Epshteyn on Trump's address to Congress, limited WH briefing
Special assistant to the president provides insight on 'Hannity'
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," February 24, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, FOX NEWS HOST: Welcome to "Hannity." President Donald Trump delivers a major speech at CPAC 2017.
I'm Kimberly Guilfoyle, in tonight for Sean.
President Trump started his address by taking aim at the media earlier today. Watch this!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, if you remember, my first major speech -- sit down everybody. Come on.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: You know the dishonest media they'll say, "He didn't get a standing ovation." You know why?
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: No, you know why? Because everybody stood and nobody sat. So they will say, "He never got a standing ovation," right?
They make up sources. They're very dishonest people. In fact, in covering my comments, the dishonest media did not explain that I called the fake news the enemy of the people, the fake news. They dropped off the word "fake." And all of a sudden, the story became the media is the enemy. They take the word "fake" out.
I'm against the people that make up stories and make up sources. They shouldn't be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody's name.
They say that we can't criticize their dishonest coverage because of the 1st Amendment. You know, they always bring up the 1st Amendment.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: And I love the 1st Amendment. Nobody loves it better than me. Nobody.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I mean, who use its more than I do?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: President Trump also spoke about building a movement and putting America first. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: But I'm here today to tell you what this movement means for the future of the Republican Party and for the future of America. The core conviction of our movement is that we are a nation that put and will put its own citizens first!
Now is the time for action. We will cut wasteful spending. We will promote our values. We will rebuild our inner cities. We will bring back our jobs and our dreams.
The GOP will be from now on the party also of the American worker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: And President Trump told the crowd ObamaCare will be repealed and replaced. Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I inherited a mess, believe me. We also inherited a failed health care law that threatens our medical system with absolute and total catastrophe.
The bottom line -- we're changing it. We're going to make it much better.
We're going to make it less expensive.
Remember the lie, 28 times. You can keep your doctor, you can keep your plan, over and over and over again you heard it. So we're going to repeal and replace ObamaCare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: And there you go. Joining us for reaction is American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp and Fox News contributor Herman Cain.
Matt, I'll begin with you. What did you think of the president's speech today? And what was his reaction when you first asked him to speak there?
MATT SCHLAPP, AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION CHAIRMAN: Oh, yes. He talked about that. He said, like he always does, Of course I would be there. And one of the things he said -- I want to be there because I want to thank these folks who stood with me.
And after the speech, I want you to know, he seemed really pumped up by the response from the crowd. I mean, conservatives are so hungry to start winning and to start having victories, and they are just -- I can't tell you -- it was emotional. They just want a leader who will fight, and he's showing them how to fight.
GUILFOYLE: You know, it was interesting, Herman, because people were talking about, Well, you know, if you wanted red meat, you got it. Yesterday with Steve Bannon and with the president today, many were saying it almost sounded like a campaign speech again, giving them kind of what they want and talking about what he was intending to accomplish.
HERMAN CAIN, FOX CONTRIBUTOR: I want to congratulate Matt because this is the first time in my memory that CPAC has been able to get the president and all of his top people to speak. Kudos to Matt and his organization.
GUILFOYLE: Absolutely.
CAIN: During his speech, I heard the exploding sounds of liberals' heads exploding--
(LAUGHTER)
CAIN: -- because he did something that they are not used to happening. He repeated what he said he was going to do, and he's doing what he said he was going to do. That's what was so refreshing about his speech today. And I believe that it wasn't just giving the people red meat, it was giving people what he said he was going to do, and liberals hated it and conservatives loved it!
GUILFOYLE: All right. Fantastic. If it was me, I want some of that, you know, Godfather's pizza. That was the good stuff, took, with pepperoni on it.
So Matt, you're getting a lot of praise, like from my friend, Herman Cain. People really felt that this has gone incredibly well. But what do you say to some of the naysayers that said, well, we would have liked to see that -- earlier on our show, on "The Five," Juan Williams said, something that sounded more presidential, this sounds like it was just like the euphoria of a campaign.
SCHLAPP: Yes, no. I just don't know how it could go any better. I'm actually thinking of resigning, Kimberly, because I don't think I could do any better than this.
GUILFOYLE: Yes, retire. Retire.
SCHLAPP: Thank you, Herman, for your kind -- yes, for your kind, comments.
Look, I think that's wrong. I actually sat there and really watched and listened to the speech. And it was a detailed explanation of what conservatives want to see happen from the federal government now. And I thought it actually was very specific, and it hit really all the major points.
GUILFOYLE: OK, you know, and yesterday, just give me a little bit about this kind of back and forth. People were really curious to watch how it went down between Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus. I'm sure you spoke to them beforehand and after they were on stage together. How did it feel to you? And were you worried at all about how it was going to come off?
SCHLAPP: Yes, I was a little bit worried. You know, clearly, there's all this talk about how maybe Reince and Steve don't get along, and we all decided the best thing would be to just put it out on stage and have a conversation.
And beforehand -- you know, they got busy jobs. They got a lot on my mind. But we actually got behind in the schedule, and we had time to talk and relax and laugh and talk about funny political moments. And they were really loose by the time they got on stage.
And I think people got a very candid assessment of their relationship, which is very constructive. And I think the markets worldwide and I think the nation had a sigh of relief that these guys are working together and they're ready to get the job done.
GUILFOYLE: Yes, so one team versus two different camps.
You know, Herman, you were a strong supporter of President Trump from the beginning. He's also been very strong here talking about jobs, the economy, trying to get to this back to the robustness that it once was. How did you feel today about his comments?
CAIN: I felt inspired, and so did a lot of my listeners and people that I talk to. They felt inspired. And the comment that I continue to hear over and over and over -- he's actually saying what he said he was going to do--
GUILFOYLE: Exactly.
CAIN: -- and he's doing it. And the reason that a lot of the media people were not happy with the speech and he was criticized, as Matt said, about he didn't sound presidential -- the American people don't care about him sounding presidential. They are concerned about him doing what he said he's going to do. He doesn't speak in political speak. He doesn't speak bureaucratic speak. And he certainly doesn't speak media speak.
He speaks Trump speak. It connects with the American people. They love it, and that's why the media and others don't like it because he's not saying the words that they want him to say. Donald Trump, President Trump, is President Trump. And that's what upsets them the most.
GUILFOYLE: You know, it's interesting, Herman, because you've been right there in the thick of it and running for office. And you see a lot of people trying to shape you or tell you what to say or how to dress or what to do in this whole process.
CAIN: Yes.
GUILFOYLE: I mean, did you ever get a chance to give the president some advice, to say, you know, in terms of running a campaign and being very genuine and authentic with the people out there, the voters?
CAIN: Yes. President Trump was the only candidate -- not that they had to call me -- he was the only candidate that called me for advice before he ran in the primary. And I gave him two pieces of advice. Number one, be prepared for lawsuits because I didn't call it fake news then, but he's going to be hit with fake news and lies. And that's what he's had to contend with.
And the other thing that I suggested to him -- and he's carrying it out. Be true to yourself. I had a plan called 9-9-9. You know what I call his tax plan? I called his tax plan cut, cut, cut.
GUILFOYLE: Yes!
CAIN: And you know what? I'm happy with that because the American people can understand that. And I believe that he's going to deliver on that. He now has to work with the Congress, and he understands this, in order to be able to get it across the finish line.
GUILFOYLE: All right. And Matt, also, you had Lou Dobbs, one of our own, there today, and he's getting a lot of wide praise, you know, from a lot of the supporters of President Trump to say that he did a great job. What do you think?
SCHLAPP: Oh, Lou was great. And we all know that Lou has -- Lou has this populist spirit and he takes no guff for anybody. And to have them on before President Trump was just perfect. And of course, we had Judge Jeanine Pirro, who really lit this place up.
GUILFOYLE: Oh, yes.
SCHLAPP: -- last night--
GUILFOYLE: Superstar, great fiend of mine, too. Yes.
SCHLAPP: -- as well. Yes.
GUILFOYLE: Fantastic. Well, I got to tell you, you might want to, you know, retire because this was pretty all-star in terms of all the Republicans and conservatives out there. It was something for everybody.
Can't thank you both enough, two of my favorite people, for being here tonight. Thanks so much.
CAIN: Thank you, Kimberly.
SCHLAPP: Thanks, Kimberly.
GUILFOYLE: All right. And here now with more reaction, the special assistant to President Trump, Boris Epshteyn. Boris, good to see you, as always, my friend. We go way back.
BORIS EPSHTEYN, SPECIAL ASST. TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: That's right.
GUILFOYLE: President Trump on Tuesday is going to address a joint session of Congress. What can we expect? And what do you want him to hit hard on, what notes?
EPSHTEYN: Well, the key topics we've been talking about, Kimberly, with you for a long time. So nice to be here. Through the campaign and the transition, and now the first five weeks, the unbelievably productive first five weeks -- national security, the economy, cutting taxes, cutting regulations and renewing that American promise, American spirit, and moving forward as a country to be more secure, to be more safe and be better off as a nation.
GUILFOYLE: You know, there's a lot of things that the president set out to accomplish, and I just want to bring you back to yesterday, to Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus were on the stage together, talking about the agenda of the president, talking about the economic agenda that he wanted to be able to put forward.
How do you think you guys, your team, is doing so far in terms of being able to put forward those ideas and sort of check the box on the promises that were made? Steve Bannon was promising that, in fact, what the president promised during the campaign is, in fact, going to happen. Do you think you're on track?
EPSHTEYN: Oh, absolutely. Look at the numbers first five weeks, over 35 meetings with foreign leaders, about 38 and growing. And what is that? That is ensuring Americans' safety, American security, making sure people are safe in their homes, making sure they can walk their streets and not feel threatened.
Over 25 presidential actions, just one today on cutting those job-stifling regulations. Very important (INAUDIBLE) And as we move forward, you're going to be looking at activity, of course, on ObamaCare and on reforming that tax code.
GUILFOYLE: All right, so you've been part of this team, you know, right from the beginning, part of the transition, et cetera. You see a lot of discussion in social media, in the mainstream media, on the press, about on are there different factions or some warring interests within the administration. You're right there. Tell us. Is it true or not?
EPSHTEYN: No, there's no warring factions. And you saw that in the discussion between Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus. You are never going to get a group of sophisticated, achieved, smart people to agree off the bat on anything, on any -- and what you want is people to give their perspectives. But the key is that when you make that decision, when the president decides what the action is, to carry that out as a cohesive unit. And that's exactly what's happening in this White House.
GUILFOYLE: All right, well, you seem pretty optimistic about this. Now let's talk a little bit about the breaking news today that happened, Boris. Some media outlets were barred from an off-camera White House press gaggle. What's the Trump administration's response to some of the heat? CNN and others weren't allowed in, they said.
EPSHTEYN: Well, CNN will do anything to feign shock and make sure -- make it seem like they're somehow offended. Here's the bottom line here. The pool was represented. There's a reason the pool exists. So the TV pool and the print pool were present. And the whole gaggle was transcribed. So there was plenty of access to everything that was said. And all this, you know, shock is absolutely overblown.
GUILFOYLE: OK, so there wasn't, like, a timeout (ph) list or anything like that where people--
(LAUGHTER)
GUILFOYLE: Put baby in the corner and not in the room, in the gaggle.
EPSHTEYN: No, not at all. It's not like "Saturday Night Live" or anything like that. The pool was represented. And then others were invited in to the point where they fit into the press secretary's office, and that's what it was. But again, the key here is the access to the pool. And this was a gaggle, not a press conference, so everything is consistent with proper practice.
GUILFOYLE: All right. Well, Boris, it's always a pleasure to have you. Thanks for being here tonight on "Hannity."
EPSHTEYN: Great to be here, Kimberly. Thank you.
GUILFOYLE: All right. Coming up next right here on "Hannity"--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EPSHTEYN: One by one, we're checking off the promises we made to the people of the United States, one by one, a lot of promises. And we will not stop until the job is done!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: More reaction to President Trump's big speech at CPAC. Charlie Kirk, Todd Starnes and Geraldo Rivera will join us next with reaction.
And then later--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: President Trump earlier today at CPAC also spoke about rolling out a new executive action on extreme vetting. Sean recently hosted an audience of experts on both sides of the issue. We'll play you that later tonight. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: One by one, we're checking off the promises we made to the people of the United States, one by one, a lot of promises. And we will not stop until the job is done. We will reduce your taxes. We will cut your regulations. We will support our police. We will defend our flag.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: We will rebuild our military. We will take care of our great, great veterans. We're taking care of our veterans.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: Welcome back to "Hannity." That was President Donald Trump speaking at CPAC earlier today.
And here with reaction are the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, the author of "The Deplorable's Guide to Making America Great Again," Todd Starnes, and Fox News senior correspondent Geraldo Rivera. Gentlemen, thanks for being here tonight.
Todd, I'm going to begin with you. What did you think of the president's speech today? I know you've had the opportunity to see him in person a lot before, and then you were able to watch this. But did he hit all the right points?
TODD STARNES, "THE DEPLORABLE'S GUIDE": Kimberly, I thought it was the most incredibly deplorable speech in presidential history.
(LAUGHTER)
STARNES: I thought it was amazing! And one of the things that I really appreciated, the president picked up on a theme that's in my book, that this really is about the people that Hillary Clinton and the liberals and the mainstream media consider to be deplorable, those folks who want to secure the border, those folks who believe in traditional values. And it was the word "irredeemable" that I think really struck a chord with folks because He Democrats believe that folks who believe like Donald Trump, folks who believe like the average American citizen, that their belief system is beyond redemption. So I say thumbs up for the president. He did a great job, and he had a home run today.
GUILFOYLE: All right, Geraldo, how did you see it?
GERALDO RIVERA, FOX CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that Todd mentioned Hillary Clinton. I think Hillary Clinton was almost a shadow presence in that room. Any time Donald Trump mentioned the fake media, he could have been saying Hillary Clinton. It's like he had the old campaign speeches where Hillary -- even -- even to the point where the audience at CPAC began a chanting "Lock her up" when he never mentioned Hillary Clinton.
His speech was so charismatic, so impassioned, it was so pointed, the barbs and so forth, only he was aiming the insults and the -- you know, the takedowns at the news media instead of Hillary Clinton. But they heard it, the same tempo, really the same melody. So they started shouting "Lock her up." It was fascinating and entertaining.
GUILFOYLE: OK, Charlie, how did you see it?
CHARLIE KIRK, FOUNDER, TURNING POINT USA: You know, I boil it down to one word, and that's consistency. You know, Donald Trump's been going here for six years now, and every single year, he has kept this theme the same. We're going to put America first. We're going to put people back to work.
You know, what's so incredible is we finally have a president of the United States who now is doing what he said he was going to do, and he's been saying it for a while. You know, for people that aren't familiar with this conference, CPAC's like the Super Bowl of conservative politics. You know, we brought hundreds of young students here. And every single year, year after year, they got to hear Donald Trump talk about putting America first. And today, you know, it was like a conversation with friends. He was talking amongst people that put him in the office.
This is the baseline, the base of the grass roots across the country. I thought it was very, very well received. What's so amazing is he's not saying anything new. He is consistent in his love for America and his message back to the people that helped them get there.
GUILFOYLE: (INAUDIBLE) some strong messaging yesterday, Geraldo, as well. You comment on that, but I also want you to touch on Steve Bannon, essentially, a call to arms, saying if you think that the media is going to give the country back without a fight, you are sadly mistaken.
RIVERA: Well, that's -- that's terrific, Bannon. But I just wanted to point out, to CPAC, lest we rewrite history, Donald Trump came in third in the straw poll at CPAC, losing to Ted Cruz and to Marco Rubio. And as I recall, he postponed last year's speech for fear that it would not to be well received during the heat of the campaign.
So victory is an amazing tonight. You know, now he is triumphant. Now he has saved the Republican Party and brought it to unprecedented extraordinary power. But just a year ago, he was a candidate that would have been an also-run in that very tough crowed there in CPAC.
In terms of Bannon and Reince Priebus -- you know, it was terrific to see Bannon even speaking. I've never seen him speak before. His image of the Grim Reaper from "Saturday Night Live" is the only image of him I had. It was terrific to see him, terrific to see the political and the -- you know, the ideological forces inside the White House shoulder to shoulder and making a compelling argument, a powerful argument. They are a formidable duo. There's doubt about it. And Trump has harnessed these twin tornadoes.
GUILFOYLE: Yes, it's interesting. You know, a lot of discussion about it in the press, you know, for now, you know, months, about two different factions, first in the campaign, then in the transition, now they're saying in the administration, Todd. Did you feel that yesterday's appearance, the two of them on stage -- - do you think it quieted that storm?
STARNES: You know, I think it did for just a little while. But again, I think right now, conservatives are very happy with the fact that President Trump is delivering on those campaign promises.
I do want to take him to task for one thing, calling the mainstream media, parts of the mainstream media "fake news." I think we ought to call them what they are. They're liars who are attempting to take down a duly elected president. We ought to call them out on it, and I'm glad the president is doing that. But they're not fakers, they're lying, and they need to be held accountable.
GUILFOYLE: All right, Charlie, quick response. I got about 30 left for you.
KIRK: No, I completely agree. And to the response to Geraldo -- you know, look, Donald Trump has been coming year after year after year. And my point is he's won over these conservative activists year after year--
RIVERA: I agree with that.
KIRK: -- with a consistent message. And so -- but you -- I think it really deserves, you know, appreciation that he hasn't just tried to pander to this crowd on a strict, you know, 10-point conservative doctrine. He says, We're going to put America first. We're going to be consistent. So that's what I meant by that.
And finally, you got to love the enthusiasm and the energy for a president of the United States. And you can see the conservative activists that were here at CPAC -- we've been waiting for this for a long time, and it was truly an amazing moment.
GUILFOYLE: All right (INAUDIBLE) just feels good!
(LAUGHTER)
GUILFOYLE: Know what I'm saying?
Coming up next, right here on "Hannity"--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: Get them out! President Trump during his speech at CPAC spoke about rolling out his new executive order on extreme vetting. Sean recently hosted an audience of experts from both sides of this heated political issue. We will play that for you next.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Let me state this as clearly as I can. We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: We will not be deterred from this course. And in a matter of days we will be taking brand-new action to protect our people and keep America safe.
You will see the action.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I will never, ever apologize for protecting the safety and security of the American people, I won't do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: That was President Trump at CPAC earlier today previewing his plans to issue a new extreme vetting executive order on immigration in the coming days. Last week, Sean Hannity hosted a studio audience on that very subject with experts on both sides of the issue. Here is part one of Hannity's look into extreme vetting, the Islamist threat.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: Joining us tonight, the founder and president of the Center for Security Policy and assistant secretary of defense under President Reagan, Frank Gaffney is with us. From the Nur-Allah Islamic Center, Imam Muhammad Siddeeq is with us. Former deputy national security advisor for President Bill Clinton and former U.N. ambassador and CEO of Soderberg Global Solutions Nancy Soderberg is here, New York City mayoral candidate Bo Dietl is in the house, also founder and chairman of American Muslims for Trump Sajid Tarar is with us, national spokesman for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Qasim Rashid is with us, former New York federal prosecutor and former special counselor to the U.S. senator and House Judiciary committee John Flannery is here, retired marine Steve Gern who just had 50 million hits on social media, Act for America president Brigitte Gabriel, and from the Islamic House of Wisdom Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi.
All right, let me welcome you all to the program. Show of hands, let's start with that. How many you think radical Islamists are at war with America, show of hands? No? Why?
JOHN FLANNERY, FORMER FEDERAL NEW YORK PROSECUTOR: Because I don't accept the term "Islamist."
HANNITY: If people indoctrinate and kill in the name of Islam, in other words, if you tell your child that 72 virgins await you in heaven if you go blow up innocent men, women, and children, is that not radical Islamic terrorism, is that not taking a religion, perverting it, and turning into what they call jihad, holy war against infidels?
FLANNERY: Isn't it the fact that we have Christians in America who call themselves dominionists who would take over the government --
HANNITY: Is that a bigger problem than radical Islamists?
FLANNERY: I don't know. There are more Christians in America than Muslims.
HANNITY: Name the most recent attack by one of these individuals.
FLANNERY: I can't name an attack by any individual --
HANNITY: Chattanooga, Boston, San Bernardino, the Pulse nightclub --
FLANNERY: OK, San Bernardino, not one of the seven states, correct? Take Florida --
HANNITY: But we have 72 people since 9/11, the judge in Seattle got it wrong, 72 people, Frank Gaffney I'll throw it to you that we know are from these seven countries that in fact have been charged with terror related incidents.
FRANK GAFFNEY, THE CENTER FOR SECURITY POLICY: We have. It's preposterous to suggest that there isn't some connection between what these people believe, which they call sharia, and their desire to impose them on the rest of us which they think is Allah's will.
HANNITY: What you're describing is the caliphate?
GAFFNEY: It's their aspiration, it is their belief that it's God's will to impose sharia worldwide under a sort of theocratic arrangement which would enable them to have a caliphate.
HANNITY: Is that convert or die, is that what you would say?
GAFFNEY: It applies to people who aren't of the book, convert or die. It applies to people of the book, you get one other choice, and that is to live as a slave. These are systems that have been established for 1400 years. They are not American values, and I think the president is absolutely right to say we don't want them here.
HANNITY: Who else says they don't think we're at war with radical Islam?
QASIM RASHID, AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY USA: Fundamentally we're not. So one, since the Oklahoma City attack, there have been 40 terrorist attacks by white supremacists in America as well.
HANNITY: Evil is evil.
RASHID: It is evil. I think the issue we have as Muslims is affiliating these terrorists like ISIS, 97 percent of whom their victims are Muslims, with Islam. Nothing in Islam says convert or die, nothing in Islam says death to the infidel. The word jihad means a struggle against evil.
HANNITY: I'll throw this to Brigitte Gabriel who lived under this in your life. He is describing his view, which I know is sincere, there's no disagreement. The problem is if you look at Islamic states, if you look at Saudi Arabia, if you look at Kuwait, if you look at UAE, how many of those states women can't drive, women are told how to dress, gays and lesbians are killed, Sunni-Shia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, they do the same thing.
Christians and Jews are persecuted. There are 16 countries, talk about a ban, that if you have an Israeli passport you don't get to go in their country. So under sharia, a Muslim states as practiced by multiple states it is as radicalized and it could be, true or false?
BRIGITTE GABRIEL, ACT FOR AMERICA PRESIDENT: It is radicalized because they are practicing sharia law, and sharia law is no friend of Muslims -- of Christians and Jews and anybody who's a non-Muslim. And I understand what he's talking about, that's the new caliphate. They started in the 20th century. That's very different from a caliphate and an Islamic state that had started 1,400 years ago and now continues and now is resurrected in Iraq and Syria. The world is facing -- the world was at a crossroads. We are facing a clash of civilization between western values and western values and Islamic civilization and Islamic values which are very different.
HANNITY: How many agree that there's a clash of civilizations, for example, if you come from a country where women can't drive, they're told by men how to dress, marital rape is legal, that gays and lesbians can be killed, that Christians and Jews are persecuted, and people from those countries that they grow up under want to come to this country, does anyone agree that's a class of civilization? Yes or no?
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: How may disagree it's not a clash?
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Bo Dietl?
BO DIETL, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: Sean, back in the late 70s, early 80s, I did security for the royal family of Saudi Arabia. I made two dozen trips over to Riyadh. And I was over there during -- I watched on television, the killing of 100 people for various different crimes. Women were not driving. Women had a veil up and all that. It's a different society. They cannot come, the people cannot come and impose that society in America. The gentleman sitting next to me, he's a reformed type of Muslim. He agrees.
HANNITY: As Brigitte pointed out, again, this is the 20th century. We're not talking about an advanced --
GABRIEL: But truly, truly, a woman, gay, or anything like that, you go to Saudi Arabia, it ain't going to happen.
HANNITY: Let me go to Imam. How are you, Imam?
IMAM MUHAMMAD SIDDEEQ, NUR-ALLAH ISLAMIC CENTER: I'm fine, Sean. First of all, the moment you put the name Islam in front of it, you have negated any negativity that can follow it. That's all we're trying to say.
HANNITY: He didn't answer my question. Are countries that are majority Muslim, run under sharia law, many of whom wouldn't accept somebody with a Jewish passport, many that tell these women how to dress, many that don't punish marital rate, many that killed gays and lesbians, I'm asking you, that's all done in the name of Islam, sir.
SIDDEEQ: They do it in the name of Islam, they're wrong. All we're trying to tell you is Islam is a universal concept.
HANNITY: But it's happening in so many countries. Wait a minute, and here's the thing, if you grew up under those values, how do you come to America and just dispense of them, and how do you know you're going to get rid of those values.
NANCY SODERBERG, FORMER CLINTON DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: First of all, just step back a bit. Nice to see you.
HANNITY: How are you?
SODERBERG: I'm great. There are 7.3 billion people on earth. Over a billion of them are Muslims. We are not at war with a billion Muslims.
HANNITY: Did anybody say that?
SODERBERG: Yes, you are because you're saying there's a clash of civilization.
HANNITY: Excuse, no, no, you're not going to put words in my mouth. No, no, no. I said if you practice sharia like Saudi Arabia, like Iran, like Kuwait, like UAE --
SODERBERG: You said we're in a clash of civilizations with Islam. We're not.
HANNITY: I never said those words. You're not listening. I said radical Islam. There's a difference. We all agree there's a difference?
(CROSSTALK)
SODERBERG: Let me just finish. We're not in a class of civilization with the Muslim world, which some of the rhetoric surrounding this issue would imply. We are at war with those who subvert the Islamic religion to do us harm and others harm.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUILFOYLE: Coming off, more of Sean's audience show, extreme vetting, the Islamist threat. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUILFOYLE: Welcome back to "Hannity." Here's part two of Sean's audience show, "Extreme vetting: the Islamist threat," where they debated the left's talking points that President Trump's executive order was a Muslim band. As we mentioned earlier, the White House is expected to roll out a new executive measure next week. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANNITY: Is anyone here going to that this a Muslim ban, these seven countries? Really? You're good to see that, Imam? Let's put up on the screen, because we'll look at the list of countries that are not included, Afghanistan. I'll read it all. Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan. Look at this, Bangladesh, 156.1 million, they're not included, or Indonesia, 258.3 million Muslims, not included, or Egypt, 94.6 million, not included in the list. It keeps going. And then you have Kuwait and Kosovo, and all these other big countries. Or look at Pakistan which has 201.9 million Muslims. How could you say seven countries that the Obama administration identified, that this is a Muslim ban when all those countries aren't included? How do you say that? That's ridiculous.
IMAM MOHAMMAD ALI ELAHI, ISLAMIC HOUSE OF WISDOM: First of all, Sean, listening very patiently to everyone, and I think Sean is not fair, this fear-mongering and hatemongering that you are promoting. It is really, I'm talking about Islamic threats. There is no such thing as Islamic threat. The real threat is ignorance and injustice and arrogance and these powerful propaganda.
HANNITY: Are you calling me a liar, Imam? Imam, wait a minute, you're questioning my integrity. I have one request. Name one thing on this show that I said tonight that is not true. Name one.
ELAHI: It's not personal.
HANNITY: No, no. You said I'm propagandizing. It's personal now. You made it personal. I have one request. Name one thing that I've set on this show tonight that is not true. The floor is yours. Name one. Name one.
ELAHI: It's not personal.
HANNITY: No, no, no. You said I'm propagandizing. You made it personal. Name one things that I've said on this show tonight that's not true.
ELAHI: The Islamic threat is not true.
HANNITY: Name one.
ELAHI: The Islamic threat is not true.
HANNITY: Tell that to the people of San Bernardino, Chattanooga, Fort Hood.
ELAHI: That's not Islam. Some Muslims, and some Christians, some Jews --.
HANNITY: They do it in the name of your religion.
ELAHI: They are radicals.
GABRIEL: They are radicals, but they are not running around with machetes cutting people's heads off --
(CROSSTALK)
GABRIEL: We are not seeing Jewish terrorism around the world. We are not seeing Christian terrorism around the world. We're not seeing Buddhist terrorism around the world. We are saying Islamic terrorism around the world.
FLANNERY: She has made a bigoted remark.
(CROSSTALK)
FLANNERY: That is too bigoted. She said there is Muslim attack around the world. That is bigoted.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Everybody slow down. Here's the reality, though. All of these murders that are happening in every terrorist event, there is a common theme. Allahu Akbar. Hang on. We haven't gotten you in. Go ahead.
SAJID TARAR, AMERICAN MUSLIMS FOR TRUMP: What I wanted to say that you haven't brought up yet, the radicalization in this country, the second generation. My biggest fear right now is the guy who killed in Orlando, he was a second-generation refugee, the guy who planted the bombs here in in New York, he was a second-generation refugee. The guy who went to the Minnesota mall, he was a second generation Somali refugee. So these are my issues.
HANNITY: You are the founder of Muslims for Trump. My question is the imam, who called me a propagandist a moment ago, I'll accept your apology later. The imam says is there anything I've said in the show that is not true?
TARAR: No, you are very right. And as a matter of fact, to be honest with you, give me a second to explain why Donald Trump and Muslim, because I saw the allegiance in him. We are victim of these radicals and terrorist organizations. They have killed more Muslims, and we have more in sight.
HANNITY: I have one follow-up question. So I show the imam the list of 40 some odd countries, 90 percent of the world's Muslims are not impacted by this, but he insists on calling this a Muslim band.
TARAR: Not at all. This was Obama's list.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Imam, do you want to apologize now?
ELAHI: In reality the countries that attacked us, we are welcoming them. The country that we attack them, we ban them. So we bomb them and now we ban them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUILFOYLE: Coming up, we'll play more of Sean's audience show on extreme inventing, the Islamist threat. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUILFOYLE: Welcome back to "Hannity." Next week the White House is claiming to roll out a new executive order related to extreme vetting. Here's more from Sean's audience show with experts on this very issue.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANNITY: We have seen this death to America, burning flags, death to Israel, burning flags, this radicalism that has emerged. And I look at this and I'm like, OK, how do we ever ascertain if somebody in Iran wants to escape persecution, which I imagine there are people. I wouldn't want to live there. Anyone want to live in around? Imam, would you? Would you like to go back there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I used to.
HANNITY: I'm asking Frank a question. I want to know if you want to live there. And so the point is, somebody wants to come here, how do we ascertain what's in their hearts? Do they come here with good intentions, want to assimilate, become part of our family, or do they bring those twisted chanting death to America values, how can you ever vet that?
GAFFNEY: I would offer a suggestion. It's not a panacea but it's a way ahead. And there will be a disagreement about it, but I think it comes down to do they embrace or seek to impose sharia? You discern it in part by their conduct, their expressed statements, and, if possible, by establishing before they come here that they're actually engaged in that program.
And I just want to clarify this, Sean, because it's a fundamental mistake a lot of us make. Sharia is actually integral to the authoritative practice of Islam. This is not something that is hijacked or manipulated. And those who say otherwise are defying actually what is the traditions of Islam. If they do they're either engaged in lying for the faith, or they don't know the truth.
HANNITY: Steve Gern, you've been on the ground. You did a video that went viral supporting extreme vetting. You've seen it. You've been there. Am I right or is the imam right?
STEVE GERN, U.S. MARINE STAFF SERGEANT (RET): We need to do the extreme vetting. Let me just tell you one thing real quick is all the terrorist attacks that we had the United States, some of those attacks obviously were on the TVs in the location where I was at. And I can assure you right now that the individuals there were pleased to see the attacks against the Americans, they were pleased. So how exactly can you say, OK, I can allow you to come into our country if you are happy to see Americans being killed?
SIDDEEQ: First of all what Mr. Gaffney is saying, hang on.
HANNITY: Let the imam speak now.
SIDDEEQ: Nothing guides Islam but the Koran. You can't say sharia law guides the Koran. The Koran guides sharia law.
HANNITY: What about those people who pervert your religion?
SIDDEEQ: These are the people. That's not the Koran. I'm not saying also to my beloved marine right here, he has to also look at a couple things, and I'm in agreement with this, but have you put yourself where shocking and awe rained down on your people leaving hundreds of thousands of people wiped out. These people are not rationally think it. They're angry.
HANNITY: So you're blaming America.
SIDDEEQ: I'm not justifying it.
HANNITY: Let Steve respond.
GERN: So what do you do when somebody comes from one of the seven countries, they come from one of the seven countries, they've been vetted, they've been brought into United States, and we think they're good. And then all of a sudden somebody gets a hold of their family there in one of the seven countries, takes them and says now today, what you're going to do is you're going to commit jihad, and if you don't do that I'm going to kill your family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUILFOYLE: Coming up, more "Hannity" right after the break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUILFOYLE: Welcome back to "Hannity." Unfortunately, that is all the time we have left this evening. As always, thank you for being with us. Don't forget to set your DVRs so you never miss an episode of "Hannity." And please be sure to follow me on Twitter @KimGuilfoyle. Sean is back on Monday. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.
END
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