We'll Do It Live! — Sen. Lindsey Graham

Summary

---

Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Episode: We'll Do It Live! — Sen. Lindsey Graham (March 19, 2026)

---

Episode Overview

In this special interview, Bill O’Reilly sits down with Senator Lindsey Graham to dissect the escalating conflict with Iran, the rationale for recent U.S. military actions, American foreign policy philosophy, intra-party debates, challenges from media narratives, and prospects for global security. Senator Graham shares candid insights as a senior lawmaker and foreign policy hawk, elaborating on why action against Iran was considered “imminent,” the economics and politics on the home front, and opportunities—and dangers—in the Europe, Russia, and China theaters. The conversation is candid, historical, and, at times, deeply personal.

---

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. The Immediacy of the Iran Threat

[00:15-06:35]

• Definition of "Imminent"

  • Debate over whether Iran’s nuclear program posed an immediate threat.
  • Senator Graham: “The difference between 60, 90 [percent uranium enrichment] is two weeks, not three months. You can blend 60 to 90 literally in two weeks.” [06:35]
  • Iranian negotiators revealed to U.S. envoys they had 460kg of uranium enriched to 60%, enough to make several nuclear bombs within weeks.

• U.S. Response to Nuclear Advancements

  • President Trump offered Iran a small peaceful enrichment program and free fuel supplies in exchange for halting weapons development; Iran refused.
  • Comparisons to 1930s appeasement: “Those in the 30s who thought Hitler just was trying to get more German territory... you’re wrong.” [05:17, Graham]

• Use via Proxy

  • O’Reilly and Graham agree that even if Iran wouldn't fire a bomb directly, they would hand it off to proxies to avoid national annihilation.
  • “They would use it through a proxy.” [04:05, Graham]

---

2. Dissent Within the U.S. Government

[06:58-10:52]

• Internal Debate over Action

  • Reference to Joe Kent, counterterrorism official who opposed U.S. strikes, arguing the threat was overstated. Graham sharply refutes Kent’s position, calling his resignation letter “full of misinformation and antisemitism.” [08:33-08:49]
  • O’Reilly interrogates the necessity of having dissident voices within administrations for accountability. Graham agrees, citing past debates within the Republican Party about interventionism.

• Republican 'Non-Interventionist' Wing

  • Graham likens non-interventionist Republicans to “Chamberlain” era appeasers: “The 1930s are being repeated. It’s like World War II didn’t exist.” [12:07-12:13]

---

3. The Human and Economic Cost of War

[14:11-16:29]

• South Carolinians' Concerns

  • Graham addresses war-weariness and rising gas prices back home:

    “Every dollar that goes into the gas tank is a dollar away from other things... I know what it’s like to be needing all the money you can because the bills keep coming in no matter what.” [15:01, Graham]

  • Rationale: Accept pain now to prevent a much greater future disaster.

• Senator Graham’s Personal Story

  • Graham shares his working-class background and family tragedies to underscore empathy for struggling constituents.

• Media Narratives and Public Trust

  • O’Reilly and Graham bemoan most corporate media’s alignment against Trump, arguing it's driven by animosity toward the president rather than concern for global threats:

    “They’re more afraid of him being successful than the Ayatollah.” [16:36, Graham]

---

4. Objectives: Defanging Iran & Regional Peace

[17:00-22:04]

• Strategic Goal: Saudi-Israeli Peace

  • Graham reveals his long-term aim is not regime change in Tehran, but weakening Iran to “go back to the peace table and finish the biggest deal on the planet: Saudi [Arabia] recognizing Israel”—an extension of the Abraham Accords. [18:51-20:47]
    • “If the center of Islam would recognize the one and only Jewish state, Israel, it would effectively end the Arab Israeli conflict that’s been raging for a thousand plus years.” [19:05, Graham]

• Obstacles to Normalization

  • Saudi demands: U.S. defense pact, irreversible Palestinian statehood steps, economic investment in Gaza.
  • O’Reilly notes public opinion and intra-Arab politics remain volatile, especially after October 7th.

---

5. U.S. Relations with Europe & NATO

[23:00-29:07]

• Frustration with European Allies

  • Graham labels European leaders “politicians running scared,” hesitant to assist due to internal demographics and anti-Israel sentiment. [24:00-24:05]
  • O’Reilly and Graham frustrated by Europe's unwillingness to share risks over Hormuz and Ukraine, with France explicitly refusing involvement: “France said today, 'We’ll never get involved in this Iranian war.'” [24:27, Graham]

• Trump's Approach

  • O’Reilly shifts into a hypothetical with Graham-as-Trump, questioning NATO/EU tactics.
    • “Part of being president is beating people’s heads. Trump’s in everybody’s head, including mine.” [26:38, Graham]
  • Graham credits Trump with bold, unconventional moves (Venezuela, Cuba) that would be lauded if a Democrat had done them.

---

6. The Russia-Ukraine Dilemma

[29:08-31:59]

• Ending the War Honorably
  • Graham argues for “real security guarantees” to Ukraine from the West to prevent future invasions, acknowledging that territorial compromise over Donbas is likely.
  • Supports weapons sales, but not a blank-check commitment:

    “I’ve got a bill with 85 co-sponsors that will allow Trump to put tariffs on any country that buys Russian oil… But I am realistic. I’m trying to find a solution to end this war so we won’t have a third invasion.” [31:34-31:59, Graham]

---

7. China as the Watching Giant

[32:09-37:50]

• China’s Calculus

  • Graham and O’Reilly agree that China is closely monitoring U.S. assertiveness in Iran and Venezuela, directly impacting Beijing’s confidence regarding Taiwan.
    • “China is watching. And this is why everything does matter. China was impressed by Venezuela.” [35:54-36:03, Graham]
  • O’Reilly relays his rare invitation to speak to China’s Politburo, highlighting the interconnectedness of diplomatic signals.

• Dealing with Adversaries

  • Graham is open to transactional diplomacy, even with hostile regimes, if it serves U.S. interests, drawing parallels to WWII alliances.

---

8. Decline of Political and Civic Intellect

[45:16-47:55]

• Concerns Over Political Mindset

  • O’Reilly laments a decline in the intelligence and historical knowledge of today’s leaders and electorate:

    “I have seen... a deterioration, generally speaking, of intellect. I’m seeing really dumb people. Really dumb people. People who don’t know history... These people like [Alexandria] Ocasio-Cortez... she doesn’t know anything.” [45:16-45:27, O’Reilly]

• Graham's Diagnosis

  • “All the energy now is to [be] loud. Not knowledgeable, just loud… Provocative has replaced intellect... the ability to solve a problem is getting harder because the reward is less.” [45:30-47:55, Graham]

---

9. Social Media & Legal Accountability

[40:41-41:34]

• Graham proposes a legal crackdown on Big Tech by repealing Section 230 protections to hold platforms accountable for harm caused to minors—a rare area of bipartisan potential:

  “This is the one issue above all issues that sort of unite people. If you are a parent out there raising kids... I want to give you some hope; there’s some issues that we can work out.” [41:39, Graham]

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Graham: “If Trump hadn’t acted, they’d had 10 nuclear weapons. And that’s just, to me, a fact.” [39:45]
• O’Reilly: “The 1930s are being repeated. It’s like World War II didn’t exist.” [12:13]
• Graham: “All I can say is the deterioration of curiosity, willingness to ask questions, and try to solve. The ability to solve a problem is getting harder because the reward is less.” [47:13]

---

Segment Timestamps

• 00:15-06:35 – Iran’s nuclear threat; definition of “imminent”; enrichment details.
• 06:58-10:52 – Dissent in U.S. defense/intelligence circles; anti-Semitism claim.
• 14:11-16:29 – Economic fallout of conflict for American families; Graham’s personal roots.
• 17:00-22:04 – Saudi-Israel normalization; Abraham Accords ambitions.
• 23:00-29:07 – Europe’s reluctance and U.S.-NATO tensions; “Trump effect.”
• 29:08-31:59 – The future of Ukraine; military guarantees vs. blank checks.
• 32:09-37:50 – China’s reactions; strategic implications for Asia and Russia.
• 40:41-41:34 – Section 230, social media, and bipartisan legal reform.
• 45:16-47:55 – Decline of political intellect; focus on noise over problem-solving.

---

Tone & Style

• The conversation is frank, combative, and pragmatic, laced with self-deprecating humor (O’Reilly referring to both as “pinheads” [00:28]) and sharp historical comparisons. Graham’s style is direct, occasionally emotional—especially when referencing his family background and the stakes of foreign policy. O’Reilly plays the persistent skeptic, forceful but never dismissive.

---

This episode is essential listening for viewers seeking “No Spin” analysis on the Iran crisis, American foreign policy divides, and the broader struggle to maintain U.S. influence on the world stage. Graham and O’Reilly go beyond headlines, offering history, candor, and a sobering perspective on the costs and consequences of global leadership.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, Bill O'Reilly here. Welcome to We'll Do It Live. Of course we're not doing it live, we're taping it. But I say we're doing it live because that is the name of the long form program that we're giving you tonight. Okay? You can sue me. I know I lose. I would lose.

[B]

I love this show already.

[A]

Unbelievable guest because of Iran. And that is Senator Lindsey Graham. He's been in Congress on a hill for more than 30 years. A lot of people don't know this, but the Senator was jagged for the Air Force and he knows more about Iran than anyone. And I'm saying that as someone who knows a lot about it myself. So this is not going to be a boring conversation between two pinheads. We're going to learn something here. And it's very important that the world know what's really going on. So, Senator, thanks for taking the time.

[B]

Hey, thanks a bunch. I hear I'm your first politician.

[A]

Yeah, we, we do back and forth with showbiz people and crash and burn.

[B]

I'm sorry.

[A]

Yeah, but this is extremely important. So the word imminent is the problem here? 100% it's the problem.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Because Americans, they want to support anti terror measures. I think most clear thinking people understand Iran is a terror nation. If it's not around, it's better for the world. I think they understand that. What they don't understand is did we have to do this now?

[B]

So there's two things I've learned. I'm 70. Vietnam cast a great shadow over American foreign policy for a long time. Nobody wants to get into Vietnam. Iraq and Afghanistan have cast a long shadow over Mideast policy. And I can understand that. So everything we do, are we going down that road again?

[A]

Right.

[B]

And the answer is no. But we're not going to sit on the sidelines and watch Iran get a nuclear weapon. Imminent. Let me tell you what the facts are and you tell me if it was imminent. So Jared Kushner and Wytkoff are charged by the President to go to the Iranians and sit down and see if he can do a deal over their nuclear program. Now, they've said for generations here, all we want is peaceful nuclear power. Countries enrich that have nuclear power. Why should we be different? Why should we be second class citizens? Why shouldn't we be allowed to enrich like you do for peaceful nuclear power? Well, the argument I would give back is that for about 20 years you've been cheating. You have not tried to develop a peaceful nuclear power program. Your enrichment program is well beyond what you need for peaceful purposes.

[A]

How do we know the.

[B]

Because they said so. That comes in a minute. It's been pretty clear, the iaea, everybody has caught them having enrichment capability beyond what you need for commercial purposes. The most you need for commercial purposes is 20% uranium. There is no commercial need for 60%. What does it take to make a weapon? 90. So 20 is the outside of commercial. 60 is threshold weapons. 90 is weapons. Now, the IAE, not me, has accused them.

[A]

This is the UN dudes, not Lindsey Durant, Correct?

[B]

Yeah. Have found them cheating on three different occasions where they had secret enrichment facilities designed to go well beyond 20. So they've been called three times. And here's the question. Do you believe that they had a nuclear weapon? They would use it. What do you say?

[A]

They do it, but they'd hand it off to somebody.

[B]

Okay. They would use it through a proxy.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Why?

[A]

Because they don't want to be obliterated, I would say.

[B]

Do you believe Hitler wanted to kill all the Jews?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Well, most people didn't until it was too late. So the first thing you got to do in my business. Who are you dealing with? I'm sitting across from you. I know what I'm dealing with. Do you believe the guy on the other side actually wants peaceful nuclear power, or does he actually want a bomb? And if he wants.

[A]

Well, I'm on record as saying the President did the right thing by launching this military action, and he did the right thing last June by taking out their big nuke facility. However, there is a legitimate debate going around, and you know it. Because of this guy who resigned.

[B]

Yeah, Joe Kent. We'll be glad to hear about that.

[A]

Who said it's not him?

[B]

Well, let's look at the facts. So let's get back to where we were. Trump says, go talk to the Iranians, and here's what he offered them. You can have a small enrichment program to save face. We don't want to humiliate you, but it can be designed to go beyond small, right?

[A]

Right.

[B]

And we will guarantee you spent fuel supply forever for free.

[A]

And they turned it all down.

[B]

Why? Well, because they don't want a nuclear power program. They want the capability to make a weapon because they're religious Nazis. And if you don't believe that, you're wrong. And Those in the 30s who thought Hitler just was trying to get more German territory, trying to right Versailles, right wrongs, you're wrong. I don't know why people want to kill all the Jews, but Hitler did. I don't know why he believed the Aryan race had to be the master race, but he did. I don't know why these nut jobs in Iran were purify Islam, but they do. I don't know why they want to kill all the Jews, but they say they do. And I think they would kill us. So that's where I'm at.

[A]

Imminent. So you don't know that they would have a nuclear weapon in three months. You say whenever they got it, they would use it. They would use it.

[B]

But I'll say two weeks. Now, what makes it imminent? So let me tell you why Joe Kent doesn't know what he's talking about. So during the conversation about, will you take this once in a lifetime deal to have all the peaceful nuclear power you want on, on very generous terms, they said no. And during the course of the conversation, they made a fatal mistake. They told Kushner and Witkoff, oh, by the way, we have 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. Now, why would they say that? There is no commercial purpose for 60%,

[A]

so why would they say it?

[B]

I'll tell you in a minute. The difference between 60, 90 is two weeks, not three months. You can blend 60 to 90 literally in two weeks. I think they were trying to blackmail and intimidate Trump. They thought he was Obama and Biden. We're going to give you a big secret here. We're this close to a nuclear weapon. What are you going to do about it?

[A]

Why would they do that when he took out their big nuke facility?

[B]

I can't answer that question, but I can tell you what they did. I think this is what they did. They told us that we're this close to a nuclear weapon. If you don't negotiate on our terms, we're going to break out. And they said something even more disturbing. We're not going to give you diplomatically what you can't take militarily. So they went back to Trump, and I'll tell you what Obama and Biden would have done. Please don't go there.

[A]

No, we know we'll get to them. Okay, but this is in the last Geneva meeting with Witkoff and Kushner. This is the Iranians, and they're on a record. So there's no two sides to the story, right? Saying, look, we're not going to give up our.

[B]

You can't take.

[A]

Right, we're not going to give it up. They had to know, though, they being the mullahs in charge, that President Trump is not a Weak, man.

[B]

Well, they clearly didn't.

[A]

I don't know about that.

[B]

Well, I can tell you this. When they told us, we can, we're at 60, we can go to 90. What Trump did was Midnight Hammer. He blew the crap out of their enrichment capabilities so they couldn't go to 90. That's imminent. So to Joe, Ken and anybody else watching, when the Iranians told us out of their own mouth they had enough 60% uranium to make 10 bombs if they could get within two months. Within two weeks, not two months. Okay, so 460 kilograms at 90 is 10 nuclear bombs.

[A]

So that's imminent.

[B]

To me it's imminent.

[A]

Well, the head of counterterrorism says it wasn't imminent. He's got the same info you have.

[B]

No, he doesn't. He's lying.

[A]

Why? Why would he lie?

[B]

Well, why did he say the Jews drug us into it?

[A]

Because he doesn't like Israel having influence.

[B]

Yeah, well, no, he's saying, you know, if the Jews weren't around, we'd all be safe. This letter of resignation was full of misinformation and anti Semitism.

[A]

So you think it's him not liking the state of Israel or Jews?

[B]

I can't explain why people say things like that. You need to talk to him. But when it comes to the. The imminent part, he was dead wrong. The truth of the matter is they did have 460 kilograms. At 60, they could go to 90 in literally two weeks. Enough material to make 10 bombs. If that's not imminent, what would be? And number one, anybody out there prove I'm wrong. Prove that I'm wrong. Say what? I prove that what I just said is not true.

[A]

Well, you have information that the folks don't have. But this guy Kent, he was sidelined even before.

[B]

Yes, because he opposed it looks like.

[A]

Yeah. And it looks like a personal sour grapes.

[B]

He was one of the three people, maybe four opposed going in.

[A]

J.D. vance.

[B]

I don't know what J.D. did. I like J.D. but I can say this. He's been consistent about Iran shouldn't have a nuclear weapon. You know, everybody says.

[A]

But he doesn't want. Come on, you know that he was a dissenting voice. You know that you.

[B]

I don't know it. I wasn't there. But I can tell you this. His. His actions about the regime were different than mine. He didn't see it the same threat level I do, but I think he's been loyal to the president. No doubt, and he's a good man. But I will say this. The threat that Iran possesses is just not a nuclear capability. They've been funding terrorism at an industrial scale 40 years.

[A]

I wrote a book on it.

[B]

Okay, you wrote a book. You need to buy it. There are 221 Marines killed in Beirut by Hezbollah. There is no Hezbollah with Iran. Hamas couldn't exist one day. There's no October 7th without Iran. The Houthis, all funded by Iran.

[A]

Right.

[B]

The third thing they do is, you know, they try to get a nuclear weapon, they fund terrorism, and they've just been basically the worst people on the planet trying to disrupt the region for religious purposes.

[A]

Fox News is now streaming live on Fox 1. When news breaks, we don't just report it. We go beyond the headlines to get the full story. Get live coverage in depth, analysis and perspectives from the voices you trust all in one place. Whether you're at home or on the go, stay connected to the stories shaping our world. Stream Fox News on Fox 1 download today.

[C]

Are you stuck staring at your W2? Are tax refund worries holding you back? You probably have FOMO, the fear of messing up the fix using TurboTax on Intuit credit Karma. They find every credit and deduction to help you get every refund dollar you deserve or your money back. It's time to overcome your fear of messing up and get taxes done right. Start filing today in the Credit Karma app.

[A]

Isn't it a good thing that you have a dissenter like the vice president in an administration fair?

[B]

I mean, so.

[A]

But there is a wing in the Republican Party, right? Want any of this? They don't want any intervention overseas? Well, no.

[B]

The wing is called Chamberlain. The 1930s are being repeated. It's like World War II didn't exist.

[A]

But why is that wing in the Republican Party? Why do they have currency? Why does Rand.

[B]

They've always been. They've always been a part of the fabric of the world.

[A]

You talked to Rand Paul?

[B]

Not lately. But at least he's consistent. Would you say he's honest? Who?

[A]

Rand Paul? I'd say he believes what he says.

[B]

I say he believes every word of what he says. And I think he's just wrong. Not, he's a bad person.

[A]

Okay. But he's not lying.

[B]

No. God, no. He is the most truthful. There's two people on Capitol Hill that are the most truthful people I know. Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul.

[A]

They believe what they say. They believe.

[B]

Well, I believe what I say.

[A]

What about Vance, though? Because this is important. So you got President Trump, who's on your wavelength, who sees what you have Just described to us. And I can't challenge that. And you did explain the imminent thing pretty well. I have to give you some credit there, sir.

[B]

These are the facts.

[A]

All right, so now I know why it's, you know, two weeks is imminent.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Now you stand behind that 100%, you know, 1,000%. Okay. There's no such thing as 1,000%. You know that. But we get the point. But Vance comes in and he urges caution to President Trump because of the

[B]

unintended consequences before this information.

[A]

Before, yeah.

[B]

Now see Trump.

[A]

So you think he. Do you think Vance changed?

[B]

I think this changed everything. Now, Trump had already hit him before. It's not like.

[A]

And Vance didn't say anything, but that was one shot.

[B]

But what I want you to get out of this interview. If anything, put yourself in the seat of the president. You say one thing when you campaign, then you get to be president and they hand you a file. Hmm. What do you do? Can you imagine if President Trump did not act? They would have broken out. And if they had a nuclear test

[A]

and you're 1000% they would have broken out.

[B]

Yeah. Okay, because they told us they would.

[A]

Okay, but there are unintended consequences of this action in Iran.

[B]

Yes, there are.

[A]

Okay, so South Carolina is not a wealthy state. Just regular folks. All right, okay. They're paying a buck more. A down.

[B]

The cost of the war is real.

[A]

Right. Do they understand?

[B]

You know what I think? I think I'm doing a pretty good job of telling them he had no choice. See, Israel has no choice. When somebody says, I'd like to kill all the Jews, that that brings up bad memories.

[A]

And October 7th, they. 1200, there's a test run.

[B]

20, right?

[A]

Here's what we're going to do.

[B]

1200 Jews slaughtered in the most vicious way. I got to buy these books. Buy the guys book.

[A]

I just gave it to you free.

[B]

Okay, good.

[A]

Put it on ebay.

[B]

I will. I'm going to pay ethics.

[A]

All right, we're in South Carolina, we got the folks.

[B]

I'm talking to the people, they're war weary. Gas prices are going up. If you're making say $15 an hour, right. You and your wife couple making 15, 20 bucks an hour. And you got three kids. Every dollar that goes into the gas tank is a dollar away from other things. I'm the first person in my family to ever go to college. Neither one of my parents finished high school. When I was 21, my mom died. When I was 22, my dad died. We owned a liquor store, a bar And a pool room and we grew up in the back. We were a happy family, but by no means wealthy. I know what it's like to be needing all the money you can because the bills keep coming in no matter what. So when my mom died, she was 17 years younger than my dad. I thought, well that shouldn't happen, but it did. Okay. My dad's 60 something and I've got a 13 year old sister. 15 months later he's dead and I got a 13 year old sister. My life turned upside down. So how do you pay the bills? How's she going to college? What are you going to do? I understand that. I understand that the world can change and, and it can be pulled out from you under a rug. Why am I asking people to be patient and to pay a price now so they don't have to pay later? Because I believe it. It's not that I'm indifferent to what 20 cents a gallon means.

[A]

Do you think you're going to be successful with. You do? Okay, but part B of the question

[B]

is if we're not, blame me because I deserve blame. If we're not successful, you can blame me because nobody has advocated to take on this Iranian regime more forcefully than me.

[A]

Okay, you have a corporate media which is lined up against Trump, okay? And it's personal.

[B]

They're more afraid of him being successful than the Ayatollah Heaven.

[A]

And that's right.

[B]

I believe that.

[A]

So you, Lindsey Graham say, look, this is the reality of the situation. All Americans have to accept a little economic pain for the security that a destroyed Iran will bring. But then they turn on. 80% of the media is telling them no, this is BS, it never should have happened. And there's no hard, there's no end game this and this. Every night they hear the same thing.

[B]

Joe Kent and So so. But 80% of Republicans are sticking with Trump, I think because they just trust him. Everything you seeing true. Every day. Gas prices go up, people are war weary. They just remember the Mideast is just a bad place to be. I've got my work cut out for me and I am not giving an inch. I'm trying to stick with President Trump. And here's what I believe. In about three or four weeks, no longer, we will have degraded the regime's capability to build missiles, to hit us, to be the largest state sponsor of terrorism and to go back in the nuclear weapons business for a very, very long time. What is the outcome I'm looking for? And this will surprise everybody. It's not who takes over Iran next? I'm trying to defang Iran so there's no more October 7th to go back and finish what I tried to start with Biden. Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel is the biggest Abraham Accords. Plus Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel is well beyond the Abraham Accords. The center of Islam is Saudi Arabia. The holy mosque in Mecca and Medina. It is the center of Islam. If the center of Islam would recognize the one and only Jewish state, Israel, it would effectively end the Arab Israeli conflict that's been raging for a thousand plus years during Biden's administration. Joe Biden. I went to Saudi and Israel eight times with Tony Blinken, Brett McGurk, Jake Sullivan to try to build on the Abraham Accords to get Saudi to come into the Abraham Accords and recognize Israel. October 7th was designed by Iran to stop that.

[A]

Stop it. Very good.

[B]

Their worst nightmare is for the Arabs and the Jews to make peace, leaving them behind right now.

[A]

Netanyahu, though, he's not an easy guy to deal with.

[B]

Tell me about it. So let's play it out. So I'll tell you what I'm up to. I'm trying to get Iran weakened so we can get back to the peace table and finish the biggest deal on the planet. Saudi, Israel. Now, what does Saudi want, Bill? To recognize Israel. I've been there more times than I count now. Three things. A defense agreement with the United States like we have with Japan and Australia. How many of you out there are ready to go war for Saudi Arabia? They have a defense.

[A]

No one.

[B]

Well, it's a tough sale. Now, I'm going to try to sell you why it's in your interest. If Trump says I'm for it, most Republicans would be for the treaty. And Saudi Arabia's change is real. Now, how do you get Democrats to vote for a defense agreement to go to war with Saudi Arabia that benefits mbs, Trump and Bibi. There's only one way you do that. The second thing that MBS wants Saudi is a pathway to a Palestinian state irreversible with the capital. Nice Jerusalem. I don't know if that's possible after October 7th, but he wants a dignified life and solution to the Palestinian problem.

[A]

Well, the investment in Gaza would be a start to that.

[B]

This is. I'm hopeful. But why does NBS insist on that? The Arab world is on fire. They may not watch your show, but Al Jazeera is mourning.

[A]

No, they do. They know.

[B]

They know. Right. So for him to recognize Israel after October 7th, he literally could get killed.

[A]

He's Got to get something he can show his people in the Wahhabists. The Wahhabists are.

[B]

Those are the problems. But just the average person, some very highly intelligent young woman is not really sold on Israel after this war. I've been to Saudi enough to know that the elite there have turned. So what does he have to do? He's got to prove to the Arab world that for recognizing Israel, I got something.

[A]

Everybody, they got something, right?

[B]

The Palestinians. Everybody's been pleading for the Palestinian cause on the left. Well, you may have a chance to get it. So what will I say? I will go to Bibi and say, listen, if we pull this off, you destroy Iran with our help, you wipe Hamas off the face of the earth. Hezbollah has no money because Iran has changed. They're weakened. I would ask you to entertain helping MBS on the Palestinian solution. Push your own base, find a solution so we can close this deal. That'd be hard for him, but it's going to be hard for mbs. Now, what role do I play? I'm going to support this treaty. I'm going to try to get Republicans to support it. But I'll go to the Democrats and say, listen, I tried to help Biden. I'm asking no more of you than I ask of myself. I was willing to do this big deal on Biden's watch, and October 7th stopped it. You don't know this, but I'm about to tell you. At the end of October of 2023, we were going to announce a framework. That's how close we were. October 7th came in a nick of time. There'll come a time where Iran is defanged, not completely solved.

[A]

Well, you say it's going to be in about six weeks.

[B]

Three to four weeks.

[A]

Three to four weeks. Okay.

[B]

And what am I looking for when Saudi Arabia feels that Iran is weakened, that they can go back to the negotiating table? That's what this war is about for me. With VRBoCare, help is always ready before, during, and after your stay. We've planned for the plot twists, so support is always available because a great trip starts with peace of mind.

[C]

The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports right now. The NBA is heating up, March Madness is here, and MLB is almost back. Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself. That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app. For me, it's about staying connected to my sports. I can follow the teams I care about, get Real time scores, breaking news and highlights all in one place. Download the Bleacher Airport app today so you never miss a moment.

[A]

Let's pivot to Europe.

[B]

Let's go to Europe.

[A]

So you would think after all of the terror incidents that Francis had, and

[B]

if you're watching this show, you've Learned more than 99% of the people about what we do.

[A]

That's what I do.

[B]

That's what we're up to.

[A]

Right. With the exception of Italy, all of the other big NATO countries are basically saying, look, you do it. It's not that they're opposed to downgrading Iran. They're not. They want us to do everything.

[B]

Well, it's a little deeper now. It's not that. You know, be our guest. We hope you're successful. Call us, let us know how.

[A]

It's not our war when you clean it. Well, Sturmer said today.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Once you get it under control, then we'll put some ships in.

[B]

Yeah, well.

[A]

Well, thanks.

[B]

So it's a little. You're dead right. They don't want their fingerprints on it because a lot of them have very diverse populations that are not into anything called Israel.

[A]

So they're cowards.

[B]

I think they're just politicians running scared.

[A]

That's cowards.

[B]

I would think so. So let me. Let me just say this. If you're helping Trump or Bibi in Europe, you're probably not going to.

[A]

But the folks don't know that. I mean, they're not doing that well.

[B]

But I'm saying that animosity on the streets of Europe toward Israel and the United States, pretty high right now. So what happened that really has made things worse? Trump is asking for some help to keep the straits flowing.

[A]

Right.

[B]

We get 1% of our oil from the Strait of Hormuz. Europe gets most of it. Right now, every European politician has not only said no, they publicly said no. France said today, we'll never get involved in this Iranian war. This was not our war. An ayatollah with a nuclear weapon that would terrorize the region and the world and use it is your problem. Hitler became everybody's problem.

[A]

So why did Macron say it?

[B]

Because it's popular, and I don't know, other than that, that he has a. He's mad that we didn't tell him. If we told the Europeans we're going to attack Iran, it'd leak down in five seconds. They can be upset, I get that. But what they can't do is publicly undercut the president because Iran looks at this rift and they may try to hang on. And here's what's helping keep the straits open. Helps them Europe more than it helps us. And here's how it's going to play out. If they keep screwing around with Trump, watch out for Ukraine. Because he doesn't think that's our war. I think it's important that we stop Putin.

[A]

Well, Putin's a big winner in all of this, you know that. But I don't want to get to him until a minute.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

Europe. Yeah.

[B]

Europe's unreliable ally.

[A]

So you're, I'm gonna, you're gonna, I'm gonna morph you into Donald Trump right now. Watch this. Comes here. Now. It's not Senator Graham.

[B]

I'll have more hair.

[A]

President Trump.

[B]

I'll have more hair.

[A]

Here is the question. Question. Was it smart to say you were going to invade Greenland? That NATO and the EU are a bunch of wusses? Okay. Was it smart to go over there and poke the European bear because they don't like you?

[B]

Now, I might been abridged too far. You know, I'm a pretty forward leaning guy. But Greenland. But you know, Trump is Trump. And let me tell you the benefit of being Trump. People are afraid of him. Was anybody afraid of Obama and Biden?

[A]

No, I was afraid of Obama for a different reason.

[B]

If you're a foreign power, you wouldn't, you know, Trump could send a rowboat and everybody say, what can we do to help you? You know, Biden could send an aircraft carrier to everybody. Yawn. Part of being president is beating people's heads. Trump's in everybody's head, including mine.

[A]

I know, but it worked against them here.

[B]

Sometimes it does, but the greater good is better. Venezuela, we're better off of that. Maduro.

[A]

100%.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Initial dancing for the baseball game.

[B]

I mean, you know, we'll make some news. I would love Venezuela to be a state.

[A]

No, you don't want Venezuela.

[B]

Well, that's your opinion. I would. So anyway, Trump said it dates. Fine with me. The point is, Venezuela used to be the center of narco terrorism. It's no longer. Maduro's in jail, the Venezuelan people are free and they're playing baseball.

[A]

I work.

[B]

But, you know, he got like five seconds of credit. If a Democrat had done that, they'd stop the entire world and celebrate it. If a Democrat acted the way Trump did, they would tell the story about the 460kg, morning, noon and night. You can't find this story in the mainstream media because they don't want you to know It. So Venezuela was a ballsy thing to do, and it worked. Right? Okay. If you. If you're. If you got family in Cuba, they're going to be liberated soon. That's a great thing. And we're doing it without any troops on the ground.

[A]

Right.

[B]

We had a snatch operation, but no occupation, no invasion. Donald Trump, in his own way, is one of the most brilliant people I've ever met. In his own way, he can do things nobody else will do. And he's gotten these countries sort of in a spot. Well, Venezuela is liberated. Cuba's about to liberate, be liberated without. Without an invasion. Now Iran. Can we collapse this regime enough to lead to Saudi, Israel? If we can, it'll be the biggest change in 2000.

[A]

But you think we can?

[B]

Yes, I'm highly confident we can, but we've got to stick with it. Back to Europe. I'm a NATO guy now. John McCain was one of my dearest friends. I believe in alliances, but I was stunned at how brazen they were, sticking it to Trump on the Hormuz, not thinking it through on Ukraine. So my phone lit up all day today from European leaders because of my tweet yesterday. I said, you know, I've been pretty strong for alliances, but maybe I miscalculated. Maybe we don't have reliable friends. If you're not willing to help now to help yourself, should we be spending all this money? And coming from me is different than coming from Trump. So I'm Trump. When I would tell my European allies, our European allies, that you're more unreliable than I thought, I'm having to do things without you because you won't help me. And you know what? I'm getting comfortable doing it.

[A]

So you leave them hanging on Ukraine, but that helps Putin, one of the big villains in the world?

[B]

I think so. But the truth of the matter is Ukraine war needs to end honorably and justly. We don't need to reward Putin's invasion, but we gotta realize we're not gonna get very Russian out. I don't like Putin. You don't like Putin. I think he's killed a lot of people to stay in power. Doesn't matter what I think about Putin. How do you end this war? How do you prevent a third invasion? I believe with all my heart and soul that if we had real security guarantees from the west to Ukraine, he wouldn't invade it. The Budapest member?

[A]

No, he tested.

[B]

He tested.

[A]

He absolutely tested.

[B]

And we had no infrastructure to require people to come to aid.

[A]

Absolutely tested.

[B]

And he'll do it again. So the Budapest memorandum was an agreement to help Ukraine, but it wasn't binding. Obama, Biden, Clinton. Nobody has ever given security guarantees to Ukraine like we have in NATO. So here's what I'm asking President Trump to entertain. Let Putin know that if you do this again, you're going to be running into a bigger crowd, not just Ukraine, that the Europeans will have small ground troops as tripwires and we will have a guarantee to Ukraine. If there's another invasion, we'll be a backstop. We'll provide air support and command and control to defend you. If there's a third invasion, I think that's enough to deter that invasion. I don't mind if he does business with Putin because that's a security guarantee of its own. If you do business with somebody, you're less likely to go to war. The other thing I want to see Happen is a 10 year commitment to the Ukrainian military from us that we will sell them our high end weapons through Europe and they will be strong. And that's another form of deterrence.

[A]

Trump's been resistant to that.

[B]

He hadn't been resistant to selling weapons. He's been resistant to a long term commitment.

[A]

The big weapons, though, he doesn't want to sell.

[B]

Well, they, yeah, we've given them the F16s.

[A]

We're doing the circuit thing. We're selling them to Poland and Poland,

[B]

yeah, but they're getting there. But I guess, how do you end the war? The Donbas is going to have to. There's going to be a trade there. There's just no way to evict all the Russians. What does Zelensky need to sell his people on giving up territory that I've got a deal we've never had as a country. We're going to be standing as an independent sovereign Ukraine. I want China to look at it and say, you know, maybe it wasn't worth it for Putin after all. Because I worry about Taiwan. If you sell out Ukraine, there goes Taiwan.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

This is how the world's connected. So I'm going to. I've been very supportive. I got a bill with 85 co sponsors that will allow Trump to put tariffs on any country that buys Russian oil. That doesn't help Ukraine. That's what he did to India. India now is buying less Russia. Okay, So I got a bill to do that. But I am realistic. I'm trying to find a solution to end this war so we won't have a third invasion.

[A]

Well, Ukraine's gonna have to give up Some territory. But Putin's not gonna do anything until the Iranian thing is cleared up 100%. Right. He's not gonna do a thing. Why would he now pivot to China?

[B]

Let's say we get Iran bad. We'll never get a good deal in Iran. Never, if we get it right.

[A]

But it would get worse for the Chinese. The Chinese will be more bellicose. I was in Beijing in May, privately invited. I addressed the Politburo there. You didn't know that?

[B]

I didn't. I haven't been invited.

[A]

Right. I'm one of the few.

[B]

Well, good for you.

[A]

Only journalists in history. Good for you.

[B]

I'm glad you went.

[A]

The only journalist in history has received that invitation because they watch me on YouTube, where they're watching you right now.

[B]

They watch everything we say.

[A]

That's right. And the Taiwan thing can be worked out, and it's a wording situation, but what China is doing is what Putin's doing. They're just watching to see. That's why Germany drives me crazy. And Luxembourg drives me nuts, because they're all watching to see the weakness. Where is the weakness? All right. And the weaknesses in Europe, that's where it is. Not Trump. You're right. They fear Trump. Okay. But Trump was caught by surprise that NATO wouldn't help. Look, if Tony Blair was the PM, you would have had 18 ships in there.

[B]

Yeah, he literally said that.

[A]

Right. And it would have happened.

[B]

That shows you how you're persuaded with

[A]

these guys they have now. And you can't control that. Hey, I'm excited to tell you about the world's number one expanding garden hose and their brand new product, the pocket hose Ballistic. I'm tough on my gear, but this hose keeps up. The pocket hose ballistic is reinforced with liquid crystal polymer, the same material used in bulletproof vests, so it doesn't kink, burst, or tangle. It's super lightweight. Expands when the water's on, shrinks back down when it's off. Honestly, it makes yard work way easier. And now, for a limited time, when you purchase a new pocket hose ballistic, you will get a free 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a free thumb drive nozzle. Just text bill to 64,000. That's bill to 64,000 for your two free gifts with purchase again tax, bill to 64,000. Message and data rates may apply.

[D]

Jackson Hewitt has a great tax prep deal. $149 or less. Missing out is like ignoring the check engine light in your car. You regret it? Seriously? The price is only 149 or less, no matter how complicated. So don't wait. Like when you get a password, expires today alert. Or you're shopping online and there's only one item left. It's like your taxes are in the cart. Just complete the purchase. Hurry. This deal for 149 or less is like your phone at 1%. It's about to power down. Limited time offer for new clients on federal returns. Participating locations only. Turn to jacksonville.com149 hey, podcast listeners.

[E]

Jillian Michaels here. If the world is feeling unstable right now and the noise and the chaos is overwhelming, if you're looking for clarity and truth, good or bad, I invite you to check out my podcast, Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels. Twice a week, I break down the biggest issues shaping our lives. And I sit down with bold guests for fearless, honest conversations. There are no talking points. There's no agenda. Just real discussions that challenge assumptions and demand clarity. Subscribe to Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels today anywhere you get your podcasts.

[B]

Can I tell you what I think? China is watching. And this is why everything does matter. China was impressed by Venezuela. China buys cheap oil from Venezuela.

[A]

Yep. And now they're on.

[B]

Right now they don't. 31% of the known oil reserves are in Venezuela and Iran. They buy Iranian oil at cheap discounts. They buy Venezuela at cheap discounts.

[A]

Right.

[B]

That's off the table in Venezuela. If we can get a new Iran working with us instead of against us, then that's a big blow to China.

[A]

Well, President Trump is all going to make China an oil deal.

[B]

Well, you know, wait and see. See, the thing that people are also. I'm okay for you going to Beijing. Oh, yeah, I'm okay.

[A]

You have to.

[B]

I'm okay to do business with Russia. Putin's Russia if it advances our interests.

[A]

But he's a psychopath now.

[B]

Yeah, but.

[A]

But yeah, he's Hitler. Light Stalin.

[B]

Nobody is. Nobody is. Can accuse me of being light on Putin. But we did deal with Joe Stalin to beat the Germans. So the point is, how do you get Russia out of the invading business? Security guarantees that make it not worth their time. Ukrainian military, like, well, let me tell

[A]

you, he's got a million casualties.

[B]

Let's just say this, my friend, that a third invasion would be a hard sell to the Russian people. He's one bullet away. Nobody loses an election in Russia. But every. Every family's got somebody who's died. Eventually those numbers add up. And all I can say is that we've got a chance if we get Iran Right. To get a better deal in Russia. If we get Iran. Right. We'll have more influence over China because they will respect us. Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, all are signals right

[A]

now, the opposing party, the Democratic Party, hasn't really come out against the Iran.

[B]

No, they haven't.

[A]

No. They're just kind of floating. But in my opinion, and you correct me if I'm wrong, because you have much more access than I did to the Biden administration. Joe Biden hurt this country enormously by sitting it out. What he did was he just sat it out and he allowed all the bad situations to get worse. Okay, so when he had the intel coming in every morning, number one, I don't even believe he read it. Okay, maybe Jill did. I don't think he did. All right? And number two, if he read it,

[B]

he sure didn't understand it.

[A]

Right. All the countries in the world go, the United States is just going to sit there. And this was after Afghanistan, which was

[B]

so embarrassed, started it all.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Now, there would be no invasion. There would be no October 7th. There'd be no invasion of Russia by Ukraine again, I think, without Afghanistan, because

[A]

the weakness then was exposed to now, you would think that the Democratic Party, whatever that is. Now, I don't even know who the lead. Who's the leader of the Democratic Party. Who?

[B]

You know, I don't. I don't know if it's Newsom aoc I don't know who's going to be the nominee. But here's what Newsom said, and I've known Gavin, he said that Israel was an apartheid state. That tells you how desperate you have to be and how anti Israel you have to be to be the nominee for the Democratic Party. He accused Israel of being an apartheid nation like South Africa.

[A]

Well, that whole platform is controlled by the radical left.

[B]

But he bought into money. Well, he had to say it. He thought, I don't know if he means it or not. But when he said it, it surprised me. I don't know.

[A]

He's got trouble with San Francisco. He can't be doing Israel. He can't clean up San Francisco.

[B]

Well, our party can't get that way. My party, we can't let it get to be so, so bad in a way that you have to embrace things that are just inherently wrong. There's an element of our party that my party, that doesn't want any involvement, no matter how common sense. I mean, if Trump hadn't acted, they'd had 10 nuclear weapons. And that's just, to me, a Fact. So these people who are ideological driven that they ignore facts or dangers, that's true whether you're right or left. If you get so extreme in your thinking, facts can't change your mind, you're in the wrong business.

[A]

But we have a country that lives now and in Asia, social media, where people go in there and they, a lot of them believe what they are reading or hearing.

[B]

I don't know if you could have done World War II in today's environment, because by the time I get home, there are about time I leave here, there'll be 20 stories on the Internet. Lindsey Graham wants 82nd Airborne to go in.

[A]

Right, Right.

[B]

It's just constant. And I just try to shut it out and focus on the facts as I know it and get an outcome I believe in. But social media, one thing I want to do politically beyond foreign policy is if your daughter is, you know, goaded into suicide or weight loss or your kids are being preyed on by sexual predators and websites, you can't bring a legal action. Section 230 under our law prevents you bringing a lawsuit against a website or social media company for the damage they may have done to your family. That was to make sure the Internet would get started. Well, this started, I want to eliminate Section 230 protection so that you can go after social media companies that are terrorizing your family.

[A]

They're not going to do that. No.

[B]

We got to fight. We'll come back and do the show about my bill to Sunset in two years. I want Section 230 to be replaced by some vehicle to give people a save.

[A]

I can't see one. Democrats.

[B]

Boy, not. I bet Durbin, he's on board.

[A]

He's going to be gone.

[B]

Well, but I've got other Democrats because they have grandchildren, too. This is the one issue above all issues that sort of unite people. If you're a parent out there raising kids, sure, Yeah. I want to give you some hope. There's some issues that we can work out. But the bottom line here is this is a time of testing. Afghanistan unleashed the bad guys in a way we hadn't seen in a long time. Trump is reversing that trend. But this can all fall apart and go the other way if we don't get Iran. Right. If Iran doesn't turn out the way I think it can, we can actually go backward.

[A]

Let's face it, the US Economy is under stress. National debt rising, trade war shaking the markets. And meanwhile, China is dumping the dollar and stockpiling gold. That's why I Protected my savings with physical gold and silver. Theroux, the only dealer I trust, American Hartford Gold. And you can do this. Get precious metals delivered to your door or place in a tax Advantage Gold IRA. They'll even help you roll over your existing IRA or 401k tax and penalty free. With billions in precious metals delivered, thousands of five star reviews and an A from the Better Business Bureau. You can trust American Hartford Gold as I do. Please call 866-501-5201 or text BILL to 65532. Again, that's 866-501-5201 or text BILL to 65532. Seen your credit card statement lately? You're working 40, 50 hours a week just to buy groceries and gas, things you used to be able to afford easily. And the credit card companies are charging you more than 20% interest. American financing is helping people. They have mortgage rates in the fives. They're showing homeowners how to use their equity to wipe out debt. The average savings, $800 a month, no upfront fees to see how much you can save. And if you begin today, you could delay two mortgage payments. American Financing, 8884-6295-5788-8462, 9557AmericanFinancing.netbill now here's a provocative question. You've been in Congress for more than 30 years as a rep and a senator. I've been in journalism 50 years plus. I have seen, and I could be wrong because I don't sit there like you do, a deterioration, generally speaking, of intellect. I'm seeing really dumb people. Really dumb people. People who don't know history. They don't really understand that if you don't punish criminals, then the criminals will commit more crimes. These are just basic things that in our country were givens for hundreds of years. And these people like Arcasio Cortez, who went to Boston U. So did I. And her district is a butt spine. She doesn't know anything. And this woman's going to be the next. She beat Schumer, she'll beat him. Okay, Shuma's done. And when you listen to her and she doesn't do interviews like this, she would never sit with me in a million years.

[B]

Does she write books?

[A]

She doesn't know anything. Well, have you seen that across the board?

[B]

Here's what I've seen. When I first started this business, you got rewarded for problem solving and, you know, sort of knowing what you're talking about. All the energy now is to loud. Not knowledgeable, just loud.

[A]

Right. Partisan.

[B]

Fetterman. He's doing what people used to do without even being noticed.

[A]

There's only one.

[B]

So I tried to help Biden deal with Saudi Israel. I was in the Gang of Eight for immigration. I've done some things that our base doesn't like because somebody's got to solve these problems. Fetterman is trying to solve problems. The question will he make it or not? If you're running in a primary right now, your goal is to get as many eyeballs as you can. And how do you get eyeballs in this world? Be provocative. Provocative is replaced intellect. Provocative is replaced problem solving. And what I want to do is to say, no, you don't have to be provocative to win. You actually can go to the Mideast. Enough. My knock is, why are you over there? We need you here. Why are you supporting them over there when we're paying more gas prices here? And I say the reason I go over there is I don't want another nine. Eleven. The last time we took our eye off the ball over there, they killed 3,000Americans. Then I end every conversation with this thought. Do you think if the Ayatollah had a nuclear weapon, he'd use it? Most people say yes. Well, let's make sure he doesn't do it. And how do you do that, sitting over here? I make an argument for smart intervention.

[A]

Well, you're a guy who. You're a conservative Republican, but you're at least open to hearing the other point of view. And you have a frame of reference.

[B]

Well, I have a frame of reference, which is history. And it goes back to what you just said. Why do people. It's almost as if World War II never had. Sure, if you stop people out on the streets, they don't know, and you ask them name the Axis powers, have no idea what you're talking about. In a country who lets that happen, you'll wake up one day and wonder what happened. Schooling. All I can say is the deterioration of curiosity, willingness to ask questions, and try to solve. The ability to solve a problem is getting harder because the reward is less.

[A]

Okay, we're gonna break away from the senator for a moment. Now, you premium members and concierge members are gonna get another six minutes with Senator Graham. Only you see this? This is gonna be very secret stuff. All right?

[B]

It's the plan to win the war

[A]

that will start momentarily.

[F]

It's tax season, and at LifeLock. We know you're tired of numbers, but here's a big one you need to hear Billions. That's the amount of money and refunds the IRS has flagged for possible identity fraud. Now here's another big number. 100 million. That's how many data points LifeLock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, we'll fix it. Guaranteed. One last big number. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast for the threats you can't control. Terms apply.