Latest news with #VANCE
22-06-2025
- Politics
'This Week' Transcript 6-22-25: Vice President of the United States JD Vance, Sen. Tom Cotton & Rep. Jim Himes
A rush transcript of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" airing on Sunday, June 22, 2025 on ABC News is below. This copy may not be in its final form, may be updated and may contain minor transcription errors. For previous show transcripts, visit the "This Week" transcript archive. JONATHAN KARL, ABC "THIS WEEK" CO-ANCHOR: Mr. Vice President, thank you for joining us. The big question right now is the United States -- J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thanks, Jon. Thanks for having me. KARL: Sure thing. The big question, is the United States now at war with Iran? VANCE: No, we're not at war with Iran, Jon. We're at war with Iran's nuclear program. And I think the president took decisive action to destroy that program last night. If I could step back a little bit. We have to give an incredible amount of gratitude to the troops who did an amazing thing last night. Think about this, Jon, they threw -- they flew thousands of miles away, a 30-hour non-stop flight. They never touched down on the ground. And they dropped a 30,000-pound bomb on a target about the size of a washing machine. No military in the world has the training, the skills and the equipment to do what these guys did last night. I know the president and I are both very proud of them. And I think what they did was accomplish a very core American national objective. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapons program. The president's been very clear about this. And thanks to the bravery and competence and skill of our great pilots and everybody who supported this mission, we took a major step forward for that national objective last night. KARL: It certainly was a complex and overwhelming mission, 125 aircraft involved, we are told. Can you say definitely that Iran's nuclear program has -- has now been destroyed? VANCE: Well, Jon, I don't want to get into the sensitive intelligence here, but we know that we've set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night. Whether we -- whether it's years or beyond that, we know it's going to be a very long time before Iran can even build a nuclear weapon if they want to. But I actually think that raises the most important question. The president talked about this last night. We want Iran to give up their nuclear weapons program peacefully. But there is no way that the United States is going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon. And so, they really have to choose a pathway, Jon, are they going to go down the path of continued war, of funding terrorism, of seeking a nuclear weapon, or are they going to work with us to give up nuclear weapons permanently. If they're willing to choose the smart path, they're certainly going to find a willing partner in the United States to dismantle that nuclear weapons program. But if they decide they're going to attack our troops, if they decide they're going to continue to try to build a nuclear weapon, then we are going to respond to that with overwhelming force. So really what happens next is up to the Iranians. KARL: So -- but -- but let me drill down on what was accomplished, because there's a -- there's a report this morning in 'The New York Times' that Fordo, that deep, underground enrichment facility, was severely damaged, but not fully destroyed. But the president said last night the enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Can -- can we say that definitively, or are we just not sure yet? I mean, have those facilities been obliterated? VANCE: Well, Jon, severely damaged versus obliterated, I'm not exactly sure what the difference is. What we know is we set their nucleal program back substantially. KAR: Well -- well, one -- I mean -- VANCE: And I -- again, Jon, I don't want to get into very sensitive intelligence about what we know, but I feel extremely confident, and I can say to the American people with great confidence that they are much further away from the nuclear program today than they were 24 hours ago. That was the objective of the mission, to destroy that Fordo nuclear site and, of course, do some damage to the other sites as well. But we feel very confident that the Fordo nuclear site was substantially set back, and that was our goal. KARL: The -- the UN's atomic energy watchdog said that Iran had 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. What -- do we know what has become of that? Is -- was it destroyed in this attack? Do we know? That's a big stockpile. VANCE: Well, we're going to work in the coming weeks -- yes, Jon, we're going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel. And that's one of the things that we're going to have conversations with the Iranians about. But what we know, Jon, is they no longer have the capacity to turn that stockpile of highly enriched uranium to weapons grade uranium. And that was really the goal here. Uranium is not that difficult to come by, Jon, but enriching uranium up to the point of a nuclear weapon, that is what the president put a stop to last night. KARL: This morning, the Russian reaction caught -- caught my eye. Dmitri Medvedev, of course, the former president, prime minister of Russia, now, the deputy chairman of Russia's security council, said the enrichment of nuclear material, and now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons will continue. A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads. What do you make of that Russian response? And are they -- they off base? I mean they're -- they're saying that the nuclear program in Iran is -- is still well underway. VANCE: Well, first of all, I think it's a bizarre response, but I also don't know that that guy speaks for President Putin or for the Russian government. One of the things that we've picked up, Jon, in our conversations with the Russians over the last few months, despite our many disagreements, of course, with the state of Russia, they've been very consistent that they don't want Iran to get a nuclear weapon. And -- and this is what I think many commentators underappreciated about what the president did last night. Iran having a nuclear weapon, nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, is a disaster for pretty much everybody. It's one of the few issues where Russia, China and the United States have broad agreement is that we don't want to see a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. So, what the president did was very important. I'll -- I'll let President Putin speak to what the official Russian position on this is. But I feel very confident that both for Russia, for China, and most importantly, of course, for us, we don't want Iran to have a nuclear weapon. And I think that that goal is going to continue to animate American policy for the next few years. KARL: Well, President Trump, last night, also threatened additional military action if Iran retaliates or if peace does not come quickly. How quickly are we talking about? Are we talking about days? Are we talking about weeks? VANCE: Well, look, Jon, I'll let the president make those determinations, actually. But we're now going to have a serious conversation about how to get rid of Iran's nuclear weapons program permanently, meaning they have to choose not to have a nuclear weapons program, and they have to give this thing up. Now, if you go back a little bit, Jon, what we have said consistently and repeatedly is, they cannot have a nuclear weapon. We accomplished the goal of putting them back substantially last night. But there are two big things that the Iranians are going to have to choose from here. Number one, do they attack American troops in the region? If they do, as the president said, you're going to see overwhelming force from the Americans. If they continue to pursue a nuclear weapon, you're also going to see overwhelming force from the American people. So, we've got really the ball in Iran's court here. If they make smart decisions, I think they're going to find us willing to work with them. If they continue to support terrorism, nuclear weapons programs, then they're going to find overwhelming American force from the American military. That is really the choice before the Iranians. And that's a choice only they can make. KARL: So, what retaliation are you expecting? I mean I know what you're hoping for, but they have vowed retaliation. What are you prepared for? What are you expecting from the Iranians? VANCE: Well, it's always hard to guess what the other side is going to do. But what we're prepared for is, if they attack us in a maximal direction, first of all, we have got maximum defensive posture. I think that we're going to be able to defend as many of our people as possible. And, of course, I'd encourage Americans to pray for our guys in the Middle East because, yes, they are under a significant amount of duress and a significant amount of threat right now. But then, of course, Jon, if the Iranians attack us, they're going to be met with overwhelming force. And I don't think the president could be clearer about this. If -- if you look at what we did yesterday, Jon, we did not attack the nation of Iran. We did not attack any civilian targets. We didn't even attack military targets outside of the three nuclear weapons facilities that we thought were important to accomplish our goal of preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon. So, how Iran responds, I think, is ultimately the ball is in their court. But if you look at what we did, it was very precise, very narrowly tailored to our objective. And if the Iranians decide to expand this, then that's ultimately their decision. And the president of the United States will respond in kind. KARL: So -- so you're raising the real possibility that this is not the end of this conflict, but the beginning of this conflict. You know, U.S. response to -- to Iranian retaliation. There's one thing the president has been really consistent about throughout his entire life in politics, and that is the idea of no more wars. Let me play you what he said on election night and, of course, at his inauguration. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to stop wars. We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps, most importantly, the wars we never get into. (END VIDEO CLIP) KARL: So -- so let me ask you, what do you say to those, including some of the president's strongest supporters who were really worried this morning that the United States is now involved in yet another protracted war, conflict, whatever you want to call it, in the Middle East? VANCE: Well, first of all, Jon, I think the president has been very clear that we are not interested in protracted conflicts in the Middle East. But there's a question about, how do you achieve peace? And we believe the way that you achieve peace is through strength. We took a very narrow and limited approach to destroying the Iranian nuclear program, Jon. That's what the president did. And I think that, more than anything, is going to ensure a peaceful resolution in that region of the world. You can't be weak. You can't sit there and allow the Iranians to achieve a nuclear weapon, Jon, and expect that's going to lead to peace. It would lead to absolutely disastrous military conflict all over the Middle East. We don't want that. Our Gulf Arab nation allies don't want that. Israel doesn't want that. And it's one of the few issues, frankly, that unites the Arabians to the Israelis is none of them want the Iranians to get a nuclear weapon, because they know that it would lead to the opposite of peace. And so, I'd say to people who are worried about a protracted military conflict is, number one, the president, more than anybody, is worried about protracted military conflicts. That is not what we're getting ourselves involved in. What we're getting ourselves involved in is a very targeted effort to eliminate the Iranian nuclear program. That will continue to be the goal of American foreign policy. And it's that goal that is going to motivate our action in the -- in the weeks and months to come. KARL: But -- but this was, as we discussed, a complex and overwhelming military action last night. And the president is vowing something bigger if the Iranians respond by retaliating. He's also raised the specter of targeting the supreme leader himself. As you know, earlier in the week he said he knew where this -- where the ayatollah is hiding and that he would be an easy target. Has the U.S. ruled out targeting the -- the supreme leader in Iran? Has the U.S. ruled out trying to achieve regime change? VANCE: Well, first of all, we don't want to achieve regime change. We want to achieve the end of the Iranian nuclear program. Jon. That's America's objective. And that's what the president has set us out to do. The president, in the very tweet you mentioned, or the Truth that you mentioned, Jon, said explicitly that he's not trying to take out the Iranian supreme leader. He's trying to take out their nuclear program. And, of course, we took a major step forward with that last night. And again, Jon, I think we have to back up and -- and -- and test some premises here. How do you achieve long term peace? How do you prevent spiraling Middle Eastern conflict? Is it through overwhelming military power targeted to an American objective, or is it by sort of walking yourself into these long-term, protracted military conflicts? I think by choosing overwhelming force and overwhelming force tied to something that is important to the American people, that is the end of the Iranian nuclear program, we can achieve peace much more fully than if we sort of sit on our hands and hope that somehow, if the Iranians get a nuclear weapon, they're going to be more peaceful. That is a stupid approach, and the president rejected it.
Edmonton Journal
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
U.S. Vice President JD Vance jokes about detaining World Cup visitors
Article content VANCE: We'll have visitors from close to 100 countries. We want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the games. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home, otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem AUDIENCE: 🦗😳🦗😳 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 6, 2025 Vance was referring to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has become the face of ICE — Immigration and Customs Enforcement – and its crackdown on illegal immigrants. Noem often has been seen joining ICE on raids as it detains people. Noem also was at present at the World Cup meeting, where she said that 2 million foreign visitors are expected to come to the U.S. for the World Cup and that the handling of visitors' documents to get into the country will 'go smoothly.' U.S. President Donald Trump also boasted about how the tournament would generate 'tens of billions of dollars in economic activities for local businesses' and 'thousands and thousands of jobs for American workers.' Trump also touted that the event 'will be the biggest, safest and most extraordinary soccer tournament in history.' The United States is one of three host nations for the quadrennial event, along with Canada and Mexico. But the U.S. will host the majority of games – 78 out of the 104 total matches – and 11 of the 16 host cities are in America. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that he is excited for next summer's event, which is set to run from June 11 to July 19 and will be the biggest World Cup yet, with the field expanded to 48 teams. 'America will welcome the world. Everyone who wants to come here to enjoy, to have fun to celebrate the game, will be able to do that,' Infantino said.
Fox News
04-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Trump blasts 'dishonest interview' during contentious debate on tariffs
Print Close By David Spector Published May 04, 2025 President Donald Trump and "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker sparred over tariffs and the economy Sunday, with the president blasting the "dishonest interview" to the host's face. "This is such a dishonest interview already. Prices are down on groceries. Prices are down for oil prices are down for oil. Energy prices are down at tremendous numbers for gasoline," Trump said when pressed on his tariff policies. When pressed by Welker about rising costs on items such as tires and strollers, he dismissed price increases on such goods as "peanuts compared to energy," which the president claimed his policies have made cheaper. Gas prices hit their peak during Biden's sole term in office at an average of $5.06 per gallon in June 2022, the highest on record. The price of gas has steadily dropped since then, and the average national price of gas today is roughly $3.16 a gallon, according to AAA. VANCE BREAKS KEY TIE AFTER SENATE FAILS TO REJECT TRUMP'S NATIONAL EMERGENCY ON TARIFFS "Strollers are going up. What kind of a thing? I'm saying that gasoline is going down. Gasoline is thousands of times more important than a stroller or something," Trump said. Trump made headlines during his cabinet meeting on Wednesday when he remarked that "maybe children will have two dolls instead of thirty dolls, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more" as a result of his tariff policies. He denied the tariffs would result in empty store shelves, but did acknowledge that some Americans may need to cut down on their purchases. "The don't need to have 250 pencils, they can have five… I'm basically saying we don't have to waste money on a trade deficit with China for things we don't need, for junk that we don't need." LIBERATION DAY AND TRUMP TARIFFS ARE NOT THE END OF TRADE. IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs on virtually every country America does business with on April 2, on what he refers to as "Liberation Day," in addition to a 10% global tariff. The levies applied to friend and foe alike, with Vietnam being slapped with a 46% tariff and Israel receiving 17% tariffs on goods exported to the United States. Trump swiftly reversed course a few days later in the face of a stock market nosedive and bond market worries, pausing the reciprocal tariffs. He maintained the 10% global tariff as well as a 145% tariff on Chinese goods, however. Mexico and Canada are facing separate 25% tariffs related to the fentanyl crisis. Trump maintained that his tariffs would "make us rich" and that the country was already profiting from them. He said that Americans were already feeling economic relief due to declining mortgage rates and energy prices. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE "Mortgage rates are going down, despite the fact that we have a stubborn fed… I can tell you that we're making a lot of money. We're doing great. Again, we're losing more than $5 billion a day, $5 billion a day. You don't talk about that. And right now we're going to be at a point very soon where we're making money every day," Trump said. Trump shot down Welker's claim, saying that Wall Street insiders were worried about a recession, and said he has spoken to many on Wall Street who are saying that his tariffs will be a boon for the economy. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Print Close URL
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fired atheist worker for city of Denver says he was harassed, retaliated against over beliefs
An atheist worker for the city of Denver, Colorado, claims he was discriminated against and ultimately fired from his job because of his lack of belief in God. Austin Ray alleges in his complaint that two months after he was hired by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, he was harassed about his religious views at a staff holiday party. The complaint states that the department's assistant manager, a woman named "Carmen," repeatedly asked Ray, an atheist, if he believed in God, within the presence of three other department employees. Despite trying to deflect her questions, Carmen "kept insisting" that Ray answer the question, the complaint states. Christian Physician Assistant Fired For Opposition To Trans Policy Has Day In Court "Carmen's pointed questioning directly implicated Mr. Ray's atheist views and deeply offended and humiliated Mr. Ray in front of department management and his peers," the complaint states. Read On The Fox News App Ray allegedly reported this discrimination and harassment to city Human Resources department officials on two separate occasions, as well as to a supervisor at the request of the HR official. The fired worker said he was led to believe that the city would take action against the misconduct. However, he claims that he began to face retaliation from his manager for reporting the harassment. The complaint alleges that Ray's manager modified his job duties, forced him to complete "meaningless tasks," isolated and alienated him within the department and "compromised" his ability to perform his job. 'SPREADING ATHEISM:' VANCE WARNS RELIGIOUS EFFORTS ABROAD 'CORRUPTED' BY US BUREAUCRACY AMID USAID CONTROVERSY The manager "went to great lengths to make it appear that Mr. Ray was incapable of performing his job," the complaint states. On March 15, 2024, Ray was allegedly abruptly fired from his job after having received no follow-up from the city about his harassment report. The complaint says Ray hadn't been subject to any disciplinary actions up to the point of his termination. "The disparate treatment and hostility to which Mr. Ray was subjected at the city was both retaliatory and discriminatory in nature, as the mistreatment was motivated by his multiple protected activities in complaining about discriminatory practices, as well as by his atheist beliefs," the complaint says. His lawyer argues Ray is entitled to financial damages and compensation for the ordeal, alleging he was subject to retaliation, discrimination based on religion, religious-based harassment and a hostile work environment, all in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Fox News Digital reached out to Ray's attorney for comment. The city of Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure office said it did not comment on pending article source: Fired atheist worker for city of Denver says he was harassed, retaliated against over beliefs
