Trump weighs 'MAJOR MOVE' against Iran

YESTERDAY, RIGHT ON COUCH, IT'S. AN IMPORTANT STORY. >>> MEANWHILE, TO THE MIDDLE. EAST WE GO. PRESIDENT TRUMP WARNING THE U.S. COULD SOON TARGET IRAN'S PICKAXE. MOUNTAIN AS THE TWO SIDES. CONTINUE TO BUTT HEADS OVER A. DEAL TO END THE FIGHTING. CHARLIE: MADELEINE RIVERA JOINS. US WITH DETAILS. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT TRUMP. IS BACKING UP VICE PRESIDENT. VANCE'S CLAIM THAT THE CONFLICT. IN IRAN IS NOT A WAR BECAUSE THE. STRIKES HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT. HE CALLED IT SMALL POTATOES, BUT. HE SAID THE U.S. IS ALSO. CONSIDERING TARGETING A URANIUM.

ENRICHMENT FACILITY IN IRAN. WHICH WOULD BE A MAJOR MOVE. >> WE MAY HIT PICKAXE VERY SOON. BECAUSE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING. GOING ON WITH PICK AUKES. BUT -- PICKAXE. BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LEADING IN SPACE. NOW BY A LOT. WE KNOW EVERYBODY THAT'S MOVING. AT PICKAXE. WE KNOW EVERYBODY THAT'S MOVING. EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER IRAN. AND IF ANYTHING GOES BALD, WE. HIT 'EM. WE HIT 'EM HARD. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT TRUMP. HAS IN THE PAST THREATENED. ACTION AGAINST PICKAXE MOUNTAIN.

THE HEAVILY FORTIFIED NUCLEAR. SITE IS BURIED DEEP UNDERGROUND. "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" HAD. REPORTED ISRAEL BELIEVES IRAN. MAY HAVE MOVED NUCLEAR. CENTRIFUGES INTO THE MOUNTAIN, BUT THE PRESIDENT SAYS THEY DO. NOT HAVE IT ON THE RECORD. BESIDES PICKAXE MOUNTAIN, THE. PRESIDENT SAID, THE U.S. REMAINS. FOCUSED ON THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. EVENTUALLY HE SAYS THE WATERWAY. WON'T BE AS CRUCIAL AS MORE. PIPELINES ARE BUILT OVER LAND. >> A LOT OF ALTERNATIVES ARE. BEING MADE TO THE HORMUZ STRAIT. THE HORMUZ STRAIT IS NOT WHAT IT.

USED TO BE. IRAN IS GOING TO END UP, IF THEY. DON'T GET SMART, REALLY SMART --. WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ABLE TO. DO THAT -- BUT THEY'RE GOING TO. END UP WITH A HORMUZ STRAIT. THAT'S NOT VERY NECESSARY. ANYMORE. PIPELINES ARE BEING BUILT ALL. OVER THE MIDDLE EAST NOW SO THEY. DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE. HORMUZ STRAIT. >> Reporter: TREASURY. SECRETARY SCOTT BESSENT PULSING. FORTH A TERRIBLE -- PUTTING. FORTH A POTENTIAL TIMELINE. SAYING THE STRAIT COULD BE A. WORTHLESS PIECE OF WATER WITHIN. TWO YEARS. CHARLIE, RACHEL AND GRIFF.

GRIFF: ALL RIGHT, MADDIE, THANKS. VERY MUCH. A LOT OF EYES ON WHAT HAPPENS IN. THE MIDDLE EAST. AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE WELL KNOW, IF IRAN WAR IS NOT POPULAR WITH. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE. PRESIDENT TRUMP FOCUS ON TRYING. TO HAVE AN ULTIMATELY. GAME-CHANGING AT LEAST FOR, CERTAINLY, THE MIDDLE EAST. SCENARIO AND YOU LOOK AT HIM NOT. ONLY CONTINUING TO SAY THAT HE. WON'T HESITATE TO USE THESE. STRIKES WHEN NEEDED, BUT ALSO. THE ECONOMIC PRESSURE, THE.

ECONOMIC PRESSURE IN IRAN EVEN. THOUGH WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT. IT ON ANY GIVEN DAY IS STILL. VERY, VERY REAL IN IRAN WITH. THE, YOU KNOW, CURRENCY IS SO. DEVALUED. IT'S LIKE TWO MILLION RIAL TO. ONE U.S. DOLLAR. AND YOU SEE SECRETARY BESSENT. CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OTHER. COUNTRIES THAT DO BUSINESS WITH. IRAN TO GET THEM TO START DOING. IT. RACHEL: SOME PEOPLE ALSO. BRINGING UP THE ECONOMIC IMPACT. OF ALL OF THIS ON CHINA. OF COURSE, CHINA SUFFERING. ECONOMICALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE. NOT ABLE TO GET THE OIL AND THE.

GAS THAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY GET. FROM IRAN. AND, OF COURSE, IF THEY WERE TO, AS YOU SAID, THE ECONOMIC. SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO HURT IRAN, THAT CERTAINLY DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. ON THE BIG, GRANDER SORT OF. GEOPOLITICAL SCALE FOR CHINA. THAT SAID, THE PRESIDENT SAYING, HEY, WE'RE UP IN SPACE. WE CAN SEE PICKAXE MOUNTAIN. WE CAN DO MORE DAMAGE. AND THAT CERTAINLY COULD BE. TRUE. OF COURSE, OTHER PEOPLE SAYING.

DO WE WANT TO ESCALATE THIS WAR. AND THEN WHERE DOES IT GO FROM. THERE, BECAUSE THE NEXT STEP. WOULD BE GROUND TROOPS AND AND. THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT POPULAR. WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO I THINK WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO. SEE IS, YOU KNOW, AN END TO. THIS. AND SO, YEAH, THE THREAT IS OUT. THERE, BUT WILL THAT THREAT IF. IT'S FOLLOWED THROUGH ACTUALLY. END IT QUICKER, OR WILL IT. ACTUALLY ESCALATE IT WHICH IS, I. DON'T THINK, VERY POPULAR. CHARLIE: YEAH. IT IS REMARKABLE WHEN YOU TALK.

ABOUT THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, ECONOMIC. SANCTIONS DO AT LEAST SOME. DEGREE WORK BOTH WAYS. THIS IS A DRAG ON OUR ECONOMY, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW WELL. THE ECONOMY'S DOING, IMAGINE HOS. ONCE PRESIDENT TRUMP. ACCOMPLISHES WHAT HE WANTS.