China should ‘do more’ to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East: John Kirby
President Biden's national security spokesman John Kirby joins ‘Fox News Sunday’ to break down Iran’s latest attack on Israel, arguing that Biden has worked ‘very hard’ to keep tensions from escalating.
This is a rush transcript of ‘Fox News Sunday’ on April 14, 2024. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SHANNON BREAM, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: I'm Shannon Bream.
Unprecedented attack. Iran launches hundreds of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles at Israel last night, with a vast majority intercepted by Israeli, U.S. and other allies. The question now: what's next?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BREAM (voice-over): Israelis celebrate as they survive a night of terror with little damage on the ground.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe that we won today. We taught the Iranians valuable lesson. Israel would not go down without a big fight.
BREAM: Now a flurry of diplomacy to try to stop the conflict from escalating.
We'll speak with White House national security communications adviser, John Kirby, and Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana.
Then --
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: On Monday, in New York City, I will be forced to sit, fully gagged. I'm not allowed to talk. Can you believe it? Like all true communist show trials, this is what you call a communist show trial.
BREAM: President Trump headed to court in his New York hush money case, the first ever criminal trial of a former American president.
We'll speak with a member of Trump's legal team, attorney Will Scharf.
And --
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What has happened here in Arizona is a new inflection point.
BREAM: A controversial ruling from a swing state's highest court puts the nationwide debate over abortion rights front and center on the campaign trail again.
REPORTER: Did Arizona go too far?
TRUMP: Yeah, they did. And that will be straightened out. It's all about states' rights.
BREAM: Our Sunday panel weighs in on what Democrats are trying to seize as a political advantage.
All, right now, on "FOX News Sunday".
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BREAM: Hello from FOX News in Washington.
Now to the latest headlines on Iran's attack on Israel. President Biden releasing a statement last night condemning the attack in the strongest possible terms and praising the extraordinary skill of U.S. service members in the region who helped Israel take down nearly all the incoming drones and missiles. G-7 leaders will hold a video conference this afternoon to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Tehran, but will that be enough?
In a moment, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby is with us live.
But, first, we've got team coverage from Lucas Tomlinson at the White House and Trey Yingst in Israel.
Trey, we begin with you.
TREY YINGST, FOX NEWS FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: Shannon, good morning.
Overnight, hundreds of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones were launched by Iran toward Israel. Most of these projectiles were actually intercepted by fighter jets and Israel's missile defense systems outside of Israeli territory, some of them slip flipping past though and slamming into the ground across this country.
We could see here on the skyline of Tel Aviv as Israel's advanced Arrow system worked to intercept some of this missile and drone fire launched by Iran. We do understand after the attack took place that included air raid sirens in Jerusalem, Israel's largest city and explosions overhead, that there was a phone call between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Also, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaking with his counterpart, Secretary Lloyd Austin.
This afternoon, the Israeli war cabinet is meeting here in Tel Aviv at the Kirya, Israel's version of the Pentagon, trying to determine if and how Israel will respond.
Earlier today, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOAV GALLANT, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: The campaign is not over yet. We must remain alert and attentive to the instruction published by the IDF and home font command. We must be prepared for every scenario. Having said this, we have thwarted the most significant wave of the attack and we did so successfully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YINGST: Israel must walk a delicate line here. They don't want Iran to feel emboldened to launch attacks from their own territory toward Israel but they also don't want to drag the region into a broader war -- Shannon.
BREAM: Trey Yingst, working around the clock for us. Thank you so much.
We head over to the White House now where we find Lucas Tomlinson.
Good morning, Lucas.
LUCAS TOMLINSON, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Shannon, for years as a senator, Joe Biden was skeptical of missile defense. Last night, it saved Israel.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our commitment to Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad.
TOMLINSON: One week after criticizing Israel over its war in Gaza, President Biden pledged the full support of the U.S. military to defend the Jewish state in the run-up to last night's attack.
Biden rushed back to the White House yesterday afternoon from his house in Rehoboth Beach one day after saying he expected an attack from Iran soon.
Biden huddled with his national security team here at the White House in the Situation room.
In a statement, Biden praised the actions of U.S. forces, quote: we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles. U.S. officials say 70 of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched from Iran were shot down by American warships and fighter jets.
REPORTER: Mr. President, what is your message to Iran in this moment?
BIDEN: Don't.
TOMLINSON: A word repeated by Biden and his cabinet for months.
BIDEN: To any country, any organization, anyone thinking of taking advantage of this situation, I have one word -- don't.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Don't.
LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Don't.
TOMLINSON: Former President Donald Trump weighed in last night.
TRUMP: The weakness that we've shown is unbelievable and it would not have happened if we were an office. You know that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TOMLINSON (on camera): Later this morning, President Biden will host a call with G-7 leaders to discuss the diplomatic response to Iran's attack on Israel. The Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise says he wants to rush a new bill to get more aid to Israel and perhaps include some aid to Ukraine and Taiwan as well -- Shannon.
BREAM: All right. Lucas Tomlinson, live at the White House -- thank you, Lucas.
Joining us now, White House national security communications adviser, John Kirby.
Welcome back. Always good to have you with us.
JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER: Thanks, Shannon. Good to be here.
BREAM: Okay. I want to play something the president said just a couple of days ago about where we are in our support of Israel in light of the Iran attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad. Let me say it again, ironclad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BREAM: That's a word we've heard again and again.
But "Axios" reporting this morning that President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu during a call on Saturday that the U.S. will not support any Israeli counterattack against Iran. That's according to a senior White House official.
So where are we with Israel with respect responding to this attack?
KIRBY: Well, I think first we need to see what the war cabinet decides in terms of -- the -- whatever next step they want to pursue and that's a sovereign decision, of course, that our Israeli counterparts have to make.
But I don't think you can look at what happened last night in any way shape or form and not come away convinced that the president meant every word he said, ironclad commitment.
I mean, several hundred drones and missiles launched in the course of several hours and almost every single one of them knocked out of the sky and they didn't make it into Israel.
And that's -- that's not by accident. That's a terrific testament to the superiority of the Israeli military, but also to our own military superiority and the effort, the risk, the resources that President Biden committed to helping defend Israel.
BREAM: But what are we saying to them now about a response they may choose?
KIRBY: I think -- again, it's going to be up to the Israelis to decide what -- what the next step is here.
I would just say this: President Biden since the beginning of this conflict has worked very hard to keep this from becoming a broader regional war, to keep the tensions from escalating -- everything he's done, everything he's moved in the region, every decision, every discussion that he's had is all designed to not let this become a broader regional war and that's where his head still is.
BREAM: So we have been very public -- this administration -- about critiquing Israel's moves, especially when it comes to things like moving into Rafah, which they say Hamas is an existential threat that remains there, yes, hiding behind human shields. But we've been managing that a bit. Are we also going to manage how they respond to Iran?
KIRBY: Well, again, I think we have to wait and see what the Israelis decide to do.
I don't know. I've been around allies and alliances my whole professional life and I can't think of a single one where if it's a real alliance where you can't -- you can't have honest conversations with one another a little bit every now and then and take issue with the way something might be done.
We're not bashful about that with our good friend Israel, but the other thing we're not bashful about and certainly President Biden's not been bashful about is making sure that when we say we're going to help Israel defend itself, my goodness, we're going to -- we're going to put something behind that and we did that last night.
BREAM: All right. You know there are a number of critics, most of them on the GOP side of the Hill, who say we shouldn't be in this position, that there are things that were done by this administration that let Iran think it had an opening here or others that would go after Israel.
Senator Marsha Blackburn among those posting on X last night. She says: Under President Trump, Iran was broke. President Biden gifted them billions of dollars and then naively said "don't". "Don't" is not a foreign policy.
We also heard from Congressman Michael Waltz, like you, a veteran who's worn the uniform. He says this about us refusing to be tougher on Iran at the U.N. Here's a bit of that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MICHAEL WALTZ (R-FL): Last year, we refused to push the U.N. to renew sanctions on Iran's drone and missile program. Now, they're literally flying towards Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BREAM: You know the conversations about unfreezing assets, about waivers on sanctions.
KIRBY: Yeah, yeah.
BREAM: Could this administration have been tougher on Iran? Did it sense an opening?
KIRBY: It's hard to look at what President Biden has done with respect -- with respect to Iran and say that he hasn't been tough on Iran, that we haven't put pressure on them, that we haven't -- additional 500 sanctions, additional resources --
(CROSSTALK)
BREAM: But also relieving sanctions.
KIRBY: -- in the region.
And let's take a look at that ballistic missile. Okay, so they launched more than 100 ballistic missiles and how many got through? And the reason it didn't get through is because President Biden made sure that we pre- positioned forces in the region to help Israel shoot them down, so this vaunted ballistic missile program of theirs didn't turn out to be so vaunted last night.
BREAM: But why not support something that would have stopped that program or at least contained it in some way so it's not launching it Israel and we aren't having to get it involved defensively with them?
(CROSSTALK)
KIRBY: Again, Shannon, just look at the -- the sanctions that we put in place against Iran. Look at the resources we put in this in -- into the region. It's hard to take a look at what President Biden has done and say that we've somehow gone soft on Iran.
It was the previous administration that decided to get us out of the Iran deal. And now Iran is so much dramatically closer to potential nuclear weapon capability than they were before -- before Mr. Trump was elected.
BREAM: Is it not fair to say though there have been moves by this administration that have opened up cash and other opportunities for them which we know are fungible in ways that are not helping the Iranian people but are benefiting the elites and people there who chant "death to America" and "death to Israel"?
KIRBY: You and I have had this fungibility argument before. I obviously take a different issue or take an issue with that characterization. The sanctions relief that has come about or -- it's not even sanctions relief but the additional funds that have been made available to Iran due to sanctions relief program that the Trump administration put in place can only be used for humanitarian goods. It doesn't go to the regime.
And the idea that the regime was somehow felt like they were freed up to support these proxies because of that, it just doesn't comport with the facts. They have been supporting these proxies for many, many years.
BREAM: And it comports with their language though, saying, we will use this money in the way that we want to use it.
KIRBY: They can't. They physically can't do that.
BREAM: Okay, let's talk about China because there's plenty of reporting that the administration had been talking to China, wanting them to use their influence with Tehran to sort of head off these attacks.
KIRBY: Yeah.
BREAM: They've been a number of visits. Secretary Yellen is just back. Our presidents have been speaking. Secretary Blinken is supposed to be going to do meetings in China as well.
But this comes at a time, first of all, that we know China is the number one oil customer for Iran, and also this week reports that they are supplying critical elements to Russia to help it, you know, gin up its weapon system and be able to go after Ukraine.
This relationship with China does not seem to be working to our advantage. They don't seem worried about any of the warnings from us, any of the visits from us.
KIRBY: Well, look I won't dispute the fact that China can do more, China should do more in terms of the Middle East, in terms of the relationship that they have with Tehran, and yes, we've asked them to use that influence to a positive effect. I'll let President Xi speak to what he is or wasn't - - isn't willing to do, but they have not put that kind of pressure on -- on Tehran, and we certainly want them to do that.
But China's also not the leader in the region that maybe they want to be or to claim to be. The United States however, as demonstrated last night, very much is in a leadership position in the region.
BREAM: Let's talk about aid because that was one of the first things that heated up again last night. Number of senators, House members taking to X and to other places issuing statements saying it's time to get aid for Israel passed.
The House has done a standalone measure for Israel. Obviously, the bigger package the White House would like to see has come through the Senate.
What would you like to see this week? Would the White House sign something that comes as a standalone aid measure for Israel if it gets to the president's desk?
KIRBY: You know, you take a look at last night and you take a look at what's happening on the eastern flank there in Ukraine and around the Donbas -- speed, time is of the essence.
And the fastest way to be able to support our partners in Ukraine and our ally in Israel is to move forward that -- with what the Senate passed in a bipartisan way, that bipartisan bill gets the funding to Ukraine, it gets the funding to Israel, it also helps us on the Indo-Pacific and the border.
And we know, Shannon, that if that bipartisan legislation gets to the floor in the House, it will pass. There's enough votes for it.
So our message is to the speaker: get that on the floor, let's get it voted on so that that aid can get to Israel and to Ukraine in the fastest possible way, and not have to go back to the Senate for renegotiating.
It's -- it's solid. It's a solid piece of legislation. They should move on it.
BREAM: If they don't, though, and send you something standalone, would the president not sign an aid bill for Israel?
KIRBY: I won't -- I won't get ahead of the president's decision space one way or another. I mean, we'll -- we'll have to see what -- what makes it his way -- it makes the way to his desk.
But again, the fastest way to support our friends is to move that Senate bill forward and get it on the House -- on the House floor.
BREAM: Well, the House sounds as if it's going to change up its schedule this week and get something -- try to get something moving.
KIRBY: We certainly hope so.
BREAM: So, we'll see if it's that Senate package.
Admiral, always appreciate your time.
KIRBY: You bet.
BREAM: Thank you so much.
KIRBY: Thank you.
BREAM: All right. Joining us now, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana.
Senator, welcome back to "FOX News Sunday".
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): Uh-huh.
BREAM: Okay. So your response to the calls by -- listen, there are Democrats and Republicans, and you heard Admiral Kirby say that they want that Senate package to get done. The speaker hasn't moved it in the House.
What's your message to both of these bicameral institutions today?
KENNEDY: Well, I think my position is pretty clear. I love Israel. I despise Putin. I despise the Communist Party of China and I despise the Ayatollah in Iran. I don't want America to be the world's policeman but I don't want those guys to be the world's policeman either. And with -- with those guys if you turn the other cheek you just get it in the neck.
More sheep is not going to solve the wolf problem. I expect -- I don't know but I expect the Speaker of the House probably next week to put an Israel bill, Israel support bill on the floor of the House. I think it will be followed by a bill to support Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. And number three, I think he will put a bill to support Ukraine.
Now, I think his bill is going to make the money alone -- alone and away in. I think it will require Ukraine to pay it back. I think we will see some Russian assets to pay for it. I think the bill will be limited to military aid, not humanitarian aid. And I think there will be some strong encouragement to make Europe which is vastly more wealthy than -- than Russia to do a better job of putting its money where its mouth is. And I think the bill will pass.
It'll come back to the Senate. And unfortunately, I predict that if it comes back to the Senate the big issue on those bills will not be -- of Ukraine. The big issue will be Israel because it is clear that President Biden is -- is being influenced by the Hamas wing of the Democratic Party.
BREAM: Well, to that point you've got Senator Sanders there one of your colleagues who says in a piece in the "Boston Globe" this week. He said, not another nickel to Netanyahu. He -- he says, "Does America want to be on the side of history of standing with people who are child killers and creating starvation?" I mean those are his words. He seems determined to block anything going to Israel.
KENNEDY: Yes. And in the past 60 days, we have seen President Biden go wobbly into his -- in his support of Israel. And today, the White House has already leaked to the press early this morning that they're not going to participate in an Israeli response to what Iran just did.
Let me say it again. More sheep is not going to solve the wolf problem. My advice to the President today for what it's worth, Mr. President don't, stop it. Support Israel with respect. Go to Amazon and buy a spine online. Peace through weakness never works. Not with these hard, hard men.
BREAM: What about the issue of Rafah and the fact that there are more than a million civilians. Many of them are refugees from other areas within Israel. They were told to evacuate there. They're there now. We know that Hamas uses them as human shields but the fact is they're there. You know the U.S. is weighing in on this. We are cautioning them. We are also indicating we're not going to be supportive of a mission there. Israel says getting to Hamas is, you know, extinguishing an existential threat for them. But what are we to do about the civilian population caught in the middle of this thing?
KENNEDY: Move them into the Sinai Peninsula. Now, that would require the consent of Egypt. We send billions of dollars a year and aid to -- to Egypt. Egypt gets billions of dollars of free money from the international monetary fund that America controls. We need to sit down with it with Egypt and say we're moving the refugees into Sinai and we're going to do to Hamas what we did to ISIS and Al-Qaeda. Egypt will not like it but I think Egypt will understand why we're insisting on them doing that.
Now, if -- if the refugees don't want to move that is their choice. But there is a simple answer to this. If we just show a little bit of fortitude.
BREAM: Well, we know Egypt would not be for that plan as you said. They're not going to like it. We'll see what measure of -- what measure of leverage the U.S. have there.
(CROSSTALK)
KENNEDY: Of course, they're not, Shannon.
BREAM: Because they -- they feel that it may actually violate a treaty, they've got with Israel. But let me get to this. The U.N. Security Council is going to meet this afternoon. Not known for being pro-Israel. What do you expect to see there this afternoon?
KENNEDY: A lot of blah, blah, blahing. Probably our -- our State Department will go along with it. Look our State Department they're pretty good at diplomacy and they're pretty good at haggling over language at a U.N. summit. But they're not good for much more. They -- we're in a -- we're in a bar fight here. And the -- the State Department wants to -- to quote Plato and Socrates and Beowulf.
In the last 60 days, they've already gone wobbly in their support of Israel. The President says it's ironclad. Come on man, the American people may be poor under Biden but they're not stupid. We need to stand with Israel. It's very clear. We're not at war with Hamas. Israel's not at war with Hamas or Hezbollah or Yemen. Those are all surrogates for -- for Iran. Those are they're prostitutes. The pimp is Iran. Israel is a war with Iran. Iran hates Americans. Iran hates Jews. Iran wants to kill Americans and Jews. And if we turn the other cheek to them we're going to get it in the neck.
BREAM: All right, I want to ask you quickly too because there's talk about --
KENNEDY: That's my opinion.
BREAM: -- whether you guys will move aid this week. But you also are expected to receive. Now, with everything that's happening this may have changed but the House sending over articles of impeachment for Secretary Mayorkas with respect to the border.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says it is absurd. The House hasn't proved anything. He's going to get rid of it very quickly. I know you feel differently about that.
KENNEDY: Well, the United States House of Representatives has impeached a cabinet official. Made serious charges after a thorough investigation. As I said last week we're not talking about -- about some snowbro who eats chicken McNugget and smokes weeds and has an opinion. This is the United States House of Representatives.
In the past 200 plus years we've had 21 impeachments by the United States House of Representatives. We've always held a trial in the Senate unless the impeached official quit. We ought to do it now. Senator Schumer is coming up with all kind of excuses and -- and -- and talking about how many lawyers can dance on the head of a pen. He's trying to muddy the water to make it look deep.
It's not deep. It's simple. He doesn't want to have the United States Senate examine Secretary Mayorkas' and President Biden -- President Biden's open border policy that the American people are so upset about. And that's not a good reason to violate 200 years of precedent.
My advice to Senator Schumer is same as to the President. Don't. Follow Senate precedent. Let's stop the Senate from -- from rotting from within.
BREAM: Well, we'll see if that makes it onto the calendar. Senator, thank you. Always good to see you.
BREAM: Up next, General Keith Kellogg here to break down how Israel's defense systems worked last night. What we learned about Iran's capabilities and what comes next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BREAM: Video of some of the drones in the air over Iraq and Jerusalem last night. There is widespread praise for the actions of Israeli, U.S. and other allies. Their prowess taking down almost all of the more than 300 drones, ballistic and cruise missiles that fired in from Iran.
Joining us now, our own expert, Keith -- General Keith Kellogg for a closer look. General, good to have you with us.
LT. GEN. KEITH KELLOGG, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Hi, Shannon.
BREAM: OK, so this is what we had incoming from Iran over to the targets in Israel. There are a number of defensive weapons that Israel has. The Arrow, David Sling, Patriot Missiles, the Iron Dome, the Iron Beam. What can you tell us about how it all worked last night?
KELLOGG: Yeah, Shannon, well it's an integrated system when it comes to air defense. We have to remember the allies were there too. Both the Brits, the Saudis were there, the Jordanians were there, we were there with the aircraft.
So it was a comprehensive defense that you saw. Because what the attack that came in was the largest swarm attack that we've ever seen in history. And there's frankly no putting the genie back in the bottle after this one.
It was a very complicated attack. When they had to use all the systems they had, meaning the Israelis from the Arrow system, that's their high-end system. That's the anti-ballistic missile system. The David Sling is one down, and then the bottom one is the Iron Dome. So they had to use everything in conjunction.
With 300 drones coming at you, you know, you have to get that comprehensive attack to prevent that comprehensive attack, and they were doing it. They did it pretty effectively.
But here's something to remember in the back of everybody's mind is, because now they're saying, OK, well now we go back to the respective corners. No. 99% of those things were destroyed in route coming in. Think about the attack that they had on us after we killed Soleimani. They sent 16 missiles, 16. This was 300 drones and missiles as well. So this is one of those, how the Israelis are going to react. You're not going to go back to the respective corners. The genie's out of the bottle. Now where do they go?
BREAM: So I want to put up a look at the assets that we have in the region. There are concerns, because you heard me talking with Admiral Kirby about this, the fact that apparently our President has telegraphed to Israel. They don't want to be involved. The U.S. will not support a massive counterstrike. We do have a lot of assets in the region. But what does this mean now with the back and forth? You say the genie's out of the bottle. How does it resolve? Because Iran says, it is concluded. We're done. I'm guessing Israel doesn't feel the same way.
KELLOGG: They don't feel the same way. And look, you can have all the assets in the world. You can have more than one carrier battle group, like the Eisenhower battle group. You add another one, like the Ford battle group, whatever you want to put in there. It's not the amount of assets that you have. It's the will to use those assets going into a fight and going into danger.
And when we should have basically said to the Israelis, we've got your back, full stop. Don't go any further. Not that we're not going to support a comprehensive strike from the Israelis back on the Iranians, because they will -- they will go back. That doesn't mean they're going to go downtown. That doesn't mean they're going to go after the Ford nuclear facility. But they will respond to a degree because they have to.
You know, it's sort of like dancing with a bear. You know, you don't decide to stop dancing when you want to. You stop dancing when the bear wants you to stop. And I think now the Israelis are the bear, and the Iranians have got to realize that. You've got to reestablish deterrence in the region. And the only people really establishing deterrence in the region are the Israelis, not us.
BREAM: Well, we have a lot of assets to do that. We will see how this now plays out as we wait, General. Thank you for giving us some of your expertise.
KELLOGG: Thanks, Shannon. Appreciate it.
BREAM: OK. Joining us now from Tel Aviv is Sharren Haskel, a member of Israel's Knesset, serving on the Finance and National Security Committee. She's also, of course, served in Israel's military.
Sharren, welcome to "Fox News Sunday."
SHARREN HASKEL, KNESSET MEMBER: Hello. Thank you so much for inviting me.
BREAM: I want to ask you about all of this cautionary tale that we're hearing from here in the U.S., from our sources saying that the President has told Israel that they don't want to be involved, the U.S. in a major counteroffensive. What's the mood there in Israel this morning? And would you expect, after we've told you numerous times our defensive view is ironclad that the U.S. will come to your offensive if it comes to that?
HASKEL: Yes. Well, what's the mood here in Israel? We've just been through a very terrifying intense night. I mean, as a mother of three babies, we've prepared our shelters with mattresses and supplies of food and water. And so it was very tense.
And I think we were a bit relieved this morning. We're relieved because this cooperation between Israel and America has actually provide us also an incredible defense for our family and for our children.
It means that this vicious and violent attack by Iran on our communities, on our nation, was intercepted in 99 percent. And it means that the money that we've invested, billions of dollars and the best minds and our heart and time into defending our country, actually worked.
And maybe I'll use this opportunity to thank the American government and the American people for cooperating and for, you know, for the love and the support that we received from you.
BREAM: By contrast, there are videos coming out of Iran of people there celebrating in the streets.
I know that you have talked though about the fact that you believe the Iranian people, for the most part, are being oppressed, and that they actually need to be rescued from their own leaders.
Is there any scenario in which that happens, because there's been a stranglehold for decades on that country where the people who do attempt to step up and protest their leadership there meet oftentimes with very terrible ends?
HASKEL: Well, absolutely. I really hope that happens. And it needs to happen as quickly as possible. The Iranian people need to be free of this oppressing and violent regime.
I mean, if you look around the world, those marches that you see in support of Israel, the Jewish community are marching hand in hand with Iranian communities, with Iranian refugees, because they understand the real force and the real -- the biggest instigator of terror in the Middle East and in the rest of the world, which is Iran. And we have a mutual goal and it is to fight it together.
I mean, Iran is attacking not just Israel. Iran is the most destabilising (ph) force that we have. It's attacking our values. This is radical Islamist regime that's attacking our values, the way that we live, our liberties, our freedom. And it has to be stopped.
If this attack from last night would have happened in any -- to any other country, the results would have been devastating with probably thousands of dead.
And I think that that's approved for the rest of the world how important it is for all of us to stand together against this violent and devil regime.
BREAM: Well, we know Israel is facing threats on many, many fronts.
Knesset member, Sharren Haskel, we thank you for your time.
HASKEL: Thank you very much.
BREAM: So back here at home, the campaign trail still heating up. Former President Trump out rallying supporters in Pennsylvania last night, a key critical swing state just ahead of President Biden's swing through that same state next week. We'll break it all down with the panel, they're next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BREAM: Now the check on your headlines out of Israel, Iran fired more than 300 drones, ballistic and cruise missiles towards Israel overnight. Nearly all of them intercepted by Israeli, U.S. and other allies.
Iran launched the response in retaliation for the deaths of top Iranian leaders at a consulate in Syria this month which Tehran blames on Israel.
President Biden is convening a video conference meeting this afternoon with other G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response it says to Iran's brazen attack.
Time now for our Sunday group, co-anchor of "AMERICA'S NEWSROOM" on the Fox News Channel, Dana Perino.
DANA PERINO, FOX NEWS HOST: Good morning.
BREAM: Former Democratic congressman -- Tennessee congressman, Harold Ford, Jr. Former Bush White House adviser, Karl Rove. And Semafor politics reporter, Shelby Talcott.
Welcome to all of you.
KARL ROVE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you.
BREAM: OK. Now, we planned for a lot of different topics, but let's talk about foreign policy since that is the day -- that is our story of the day.
We have policy polling from Fox News in recent weeks about things like Hamas, how the president is handling China. On all of these foreign policy fronts, he's deeply underwater.
And "The New York Times" and "Siena" have brand-new polling out this weekend saying that voters give Mr. Trump significantly higher marks on his handling of foreign conflicts.
Dana, it's already -- he was part of his speech last night. It's sure to be part of the campaign trail.
PERINO: I -- you know, every week we see something that could be seismic in this campaign. It could be the Dobbs decision and then Arizona and the ruling about abortion. It could be the CPI report. The inflation number coming out. That's big. And then you add this a possible potential of World War Three, right?
I think there's something to be said about the administration's saying, don't. By they say don't to Israel. They say to the migrants, don't come.
There's very few things that are working when it comes to saying don't. But now they're also saying to Israel, don't --
BREAM: Mm-hmm.
PERINO: -- retaliate. And I think that pre-October 7th, you might have been able to say that to Israel and they would have said, OK. I -- look, we can manage it.
They're in a different mindset now.
BREAM: Mm-hmm.
PERINO: And let's look at this in a way that says, our allies, we worked well together. The Saudis joined in.
BREAM: Mm-hmm.
PERINO: The Jordanian joined in. The U.K. was there. And the U.S. and Israel all working together.
And I think it's not right to tell Israel. You can't have some sort of a cost to Iran for doing this. And that's benefit from the fact that everybody was moving in the same direction.
Biden and Netanyahu, it's like they want to press on the gas and the brakes at the same time. And if you do that, you end up --
BREAM: Mm-hmm.
PERINO: -- turning in circles. And so somebody needs to figure out a way to help Israel do what they need to do with the help of their allies in a way that gets them in the right direction.
BREAM: Yes. And it raises all kinds of other conversations about what the foreign policy of this administration is.
"RealClearDefense" had a piece that went through all these things. The Taliban returning to power in Afghanistan. Russia invading Ukraine. Hamas invading Israel. China increasing its pressure on Taiwan. China and Russia getting closer. And it goes on and on and on.
I mean, Harold, this -- there is this very long list that this White House is going to have to confront.
HAROLD FORD, JR., FORMER UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: Well, first off, happy Sunday. It's good to be with you.
I'd say a few things. People say that foreign policy or the people look the polling instead of foreign policy doesn't weigh in on voter's minds heavily and it's not ordinarily at the top. I would differ.
I think when Karl and Dana were in the White House, the '04 reelection, foreign policy was at the forefront. They said to the American people, you haven't been attacked in that John Kerry campaign. 1980 Ronald Reagan was elected, I think on a foreign policy issue. And in 2016 Biden was helped.
The litany that you just enumerated are things that this White House is going to have to deal with in a -- in a more forceful way.
This issue here in the Middle East is -- I think that region is more susceptible to a blow-up more so than it's been since perhaps the early '90s, late '80s, early '90s. And it feels different this time because of our proximity to it through technology and the way we're able to access it.
I don't know. As I listened to Senator Kennedy and even Admiral Kirby, the options we have, because I listened to Senator Kennedy, I don't know. Should we go to war with Iran?
What happens in the region if the offensive a response in the Israelis? And I agree with Dana that we should not tell the Israelis not to respond, but we have to be willing to share. This is what will happen if you go for it as aggressively, as you say, you -- that you plan to.
This is a tough pickle that we're in. And I think one of the things we should do is two things in America. First, the White House should say, we're standing with Israel, we're ironclad with them. And anybody suggests otherwise is wrong.
We massively coordinated with them. Without our help, there would have been more of those missiles that would have landed.
And two, the Congress, Democrats, and Republicans. We should provide Israel. We should provide Ukraine. And we should provide Taiwan every tool and resource they need.
For those of us who believe we should do at the beginning, this is the beginning. Actually, it's really the middle. But if we don't do it now, we will disadvantage our allies even more.
BREAM: Well, while this is another tough political issue for the White House that they're going to have to deal with one more -- that they do want to be talking about is this issue of abortion. Because we saw what happened in the Arizona Supreme Court rolling. We saw the vice president out there in Arizona making the case about reproductive freedom.
And here is a member of Congress, Greg Stanton who is a Democrat from Arizona saying this. "I've never seen anything like this in terms of people just viscerally angry that this has happened in our state. They are not going to walk to the polls in November. They're going to run to the polls in November."
And, Karl, that's a key critical swing state.
ROVE: It is absolutely. I've got a weird view on this that Trump is already being hit, president -- former president for having said, women should be punished if they take an abort -- if they have an abortion. Or in 2017, he said, he was in favor of a national ban. And he's been hit as the architect of Dobbs by appointing his people to the Supreme Court.
And his responses to say, it's left up to the states.
BREAM: Mm-hmm.
ROVE: I think he gets advantage by talking more about this. I think -- I'd take as my lesson. Glenn Youngkin in Virginia. They talked about it for three weeks in the closing days of the mid -- the off-year elections for the legislature. And they said, we're in favor of 15 weeks with three exceptions, rape, incest, life of the mother, parental consent, showed empathy on the issue.
And they want every House of Delegates district that Joe Biden carried by 10 points or less and every democratic state Senate seat won by Joe Biden by nine points or less.
My only criticism would be, what would have happened if they talked about it for four or five weeks, maybe they would have found the 2,000 additional votes to take the House of Delegates.
BREAM: Mm.
ROVE: So the president -- the former president, it strikes me, is advantaged engage, tell people more than just your -- you want to lift up the states.
If you were in a state like Arizona, be reasonable and say, I'm not in favor of unlimited abortion like Joe Biden is. I'm not in favor of abortions in the second and third trimester.
But I'm empathetic and understand this terrible decision that women have to make. And he might be advantaged by that rather than just simply saying, I don't want to talk about it.
BREAM: Mm-hmm.
ROVE: Just leave it up to the states.
BREAM: Well --
FORD, JR.: I think that they're on that one thing (INAUDIBLE).
BREAM: Well, I will say he's going to have plenty of opportunities to talk about it because it's nonstop on the campaign trail.
And he did have this long social media posting in which he in part-- he said in part Arizona to the governor to the legislature out there like, you got to do something. We're counting on you.
Now, whether they decide to preserve it for the ballot in November, something to see, but he's trying to say, look, what I pressed on Alabama, they closed this loophole on IVF. Now, I'm calling on Arizona to the same thing with abortion.
TALCOTT. What's interesting about this, and I think you make it a good point. Because when I talk to people close to the Trump campaign, they've pointed out to me that by Donald Trump talking about this issue more, it has sort of muddied the waters for the Biden campaign to attack him over it.
Because remember, a few weeks ago before Donald Trump came out and talked it all about it, they were saying he supports national abortion ban.
BREAM: Mm-hmm.
TALCOTT: Now, they're saying, well, he doesn't support the national abortion ban or he's lying about not supporting a national abortion ban, but also this is tying him to the strictest restrictions.
So they're having to explain their argument more now than they were before. And I think on the -- on Donald Trump's messaging.
It has also opened the floodgates for Republican lawmakers to sort of start talking about the issue of abortion in more political terms, right? Donald Trump has always said throughout this entire campaign that you need to be thinking about this in part from a political standpoint because you need to win the election in order to do what you want in office. And so that's been interesting to see the shift. And we're seeing more and more lawmakers come out and say some of these restrictions are too severe.
BREAM: Well, and this is - this is one of those things that we think they should debate. Fox News has signed on to a letter with a number of other media groups saying this, the stakes of this election are exceptionally high amidst that backdrop. There's simply no substitute for the candidates debating with each other. And before the American people, their visions for the future of our nation. So we've joined these other media group to say we think both the presumptive nominees should agree that they will have debates and do them before the voting begins, or at least before the November vote.
Show of hands, who thinks that debates actually happen between these two?
OK, Dana (ph).
Do you think the debates happen?
FORD JR.: I think they will. Absolutely.
BREAM: OK, so, what's a good date?
ROVE: I sure hope they do. I'm waiting for this.
BREAM: Well, we'll see.
ROVE: This is going to be the thriller from Manila. I mean this is going to be fantastic.
FORD: Well, on the issue of abortion, when he's asked, Donald Trump, will you appoint judges or justices to the - justices to the court that believe in Dobbs or don't believe in Dobbs, that's the issue. I hear you, Karl, but I don't know, in all these states, Democrats have prevailed on the abortion issue. Maybe you're right and you could be - this could be the outlier here but -
ROVE: Well, but - but wait a minute - wait a minute -
BREAM: But - and we've talked about the messaging on it is the thing. I mean Republicans have lost control of the message. Can they retake it?
TALCOTT: I think they've never -
ROVE: Yes, Alabama's an example, though, of gaining control of the message. IVF becomes an issue, they act. Problem in Arizona is that the Republicans couldn't act and they recess for a week. Quick action to resolve this in an empathetic, reasonable way is the way to go.
BREAM: OK, quickly, (INAUDIBLE).
TALCOTT: And Republicans have never been able to come to a core agreeing message on abortion. And that's really, I think, the end all, be all problem that they've had.
BREAM: All right, panel, you're amazing. Thank you very much.
Up next, history will be made tomorrow with the start of the first-ever criminal trial of a former president. We're going to sit down with one of President Trump's attorneys. Will Scharf joins us live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BREAM: Starting tomorrow jury selection of President Trump's first criminal trial will get underway. It could take days, maybe weeks. The 12 jurors ultimately seated, along with some alternates, will be asked to consider 34 felony counts against the former president in connection with money paid to an adult film star who says she had sex with Trump and then took the money to keep quiet. Each of those counts carries a possible four-year jail term.
Prosecutors are trying a novel legal theory that elevates misdemeanor charges related to falsifying business records to felonies by claiming they were falsified to conceal another crime. The case is expected to take a couple of months. It will not be televised. High-profile witnesses may include former Trump fixer Michael Cohen. The defense will try to paint him as unreliable and self-interested. It's possible former Trump aid Hope Hicks, Stormy Daniels herself, and another woman who claimed she had an affair with the president could take the stand, but will the former president?
Let's ask someone who could answer that question. Joining me now, attorney for the former president, Will Scharf.
Good to see you. Welcome to FOX NEWS SUNDAY.
WILL SCHARF, ATTORNEY FOR FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Great to be with you. Thanks so much for having me.
BREAM: OK, so the president - first of all, let's talk about jury selection. This is an area where Manhattan -- roughly 84 percent, 85 percent of the vote last time around went for President Biden. How tough is it going to be to get a jury you think can be neutral?
SCHARF: Well, I think that's a really important point. At the end of the day what we're talking about here is a show trial. It's a six-week-long media extravaganza in the media capital of the world where the only realistic consequence, even if President Trump were convicted, is frankly a talking point for the Biden campaign.
Jury selection is going to be difficult. I have a lot of faith in our team up there, that they're going to be able to get the best possible jury. But I think it's really important to note that the fact that this case is being brought at the height of election season makes the possess of picking a jury even more difficult, makes the - the possibility of having a biased jury even more likely. And that's a real problem.
BREAM: Well, the president, a couple of days ago, said he'd be OK taking the stand. And there are those out there who say - one legal analyst said, if he was my client I'd beg him not to do it.
Michael Cohen, who is also expected to be on the stand, is skeptical the president will take the stand. Here's what he said last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S EX- ATTORNEY: The likelihood of Donald Trump being on the stand is equal to the likelihood of me waking up tomorrow seven-foot-six and playing center for the New York Knicks. It's not going to happen.
The one thing that, you know, Donald - every time Donald opens his mouth, you know that something non-truthful is coming out of it. We also know that he's not a good defendant. He's not a good witness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BREAM: He does tend to get frustrated with judges, with attorneys in the courtroom. He's given to hyperbole at times. This is different than a campaign stop or a press conference. I mean it's under oath. Would - would he take the stand and do you have any worries about that?
SCHARF: I think that's going to be a decision for President Trump and the trial team depending on how the trial progresses. I would say that I think if he does take the stand, President Trump will be a compelling witness. He did nothing wrong here. The truth is absolutely on his side. So, that's a decision that's going to have to be made down the road. But one way or the other, I have full confidence in both President Trump and the team that he has around him.
BREAM: How worried are you about Michael Cohen, because he says people are going to be surprised by some of what they're going to hear. He says he's not the linchpin to this whole thing. In fact, Lanny Davis, who's been a legal advisor to him, says this. "The case against Trump involves multiple witnesses besides Cohen to corroborate the crime of paying illegal hush money under New York law, as well as under federal law, backed up to multiple witnesses, documents, text messages, telephone call records and documents."
You guys clearly are going to go after Cohen, but he says it's not just me, there are all kinds of other things that will back up my story.
SCHARF: Well, look, I'm somewhat limited in what I can say here because of the wildly unconstitutional gag order entered against President Trump by Judge Merchan in this case, which just goes to show how outrageous this whole process has been.
With respect to Michael Cohen, as we've said consistently in pleadings, this is a man who numerous courts have found guilty of perjury in the past. And I think ultimately the jury is going to have to weigh the credibility of the various witnesses. But I truly believe the truth is on President Trump's side and there's nothing that any of these witnesses or anything the New York D.A. can do to change this basic fact.
BREAM: Would the legal team consider this idea that's being floated out there of, when you get to the jury, before they get to deliberations, asking for lesser included offense, meaning, giving them an opportunity to say, we will convict on misdemeanors instead of these felonies? Or do you guys want to go for broke, it's felonies or nothing?
SCHARF: Well, one of the craziest things about this case, and you teased this a little bit in your intro, is the fact that what we're dealing with here are misdemeanor offenses that through this weird, legal alchemical (ph) process, Alvin Bragg has attempted to convert into felony offenses. If these were merely misdemeanors, there's no question the statute of limitation would not allow this case to have been brought in the first place. So, that's a real legal problem with - with the case itself, and I expect that that will play out in court in the coming weeks.
BREAM: OK. And we're out of time, but I know that you are part of the Supreme Court decision or case that's going to be argued on the immunity issue too. We'll have you back to talk about that.
SCHARF: We'd love that. Thanks a lot.
BREAM: Will Scharf, thank you.
All right, up next, we're going to take you back live to Israel to get the very latest on the ground as the world awaits Israel's response to Iran's barrage of drones and missiles amid new warnings from Iran to both Israel and the U.S., next.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: And what we now need is for calm heads to prevail. We'll be working with our allies to deescalate the situation. And I look forward to speaking to G-7 leaders later this afternoon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BREAM: We will keep track of that. That was British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this morning in London.
Iran launching an unprecedented air attack against Israel. The U.S. military helping to shoot down dozens of the hundreds of drones and missiles fired at the Jewish state.
Fox News foreign correspondent Trey Yingst is live on the ground in Israel around the clock. He's got the very latest.
Hey, Trey.
TREY YINGST, FOX NEWS FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: Shannon, good morning.
As we speak, the Israeli war cabinet is meeting, trying to determine if and how Israel will respond to this unprecedented Iranian attack overnight that included hundreds of drones and missiles. Just before the meeting began, war cabinet member Benny Gantz, the former defense minister, released a statement saying that Israel was reviewing its options and wanted to build an international coalition to respond against Iran. He also said Israel reserved the right to respond at a time and place that best suits Israel.
Right now the Israeli people are bracing for the possibility of continued attacks from Iranian proxies across the region. Remember, they are still fighting the war inside Gaza. They've faced renewed fire from Yemen and from Lebanon. And again, this fire overnight, the first time in history that Iran launched an attack on Israeli soil.
Shannon.
BREAM: Trey Yingst, we appreciate you, your team, your crew. Stay safe. And thank you for giving us a picture of - a window into everything that's going on there. We appreciate your work.
That is it for us today. Thank you for joining us. I'm Shannon Bream. Have a great week. We'll see you next FOX NEWS SUNDAY.
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END
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