Joe Biden left Americans behind in Afghanistan, so it's sad but not surprising that he seems to be doing the same in Gaza. We know that Americans are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, So what is this administration doing about it? If anything, I never thought there would be a day where we would have a president so unconcerned about leaving Americans behind enemy lines. We'll talk to
one Senator who's trying to do something about it. Senator Marshall Blackburn of Tennessee is putting pressure on this administration to formally recognize those Americans trapped in Gaza as hostages under federal law. We'll talk about the importance of that distinction and what she's trying to do to bring these Americans home. We'll also get her take on the conflict more broadly, and the funding fight that's taking place on Capitol Hill over Israel funding and Ukraine funding. Stay tuned
for Senator Marshall Blackburn. Senator Blackburn, it's always an honor to have you on the show. You have rightfully been putting pressure on the Biden administration to formally recognize the American citizens who are being held hostage in Gaza under federal law. Why is that distinction important? And also why has this administration not done that?
It is a puzzling why they have not done that, Lisa. When you look at our code, our laws and you read eighteen USC. One two three, what you see is the definition of a hostage. It's someone that is being held or detained against their will and an entity or government or organization that is making a demand of our government.
So that is how we classify that. And we all know of the Israelis that were taken hostage and taken into Gaza, and we continue to pray for these families with loss of life and with hostages that have been taken. And then you look at the situation in Gaza and what we realize after Jake Sullivan was on Face the Nation last weekend was he said, we have about five hundred Americans, aid workers and civilians who were there visiting
friends and families. Five hundred Americans who were there. The situation is challenging their negotiating with Hamas to allow these individuals to leave Gaza. Now we know that Egypt had said they were ready to receive foreign nationals who were stuck in Gaza. Israel had said yes, let's get them out, but it was Hamas who was making demands. And then John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, comes out and reiterate said and then you also have someone
from the State Department that is reiterating that. So I don't know why they do not want to say, Hamas, we consider this to be hostage taking if you are not allowing them to leave, and you are making demands of us, do not touch these American citizens. And that is the kind of force that when you're dealing with a terrorist group, they understand force, and when you start trying to appease them, they are not going to pay attention to you and your demands.
You know, that's probably the best way to sum up this administration as appeasement. You know, when you look at a rhyme, when you look at how they dealt with the Taliban and exiting Afghanistan. Do you know, Senator, what attempts, if any, have been made to try to bring or people home. I mean, are are they giving you any answer on what attempts they're taking.
I've sent a letter over to the White House to Jake Sullivan to ask what are you doing and see the American people need to know. They know that there are American citizens who are not being permitted to leave Gaza. They know that Hamas is in charge in Gaza. They know that Hamas is making demands and trying to negotiate with the US. So what are these demands? Are they looking for more aid? Because we also know that AID is not making it to the Palestinian people. We know
that Hamas is intercepting that aid. This is why Israel has been consistent in saying please, if you're in Gaza City, move to the south, get down to the Rapa Gate. And of course the AID Agency it would be helpful for them to be able to centralize this ade. But it has just been perplexing that there has been so little said about the Americans that are there in gossip.
You know, sata I wanted to ask you. Biden launched this. White House launched its first ever national strategy to counter Islamophobia at a time when we've seen anti Semitic incidents increase by nearly four hundred percent since the terror attacks in Israel. I mean, we see it on college campuses, we're seeing it across the country. It's not being targeted at Muslims, right, This hate is being targeted at Jews. So why can't this administration just find the moral clarity
to condemn what is happening to Jews? I mean, you know this isn't being directed at Muslims, So why why do they feel compelled to do this? You know, what do you think is behind that?
We know from this administration and the Obama administration, and of course some of the same people are running the show on these issues, that they have been sympathetic to Iran. That's why you had the Iran nuclear deal, the twenty fifteen deal. Now you've recently had the six billion dollar
ransom payment to Iran. So we know that there is that sympathy to them, that thinking that they could appease them and move them to a point that they would give up on trying to construct nuclear weapons, that they would give up on trying to push back on the US. But what you have to realize is that Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, that's your new access of evil. Iran is the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism. They give a
loss about one hundred million dollars a year. They make the same payment over to has look, same payment over to the Hohofis, same payment over to ISIS Syria and also to isis Arak, and they're the ones that are funding these acts now, Lisa, I think also we have to look at some of the people that are there in the administration. You have Robert Malley and he was a big part of that first Iran nuclear deal team. And also Arianne to Boudubai and she was a part
of the first team and now this second team. She also is chief of staff to the Deputy Secretary over at the Department of Defense. These people have top level security clearances. Now. They also were quite involved with the Iran Experts Initiative, which was second generation RUNI that were in the US that were going to help change the image of Iran. This all started before that twenty fifteen
a raw nuclear deal. Now Robert Mally's security clearance has been pulled and he's been suspended, but Miss Tabadabai is still with her clearance and still employed over at the Department of Defense. So you have these sympathizers that are there. These people ought to be fired. They should never have
had these these clearances. We know for a fact We've seen emails where Miss t Badabay was coming to the Hill to testify and she emailed emailed from her federal account emailed over to someone at the Iran Foreign Ministry to say, Hey, I'm going over to the old testify. What do you want me to say? Now? We should put our nation and our citizens and our safety and our security first. We should put our allies before our enemies. But this group, I question what they're doing.
It certainly paints a picture of how we got here when you put it out that way. I also just think this administration should be able to condemn the anti Semitism we're seeing in America without bringing Islamophobia into it, which is not the issue at hand right We're seeing these attacks against Jews, not Muslims, and they should be clear in that. But you know, there's some arguments on Capitol Hill about how to do funding. You know, the
House is trying to decouple Ukraine and Israel Aid. Also some conversations about tying some of the Ukraine funding to border policy changes. What would you like to see happen in this funding fight and how do you think this is all going to go down?
Israel's funding needs to go first, and we should move quickly on that. I'm pleased that the House is taking that up. I think the step of Ukraine and the border to together is a good step. Something's got to be done at the border. Of the month of October, you had about forty Iranians. Pakistanis over one hundred Russians. You had two thousand Chinese foreign nationals that came across
that southern border. You have a terrorists that have been apprehended one hundred and fifty one terrorists this year alone. These numbers are astounding. We don't know who is in the god Aways. You have to secure that border. When it comes to Ukraine, you don't want Putin to win, and what you have to do. What you've got to do is to make certain that there's transparency and accountability on any money that goes to you.
I agree with that, Senator. It's sad to see where we are today. You talked about this new axis of evil. It just feels like we're no longer the superpower that we once were. It's pretty disheartening to see a senator appreciate you taking the time to join the show. It's always an honor to talk to you really always love having you on. Thanks so much for making time for us.
Oh, thank you so much. Good to join you. Thank you.
I'm the Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. Appreciate her for taking the time to join the show. Appreciate you guys at home for listening every Monday and Thursday, but you can listen throughout the week. I want to thank John Cassio and my producer for putting the show together. Until next time,