WEBVTT - Why Is Putin Talking? - August 15th, Hour 2 0:00:01.360 --> 0:00:03.400 All right, Thank you Scott Shannon, and thanks to all 0:00:03.400 --> 0:00:05.680 of you for being with us. Right down our toll 0:00:05.760 --> 0:00:08.280 free telephone number if you want to be a part 0:00:08.360 --> 0:00:10.680 of the program, it's eight hundred and ninety four one 0:00:10.720 --> 0:00:14.240 sewn if you want to join us. We are in Alaska, 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:18.520 We're in Anchorage. We are at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. 0:00:19.280 --> 0:00:22.520 If I were to walk me, take me about two 0:00:22.560 --> 0:00:26.799 minutes and fifty bullets to the body, probably starting with 0:00:26.840 --> 0:00:27.480 a headshirt. 0:00:28.000 --> 0:00:31.240 If I wanted to walk in the room. 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:34.800 Where the meeting with Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is ongoing, 0:00:36.040 --> 0:00:38.919 there are other cabinet officials there. I know Scott Bessett 0:00:38.920 --> 0:00:41.720 was there, and Mark Arrubio was there, Steve Wikoff was there, 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:43.080 Pete Heggs was there. 0:00:43.760 --> 0:00:47.960 I didn't get everybody. There was a spray, as they. 0:00:47.840 --> 0:00:52.159 Call it, and one when Putin and Trump meant on 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:57.520 the tarmac both landing here at Joint Base Elmendorff, and 0:00:57.560 --> 0:01:00.520 then another when they initially sat down the way the 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:02.960 afternoon is going to unfold you. You're not going to 0:01:03.440 --> 0:01:06.320 hear a lot on this program about what the outcome 0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:12.279 of this is because it's really not until about seven 0:01:12.440 --> 0:01:16.840 thirty eastern. That will get maybe the first indication unless 0:01:16.880 --> 0:01:20.039 something bad happens, So we'll be on standby for that. 0:01:21.600 --> 0:01:22.039 Anyway. 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:24.560 And then I'll have my one on one interview with 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:26.760 President Trump and we're just going to go deep into 0:01:27.240 --> 0:01:29.679 you know, what happened. I want him to walk us 0:01:29.720 --> 0:01:31.640 through it. But my first questions, I can tell you 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:35.199 what they are. I don't really care. You said you'd 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:37.200 know in two minutes. What did you learn in two minutes? 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:40.360 I want to ask him, you know, what are the 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:44.039 severe consequences? What do you when you negotiate? You say 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:48.680 it's like chess, you know, explain how you view a 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:54.400 negotiation like a chess game. The flyover was what three 0:01:54.520 --> 0:01:57.160 stealth bombers? Well, that was pretty that was pretty cool. 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:00.000 As soon as Putin and him met and shook hands, 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:03.000 they timed it perfectly. I'm sure that was not on 0:02:03.040 --> 0:02:06.840 the itinerary. I'm just guessing on that part though. Uh, 0:02:06.920 --> 0:02:11.240 we have tape. There was audio A question from a 0:02:11.280 --> 0:02:15.200 reporter that was yelled to Putin before they were rushed out, 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:18.240 was will you agree to stop blowing up civilians? And 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:22.160 why should Trump trust you? We have the question. Obviously 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:25.680 there was no answer. Listen, will you agree to the fire? 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:29.760 Will you commit not telling anywhere to do? 0:02:29.919 --> 0:02:32.200 In? 0:02:36.440 --> 0:02:36.800 President? 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:39.239 Why is your president trust your word? 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:41.200 Now? 0:02:43.280 --> 0:02:46.400 Oh my gosh, those people give me a headache. That 0:02:46.560 --> 0:02:48.400 was what it was like walking into my hotel with 0:02:48.440 --> 0:02:52.440 all the Russians there you uh there yesterday. I mean 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:55.160 they're all in my grill with their phones. I just 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:56.680 said Sureyl answered a couple of questions. 0:02:56.720 --> 0:02:57.320 I didn't care. 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:03.120 Because I'm whatever it is, what it is anyway, joining 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:05.959 us now. Ambassador of Nathan Sales, he served in the 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:10.680 first Trump administration as Ambassador at Large for counter Terrorism. 0:03:10.800 --> 0:03:14.400 Acting Undersecretary of State. He played a key role in 0:03:14.440 --> 0:03:18.560 the maximum pressure campaign against the Ranium regime and its 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:23.120 terror proxies. In twenty twenty two, he was sanctioned by Iran. Well, 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:26.720 we do have something in common. I had an Iranian 0:03:26.880 --> 0:03:30.120 mulla put a fatwah once on my head, and I 0:03:30.120 --> 0:03:34.000 got a warning. I got a call from the NYPD 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:37.840 and other law enforcement that the fot whah was real 0:03:38.240 --> 0:03:40.960 and that I had to take it seriously. And I 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:43.480 never had more security in my life than at that point. 0:03:43.480 --> 0:03:45.119 I assume you probably had the same thing. 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:48.720 Hey, Sean, great to be back, and it's nice to 0:03:48.720 --> 0:03:50.840 know that we're fellow members of the FAPLA club. 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:56.440 Yeah, there's a whole interesting side note to all that 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:59.120 that one day when we're together, I'll tell you. All Right, 0:03:59.240 --> 0:04:03.720 so high stakes the president going into this. I think 0:04:03.920 --> 0:04:07.680 that the President has been very clear in managing everyone's expectations. 0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:11.880 This is how he will define success. If in fact, 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.800 this meeting goes well, the next phase of this would 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:19.159 be a three way meeting between Putin and Zolenski. I 0:04:19.200 --> 0:04:22.400 think people have to be realistic in how this ultimately 0:04:22.400 --> 0:04:24.800 would play out. There's no way that Putin has been 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:29.800 given back all the territory that he has accumulated. But 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:34.400 there are signs that Russia, like Ukraine, is getting war weary, 0:04:35.080 --> 0:04:39.040 running out of soldiers and running out of equipment, and 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:43.480 certainly the sanctions and Donald Trump putting pressure on the 0:04:43.520 --> 0:04:46.440 ability of the Russians to sell oil I think played 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:49.080 a big role in bringing him to the table and 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:51.560 getting NATO to pay more than twice what they were 0:04:51.600 --> 0:04:53.159 paying and to pay their fair share. 0:04:53.960 --> 0:04:56.160 What are your thoughts, sen, I. 0:04:56.080 --> 0:04:59.560 Think that's exactly right. Why is Putin prepared to talk now? 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.920 He refused for the entirety of the Trump administration and 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:06.799 the Biden administration as well, and I think it's because 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:10.359 of pressure when President Trump said there's going to be 0:05:10.560 --> 0:05:12.200 economic consequence. 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:14.480 Well, what do you mean the entirety of the Trump administration. 0:05:14.520 --> 0:05:17.000 He's only been in office. You know, this is eight months. 0:05:17.600 --> 0:05:19.680 Well that's right, that's right, only eight months. 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:24.159 But during seven months, yeah, yeah, but during those. 0:05:24.040 --> 0:05:25.800 Eight months, Trump said, look, we want to talk, we 0:05:25.800 --> 0:05:28.320 want to resolve this, we want peace, and Putin gave 0:05:28.400 --> 0:05:30.880 him the stiff arm, but he's not doing that anymore. 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:33.039 And I think you put your your finger right on 0:05:33.080 --> 0:05:36.040 the button, Sean. It's because Trump threatened to creator the 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:40.760 Russian economy serious economic consequences through sanctions that we got 0:05:40.760 --> 0:05:43.799 his attention. And so that helps explain how we got 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:47.120 where we are today. And it also is a roadmap 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:50.000 for what we'll have to do if Trump takes the 0:05:50.760 --> 0:05:54.400 Putin's temperature and we realize he's not actually serious, he's 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:56.880 not prepared to sit down and negotiate in good faith. 0:05:56.880 --> 0:05:59.440 We're going to have to turn up the economic heat, 0:05:59.640 --> 0:06:02.880 just like we did on the Iranians. 0:06:04.560 --> 0:06:07.240 I agree with you as well. All right, So a 0:06:07.279 --> 0:06:10.360 couple of very specific things. One, if you look at 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:13.280 the European Union and the trade deal that we made, 0:06:13.440 --> 0:06:17.240 there's nearly a trillion dollars in committed monies that they 0:06:17.279 --> 0:06:21.880 will spend on American energy, money that we all know 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:26.479 otherwise would have been spent to buy energy, the lifeblood 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:32.560 of every economy from Vladimir Putin. That I'm certain had 0:06:32.560 --> 0:06:36.400 to get Putin's attention. The fifty percent tariff on India 0:06:36.560 --> 0:06:40.720 if they continue to buy Russian oil, that had to 0:06:40.760 --> 0:06:46.680 get Putin's attention. Supplying the Ukrainians because he's been stubborn 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:49.920 and unwilling to make a deal, and he's gotten more 0:06:50.040 --> 0:06:55.760 grossly aggressive targeting civilians. I think it absolutely was a 0:06:55.800 --> 0:06:57.920 sign that, Okay, we're not going to do what Joe 0:06:57.920 --> 0:07:00.159 Biden did and buy the weapons for you, but we 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:02.480 will sell you what you need so you can fight 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:06.000 back and fight your war. And there are plenty of 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:09.960 natural resources for the Ukrainians that they would be able 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:12.960 to have the monies to do so. I think that 0:07:13.000 --> 0:07:15.559 caught their attention. Getting NATO to pay more than twice 0:07:15.640 --> 0:07:18.160 what they were already committed to paying, I think that 0:07:18.280 --> 0:07:19.239 had to be a factor. 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:24.200 Thoughts on all of this One hundred percent Sean. 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:28.920 I think Vladimir Putin's approach to geopolitics is the same 0:07:28.960 --> 0:07:33.200 as Vladimir Lenins. And Lenin said, we probe with bonets. 0:07:33.440 --> 0:07:37.080 If you encounter mush, you push. If you encounter steel, 0:07:37.480 --> 0:07:40.080 you withdraw. And I think what Putin has been finding 0:07:40.120 --> 0:07:42.640 these past couple of months is that the United States 0:07:42.600 --> 0:07:48.200 has made of steel. We have, through diplomacy, encouraged, harangued, 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:51.640 twisted the arms of our European allies to spend more 0:07:51.680 --> 0:07:54.520 on their own defense. And that's an investment not just 0:07:54.560 --> 0:07:58.400 in European security, it's an investment in deterrence. Because the 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:02.200 stronger NATO is is on the Eastern Front, the less 0:08:02.320 --> 0:08:05.119 likely Putin is going to be to try and try 0:08:05.160 --> 0:08:10.240 something against US. So a more prepared, more capable NATO 0:08:10.400 --> 0:08:14.520 alliance is an investment in stability in Europe, which means 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:16.800 that the United States doesn't have to spend so much 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:20.760 time and attention and money policing the continent. The economic 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.960 sanctions that you've talked about as well are absolutely critical. 0:08:24.000 --> 0:08:27.520 Putin's economy is a house of cards. He's propped it 0:08:27.600 --> 0:08:31.000 up these past two and a half years with a 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:34.680 sugar rush of wartime spending, but that only gets you 0:08:34.760 --> 0:08:38.520 so far, and so interest rates are rising, unemployment is rising. 0:08:38.800 --> 0:08:41.839 He knows he doesn't have that much play left in 0:08:41.880 --> 0:08:44.800 the joints. He's basically greased the system as much as 0:08:44.800 --> 0:08:47.240 he can, and it only would take a little bit 0:08:47.280 --> 0:08:50.960 more economic pressure from the United States in order for 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:53.520 his economy to face the bad old days of the 0:08:53.600 --> 0:08:56.880 nineteen nineties, where you've got breadlines in Moscow, and at 0:08:56.920 --> 0:09:02.320 that point, the war becomes political liability for Putin. That's 0:09:02.320 --> 0:09:04.840 what he wants to avoid. We got his attention by 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:08.920 threatening the use of coercive economic state craft, which we 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:12.880 can do thansing their oil, sanctioning their banks, closing the 0:09:12.920 --> 0:09:16.840 loopholes that the Biden administration unfortunately left open all these 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:19.960 months and years. That's why I think Putin is prepared 0:09:20.000 --> 0:09:22.840 to talk now. Now, is he prepared to make hard concessions. 0:09:23.280 --> 0:09:26.160 We'll see. President Trump said he'll know within two minutes 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:28.720 as to whether or not Gladening Putin is serious about 0:09:28.760 --> 0:09:32.000 ending the war. Look forward to seeing the readouts from 0:09:32.000 --> 0:09:33.480 the meetings that are happening right now. 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:37.280 Well, we're not getting a lot of information right now. 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:39.720 What is your take? I think the longer this goes on, 0:09:39.800 --> 0:09:42.760 probably the better it is for the long term plan, 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:46.280 strategic plan of the President, which is a second meeting, 0:09:47.080 --> 0:09:51.720 and obviously the president. If look, if the President assessed 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:54.000 at this point the Pootin wasn't serious, I think this 0:09:54.000 --> 0:09:56.960 thing would be over. I've known Donald Trump for thirty years. 0:09:56.960 --> 0:09:59.560 I know him. If he thinks he's wasting his time, 0:09:59.559 --> 0:10:00.000 he's leaving. 0:10:01.280 --> 0:10:04.480 Yeah, yeah, And that wouldn't be great for Putin. Nobody 0:10:04.480 --> 0:10:06.040 wants to get on a plane and fly all the 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:09.960 way to Alaska to waste a day. So I think 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:12.439 we'll have a better sense in a couple of hours 0:10:12.480 --> 0:10:15.200 what the way forward is. Today is just the first meeting. 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:19.240 If it goes well enough, we could expect to see 0:10:19.440 --> 0:10:21.720 future meetings like this. And then we have to ask 0:10:21.720 --> 0:10:24.840 the question, you know, what does success look like? What 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:28.480 is a good outcome for Ukraine and Europe and the 0:10:28.559 --> 0:10:31.600 United States? And I think it means, first of all, ceasefire. 0:10:32.160 --> 0:10:34.880 You've got to stop the killing. Putin's gotta stop targeting 0:10:35.240 --> 0:10:40.800 innocent Ukrainian civilians, hospitals, maternity wards, kindergartens. That's got to stop. 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:45.240 And then thinking long term, we need an arrangement that's 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:48.640 going to prevent Putin from using a cease fire to 0:10:48.720 --> 0:10:51.800 do what he always does, and that's rearm rebuild his 0:10:51.920 --> 0:10:55.920 military and prepare it to take yet another shot at Ukraine, 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:59.600 or even worse, if he's emboldened, maybe take some kind 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:03.599 of shot against NATO territory. So deterrence is absolutely the 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:06.640 key to the game, and that means, as you said, 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:11.320 continuing to sell top of the line American military equipment 0:11:11.600 --> 0:11:14.280 to the Ukrainians, not charity. This is going to be 0:11:14.280 --> 0:11:17.880 paid for by the Ukrainians or buy our European allies. 0:11:18.320 --> 0:11:20.680 And maybe we need to see European boots on the 0:11:20.720 --> 0:11:24.280 ground in Ukraine as well. NATO membership is the gold 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:27.120 standard when it comes to deterrence. Probably not going to 0:11:27.160 --> 0:11:29.840 happen in the near future, but at the second best, 0:11:30.120 --> 0:11:33.080 it would be great to see European boots on the 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:36.439 ground there on the front lines to deter Russia from 0:11:36.440 --> 0:11:39.040 taking another bite at the apple. After this phase of 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:40.280 the conflict ends. 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:44.720 Let's talk about China for just a minute here, because 0:11:45.360 --> 0:11:48.240 the President did put a pause on terifs with China. 0:11:48.320 --> 0:11:51.960 Why do I suspect that part of that negotiation is 0:11:52.040 --> 0:11:55.720 including whether or not China continues to buy Russian oil. 0:11:56.960 --> 0:11:58.800 Yeah, I think that's a huge part of it. And 0:11:59.040 --> 0:12:03.520 let's be clear, China has benefited enormously from Russia's war 0:12:04.120 --> 0:12:07.199 in Ukraine because what they have done is by cut 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:12.319 rates Russian energy that they would have to pay a 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:14.600 much larger price for if they got it on the 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:18.480 open market. So China has an interest in Russia winning 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:22.520 this war, or at least this war prolonging itself for 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:26.560 its own economic reasons. They've been supplying dual use equipment 0:12:26.720 --> 0:12:29.960 to the Russian military to enable it to fight more effectively. So, 0:12:30.520 --> 0:12:33.640 you know, Putin and Shijin Ting have talked about their 0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:38.320 no limits partnership. That's largely rhetoric, but the fact remains. 0:12:38.360 --> 0:12:42.800 You know, we have seen China make substantial investments in 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:47.120 Russian success. And I think you've got to break that axis. 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:50.240 And part of the way you do that is by 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:56.800 threatening to target Chinese imports of Russian energy, break that dependency, 0:12:57.280 --> 0:13:00.360 make China look someplace self, make them conclude that the 0:13:00.400 --> 0:13:04.920 price of doing business with Russia is simply too high. 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:08.319 Well, I think that's all a good strategy. It's the 0:13:08.480 --> 0:13:10.200 one thing that you have to know, and I know 0:13:10.240 --> 0:13:13.640 President Trump knows there's better than anybody going into this 0:13:13.880 --> 0:13:16.160 is that the only thing that Russia and Putin will 0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:20.200 ever respect his strength. And I think President Trump has 0:13:20.200 --> 0:13:23.360 shown strength. President Trump tried to go the nice route. 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:25.320 He did the same thing with Iran. He tried to 0:13:25.320 --> 0:13:27.960 be nice. He gave him fifty days or whatever the 0:13:28.000 --> 0:13:32.240 time period was. They wouldn't listen, and he allowed Israel 0:13:32.320 --> 0:13:34.680 to do what they needed to do, and then he 0:13:34.760 --> 0:13:38.360 followed up and he took out the nuclear sites. At 0:13:38.360 --> 0:13:40.360 the end of the day, it's going to be different. 0:13:40.480 --> 0:13:44.520 The severe consequences he's talking about here are economic, and 0:13:44.559 --> 0:13:48.320 that means the engine of the Russian economy, which is oil, 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:52.040 will be disrupted and disrupted severely, and there won't be 0:13:52.080 --> 0:13:54.319 anything they really can do to stop it because all 0:13:54.320 --> 0:13:58.160 the economic might, and my view, is in the hands 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:00.760 of the US percent Sean. 0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:05.720 I think it wasn't President Trump's approach to Iran. The 0:14:05.840 --> 0:14:08.760 Chinese were watching very closely, and the Russians were watching 0:14:08.960 --> 0:14:11.440 very closely, and what they saw was that this man 0:14:11.520 --> 0:14:14.599 isn't bluffing. Hey'll play nice with you, He'll give the 0:14:14.679 --> 0:14:19.000 plomacy a chance. He'll also set deadlines if you break 0:14:19.040 --> 0:14:21.960 the deadlines, and if he promises there's going to be consequences, 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:25.600 there's going to be consequences. So I think the approach 0:14:25.640 --> 0:14:28.080 to the president took with respect to the Iranian nuclear 0:14:28.120 --> 0:14:31.160 weapons program showed the rest of the world that when 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:33.480 he says he wants to talk and if you built, 0:14:33.520 --> 0:14:37.120 there's consequences, that he was deadly serious. Let's hope that 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:42.680 produces some momentum here in Alaska with Putin realizing that 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:44.680 the days of his war numbered and it would be 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:48.520 in his own best interest economically to call off the dogs, 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:50.160 accept the ceasefire, and. 0:14:51.280 --> 0:14:53.240 Last question, do you agree with me? At the end 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:56.160 of the day, he's going to gain territory. There'll be 0:14:56.240 --> 0:15:00.080 a land swap in some regards, and that whether he 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:02.320 he likes it or not, even though it won't be NATO, 0:15:02.440 --> 0:15:05.760 there are going to be massive security guarantees for Ukraine. 0:15:05.800 --> 0:15:06.800 Is that how it ends? 0:15:07.160 --> 0:15:09.360 I think that's how it ends. Yeah, the details those 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.920 are going to be worked out, but it's basically a 0:15:12.040 --> 0:15:15.080 land for peace type arrangement where the land that Ukraine 0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:19.560 steeps is adequate to defend it against any future Russian aggression. 0:15:20.640 --> 0:15:23.280 I'm telling people that people are like I don't want 0:15:23.280 --> 0:15:24.840 to hear that's going to be the end. I'm just 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:28.040 telling you how it's going to end, not what I wish. 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:32.040 We don't reward people that do this, Ambassador Nathan Sales, 0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:34.640 Thank you, sir, appreciate it. Eight hundred ninety four one. 0:15:35.080 --> 0:15:37.480 Going to be a part of the program. H right, 0:15:37.520 --> 0:15:40.880 we continue Sean Hennery Show. We are at the summit 0:15:40.920 --> 0:15:45.400 with President Trump and Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf, Richardson, 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:49.040 beautiful Anchorage, Alaska. And when we come back, we're also 0:15:49.040 --> 0:15:50.760 going to get to a lot of your phone calls 0:15:50.760 --> 0:15:53.520 coming up in the course of the program today. Eight 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:56.880 hundred ninety four one. Shawn, if you want to join us, 0:15:57.520 --> 0:16:01.280 and we did put on Instagram the radio show today, 0:16:01.480 --> 0:16:03.960 I want to check it out. We'll continue at my 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:07.000 interview with President Trump tonight nine eastern on Fox Robert 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.120 right here in the great state of Alaska, Robert, what 0:16:10.240 --> 0:16:13.680 a beautiful state you have. The people are wonderful, and 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:17.640 even the reindeer tasted okay. 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:19.280 Thank you, so hey, try the beer Baltle halibut before 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:22.560 you leave too. That's the best. But thank you and 0:16:22.680 --> 0:16:26.120 President Trump and hopefully President Putin for coming here to 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:29.960 find peace in our world, and especially since we're so 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:31.840 close to Russia, we want to make sure that we're 0:16:31.840 --> 0:16:32.800 at peace with Russia. 0:16:34.760 --> 0:16:36.400 Well, listen, I understand why. 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:39.680 There's actually I think a fifty mile one of the islands, 0:16:39.680 --> 0:16:42.440 the Alaskan Islands, I think is fifty feet off the 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:43.720 shore of Russia. 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:48.880 Did you know that? Yes, yes, I'm sorry, fifty fifty miles. 0:16:49.080 --> 0:16:50.840 Yes, yeah, we're very close. 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:54.000 Fifty feet would be a little too close, not a 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:55.320 little too close for comfort. 0:16:56.240 --> 0:16:57.760 Yeah, well, we have we still have a lot of 0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:01.720 Russians here. We have Russian little pockets and they're very 0:17:01.800 --> 0:17:04.159 nice people. And we all get along and I hope, 0:17:04.720 --> 0:17:08.040 you know, President Trump and and Putin can get along 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:12.080 and we leave with a nice deal and no more war. 0:17:12.320 --> 0:17:15.520 Well, I don't want you to get your hopes too high. 0:17:15.640 --> 0:17:18.080 The deal would be that we go forward and there's 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:21.639 a real, true commitment towards a lasting piece. That's what 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:23.280 that would be the goal of today. 0:17:24.760 --> 0:17:29.280 Yes, yeah, well we you know, we we we had 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:31.520 the biggest protests I've ever seen here in my thirty 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:33.919 years in Alaska. I'm from the East Coast, Brentwood. You know, 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:35.040 brentwand right Long Island. 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:38.520 Yeah, I do, we do. 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:41.280 I don't know what brought you from Brentwood, Long Island 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:43.679 to Anchorage, Alaska. 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:45.199 The fishing. 0:17:45.280 --> 0:17:46.560 And by the way, I want to say thanks to 0:17:46.560 --> 0:17:49.320 our local affiliate k E and I for all their help. 0:17:49.359 --> 0:17:51.520 AM six fifty. They're amazing. 0:17:52.480 --> 0:17:55.160 So we're having the biggest salmon run on. You get 0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:57.919 this the Russian River down the highway where it's sunny today. 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:00.280 It's cloudy and Anchorage today, but looks south and you'll 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:01.800 see a blue sky. 0:18:02.720 --> 0:18:02.920 Yeah. 0:18:03.000 --> 0:18:03.480 Thanks a lot. 0:18:03.520 --> 0:18:05.840 Because I'm in a room that's like twenty degrees below 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:09.560 zero right now, freezing. There's no chance I'm falling asleep 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:11.720 on the air today. I can tell you that. Listen, 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:14.960 I'm with you. I it was when I was walking 0:18:15.000 --> 0:18:17.440 in my hotel and I mean when I say it's 0:18:17.560 --> 0:18:20.800 full of Russians, I'm not joking. It's full of Russians. 0:18:21.400 --> 0:18:23.520 And I think I'm the only American in the hotel. 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:28.359 And so you know, I'm getting the fact that they 0:18:28.440 --> 0:18:31.719 knew me. Surprised me number one number two, you know, 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:33.880 asking me, and I'm like, well, what do you want 0:18:33.880 --> 0:18:34.640 to kill in a stop? 0:18:34.680 --> 0:18:36.920 How many more Russian soldiers dead? Do you want? 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:39.919 You know, how many more dead women and children do 0:18:39.920 --> 0:18:44.119 we have to have here? What to satisfy Plutin's you know, 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:49.439 geopolitical territorial ambitions, no, thank you, And the fact that 0:18:49.640 --> 0:18:53.560 President Trump is willing to expend political capital that in 0:18:53.640 --> 0:18:57.960 the end wood could potentially benefit everybody. You know, European 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:00.920 leaders can't do this now. If you really want to 0:19:00.960 --> 0:19:05.439 take it to the next, next, next best level, why not? 0:19:06.400 --> 0:19:10.360 Why doesn't Europe start on their own? And maybe President 0:19:10.359 --> 0:19:13.960 Trump will get the ball rolling to develop better relationships 0:19:14.000 --> 0:19:18.800 with Russia. Maybe that would reduce their their contributions that 0:19:18.840 --> 0:19:23.199 are necessary to NATO. You know, there's all sorts of 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:27.919 possibilities if you're open and you really want peace in 0:19:27.960 --> 0:19:31.000 your life, and you really you know, there's all sorts 0:19:31.000 --> 0:19:33.480 of things. But it takes two to tango. You can't 0:19:33.520 --> 0:19:36.359 make people do things they don't want to do. And 0:19:36.400 --> 0:19:40.040 there's a certain part of Putin, from my perspective, that 0:19:40.160 --> 0:19:44.000 is just evil. And I don't think he's moved an inch. 0:19:44.080 --> 0:19:44.520 I don't think. 0:19:44.840 --> 0:19:48.399 I don't think his heart, his soul, his conscience is 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:51.720 moved in the least, you know, if he sees pictures. 0:19:51.720 --> 0:19:54.720 He doesn't even probably see them of dead women and children. 0:19:54.800 --> 0:19:57.680 I don't think he cares. And it's just not how 0:19:57.720 --> 0:20:02.520 he's his mind is configured. So anyway, we can hope. 0:20:02.920 --> 0:20:06.000 But that's why pressure matters, when when you go at 0:20:06.040 --> 0:20:10.560 somebody's the heart of a country's economy, which is what 0:20:10.640 --> 0:20:15.680 the severe consequences will be. If Putin does not rise 0:20:15.720 --> 0:20:18.320 to the occasion and take the opportunity President Trump is 0:20:18.320 --> 0:20:20.840 giving him today, then I think that's the inevitable result. 0:20:22.600 --> 0:20:25.360 I cannot believe we're going to stay in Alaska. I 0:20:25.400 --> 0:20:28.800 can't believe all our friends in Alaska calling in. We 0:20:28.880 --> 0:20:31.560 have Drew in Alaska. Drew, how are you glad you called? 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:33.880 And thanks for listening in Alaska. 0:20:35.760 --> 0:20:38.320 Thank you for having me Sean. This is a great 0:20:38.400 --> 0:20:40.920 day for Alaska and for the whole world to see 0:20:40.920 --> 0:20:44.719 our great state and for President Trump to put this together. 0:20:44.960 --> 0:20:47.720 And like I was telling Katie, I was a prop 0:20:47.800 --> 0:20:51.640 Democrat at one point until they did their bull crap 0:20:51.680 --> 0:20:54.919 against the president and tried to trump up charges against him, 0:20:54.960 --> 0:20:57.679 and I was like, no, it's not going to happen. 0:20:57.720 --> 0:20:59.879 And he got the black and brown vote, plus the 0:21:00.080 --> 0:21:04.160 white boat vote too, so and I think he's doing 0:21:04.200 --> 0:21:06.919 a great job for our for our country of the 0:21:07.040 --> 0:21:09.560 United States. And with Putin coming here, he's gonna just, 0:21:10.040 --> 0:21:12.640 you know, we won't know what he says, but basically 0:21:14.600 --> 0:21:17.359 he's just gonna say it has to stop. And Putin 0:21:17.440 --> 0:21:21.239 realizes that it needs to stop because the money's running up, 0:21:21.280 --> 0:21:24.919 and he has countrymen that are saying, hey, it was 0:21:25.080 --> 0:21:28.159 fine before, and I can't believe they would tell him that, 0:21:28.280 --> 0:21:34.160 but it is Russia. And I'm hoping uh Zolenski will come. 0:21:34.200 --> 0:21:37.199 But like I was telling Katie, I don't see Putin 0:21:37.600 --> 0:21:41.280 in the Russian giving back any land they wanted that 0:21:42.000 --> 0:21:45.280 they wanted that waterway, and I don't think they're going 0:21:45.359 --> 0:21:48.040 to give it back, so that that's not up to us. 0:21:48.080 --> 0:21:50.600 That's between Russia and the Ukraine. 0:21:50.720 --> 0:21:55.359 And I just well, the American people that the shift 0:21:55.440 --> 0:21:59.160 in attitude I think is so much. It's been very 0:21:59.200 --> 0:22:03.600 great because of President Trump's leadership, and that is he's 0:22:03.640 --> 0:22:08.200 given Putin every opportunity a lot of time to come 0:22:08.240 --> 0:22:08.919 to the table. 0:22:09.000 --> 0:22:11.440