and for that reason, america knows that we can always count on the coast guard because the coast guard is always ready. [applause] now admiral, will you please step forward so we can formally recognize your accomplishments? military members, attention to award. citation to accompany the award of the homeland security distinguished service medal, gold star to admiral paul. he is cited for extraordinary service to the government of the united states in a position of great responsibility as the 25th commandant of the united states coast guard from may 2014 to may 2018.
many service members left their own homes and families to plunge out of helicopters, wade through perilous waters, care for the wounded and rescue the stranded, of which there were many. your selfless courage has earned the gratitude of our nation. with this ceremony we proudly pass the helm of the united states coast guard to the man who oversaw those emergency operations, admiral carl schultz. admiral. stand up, admiral. [cheering and applause] as commander of the coast guard, atlantic area, admiral schultz took responsibility for the coast guard response across the gulf coast, the atlantic and the caribbean.
incredible career of its 25th commandant admiral paul zukoft. [applause] great job. he has his family here. they are very proud and they should be. paul, i have to tell you on behalf of the american people, i thank you for a lifetime of noble service, congratulations on everything you have achieved. for nearly half a century, 45 years paul has proudly worn the coast guard uniform. that s a long time. you don t look that old. 45 years? [applause] 45 years. how good does he look? 45 years. must be something awfully good happening in the coast guard. in that time he has led every kind of mission and he has never backed down ever, ever,
defends our borders, patrols our waters, protects our cities and keeps our enemies at bay. paul sharpened the coast guard s focus on the western hemisphere, a crucial legacy that will long outlive paul s tenure. this includes greater emphasis on drug interdiction and the formation of historic partnerships to stop this deadly poison that s what it is, poison from reaching our shores and destroying our youth and others. paul also worked tirelessly to protect america s interest in the arctic. his leadership helped launch the arctic coast guard forum and he made a top priority to ensure the united states military can project american might all the way to the poles. one of the first times i met the admiral last year i asked
ceremony and he thanked the admiral recognizing him for his 45 years in the coast guard. he will retire after this and there you have it welcoming in the new commandant. secretary nielsen announced the nomination by president trump in march and again the retired admiral kudos to the coast guard. my sister was in the coast guard. it is an amazing branch of our military. congratulations. absolutely to the admiral and to the new commandant. reports from north korea indicate that kim jong-un has not changed his stance on denuclearization as one of his top aides heads to the white house today to hand deliver a letter to president trump. so what does this all mean for a potential june 12th summit? fox news senior strategic analyst and four star general jack keane joins us now. good morning. the initial reports were that