You said aid to Israel, our number one ally, only democracy in the region,
should end in 2028 and that they should be integrated with their neighbors
>> That's false
>> I have an exact quote.
>> Speaker 2: Vivek Ramaswamy, who of course, is a Republican presidential
candidate, is dealing with a pretty big media effort to essentially crush him.
And what you just saw was Sean Hannity's efforts just last night in
regard regard to Vivek's foreign policy proposals.
And a statement that he had made in regard to the United States and
its financial support of the Israeli government.
Now, earlier this month,
Ramaswamy said the following during an interview with the Washington Free Beacon
and this is what Hannity was asking him about Ramaswamy said, quote.
If we're successful, the true mark of success for the US And
for Israel will be to get to a 2028 where Israel is so
strongly standing on its own two feet integrated into the economic and
security infrastructure of the rest of the Middle East.
That it will not require and be independent will not require and
be dependent on the same level of historical aid or commitment from the US.
And by the way, we do provide quite a bit of money in foreign policy or foreign aid
to Israel with absolutely no strings attached I want to be clear about that.
Let's go to the last three graphics here because I want to give you a sense of what
he's referring to.
So the United States has finalized this is in 2016 under the Obama administration.
At that time, the United States had finalized a $38 billion package
of military aid for Israel over the next ten years.
The package provides an average of $3.8 billion a year over the next decade to
Israel, already the largest recipient of American aid, including financing for
missile defense systems.
And under a previous 10-year agreement that expired in 2018,
the United States provided about $3 billion a year, but lately,
Congress has added up to $500 million a year for missile defense.
And by the way, that wasn't enough for Netanyahu he was actually kind of salty
about the fact that the Obama administration signed off on $38 billion.
He wanted $48 billion I'm sorry,
$45 billion Netanyahu initially sought as much as 45 billion.
So we do provide a lot of aid to Israel, and again, with no strings attached.
Ramaswamy didn't get into that but
I do think that what he's kind of implying here about,
let's get to a place where we don't have to provide as much in foreign aid.
That might be a good idea, but you're not allowed to say that,
as he found out through the press over the last two days.
>> Speaker 3: So, look, two different things here, number one,
if he was going towards saying we should begin to reduce the aid, or
by the way, another way of framing it is the welfare that we give Israel.
And you could frame it that way for Thailand, Greece,
wherever we give aid, you could frame it as essential aid to an ally, or
you could frame it as a giveaway welfare program to people who don't need it.
In the case of Israel, their economy is perfectly good,
their military is by far the largest in the area and the most capable in the area.
So the fact that they don't need it is fairly clear this whole idea of, my God,
it's a hostile region, they obliterated their enemies in that region.
So that would be interesting if he just did that, I'd say, well,
I'm going to give him a little bit of credit for having at least courage to go
in that direction when almost no politician does that.
But he can't help himself he's a slime ball so
there's two different things going on here as you watch these clips.
One is he says anything slight thing against Israel and
the press, including Fox News roars how dare you, right?
That is a rule you cannot violate in American media and
everyone who wants to cry about it can go ahead and cry about it now, but
it's a stone cold fact and everyone knows it.
Okay, but the second thing is how slimy Vivek is,
he does the same old Sam Harris trick, he says one thing and
then he surrounds it in a paragraph where he says other things.
So he can get the attention from the attention grabbing comment,
which is cut funding to Israel, but he surrounds it with language but
not really but actually I want to help Israel more.
And so you can't criticize me for.
>> Speaker 2: You are taking me out of context.
>> Speaker 3: Taking me out of context it's a very old trick.
>> Speaker 2: Look, I have to be honest I think that the initial statement
from Vivek Ramaswamy was not at all controversial I don't even think he
said anything anti Israel.
He's talking about making Israel independent and not reliant on
the United States and the foreign aid that we send to the country every single year.
But that's the thing, the media and
many of our politicians don't want to stop providing that aid right?
In fact,
the person who I think looks the worst in all of this is Nikki Haley hold for that.
But first, let's watch Ramaswamy now take his, I think,
agreeable point and just crush it live on air while talking to Hannity.
>> Speaker 4: What I said is, it would be a mark of success if we ever got to
a point in our relationship with Israel if Israel never needed
the United States as aid and Sean, you know how politics is played.
A lot of the other professional politicians who have been threatened by my
rise have used that statement to say that I would cut off aid to Israel that's not
correct I've been crystal clear.
>> Speaker 1: But do you do you understand the importance of the strategic alliance?
>> Speaker 4: I understand it, I think, more deeply than probably anybody in this
race I've traveled to Israel I have business partners in Israel.
The reality is this by the end of my first term,
our relationship with Israel will be stronger than it ever has been because I
will treat it as a true friendship, not just a transactional relationship.
>> Speaker 1: Why did you say why did you say that Israel should not have
preferential treatment from us?
That's a direct quote >> Sean I understand no,
those are direct quotes from headlines summarized by opposition research fed to
the fake news media the reality is here's what I'm saying.
Abraham Accords 2.0 is my top priority, Abraham Accords 2.0 is my top priority,
which is to get Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar into that pact with Israel.
>> Speaker 2: So Jank, very curious what you think about his handling of that
Hannity grilling in that segment.
>> Speaker 3: Yeah, so look, he doesn't have courage he said that they shouldn't
have preferential treatment if you stick by that, by the way,
the right wing voters would actually reward you.
But instead you can't help yourself I mean, you're going to try to slime your
way out of it because did you notice how he changed the topic?
He said you said Israel shouldn't have preferential treatment well, the reality
is I'm in favor of Abraham Accords 2.0 that wasn't the question, brother.
You obviously changed the topic because you did say that and
there's nothing wrong with you saying that I know that a big part
of the Republican voting base is evangelical Christian.
And by the way, I don't want anybody to get the wrong impression know there's
those awful anti Semitic conspiracy theories, the Jews run the world,
they run America and that's why we give so much money, et cetera.
No, the biggest driving factor is evangelical Christians in America who
think that we need to support Israel because they need to first
have the state and then take over the West Bank.
And destroy the mosque so we can get to Armageddon and everyone dies but
Jesus comes back so they're thrilled that most of us get murdered.
That's the insane plot that Evangelical Christians push no one can actually say
that on air because you sound like an absolute lunatic and a deranged lunatic.
But they have to appeal to that, that's part of what drives this but
I would be shocked if the Republican voters,
even with that factor factored in, were super angry at
the statement of Israel shouldn't have preferential treatment.
But the media is super angry about it.
>> Speaker 2: So angry.
>> Speaker 3: And the media is like, how dare you, look at Hannity saying
of course Israel should have preferential treatment why?
Over Canada, over UK, Norway, over everyone else on the planet no, he's
saying we must be biased in favor of a country that's actually doing pretty well.
Look, I think Israel should have Iron Dome I think we should support Israel but
the question is how do you support Israel?
And is there ever a limit to how many billions of dollars we're going to give
this government, especially given what they're doing in the settlement?
>> Speaker 2: But to me yes, to me,
that is the catch right that is the area where I have the biggest issues.
Because, look, we provide foreign aid to many different countries, but
the fact that the money goes to the right
wing government of Israel with zero strings attached.
Even as they're breaking international laws, even as they're building
illegal settlements, even as they're brutalizing Palestinian people,
ordinary civilians I have a problem with that that is our money.
Where do you think that foreign aid money comes from?
That's our hard earned taxpayer money going to a country that does not care
about the issues we might have about these illegal settlements and
the open air prison that Palestinians are currently living in.
They don't care right, and at the same time, you have our politicians like
Nikki Haley, which you will hear from in just a moment say,
no, Israel doesn't need us, we need Israel.
>> For what?
>> Speaker 2: Do we?
They have universal health care in Israel Universal health care we don't have
universal health care here in the United States.
We have Americans literally dying because they're denied health treatments.
They deny themselves the health care treatments they need because they don't
want to put their family in bankruptcy.
That is what we're dealing with here in the United States,
you're telling me that we need Israel?
If we're the ones who need Israel,
why are we sending them billions of dollars every year anyway?
>> Speaker 3: Yeah, why don't they send us money if we're in such dire need of their
benevolent help?
>> Speaker 2: No, Nikki Haley set me off,
we're going to get to that in a moment I'm jumping ahead of myself, I apologize for
that but I do want to get to one other video.
This is a different show on Fox,
essentially going against Ramaswamy over this Israel issue let's watch.
>> Speaker 4: By the end of my first term, our relationship with Israel will be
stronger than it ever has been because I will treat it as a true friendship,
not just a transactional relationship.
>> Speaker 3: I don't get it >> He's wrong about all that foreign
policy stuff it's that easy.
>> Speaker 2: Andrea Mitchell also interviewed him today, and same line,
same issues.
Very, very upset with his foreign policy, which, again, by the way, he has other
foreign policy proposals having to do with China and Taiwan and Russia
that I think are incredibly naïve and he hasn't really thought through clearly.
This is not me supporting Ramaswamy at all, this is me making a point about
how the media, almost like in an orchestrated effort,
tries to crush someone over raising concerns that,
in my opinion, should be raised especially in regard to Israel.
>> Speaker 3: So, guys, what do we tell you all the time?
The culture wars are a distraction, so they get you to fight one another right
but whenever it's something that affects the powerful and the establishment.
All of a sudden, MSNBC and Fox News agree, and that's Andrea Mitchell's on MSNBC,
these guys are on Fox News, and they all agree.
You must bow your head to Israel you must and if you don't, we're going to bury so
and if Vivek had any courage at all, if he had 1oz of courage, then I'd say,
look, I hate the guy in every other respect, but I respect this.
But no, he's just constantly trying to slime his way out of yeah,
I don't maybe we should cut off aid but no, I love Israel more than anyone.
>> Speaker 2: He doesn't even by the way, let me just be clear he never even said,
let's cut off aid.
He said, we will know we have succeeded once we get to a point where Israel is
self sufficient, where they're independent, and
they're no longer reliant on foreign aid from the United States.
>> Speaker 3: And that set off the entire American media how dare you?
We will give welfare to Israel for all of eternity sorry,
I don't agree given the brutality of the settlements let those people go and
then we're having a conversation, but I don't know why.
I mean, you won't talk about America first none of this is America first at all Not
1% so why are you lying to Republican voters, Fox News?
Why are you lying to them that you're in favor of America first?
No, Sean Hannity just told you Israel first, America second.
>> Speaker 2: Now, in response to some of the attacks that Vivek Ramaswamy has been
getting from the media, and also from Nikki Haley, on his campaign website,
he posted the following, first there was this headline.
Vivek doesn't support Israel with a clown emoji right like,
clowning the people who say that.
>> Speaker 3: Yeah he's like, I love Israel, congratulations,
Vivek you're an ass kisser just like everyone else.
>> Speaker 2: Then he made reference to Nikki Haley and
the name that she was given at birth, which she has since kind of Americanized.
We've talked about that on the show in the past here's what he said.
Because, again, Nikki Haley has been attacking him for the same reason.
Wrong keep lying Nimarata Randhawa by the end of Vivek's first term,
the US Israel relationship will be deeper and stronger than ever,
because it won't be a client relationship, it will be a true friendship.
Most importantly, he won't cut aid to Israel until
Israel tells the United States that it no longer needs the aid.
Don't believe the opponent's lies that he wants to cut aid to Israel, which makes
zero sense as a foreign policy priority anytime in the foreseeable future.
Now, Nimarata is Nikki Haley's first name her real
first name her last name changed after she got married.
Her husband's last name is Haley, so her maiden name is Randhawa, and so
I don't know why it's so offensive for him to bring up her actual birth name.
I don't think there's anything wrong with that I don't think that her name is a bad
name I mean, that's her culture and her background what's wrong with that?
>> Speaker 3: We know exactly what's wrong with it, they're in the Republican Party,
and the Republican Party will hate it if they find out she's Indian I guarantee you
tons of them have no idea that Nikki Haley's Indian.
Remember, Bobby, first of all, the names are not a problem, a lot of Indians
in America take Americanized names like Bobby Jindal, Bobby's a very common
name because it's similar to a name in their language, right, etc.
And she got married to a guy named Haley so her being Nikki Haley,
I've got zero issue with it perfectly normal right.
But he's emphasizing that you're hiding your real identity,
which happens on the Republican side from time to time.
For example, when Bobby Jindal ran for
president, his slogan was, tanned, rested, and ready.
>> My God >> Brother, you aren't tanned,
you're Indian okay, and so Nikki Haley is constantly skirting that issue,
and he's calling her out on that.
And of course she's going to catch feelings over,
don't tell any Republicans I'm a minority they'll never vote for me.
But to be fair to Vivek, his name is Vivek Ramaswamy, and
he's not running from it, and he's actually picking up popularity.
>> Speaker 2: He is.
>> Speaker 3: So I think that the Nikki Haleys and the Bobby Jindals of the world
maybe assume that Republican voters are more racist than they actually are,
which is an amazing assumption.
>> Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a good point now,
Nikki Haley did not take kindly to that message on Ramaswamy's website, so she was
asked about it during an interview, this is what set me off, let's watch.
>> Speaker 5: I'm not going to get involved in these childish name games it's
pretty pathetic first of all, I was born with Nikki on my birth certificate I
was raised as Nikki, I married a Haley, and so that is what my name is.
So he can say or misspell or do whatever he wants, but he can't step away from
the fact that, look, he's the one that said he was going to abandon Israel,
those were his words now he's wanting to walk it back.
And the reality is you have to understand the importance of our allies and
those relationships.
>> Speaker 2: And then she went on to say that the United States needs Israel more
than Israel needs the United States, and
as a tax paying American citizen, that infuriated me.
As a tax paying American citizen who sees my fellow Americans without health
insurance giving their hard earned money to the right wing government of Israel
that provides universal health care to its citizens set me off a little bit,
just a little bit.
>> Speaker 3: Yeah, look,
I don't know why the media does it I know why the politicians kiss Israel's ass.
Because the lobby that are attached to Israel, like APAC and
Democratic majority for Israel are enormously powerful, and
they spend tons of money to defeat you if you speak out against them.
Anyone who denies that or calls someone anti Semitic for
stating that obvious, overwhelming fact is full of crap, okay and
they are kowtowing, they're cowards, etc.
So I know why the politicians do it, I know why the Evangelical base matters to
Republicans trying to pick up their vote, why the media is obsessed with proving
their obsequious fawning of Israel, and how we should never be fair to anyone.
We should put Israel above everyone else in the world, including America I don't
know why they do it, and I think it's disgusting, I think it makes no sense.
And the minute Vivek said anything about Israel, you remember on the debate stage,
who jumped down his throat first?
Nikki Haley how dare you say that about Israel?
And I said right afterwards, that's it, the press is going to love her, and
what happened immediately after the debate?
Nikki Haley won, Nikki Haley's the best it's probably connected to defense
contractors and in the Hannity interview, he also brought up Ukraine, and
Hannity was like, we have to give them more money.
More money we have to have more defenses to build up against Russia and China.
So it's probably related to defense contractors getting super rich
off of this and spreading that large s to the powerful in Washington but
no deal so there's no winners here.
The press definitely attacking Ramaswamy here, not coordinated,
because they don't have to talk about it it's groupthink, right?
But they're all attacking him at the same time because the foreign policy
establishment, the defense contractors, the Israeli lobby are upset and
have told them he must be destroyed.
And Vivek doesn't help his cause by sliming all over the place and
never actually clarifying what his actual position is show some strength, but
that's not what he's doing here at all.