Stephen A's Take: Iran claims it will consult with Russia. | Matt Gaetz argues North Korea is a greater nuclear threat than Iran. - Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

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[00:00]
A
This is an iHeart podcast. The best kind of help is the kind you don't even have to ask for. Like your friend pulling up on moving day with a truck, a speaker and snacks ready to go. Well, that's the energy you get with AT&T's new guarantee. If there's ever a network interruption, they make it right by giving you credit for a full day of service. Proactively credit for fiber downtime lasting 20 minutes or more or wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers. Restrictions and exclusions apply. See att.com guarantee for full details. AT&T Connecting Changes Everything welcome to the.
[00:49]
B
You vs you podcast. I'm Lex Borrero inviting you to go beyond the titles and the accolades of the world's most successful entertainers. Each week we take off the Cape and get real about the inner battles, childhood stories, and the moments that shaped our guests. Get inspired to become the best version of you. Listen to you versus you podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[01:15]
C
A short time ago, the US Military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime. Fordeau, Natanz and Esfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle east, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier. For 40 years, Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over a thousand people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle east and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate. In particular, so many were killed by their general, Qasem Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue. I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we've gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they've done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American Patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades. Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that's so. I also want to congratulate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Raisinkaine. Spectacular General. And all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack. With all of that being said, this cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight's was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There's no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight. Not even close. There has never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago. Tomorrow, General Kaine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will have a press conference at 8am at the Pentagon. And I want to just thank everybody and in particular, God. I want to just say we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East, God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.
[04:50]
A
That was President Donald Trump late Saturday night announcing the United states had struck three nuclear sites in Iran. The president sent B2 bombers and dropped a number of massive ordnance penetrator bombs, also known as bunker busters, during the mission over Iran. Earlier today, the United nations nuclear watchdog said the bombing raid likely caused, quote, very significant damage, end quote, to the underground parts of Iran's far do nuclear site. Meanwhile, Iranian military officials and members of Parliament vowed that the United States will pay a price for the strikes. And today they fired missiles toward U.S. bases in Iraq and Qatar. All this while President Trump alluded to the possibility of regime change in in Iran in a social media post Sunday. There has been no word yet from Iran's supreme leader, but the exile, quote, Crown prince, end quote, of Iran has called for the Ayatollah Khomeini to step down and face justice. This is ugly situation, no doubt about it. And those of us who are reticent about war involving the United States, I can't blame them. But it doesn't stop there. And we're not about to stop there on this show. I will preface my comments by saying that I'm the novice of the crew compared to aficionados out there who cover politics for a living. But Boo boo the fool can see certain things. That's pretty damn obvious. Number one, we have a situation where Iran has been a threat to to our ally in the Middle East, Israel, for many, many years. We understand that they have called for death to Israel, just like they've called for death to the United States of America. When you consider that, and you consider how determined they appear to be to wipe Israel off the face of this earth, we shouldn't be surprised that we're here today. I don't like war. I don't like war evolving, America. I get that part. But I do believe that if Iran had a nuclear weapon that they would use it. And I do agree that you can allow an enemy of the United States to have a nuclear weapon. It's that simple to me. Having said that, I want to preface the comment by saying I stand by everything that I say if it's absolutely true. And let's not sit here and act like there aren't questions as to whether or not that is true. You got to remember that since 1996, Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel, has repeatedly stated that Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon. He said it in 1996. He said it in 2000. He said it in 2005. He said it in 2011. He said it in 2014. He said it in 2015. He said it in 2018. He said it in 2020. He said it in 2024. Ladies and gentlemen, it's been almost 30 years since Netanyahu has been saying this. So forgive folks in the world if there's some skeptics out there, because we all know that he doesn't play. He wants to eradicate Iran at all costs, at least their ability to have a nuclear weapon. He wants to completely disarm them because he considers them a threat to the existence of Israel. Now here's where I get frustrated, because once again, here's the novice that's a centrist that comes into play and he's listening to all of this stuff. And here's where I get infuriated. The Democrats are calling, or at least some of them are calling, for the impeachment of Donald Trump. Same old song and dance. Thought we heard this before. I thought that was over and done with the minute you lost the election, with the popular vote in the Electoral College vote and losing every sweepstate. I thought we were over that, but evidently not. Question number one. No matter what you feel about the President, United States do You think that's the time, while we're in the middle of such strife, to be calling for the impeachment of the President of the United States? Particularly if you're a representative, you're an elected official in the United States of America? I don't think so. That's number one. Number two, were the Democrats saying that when Obama bombed Libya when he was in office? We're making all of this noise about how the War Powers act is utilized and how Donald Trump didn't receive congressional approval. Well, this is not an act of war. This is eradicating a threat. Civilians weren't targeted. Nuclear sites were targeted. So if nuclear sites were targeted, but no civilians were targeted, then that's not a war, at least not yet. Which means that you can navigate your way around the War Powers act itself and you don't have to concern yourself with receiving congressional approval. The Democrats know that because of Obama. So if you knew that because of Obama and you didn't say it when it involved him in Libya, why would you turn around and all of a sudden try to make that case against Donald Trump? I'm not here condoning what Trump did because I don't know if he's completely telling the truth. I'd like to believe he is. I'd like to believe that he did it totally because Iran is that kind of existential threat and we see him here. What does the President say? The sites that we hit in Iran were totally destroyed and everyone knows it. Who? Only the fake news will say anything different in order to try and demean as much as possible. And even they say they were pretty well destroyed. Working especially hard on this falsehood is Allison Cooper of fake news CNN. Allison, you mean Anderson? It's very disrespectful, Mr. President. It's very disrespectful. We live in a country where we embrace the LGBTQ community. You don't have to mock Anderson Cooper that way. His name is Anderson Cooper. Could you show some respect, please? That's all. Be a grown up. That shouldn't be too much to ask. Dumb. Brian L. Roberts, Chairman of Comcast. So now it's not Comcast, it's Comcast. Johnny Call of abc. Fake News, Really? If you're attacking the individual, why attack the whole network? Everybody for abc, NBC, CBS or anybody else ain't fake. Could you please grow up? See, this is the kind of stuff that I've spoken against when it comes to this President. But I digress. It says here, and always the losers of again, Comcast NBC fake news. It never ends with the sleaze bags in the media. And that's why their ratings are at an all time low, zero credibility. Well, listen, I'm not going to get into that. What I'm going to Say to you, Mr. President, is that are we sure you're doing the right thing? Because it's not just the left that's against you, it's also the maga, right? Steve Bannon says you've got to talk to the maga, right, because why did you have to get involved? Candace Owens was on this show last week saying the same thing. Both big time supporters of yours. Tucker Carlson's another person and they all look at that and a whole bunch of people, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is, I think crazy, but nevertheless is a staunch supporter of yours. Even she said we shouldn't be involved in all of this. Now, obviously that's different from cats on the right like Mark Levin, conservative host Lindsey Graham and others. I get that. Senator Lindsey Graham and others. I get it. But the point is it ain't just the left that's going up against President Donald Trump on this. It's also the maga, right? So who's right? Even former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz had something to say. And by the way, what he had to say was very, very interesting. Put this up for the people to see, please. Let me read this to y' all right now. Let me. North Korea's nuclear weapon is a far greater threat to the United States than Iran. It's not even close. Iran has neither the bomb, the delivery system, nor the reentry vehicle you'd need for any intercontinental ballistic missile to launch and re enter orbit. North Korea has all three. North Korea could launch a nuclear weapon at the mainland United States today. We probably have the ability to knock it out of the sky. But Iran can't even get their bird in the air. US Cities like Los Angeles and San Diego and Seattle are on maps and North Korea openly discusses them. Of course, we aren't looking to drop 100 bunk of busters in the mountains of North Korea. President Trump took other brilliant diplomatic steps to constrain North Korea's hostilities and the same could be done with Iran. That is from former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who Trump was very, very fond of until the other Republicans said, hell no, we don't want him serving in your cabinet. And, and he was booted up out of there. And now he's here doing the podcast these days. Doesn't make him false, doesn't make him wrong, doesn't make him ill informed, considering, like he says on Foreign Relations Committee and all of this stuff. The man kind of knows what he's talking about as it pertains to this, because everybody knows that North Korea does have, does have a weapon. North Korea could do considerably more damage than Iran could do at this point or at any point in recent memory. Now, to be fair, North Korea is relatively isolated. So when you compare that to where Iran is located and the damage it could potentially do, I understand. Number two, there's nothing wrong with eradicating a potential threat from developing and leaving it at that, as long as we're not getting a bit more extensive. But still, in all, that doesn't mean problems can't come from this. Remember, Iran said they're friends with Russia and they're going to have conversations with Russia, and who knows what that's going to materialize into? Who knows what Putin, who's ticked off that the United States was helping arm Ukraine against him, is feeling right now what he's plotting to do. Remember, I told y' all before, this man wants to reclaim Europe, most of Europe. Remember after World War II, what the goal was from Stalin and those boys? They wanted Europe. They backstabbed the United States. They went against the agreement of developing democracies and stayed with communism. They want Europe where you think Putin's after. So you can't trust anything he say in a lot of people's eyes. But nevertheless, let's see what Trump had to say about this. Did I hear former President Medvedev from Russia casually throwing around the N word as in nuclear? Really? That's what, that's what we classify as the N word now? Nuclear instead of the other word. Really? Donald Trump, Okay. And saying that he and other countries would supply nuclear warheads to Iran. Did he really say that, or is it just a figment of my imagination? If he did say that, and if confirmed, please let me know immediately. The N word should not be treated so casually. I guess that's why Putin's the boss. By the way, if anyone thinks our hardware was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our nuclear submarines. They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built and just launched the 30 tomahawks, all 30 hit their mark perfectly. So in addition to our great fighter pilots, thank you to the captain and and crew. So basically, in this particular post on Truth Social, essentially what Trump is saying that, you know, don't throw around the word nuclear, casually labeling that the New N word. But he also took an opportunity to praise Putin as the boss. Meanwhile, Iran is talking about working with Russia. No doubt Russia would give advice to their friend Iran on how to combat anything that the United States is throwing in their direction. And Iran, who obviously had Hamas and Hezbollah's proxies and the Houthis to some degree, until the United States dealt with them in Yemen. We got to look at all of this and understand this problem is not going away and then taking it back to the streets of America. You've got people around here from the Jewish community walking around, petrified of the proliferation of anti Semitism that they feel is swelling throughout the streets of America. In part, it could be because of what's been happening in Gaza since October 7th a couple of years ago. But the other thing is that there are far too many American citizens asking themselves, are we going to get into yet another fight? And if so, why? Essentially implying, let Israel handle their own business. Trump essentially is saying, no, we got their back. Some have been speculating that he jumped in after Israel did marvelous work in attacking some of Iran's facilities over the last week to 10 days or so, that Trump jumped right in because he saw how effective Israel is, that he wanted to move in, do some damage so he could take all the credit in the world for it. Who knows? Who cares? All we care about at this particular point is safety, not just in the streets of America, but throughout this world. We don't want World War Three, and we need to know that the people in power don't want it just as much as the rest of us don't want it. And right now, we don't know. We don't know what the hell is going on. But I'll tell you this. As much as I'm pointing the finger at Trump, as much as I'm pointing the finger at what's going on right now in terms of its discomfort and whether or not we're making the right decisions, I don't know. Even though I do consider Iran a threat that needed to be dealt with. I will say this. The Democrats, first of all, all the representatives in Congress, where the hell have you been? You didn't say much until Trump dropped the bombs on the nuclear sites you acquired as mouse. You were quiet as hell. We heard nothing. Where were you? That's number one. Number two, I don't want to hear stuff about impeachment because the president abused his power and violated Article 2 of the Constitution. I want to hear all of that. Obama attacked Libya without congressional approval. No one said anything. Including you, Chuck Schumer. Nobody said anything. And number three, if indeed we do our research and our homework and we find out that President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu were correct in their assessment of the threat that Iran posed, thereby fully justifying the actions that took place over this weekend, if you're a Democrat, do you need to be quiet about that? I would say no. You need to come out and you need to say they did the right thing. When we talk about building faith in our government, if something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it ain't a freaking mongoose, it's a damn duck. Say so. Say so. Because by saying so, even if it's favorable to the other side in the moment, at least you're proven you're trustworthy enough to call balls and strikes. Figuratively speaking, you're trusted enough. You can be trusted enough to just tell the freaking truth. Assess the situation. Use your powers on Capitol Hill to find out how legitimate and potent the threat was. And if President Trump was right and if Netanyahu was right, say so. If you do that on the left, it'll show you're reasonable. After all. That might help you in 2026 for the midterms and, dare I say, 2028 for the presidency. Just saying. Just saying.
[23:21]
B
Welcome to the you versus you podcast. I'm Lex Borrero, inviting you to go beyond the titles and the accolades of the world most successful entertainers. Each week we take off the cape and get real about the inner battles, childhood stories and the moments that shaped our guests. Get inspired to become the best version of you. Listen to you versus you podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[23:45]
A
Show me how good it could get today, God. And show the rest of the world what we already know it can't get. No better than being hella black, hella cool, queer and hella Christian. My name is Joseph Reeves. I am the creator and host of Hella Black, Hella Queer, Hella Christian, a fully black, fully queer, fully human, fully divine podcast from iHeartMedia to Hella Black, Hella Queer, Hella Christian on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an iHeart podcast.

Summary5 min read

Podcast Summary: The Stephen A. Smith Show

Episode: Stephen A's Take: Iran Claims It Will Consult with Russia. | Matt Gaetz Argues North Korea Is a Greater Nuclear Threat Than Iran
Release Date: June 24, 2025
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

1. Introduction

In this episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith delves into the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran following President Donald Trump's recent military actions. The discussion expands to include differing perspectives on nuclear threats, particularly contrasting Iran and North Korea, with insights from former Representative Matt Gaetz.

2. President Donald Trump's Announcement and Military Action

The episode begins with a detailed recount of President Trump's announcement late Saturday night regarding the U.S. military strikes on Iran’s key nuclear facilities.

Notable Quote:

“Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.”
— President Donald Trump [01:15]

Trump emphasizes the success of the operation, asserting that it dismantles Iran's nuclear capabilities and serves as a statement against Iran's longstanding threats to the U.S. and its allies.

Key Points:

Targets Hit: Fordeau, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities.
Method: Deployment of B2 bombers and bunker-buster bombs.
Objective: Eliminate Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and reduce its status as a state sponsor of terror.

3. Stephen A. Smith’s Analysis and Commentary

a. Historical Context and Iran's Threat

Stephen A. Smith provides context, highlighting Iran's historical animosity towards the U.S. and Israel, referencing over three decades of threats and actions that have posed significant regional and global security challenges.

Notable Quote:

“For 40 years, Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel.”
— Stephen A. Smith [04:50]

He underscores the consistency of Israel's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions, as repeatedly voiced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over nearly 30 years.

b. Democratic Response and Impeachment Calls

Smith critiques the Democratic Party's immediate call for President Trump's impeachment following the strikes, drawing parallels to the lack of similar scrutiny during former President Obama's military actions in Libya.

Notable Quote:

“Question number one. No matter what you feel about the President of the United States, do you think that's the time, while we're in the middle of such strife, to be calling for the impeachment of the President of the United States?”
— Stephen A. Smith [09:30]

He challenges the Democratic narrative by questioning the inconsistency in their stance on the War Powers Act, emphasizing that the strikes were targeted and did not constitute an act of war.

c. Media Critique: "Fake News"

Smith expresses frustration with the media's portrayal of President Trump's actions, labeling certain networks and anchors as "fake news" and accusing them of undermining the administration's legitimacy.

Notable Quote:

“And the Democrats know that because of Obama. So if you knew that because of Obama and you didn't say it when it involved him in Libya, why would you turn around and all of a sudden try to make that case against Donald Trump?”
— Stephen A. Smith [16:45]

He specifically targets CNN's Anderson Cooper, criticizing the lack of respect and factual reporting.

d. Internal Critique: MAGA Support and Opposition

Smith highlights that opposition to Trump's decision comes not only from the political left but also from within the MAGA movement itself, citing figures like Steve Bannon and Candace Owens who question the necessity of engaging in the conflict.

Notable Quote:

“It's also the MAGA, right? So who's right?”
— Stephen A. Smith [19:15]

He underscores the division within Trump's support base, suggesting a broader debate over the appropriate response to Iran's nuclear activities.

4. Matt Gaetz’s Perspective on Nuclear Threats

Former Representative Matt Gaetz contributes to the conversation by shifting the focus from Iran to North Korea as the more imminent nuclear threat to the United States.

Notable Quote:

“North Korea could launch a nuclear weapon at the mainland United States today. We probably have the ability to knock it out of the sky. But Iran can't even get their bird in the air.”
— Matt Gaetz [17:05]

a. Comparative Analysis: North Korea vs. Iran

Gaetz argues that North Korea possesses a more tangible and immediate nuclear threat compared to Iran, which lacks the necessary infrastructure and delivery systems for effective nuclear deployment against the U.S.

b. Diplomatic Solutions

He suggests that diplomatic efforts, similar to those employed by President Trump with North Korea, could be effective in mitigating Iran's hostilities without resorting to military action.

Discussion Points:

North Korea's Capabilities: Possession of nuclear weapons, delivery systems, and reentry vehicles.
Iran's Limitations: Absence of effective intercontinental ballistic missile technology.
Diplomatic Strategies: Potential for negotiations to reduce nuclear tensions.

5. Potential Implications and Risks

Smith warns of the broader geopolitical repercussions stemming from the U.S. strikes on Iran, particularly the potential strengthening of Iran-Russia alliances and the destabilizing effects on global security.

Notable Quote:

“Remember, Iran said they're friends with Russia and they're going to have conversations with Russia, and who knows what that's going to materialize into?”
— Stephen A. Smith [21:10]

He raises concerns about President Putin's possible responses, given Russia's strategic objectives in Europe and their existing tensions with the U.S., especially regarding the support of Ukraine.

6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In wrapping up the episode, Stephen A. Smith emphasizes the urgent need for responsible leadership and informed decision-making to prevent further escalation into a potentially catastrophic global conflict.

Notable Quote:

“We don't want World War Three, and we need to know that the people in power don't want it just as much as the rest of us don't want it.”
— Stephen A. Smith [22:55]

He calls for unity and greater transparency in governmental actions to build public trust and ensure that responses to international threats are both effective and measured.

7. Episode Highlights

President Trump's Strikes on Iran: Detailed accounts of the military operation targeting Iran's nuclear facilities.
Democratic Opposition: Criticism of the Democratic Party's call for impeachment amidst international conflict.
Media Relations: Host's critique of mainstream media's portrayal of the administration's actions.
Internal Party Debate: Exploration of dissenting voices within the MAGA movement regarding the necessity of engaging Iran.
Matt Gaetz’s Analysis: Comparative threat assessment between North Korea and Iran, advocating for diplomatic solutions.
Geopolitical Risks: Potential for increased Iran-Russia cooperation and the implications for global stability.
Call for Responsible Leadership: Emphasis on preventing escalation to avoid global conflict.

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the current tensions between the U.S. and Iran, blending firsthand accounts of military actions with in-depth political analysis and differing viewpoints on national security priorities.

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Transcript6 lines

[00:00]
A
This is an iHeart podcast. The best kind of help is the kind you don't even have to ask for. Like your friend pulling up on moving day with a truck, a speaker and snacks ready to go. Well, that's the energy you get with AT&T's new guarantee. If there's ever a network interruption, they make it right by giving you credit for a full day of service. Proactively credit for fiber downtime lasting 20 minutes or more or wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers. Restrictions and exclusions apply. See att.com guarantee for full details. AT&T Connecting Changes Everything welcome to the.
[00:49]
B
You vs you podcast. I'm Lex Borrero inviting you to go beyond the titles and the accolades of the world's most successful entertainers. Each week we take off the Cape and get real about the inner battles, childhood stories, and the moments that shaped our guests. Get inspired to become the best version of you. Listen to you versus you podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[01:15]
C
A short time ago, the US Military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime. Fordeau, Natanz and Esfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle east, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier. For 40 years, Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over a thousand people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle east and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate. In particular, so many were killed by their general, Qasem Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue. I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we've gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they've done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American Patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades. Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that's so. I also want to congratulate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Raisinkaine. Spectacular General. And all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack. With all of that being said, this cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight's was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There's no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight. Not even close. There has never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago. Tomorrow, General Kaine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will have a press conference at 8am at the Pentagon. And I want to just thank everybody and in particular, God. I want to just say we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East, God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.
[04:50]
A
That was President Donald Trump late Saturday night announcing the United states had struck three nuclear sites in Iran. The president sent B2 bombers and dropped a number of massive ordnance penetrator bombs, also known as bunker busters, during the mission over Iran. Earlier today, the United nations nuclear watchdog said the bombing raid likely caused, quote, very significant damage, end quote, to the underground parts of Iran's far do nuclear site. Meanwhile, Iranian military officials and members of Parliament vowed that the United States will pay a price for the strikes. And today they fired missiles toward U.S. bases in Iraq and Qatar. All this while President Trump alluded to the possibility of regime change in in Iran in a social media post Sunday. There has been no word yet from Iran's supreme leader, but the exile, quote, Crown prince, end quote, of Iran has called for the Ayatollah Khomeini to step down and face justice. This is ugly situation, no doubt about it. And those of us who are reticent about war involving the United States, I can't blame them. But it doesn't stop there. And we're not about to stop there on this show. I will preface my comments by saying that I'm the novice of the crew compared to aficionados out there who cover politics for a living. But Boo boo the fool can see certain things. That's pretty damn obvious. Number one, we have a situation where Iran has been a threat to to our ally in the Middle East, Israel, for many, many years. We understand that they have called for death to Israel, just like they've called for death to the United States of America. When you consider that, and you consider how determined they appear to be to wipe Israel off the face of this earth, we shouldn't be surprised that we're here today. I don't like war. I don't like war evolving, America. I get that part. But I do believe that if Iran had a nuclear weapon that they would use it. And I do agree that you can allow an enemy of the United States to have a nuclear weapon. It's that simple to me. Having said that, I want to preface the comment by saying I stand by everything that I say if it's absolutely true. And let's not sit here and act like there aren't questions as to whether or not that is true. You got to remember that since 1996, Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel, has repeatedly stated that Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon. He said it in 1996. He said it in 2000. He said it in 2005. He said it in 2011. He said it in 2014. He said it in 2015. He said it in 2018. He said it in 2020. He said it in 2024. Ladies and gentlemen, it's been almost 30 years since Netanyahu has been saying this. So forgive folks in the world if there's some skeptics out there, because we all know that he doesn't play. He wants to eradicate Iran at all costs, at least their ability to have a nuclear weapon. He wants to completely disarm them because he considers them a threat to the existence of Israel. Now here's where I get frustrated, because once again, here's the novice that's a centrist that comes into play and he's listening to all of this stuff. And here's where I get infuriated. The Democrats are calling, or at least some of them are calling, for the impeachment of Donald Trump. Same old song and dance. Thought we heard this before. I thought that was over and done with the minute you lost the election, with the popular vote in the Electoral College vote and losing every sweepstate. I thought we were over that, but evidently not. Question number one. No matter what you feel about the President, United States do You think that's the time, while we're in the middle of such strife, to be calling for the impeachment of the President of the United States? Particularly if you're a representative, you're an elected official in the United States of America? I don't think so. That's number one. Number two, were the Democrats saying that when Obama bombed Libya when he was in office? We're making all of this noise about how the War Powers act is utilized and how Donald Trump didn't receive congressional approval. Well, this is not an act of war. This is eradicating a threat. Civilians weren't targeted. Nuclear sites were targeted. So if nuclear sites were targeted, but no civilians were targeted, then that's not a war, at least not yet. Which means that you can navigate your way around the War Powers act itself and you don't have to concern yourself with receiving congressional approval. The Democrats know that because of Obama. So if you knew that because of Obama and you didn't say it when it involved him in Libya, why would you turn around and all of a sudden try to make that case against Donald Trump? I'm not here condoning what Trump did because I don't know if he's completely telling the truth. I'd like to believe he is. I'd like to believe that he did it totally because Iran is that kind of existential threat and we see him here. What does the President say? The sites that we hit in Iran were totally destroyed and everyone knows it. Who? Only the fake news will say anything different in order to try and demean as much as possible. And even they say they were pretty well destroyed. Working especially hard on this falsehood is Allison Cooper of fake news CNN. Allison, you mean Anderson? It's very disrespectful, Mr. President. It's very disrespectful. We live in a country where we embrace the LGBTQ community. You don't have to mock Anderson Cooper that way. His name is Anderson Cooper. Could you show some respect, please? That's all. Be a grown up. That shouldn't be too much to ask. Dumb. Brian L. Roberts, Chairman of Comcast. So now it's not Comcast, it's Comcast. Johnny Call of abc. Fake News, Really? If you're attacking the individual, why attack the whole network? Everybody for abc, NBC, CBS or anybody else ain't fake. Could you please grow up? See, this is the kind of stuff that I've spoken against when it comes to this President. But I digress. It says here, and always the losers of again, Comcast NBC fake news. It never ends with the sleaze bags in the media. And that's why their ratings are at an all time low, zero credibility. Well, listen, I'm not going to get into that. What I'm going to Say to you, Mr. President, is that are we sure you're doing the right thing? Because it's not just the left that's against you, it's also the maga, right? Steve Bannon says you've got to talk to the maga, right, because why did you have to get involved? Candace Owens was on this show last week saying the same thing. Both big time supporters of yours. Tucker Carlson's another person and they all look at that and a whole bunch of people, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is, I think crazy, but nevertheless is a staunch supporter of yours. Even she said we shouldn't be involved in all of this. Now, obviously that's different from cats on the right like Mark Levin, conservative host Lindsey Graham and others. I get that. Senator Lindsey Graham and others. I get it. But the point is it ain't just the left that's going up against President Donald Trump on this. It's also the maga, right? So who's right? Even former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz had something to say. And by the way, what he had to say was very, very interesting. Put this up for the people to see, please. Let me read this to y' all right now. Let me. North Korea's nuclear weapon is a far greater threat to the United States than Iran. It's not even close. Iran has neither the bomb, the delivery system, nor the reentry vehicle you'd need for any intercontinental ballistic missile to launch and re enter orbit. North Korea has all three. North Korea could launch a nuclear weapon at the mainland United States today. We probably have the ability to knock it out of the sky. But Iran can't even get their bird in the air. US Cities like Los Angeles and San Diego and Seattle are on maps and North Korea openly discusses them. Of course, we aren't looking to drop 100 bunk of busters in the mountains of North Korea. President Trump took other brilliant diplomatic steps to constrain North Korea's hostilities and the same could be done with Iran. That is from former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who Trump was very, very fond of until the other Republicans said, hell no, we don't want him serving in your cabinet. And, and he was booted up out of there. And now he's here doing the podcast these days. Doesn't make him false, doesn't make him wrong, doesn't make him ill informed, considering, like he says on Foreign Relations Committee and all of this stuff. The man kind of knows what he's talking about as it pertains to this, because everybody knows that North Korea does have, does have a weapon. North Korea could do considerably more damage than Iran could do at this point or at any point in recent memory. Now, to be fair, North Korea is relatively isolated. So when you compare that to where Iran is located and the damage it could potentially do, I understand. Number two, there's nothing wrong with eradicating a potential threat from developing and leaving it at that, as long as we're not getting a bit more extensive. But still, in all, that doesn't mean problems can't come from this. Remember, Iran said they're friends with Russia and they're going to have conversations with Russia, and who knows what that's going to materialize into? Who knows what Putin, who's ticked off that the United States was helping arm Ukraine against him, is feeling right now what he's plotting to do. Remember, I told y' all before, this man wants to reclaim Europe, most of Europe. Remember after World War II, what the goal was from Stalin and those boys? They wanted Europe. They backstabbed the United States. They went against the agreement of developing democracies and stayed with communism. They want Europe where you think Putin's after. So you can't trust anything he say in a lot of people's eyes. But nevertheless, let's see what Trump had to say about this. Did I hear former President Medvedev from Russia casually throwing around the N word as in nuclear? Really? That's what, that's what we classify as the N word now? Nuclear instead of the other word. Really? Donald Trump, Okay. And saying that he and other countries would supply nuclear warheads to Iran. Did he really say that, or is it just a figment of my imagination? If he did say that, and if confirmed, please let me know immediately. The N word should not be treated so casually. I guess that's why Putin's the boss. By the way, if anyone thinks our hardware was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our nuclear submarines. They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built and just launched the 30 tomahawks, all 30 hit their mark perfectly. So in addition to our great fighter pilots, thank you to the captain and and crew. So basically, in this particular post on Truth Social, essentially what Trump is saying that, you know, don't throw around the word nuclear, casually labeling that the New N word. But he also took an opportunity to praise Putin as the boss. Meanwhile, Iran is talking about working with Russia. No doubt Russia would give advice to their friend Iran on how to combat anything that the United States is throwing in their direction. And Iran, who obviously had Hamas and Hezbollah's proxies and the Houthis to some degree, until the United States dealt with them in Yemen. We got to look at all of this and understand this problem is not going away and then taking it back to the streets of America. You've got people around here from the Jewish community walking around, petrified of the proliferation of anti Semitism that they feel is swelling throughout the streets of America. In part, it could be because of what's been happening in Gaza since October 7th a couple of years ago. But the other thing is that there are far too many American citizens asking themselves, are we going to get into yet another fight? And if so, why? Essentially implying, let Israel handle their own business. Trump essentially is saying, no, we got their back. Some have been speculating that he jumped in after Israel did marvelous work in attacking some of Iran's facilities over the last week to 10 days or so, that Trump jumped right in because he saw how effective Israel is, that he wanted to move in, do some damage so he could take all the credit in the world for it. Who knows? Who cares? All we care about at this particular point is safety, not just in the streets of America, but throughout this world. We don't want World War Three, and we need to know that the people in power don't want it just as much as the rest of us don't want it. And right now, we don't know. We don't know what the hell is going on. But I'll tell you this. As much as I'm pointing the finger at Trump, as much as I'm pointing the finger at what's going on right now in terms of its discomfort and whether or not we're making the right decisions, I don't know. Even though I do consider Iran a threat that needed to be dealt with. I will say this. The Democrats, first of all, all the representatives in Congress, where the hell have you been? You didn't say much until Trump dropped the bombs on the nuclear sites you acquired as mouse. You were quiet as hell. We heard nothing. Where were you? That's number one. Number two, I don't want to hear stuff about impeachment because the president abused his power and violated Article 2 of the Constitution. I want to hear all of that. Obama attacked Libya without congressional approval. No one said anything. Including you, Chuck Schumer. Nobody said anything. And number three, if indeed we do our research and our homework and we find out that President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu were correct in their assessment of the threat that Iran posed, thereby fully justifying the actions that took place over this weekend, if you're a Democrat, do you need to be quiet about that? I would say no. You need to come out and you need to say they did the right thing. When we talk about building faith in our government, if something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it ain't a freaking mongoose, it's a damn duck. Say so. Say so. Because by saying so, even if it's favorable to the other side in the moment, at least you're proven you're trustworthy enough to call balls and strikes. Figuratively speaking, you're trusted enough. You can be trusted enough to just tell the freaking truth. Assess the situation. Use your powers on Capitol Hill to find out how legitimate and potent the threat was. And if President Trump was right and if Netanyahu was right, say so. If you do that on the left, it'll show you're reasonable. After all. That might help you in 2026 for the midterms and, dare I say, 2028 for the presidency. Just saying. Just saying.
[23:21]
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Welcome to the you versus you podcast. I'm Lex Borrero, inviting you to go beyond the titles and the accolades of the world most successful entertainers. Each week we take off the cape and get real about the inner battles, childhood stories and the moments that shaped our guests. Get inspired to become the best version of you. Listen to you versus you podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[23:45]
A
Show me how good it could get today, God. And show the rest of the world what we already know it can't get. No better than being hella black, hella cool, queer and hella Christian. My name is Joseph Reeves. I am the creator and host of Hella Black, Hella Queer, Hella Christian, a fully black, fully queer, fully human, fully divine podcast from iHeartMedia to Hella Black, Hella Queer, Hella Christian on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an iHeart podcast.