Florida Senator Rick Scott Talks Bombing Effort to Beat Iran

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bloomberg Talks

Episode: Florida Senator Rick Scott Talks Bombing Effort to Beat Iran
Date: July 21, 2026
Host: Bloomberg
Guest: Senator Rick Scott (R-FL)
Location: Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda

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Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth interview with Senator Rick Scott, a member of the Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Foreign Affairs Committees. The primary focus is the escalating U.S. military campaign against Iran, specifically following ten consecutive days of airstrikes. Senator Scott discusses the justification, costs, and necessary duration for the U.S. strategy, reflections on Iran's military position, implications for U.S. defense spending, thoughts on government shutdown avoidance, and recent domestic policy debates such as energy-intensive data centers in Florida. The conversation is direct and unfiltered, emphasizing tough choices in foreign policy and domestic fiscal responsibility.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Military Campaign Against Iran

• Senator Scott’s Position:
  • Expresses condolences to families of fallen Americans.
  • Firmly supports continued military strikes against Iran, believing the regime only understands force.
  • Strongly asserts that “a lot more bombing” may be needed:

    “It’s probably going to take a lot more bombing to get it done.” (01:39 – 02:21)

  • Argues inaction would risk U.S. lives, referencing fears of Iran developing a nuclear weapon.
  • Emphasizes Iranian hostility over decades and distrusts diplomatic overtures:

    "They’re a bunch of liars. They want to kill us." (05:00 – 05:12)

2. Fiscal Costs and Military Spending

• Uncertainty Around Price Tag:

  • Pentagon places operation’s cost at $37.5 billion so far; total future costs remain unclear.
  • Senator Scott insists on fiscal discipline, expressing frustration over persistent U.S. deficits:

    “I believe everything ought to be paid for. I don't think any government should be running deficits.” (02:58 – 03:10)

  • Warns balancing national security and fiscal impact is a vital trade-off, especially given inflation concerns.

• On Government’s Transparency:

  • Praises Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s personal openness but admits impossible to predict the campaign’s ultimate price or duration:

    “I wish I knew …. I don’t want more American lives lost and I don't want to be at war, but I don't want them to have nuclear weapons.” (04:06 – 04:48)

3. On Diplomatic Options and Ceasefire Prospects

• Skeptical of Iran's intentions during previous ceasefires, stating that the regime uses talks to “rearm.”
• Insists “nothing should be off the table,” referencing both military action (e.g., bombing specific strategic sites) and continued pressure.

4. Broader International Threats

• Stresses that Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea all represent serious, rising dangers to U.S. security.
• Supports new sanctions—especially on Russian oil buyers—to increase pressure on international supporters of U.S. adversaries:

  “Putin’s despicable... anybody that wants to support him by buying his oil is doing the wrong thing and they ought to be held accountable.” (06:01 – 06:47)

5. Congressional Action: Funding and Filibuster Debate

• Avoiding Government Shutdown:

  • Firmly opposes shutdowns, citing hardships for federal workers:

    “It’s horrible for the people...they have mortgages, groceries, they have kids camp, all this stuff, and they're not getting paid. That's wrong.” (07:23 – 07:57)

  • Backs passage of a continuing resolution (CR) to prevent a lapse in funding, hopes for bipartisan support.

• Filibuster & Reconciliation:

  • Explains that using reconciliation to pass budget bills is effectively an end-run around the filibuster:

    “When we say reconciliation, that means you can do it with just your party votes…that’s basically getting rid of the filibuster." (08:12 – 08:31)

  • Suggests just abolishing the filibuster outright for the sake of efficiency.

6. Florida, Jobs, and Data Centers

• Emphasis on Jobs:

  • Wears a lapel pin reading “jobs.”
  • Recalls his business background and focus on economic growth since serving as Florida’s governor.
  • Stresses the importance of protecting jobs, lowering the cost of living, and responsible budgeting.

• On Data Centers:

  • Open to welcoming data centers in Florida, with caveats:
    • Must not drive up electricity prices, which would hurt low-income families.
    • Florida must protect its critical water resources:

      “We cannot allow data centers to cause electricity prices to go up. That is not fair ... On top of that, we’ve got to preserve all of our water.” (09:55 – 10:29)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Logic of Continued Strikes:

  • “If we don’t [take military action], then we’re all at risk. None of us wouldn’t be killed by a nuclear weapon.” – Senator Rick Scott, (01:39 – 02:21)

• On Fiscal Accountability and War:

  • "It's going to cost us money...unfortunately, it costs money." – Senator Rick Scott, (03:10 – 03:50)

• On Diplomacy with Iran:

  • "They're a bunch of liars. They want to kill us." – Senator Rick Scott, (05:00 – 05:12)

• On Sanctions for Russian Oil Purchasers:

  • “Anybody that wants to support him by buying, buying the, his oil is doing the wrong thing and they ought to be held accountable.” – Senator Rick Scott, (06:01 – 06:47)

• On Government Shutdowns:

  • "It’s horrible for the people...they have mortgages, groceries, they have kids camp, all this stuff, and they're not getting paid. That's wrong." – Senator Rick Scott, (07:23 – 07:57)

• On Data Centers in Florida:

  • "We cannot allow data centers to cause electricity prices to go up. That is not fair ... On top of that, we’ve got to preserve all of our water." – Senator Rick Scott, (09:55 – 10:29)

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Important Timestamps

• US-Iran Military Strategy and Costs: 01:06 – 04:48
• Sanctions, Russia, and Global Threats: 05:42 – 06:58
• Government Funding, Shutdowns & Filibuster: 06:58 – 08:51
• Jobs and Data Centers in Florida: 09:09 – 10:29

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Tone & Takeaway

Rick Scott comes across as forthright, sometimes blunt, unapologetically hawkish on national defense, and fiscally conservative. He places a premium on American safety, military strength, and budgetary responsibility, showing skepticism of adversarial regimes and political gridlock alike. The discussion touches on high stakes decisions—war, peace, economic hardship, and the nuts-and-bolts of how government funds essential services—while always tying national developments back to the impact on families and workers in Florida and the U.S.

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This summary omits advertisements and non-content sections for clarity and focus on the substance of the episode.

Transcript

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[Senator Rick Scott]

Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts, Radio news

[Interviewer (Bloomberg)]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was pressed about how the administration can square the new round of strikes on Iran after declaring that the US had destroyed Iran's capabilities earlier this year.

[Senator Rick Scott]

How is it possible if their capabilities

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

were, quote, functionally destroyed three months earlier, as she claimed, for them to be doing this now?

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Senator, Iran is at the weakest point militarily it has ever been in, in the past decade.

[Interviewer (Bloomberg)]

Joining us now for more is Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida, a member of the Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security and Foreign affairs committees, also a veteran himself. Senator, thank you so much for being here live with us on Capitol Hill this evening. When we consider we're coming off of 10 consecutive days of the US striking Iran anew and the president repeatedly threatening to go harder to consider, heavier, opt to use his language to try to finally bring the regime to heel, is that the only course forward is just to intensify a campaign that it's killed so many Americans already?

[Senator Rick Scott]

Well, first thing, my heart goes out to the families that lost their loved ones. I was fortunate to be able to serve in the US Navy, but never got shot at. So my heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones. Nobody wants that. You know, unfortunately, Iran's been killing Americans for 47 years. We finally have the president that said enough's enough. They're not going to have a nuclear weapon. They're not going to have the ability to continue to kill Americans. Americans, unfortunately, it's going to continue to take military effort to do it. The Iranian regime is not ready for change. So it's probably going to take a lot more bombing to get it done. But we, if we don't, then we're all at risk. None of us wouldn't be killed by a nuclear weapon. And so, I mean, it's, it's, it's war is terrible.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

If a lot more bombing must be done, there's a question about how much it might cost. And that was a big part of the conversation today with the defense secretary. He had a number for us today, 37.5 billion.

[Senator Rick Scott]

Billion.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Knowing this supplemental Request is about twice that. What is the administration girding for beyond replenishing supplies, will there be much more money required to continue this operation?

[Senator Rick Scott]

Well, we don't know. The bottom line is we don't know. We don't know when the Iranian regime is going to come around to decide. They don't want, they don't want to continue to kill Americans.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Well, then should this be paid for? This is going to be a longer haul.

[Senator Rick Scott]

Well, I think, you know, I believe everything ought to be paid for. I don't think this government should, you know, any government should be running deficits. And so I've been, I've frustrated up here because we're running $2 trillion deficits right now. So I think things have to be paid for if we want to get inflation under control.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Right.

[Senator Rick Scott]

And nobody wants their taxes to go up. So. But I mean, it's a tradeoff. Right. Nobody wants to go to war, but we don't want them to have a nuclear weapon to kill us. I've got kids and I've got grandkids and I want them to kill a nuclear weapon or I'm sure you're in the same position you want your family killed by nuclear weapons. So it's going to cost us money. It's going to cost, have a strong military to be able to stop this. And let's look at the world right now. The world's dangerous. The world's dangerous for. You can blame anybody you want to blame. The government of Russia hates us. The government of China hates us. The government Iran hates us. The government North Korea hates us. So it's a danger. It's a dangerous place. And so if we don't build up a military that can defend their freedom, then we're going to lose it. And so unfortunately, it costs money.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Yeah.

[Interviewer (Bloomberg)]

Well, should there not be answers as to how much ultimately this is going to cost? You feel that the Pentagon has been transparent enough with that information that the Defense Secretary only revealed that today, giving sworn testimony before the appropriations.

[Senator Rick Scott]

Well, I think it'd be easy if we knew how many more days it was going to take. We don't. I mean, we don't know how many more days it's going to take to, to get a new regime and to destroy them and bring them to the table. We just don't. And we actually. You never have enough information about how well your enemy is doing. So, you know, I. Look, Pete Hedgehog has been always open, honest with me. If I, if I call him or if I text him, I Get an answer within hours. He's very transparent with me. He's been very transparent with the Armed Services Committee. But I don't think, I don't think, I don't think we know yet. I mean, I wish I knew. I wish was tonight, I wish we, we, they would come to their senses because I don't want more American lives lost and I don't want to be at war, but I don't want them to have nuclear weapons.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Well, so with all of that said, do you buy Talk of a 10 day cease fire that we've been hearing about recently or is that a waste of time? How do you trust this party with a cease fire?

[Senator Rick Scott]

I mean we tried. I mean we do, we came, we gave them the chance of a diplomacy. Ok. They used it to rearm basically and they were never serious. So they're a bunch of liars. They want to kill us.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

I mean it's serious. Do we bomb Pickaxe Mountain and do we seize Carg Island?

[Senator Rick Scott]

So I mean that's a decision the President gets to make.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Understood.

[Senator Rick Scott]

The way I look at it is, is we have to do everything. I mean nothing should be off the table. I don't like, we want, we don't want to be at war and we don't want Americans killed. So whatever it's going to take, whatever it's going to take, because they want to kill us, whether we like it or not, we, we'd love to have diplomacy. We don't want to be at war. They want to kill us. So if somebody wants to kill you, I want to make sure they don't.

[Interviewer (Bloomberg)]

Well, you mentioned that the IR regime, to use your language, hates the United States. You mentioned Russia as well. Obviously there is some renewed momentum behind a sanctions bill that would intensify the pressure on Russia via giving the President authority to implement secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian energy products. Is that going to pass?

[Senator Rick Scott]

I think under what time it should, I think. Well, I think it'll be passed before going to recess within the next. I mean look, Putin's despicable. You look at the women and children he's killed in Ukraine. I mean he's a despicable human being and anybody that wants to support him by buying, buying the, his oil is doing the wrong thing and they ought to be held accountable. I mean the world would like to be. None of us want to be at war. The world would like to be at peace. Maybe people like Putin and Xi and the Ayatollah don't. But so it's going to take. We all have to be in this together. So stop helping these thugs. These are thugs. They want to. They're killing their own citizens. They don't care about their own citizens. Look at Putin. How many people in Russia have died because of what he's done?

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Yeah.

[Senator Rick Scott]

Wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and say, I've really done the right thing. No, I mean, it's, it's. You know how it's hundreds of thousands from what you read.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Yeah. It's remarkable, the loss on both sides here. Senator, these are just a couple of the items you could be voting on with your weekend change left before the August recess. There's also a continuing resolution that we haven't had a chance to ask you about that a smart move right now. Looks like the votes are there in the House to pass this and avoid what could be a shutdown at the end of September.

[Senator Rick Scott]

We have to do it.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

You have to.

[Senator Rick Scott]

We can't. We can't have a government shutdown.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

So regular order is not going to fly this time.

[Senator Rick Scott]

I mean, the Democrats have walked away from it. We finally got the list of anomalies to be able to put together a continued resolution. I hope the Democrats vote for it. So we'll see. But we need to vote on that to try to make sure we don't have a government shutdown. It's horrible for the people. I mean, think about it. I mean, people. The Democrats have shut down the government three times. These are people that work their butts off up here. They're federal workers and are all over the country and they don't get paid. Some of them get paid for weeks and weeks and weeks. They have mortgage, beverages, they have groceries, they have kids camp, all this stuff, and they're not getting paid. That's wrong.

[Interviewer (Bloomberg)]

Well, your leader, Senator Thune, has suggested. Suggested the CR could ultimately get attached to the third budget reconciliation package if the votes aren't there with Democrats basically do this along partisan lines. What. What precedent would that set?

[Senator Rick Scott]

Look, we've already gotten rid of the filibuster. Just remember, the filibuster is only to stop. It's supposed to be only to stop debate, not to stop bills. But we've already gotten really filibuster for noms. We've already gotten the filibuster for judges. Right. The only thing left is for. For bills. And so it's when. When we say reconciliation, that means you can do it with just your party votes.

[Interviewer (Bloomberg)]

Right.

[Senator Rick Scott]

That's basically getting rid of the filibuster. So my view is just get rid of it. Let's get rid of it. And in passive stuff, we, we care about election security, we care about funding the government. There's so many things we care about, let's get them done.

[Interviewer (Bloomberg)]

Well, Senator Thune has stood by the filibuster. He has previously publicly said he's not willing to kill it. You're saying he effectively would be if he chooses that course of action.

[Senator Rick Scott]

Well, it's a way to get around it. Right. And it's only for budgetary items. Be let's be honest, there's not a lot left. It's only, it's only bills because we're using reconciliation, which we don't have a filibuster rule for, that we've already gotten rid of for nominations. We've already got rid of four judges. So there's not much left.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

I'm going to just mention for the benefit of our radio listeners that we're talking to Senator Scott here in the rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building, which is why you're hearing all this echo. And he's wearing a lapel pin that says one word, jobs. I have to ask you, we've been talking about not only jobs every day, but data centers every day. Byron Donalds, the congressman from your state, talked us about his plan not for a moratorium, but to control power off the grid and keep water, for instance, in a closed circuit on site. That's a different attack than New York, which put in place a year long moratorium. As somebody who has background in tech, you're wearing the jobs pin. What's the right answer? And should Florida be welcoming data centers under that construct?

[Senator Rick Scott]

But so when I ran for Governor back in 2010, the state had lost 832,000 jobs. I'm a business guy. I built businesses all my life. I grew up in public housing. I watched my parents struggle for work. So jobs is the most important thing we do for any family. So right now we need more jobs. My state is hurting with jobs right now. We need to get the cost of living down. And the way that's going to happen is balance the budget. Now, with regard to data centers, what we've got to do is we cannot allow data centers to cause electricity prices to go up. That is not fair. Hurts the poorest families. If you're rich, none of this stuff hurts you. On top of that, we've got to preserve all of our water. Water is important in my state. We're going to preserve all the water in my state.

[Interviewer / Reporter]

Ok? Great to spend time with you in person. Meet us up here again when you're back in town. Fantastic. Senator Rick Scott, Republican from Florida. We thank you as always for being with us on Bloomberg.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

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