Saudi Arabia takes ACTION to prevent escalation in Red Sea

? JACQUI: TREY YINGST IN TEL AVIV, THANK YOU. OKAY, FOR MORE, TENNESSEE. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY IS A MEMBER. OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS. COMMITTEE. SENATOR, THANK YOU AS MUCH FOR. JOINING US THIS MORNING. FOLLOWING TREY'S REPORTING, WANT. TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE. DEVELOPMENTS FROM OVERNIGHT. BECAUSE WE HAD EARLIER THIS. WEEK, AS MARC THIESSEN ARGUED IN. A PIECE IN "THE WASHINGTON. POST", A SIMILAR SITUATION WHERE. THE PRESIDENT WAS POISED TO. LAUNCH ATTACKS LAST WEEKEND, PULLED BACK WHEN HE HEARD THAT. IRAN WAS POISED TO MAKE A DEAL.

AND THEN THE RESPONSE WAS. IRANIAN STRIKES ON OUR BASE IN. JORDAN. YOU HEARD PRESIDENT GET PRETTY. MAD ABOUT THAT AT CAMP DAVID AS. TREY PLAYED THAT SOUND IN HIS. REPORTING. WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES THIS. TIME CAN DIFFERENT? >> WELL, JACQUI, I THINK WE'LL. SEE. I'LL SAY THIS, WHAT MAKES IT. EACH TIME IS THE FACT THAT WE. CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE. STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE AND IRAN'S. STRATEGIC CAPABILITIES CONTINUE. TO DEGRADE. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM THE. MILITARY STANDPOINT, NOW WE HAVE.

OTHER NEIGHBORS IN THE REGION. JOINING US, DEALING --. MILITARILY, DEALING WITH IRAN. THAT IS, I THINK, QUITE. CONCERNING TO THE IRANIAN REGIME. ARE. IT SHOULD BE. THE OTHER ASPECT, JACQUI, IS THE. FACT THAT THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. THAT SECRETARY BESSENT AND HIS. TEAM HAVE BEEN IMPOSING HAVING A. DRAMATIC EFFECT ON THE IRANIAN. ECONOMY. THEIR ECONOMY IS SHUT OFF, SHUT. DOWN. THE MILITARY COMPONENT IS BEING. DEVASTATED, IT HAS BEEN. AND NOW WE HAVE OTHER PLAYERS IN. THE REGION JOINING THE UNITED. STATES TO DEAL WITH IRAN IN A.

WAY THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN. BEFORE. SO I'M CERTAINLY OPTIMISTIC. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING TO MAKE. CERTAIN THAT AT THE END THE GOAL. IS ACCOMPLISHED. THAT IS, NO NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. FOR IRAN. I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE SOONER. RATH RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE. EVERYTHING TURNS AROUND IN THE. POLLS ONCE AMERICA IS ON TOP AND. THE WINNER. JACQUI: YOU REFERENCED ALLIES IN. THE REGION. THE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE CALLED. THE PRESIDENT YESTERDAY TO.

DISCOURAGE ANY ESCALATION HERE. LAST WEEK THEY HAD GATHERED. 40-PLUS COUNTRIES TO TRY TO PUT. TOGETHER A MARITIME DEFENSE. COALITION. THEY'RE VERY WORRIED ABOUT A. POTENTIAL SECOND FRONT IN THE. RED SEA AFTER THE HOUTHIS. DECLARED A NAVAL BLOCKADE THERE. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS. DOESN'T TURN INTO A BIGGER. SITUATION. IN YOUR MIND, WHY IS THAT. HAPPENING, YOU KNOW? ARE THE MILITARY STOCK IS PILE. CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT. A FACTOR AT ALL IN THIS? >> JACQUI, I THINK YOU RAISE AN. IMPORTANT POINT, AND THAT IS. THAT IRAN WOULD LIKE TO.

DESTABILIZE THE ENTIRE REGION. BECAUSE THEY'D LIKE TO CONTROL. THE ENTIRE REGION. THE FACT IS NEIGHBORS ARE. STEPPING UP AND REALIZING THEY. HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY HERE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE MOST. IMMEDIATELY IMPACTED AND, FRANKLY, GIVEN IRAN'S MILITARY. ATTACKS ON EVERYBODY IN THE. NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT'S BECOME. PAINFULLY CLEAR. I WELCOME THE FACT THAT THESE. NATIONS ARE STEPPING UP, THAT. THEY'RE JOINING US, AND I THINK. THIS IS GOING TO BE A REGIONAL. SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM THAT'S. BEEN VERY SPECIFIC FOR 47 YEARS, I THINK WE GET THERE MUCH MORE.

RAPIDLY WITH ALLIES LIKE SAUDI. ARABIA STEPPING INTO THE FRAY. AND WORKING ARM IN ARM WITH US. AGAIN, THE SOON ISER WE CAN PUT. TO CONCLUSION, THE BETTER. EVERYBODY WILL BE IN THE WORLD. JACQUI: OKAY. MARC THIESSEN'S PIECE CALLED. THIS NEGOTIATIONS AND THEN TALKS. ABOUT A DEAL AND IRANIAN. VIOLATIONS, A STRATEGIC. CUL-DE-SAC. AND HE PUT A LOT OF BLAME ON THE. VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLICLY. PROMOTING THE VIEW THAT IT IS. NOT IN THE 'INTERESTS TO RE--. THE U.S.' INTERESTS TO REENGAGE.

IN COMBAT. I WANT TO PLAY AN EXAMPLE, LISTEN HERE. >> WHAT IS IN OUR INTEREST? HOW IS IT IN THE UNITED STATES. EAU INTEREST TO HAVE 94 MILLION. PEOPLE DESPERATE PEOPLE FLOODING. INTO EUROPE, FLOODING INTO THE. UNITED STATES, TO HAVE, YOU. KNOW, SORT OF THE TERRORIST. INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN GET. ESTABLISHED WHEN YOU FAN. TERRORISTS ALL OVER THE WORLD? WE'VE RUN THIS EXPERIMENT. BEFORE. JACQUI: THIESSEN WRITES IN HIS. PIECE, BY ELEVATING THE DEAL AS. A DEFINITION OF VICTORY, VANCE.

HAS GIVEN IRAN A VETO OVER. AMERICA'S ABILITY TO DECLARE. VICTORY. ALL IT HAS TO DO IS REFUSE TO. AGREE, WHICH IT'S DOING. PERHAPS IT'S TIME FOR THE. PRESIDENT TO TAKE THE ADVICE OF. THOSE WHO HAVE DELIVERED HIM. SUCCESS IN IRAN, NOT THOSE OF. VANCE WHO HAS FAILED HIM. OBVIOUSLY, THE PRESIDENT IS. CHOOSING TO GO ALONG WITH IT. WHY DO YOU THINK HE KEEPS, YOU. KNOW, TAKING ANOTHER LAP ON THE. FERRIS WHEEL, SO TO SPEAK? >> YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A. VERY HARSH CRITICISM.

AND AS YOU TAKE ANY COMMENT OUT. OF CONTEXT, YOU CAN WIND UP. SAYING WHAT KIND OF ADVICE IS. THE PRESIDENT GETTING. THE PRESIDENT TAKES ADVICE FROM. MULTIPLE SOURCES. I'M TO HORNED -- HONORED OF THE. FACT THAT HE REACHES OUT TO ME. FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT HE'S. CONSTANTLY ABSORBING. INFORMATION, CONSTANTLY TRYING. TO DEAL WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES. ON THE GROUND. AND THERE ARE, ISES --. CONSIDERATIONS HERE THAT ARE. VERY REAL. THE PRESIDENT NEEDS TO HEAR ALL. OF THEM. THE ONE PERSON THE PRESIDENT. CANNOT FIRE, WILL NOT FIRE THE.

OTHER PERSON WHO STOOD ALONGSIDE. THE PRESIDENT, ELECTED, VICE. PRESIDENT VANCE. HE'S TOLD ME THAT HE NEEDS TO. SOUND OUT EVERY CONCERN THAT. COULD POSSIBLY EXIST, AND I. THINK YOU SEE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF. IT RIGHT HERE. AT THE END OF THE DAY THOUGH, JACQUI, WE HOLD THE STRATEGIC. ADVANTAGE. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN. INCREDIBLY CLEAR HE WILL NOT. ALLOW THE IRANIAN REGIME TO HAVE. NUCLEAR CAPACITY. AND I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP'S. PATIENCE HAS WORN QUITE THIN. SO THIS CURRENT CEASEFIRE, WE'RE. AT THE VERGE OF BEING READY TO.

UNVEIL AND UNLEASH A TREMENDOUS. AMOUNT OF POWER ON IRAN. THEY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO. THIS, AND THEY NEED TO PAY. ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT OTHER. NEIGHBORS IN THE REGION ARE. STANDING SHOULD SHOULDER SHOW. SHOULDER WITH US RIGHT NOW. JACQUI: OKAY. I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON. SOME SENATE BUSINESS THIS WEEK. THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN TRYING TO. PUSH A NUMBER OF THINGS THROUGH. THE RECESSION. THERE WAS A SPAT THIS WEEK WITH. TILLIS AND CORNYN OVER THIS. ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND, HOLDING. UP BLANCHE'S CONFIRMATION AS. ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE WANTS THIS.

FUND AFTER ALL, AND HE'S GOING. TO TRY TO PUSH IT THROUGH IN. CONGRESS. TILLIS RESPONDED SAYING DESPITE. COMMENTS YESTERDAY THAT THE FUND. IS DEAD, PRESIDENT TRUMP CLEARLY. INTENDS TO RESURRECT THIS PAYOUT. POT FOR PUNKS. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT TODD. BLANCHE, WHO I CONSIDER. QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB, WILL NOT. BE CONFIRMED BECAUSE OF THIS. REVERSAL. HOPEFULLY WE CAN RESOLVE THIS BY. TUESDAY. IT'S THAT LAST LINE THAT TOOK ME. BY SURPRISE. IS TUESDAY REALISTIC FOR ANY OF. THESE ISSUES HERE? >> WELL, I KNOW CHUCK GRASSLEY'S.

BEEN WORKING HARD TO GET BOTH. SENATOR TILLIS AND SENATOR. CORNYN TO A PLACE OF COMFORT. BUT I ALSO SAY THIS, I. WHOLEHEARTEDLY DISAGREE WITH THE. NOTION THAT THIS IS SOMETHING. THAT'S UNDESERVED. THE BIDEN DOJ DID ATTACK MANY. PEOPLE, SEVERAL PEOPLE ON MY. STAFF WERE TARGETED AND. WEAPONIZED BY THE DOJ. THEIR PARENTS HAD TO SPEND. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN LEGAL. FEES TO DEAL WITH PENNY --. WEAPONIZATION AT THE DOJ. PERSONALLY, I WAS THE FIRST IN. THE SENATE TO SAY I WOULD TO NOT.

SEEK ANY RECOMPENSE EVEN THOUGH. THEY TOOK MY PHONE RECORDS, JACK. SMITH AND HIS TEAM, UNDER THE. BIDEN DOJ. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR. COMPENSATION, BUT I DO THINK. JUSTICE NEEDS TO BE SERVED HERE, AND TO SAY THE WEAPONIZATION. FUND IS JUST EVIDENCE THAT. SOMETHING VERY, VERY BAD DID. HAPPEN. THERE SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABILITY. HOWEVER THAT TAKES FORM. I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO. JUST SWEEP THIS UNDER THE RUG. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE AN. ACKNOWLEDGMENT. I'M WILLING TO ACCEPT TODD. BLANCHE'S TO WORD THAT THIS FUND. WILL NOT BE PUT INTO NOTION.

I THINK HE'S A VERY QUALIFIED. NOMINEE, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD. TO GETTING HIM CONFIRMED. JACQUI: AND, FINALLY, ON THE. SAVE AMERICA ACT, OBVIOUSLY, THE. PRESIDENT PUSHING VERY STRONGLY. FOR THIS. HE WAS ASKED IF HE STILL THINKS. THUNE IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB. HE'S BEEN UNABLE TO GET IT. THROUGH. THUNE SHOT BACK SAYING HE MUST. BE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT FORM. OF MATH IF HE BELIEVES THERE ARE. THE VOTES FOR THIS. ASIDE FROM THE OPEN QUESTION. OVER WHETHER THIS CAN GO. ANYWHERE, IN YOUR MIND IS IT, I. GUESS, HELPFUL FOR REPUBLICANS. TO HAVE THIS HOME TURF FIGHTING.

SUCKING UP THE OXYGEN RATHER. THAN SORT OF SELLING THE. REPUBLICAN AGENDA THIS CLOSE TO. THE MIDTERMS? >> WELL, JACQUI, I THINK THE. RESPONSE THAT YOU HEARD HAS TO. DO WITH THE FACT WE'VE GOT 50. REPUBLICANS OR MORE THAT ARE. WILLING TO PUSH THIS THROUGH, BUT WE NEED MORE DEMOCRATS TO. GET TO 60 IF WE'RE GOING TO PASS. IT AS IT STANDS. WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON IS THE. RECONCILIATION PROJECT. LINDSEY GRAHAM WAS WORKING ON. THIS, BLESS HIS HEART, BUT WE.

CAN DELIVER A RECONCILIATION. BILL. THIS IS NOT AN EASY SITUATION. WHEN YOU HAVE GOT EVERY DEMOCRAT. IN THE SENATE POSED TO ELECTION. INTEGRITY. I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASKING. WHY THEY'RE DOING THIS, WHAT'S. THEIR UNDERLYING MOTIVE. AT THE SAME TIME, I'M TO READY. TO STAY HERE AND GET THIS DONE. WE DO HAVE A VEHICLE THAT'S. UNDER CONSIDERATION THAT I THINK. WE CAN GET SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS. OF THE SAVE AMERICA PASSED. JACQUI: YOU'RE WILLING TO STAY.

HERE, MEANING PUSH OFF RECESS. THEN? >> WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET. THIS ACCOMPLISHED. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC EXPECTS US. TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. JACQUI: OKAY. SENATO.