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Trent Franks: “The arsenal of freedom must be the strongest on earth if…”

Featuring: Trent Franks, Conservative | Former U.S. House, Arizona's 8th District

In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks

Published January 12, 2023 | Video Starts at 52:19

When we weaken ourselves, when we weaken the cause of freedom, we do not further any. Any good end. We. We end up hurting everyone. The arsenal of freedom must be the strongest on earth if people are to remain in the sunlight of freedom. Yes, I do answer people what they ask, because it's baffling to me that many people who consider themselves conservatives are opposed to any assistance to Ukraine and actually believe and parrot the propaganda of Russia as published through Tass and Sputnik. (52:19–52:25)

CLAIM

Asserts that a strong military is necessary to maintain global freedom.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Trent Franks

“In the 1970s, the Democrats changed [the filibuster] from a full debate mechanism to something that prevents all debate.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 10:39-10:51
“They have the equivalent, not of 160 centrifuges, but the equivalent of the same kind of centrifuges at that time, the IR1s. Now that…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 33:58-34:13
“They have absolutely the capability of making enough nuclear fissile material for several atomic bombs every year.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 34:13-34:21
“We said, if you'll do away with your nuclear weapons, that Russia and America and the UK will stand up and defend your territorial…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 51:23-51:33
“I support [the Freedom Caucus]. I love them. I used to be one of them.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 03:51-06:05
“They [the Gold Institute] were trying to actually be on the front line to create real solutions, not just study the problem.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 04:20-1:04:25
“The Freedom Caucus [members] want to move the needle in a particular ideological direction.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 05:57-05:58
“I'm convinced that in their heart, [the Freedom Caucus members] were trying to do what they thought was good for America.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 06:27-06:34
“If we don't make appropriations, government comes to a halt because a government is what it spends.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 11:32-11:40
“The House will pass an appropriations bill that fairly accurately represents the ideals of the American people.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 11:41-11:51
“When it goes over to the Senate, if the Democrats are in control, they simply don't let something come to the floor that they don't fully…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 12:23-12:34
“If the Democrats are in the minority, they do the same thing. They simply will not allow the bills to come to the floor with the 60 votes.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 12:47-12:56
“By the time the Senate revises the spending process, revises all the appropriations bill, it's no longer indicative of even a Republican…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 13:24-13:39
“Republicans are trying to reduce spending and trying to make sure that government is more spending its, its money in ways that do not…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 14:44-14:56
“We're not willing to take the bill hostage or the country hostage to get our way, whereas, unfortunately, my friends on the Democrat side…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 16:01-16:10
“Our system, in this case, it creates a balance that doesn't work for Republicans and does work for Democrats.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 18:47-18:55
“When the Democrats finally get in power, they will change [the filibuster] and then they will do terrible damage to the country.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 19:06-19:11
“They were one vote short from being able to do obliterate this country.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 19:22-19:26
“If we don't do something different now, it should be, there is a way, if we're in control, to change it in a way that will still work for…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 19:39-19:49
“All economy is about productivity. And if you reduce productivity, you reduce the economy.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 20:57-21:03
“Free enterprise may not be perfect, but it has dragged more poor people out of the gutter and the clutches of poverty than any other…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 23:53-24:04
“Socialism is almost always the equal distribution of poverty.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 24:12-24:17
“I served with Mr. Biden for six years in the Congress while he was in the Senate and I was in the House.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 27:09-27:17
“I have never seen Mr. Biden ever take a stand based on a heart commitment that he believed was right and good.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 27:26-27:35
“The radical Islamist government in Iran has committed themselves to gain nuclear weapons by which to try to threaten the entire whole of…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 32:28-32:41
“The Iran nuclear deal was something that some of us saw coming a long way before it came.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 32:41-32:48
“There were mechanisms in the Congress...that made it possible for Democrats to have the advantage to get this Iran deal put in place.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 32:57-33:09
“I was the first member of Congress to call for Iran to be referred to the Security Council back when they only had 160 centrifuges.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 33:18-33:28
“If Iran gains the nuclear weapons capability, a true consideration of history, Saul, will point to Barack Obama being the father of the…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 34:21-34:38
“An Iranian nation with nuclear weapons will almost inevitably create some type of major war that will spread far beyond the Middle East.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 36:49-37:01
“Whatever the cost is in military terms or economic terms of preventing Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, it will pale in insignificance…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 37:12-37:31
“I am deeply, deeply committed to continuing to support [the Kurds].”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 42:44-42:48
“I've even gone on record as supporting independence for Kurdistan.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 42:47-42:53
“I'm absolutely convinced that we should arm [the Kurds] directly.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 43:03-43:03
“If we try to do that through the Iraqi central government rather than the Kurdish regional government, it just doesn't work.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 43:15-43:22
“My first amendment was to make it directly to [the Kurds]. That amendment stayed on in the House.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 43:25-43:31
“The Obama administration worked behind the scenes to take it out [of the Senate].”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 43:32-43:39
“The Kurds were the one people that stood by the Yazidis and the Christians as they were being slaughtered.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 44:04-44:10
“They are one of the main reasons or one of the main backstops against Iranian hegemony in the Middle East.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 45:57-46:06
“I admire the Kurds and want to see them be able to have as much control over their own resources as possible.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 47:48-47:57
“To lose the war in Ukraine is bad for the whole world. It strengthens Russia in a huge way.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 49:49-49:56
“Russia later invaded and we did nothing under Obama.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 51:36-51:41
“The security construct of the world is intrinsically connected.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 53:31-53:38
“It's unfortunate that sometime long ago that we didn't just overnight declare that Ukraine was a member of NATO.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 54:01-54:11
“If this should ever degrade into some sort of nuclear conflict, that would change the equation in a profound way.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 55:03-55:10
“We will not stand by and let Russia threaten the free world.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 55:41-55:47
“And that endangers our own national security.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 56:11-56:15
“The left has a way of conflating everything in the media these days.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 56:24-56:28
“This country has really taken some bad turns in the last couple of elections and it scares me to death.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 1:00:16-1:00:23
“Even when we go through dark times with Barack Obama or Joe Biden as president, even when we see the BLM moving us towards just an outright…”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 1:01:40-1:01:53
“Since I left Congress, I've been invited on 36 boards or groups.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 1:03:59-1:04:05
“One of the reasons I joined the Gold Institute is because I so deeply believed in their acumen, in their philosophy, in their commitment.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 1:04:08-1:04:15
“I encourage everybody to support the Gold Institute, because they are truly worth supporting.”
In-Depth Discussion on U.S. Politics, Iran, and Global Security with Congressman Trent Franks | Uploaded January 12, 2023 | 1:04:26-1:04:32