LAFFER AS WELL AS SENIOR TRUMP
POLICY ADVISOR STEPHEN MILLER.
FIRST WE GO TO WAR FEVER WITH
THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE, NOW AN AMERICA
FIRST INSTITUTE SECURITY
ADVISOR.
WE WELCOME BACK JOHN RATCLIFFE.
I DON’T GET IT AT ALL IT ALL
COMES CRASHING DOWN TODAY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS HAPPENING?
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US?
>> LARRY, THESE REPORTS AS YOU
INDICATED, ARE COMING IN FAST
AND FURIOUS.
THE FIRST THING I WHAT SAY TO
FOLKS FROM AN INTELLIGENCE
STANDPOINT.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW IS WHETHER
ALL OF THIS IS GOOD, HONEST
INTELLIGENCE.
ININ OTHER WORDS IT’S POSSIBLE
SOME OF IT IS WHAT RUSSIANS
WANTED WESTERN INTELLIGENCE TO
PICK UP ABOUT ACTIVITY TO TRY
AND SOFTEN THE WESTERN COUNTRIES
IN TERMS OF CONCESSIONS THEY
MIGHT BE WILLING TO MAKE TAKEN
IN EFFORT AT BRINKSMANSHIP.
WE DON’T KNOW IF ALL OF THIS IS
BEING ASSESSED WITH LOW TO
MODERATE TO HIGH CONFIDENCE.
BUT I SUSPECT IT’S PROBABLY
GOOD, HONEST INTELLIGENCE.
MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR
A LONG TIME THAT WE THOUGHT THE BENEFITS TO VLADIMIR PUTIN
BENEFITS TO VLADIMIR PUTIN
TAKING THIS ACTION WOULDOUT WOUL
OUTWEIGH THE COST THAT THE WEST
WOULD BE WILLING TO IMPOSE ON
HIM.
WE’LL SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.
BUT, LARRY, I GO BACK TO THE
FIRST INTERVIEW I DID WITH YOU
MANI’ MANY, MANY MONTHS A --
MANY, MANY MONTHS AGO.
THE FIRST THING YOU ASKED ME
ABOUT THE BUILDUP OF RUSSIAN
TROOPS AND POSSIBLE INVASION
INTO UKRAINE, YOU KEPT SAYING
WHY WOULD THEY SAY IF?
WHY DON’T WE SANCTION THEM NOW.
MANY THOUGHT THIS WAS A BAD
STRATEGY TO DIPLOMATICALLY SAY
WE ARE GOING TO LINE UP COSTS WE
THINK WILL DETER VLADIMIR PUTIN
BECAUSE THEY WILL BE SO GREAT IT
WILL DETER THEM FROM TAKING THE
INVASION.
AND THE INTELLIGENCE REPORTS
TODAY INDICATE IT SIMPLY HASN’T
WORKED.
LARRY: THAT’S STILL MY VIEW,
JOHN.
I’M NOT AN EXPERT.
I WENT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY
MEETINGS IN MY THREE YEARS IN
TERM.
YOU MIGHT HAVE WITHHELD THE
BANGING SYSTEM SANCTIONS.
BUT YOU COULD HAVE REIMPOSED THE
NORD STREAM 2 SANCTIONS.
WHO CARES ABOUT GERMANY, THEY
ARE NOT AN ALLY.
THEY ARE A SOCIALIST COUNTRY.
JOHN, NOW IT IS REPORTED, JAKE
SULLIVAN REPORTS THAT BIDEN IS
GOING TO CALL PUTIN PRESUMABLY
TO DISCUSS THE INTELLIGENCE,
WHETHER THAT INTELLIGENCE IS AS
I REPORTED, I DON’T KNOW, I AM
JUST REPORTING WHAT I CAN
REPORT.
BUT I’M SAYING ANOTHER
BIDEN-PUTIN PHONE CALL FOR WHAT?
IS HE GOING TO SAY OKAY WE HEAR
THESE REPORTS, AND AS OF AN HOUR
CERTAIN, IF YOU DO THIS, WE ARE
GOING TO DO THAT.
OR IS HE GOING TO STAY WITH THIS
IF YOU DO, IF YOU DO, IF YOU DO?
IS HE GOING TO BE STRONG OR IS
HE GOING TO BE WEAK?
NOW HE’S STIRRING UP WAR FEVER.
>> I HOPE THE PHONE CALL HAS THE
INTENDED EFFECT.
BUT YOU ARE RIGHT.
IT’S A CALL -- NOW WE ARE REALLY
SERIOUS ABOUT THE THINGS WE ARE
GOING TO DO BASED ON THE THINGS
THAT WE HAVE SEEN.
I THINK THIS IS TOO LITTLE TOO
LATE.
I DON’T THINK PUT * -- DON’T THI
VLADIMIR PUTIN IS GOING TO
CHANGE COURSE BASED ON A PHONE
CALL WITH JOE BIDEN, SOMEBODY HE
CLEARLY DOES NOT RESPECT OR FEAR
AS A WORLD LEADER, JUST BASED ON
THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPENED
THIS YEAR AND THE ACTIONS HE HAS
TAKEN. WE WANT THE GOOD GUYS TO WIN AND
WE WANT THE GOOD GUYS TO WIN AND
THE BAD GUYS TO BE DISSUADE AND
DETERRED, AND VLADIMIR PUTIN IS
THE BAD GUY.
I DON’T HAVE CONFIDENCE JOE
BIDEN IS THE ONE TO BRING ABOUT
A CHANGE IN COURSE.
I THINK HE PRECIPITATED THIS BY
FOREIGN POLICY STRATEGIC
DECISIONS THAT PUT US IN A WORSE
PLACE, FIRST?
AFGHANISTAN, AND NOW WITH REGARD
TO CHINA AND IRAN.
THERE IS A REASON WHY PEOPLE SAY
JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN WRONG ON
EVERY FOREIGN POLICY DECISION
FOR 50 YEARS IS BECAUSE IT’S
TRUE.
NOW WE ARE LIVING THROUGH IT.
>>
LARRY: WE DON’T HAVE THE SUPPORT
OF SNAY TO.
IT’S INTEREST -- SUPPORT.
NATO.
BIDEN HAD NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS
WITH PUTIN TO NO AVAIL.
EMMANUEL MACRON SPENT FIVE HOURS
ALONE WITH PUTIN.
I THINK THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR
WENT UP THERE BUT I AM NOT SURE.
YOU HAVE THE NORMANDY FRAMEWORK
MEETING WITH RUSSIA, UKRAINE,
AND FRANCE AND GERMANY.
9 HOURS, JOHN RADCLIFFE.
AND NOTHING CAME OF IT.
IF YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
LAVROV WALKED OUT AND THEY DON’T
WANT ANY MORE MEETINGS AND NO
DIPLOMACY.
THAT TEMPERATURES WHY JACK KEANE
REPORTED ON MARTHA MACCALLUM’S
SHOW ON FOX NEWS THAT THE PERIOD
OF DIPLOMACY IS OVER.
DO YOU READ IT THAT WAY.
THE PERIOD OF DIPLOMACY IS OVER
AND THEY ARE JUST GOING TO
LAUNCH MISSILES INTO UKRAINE?
IT’S A HELL OF A JUMP IN A 24 24-HOUR PERIOD.
24-HOUR PERIOD.
>> I DON’T KNOW IF DIPLOMACY IN
ANY FOR WOULD HAVE WORKED.
INSTEAD OF THE DIPLOMATIC HANDY
SLOW PLAY WITH A GUY, VLADIMIR
PUTIN WHO WAS INTENT ON -- AS WE
TALKED ABOUT, THE IMPORTANCE OF
BRINGING UKRAINE BACK WITHIN THE
SPHERE OF RUSSIAN INFLUENCE.
HOW THAT’S ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT
TO HIM.
NOW HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND THE LAST TIME JOE BIDEN WAS
IN THE WHITE HOUSE WAS THE LAST
TIME HE MOVED ON UKRAINE IN
CRIMEA.
NOW AFTER FOUR YEARS OF STRONG
LEADERSHIP THAT ISN’T IN THE
WHITE HOUSE LEADING THE WORLD’S
SUPER POWER, THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA, HE’S BACK AT IT
AGAIN.
THAT’S NOT A COINCIDENCE, LARRY.
TO YOUR POINT ABOUT MACRON, AND
THE IDEA THAT FRANCE WOULD BE
LEADING THE WAY IN TERMS OF
THESE NEGOTIATIONS INSTEAD OF
THE UNITED STATES TELLS YOU HOW
FAR WE HAVE FALLEN WITH RESPECT
TO OUR POSITION AS THE WORLD’S
SUPER POWER AND THE RESPECT THAT
SHOULD COMMAND IN SITUATIONS
LIKE THIS WHEN DEMOCRACIES ARE
THREATENS AROUND THE WORLD.
>> WE GAVE UP THE XL PIPELINE
AND PANE WAR AND OIL PRODUCTION
AND GAVE IT TO PUTIN.
THIS OIL THING RICK PERRY WAS
ON LAST EVENING.
THIS WAS THE WORST -- THE OIL
AND GAS CARD, WE HAVE SO BUNGLED
THIS, IT’S BEYOND BELIEF.
>> WELL, LARRY, DON’T GET TOO
FAR OVER YOUR SKIS AND DECLARE
ONE THING IS THE WORST.
I THOUGHT AFGHANISTAN LOSE
TOGETHER TALIBAN IN A
DISGRACEFUL HUMILIATING RETREAT
WOULD BE THE WORST THING.
WE DON’T KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING
TO PLAY OUT.
BUT WE KNOW VLADIMIR PUTIN IS ON
THE CUSP OF THE BEST POLITICAL
YEAR OF HIS LIFE IN TERMS OF
GETTING NORD STREAM 2 AND
BRINGING UKRAINE INTO ITS SPHERE
OF INFLUENCE.
IF IRAN BECOMES A NUCLEAR POWER
BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION,
LITERALLY SURRENDERING TO MAKE A
DEAL WITH IRAN.
IT’S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO NARROW
IT DOWN INTO WHAT IS THE WORST.
LARRY: I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT.
GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE, WOULD
YOU?
WE REMOVED SOME OF THE ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS ON IRAN.
I CANNOT IMAGINE DOING THAT.
I DON’T KNOW IF WE HAVE GIVEN
THEM CASH.
SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY HAVE
RECEIVED ADDITIONAL CASH.
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT, JOHN RADCLIFFE THAT
THEY THINK IRAN WILL DO
DIFFERENTLY OTHER THAN LIE AND
CHEAT.
THEY ARE GETTING CLOSER TO A
NUCLEAR WEAPON.
THEY SUPPORT MURDERER SAUCE
TERRORISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
ISRAEL IS OPPOSED TO THIS NEW
IRAN.
THIS IS LIKE A TEXAS 2-STEP.
IT’S ALL HAT AND NO CATTLE.
THEY DON’T THINK ABOUT WHAT’S
IRAN GOING TO DO?
THEY DON’T SAY COME IN AND WE’LL
SHOW YOU EVERY MISSILE SILO WE
HAVE?
I DOUBT IT.
>> IT’S EASY FOR YOU AND I TO
CRITICIZE THIS APPROACH.
BUT THE MOST CRITICAL PEOPLE ARE BIDEN’S OWN NEGOTIATORS.
BIDEN’S OWN NEGOTIATORS.
HIS LEAD NEGOTIATORS WALKED AWAY
BECAUSE HE WAS WRITING THEM A
FLANK CHECK.
AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ALL
CHASING THIS REALLY BAD ACTOR
THAT IS ALWAYS CHEATED AND IS
GOING TO.
I FEAR THAT THE JOE BIDEN LEGACY WILL BE WE WENT FROM A PRESIDENT
WILL BE WE WENT FROM A PRESIDENT
IN PRESIDENTPRESIDENT -- IN PRES
TO A SHORT TIME LATER IRAN
BECOMING A NUCLEAR POWER.
AS BAD AS AFGHANISTAN CITIES AND
THE WAY THINGS ARE SHAPING UP IN
UKRAINE, THAT MAY BE THE WORST
OF ALL AT THE END OF THE DAY.
LARRY: IS JOHN KERRY DRIVING
THIS AS HE DID YEARS AGO?
>> PROBABLY WHO IS NOT DRIVING
THIS IS JOE BIDEN.
HE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE IN CHARGE
OF MANY OF THE FOREIGN POLICY
DECISIONS.
LARRY: I WANT TO PLAY A CLIP.
WE HAVE THE CLIP.
THAT’S AN IMPORTANT POINT.
PLEASE, TO THE PRODUCER, PLAY
THAT QUICK SOUND WITH LESTER
HOLT AND PRESIDENT BIDEN.
>> I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE
ARMY INVESTIGATIVE REPORT THAT
CAME OUT ABOUT THE LEAD-UP THE
TWO DRAWL FROM AFGHANISTAN.
THEY INTERVIEWED MANY MILITARY
OFFICIAL AND OFFICERS SAYING THE
ADMINISTRATION IGNORED THE
HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.
>> NO, NO, THAT’S NOT WHAT I WAS
TOLD.
>> ARE YOU REJECTING THE
CONCLUSIONS OR ACCOUNTS IN THIS
ARMY REPORT?
>> THEY ARE NOT TRUE?
>> I’M REJECTING THEM.
LARRY: YOU GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, HERE IS
A PRESIDENT, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN
AT THAT SENIOR LEVEL.
THIS IS BIG STUFF.
THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING HIS
MILITARY IS LYING.
>> THAT INTERVIEW WAS HARD TO
WATCH FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF
REASONS.
WHAT YOU HEARD HIM SAY IS NO,
NOBODY TOLD ME THAT.
BUT HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM
WAS TOLD.
SECRETARY TBLINGEN, AND JAKE --
SECRETARY BLINKEN AND JAKE
SULLIVAN.
BASED ON THIS YOU WOULD HAVE TO
BRING 13 COUNTS OF NEGLIGENT
HOMICIDE BASED ON THE SWORN
TESTIMONY OF FOLKS AT THE
PENTAGON SAYING NOT ONLY BECAUSE
JOE BIDEN IGNORING THE
INTELLIGENCE ON THE GROUND ABOUT
THE BE TALIBAN ADVANCE.
BUT THEY WERE IGNORING PLEASE
FOR HELP.
AND AS A RESULT 13 BRAVE
AMERICAN DROOPS WERE KILLED AS
AT A RESULT OF THAT.
JOE BIDEN IS NOT IN TOUCH WITH
WHAT HIS OWN NATIONAL SECURITY
TEAM OR MILITARY LEADERS ARE
SUPPOSEDLY TELLING HIM OR NOT
TELLING HIM.
IT DOESN’T INSPIRE CONFIDENCE
THAT THE LEADER OF THE FREE
WORLD IS GETTING THE
INTELLIGENCE OR RETAINING THE
INTELLIGENCE IF THEY ARE TELLING
HIM THIS.
THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM.
LARRY: HE’S SAYING ALL THE INTEL
PEOPLE AND THE MILITARY PEOPLE
DIDN’T TELL HIM.
AND THEY SAY WE DID TELL HIM.
NOW EITHER -- YOU LOOK AT THAT,
JOHN, EITHER THEY GET FIRED OR
HE’S GOT TO SERIOUS ISSUES TO
DEAL WITH.
SOMEBODY -- HEADS ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO ROLL SOMEPLACE.
ULTIMATELY MY VIEW IS BIDEN’S
OWN HEAD IS GOING TO ROLL
BECAUSE THIS IS THE WORST PRESIDENCY WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
PRESIDENCY WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
MILLEY TESTIFIED, WE TOLD YOU
SO.
THEY DIDN’T WANT TO GET OUT OF
BAGRAM AND HE SAID GET OUT OF
BAGRAM.
THEY CAN’T OPERATE LIKE THIS.
I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF HE’S
MEETING WITH THE NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL.
HE WON’T IN THE SITUATION ROOM.
HE WILL BE IN CAMP DAVID.
THERE IS A SCIF UP THERE AS YOU
HAVE KNOW.
I DON’T SIGHT ON THE SCHEDULE.
IT’S A TEXAS TWO-STEP.
IT’S ALL HAT, NO CATTLE.