Former Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) discussed the Iran nuclear agreement on Thursday’s Breitbart News Daily, stating that President Donald Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that the United States is pulling out of the deal “took guts.”
“I actually think it’s a great thing,” Lieberman told Breitbart Editor-in-chief Alex Marlow. “I think the president made the correct decision, and, frankly, it’s a courageous decision.”
Lieberman, who now is on the advisory board at the Gatestone Institute and chairman of United Against Nuclear Iran, said former President Barack Obama “basically gave all our leverage away” and only stalled–rather than stopped–Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
“It took guts for President Trump to do what he did, but I think he did something totally in the interest of the U.S. He operated from power,” Lieberman said.
Obama, some European allies, Russia, and China signed onto the agreement in 2015 without approval from the U.S. Congress.
Lieberman also weighed in on how the Iran decision will play out in the Trump administration’s negotiations with North Korea, as some critics are claiming that pulling out of the Iran deal will threaten these negotiations.
“I think it’s totally the opposite,” Lieberman said. “I think with what the president has said to Iran is also a message to North Korea, which is, ‘Unless you really denuclearize the Korean Peninsula — which is what we wanted the Iranians to do, or should have wanted them to do, what President Trump wants them to do — then there’s not going to be an agreement between the U.S., North Korea, and South Korea.’”
Lieberman said he thinks Trump’s decision could also turn out to cause a significant shift in geopolitics.
“I think we’re in a position to create some real stability and reduce the threat level both in Asia and in the Middle East, and that’s a tremendous achievement,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman, who is Jewish, said he is pleased with Trump’s decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, calling it a common sense decision and one that will not result in the dire predictions some have made.
“If there’s going to be a peace process, the embassy in Jerusalem is not going to stop it,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman rejected claims that Breitbart News — owned and operated by Jewish people — is anti-Semitic.
“I know the positive pro-Israel record, pro-Semitic record — if you can call it that — certainly fair record of Breitbart when it comes to Israel and Jews, and I appreciate it, and I think the majority of people appreciate it as well,” Lieberman said.
Breitbart News Daily airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Eastern on SiriusXM Patriot 125. Hosted by Breitbart News editors and reporters, Breitbart News Daily will feature interviews with major newsmakers and listener phone calls. Breitbart News correspondents throughout the country and around the world will report on breaking stories and events of the day.
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