WEBVTT - Instant Reaction: Trump Threatens to Escalate Iran War in Primetime Speech

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<v Speaker 1>Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio News.

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<v Speaker 2>This is a breaking news update from Bloomberg instant reaction

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<v Speaker 2>and analysis from our three thousand journalists and analysts around

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<v Speaker 2>the world. This is special coverage from Bloomberg Radio. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>Doug Chrisner in New York Wednesday evening. In a rare

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<v Speaker 2>primetime address to the nation, President Trump provided an update

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<v Speaker 2>on the war in Iran.

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<v Speaker 3>Thanks to the progress we've made, I can say tonight

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<v Speaker 3>that we are on track to complete all of America's

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<v Speaker 3>military objectives shortly, very shortly. We're going to hit them

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<v Speaker 3>extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We're

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<v Speaker 3>going to bring them back to the Stone ages where

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<v Speaker 3>they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing. Regime change

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<v Speaker 3>was not our goal. We never said regime change. But

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<v Speaker 3>regime change has occurred because of all of their original

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<v Speaker 3>leader's death. They're all dead. The new group is less

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<v Speaker 3>radical and much more reasonable. Yet, if during this period

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<v Speaker 3>of time no deal is made, we have our eyes

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<v Speaker 3>or in key targets. If there is no deal, we

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<v Speaker 3>are going to hit each and every one of their

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<v Speaker 3>electric generating plants very hard, and probably simultaneously. We have

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<v Speaker 3>not hit their oil, even though that's the easiest target

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<v Speaker 3>of all because it would not give them even a

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<v Speaker 3>small chance of survival or rebuilding. But we could hit

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<v Speaker 3>it and it would be gone, and there's not a

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<v Speaker 3>thing they could do about it.

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<v Speaker 2>President Trump, they are delivering a rare prime time address

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<v Speaker 2>with regards to war in Iran. He said, the US

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<v Speaker 2>is getting very close to finishing the job in Iran.

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<v Speaker 2>The hard part, in Trump's words, done insofar as Iron

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<v Speaker 2>is concerned, and the country is no longer really a threat.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's talk a little bit more about what we heard

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<v Speaker 2>today from the President with our special guest, Christina Raffini

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<v Speaker 2>is with us. She is co host of Bloomberg This Weekend.

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<v Speaker 2>Also on the line, Bloomberg's Jeff Mason. He is White

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<v Speaker 2>House and Washington correspondent. Thanks to you both, Christina, let

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<v Speaker 2>me begin with you. What did you make of what

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<v Speaker 2>you heard tonight.

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<v Speaker 1>One of the interesting things we did not hear was

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<v Speaker 1>something we were expecting to hear, and that was the

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<v Speaker 1>President name NATO. We understand he's been very frustrated with

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<v Speaker 1>NATO allies. He kind of second referenced it at one point.

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<v Speaker 1>He said America doesn't need things out of the Strait.

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<v Speaker 1>We have our own oil and gas. And to all

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<v Speaker 1>you allies who basically wouldn't help us, if you want it,

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<v Speaker 1>go protect it. He also gave a bit of a timeline,

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<v Speaker 1>although there weren't as many specifics as a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>people were hoping for. He said, our objectives are about

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<v Speaker 1>to be fully achieved. We're on track to complete those shortly,

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<v Speaker 1>and then he said in the next two to three weeks.

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<v Speaker 1>And for context, he then began listing the duration of

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<v Speaker 1>other American wars, including Vietnam and the Iraq War, which

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<v Speaker 1>meant much longer, and that it's you know, this has

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<v Speaker 1>only been thirty two days of conflict, Jeff.

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<v Speaker 2>He seemed to be delivering an ultimatum. Vice President jd.

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<v Speaker 2>Vance is set to relay some messages through mediators, and

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<v Speaker 2>essentially it comes down to this, if there is no deal,

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<v Speaker 2>the US is going to hit each and every one

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<v Speaker 2>of Iran's electrical generating plants very hard. That seems to

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<v Speaker 2>be illegal, doesn't Well.

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<v Speaker 4>I don't feel like I can comment on whether it's illegal,

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<v Speaker 4>but I can say that it is certainly a threat,

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<v Speaker 4>and that may be one reason why we're seeing s

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<v Speaker 4>and p futures going down already as President Trump was speaking,

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<v Speaker 4>and that's probably the opposite of what he was hoping

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<v Speaker 4>to achieve, because he did reference the markets tonight, and

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<v Speaker 4>he talked about the fact that stock markets had dropped

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<v Speaker 4>a little bit because of the war, and then he

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<v Speaker 4>said what he often says, which is he said he

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<v Speaker 4>saw the markets coming back as he's been talking about

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<v Speaker 4>ending the conflict, and thought it seemed happy about that.

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<v Speaker 4>I think tonight was largely a sales pitch by the president.

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<v Speaker 4>It's a late sales pitch, and I don't mean late

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<v Speaker 4>on a Wednesday evening. I mean late in the process

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<v Speaker 4>of the war. He launched this war four and a

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<v Speaker 4>half weeks ago, essentially with a social media announcement, and yes,

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<v Speaker 4>he has spoken to reporters and in that way addressed

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<v Speaker 4>the American public over these weeks, but this was his

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<v Speaker 4>first time coming out and laying out the logic for

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<v Speaker 4>going into the war and laying out his next steps.

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<v Speaker 5>And that's what he did with this address tonight.

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<v Speaker 4>But I wouldn't say we learned a whole lot more

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<v Speaker 4>about the war or the process, other than him sticking

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<v Speaker 4>to a two to three week timeline for getting out Christina.

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<v Speaker 2>Earlier today, Iranian President Mussud Przeskyn took the, let's call

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<v Speaker 2>it unusual step of issuing a letter directly addressed to Americans,

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<v Speaker 2>and in it, he said, continuing along the path of

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<v Speaker 2>confrontation is more costly in few ChIL than ever before,

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<v Speaker 2>and he noted that attacks on infrastructure directly target Iranian people.

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<v Speaker 2>Did it surprise you that there was no reference made

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<v Speaker 2>to that letter.

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<v Speaker 1>Not really. The President doesn't like to I don't think

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<v Speaker 1>he wants to give credence to that administration or that

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<v Speaker 1>power structure in Tehran right now. But it was an

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<v Speaker 1>interesting move by Iran because that's something we've seen Americans

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<v Speaker 1>usually come from the State Department or American presidents have

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<v Speaker 1>often issued statements in Farsi for the Iranian people. They

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<v Speaker 1>often are trying to appeal to the people, especially during

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<v Speaker 1>the protests or as President Trump said tonight, regime change

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<v Speaker 1>was not our goal, but regime change has occurred. If

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<v Speaker 1>you're trying to appeal directly to the population to overthrow

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<v Speaker 1>what you view as a corrupt and as you said

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<v Speaker 1>several times, evil regime, that is something we are more

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<v Speaker 1>commonly seeing from the US to Iran. I don't remember

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<v Speaker 1>in recent memory the President of Iran appealing directly to

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<v Speaker 1>the American people, but these are unprecedented times. The other

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<v Speaker 1>thing the President said that I thought was interesting was

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<v Speaker 1>when he talked about regime change. He said, but regime

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<v Speaker 1>change has occurred because all the original leaders are dead.

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<v Speaker 1>This is true. They have taken out of a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of Iran's leadership, but the current leader is the son

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<v Speaker 1>of the former leader, and a lot of the mullahs

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<v Speaker 1>and power structure that are electing him are still in

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<v Speaker 1>place from the old regime. And if anything, analysts have

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<v Speaker 1>told us these strikes knocked out of a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>potential moderates, and you're getting mostly extremists who are in

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<v Speaker 1>the government right now, with the exception of perhaps the

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<v Speaker 1>president and the Foreign Minister and maybe the Speaker of

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<v Speaker 1>the House in Tehran. So that's not exactly accurate. And

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<v Speaker 1>calling it regime change is also not accurate, because these are,

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<v Speaker 1>for better or worse, mostly the same people who were

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<v Speaker 1>in power before this assault started.

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<v Speaker 2>Jeff, we understand that British Foreign Secretary of Ed Cooper

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<v Speaker 2>will be chairing a virtual meeting with counterparts from some

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<v Speaker 2>thirty five countries, and the aim apparently is to discuss

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<v Speaker 2>a plan to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait.

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<v Speaker 2>The US, from what I d stand, is not due

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<v Speaker 2>to attend this virtual meeting. Where do you think things

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<v Speaker 2>stand with some of our allies, particularly those in Europe.

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<v Speaker 5>Well, it's hard to say.

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<v Speaker 4>I think they've certainly had a wake up call from

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<v Speaker 4>President Trump.

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<v Speaker 5>And that didn't just start with this war.

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<v Speaker 4>That started with his return to office, generally when he

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<v Speaker 4>started to be critical of NATO again as he was

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<v Speaker 4>during his first term. Although I will say I asked

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<v Speaker 4>him a question of one of his first press conferences

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<v Speaker 4>last year about whether he remained committed to Article five,

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<v Speaker 4>which of course is the part of the NATO Treaty

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<v Speaker 4>that guarantees mutual defense, and he said yes. But there

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<v Speaker 4>has certainly been a number of questions about that since,

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<v Speaker 4>and he is raising them himself by being critical of

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<v Speaker 4>NATO allies, Britain in particular, I might add, for not

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<v Speaker 4>jumping in to help protect the straight of hor Moves

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<v Speaker 4>and help get ship to help improve the shipping passages

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<v Speaker 4>through there. So to your question, and that was a

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<v Speaker 4>long wind up, sorry, The fact that the United States

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<v Speaker 4>is not taking part is probably a sign that these

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<v Speaker 4>other countries realize that Trump is serious when he says

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<v Speaker 4>We're going to leave in two to three weeks and

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<v Speaker 4>we don't really care what happens to the Strait of Hormuz.

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<v Speaker 4>I mean, he says that it will it will just

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<v Speaker 4>automatically start working better. But I think most reasonable people

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<v Speaker 4>who are familiar with that area of the world will

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<v Speaker 4>know that that's not the case. And so these countries

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<v Speaker 4>appear to be looking like they want to talk about

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<v Speaker 4>it in order to come up with a strategy.

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<v Speaker 2>Speaking with Bloomberg's Jeff Mason, who is our White House

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<v Speaker 2>and Washington correspondent, as well as Christina Ruffini, who is

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<v Speaker 2>co host of Bloomberg This Weekend. By the way, you

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<v Speaker 2>can catch here Saturdays and Sundays on Bloomberg TV and

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<v Speaker 2>Radio beginning at seven a m. Eastern time. Christina, let

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<v Speaker 2>me go to you. The conversation that we had yesterday

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<v Speaker 2>late in the day was the possibility of some type

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<v Speaker 2>of UN action as it relates to the UAE, maybe

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<v Speaker 2>using the use of force to keeping the straight open.

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<v Speaker 2>Do you think that's got any chance of succeeding.

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<v Speaker 1>I think the UN is at its weakest that we've

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<v Speaker 1>seen it in probably the last two decades. But following

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<v Speaker 1>up on Jeff's point, the President said, when this is done,

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<v Speaker 1>it will just open up naturally because they want to

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<v Speaker 1>sell the oil, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. What

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<v Speaker 1>Jeff was talking about is something that allies are really

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<v Speaker 1>concerned about, and that's probably what's precipitating that mention that

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<v Speaker 1>that meeting you mentioned it from the UK and this

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<v Speaker 1>effort to try to get some sort of coalition together

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<v Speaker 1>with the UN, with these nations to open up the street,

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<v Speaker 1>because it is looking more and more likely, and I

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<v Speaker 1>think the President's words hinted at it tonight. He doesn't

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<v Speaker 1>really care if the strait is operational. He's going to

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<v Speaker 1>do his thing, and the US is going to leave,

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<v Speaker 1>and all those GCC countries, all those Golf allies, all

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<v Speaker 1>the Asian countries that depend heavily on oil coming through

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<v Speaker 1>that street, some of them who thought they had very

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<v Speaker 1>close ties to the United States are gon be in

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<v Speaker 1>trouble if the US is not there to finish the job,

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<v Speaker 1>and that's going to fall to some sort of coalition

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<v Speaker 1>of other nations. Maybe the UN is the mechanism by

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<v Speaker 1>which they make that happen. But I would reckon it

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<v Speaker 1>probably happens between a collaboration of EU and GCC countries.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it probably happens outside that body. But perhaps

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<v Speaker 1>talking about it at the UN will be helpful in

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<v Speaker 1>getting that started. But this is a real issue, and

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<v Speaker 1>allies are really concerned that this could actually happen and

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<v Speaker 1>they could be left in a worse straitun unintended than

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<v Speaker 1>when this war started, because Iran could be controlling the

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<v Speaker 1>strait and then potentially profiting off of it if it

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<v Speaker 1>starts to charge tolls or control passage.

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<v Speaker 2>Jeff, let me go to you. Is President Trump getting

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<v Speaker 2>advice from anyone outside that inner circle so to speak?

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<v Speaker 2>Do you think?

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<v Speaker 4>You know? It's always sort of tricky to figure out

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<v Speaker 4>where President Trump is getting his advice. We know that

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<v Speaker 4>he talks to, of course the inner circle of advisors

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<v Speaker 4>that you were referencing, also an outer circle of friends.

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<v Speaker 5>He calls some.

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<v Speaker 4>Of the natural US allies and leaders of friends as well,

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<v Speaker 4>but it's hard for me to say to what extent

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<v Speaker 4>he's listening to them. I always come back, when asked

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<v Speaker 4>about this, to something that he said. I believe it

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<v Speaker 4>was in twenty sixteen, before he won the first election

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<v Speaker 4>that he won, which he was asked then where he

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<v Speaker 4>gets his advice, and he said from myself, And I

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<v Speaker 4>think that that still applies in twenty twenty six He

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<v Speaker 4>is his top counselor, he is his top spokesperson. He

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<v Speaker 4>likes to be the number one in charge, and he

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<v Speaker 4>likes to be the one delivering the message, and he

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<v Speaker 4>likes to be the one.

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<v Speaker 5>Making the decisions.

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<v Speaker 4>Now that's not to say he's not listening to some

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<v Speaker 4>others and getting some advice, certainly from people like Marco Rubio,

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<v Speaker 4>Steve Woodkoff, Jared Kushner, and.

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<v Speaker 5>Probably his own vice president.

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<v Speaker 4>As you noted earlier, who's becoming a little bit more

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<v Speaker 4>involved in more recent days.

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<v Speaker 5>But the buck stops with him, and he's the ultimate decider, Christina.

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<v Speaker 2>Before this conflict began, the administration was somewhat stressing the

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<v Speaker 2>issue of affordability. And I know now that the Cleveland

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<v Speaker 2>now cast from the Cleveland Fed has the inflation rated

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<v Speaker 2>around forecasted around three and a quarter percent. Where do

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<v Speaker 2>you think this leaves the president as we talk more

0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:25.720
<v Speaker 2>and more about the run up to the off term elections.

0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:28.040
<v Speaker 1>I mean again, I hate to give Jeff Mason too

0:12:28.120 --> 0:12:30.920
<v Speaker 1>much credit, just kidding. Jeff is brilliant, but he was

0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:34.920
<v Speaker 1>right saying he was right and saying this was part

0:12:34.960 --> 0:12:38.920
<v Speaker 1>of that. This is a sales pitch because midterms are

0:12:39.120 --> 0:12:41.679
<v Speaker 1>if you are the president, just around the corner. And

0:12:41.840 --> 0:12:44.319
<v Speaker 1>even if this is resolved tomorrow, which the President said,

0:12:44.360 --> 0:12:45.880
<v Speaker 1>it's not going to be right. He's looking at a

0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:48.839
<v Speaker 1>two to three week timeline before the US operation is

0:12:48.880 --> 0:12:51.079
<v Speaker 1>even finished. That's not to say whether or not the

0:12:51.160 --> 0:12:55.240
<v Speaker 1>strait is working by then. And even though the President

0:12:55.240 --> 0:12:57.600
<v Speaker 1>emphasized many many times he said, you know, thanks to

0:12:57.640 --> 0:13:00.520
<v Speaker 1>my economic policies, we have drill, baby, Bill, drill, the

0:13:00.640 --> 0:13:03.719
<v Speaker 1>US is financially independent. The oil prices will come down,

0:13:03.800 --> 0:13:07.600
<v Speaker 1>the stock market will go up. That's pretty aspirational because

0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:10.439
<v Speaker 1>every analyst I've heard on Bloomberg this week is saying

0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:13.040
<v Speaker 1>this is not like flipping a switch. There's a tail

0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:17.480
<v Speaker 1>to this. It's inputs for chemicals, it's fertilizer for farmers.

0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:21.120
<v Speaker 1>It's the global oil price, not just what we're paying

0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:23.800
<v Speaker 1>in the US. That impacts everybody's price at the pump.

0:13:24.160 --> 0:13:26.920
<v Speaker 1>And that's something that voters are really going to notice.

0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:29.840
<v Speaker 1>And you know, Trump voters are very, very loyal, but

0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:32.200
<v Speaker 1>it's expensive to live in the United States right now,

0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:34.400
<v Speaker 1>and families are under a lot of pressure, and that's

0:13:34.520 --> 0:13:36.280
<v Speaker 1>really really going to hurt him, and it's really going

0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:39.160
<v Speaker 1>to hurt Republicans ahead of the midterms when they're already

0:13:39.160 --> 0:13:40.280
<v Speaker 1>looking at an uphill battle.

0:13:40.720 --> 0:13:42.440
<v Speaker 2>Jeff, what do we know about the build up of

0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:45.320
<v Speaker 2>additional US troops in the Mid East region?

0:13:45.800 --> 0:13:47.440
<v Speaker 4>Let me answer that, and then I want to get

0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:50.040
<v Speaker 4>back to the politics briefly. As far as the build up,

0:13:50.080 --> 0:13:53.160
<v Speaker 4>we know that in recent days and weeks that the

0:13:53.400 --> 0:13:56.600
<v Speaker 4>United States has sent more troops to the region, which

0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:01.439
<v Speaker 4>led to some speculation about potent boots, putting boots on

0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:05.360
<v Speaker 4>the ground. That's definitely not something that the President addressed tonight,

0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:09.240
<v Speaker 4>which I think you can interpret in two ways. Number One,

0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:13.280
<v Speaker 4>you would, I don't think, be wrong to conclude that

0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:16.240
<v Speaker 4>he's signaling that that is definitely not the direction he

0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:19.600
<v Speaker 4>wants to move, or else he wouldn't be repeating the

0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:22.080
<v Speaker 4>fact that he wants to conclude the war in the

0:14:22.160 --> 0:14:25.360
<v Speaker 4>next two to three weeks. You could also conclude that

0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:29.160
<v Speaker 4>it's a headfake and that the President is still considering

0:14:29.200 --> 0:14:31.760
<v Speaker 4>it and that's why he has sent troops in the

0:14:31.880 --> 0:14:34.880
<v Speaker 4>into the region in order to continue to have that option.

0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:40.000
<v Speaker 4>So that'll be something that you know, allies and enemies

0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:45.360
<v Speaker 4>will will have to figure out as as this war continues.

0:14:45.640 --> 0:14:48.000
<v Speaker 5>Briefly back on the politics, though, I also wanted to.

0:14:47.920 --> 0:14:51.600
<v Speaker 4>Say I said earlier that this was a sales pitch.

0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:53.760
<v Speaker 4>One of the things that was a sales pitch, I

0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:57.680
<v Speaker 4>think was him listing the number of when Christina mentioned this,

0:14:57.720 --> 0:15:01.440
<v Speaker 4>as well listing the major wars of the last century

0:15:01.480 --> 0:15:05.400
<v Speaker 4>and how long they took. And I'm just I'd be

0:15:05.560 --> 0:15:08.320
<v Speaker 4>very curious to see some polling after the speech as

0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:11.520
<v Speaker 4>to whether that logic resonates at all, both with his

0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:14.200
<v Speaker 4>base and with an American public that heard him say

0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:16.760
<v Speaker 4>as a candidate in twenty twenty four that he would

0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:18.880
<v Speaker 4>not launch new wars Christina.

0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:21.880
<v Speaker 2>Earlier in the week, the president was focused on trying

0:15:21.920 --> 0:15:25.640
<v Speaker 2>to recover enriched uranium in Iran, but apparently he told

0:15:25.760 --> 0:15:29.440
<v Speaker 2>Reuters that it's so far underground he doesn't even care

0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:31.520
<v Speaker 2>about it any longer. Talk to me about what you

0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:35.360
<v Speaker 2>perceived to be the maybe subtle shifts in objectives.

0:15:35.680 --> 0:15:38.680
<v Speaker 1>So the Washington Post was out with some good reporting

0:15:38.680 --> 0:15:42.720
<v Speaker 1>today about the President asking for an operational plan for

0:15:42.960 --> 0:15:45.280
<v Speaker 1>US Commando's special forces to go in and try to

0:15:45.320 --> 0:15:50.040
<v Speaker 1>retrieve that uranium. That to me immediately seems like an

0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:54.280
<v Speaker 1>almost impossible and incredibly dangerous task because, as the President

0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:58.680
<v Speaker 1>mentioned in his speech, the US hit s Fahim, thetans

0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:02.200
<v Speaker 1>FDAU those new clear sites very heavily last June with

0:16:02.280 --> 0:16:06.840
<v Speaker 1>those big bunker busting bombs, and according to the President,

0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.040
<v Speaker 1>greatered them and at the time destroyed the nuclear the

0:16:10.120 --> 0:16:14.080
<v Speaker 1>nuclear program. Now tonight, the President said that Iran was

0:16:14.200 --> 0:16:17.520
<v Speaker 1>on the door of a nuclear bomb and they were

0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:21.200
<v Speaker 1>mirroring the race. Everyone I've spoken to nuclear experts say

0:16:21.240 --> 0:16:23.480
<v Speaker 1>there's no evidence that Iran was any closer to that

0:16:23.560 --> 0:16:25.760
<v Speaker 1>breakout time the time it takes them to flip the

0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:28.880
<v Speaker 1>switch and create a nuclear weapon than they were when

0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:33.400
<v Speaker 1>the US attacks those nuclear sites last summer. The issue

0:16:33.480 --> 0:16:36.600
<v Speaker 1>is is this has been a talking point for the President,

0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:39.160
<v Speaker 1>and so he wants to show that he's trying to

0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:42.080
<v Speaker 1>prevent a Ran from having a nuclear bomb. He has

0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:44.880
<v Speaker 1>a plan for getting that uranium, but now it seems

0:16:44.880 --> 0:16:47.000
<v Speaker 1>like he is backing off of that. That could be

0:16:47.040 --> 0:16:50.360
<v Speaker 1>potentially because those plans came back and were not feasible

0:16:50.480 --> 0:16:52.960
<v Speaker 1>or just simply because he realized that it contradicts his

0:16:53.040 --> 0:16:56.640
<v Speaker 1>own argument that the US destroyed these sites. But at

0:16:56.680 --> 0:16:59.160
<v Speaker 1>the same time, he's also saying that Iran was about

0:16:59.200 --> 0:17:01.720
<v Speaker 1>to get a nuclear and both those two things can't

0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:02.320
<v Speaker 1>really be true.

0:17:02.520 --> 0:17:04.760
<v Speaker 2>Jeff, I'll give you the last word as we get

0:17:04.800 --> 0:17:05.640
<v Speaker 2>set to wrap up.

0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:08.440
<v Speaker 4>I appreciate you giving me the last word instead of Christina,

0:17:10.119 --> 0:17:12.520
<v Speaker 4>But what I would like to say is actually building

0:17:12.880 --> 0:17:17.240
<v Speaker 4>off of her brilliant remarks just there, which is politically

0:17:17.840 --> 0:17:20.800
<v Speaker 4>their conservatives, and I spoke to one of them today

0:17:21.200 --> 0:17:23.320
<v Speaker 4>who are concerned that President Trump.

0:17:23.080 --> 0:17:26.840
<v Speaker 5>Is not finishing the job. That he made the.

0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:30.240
<v Speaker 4>Decision to go in and start this war, controversial decision

0:17:30.280 --> 0:17:32.359
<v Speaker 4>but one that is certainly supported by a lot of

0:17:32.440 --> 0:17:37.640
<v Speaker 4>Iran Hawks and right leading people in the foreign policy establishment,

0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:41.800
<v Speaker 4>and they were worried ahead of this speech today that

0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:44.840
<v Speaker 4>he is done with it, ready to get out because

0:17:44.840 --> 0:17:47.680
<v Speaker 4>of the multiple reasons that we've already cited, and that

0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:52.480
<v Speaker 4>that will actually still leave a threat in Iran that

0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:54.840
<v Speaker 4>he could have taken care of now if he had

0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:55.560
<v Speaker 4>just stuck with it.

0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:58.840
<v Speaker 2>Jeff, thank you so very much. Bloomberg's Jeff Mason, our

0:17:59.000 --> 0:18:02.440
<v Speaker 2>White House and Washington correspondent, And a very special thanks

0:18:02.440 --> 0:18:05.760
<v Speaker 2>to Christina Raffini, co host of Bloomberg This Weekend, and

0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:08.760
<v Speaker 2>you can catch here Saturdays and Sundays on Bloomberg TV

0:18:08.840 --> 0:18:12.560
<v Speaker 2>and radio beginning at seven a m. Eastern Time. Thanks

0:18:12.560 --> 0:18:13.680
<v Speaker 2>to you both,