The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon. I don't think about Americans financial situation. I don't think about anybody.
I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all.
Even if you agree with the war, and you clearly do. Uh, is he not minimizing what Americans are feeling because of the war? Caitlyn Collins went head-to-head with MAGA stoogge and Trump loyalist far-right Republican Jim Jordan on her CNN show over Donald Trump's disastrous war and his remarks about not caring about the financial struggles of everyday Americans.
And we're going to break down this heated exchange between Caitlyn Collins and Jim Jordan because I also share my own thoughts along the way. So, let's dive in and watch it together. But as the president is preparing to return to the United States following his final meeting with the Chinese leader, he's going to be returning to some of the same questions that many of his Republican colleagues have been facing.
Look, it's just not going to last forever and gas prices are going to go back down. The gas price situation is tough, but I don't think that's going to be resolved in the next few weeks. The fact of the matter is is everybody relax.
Fuel prices will go down. Iran's going to end very, very soon. My first source tonight is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio.
And thank you, sir, uh, for being here. You heard the the the questions that your colleagues have have been facing on this. I'm sure you faced some of them from the Capitol Hill press corps.
U, you were critical when gas was $3. 7 when President Biden was in office. If you thought that was bad, what is $453?
Well, we all want gas prices to go down, Caitlyn, but we also are concerned about Iran and this regime that's done so much evil and harm around the world to Americans, to Israelis, to other people, to their own people, for goodness sakes, for 47 years. You can't have that regime getting a nuclear weapon. Uh the president's been clear about that.
Secretary of State Rubio's been clear about that. So, the president is concerned about the long-term safety of this great country and the citizens who live here. That's what he's focused on.
And when you're focused on that, you cannot allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. That is the fundamental objective here. And yeah, we want the gas prices to come down, but we don't want this country, this regime having nuclear capability.
I'd like to see a poll asking Americans a simple question. What matters more to you right now in this moment? Gas prices and the cost of living or Iran getting a nuclear weapon.
So, is the argument that if gas prices are high, it's okay as long as it's for the right reason in your view? No, the argument is do you how is that good for uh uh America, for Israel, for the world? How is that good for anyone if this regime understand how bad they are, Caitlyn?
In Iran, wrestling is a big sport. They took this 19-year-old junior champion, one of their star up and cominging athletes, and because he had protested against the regime, this evil regime that's done all this bad stuff. They hung this guy publicly.
That's how bad they are. I think the American people understand you, we don't want that regime. The President Trump has been clear.
We're not going to let that regime. I think there are quite a few wrestlers here in the United States who would probably say Jim Jordan plays the role of a pretty convincing bad guy. And if you're not familiar with what that's referring to, you might want to look into Jim Jordan and the Ohio State University wrestlers controversy.
A nuclear weapon. So yeah, we want gas prices to come down, but we also don't want this this evil country and the leadership there to have nuclear capabilities. I said before, this is what you said in in 2022 when gas prices in your home state of Ohio were actually a little bit lower than they are today.
These elites who live here in Washington don't seem to get the fact that folks in like West Central Ohio, North Central Ohio that I get to represent where you make things, grow things, move things. $5 gas kills the economy. I mean, what happens to the economy if we hit $5 a gallon now?
Well, it's not good. We'd like it to come down, but you know, we're also seeing some good signs. And in the month of April, what we have 115,000 uh job growth in in the economy.
Those are some there's some good signs out there. We all want prices to come down. We all want things to be more affordable, particularly for young couples who are buying that first home, got a young family.
We all want that to happen, but we don't want this country and what they've done over 47 years, the people they've killed, the evil they've been a part of, we don't want them getting a nuclear weapon. So now and when Biden was driving up the gas prices, it was because of stupid regulation and taxes and everything else and spending. It wasn't to prevent the regime.
In fact, they were cozying up to Iran. They were giving him American tax dollars to him. They were doing all kinds of stupid deals.
Thank goodness President Trump got us out of that those that deal and is focused on what's good for the long-term security and safety of the planet. Not just Americans, but the entire planet because everyone knows this regime is even China knows this regime is bad. And that's why they've told the president that they want to help us stop this Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
I mean, China does a lot of business with Iran. But but to the point, I mean, it sounds like you're saying gas prices went up under Biden, and I criticized it then because I didn't like why they were going up. I mean, they're going up a lot under this president that you supported, but you're just saying it's for the right reason in your view.
Yeah. And it's and it's for a reason that he told the American people he was going to do. One thing I know about this president, unlike so many other people in elective office, when this president says something, he does what he said.
He said he would cut taxes, he did. He said he would secure the border, he did. He said he would make sure Iran didn't get a nuclear weapon and he's going about doing that.
And thank goodness he's got the courage and the toughness and the willingness to do what he said when most of the other president all the other presidents for 47 years wouldn't do it. But this guy will. What about his promise in 2024 that if he was reelected gas would be under $2 a gallon because of his policies.
Well, gas prices were coming down until we had to deal with this situation. But you know that's that's life. That's dealing with with world and the the the world we live in.
I think the country gets the fundamental fact and I know I understand this. President Trump makes decisions that are in the best interest of our nation. 250 years, greatest country in history.
He makes decisions that are going to help our country and the long-term security and safety of the people he has the and I think you want a commander-in-chief like that. You want a commander-in-chief who's willing to do tough things that he knows are good for us, all of us, all of your viewers, everyone in this country, and frankly everyone around the world. It is good if Iran doesn't get a nuclear weapon.
But if someone's listening to you and they were paying $2. 98 a gallon a gas before the war started and now they're paying $453. I mean saying that's life might not, you know, make them feel better.
Those are your words. Those are your words, not mine. I'm I'm saying no.
You said that just this is the situation. This is the situation. They were pursuing a nuclear weapon there.
They wanted to get there. President Trump said, "I'm not going to do that. " He ran on that and he's taken the appropriate action that I think you want your commander-in-chief to take for the security and safety of America.
But he also ran on bringing gas prices to under $2 a gallon. I mean, well, voters supposed to look at that. Hopefully, we'll get there soon.
I I want I want gas prices low, too. I mean, we all want gas prices low. Who doesn't for goodness sake?
But we also don't want Iran to get a nuclear weapon. And I think the country is smart. They understand that decisions have to be made.
Let's focus on getting those gas prices down as quickly and as fast as we can. But let's also focus on making sure that this regime who was willing to hang a 19-year-old star athlete in their country willing to do that. Let's make sure they don't have a nuclear weapon.
You said that's life. I was just quoting what you said a second ago. Those were not my words.
Those were your words. I'm not saying that's life. Like I'm saying life sometimes throws thing at that you didn't anticipate and you have to deal with it and you want a commander-in-chief who will deal with it and deal with it in a way that is focused on the safety of the people he was elected to to serve and protect.
The president was asked about this uh as he was departing the White House for China and this is what he he told reporters about that. Mr President, to what extent are American financial situations motivating you to make a deal? Not even a little bit.
The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon. I don't think about American financial situation. I don't think about anybody.
I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all.
I want to pause here for a second just to talk about this quote from Donald Trump saying, "I don't care about Americans financial situation because this should honestly be plastered on billboards all across the country. Democrats should be running ads with this message nonstop 24 hours a day. And right now, this should be the main thing they're talking about.
" And I genuinely do not understand why they are not doing exactly that. Because just imagine for one moment if the situation were reversed. If Barack Obama or Joe Biden had said, "I don't care about Americans financial situation.
" Republicans would have printed it on t-shirts. It would have been on their underwear, slapped across the back of pickup trucks, and they would still be talking about it every single day. And if Democrats don't use this in their messaging for elections, or even just in the current political moment, they wouldn't even need to tie it to a candidate.
They could simply put up billboards everywhere, run ads everywhere saying Donald J. Trump on this date said these exact words because this is being handed to Democrats on a silver platter if they are willing to fight, if they are willing to push back even a little bit. But anyway, let's get back to Jim Jordan.
You agree with the war and you clearly do. Uh is he not minimizing what Americans are feeling because of the war? No.
No. Come on, Caitlyn. This is a president who did the largest tax cut in American history, letting American families keep more of their money.
Of course, he cares about them having the revenue and the sources and and affordability concerns. This is the president who said we should suspend the gas tax to help families deal with the price they're paying for fuel at the pump today. So, of course, he cares about that, just like I care about, just like we all care about that.
But he also cares about making sure this country long term is safe. And again, I've said it several times. I think that's what you want in a president.
That's what you want in a commander-in-chief. That's what you want in your leader as the chief executive of the executive branch of Markham. That's what you want.
So I I think you can be focused on all that, try to help on all that, but you have to deal with this threat that is is anyone outside the MAGA cult actually buying what Jim Jordan is saying here to Caitlyn Collins about Iran being some kind of real and immediate threat? Was Iran truly a threat to your daily life? Or is the reality that soaring gas prices and the rising cost of basically everything over the last several years have been a much bigger threat to how people actually live.
And from the way things are looking, it seems like it could get a whole lot worse. I mean, I've even seen reports warning about possible motor oil shortages in the coming months where people might struggle just to get an oil change for their car. So, what's the bigger threat to your life?
that reality or Iran and a nuclear weapon that doesn't even exist. Because if you can't get your car serviced, your vehicle breaks down and your daily life gets thrown into chaos. You know who is not going to show up to help you?
Donald Trump and Jim Jordan to the Secretary of State. According to the president, they were close to getting this capability and that's why he took the action he did. Is in your view is is the cost of a gallon of gas reflective on the president's job performance?
No, I I the president is I think he's done a great job. He's done what he said as I said before. He's cut taxes, secured the border, did in record time on securing the border.
Things we all ran on that the American people elected us to do. We've we've been able to do that. And like I've said now, we want gas prices to come down certainly.
But we also have to deal with this threat that is very real. That is as real as it gets. These people are as dangerous as it gets.
47 years they killed Americans. They've killed Israelis. They've killed others.
They've killed thousands of own people, including their star athletes. So that's the situation we're in. President Trump understands we have to address that.
But do you think Americans feel that way? I mean, you look at CNN polling, 70% of Americans say that he's doing a bad job on the economy. That is rare for President Trump.
I don't even think he got below 50% even during COVID in his first term. I mean, when was the last time 70% of Americans agreed on anything? I think I think most Republicans think President Trump's doing a good job.
I've seen polling. I don't trust all the all the polling you you see. Um, all I know is I I think I think uh Americans appreciate leaders who actually do what they said they were going to do.
And President Trump does that I've ever seen in my life. Donald Trump said he was going to bring prices down and also claimed he wouldn't get the United States involved in more wars in the Middle East. But now it's clear that those promises didn't really hold up and people are left dealing with the reality of rising costs and ongoing global tensions instead of what was originally promised.
And he's working on that, Caitlyn. And look, let's hope they do come down. We're working on bringing them down.
There's things we can do. Earlier this week, he proposed a moratorium on the or or or scaling back the gas tax for a while um for some some time frame. I'm off for looking at those kind of those kind of things as well.
But let's Americans like presidents who keep their promises. You were just questioning a witness about this today. Someone who said one thing on the campaign and did something went in office.
The president said he'd bring down inflation and gas prices would be under $2 a gallon. Neither of those things are close to being true right now as we talk. Well, his term's not up.
He's going to keep working on that. And hopefully we'll have them down before the midterm. I don't think he said I'll do it by the end of my term.
He said on day one in the first six months. Well, when when they come down, we'll come we'll come back down. We'll come back when when prices come.
We'll come back and talk about it. Uh but the focus right now is making sure this this regime doesn't have the capability to do the evil that you could do with a nuclear weapon. So that that is that's what that's what he's trying to prevent.
That's what he's going to stop and that's what he told us he was going to do. So the truth of the matter is that none of what Jim Jordan is talking about is actually improving the lives of everyday Americans except maybe defense contractors or big oil company CEOs while regular people are still dealing with rising costs and financial pressure. This whole conflict is not making life easier for ordinary citizens.
And many people see it as only adding more instability rather than solving real domestic problems. Iran did not directly attack the United States. And for a large portion of the public, there is skepticism about how real or immediate this threat is compared to the very real issues people face at home.
Caitlyn Collins did offer some push back in this exchange with Jim Jordan. And while we do not often see strong resistance like this on mainstream TV, she did challenge some of his points. At the end of the day, a large share of Americans are not convinced by this messaging with polls often showing broad disagreement across the public, and many feel disconnected from the direction being pushed by MAGA and Republican leadership.
The bigger question now is whether Democrats will actually take advantage of this moment and start fighting more aggressively in their messaging because so far it does not seem like they are fully capitalizing on it. And I would be interested to know what you think about Jim Jordan's comments and whether you believe Democrats will step up in the coming elections.
