Nashville Standard

NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s approach to Iran, Vice President Kamala Harris's alignment with pro-Hamas Democrats, and strategies for restraining Iran’s influence.

Hagerty criticized the current administration's policies towards Iran: “The Biden-Harris Administration had basically pursued a policy of appeasement since the day Donald Trump stepped out of office. You know, Larry, when you and I worked together for President Trump, we helped impose the maximum pressure campaign on Iran that literally took them out of business and stopped all of this terror in the Middle East. President Trump was able to take out Soleimani. We were able to deliver peace throughout the region. As soon as Biden came in, he starts this appeasement process, playing both sides of everything. And now, instead of speaking from a position of strength, we’re looking to see what Iran does? It’s unbelievable.”

Addressing Vice President Harris's stance within her party, Hagerty stated: “There’s a very simple and regrettable reason, and that’s because Vice President Harris is very much appeasing the Hamas left in her own party, the pro-Hamas left in the Democratic party. They’re focused on what’s happening in Michigan and in Minnesota. That’s what’s happening right now. That’s why Joe Biden can’t be deliberative. He can’t be thoughtful. All he does is react in a knee-jerk way. And again, they try to play both sides to appease everybody in the process, making the entire region a catastrophe.”

On describing Iran as a "paper tiger" nation: “Yes. I think Iran actually is a ‘paper tiger,’ though. That’s why they rely on terror. That’s why they rely on proxies. You know, they’re talking big game right now. When President Trump was in office, we took out Soleimani. Iran couldn’t respond; they didn’t. But now what they’re trying to do is draw the United States into this, draw other western nations into this, and argue the ceasefire deal must be accepted by Israel."

Hagerty concluded with his views on how best to restrain Iranian influence: “Well, I think the best way to restrain Iran is for the United States to speak from a position of strength... We need a strong economy; we need a strong military and speak for strength.”