WEBVTT - Putin Agrees to Help Trump Broker Nuclear Talks With Iran: Bloomberg Exclusive

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<v Speaker 1>This is breaking news from Bloomberg.

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<v Speaker 2>Now to a story that just crossed the Bloomberg terminal

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<v Speaker 2>moments ago on a red headline. Russia agreeing to assist

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<v Speaker 2>the Trump administration in communications with Iran on issues including

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<v Speaker 2>its nuclear program and support for regional proxies opposed to

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<v Speaker 2>the US were told the President relayed that interest directly

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<v Speaker 2>in a phone call last month to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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<v Speaker 2>Goldnar multi Vali heads Bloomberg's Iran coverage and broke this story.

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<v Speaker 2>Goldnar is here with us now get us up to

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<v Speaker 2>speed on just what we have learned about this phone call, which, interestingly,

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<v Speaker 2>according to your reporting Golnar came before US and Russian

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<v Speaker 2>negotiators met in Saudi Arabia last month.

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<v Speaker 1>Is that right?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes?

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<v Speaker 4>So this was also helped by our colleagues who are

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<v Speaker 4>covering Russia very closely and people that who they spoke

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<v Speaker 4>with based in Moscow.

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<v Speaker 5>VISA story is said that during the US first round

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<v Speaker 5>of talks with Russian counterparts in Riad, there was apparently

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<v Speaker 5>an ask from on behalf of.

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<v Speaker 6>The Trump administration for President Putin's government to get involved

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<v Speaker 6>on some level with President Trump's desire or stated interest

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<v Speaker 6>in broker in some kind of nuclear agreement with Iran,

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<v Speaker 6>and apparently this request.

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<v Speaker 5>Was then also repeated during a meeting between Sergei Lavrov,

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<v Speaker 5>the Russian foreign minister, and his Iranian counterpart at boss

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<v Speaker 5>Arachi when he then subsequently flew to Tehran for bilateral talks.

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<v Speaker 6>So the crux of.

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<v Speaker 5>The story is that President Donald Trump wants putin help

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<v Speaker 5>on some level to broke engagement with Iran with a

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<v Speaker 5>view to then securing a new nuclear agreement. But the agreement.

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<v Speaker 3>Apparently won't just cover Iran's nuclear program, which is what

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<v Speaker 3>the Obama.

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<v Speaker 5>Administration had already broken in broken in twenty fifteen, but

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<v Speaker 5>as we know, Trump exited in twenty eighteen and effectively.

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<v Speaker 6>Jettison But he wants he wants a deal that also in.

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<v Speaker 3>Some way covers.

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<v Speaker 5>Iran's support for its allied groups such.

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<v Speaker 6>As Hamas and Hezbola in.

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<v Speaker 5>The Middle East, and this is something.

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<v Speaker 6>That would be you know, it would be a major

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<v Speaker 6>development in the ongoing saga that is Iran and US relations.

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<v Speaker 6>But the background to this, obviously is that crucially Trump

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<v Speaker 6>has sending some mixed messages on what he wants to do.

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<v Speaker 5>With Iran, because we know obviously, on.

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<v Speaker 3>The day that he signed his directive revising that maximum

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<v Speaker 3>pressure strategy on Iran and broadening sanctions on its oil

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<v Speaker 3>industry within hours, he also said that he would on

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<v Speaker 3>history to social website, he said that he was very

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<v Speaker 3>much interested.

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<v Speaker 5>In a nuclear deal with Iran and he wants those

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<v Speaker 5>talks to happen quote quote unquote immediately. So there's a

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<v Speaker 5>lot going on here with this story.

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<v Speaker 2>Do we have any indication, Golnar, about how Israel might

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<v Speaker 2>feel about a development like this, because haven't Russia and

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<v Speaker 2>Iran increased cooperation over the last several years, Yes.

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<v Speaker 5>They have. That's another another crucial lay to this, and

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<v Speaker 5>it's a great it's a great question because since Russia's

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<v Speaker 5>started its invasion of Ukraine, the relationship between Tehran and

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<v Speaker 5>Mosco has deepened and broadened significantly. They are two of

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<v Speaker 5>the most.

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<v Speaker 6>Sanctioned countries in the world.

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<v Speaker 5>So they're the two most countries by the US Treasury,

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<v Speaker 5>and that has kind of brought them closer together. They're

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<v Speaker 5>doing much more trade, they're doing more bart agreements together.

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<v Speaker 5>Since since the Putin Putin's invasion of Ukraine started, they're

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<v Speaker 5>also they've also signed agreements to start trades corridors, the

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<v Speaker 5>kind of very ambitious project to develop a very a

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<v Speaker 5>substantial trade corridor linking the Caspian Sea to the Northern.

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<v Speaker 6>Indian Ocean using Iran as.

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<v Speaker 5>The as the throughway.

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<v Speaker 6>Lots going on there, and of course Iran's military supports

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<v Speaker 6>purported military support of Moscow in the shape of thousands

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<v Speaker 6>of Iranian cheaply made Iranian drones. That's another dimension to this.

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<v Speaker 5>And as you said, Iran is de facto in a

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<v Speaker 5>locked in a shadow wall with Israel that it's said

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<v Speaker 5>that it's and the continue fighting, especially in light of

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<v Speaker 5>the Hamas attacks on Israel in October seventh and the

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<v Speaker 5>subsequent Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip and southern Hezbola

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<v Speaker 5>targeting sorry, southern Ebanon targeting Hezbola and Hamas. So that's

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<v Speaker 5>also possibly a play here. It's going to be interesting

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<v Speaker 5>to see how Trump squares that circle his kind of

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<v Speaker 5>extremely close and sort of unconditional support for Israel with

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<v Speaker 5>his desire to, according to what he said on his

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<v Speaker 5>truth social.

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<v Speaker 3>Account, to have a verified.

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<v Speaker 6>Nuclear peace agreement with Iran that doesn't involve any kind

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<v Speaker 6>of military confrontation with Iran.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for this Golnar Monti Valia Bloomberg News, leading

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<v Speaker 2>our Iran coverage on the breaking news this morning, the

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<v Speaker 2>President Trump asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to get involved

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<v Speaker 2>in talks with Iran on its nuclear program and support

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<v Speaker 2>for regional PROCs.

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<v Speaker 1>He's, Golnar, thank you for this. We want to get

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<v Speaker 1>more reaction.

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<v Speaker 4>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>We're joined by Wendy Schiller, director of the Alfred Taubin

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<v Speaker 2>Center for Politics and Policy at Brown University. And Wendy,

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<v Speaker 2>this news of President Trump's call with Putin is coming

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<v Speaker 2>on top of the President halting military aid to Ukraine

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<v Speaker 2>until we're told President Vladimir Zelenski shows that he's committed

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<v Speaker 2>to peace.

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<v Speaker 1>Your reaction to all these developments this morning.

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<v Speaker 7>Well, Trump is disrupting again and disrupting the world order again.

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<v Speaker 7>But this, you know, this is not that unpredictable. You know,

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<v Speaker 7>when he undid the Iran deal, he kept saying, this

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<v Speaker 7>is a bad deal. You know, we struck a bad deal.

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<v Speaker 7>We didn't get enough for it. There isn't enough reassurance.

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<v Speaker 7>Plus it was it prior President Obama, and he wants

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<v Speaker 7>to undo it and do it again, similar to what

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<v Speaker 7>he did with NAFTA and renegotiated that and retitled it.

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<v Speaker 7>You know, this is a guy that wants to get

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<v Speaker 7>done things that prior presidents didn't do. We know that

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<v Speaker 7>approal rams import in him, but we also know that

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<v Speaker 7>he wants to be seen as an effective president. It's

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<v Speaker 7>driving his everything he's trying to do. People may disagree

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<v Speaker 7>with what he's doing, but this is what he wants

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<v Speaker 7>to do. So if he can manage I mean, Iran's

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<v Speaker 7>pretty close. You know, I'm non nuclear expert, but they

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<v Speaker 7>have gotten closer to getting a nuclear bomb. So if

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<v Speaker 7>he can prevent that somehow and reduce some of Iranian's

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<v Speaker 7>energy and support for terrorist groups, he will claim credit

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<v Speaker 7>for that. And he wants to build a record. Whether

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<v Speaker 7>he wants to be president again, we don't know, but

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<v Speaker 7>he wants to do what other presidents have not been

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<v Speaker 7>able to do, and he sees Russia as a potential

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<v Speaker 7>ally to get that done. Whether that's a reliable ally

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<v Speaker 7>for US in all measures and Russia and Iran, these sanctions,

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<v Speaker 7>you know, we can argue whether they matter or they don't,

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<v Speaker 7>they hurt Russia or they don't, but certainly economically they

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<v Speaker 7>get in the way, and so I think both Russia

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<v Speaker 7>and Aron would like to see these sanctions reduced or

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<v Speaker 7>eliminated somehow. Trump will try to claim that he's not

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<v Speaker 7>doing that, but obviously that's going to have to be

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<v Speaker 7>on the table if there's any new agreement.

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<v Speaker 2>Is this closer to you full US realignment with Russia.

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<v Speaker 7>I don't think anybody should jump the gun on that.

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<v Speaker 7>Trump is not someone who aligns with anybody but Trump.

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<v Speaker 7>This is the way he rolls this. He's been very

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<v Speaker 7>candid about this. Trump does what Trump thinks is in

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<v Speaker 7>Trump's best interest, and right now as president, he's making

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<v Speaker 7>the argument that these are all things that are in

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<v Speaker 7>the United States interest. So whether he's looking for some

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<v Speaker 7>long standing alliance or not, whether you know we're trying

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<v Speaker 7>to balance against China, you know, we have no idea.

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<v Speaker 7>Normally would say, oh, this is part of some grand strategy,

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<v Speaker 7>but it's not. It's Trump being able to broke or deals.

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<v Speaker 7>He loves to do that, walk away and claim a win,

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<v Speaker 7>and he's doing that across the board. And right now

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<v Speaker 7>he doesn't see the utility in making Russia the enemy.

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<v Speaker 7>He doesn't see the utility in basically paying US weapons

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<v Speaker 7>and manufacturers by the way get to make weapons for

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<v Speaker 7>Ukraine and getting nothing for the d He wants something

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<v Speaker 7>from Ukraine. He's trying to get some stake in minerals

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<v Speaker 7>and national resources in Ukraine, which might prove to be

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<v Speaker 7>a bullwark against further Russia incursion in Ukraine if the

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<v Speaker 7>United States has a vested steak in their territory. So

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<v Speaker 7>this is the way he thinks, and it's on brand

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<v Speaker 7>for him. We're going to see if he explains it

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<v Speaker 7>or talks about it tonight. In his joint.

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<v Speaker 2>Address, the President did say on true Social He's going

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<v Speaker 2>to tell it like it is tonight before Congress. What

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<v Speaker 2>will you be listening for this evening and reaction from Democrats, Well, I.

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<v Speaker 7>Mean, you know, basically, I'm not planning to listen to

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<v Speaker 7>anything in particular because I never know what Donald Trump's

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<v Speaker 7>going to say. But this will be about again, how

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<v Speaker 7>he will negotiate deals that are in a better favor

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<v Speaker 7>of the United States, how he is already prom he's

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<v Speaker 7>already doing what he promised to do, and that he's

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<v Speaker 7>going to basically be It's a campaign speech and you're

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<v Speaker 7>going to see a lot of Republican unity. This is

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<v Speaker 7>what this is. This is a show. And this is

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<v Speaker 7>also the President reminding the Republican Party that he won,

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<v Speaker 7>that he brought them in, that they owe him and

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<v Speaker 7>they should stick with him. And this is a public

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<v Speaker 7>display for that reason, going into very difficult I think

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<v Speaker 7>tax cut and debt ceiling and budget negotiations in the

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<v Speaker 7>next couple.

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<v Speaker 2>Of weeks, I really appreciate the perspective ahead of that

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<v Speaker 2>address nine pm.

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<v Speaker 1>Wall Street Time on Capitol Hill.

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<v Speaker 2>Our coverage begins at eight on a special edition of

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<v Speaker 2>Bloomberg Balance of Power on Bloomberg Radio, Television and the

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<v Speaker 2>Bloomberg Podcast YouTube page. Wendy Schiller ahead of all that

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<v Speaker 2>with us this morning, head of the Alfred Taubman Center

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<v Speaker 2>for American Politics and Policy at Brown University,