Sanctions are working against Iran, and as it is "lashing out," the Trump administration is acting "absolutely appropriate" with the steps it has taken to protect U.S. allies and assets in the region, Rep. Michael Waltz said Tuesday.
"Inflation is spiking," the Florida Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "You have a series of labor strikes...since the president lifted the waivers, in terms of Iran being able to export its oil, they have dropped from 2.5 million barrels per day to less than 400,000."
That has caused Iran's government to "externalize the problem," which is creating an "external crisis," said Waltz.
He also said Iran's pressure on Europe is "blackmail," as it is trying to create a narrative blaming the current issues on the United States for pulling out of the Iran deal.
"That ignores the fact that Iran is supporting terrorism all over the region and Syria, Iraq, Yemen," said Waltz. "It is holding Americans hostage as we speak."
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has also blamed Trump's actions and called on the United States to reinstate the Iran nuclear deal, and Waltz said she is ignoring the "fact of history," from the Beirut bombings to the deaths of more than 500 American soldiers during the Iraq War.
"At the end of the day, they are emboldened by a perceived weakness, and deterred by strength," said Waltz.
He also on Tuesday commented on the Trump 2020 rally taking place in his home state noting that a win in Florida is important to a presidential race.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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