Defense Secretary Ash Carter says he was n't irritated last month when Vice President Joe Biden groped his wife Stephanie 's shoulders at his swearing in ceremony . Carter says he found the episode rather funny . 'Oh , I laughed . I laughed , ' a smiling Carter told Today 's Savannah Guthrie . 'They know each other extremely well . We 're great friends of the Bidens . ' The first interview of his tenure as Pentagon chief , it was the first time Carter had spoken out about the incident that had even President Barack Obama mocking his No . 2 . Scroll down for video . Defense Secretary Ash Carter , center , claims he was n't irritated last month when Vice President Joe Biden groped his wife Stephanie 's shoulders at his swearing in ceremony . The NBC interview with Today 's Savannah Guthrie followed Carter on a plane back to his alma mater , Abington Senior High in Abington , Pennsylvania , and covered a range of serious , and in the case of Biden , light-hearted issues that have arisen during his first six weeks on the job at the Pentagon . 'Joe rubs my shoulders , too , ' the president said earlier this month during the Gridiron Clubs annual dinner , which traditionally features politicians roasting each other and their colleagues . The awkward moment has become fodder for Biden 's opponents as well , with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus telling a gathering of conservative activists that the gaffe-prone vice president should n't be elevated to the Oval Office because he 'ca n't control his mouth - or his hands . ' Carter chuckled as Guthrie asked him in the Monday interview about Biden 's shoulder groping moment as they walked the halls of his alma mater , where he was to give a speech on the future of the military later that day . The NBC interview followed Carter on a plane back to his Pennsylvania high school , Abington Senior High , and covered a range of serious , and in the case of Biden , light-hearted issues that have arisen during his first six weeks on the job as defense secretary . Carter backed the president 's stance toward Iran , which has until today to make a deal with an international coalition of countries before the White House pursues other , less diplomatic options . 'If there is a good agreement to have , obviously it 's worth waiting for and completing the negotiations , ' Carter told Gurthrie . When it comes to the war against ISIS in Iraq , the president 's chief military strategist said it 's 'too early to say ' we 're winning . But ' I 'm confident we will win , ' he added . The awkward moment between Carter 's wife Stephanie and VP has become fodder for Biden 's opponents , with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus telling a gathering of conservative activists last month that the gaffe-prone vice president should n't be elevated to the Oval Office because he 'ca n't control his mouth - or his hands ' Carter says he found the episode rather funny . 'Oh , I laughed . I laughed , ' a smiling Carter told Today 's Savannah Gutherie . 'They know each other extremely well . We 're great friends of the Bidens ' Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy . Mum was the word on Bowe Bergdahl , the missing soldier whose freedom was secured last year when the president OK 'd the release of five Taliban commanders . After a months-long review of Bergdhal 's disappearance , the Army announced last week that it would charge the Afghanistan veteran with desertion , a crime that could lead to jail time . ' I really do n't want to get into that , ' Carter told Guthrie , citing the ongoing investigation . 'We do have a principle that we bend over backward in favor of trying to return an American service member . ' While he publicly supports the president 's position on major foreign policy and national security issues , Carter insisted that he 's more than a yes man . ' I never think about whether he 's going to like what I say . I only think about whether what I 'm saying to him makes sense , ' Carter said , admitting that there 's been at least one time already where they did not see eye to eye .
'Oh , I laughed . '"