGHTMARES. 247 00:30:42,083 --> 00:30:47,588 >> Pelley: WHY IS THAT? >> Unidentified Person: I DIDN'T DO MY JOB BECAUSE I WANT TO BE KNOWN. 248 00:30:47,655 --> 00:30:53,661 I DID MY JOB BECAUSE I LOVE MY COUNTRY. AND I WAS GOOD AT IT. GOD, AND I MISS MY JOB. 249 00:30:53,728 --> 00:31:00,968 I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF THE GASLIGHTING THAT KEEPS HAPPENING FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. 250 00:31:01,035 --> 00:31:05,206 I'M TIRED OF THIS YO-YO-ING. BECAUSE I'M WATCHING NEW COLLEAGUES, AND FRIENDS THAT I'VE TRAINED WITH, AND FRIENDS 251 00:31:05,273 --> 00:31:10,111 THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS, THAT ARE BEING SENT TO THESE COUNTRIES AND COMING BACK A SHELL OF THEIR FORMER SELVES. 252 00:31:10,177 --> 00:31:17,985 WE NEED TO HELP THEM, AND WE NEED TO STOP THIS. >> Pelley: BUT, WHO IS IT THAT MUST BE STOPPED? 253 00:31:18,052 --> 00:31:26,460 WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL ASK THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. ABOUT HIS INVESTIGATION, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE KIND OF DEVICE CAPABLE OF 254 00:31:26,527 --> 00:31:38,172 INFLICTING BRAIN INJURY WITHOUT A TRACE. ( TICKING ) ( TICKING ) 255 00:31:38,239 --> 00:31:46,781 >> Pelley: BRAIN INJURIES SUFFERED BY U.S. OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON AND ABROAD ARE THE FOCUS OF AN INTENSE 256 00:31:46,847 --> 00:31:55,056 INVESTIGATION. AFTER STARTING WITH AROUND 1,000 POSSIBLE CASES, A C.I.A. TASK FORCE HAS ZEROED IN ON ABOUT TWO 257 00:31:55,122 --> 00:32:03,264 DOZEN THAT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED. THE TASK FORCE, WHICH INCLUDES THE F.B.I., IS LED BY A C.I.A. OFFICER WHO HELPED FIND OSAMA 258 00:32:03,331 --> 00:32:12,640 BIN LADEN. THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A., WILLIAM BURNS, TOLD US, ONE THING IS ALREADY CLEAR-- AFTER 259 00:32:12,707 --> 00:32:19,246 EARLY DISBELIEF, THESE INJURED AMERICANS CAN NO LONGER BE DOUBTED. >> William Burns: IN MY FIRST 260 00:32:19,313 --> 00:32:28,289 WEEK AS DIRECTOR, I BEGAN WHAT HAS BECOME DOZENS AND DOZENS OF MEETINGS WITH AFFECTED OFFICERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. 261 00:32:28,356 --> 00:32:34,295 AND I FOUND THEIR STORIES TO BE POWERFUL AND COMPELLING, AND SOMETIMES HEARTBREAKING. >> Pelley: BILL BURNS HAD HEARD 262 00:32:34,362 --> 00:32:43,003 THOSE STORIES FROM C.I.A. OFFICERS WHO REPORTED INJURY SINCE 2016, BUT THIS PAST FALL, WHILE ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO 263 00:32:43,070 --> 00:32:51,579 INDIA, A MEMBER OF HIS STAFF WAS STRICKEN IN THEIR HOTEL. LATER, BURNS PERSONALLY ESCORTED THAT STAFF MEMBER TO MEDICAL 264 00:32:51,645 --> 00:32:58,819 EVALUATIONS. IT SEEMS THAT THE DELHI INCIDENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN INTENDED TO SEND YOU A MESSAGE. 265 00:32:58,886 --> 00:33:03,624 >> Burns: I DON'T KNOW. AND AS I SAID, I CAN'T COMMENT ON INDIVIDUAL CASES HERE AS WELL. 266 00:33:03,691 --> 00:33:11,165 ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT EACH STORY I'VE HEARD, EACH OFFICER I'VE MET WITH, WHO'S BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS, JUST 267 00:33:11,232 --> 00:33:17,838 REDOUBLES MY COMMITMENT AND MY DETERMINATION ON THIS ISSUE. I HAVE ENORMOUS FAITH... >> Pelley: BILL BURNS SERVED 268 00:33:17,905 --> 00:33:22,276 FIVE PRESIDENTS AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, RISING TO THE HIGHEST RANK IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE. 269 00:33:22,343 --> 00:33:29,483 HE TOOK OVER C.I.A. FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN LAST SPRING. >> Burns: EARLY ON, I TRIPLED THE NUMBER OF FULL-TIME MEDICAL 270 00:33:29,550 --> 00:33:36,123 PERSONNEL WORKING ON THIS ISSUE. WE STREAMLINED ACCESS TO WALTER REED, ESTABLISHED NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER 271 00:33:36,190 --> 00:33:43,431 WORLD-CLASS MEDICAL PROVIDERS, INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CASE MANAGERS, AND WE'RE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS ON THE INVESTIGATIVE 272 00:33:43,497 --> 00:33:50,404 SIDE AS WELL. >> Pelly: PROGRESS ON THE INVESTIGATIVE SIDE CAME, THIS MONTH, WITH A REPORT ON THE 273 00:33:50,471 --> 00:33:54,308 NATURE OF THE BRAIN INJURY. >> Dr. David Relman: WHAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT NOW... >> Pelley: DR. DAVID RELMAN 274 00:33:54,375 --> 00:34:01,816 HELPED LEAD TWO GOVERNMENT PANELS THAT INVESTIGATED THE INJURIES. HE'S A PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT 275 00:34:01,882 --> 00:34:10,291 STANFORD UNIVERSITY. >> Relman: WHAT WE FOUND WAS, WE THOUGHT, CLEAR EVIDENCE OF AN INJURY TO THE AUDITORY AND 276 00:34:10,357 --> 00:34:22,536 VESTIBULAR SYSTEM OF THE BRAIN. EVERYTHING STARTING WITH THE INNER EAR, WHERE HUMANS PERCEIVE SOUND AND SENSE BALANCE, AND 277 00:34:22,603 --> 00:34:31,111 THEN TRANSLATE THOSE PERCEPTIONS INTO BRAIN ELECTRICAL SIGNALS. >> Pelley: DR. RELMAN'S COMMITTEES FOCUSED ON ONE SUBSET 278 00:34:31,178 --> 00:34:40,454 OF PATIENTS WHOSE EXPERIENCES SEEMED INEXPLICABLE. >> Relman: THIS SUBSET OF CASES HAD A VERY UNUSUAL, SO-CALLED 279 00:34:40,521 --> 00:34:50,130 ACUTE SENSORY EVENT, AN EXPERIENCE THAT CONSISTED OF THE ABRUPT ONSET OF INTENSE PRESSURE OR VIBRATION IN THE FACE OR 280 00:34:50,197 --> 00:34:58,439 HEAD, SOMETIMES WITH THE ABRUPT ONSET OF SOUND. >> Pelley: SOUND, LIKE THAT DESCRIBED BY THE OFFICIALS WHO 281 00:34:58,506 --> 00:35:03,878 SPOKE TO US. >> Unidentified Person: AND THEN THIS, JUST, LOUD SOUND JUST ABSOLUTELY FILLED MY ROOM. 282 00:35:03,944 --> 00:35:11,051 >> Pelley: THIS FORMER OFFICIAL, WHO WE AGREED NOT TO NAME, RECORDED THE SOUND AT HIS HOME IN HAVANA. 283 00:35:11,118 --> 00:35:19,059 BEFORE WE PLAY IT, UNDERSTAND THAT THE SOUND DOES NOT CAUSE THE INJURY. IT IS A BYPRODUCT-- LIKE THE 284 00:35:19,126 --> 00:35:31,205 SOUND OF A GUN, WHICH IS NOT WHAT DOES THE HARM. HERE'S WHAT HE RECORDED. ( TONE ) 285 00:35:31,272 --> 00:35:40,147 >> Pelley: THE INJURED OFFICIALS WE SPOKE WITH SAID THE SOUND, OR A FEELING OF PRESSURE, CAME FROM ONE DIRECTION, AND FOCUSED IN 286 00:35:40,214 --> 00:35:48,422 NE LOCATION. >> Taylor: IT WAS A CONTINUOUS SOUND, AND ONE THAT ONLY CHANGED BASED ON MY LOCATION. 287 00:35:48,489 --> 00:35:54,828 >> Relman: THEY LEFT, IT DISSIPATED. THEY RETURNED, IT RECURRED. THAT TO US WAS SOMETHING THAT 288 00:35:54,895 --> 00:36:04,338 WE HAD NEVER HEARD OF, WE COULD NOT EXPLAIN BY KNOWN MEDICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, AND TO US, DESERVED OUR SPECIAL 289 00:36:04,405 --> 00:36:13,647 ATTENTION IN AN EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MIGHT BE THE PLAUSIBLE MECHANISM. >> Pelley: THAT MECHANISM, 290 00:36:13,714 --> 00:36:20,120 DR. RELMAN'S COMMITTEES CONCLUDED, WAS MOST LIKELY "PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY." IN OTHER WORDS, A FOCUSED BEAM 291 00:36:20,187 --> 00:36:26,393 OF MICROWAVES FIRED FROM A DISTANCE. >> James Benford: I THINK THE BEST EXPLANATION, THE MOST 292 00:36:26,460 --> 00:36:31,298 PLAUSIBLE, IS THAT IT'S A HIGH-POWER MICROWAVE WEAPON. >> Pelley: JAMES BENFORD IS A PHYSICIST AND LEADING AUTHORITY 293 00:36:31,365 --> 00:36:39,106 ON MICROWAVES. HE WAS NOT PART OF THE GOVERNMENT STUDIES, BUT HE CO-WROTE THE BOOK ON MICROWAVE 294 00:36:39,173 --> 00:36:45,346 TRANSMISSION. THESE ARE PORTABLE MICROWAVE TRANSMITTERS OF THE KIND THAT COULD DAMAGE THE TISSUES OF THE 295 00:36:45,412 --> 00:36:53,120 BRAIN. >> Benford: THERE ARE MANY KINDS, AND THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE IN SIZE FROM A SUITCASE ALL THE 296 00:36:53,187 --> 00:36:58,892 WAY UP TO A LARGE TRACTOR- TRAILER UNIT. AND THE BIGGER THE DEVICE, THE LONGER THE RANGE. 297 00:36:58,959 --> 00:37:06,266 >> Pelley: THIS WOULD BE ABLE TO TRANSMIT ITS MICROWAVE ENERGY THROUGH THE WALL OF A VAN, THE WALL OF A HOME, SOMETHING LIKE 298 00:37:06,333 --> 00:37:12,573 THAT? >> Benford: VANS HAVE WINDOWS. MICROWAVES GO THROUGH GLASS. THEY GO THROUGH BRICK. 299 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:18,345 THEY GO THROUGH PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING. >> Pelley: THE TECHNOLOGY, BENFORD TOLD US, HAS BEEN 300 00:37:18,412 --> 00:37:23,884 STUDIED MORE THAN 50 YEARS. >> Benford: IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED WIDELY IN, PERHAPS, A DOZEN COUNTRIES. 301 00:37:23,951 --> 00:37:32,593 THE PRIMARY COUNTRIES ARE THE UNITED STATES, RUSSIA AND CHINA. >> Relman: THE IMPLICATIONS OF A MECHANISM LIKE THAT SUGGEST 302 00:37:32,660 --> 00:37:41,502 SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THE WORLD NOW, INVOLVING THE LOSS OF NORMS. HUMANS WERE AFFECTED IN A 303 00:37:41,568 --> 00:37:48,075 SERIOUS FASHION, AND FOR THAT VERY REASON ALONE, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER. >> Pelley: THE INVESTIGATION IS 304 00:37:48,142 --> 00:37:54,014 ALSO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHO COULD BE BEHIND THIS, AND THEIR MOTIVE. MICROWAVES CAN BE A TOOL FOR 305 00:37:54,081 --> 00:38:03,257 SPIES. SOME DEVICES ARE CAPABLE OF COLLECTING DATA, REMOTELY, FROM PHONES AND COMPUTERS. 306 00:38:03,323 --> 00:38:11,832 WHATEVER IS CAUSING THE BRAIN INJURIES, A C.I.A. INTERIM REPORT LAST MONTH SAID, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A MASSIVE, GLOBAL 307 00:38:11,899 --> 00:38:23,243 CAMPAIGN TO ATTACK AMERICANS. THE INTERIM C.I.A. REPORT LAST MONTH SAID, "WE ASSESS IT UNLIKELY THAT A FOREIGN ACTOR, 308 00:38:23,310 --> 00:38:30,551 INCLUDING RUSSIA, IS CONDUCTING A SUSTAINED, WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN HARMING U.S. PERSONNEL WITH A WEAPON OR A MECHANISM." 309 00:38:30,617 --> 00:38:39,259 DO YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT NO ONE WAS HARMED BY A HOSTILE ACTOR? >> Burns: NOT AT ALL. THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY 310 00:38:39,326 --> 00:38:46,100 ASSESSES NOW THAT THERE'S NOT A SINGLE CAUSE THAT IT WOULD EXPLAIN THE MORE THAN 1,000 INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN 311 00:38:46,166 --> 00:38:54,575 REPORTED SINCE HAVANA IN 2016. WE'VE ALSO NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO LINK A FOREIGN STATE ACTOR OR AN EXTERNAL DEVICE OR MECHANISM TO 312 00:38:54,641 --> 00:39:03,317 ANY OF THOSE CASES. >> Pelley: THIS IS THE WORLD'S PREEMINENT INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO FIGURE 313 00:39:03,383 --> 00:39:10,023 OUT? >> Burns: IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH A WHOLE RANGE OF 314 00:39:10,090 --> 00:39:15,362 INCIDENTS WHICH HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXPLANATIONS FOR THEM AS WELL. IT'S A VERY CHARGED ISSUE, 315 00:39:15,429 --> 00:39:21,802 EMOTIONALLY, AS WELL. I UNDERSTAND THAT VERY CLEARLY. AND THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, MAKES ME EVEN MORE DETERMINED NOT ONLY 316 00:39:21,869 --> 00:39:27,674 TO ENSURE PEOPLE GET THE CARE THAT THEY DESERVE, BUT ALSO THAT WE GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. >> Pelley: FORMER NATIONAL 317 00:39:27,741 --> 00:39:35,249 SECURITY ADVISOR JOHN BOLTON FEARS THERE IS A THREAT TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, GIVEN THE TWO NATIONAL SECURITY 318 00:39:35,315 --> 00:39:43,323 OFFICIALS WHO SAY THEY WERE OVERCOME ON WEST EXECUTIVE AVENUE BY THE WEST WING INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE GATES. 319 00:39:43,390 --> 00:39:50,898 >> Bolton: IF WE WERE AT WAR AND AN ADVERSARY COULD DISABLE THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TOP ADVISORS, OR COMMANDERS IN THE 320 00:39:50,964 --> 00:39:58,772 FIELD, IT COULD RENDER US EXTRAORDINARILY VULNERABLE. WE DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THE THREAT WE'RE FACING. 321 00:39:58,839 --> 00:40:03,977 BUT, I WOULD MUCH RATHER FOCUS ON FINDING OUT THE ANSWER NOW, RATHER THAN FINDING OUT LATER WHEN IT MAY BE TOO LATE. 322 00:40:04,044 --> 00:40:12,252 >> Pelley: FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF OF STAFF MILES TAYLOR SAYS HE BELIEVES HE WAS TARGETED IN TWO 323 00:40:12,319 --> 00:40:18,959 MYSTERIOUS INCIDENTS AT HIS WASHINGTON HOME. >> Taylor: SOMEONE IS TRYING TO SEND US A MESSAGE, THAT THEY CAN 324 00:40:19,026 --> 00:40:29,336 STRIKE BLOWS AGAINST US AND WE CAN'T STRIKE BACK. THAT LINE BEING CROSSED INTO THE UNITED STATES TAKES THIS IN 325 00:40:29,403 --> 00:40:36,076 SOME WAYS JUST SHY OF THE REALM OF WARFARE. >> Pelley: IS THE NATIONAL SECURITY STRUCTURE IN DANGER OF 326 00:40:36,143 --> 00:40:41,648 BEING INCAPACITATED DURING A TIME OF CRISIS? >> Burns: NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE. 327 00:40:41,715 --> 00:40:47,588 >> Pelley: BUT IF PEOPLE ARE BEING OVERCOME ON WEST EXECUTIVE AVENUE, IS THAT AN INDICATION THAT THE WHITE HOUSE AND ITS 328 00:40:47,654 --> 00:40:52,359 GROUNDS ARE NO LONGER SAFE? >> Burns: NO. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S THE CASE. WHAT IT IS AN INDICATION OF, IS 329 00:40:52,426 --> 00:40:59,333 THAT WE NEED TO TAKE EACH OF THESE REPORTED INCIDENTS VERY SERIOUSLY. AND AS A GOVERNMENT-- AND THIS 330 00:40:59,399 --> 00:41:06,340 IS A GOVERNMENT-WIDE EFFORT-- TO POUR THE VERY BEST RESOURCES WE HAVE INTO THIS. >> Pelley: WHAT LINE IS CROSSED 331 00:41:06,406 --> 00:41:12,179 IF A HOSTILE ACTOR IS DOING THIS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.? >> Burns: OH, THAT-- THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY PROFOUND LINE TO BE 332 00:41:12,246 --> 00:41:18,051 CROSSED, IF IN FACT THAT WERE THE CASE; IF WE WERE EVER ABLE TO DEVELOP CONCRETE EVIDENCE THAT THAT WERE THE CASE. 333 00:41:18,118 --> 00:41:25,292 BUT WE DO NOT HAVE EVIDENCE OF THAT AT THIS POINT. >> Pelley: YOU UNDERSTAND HOW FRUSTRATING YOUR COMMENTS MUST 334 00:41:25,359 --> 00:41:32,266 BE TO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM, ON WHAT DAY, AND AT WHAT TIME, AND WHAT 335 00:41:32,332 --> 00:41:42,175 HAPPENED TO THEIR CHILDREN-- AND YET, THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. IS SAYING, WE CAN'T CONNECT THE DOTS; WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH YET. 336 00:41:42,242 --> 00:41:48,916 >> Burns: WE'RE NOT AT A POSITION YET WHERE WE CAN OFFER HARD EVIDENCE THAT WOULD CONNECT ALL THOSE DOTS. 337 00:41:48,982 --> 00:41:52,819 BUT AS I SAID, WE'RE NOT DONE YET. WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. 338 00:41:52,886 --> 00:41:59,960 AND WHAT I'VE SAID DIRECTLY TO A NUMBER OF THOSE OFFICERS IS, MY PROMISE IS THAT I AM ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO EXHAUSTING EVERY 339 00:42:00,027 --> 00:42:08,635 ALTERNATIVE, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE KIND OF ANSWERS THAT WE OWE THEM. >> Pelley: THIS PAST SUMMER IN 340 00:42:08,702 --> 00:42:18,245 GENEVA, PRESIDENT BIDEN RAISED THE ISSUE WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN. THE RUSSIANS DENY THEY'RE 341 00:42:18,312 --> 00:42:26,219 INVOLVED. THE SECRET SERVICE DECLINED TO COMMENT ON WHITE HOUSE SECURITY. THE IRON GATES OF WEST EXECUTIVE 342 00:42:26,286 --> 00:42:34,328 AVENUE, BY THE WEST WING, WENT UP IN 1951 AFTER THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF HARRY TRUMAN. 70 YEARS LATER, THERE IS 343 00:42:34,394 --> 00:42:43,470 EVIDENCE THE GATES MAY HAVE BEEN BREACHED BY AN INVISIBLE THREAT. ( TICKING ) >> THE YOUNGEST VICTIMS: 344 00:42:43,537 --> 00:42:48,241 STORIES OF CHILDREN BELIEVED TO BE AFFECTED BY HAVANA SYNDROME, AT 60minutesovertime.com, 345 00:42:48,308 --> 00:42:51,478 SPONSORED BY COLOGUARD. 346 00:42:55,515 --> 00:43:04,024 ( TICKING ) >> Pelley: I'M SCOTT PELLEY. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH 347 00:43:05,392 --> 00:43:10,530 Captioning funded by CBS and FORD. We go further, so you can. Captioned by 348 00:43:10,597 --> 00:43:14,835 Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org