Morning Joe - ‘Republicans this is on you’: Joe urges party to prevent a tragedy and pay TSA

Episode Date: March 26, 2026

‘Republicans this is on you’: Joe urges party to prevent a tragedy and pay TSA To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We want to honor him in some small way, some token of our appreciation for his leadership. And so tonight we have created a new award. We're going to do something we've never done before. We're going to honor him with a new award that we'll present annually from this point forward. But he is the suitable and fitting recipient of the first ever America First Award. We can think of no better title for what that is. That's this beautiful golden statue here appropriate for the new golden era in America. Stop.

They did not make up another award for him. They did. Well, and, you know, it's because the FIFA Peace Prize Award has gone so well. I mean, you know, a lot of conservatives criticized Barack Obama. I may have been one of them, not Obama, but the Nobel Prize. committee for giving him the Peace Prize. I think Barack Obama kind of for eating a ham sandwich.

Right? But did you see how he ate the ham sandwich? Right. So now though, we have all these years later, all these prizes being given. Like, first of all, the FIFA Peace Prize. Since then.

Like, hell has rained down from above. Yes. Like, never before. There's a peace prize before. Before Venezuela, before Iran. Willie, and now the America first place, of course, defined. Not just in the past couple years, defined for a century as politicians in America who do not go to war. Right.

Who focus at home and so now they're giving another award. This is like giving me the brevity is the soul of winner. It just doesn't fit. Nailed it. Well done. I think the word watching Speaker Johnson there is heartbreaking. That was. We've asked this.

Many times over the last decade, we've asked, how do these guys go home at night and you catch that glimpse of yourself in the mirror? Maybe you look your children in the eye. And you go, I've given away everything that I said I stood for to give this guy a trophy, a prize. And they're kind of, you know, forgive me, they're infantilizing him a little bit. But he did. He's a trophy. Here's a trophy.

Here's an iPad to watch bombs exploding in Iran. to color your view of how the war is going. They treat him like a child. If I were him, I would be offended by it. Of course. But I don't think he is. The thing is, I mean, it's only for the next couple of years. Right.

That's what none of them, Katty understand. By the way, we have field marshal, Caddy Kay with us here. I came on as general, but I quickly promoted myself. Self-promote. Now, listen, battle-t champions. Usually, that is dropping. Where's my prize?

Look, right here, look. Yeah. Here you go. It's not gold. It's a mug. You know what I'm happy? I'm going to write to me on it. The general is not happy and it's going to have a hissy fit.

Well, you know, the thing that makes this work for you, though, is you are actually related or someone in your family. My husband. Your husband is related. The child of Field Marshall Montgomery. The most lovable cuddly bear in all of World War II. I mean. Yeah. Now you feel better about yourself?

Well, not a lot. I'm going to say, I came on feeling pretty good. I get a mug with, yeah, okay. So I want to ask you, Jonathan Amir, because we're focusing right now on Iran for very good reason. Americans are not. They're against it. By the number of numbers. But I would tell you, I went to LaGuardia yesterday, three-hour waitlines.

Notice he's back. Flights canceled. He got kicked off his plane. It was absolute chaos. flights being canceled nonstop. And I just sat there thinking, you know, a couple things. First of all, we're all talking about Iran. But these people that are waiting three hours in line in all these airports in Washington, it's four hours in line.

That's Houston. That's Houston, four hour wait lines. You know, they're not thinking about Iran. They're thinking of the fact that they work. And they've got to fly to and from their homes and commute. There's so many people there that are commuting every day. I have a friend at Newark. It's a mess. It's a complete mess. And TSA clear is a mess as well. Regular TSA, three hours. Three hour wait lines. And I would just say to Republicans, this is on you. If you think that you can, like, blame Democrats, everybody's saying, you're in charge. You're in charge of Washington. And a comment I heard, I can't say it completely. I will just say that I heard somebody yell in line yesterday. They want to run.

Iran and they can't even run their own effing airports. And that, I sat there thinking, oh my gosh, that is what everybody in this three-hour line at LaGuardia is, and what happens is they wait in line, they get on the planes, and then the pilots say, flights canceled. I checked three, four Delta flights canceled yesterday out of LaGuardia. It's happening at airports all over the place. It's chaos. And so it's weird.

you know, sometimes we don't, sometimes we need to cover Iran. But I'm just telling you, people who vote, they're looking at gas prices, and they're looking at the airport, and they're not too dumb to understand on social media that Republicans, once again, had a chance to vote for TSA funding, and they voted it down. Let me say that again. Republicans now 10 times, all they had to do is say yes and TSA funding would have passed. They won't do it. Yeah, the people are angry.

We're seeing right now, it's people who are using air commute for work. It is the spring sports season for so many parents with kids have tournaments. Spring break is on the horizon. Eastern Passover are next week. Do you know what I'm trying to figure out how to get all my family together?

It's not going to be possible. And you know, because I've got adult children, as everybody with adult children, We've been planning this like a Phil Marshall Montgomery for months now. People getting off of work, freaking out how to get the babies, all of that. And I had to call them yesterdays, and I was in the airport. And I don't know if we're going to be able to get together for Easter because all these flights are getting canceled. And it's chaos.

I didn't say because Republicans keep refusing to pay TSA. But Republicans keep refusing to pay TSA. It's complicated. it's expensive. People are furious. And rightly so. Airports across the country, three, four hours. There was a photo in Houston yesterday, former Attorney General Bill Barr standing in line for three hours waiting to get in the line. It's affecting everybody. And I think this is the last week or so. This has become the dominant story in the country line, even more than the war. And I think in the last few days, it's really broken through that this is, Republicans have had chances to put the funding through and they haven't. And even this week, the Senate, Republicans, John Thune said, let's get this done. And it's

President Trump who said no. Do you know how many times President Trump has flown, gone into an airport and flown a commercial flight in the, you know, last 30 years? Zero. Zero. Never. Do you know how many times Howard Lutnik has flown? Do you know how many times the billionaires that are in the cabinet? Well, that's the problem.

Are people that would be talking to Donald Trump, do you know how many times they've actually had to get in an airport and wait three hours and like? How about pump gas? How about pump gas for their own car? Go to a grocery store. Go to a commercial flight and fly somewhere. I'm sorry. I think it's safe to say our commander-in-chief has probably never done that. This is a nightmare.

I mean, this is a nightmare for, mainly for TSA agents. And I will say I've flown Richard three, four times over the past three or four days, four or five days. And that every TSA agent, and I just want to say this about the men and women that are there working. when some of their co-workers are not? Every one of them I say, thank you so much. I'm so grateful you're here. Thank you. I know this is hard.

I'm so sorry. And you know, every one of them are so polite. Every one of them say, thank you so much. Like, you know, just like, thank you. We appreciate it. You know, they'd love to say, thank you. We appreciate it. Now, you know, get us paid.

But they've been so professional and so good. But I'm telling you, there were thousands of people in line, and I saw four TSA agents. And in a time of increased terror threats, with Iran saying they're going to strike out against American targets globally, with the FBI a couple of months ago firing the people who knew the most about terror threats from Iran, for whatever stupid reason that was, we are letting down our defenses at a time we should have double TSA agents. agents because Iran has been warning us for a decade that they, if we ever attack them, they would

strike out against us domestically. They would start blowing things up in America. And what are Republicans doing right now? They're voting no to paying TSA agents. They're voting no to pay TSA agents. Let me say it 10 times. Democrats keep bringing it to the bill to get rid of this problem. And Republicans keep making this problem worse at the very time we need more TSA. agents and not less. So if I may. I was going to Richard. I know.

Before you speak, Richard, my friend at Newark Airport, three TSA agents for an entire terminal, and people are furious. And that's repeating across three. Three. I flew out in and out of Houston this week, which was an experiment. Oh, my Lord.

Look, the TSA agents were incredibly gracious. Actually, I was, I was, I was, the clutch child. I lost an air pot. and my suitcase, I had to open it up to get some stuff out, the electronics. I forgot to close it. It all dumped on the floor. Several tears. Would you ever travel with this?

I would never. Let me finish the story. See Richard in a line. You're a mess. Anyhow, they were. I'm not with him. They were incredibly gracious. They were incredibly helpful.

But, because one serious point about Iran, their entire strategy is what? It's to extend the battlefield. They can't beat us on the narrow battlefield. So they attack the Gulf country. I think it's a question of when, not if, they go after vulnerabilities in American society. It's coming. So these people who are not being paid, who are being asked to essentially, what, volunteer, often do second jobs when they're not at the airports.

It is crazy, the pressure and the situation we're putting them, because they are going to be our best line of defense. And you said also the doge work, the people who have left the FBI, people who have left the CIA, we are making ourselves more vulnerable than we ever said. And let's be very clear, Willie, the gutting of these protections intentional. From the very beginning, Doge was very intentional. They were going to gut the institutions that have protected this country and protected Americans for decades. And they said it.

We're going to gut it. You know, Steve Bannon said back in 2016, I'm a Leninist. I want, and we want to tear this state to the ground. And they're doing it. And this is what's happening. all we're going to warn Iran, while people are waiting three, four hours in line, and they're three or four TSA agents, and Iran is threatening terror attacks against America. And these Americans are not too old or not too dumb to forget what happened on 9-11 and understand that Iran has promised that they are going to strike America. And we are letting down our line of defenses when Republicans have a chance every day.

every day to get the TSA agents paid every day. You're so stupid. First of all, first of all, it's dangerous. But politically, you're so stupid. You're so stupid to not force this through and pay our TSA agents. I'm here to tell you, prevent a tragedy from happening. Pay these people. Okay?

Because guess what? We all, we all can go to the airport and come home. We're fine. We're fine. I was happy to see Mika. We're fine. But the TSA agents aren't fine. The people who actually have to get to Houston or have to get to San Diego or have to get to Minneapolis for their work.

Or medical care. Or for medical care. or to take care of a sick grandchild or to take care of a sick mother or father, they're not okay because of you. Because you keep voting no on an up or down vote on whether you pay TSA agents or not.

And then you try to say, oh, it's very complicated. Democrats are saying, no. You're in charge. Yes is the answer, as John Lennon said. And you know that for sure. Can I just finish just stop playing your mind games? I love that song. I want to bump out with it. But Republicans, please, help yourself and save Americans. It's that simple. They say yes. And guess what? The TSA agents get paid. These lines go away.

And our security against Iranian terror threats, poof. And that legislate was there, as recently as a couple of days ago, that John Thune was supportive of, brought it to the president and said, we've got a deal where we're going to fund DHS without ICE. We're going to put that to the side. We'll talk about that later. or we Republicans might be able to get that through with reconciliation anyway. There was a clear path forward, and Donald Trump said, no, you can't do it. So now here we are again, another day with these long lines. And Richard's right.

I mean, I've heard more and more people talk about the vulnerabilities of our airports right now. I mean, if you're someone who has ill intentions, you're looking at that situation going, ooh, there's a soft target. A soft target. And so now you've got ICE agents in the airport. Some of them now are being asked to scan people's IDs and get people through. By the way, I saw the ICE agents just said. Totally fine.

Yeah. Totally, totally fine. And nobody yell at me. I'm just reporting. I'm just reporting everybody. Don't get crazy and pissed off when I say it. Ice agents were fine. They were helpful.

That was just, no masks. And, you know, nobody minded them being there. Yes. But they're not expediting the lines. They're there to provide security, which is fine. We actually need the TSA agents who do their jobs. Exactly. And there is money.

Remember, money was poured into DHS so Christy Noam could, have horse riding commercials in front of Mount Rushmore and fund ICE and hire all these new agents. And give $200 million to the spouse of one of her closest age? Exactly. So the money is there. It's just not going to the right place. In most countries where you have a security threat, you would never allow people into an airport without having some kind of a security barrier beforehand. In the United States, normally it's fine because you don't have thousands of people crammed into the entrance hall of the airport where there is the potential for somebody to go and cause damage.

You'd stop it. You'd screen before people went into the airport. We're not figured that way, thank God, because we don't feel we need that level of security. But in this kind of situation, I was flying back from Florida yesterday. I looked at those cues and I thought, I don't actually want to be in a queue like that. It doesn't look particularly safe. Yeah, I mean, everybody, you know, a lot of people tell their families there. you know, stay away in times of threats from huge crowds.

Well, you can't do that, John, at the airport. And I just want to know what the White House is thinking. I want to know what the Republicans are thinking. I want to know, and I mean this, with all love in my heart, how they could be so stupid. As the terrorist threat level rises. This is politically stupid, and it is a security threat to every American. I think more and more Republicans realize this is bad. But this is another example of the president is simply being detached from what's actually going on.

We've chronicled him for a year and a half now that even more than most presidents, this one lives in a bubble. He only hears good news. You know, no aid ever gives him, you know, something that's going to be upsetting. We'll get into it later. The story from NBC about how he's basically given a highlight reel of war videos. He just sees explosions and there's some questions as to how much he's really comprehending what is going on in that conflict. And this is another moment where he's bought into this idea that ICE, though he recognizes some of the mass deportations have gone poorly, politically. he still believes in ICE.

He's still every day, true social three or four times yesterday, supporting them, supporting their efforts, and trying to blame Democrats for what we're seeing here, but all polls suggest it's not working, and his party is going to pay the price this November.

Now, how much does Trump care really about the midterms? I don't think he cares. That's the open question here. I think, again, pass the point of caring, but again, it is, again, it's crazy going back to where we began, really? The America First Award?

You want to run Venezuela, but you can't run LaGuardia. You want to change governments in Iran, but you can't even make Houston's airport work. You want to take over Greenland, and yet you can't even, you know, make Atlanta Hartsfield function? No, no. This doesn't work for Americans. again, people can get pissed off with who they want to get pissed off. They should be pissed off Republicans with themselves. Because day in and day out, Democrats take TSA funding to the floor to help people that are trying to get through those lines so they can get to their jobs or their

families or their hospital care or their cancer treatment in Houston or somewhere else or are in Minnesota. Or just getting home to your kids baseball game. Which, by the way, not to make it too personal. That's what I was doing. And now I've got to figure out how to get home to a National Honor Society event, right? But it's not about me. I'm good. This is about all those Americans that are out there this morning from LAX to Atlanta Hartsfield, Houston, up to Newark, that can't get to where they want to go. And Mike Johnson's talking about an American First Award when we're fighting wars all over the globe and want to take over Greenland? And we can't run our own airports.

We can't keep our own airports functioning. And we can't keep our own airports safe from Iran security threats. This will not do it. They are so real. Republicans better wake up and somebody better tell the president right now. Go to an airport. You have created a soft target. Go to LaGuardia.

go to JFK, go to Newark, go to DCA, go to Dulles. You want airports renamed after you? Well, you better get them working first. And it's really easy. Pay the TSA agents. That's it. Pay the TSA agents. And negotiate everything else.

But get our airports safe before a terror attack really causes lasting damage. And just the optic of Mike Johnson and Republicans at that event congratulating themselves and giving trophies to each other while people. standing in these lines and paying $4 a gallon for gas. Not a great look. All right, we're going to sneak in a quick break to get the very latest on Iran and new polling that shows just how much of a political liability the war is becoming for President Trump and Republicans.

Plus, we'll get to the historic verdict against tech giant meta and YouTube over social media addiction. It's about time. And what it can mean for those platforms and apps going forward. And as we go to break, a quick look at the time. Travelers forecast this morning from Acuethers Bernie Rayno. Bernie, how's it looking? Miko, we're tracking a strong cold front today from the upper Midwest toward New

England, your exclusive acuether forecast. Note the temperature differences here. 43 in Green Bay, 85 and Indy. Clouds limited sunshine in Boston, 64 degrees. Accuethers says 70 in New York City, 80 in Washington, D.C. Watch for the severe thunderstorms in the Midwest this afternoon. Texas toward Florida, generally dry and warm today. Those delays will be in Chicago, but along the East Coast, we should be A-L-K, maybe some lingering delays in LaGuardia.

To help you make the best decisions and be more in the know, download the Accuather App today. They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people. They're also afraid they'll be killed by us. There's never been ahead of a country that wanted that job less than being the head of Iran. I don't want it. We'll listen to some of the things they say we hear very clearly. They say, I don't want it.

We'd like to make you the next Supreme Leader. No, thank you. I don't want it. All right. The United States and Iran continue to give conflicting claims of where potential peace talks stand. as the war enter its 27th day. Iran is publicly dismissing President Trump's 15-point ceasefire proposal and offering up its own terms. A diplomatic source stationed in Iran tells MS now, those conditions include war reparations and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Do we get war reparations for all the

Americans that have been murdered by Iran since 1979? The Iranian foreign minister, adding yesterday, in an interview on state TV that his government has no plans to negotiate. This defiance is also reflected on the battlefield this morning as Tehran continues to strike across the region. Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait worked to intercept incoming Iranian fire, and authorities in the UAE said two people were killed and three others wounded by shrapnel from a ballistic missile interception. The White House, meanwhile, is maintaining confidence in reaching a deal. Here's President Trump just last night. I thought it was to be much worse.

I thought that the energy prices, oil price would go up higher. I thought the stock market would go somewhat lower. But it didn't matter to me. It's short term. What we had to do is get rid of the cancer. We had to cut out the cancer. The cancer was Iran with a nuclear weapon. We've cut it out.

Now we're going to finish it off. It didn't matter to me, the rising oil prices and now gas prices that people are feeling across the country. The president, meanwhile, says again, he wants to end the war quickly. That's according to new reporting from the Wall Street Journal. President Trump has privately informed advisors. He thinks the conflict is in its final stages, urging them to stick to the four to six week timeline. He's outlined publicly. That's according to people familiar with the matter.

One idea, Trump has floated to advisors, securing U.S. access to, some of Iran's oil as part of any deal to end the war. That's according to a senior administration official. That official said there is not any current planning underway for that outcome, just an idea. U.S. officials also tell the paper Trump is willing to order troops on Iranian soil, but is reluctant to do so, in part because he could upend his goal of a speedier end of the conflict. He also is concerned that the number of troops killed or injured in the operation could rise if the war continues. Richard Haas, there's a lot to sift through there, but we keep hearing about these timelines, four to six weeks, and then we're walking away.

If, in fact, that is the timeline who knows it could change tomorrow, what does Iran look like? What will we have achieved at that point? Willie, when I hear all this talk about timelines, I keep going back to Afghanistan. You Americans have watches, but we have the time. And the more we talk about getting out, the more the Iranians realize the duration is their friend. That time is on their side. So the president may be ready to go. he may be being told that all these targets were destroying somehow means we quote unquote won the war.

But Iran shows enormous resilience. They still have the ability to strike civilian targets in Israel. They obviously can strike all the economic and humanitarian targets around the region from desalienization plants to oil and gas. Why do our Gulf area, Gulf region allies think of the president wanting to leave in three to four weeks? They are, you know, it's what I would describe as though, we broke it, you own it. They are, they basically are angry at the lack of consultation. They are, their entire, quite honestly, Joe, their dream, their assumptions about their lives have been shattered. If you think about the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, it was all built on these modern societies. But, and the idea was there would be, there would be stability.

That's why everyone wanted to put data centers there. That's why people were investing and all that. And all that suddenly is up for grabs. So they're angry at the policy. They're angry at the lack of consultation. They're worried. They're going to be left in some ways with this very angry, strong Iran. So what you're seeing now is they're getting very anti-Iran.

But the question is, how do they compete with Iran? Because ultimately, wider war works against them. So they, all I can say is they are essentially confused, angry, that their futures have been, upended. I think one of the real casualties of this is going to be relations with the United States because they've learned that they really can't count on us. Well, you know, Caddy, the ambassador to the United States, wrote an op-ed saying, we were against this war, but now that we're in it, let's fight it to the end. And that's what they need since the war began that they can't have a wounded and angry and more radicalized Iran. So it seems to me the

president, understanding domestic politics at home and rising gas prices, is going to balance that with allies. You're saying you've got to stay here until the job's done or we're the ones left. As Richard said, fixing this up. We broke it. You own it. Yeah. And that op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Ambassador Atabar made the point as well that the Iranians, the Iranians had wanted to strike the UAE because they were different. I spent 20 years living in the Middle East. I live in Saudi Arabia. I lived in Dubai. It's night and day. I mean, Dubai is, you know, modern, prosperous, outward facing. Iran is inward facing. And that, in a sense, made them vulnerable to Iranian attacks. Iran is trying to destroy the very thing that has made them strong.

And now you have a situation where they had this kind of security premium because there were safe havens in the Middle East. And we don't know how long that is gone for. We all have fairly short-term memories. It's possible that in a year's time, we'll all have forgotten and everything will be flowing back there. But that's not what they're feeling right now. And so you go around the Middle East and how many countries in the Middle East are going to now have fractured relationships with the United States because of this? You can start with Israel. You can go all through the Gulf.

And we don't know where Iran's relationship is going to end up. So is America better off safer in that region because of this action? I think it would be very hard to say yes today. Right. And to Caddy's point, what the ambassador said was that Iran can't beat us in the war of ideas. We are open. We are vital. We are diverse.

We celebrate women's rights and went down a long list of things that have, made, you know, Dubai and Abu Dhabi targets for Iran. And so, of course, they're deeply concerned, as are the Saudis, as are, you know, everybody else in the region that when the United States leaves, they're going to be there exposed and be constant targets. Yeah, and the president had prized better relations with those Gulf states, but this is in the balance right now. And let's remember, it was Monday morning where President Trump offered a five-day extension to his deadline. He said if they don't open the straight of Hormuz, we will go in and threaten seemingly the destruction of the energy infrastructure of Iran, plunging that nation perhaps into darkness,

also still considering a ground invasion of Karg Island. Well, that deadline would expire Saturday morning. It's now Thursday morning. We're three days through, two to go. And there's no sense here, Iran at all is going to open up the straight-of-hormoos. That that's not going to happen. Zero. There did no moves. They're, in fact, doubling down. And if the report, is right here. If President Trump is saying, I want to get out of here in a couple of weeks, well, now you've given Iran the clock. Like, okay, we can just wait this out. Like, you know, we can wait this out. And what incentive do we have to open up the straight at all, at least not without some significant financial benefit to us? So this is a mess right now. And it feels like

it's only going to get worse. And, of course, the other option is, if there is a ground assault, if there is a ground assault, Americans are going to die. Well, listen, that is correct. The thing is, it's not like the Iranian leaders didn't look and see what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's right next door. They were there. They understood whether it's three weeks, six weeks, or 20 years as it was in Afghanistan. At some point, the Americans were going to get tired and go home. That's what they know.

Yes. That's what the Iranians know, whether it's three to six weeks or three to six years. They don't have to win the war. it's just like Vietnam. It's like Mark Hurdling had the famous quote of the colonel who said to his Vietnamese counterpart in 1975, you know, you never beat us in one battle. Right. To which the response was, and you know what?

That's completely irrelevant. He says, may be true, but it's also completely irrelevant, and that's where we are. President is getting these reports about all the military strikes and all that, but it's irrelevant at the end of the day. You can win the tactical campaign. yet still lose the war because they have nowhere to go and we have alternatives. And one other thing General Hurtling said was he said there's an old saying in the military, which is the slowest way to lose a war are having the right tactics and the wrong strategy.

100%. And that's exactly what we have right. Coming up more on what Joe just mentioned will be joined by the Minister of State for the UAE to discuss the efforts to end the war as Iran continues to bomb. its neighbors in the region. Morning, Joe, we'll be right back. Welcome back, authorities in Abu Dhabi this morning. Hold on second. Hold on. So this is the Associated Press eight minutes ago. Israel by Julia Frankel, Israel says Iranian Revolutionary Guards Navy Chief is killed in strike. Israel said Tuesday

killed the commander of the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Navy. according to Israel's defense minister. One, the Navy's pretty much already at the bottom of this. It doesn't see. It's not a significant finding for it. But let me just say, to continue to kill Iranian leaders, whatever gains you may think you make militarily, you're not going to bring about regime change that way.

And what you're going to do is make it more and more difficult to negotiate. So this question of how far you continue, these targeted killings, it's got to be weighed against. Do you really think you're going to get them to capitulate or you're going to have regime change, Or do you think you'd have to talk to these guys? So, Richard, let's explain this really, really quickly. Because some viewers may not know the history of Iran.

But let's explain, because there's this belief that if you keep killing leaders, that you'll have the same thing happen in Iran that happened in Iraq, where in Iraq you didn't have the institution. You had Saddam Hussein. You killed Saddam Hussein. It's kind of like, it's kind of like ancient history. You kill the king, everything collapses and everybody surrenders. That's not the case.

There was a case in Iraq. In Iran, you have a country and a battle-hardened leadership that went through the Revelation 89, went through Iran-Iraq war in 80, and over a million people were killed there, have been expecting America to do this since 1979. They've got 93 million people. And I think most importantly, if you talk to Intel people, they have a history. The birth cry of Western civilization was a battle of marathon at, like, 450 BC, we actually defined the birth of Western civilization by the Greeks beating the Persians

in one battle. By the way, side note, it's called like a marathon is a marathon because the guy that ran and gave the warning, ran 26.1 miles to give the news, the Persians are coming, the Persians are coming. And so that's how long their history is. It goes back thousands of years. It's not like Iraq where Churchill draws lines and creates a country, you know, a hundred years ago. And that's, there's a fabric woven in there. I'm not saying they won't collapse. I'm just saying Iran is not Iraq so you can keep killing these leaders and don't expect everybody to surrender. Iraq was a top heavy, brittle country ruled by a minority under Saddam Hussein. It was, and you could have, if you will, decapitation. Iran, think about the Iran-Arma.

This is a country that's resilient that showed its willingness to suffer. As you say, it's got this long history. You've got political institutions, military institutions, multiple forces. So to base a policy on that somehow your enemy is going to collapse seems to me wishfulness, not strategy. And that's where we are. So the idea that further targeted killings are going to deliver Iran to us seems, one, misguided. And two, possibly counterproductive. Well, it's good for Israel in terms of Netanyahu's plans.

Well, I'm not sure. He's not benefiting politically. And again... He wants to stay in office. Well, it's not clear it's helping him. The poll out today in Israel, he's not got to bump out of this. No, Israel's strategy for Iran is their strategy for Gaza and Lebanon. It's essentially perpetual war, but that doesn't square with our strategy.

We haven't talked about this morning. One of the things we're heading for is a massive divergence between an American and Israeli strategy here, President Trump wants an end game. In a sense, for the Israelis, the tactics are the strength. Well, Netanyahu never wants any war to end because he'll go to jail. And really quickly, we have a guess, but a real quick comment from John and Kevin. That's precisely the point I was going to make is that there's going to be a real divergence here. And Trump already behind the scenes has expressed some frustration with Netanyahu.

The strike on the, you know, some of the energy structure or a few weeks ago he didn't love. So that is something to watch. going forward. Also just a note to your historical lesson a moment ago, that first race, the 26-mile run, to note to say the persons are coming, that messenger, deliver the message, and immediately dropped dead. So that's a lesson for us all right now. Well, that's what I would say when he said she's going to run the marathon. I always ask. You see, do you know what happened to the first guy who ran two marathon? He died. Patty? I mean, and look, to have Caroline Levitt stand up there in the White House and say,

we have changed the leadership. We've had regime change in Iran when clearly you haven't had regime change in Iran. You've just changed the person at top is another indication of how bad our intelligence was. Our intelligence didn't know how deep their layers were in the plan of succession. They've planned this very carefully

and they still have the regime of place. Our intelligence did know it? I'm not sure it was heard by people in the political side. All right. As the White House pushes for a deal to stop the fighting, the UAE ambassadors the United States argues in a new Wall Street Journal op-ed

that the war requires a conclusive outcome. Writing, quote, a simple ceasefire isn't enough, everything we've just been talking about. Joining us now, Minister of State for the United Arab Emirates, Lana Nuseba. She's in Washington this week for discussions with U.S. counterparts on the conflict in the Gulf. We thank you for joining us this morning.

So what are you hoping to hear in Washington today? and can you give us the latest as of what is happening in the UAE in terms of trying to intercept these missile strikes? Thank you, Mika. Thank you, Joe, for having me on the show. And as you said, I woke up to the news this morning that two innocent civilians have died in Abu Dhabi by a interception of ballistic missile aimed at a residential compound in Abu Dhabi, a city you both know very well. But I'd like to just broaden the lens a little bit. I think it's interesting from your conversation. Two things particularly struck me.

You're looking at the Gulf at the moment through a U.S.-Iran lens. And I think we need to broaden that to understand that the Gulf countries and Jordan, who have been struck by these illegal strikes from Iran, are not passive agents. We are actively defending our countries. The UAE Armed Forces has intercepted over 92 percent of these gun. ballistic missiles and drones aimed at over 89% of civilian infrastructure in our country. So that's the first point. We're not asking the U.S. to do this alone. We are actively defending our countries, and we have a broad coalition of partners who are helping us do that.

Today we have the French, the UK, the Italians, the Australians and a number of other countries. The G7 are meeting this week in France. You have over 30 countries, NATO partners and allies, who've come out with a strong statement saying that they will join any effort, to keep the Straits of Hormuz open. So they understand the second point that I think is a really important one to hone home today, which is what happens in the Gulf doesn't stay in the Gulf. This is a global issue.

Iran and Joe, you spoke a little bit about the history of this from 1979, where they held U.S. hostages in the embassy in Tehran. Today they're holding the entire world hostage with this economic choke point of the Straits of Hormuz. So this is the Iranian playbook. So, Minister, when you say the UAE believes a conclusive and durable outcome is necessary, it's a question we've been asking for many weeks. What does a conclusive outcome look like?

Does it mean completely degrading Iran's military capability? Does it mean the elimination of the nuclear program? Does it mean regime change? From where you sit so close, and as you say, you have borne the largest brunt of the retaliation to this war, what is a conclusive outcome in your eyes? I think we've spent over a decade in a tough region, but we've learned one or two fundamental lessons. You can't choose your neighbors. You try to live with them.

And that's why the UAE has always stepped outside of the paradigm. That's what led us to sign the Abraham Accords five years ago, and it's what's led us to make diplomatic and economic outreach to Iran consistently over the last decade. But you have to be clear-eyed at the same time about the risks that this regime poses, not only to the Gulf and U.S. allies, but to, to the entire economic international system, as we know it today. If you're not feeling it now, it will be felt very, very soon in the gas prices, in the grocery bills stores across the world. So that's why we need to deal with this comprehensively. Taking a step back, sorry, go ahead.

No, I was just going to say, so where does that lead you in terms of conclusive outcome? Conclusive outcome is learn the lessons that we have been learning since 2022, when the Houthis struck Abu Dhabi. They had limited capacity. We were able to intercept the drones and the missiles they sent to Abu Dhabi airport at the time. But we said very seriously at the time, Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. These groups, Hamas, Hezbollah, groups in Iraq, the Houthis have to be dealt with comprehensively. That didn't happen.

And today, the Houthis have the capability. We're talking about the Straits of Hormuz. They have the capability now to chokepoint the Red Sea in the Bab el-Manda, which they're threatening to do. So comprehensive means, let's deal with the... the problem. You can't go back to a pre-February 28th worldview of Iran. We have learned a lot about this regime since then. So it means the ballistic missiles program. It means the nuclear program. They've got enough enriched uranium today for 12 bombs. And it means dealing with their support for state proxies around the region. Richard. Madam Minister, Richard Haseau, you've just laid out an

awfully ambitious plan. So let me just focus on one aspect. You said we can't go back to the February 28th situation. One area we may not be able to go back to February 28th is the Strait of Hormuz. So one of the questions for the other countries neighboring on the Strait is what kind of arrangement are you beginning to think of? Can you, for example, imagine anything? Not where Iran has sole control, obviously unacceptable, but can you imagine a situation where the countries of the region working with Iran have some kind of joint control of the strait? Is that sort of thing on the table? I think that's a really forward-leaning proposal, Richard,

and that's why we're working with partners with Bahrain on the UN Security Council with the United States as president of the Security Council for a Chapter 7 resolution that deals with the issue of the Straits of Hormuz and invites an international umbrella to assist in keeping the Straits of Hormuz open because this is in the absolute interest of every nation around the world. So we are looking to the UN Security Council to uphold this as a matter of international peace and security, and we need that umbrella. Mark Ritte, the Secretary General of NATO, has also laid out very clearly that NATO and partner

countries are willing to be part of this. But we need to use, we're not a rogue state actor, any of us. We need to use the international system, and that is what the UAE is doing. Minister of State for the UAE, Lana Nuseba, thank you so much for coming on the show this morning. Thank you. We appreciate it. Thank you. All right. As we go to break, here's another live look inside Bush Airport in Houston, where security lines are four hours long right now.

And we're getting reports from the New York area. The lines are just absolutely dreadful. Because Republicans keep voting no on funding TSA agents. We're going to talk to former Homeland Security Secretary Jay Johnson about the chaos that we're seeing at airports across the country as lawmakers struggle to reach a deal to reopen DHS. Morning, Joe, is coming right back.