Marc Short: Trump Clear All Along on Iran Deal Opposition

President Donald Trump has been clear with his opinions about the Iran nuclear deal since the 2016 campaign, White House director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short said Tuesday, before the president was to announce his decision over whether the United States would pull out of the agreement.

"When you sent $1.8 billion in cash to Iran, who uses the cash in some cases to fund terrorism across the Middle East and continue to fund rebels in Yemen, that are continuing to fight against our allies, it is hard to think that Iran is following the spirit of the deal," Short told Fox News' "America's Newsroom," while insisting he did not want to come out ahead of Trump's planned announcement.

"I think the president has been clear about his demands for a better deal, and I think that he will make his case to the American people today," Short added.

One of the concerns, said Short, is that there have been limitations on the ability to do inspection visits in Iran on the nuclear sites.

"I think, again, if they were abiding by the spirit of the deal, they wouldn't be fomenting unrest, targeting innocent civilians and funding terrorism across the Middle East and continuing to send intercontinental ballistic missiles to rebels that are fighting against our allies," said Short. "Yeah, I think that it's hard to suggest they've actually followed the spirit of the deal."

Former Secretary of State John Kerry has come under fire for his lobbying to keep the deal in place, and commented Tuesday to CNN that he does stay in touch with his former counterparts and believes the deal he negotiated should remain in place.

"Our friends are safer if we stay in this agreement. We made an agreement, Iran is living by the agreement, yes we have concerns on the missiles and Yemen and other things, but we should be working on those," Kerry told CNN.

"The Obama administration made a clear decision that working on those other issues, making progress on those, is easier with an Iran that does not have a nuclear weapon then with an Iran which is working towards one."

He also denied Trump's accusations that he has been working behind the scenes on the deal.

"I am an ex-secretary of state who has great friendships and great relationships with people around the world," Kerry said.

"I travel around the world for business and other things and I meet with people and have conversations and I stay current. That is a normal process for any ex-secretary or anyone who has been involved in public affairs."

"I am not engaged in any particular strategy or anything, but I certainly think the President should stay in the agreement. I think that America is stronger if we stay in the agreement."

"I think John Kerry's tenure of secretary of state proved to be disastrous for peace across the globe," Short said in response. "He said the chemical weapons in Syria were removed. That wasn't the case. We need to move on from his tenure and glad Mike Pompeo is secretary of state today."

Short also commented about the upcoming confirmation hearings for CIA director nominee Gina Haspel, saying she is a "great pick" to head the agency.

"Gina has devoted her entire life to serving our country," said Short. "When she graduated from high school she wanted to go to West Point. Her dad explained to her they didn't take women at that point. She graduated with honors from the University of Louisville and entered into the CIA, where she has had a magnificent career for 33 years."

Haspel has served as station chief in some of the most dangerous places in the world, Short continued, and "there is nobody that we could find who would be better qualified for this role."

It has been 52 years since a career agent led the CIA, he added, and Haspel would also have the distinction, if approved, as being the first career agent to serve.