Top Senate Republican Straight Up Asked on Fox News ‘Are We Going to War?’

Fox News anchor and White House correspondent Aishah Hasnie spoke to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on Wednesday about the recent briefing from top Trump administration officials given to Senators about Iran.

Hasnie began by noting, “You know, this morning I was chatting with a pretty well-placed media source who felt the president’s remarks last night on Iran were a bit worrying. And this is hours after that classified briefing where Democrats like Mark Warner came out and said this. Listen here.”

Hasnie then played a clip from Tuesday of Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) saying, “I think it is incumbent upon the president to make the case of what our country’s goals are, what our country’s interests are, and how we’re going to protect American interests in the region.”

Hasnie then asked, “So that sounded really ominous, Leader Thune, and folks are wondering after this briefing, are we going to war?”

Thune replied, “I don’t know the answer to that, Aisha. I think that the president is preparing us to defend America’s vital national security interests both in that region and here at home. I mean, we cannot abide — we cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran.”

“He made that clear in his speech last night. I think that’s something I hope, at least, that a big majority of Americans agree with. But we have vital interests in that area, and obviously the capabilities that the Iranians have to hit a lot of our allies in the region is something that we have to be well attuned to as well. I think the president is pursuing peace through strength by ensuring that America has the right assets in the right places at the right time if necessary. Hopefully it won’t be necessary. If the Iranians come to the table, I think there’s potentially a deal that could be made there,” added the top Republican.

Hasnie followed up, “Do you get the sense after this briefing — I know this is all classified — but do you get the sense that these next talks tomorrow might be a last-ditch effort, that this might be it, and then the president is pretty close to a decision?”

Thune replied, “If I’m the Iranians, I view it that way. I just think that they have an opportunity here and they ought to take advantage of it. There is change that needs to happen in Iran. This is something that goes back five decades, and obviously they’ve got people who are ready for freedom and democracy in their country. And we need to ensure that they never have a nuclear capability that can be used to reach not only our allies in the region, but the United States as well.”

Watch the clip above via Fox News.

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