In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, it’s crucial to navigate the information we consume and share with a discerning eye. One recent episode from the popular YouTube channel, Triggernometry, features Dr. Sebastian Gorka, a notable figure with a controversial reputation in political commentary and government service. As the Deputy Assistant to the President during a key administration, Gorka’s insights often attract attention, but they also raise questions about accuracy and bias in the claims made during such discussions. In this blog post, we will delve into the claims presented in the Triggernometry episode featuring Gorka, scrutinizing the assertions he makes and evaluating them against credible sources. Join us as we sift through the facts and provide clarity on the topic at hand, ensuring that our audience is well-informed in an age of misinformation.
Find a fact check of this transcript on CheckForFacts
Transcript:
[00:00:00,680]: This is a historic moment [00:00:02,680]: How do you feel it’s going so far [00:00:04,340]: We have a lot of work to keep Americans and our allies and our friends safe from the scourge of global jihadism [00:00:11,060]: His demand even more than eight years ago is that if you share the threat assessment that jihadism is bad then you need to step up [00:00:20,100]: You need to be more active partners whether you’re Arab nations in the Middle East or whether you’re Western nations that have terrorism occurring on your streets [00:00:29,579]: So can you reassure sensible people around the world that in attempting to do a deal quickly Ukraine isn’t going to end up in a position that’s bad for the world and bad for America [00:00:39,880]: He’s truly horrified by what he’s seeing [00:00:42,439]: This isn’t about a quick fix and move on [00:00:44,959]: This is about stopping horror [00:00:49,720]: Seb [00:00:50,619]: Yes [00:00:50,959]: Our good friend Dr Sebastian Gorka Deputy Assistant to the President and you deal with counterterrorism above all [00:00:57,720]: We’re sitting here with the coffee cups with the President of the United States on them in the room where the American government found out Pearl Harbor had happened [00:01:04,760]: So that was a historic moment [00:01:06,879]: This is a historic moment [00:01:08,360]: How do you feel it’s going so far [00:01:11,000]: Absolutely incredible [00:01:12,180]: I pinch myself every single day not simply because of my personal reasons that I’ve been waiting about 25 years for this job but it feels like we’ve been here for seven months not seven weeks because of the pace the alacrity of what the President has achieved from ceding the border to new deals to as we are recording this he just announced from the Oval Office with Secretary of Defense Hexeth next to him the new F 47 fighter jet big secret for the last five years [00:01:39,279]: So I mean it’s just keeping up with him is one of the toughest things in life but it’s just an amazing time to be alive and it’s an amazing time to be an American [00:01:49,459]: And what do you do day to day [00:01:52,000]: So I’m the Senior Director for Counterterrorism in the National Security Council working for the National Security Advisor Mike Waltz [00:01:57,660]: And so my job is to coordinate all counterterrorism policies and activities for the President for Mike Waltz to make sure that we are well as my colleagues tell me they ask me as I bump into them in the West Wing have you killed more jihadis today [00:02:10,860]: So we have a lot of work to keep Americans and our allies and our friends safe from the scourge of global jihadism [00:02:17,320]: Well you say that in a way that will sound kind of like political to a lot of people but the President has come out and been very very clear and Tulsi Gabbard also that you guys see jihadism as one of the big threats to America which seems a bit of a pivot [00:02:35,300]: Well look it’s not a univalent situation [00:02:38,880]: There’s not one threat [00:02:40,720]: So I’ll be completely open here [00:02:43,619]: When I came into this building eight years ago for the first Trump administration my background was counterterrorism was teaching the military the intelligence community how to deal with al Qaeda and ISIS [00:02:53,800]: And I thought I’d be doing that [00:02:55,479]: And once you get the clearances and once you read the President’s daily intelligence briefing you realize there’s only one real strategic level threat to America and that’s China [00:03:06,720]: And the President understands that [00:03:08,419]: And with people like Peter Nabarro back on board people like Scott Besson to the Treasury we are dealing with that strategic level nation state threat [00:03:17,860]: But when it comes to counterterrorism look the last four years have been absolutely catastrophic [00:03:23,139]: Let’s start with Biden’s surrender of Afghanistan [00:03:25,839]: Afghanistan is the nation that gave aid and succor to al Qaeda to bin Laden prior to 9 11 [00:03:32,419]: The last administration in ways that made the Saigon withdrawal look like a walk in the park deserted Afghanistan deserted the people who had fought with us against the Taliban against al Qaeda [00:03:44,759]: Now the organization that helped the al Qaeda terrorists is back in control of that nation [00:03:52,960]: We’ve withdrawn all of our capabilities from that region to do counterterrorism as we did previously [00:03:59,580]: So when I came into the building I was told that we have an increased threat of global jihadism on the Sunni side [00:04:08,899]: Iran is now stronger than ever because Biden released tens of billions of dollars [00:04:14,199]: So the President is very serious about the threat of jihadi terrorism [00:04:19,940]: And that’s why you’ve seen one of the first actions second week of the administration is the strikes against ISIS in Somalia [00:04:27,040]: The Houthis President Trump took action just last weekend [00:04:31,260]: So yeah the President takes this threat very seriously [00:04:34,079]: And if you look at the events in Europe the Christmas market attacks you look at the events in the UK the stabbings and so forth those three little beautiful girls [00:04:41,859]: Yeah he gets it and we are taking action and it is my honor to be part of that [00:04:47,260]: It’s interesting because on the one hand Trump is saying that he doesn’t want to have this neocon attitude where he puts troops on the ground and he influences regime change [00:04:58,700]: But let’s be brutally honest Sebb Iran [00:05:01,839]: Unless you’ve sought Iran whatever that means that is the source of the poison which causes much of the disruption in the Middle East [00:05:08,640]: So you’re absolutely right [00:05:10,079]: The President is not a neoconservative interventionist [00:05:13,619]: He’s not an isolationist [00:05:14,920]: There are people who say oh he’s an isolationist [00:05:16,540]: Garbage [00:05:17,000]: America first does not mean America alone [00:05:19,619]: The fact that he strengthened NATO by getting two thirds of the NATO members to actually pay their dues which was not the case when we came into the White House the first time around demonstrates that [00:05:30,519]: But when it comes to Iran he’s not interested in regime change in terms of the 82nd Airborne going in and changing nations [00:05:39,559]: His first question is whenever we brief him why are we there [00:05:43,540]: Why do we have boots on the ground anywhere [00:05:46,040]: And his demand even more than eight years ago is that if you share the threat assessment that jihadism is bad if your citizens are being killed on your streets then you need to step up [00:05:58,140]: You need to be more active partners whether you’re Arab nations in the Middle East who are threatened by the Muslim Brotherhood by al Qaeda by ISIS by al Nusra or whether you’re Western nations that have terrorism occurring on your streets [00:06:11,179]: So it’s not up to us to change regimes [00:06:14,660]: We have to suppress the terrorist threat [00:06:17,000]: And as far as I’m concerned I would love to see the nation of Persia with all the ethnicities that are inside Iran today take back their country [00:06:25,839]: And the saddest the most cripplingly tragic thing is by the end of the first Trump administration the Islamofascist regime of Tehran was on the brink of collapse [00:06:37,339]: I mean the Iranian stock exchange thanks to our sanctions had lost more than 50 of its value in just over a year [00:06:43,660]: And now for the last four years it’s been pumped full of cash by the Biden administration [00:06:49,799]: Now the collapse of the regime in Syria has hurt them [00:06:55,079]: The real application of sanctions has also undermined them [00:07:00,239]: What Israel has done God bless Israel since the horrific loss of Jewish life on October the 7th has put Iran back on that teetering level [00:07:08,940]: But yeah we’re not to invade Iran but we would like Iran to be free [00:07:13,880]: So what does that actually mean [00:07:15,679]: Are you going to ratchet up the sanctions [00:07:18,459]: Absolutely [00:07:19,040]: It’s happening right now [00:07:20,459]: And what else [00:07:21,380]: Is it just that [00:07:23,619]: There’s certain things I can’t discuss but when it comes to economic pressure political pressure working with our allies we are following right now what’s called the maximum pressure campaign [00:07:35,940]: So they use every element of national power which is not kinetic in terms of finance intelligence economics sanctions to just squeeze that regime until it just loses control of this fascist system it’s put in place since 1979 [00:07:57,040]: Because that is not only the only challenge obviously you also have the situation in Gaza the ceasefire has just been broken [00:08:04,279]: This is going to take a long time to sort out [00:08:07,980]: Yeah look with regards to Gaza the people of Israel the Prime Minister the IDF I think have finally come to the realization that when a population has a majority upwards of 80 percent that agrees with the horrific attacks of October the 7th you don’t solve that overnight [00:08:30,959]: I mean this is the shocking reality of Gaza that you have a population that thinks and I’ve watched the unedited versions of what happened October the 7th [00:08:39,960]: I was allowed to see young girls being slaughtered children being blown up [00:08:45,500]: When you have a population that says that’s good and we agree with that that’s not going to be fixed with a piece of paper saying you know we have peace and things are normalized [00:08:56,859]: Right now Israel quite rightly is making sure that that certain piece of territory cannot be used to affect mass casualty attacks against the peoples of its nation [00:09:07,219]: And I think that is a very reasonable approach [00:09:09,919]: You’re not going to fix it overnight [00:09:10,960]: So do you think people don’t understand this [00:09:12,900]: Like I think even I feel like I probably didn’t understand [00:09:16,119]: Before we start I hope you don’t mind me mentioning you were on the phone with an American hostage who’d just returned from the Middle East [00:09:22,320]: And you’re literally there on the phone saying you know welcome back to America [00:09:27,260]: Most people are so our lives are so far away from that [00:09:30,059]: And I think understanding any conflict really but Gaza in particular it just feels like I don’t think people get it really [00:09:39,020]: Do you know what I mean [00:09:39,460]: But how could they [00:09:40,380]: I mean and I’m not making excuses [00:09:41,840]: Yeah [00:09:42,640]: If you come from where you come from if you come from the former Soviet Union if your family comes from Venezuela if like my father you literally escaped a political prison we understand that there are things in life more important than the Wi Fi signal strength at Starbucks [00:10:02,780]: This is what I always say [00:10:03,739]: What’s the biggest problem somebody who grew up in the West has [00:10:07,799]: Well I’ve only got two bars on my Wi Fi when I’m at Starbucks [00:10:10,780]: And I’m not being facetious [00:10:12,320]: Really what is the biggest problem [00:10:15,299]: Is it the fact that you may be slaughtered this weekend like the Alawites were just a few days ago in Syria [00:10:22,179]: Literally a thousand unarmed civilians families you can watch the videos mowed down because they belong to the wrong ethnic religious group [00:10:34,880]: The West has had it very very good for about 70 years [00:10:39,239]: And as such can you relate to you know a man who you just heard me have a conversation with who’s been in a Taliban prison for more than two years [00:10:49,140]: How do you even compute that when your biggest problem is you know I’ve run out of things to binge watch on Netflix tonight right [00:10:58,320]: It’s hard to you know what do they say [00:11:00,640]: You know easy times breed soft men [00:11:04,200]: That’s where we are today [00:11:05,539]: It is where we are [00:11:06,719]: And one of the things you know we’ve the three of us have been friends for a long time [00:11:10,500]: One of the things I’ve always liked about you is you’re very very pro President Trump [00:11:14,479]: Of course you would be but you’re not an ideologue [00:11:16,979]: You’re a pragmatist [00:11:17,719]: And one of the things that I think you would concede is you can’t focus on everything at once [00:11:22,200]: So one of the challenges is as you guys more on China and on the threat of Islamism which are both big serious threats [00:11:30,320]: Obviously the Russia Ukraine thing you know the President I think is quite keen to wrap that up [00:11:36,799]: But I don’t have to be a critic of the President to observe that he promised they would be done on day one [00:11:43,059]: And right now a lot of people are saying you know it looks like Donald Trump may have met his match in terms of negotiations [00:11:50,780]: You know how do you feel about that [00:11:52,640]: So first and this isn’t because my first degree was philosophy and theology [00:11:57,119]: I really do believe this [00:11:58,359]: Words matter [00:11:59,080]: You called me a pragmatist and not an ideologue [00:12:03,280]: I could take that [00:12:04,599]: I could take umbrage at that and consider that an insult [00:12:07,760]: Because you know pragmatism has been used as a slur as a pejorative [00:12:10,979]: Oh I meant it as a compliment [00:12:12,340]: No I know [00:12:12,840]: But let me unpack that comment [00:12:15,320]: Because and I came to this through an amazing friend of mine Bob Riley who wrote the Closing of the Muslim Mind [00:12:23,260]: I don’t have an ideology and neither does President Trump [00:12:27,479]: This is really incredibly important to understanding who this man is [00:12:31,059]: Because I came to realize thanks to Bob that what an ideology is is a distortion of reality [00:12:38,460]: An ideology is a lens through which you interpret objective truth [00:12:44,719]: I don’t have a lens through which I interpret objective truth [00:12:49,239]: I have the truth [00:12:50,979]: And for me that’s what a conservative is right [00:12:53,960]: Because you can say okay conserve [00:12:56,659]: Conserve what [00:12:57,940]: Conserve that which has been demonstrated to function over millennia like families [00:13:03,380]: Like you know a man is a man a woman is a woman [00:13:06,099]: It’s good to have a father when you’re a young child [00:13:08,760]: These aren’t ideological statements [00:13:11,260]: They’re not permutations of a reality [00:13:13,840]: They are a reality [00:13:14,780]: And the way to understand President Trump is he looks at the world as it is [00:13:20,719]: He doesn’t put an overlay neoliberal neoconservative [00:13:25,940]: No [00:13:28,760]: There’s a moment in the first Trump administration where he was being briefed at the cabinet level [00:13:35,200]: And the then National Security Advisor who was a former tank commander had this whole massive set of PowerPoint slides as you do in the U S military [00:13:48,659]: And each slide started with the same sentence [00:13:52,799]: The Islamic government of the Republic of Afghanistan will [00:13:58,359]: The Islamic government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will [00:14:04,280]: Every page [00:14:05,320]: And the president before we start the briefing he just looks at this and he says what government of Afghanistan [00:14:13,539]: He’s absolutely right [00:14:15,020]: There was no functioning government in a Westphalian sense [00:14:18,640]: They didn’t exercise sovereignty over a nation with 36 languages and you know 24 disparate tribes [00:14:26,320]: That doesn’t fit into the elite way of looking at the world because you’ve got to have labels [00:14:31,599]: You’ve got to have IR theory international relations theory [00:14:34,299]: You’ve got to have an ideological bent a stamp on your forehead [00:14:37,559]: He doesn’t have this [00:14:38,419]: You can’t be one of the most successful men in business for 50 years if you have an ideological filter through which you see the world [00:14:45,400]: So that’s important to understand about the president [00:14:47,320]: If you want to know him read the book [00:14:49,239]: I tell people you don’t have to love my boss but read The Art of the Deal if reality is his metric not some kind of predefined ideological lens [00:15:01,739]: With regards to Ukraine look I’ll be completely honest here [00:15:07,460]: There’s nobody else in the world who’s going to fix this [00:15:09,039]: It’s only going to be President Trump [00:15:10,500]: And I look at the current deal from Moscow [00:15:14,340]: You know as well as anyone else what the ceasefire on energy targets really means [00:15:21,119]: It’s a face saving gesture [00:15:23,900]: The Kremlin cannot say yes we agree to your terms and we’re going to have a 30 day ceasefire as the Ukrainians agreed to [00:15:31,179]: They’re going to give us a little bit of concession so they still look tough [00:15:35,479]: That’s completely the standard operating procedure of a former KGB colonel who’s now president [00:15:41,359]: At the end of the day as I said to the BBC recently name me one other political leader in the world who’s going to bring peace to the country [00:15:49,239]: No one would deny that President Trump is the person [00:15:51,900]: But he hasn’t met his match [00:15:53,960]: He hasn’t [00:15:54,719]: Well the Russians have rejected the ceasefire [00:15:57,359]: The deal isn’t being done [00:15:58,880]: Right [00:15:59,119]: But let’s go outside of negotiations [00:16:04,020]: At the beginning of the war three years ago if there’s a thing that comes out of the UK from double I double S called the military balance it’s an artifact of the Cold War where you have all the militaries of the world listed in terms of their power how many men how many ships how many nuclear weapons whatever [00:16:21,919]: So it’s a ranking of all the world’s militaries [00:16:24,380]: When the war began three and a half years ago Russia was ranked second in the world in terms of military might [00:16:31,979]: Ukraine was ranked 22nd [00:16:36,479]: 22nd [00:16:37,539]: So who’s met their match [00:16:40,659]: I think Moscow’s met their match [00:16:43,419]: When somebody who’s ranked 20 positions behind you basically fights you to a standstill which they’ve done [00:16:52,679]: At the end of the day look you know better than anyone else [00:16:56,059]: Everybody talks about the Brandenburg Gate speech tear down this wall Mr Gorbachev talks about you know the pressures economically inside the Soviet Union [00:17:06,739]: What was one of the first chinks in the army [00:17:08,619]: Nobody talks about this now [00:17:10,420]: Nobody talks about this now [00:17:11,739]: When was the first sign the Soviet Union was heading towards collapse [00:17:17,079]: When after nine years of war in Afghanistan Soviet grandmothers Soviet mothers publicly protested at their 19 year old children their sons their grandchildren being shipped home from Afghanistan in cardboard boxes [00:17:38,979]: That’s not very long in the memory of the Siloviki nomenklatura of the Soviet system [00:17:46,939]: So there’s a point at which the Kremlin has to say OK guys let’s sit down [00:17:53,180]: They’re not going to do it fast but they have to sit down [00:17:56,640]: Chaos comes in all shapes and sizes [00:17:59,260]: Last week a guest showed up late because they couldn’t find a studio and we had to juggle schedules on the fly [00:18:05,300]: Talk about stress [00:18:06,239]: But here’s the thing [00:18:07,680]: While some chaos is unavoidable your e commerce business doesn’t 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your shipping today [00:19:13,239]: Go to ShipStation com and use code TRIGGER to sign up for your free trial at ShipStation com [00:19:20,619]: Code TRIGGER [00:19:21,660]: ShipStation [00:19:22,819]: Make ship happen [00:19:25,099]: Well Seb you know us [00:19:27,339]: We come at it from a very realistic perspective [00:19:29,800]: We’re not trying to catch you out or anything [00:19:31,339]: But let me share my concerns and perhaps you can address them and the concerns that a lot of people share [00:19:36,839]: What I’m saying is I understand why America needs to focus on China [00:19:42,260]: I understand absolutely understand particularly from the UK why Islamist terrorism is a big problem [00:19:47,500]: But the concern is in the desire to focus on those things there may be a sense of unnecessary like how do you say unnecessary urgency is not what I mean but like let’s just get this deal done no matter what happens [00:20:01,660]: And then you get a deal for Ukraine that means that this invasion is repeated the next time [00:20:07,479]: Let me just finish this because it’s President Trump’s no longer in office [00:20:12,459]: So whatever strength he has you know you’ve got let’s say Biden comes back out of the cardboard box and he’s president right [00:20:19,920]: And then Putin can invade again because there’s no permanent security because we rushed the deal now because we needed to focus on other things number one [00:20:26,959]: Number two is there are a lot of small countries as you well know with your Hungarian ancestry in Eastern Europe who are very concerned about Russia [00:20:35,760]: To them this idea that Vladimir Putin is a scary guy is not theoretical because they know history right [00:20:42,099]: And a lot of places around the world elsewhere that have powerful enemies smaller countries are going to look at this and go well look if there is no order in the world if it’s the strong against the weak we need to get nuclear weapons and protect ourselves right [00:20:54,839]: So can you reassure sensible people around the world that in attempting to do a deal quickly Ukraine isn’t going to end up in a position that’s bad for the world and bad for America [00:21:05,760]: Absolutely [00:21:06,619]: There’s nothing about what the president is doing that is driven by a sense of haste [00:21:13,900]: What’s driving the president number one and the left won’t believe this and the mainstream won’t believe this but it’s fine [00:21:20,619]: I know the man better than they do [00:21:22,800]: He’s truly horrified by what he’s seeing [00:21:25,319]: That comes across [00:21:26,560]: Doesn’t it [00:21:27,420]: 100 [00:21:27,939]: I said it on Question Time like a week ago [00:21:30,500]: Whatever you may say about him the fact that he clearly wants the human suffering to end comes across completely authentically [00:21:37,560]: But that’s the number one thing [00:21:38,959]: That’s the number one thing [00:21:40,339]: And when my boss the Nash screw advisor who’s the first ever Green Beret special forces officer former Green Beret to serve in that position in Jeddah or was it Riyadh says we have to stop the meat grinder of Ukrainian men and Russian men he means it [00:21:58,880]: This is a man who’s fought the Taliban in Afghanistan [00:22:01,400]: He knows what a meat grinder looks like [00:22:03,599]: So number one this isn’t about a quick fix and move on [00:22:07,199]: This is about stopping horror [00:22:10,439]: And secondly and I Julia why did you do this [00:22:14,380]: Julia Hartley Brewer just didn’t get it last week [00:22:18,099]: She was obsessed as so many are with we need that piece of paper [00:22:21,500]: We need that security guarantee [00:22:23,339]: We need Western nations to you know NATO membership or something [00:22:27,079]: And I’m like hang on a second [00:22:29,260]: First read the NATO treaty [00:22:31,099]: The NATO treaty is explicit [00:22:32,400]: It’s only 14 paragraphs long [00:22:34,020]: And it states you can only be a member of NATO if you are a functioning representative democracy who can contribute to the alliance [00:22:41,760]: Just two requirements [00:22:43,199]: You’re not a functioning representative democracy when your territory is occupied right [00:22:48,119]: Just like you’re ruled out [00:22:49,540]: You’ve got to be in control of your territory [00:22:51,719]: And then you’ve got to be able to the NATO alliance or the Budapest memorandum [00:23:01,020]: Remember that [00:23:02,339]: What the president offered Zelensky [00:23:05,380]: This is the biggest mistake in terms of analyzing the whole peace process [00:23:11,900]: If you sign a trade deal a rare earth minerals deal with America you will have thousands of citizens on your soil [00:23:22,939]: Now that’s a guarantee [00:23:26,060]: Not a piece of paper [00:23:28,760]: Big U S companies U S personnel [00:23:33,400]: That’s when inimical nations think twice [00:23:37,739]: Okay let me give you a counter example scenario [00:23:41,380]: The president of Russia whether it’s Vladimir Putin or whoever five years down the line says Mr President Mr [00:23:49,380]: President Joe Biden Hunter Biden whoever right [00:23:52,880]: We’re invading [00:23:53,939]: You’ve got a few thousand of your people digging stuff out of the ground [00:23:56,859]: Get them out now because we’re invading tomorrow [00:23:58,579]: America is going to go to nuclear war with Russia over a few thousand contractors [00:24:02,180]: No you’re not [00:24:03,640]: You’re going to pull them out [00:24:05,119]: So let’s be clear [00:24:08,180]: The safety of Ukraine is a function of who’s in the White House [00:24:13,920]: And to your hypothetical scenario let’s be clear [00:24:18,839]: When was it invaded on multiple occasions [00:24:21,760]: Agreed [00:24:22,439]: Under Obama [00:24:23,680]: Yeah [00:24:23,939]: So I can’t give you a foolproof guarantee of no war on Europe if a Democrat is in this building [00:24:32,459]: If President Trump as he is for the next four years and then maybe J D [00:24:37,280]: Vance for the next eight years it changes the geopolitical calculus of the Kremlin [00:24:44,020]: But a Democrat will be in this building at some point [00:24:46,939]: But that’s not something I can prevent [00:24:49,280]: I know but I know [00:24:50,660]: But neither will a piece of paper [00:24:56,126]: That’s why Europeans are talking about peacekeepers because it’s the only way to Yeah but can we again stick to the real world [00:25:04,546]: Europe has been talking about military forces under the EU since I cut my teeth on NATO issues 1997 [00:25:12,966]: It’s cloud cuckoo land OK [00:25:16,106]: The idea that we have NATO with target force goals with commands and then suddenly you’re going to replicate stuff when you can’t afford to actually run your health care services when you’re having debates upon retirement benefits [00:25:31,026]: Let me have a cold shower effect on those who are thinking that Europe will suddenly duplicate NATO and then deploy assets to parts of the continent that aren’t members of the EU [00:25:44,866]: I’ve heard this story for 30 years and it never amounts to anything [00:25:50,306]: If you want to look it up look up CFSP Common Foreign Security Policy from the 1990s [00:25:56,626]: Look up Common Defense Forces [00:25:58,326]: The EU’s been talking about this for decades [00:26:00,566]: As far as I’m concerned as somebody who’s been doing this for a long time it’s all talk [00:26:04,126]: There’s America there’s Article 5 and there’s NATO [00:26:07,186]: And there’s leaders who unlike Biden don’t say well if Putin invades it depends upon the size of the invasion which is what he said [00:26:17,106]: You’re inviting trouble [00:26:18,066]: It’s about American leadership and the systems at work which at the moment and for the last 70 years is NATO [00:26:25,446]: Sir what would you say to those people who are saying that the reason Trump is being quite friendly to Putin and speaks about him in quite glowing terms in some instances is because he is worried that if he alienates Russia to such an extent and they side with China that is going to cause major problems for the globe [00:26:45,106]: No look I’m not going to speak for the president but I know that any rapprochement between Beijing and Moscow is a tactical one [00:26:56,446]: These are nations that are in dire competition with each other [00:27:00,206]: And we can discuss the demographics and the economics of all that [00:27:04,406]: But no let’s be very honest [00:27:06,486]: When you want somebody to come to the negotiating table do you call them a murderer [00:27:12,626]: Do you call them evil [00:27:13,586]: Or do you want to actually get them to the negotiating table [00:27:16,006]: This is the asinine request of the mainstream media during the first Trump administration [00:27:20,786]: Why are you talking to Putin [00:27:22,286]: Why are you talking to Xi [00:27:23,566]: I mean it’s far more important to look at what the president does when he’s talking to them [00:27:27,526]: One of the most important things the president did in the first administration is when we briefed him and this is now declassified that there are chemical weapons about to be put on aircraft in Syria to target civilians in Syria [00:27:41,126]: When the president was briefed this this is under Assad he said turn that aircraft base into a sheet of glass [00:27:47,526]: We launched 52 cruise missiles literally just obliterated this facility [00:27:52,326]: As what was happening at the same time Xi Jinping was in Mar a Lago having a state banquet [00:27:58,026]: And the president you can see the footage right now leans over Xi and through the interpreter as Xi is eating the best chocolate cake in the world says I just thought you should know I just dropped 52 cruise missiles on Syria [00:28:11,786]: He didn’t invade Syria he didn’t do a regime change but he sent a message to who [00:28:17,006]: Not just Assad who’s going to use chemical weapons again against his own citizens because they are from the wrong ethnicity [00:28:23,726]: He sent a message to Xi he sent a message to Kim in Pyongyang and he sent a message to Putin [00:28:30,986]: This is not a man to be trifled with [00:28:33,026]: The prior administration talked about red lines and then what happened [00:28:37,806]: The red lines were crossed again and again and again [00:28:40,586]: And they said well we don’t talk about red lines [00:28:45,426]: You do bad stuff and we act and we act decisively in ways that change the complete geopolitical reality [00:28:53,606]: I mean look at what happened with the Houthis last weekend [00:28:55,946]: The president was told that a US ship has not been allowed to traverse that waterway for the last year without being fired upon and that 147 times US vessels have been shot at by the Houthis [00:29:08,326]: And he said well that ends now [00:29:11,866]: Sort it out Secretary Hexeth CENTCOM turn the Houthis into dust [00:29:17,406]: That’s not red lines that’s not empty promises that’s not well it depends what kind of military invasion Putin’s going to affect [00:29:23,626]: No it’s taking action to make sure maritime freedom of the sea lanes is affected [00:29:30,446]: That’s Donald Trump [00:29:31,206]: And I think most bad men who run countries understand that language [00:29:38,086]: Well we’re talking about bad men who run countries [00:29:40,906]: And I’ve been speaking to a lot of Australians particularly high ranking Australians in government and so on and so forth [00:29:47,346]: And they’re very concerned with China and its covetous eyes towards Taiwan [00:29:52,926]: How I mean let’s be blunt here do you think that’s going to happen the invasion of Taiwan [00:29:57,866]: And how long do you think it’s going to take [00:30:02,146]: The first thing I’d say with regards to the PRC and to the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army ironically named as it is is that a lot of what China says about its military capabilities is very good propaganda [00:30:16,666]: Yes they are the number one strategic adversary for the United States [00:30:20,566]: Yes for the 100th anniversary of the revolution in 2048 they wish to be the only hegemonic power in the world with every other nation a satrapy or a tributary state [00:30:32,346]: Nevertheless don’t believe the hype when it comes to all the things they say about their capabilities [00:30:37,186]: For things like that to occur you have to have very large scale expeditionary forces [00:30:44,166]: Not just a lot of guys in uniform but the capacity to project them like America can [00:30:49,746]: Nobody can touch us when it comes to protection of forces [00:30:53,526]: However I’m not diminishing the level of threat [00:30:55,766]: Literally two days ago I was with a very high level Australian delegation here in the White House and they understand that the threat to their part of the world the influence China is exerting and buying amongst smaller weaker nations of the region is very disturbing [00:31:14,986]: The president gets it [00:31:17,346]: But again I would say the bad men understand who the commander in chief is [00:31:23,306]: I cannot guarantee in the future how they will look at this building but for the next four years and maybe the next 12 years under J D [00:31:30,926]: Vance they will understand this is not a building to be trifled with [00:31:34,846]: Because one thing that I don’t think people understand is China’s tentacles extend to South America and particularly Venezuela [00:31:42,166]: Correct [00:31:42,486]: Now my family in Venezuela tell me about Chinese investment [00:31:45,406]: And Africa [00:31:45,906]: Yeah [00:31:46,446]: But it’s more pertinent for America the fact that Venezuela is only a couple of hours away to Miami and you’ve got Hezbollah training on the island of Margarita [00:31:56,366]: You’ve got Iran [00:31:57,286]: This is a very serious problem [00:31:59,426]: Quite literally you have enemies stationed in the Caribbean [00:32:02,786]: No [00:32:03,266]: And we’re fully aware of that [00:32:04,646]: I mean as I said I’m a counterterrorism guy but I’m fully cognizant of the fact that the only peer level threat we face is China [00:32:14,226]: A China that is let’s be honest acting in a neo colonialist fashion not just in Venezuela not just in our hemisphere but Africa [00:32:23,286]: Talk to the leaders of the African states where communist China goes in promises infrastructure investments but at what cost [00:32:30,706]: Oh we’ll build that port for you but we’re going to own it for 50 years and we’re going to put a military base next to it [00:32:35,786]: We are fully aware of this fact [00:32:37,846]: Seb I thought you made a really good point earlier when you talked about the fact that President Trump has got Europeans to start paying their way when it comes to NATO [00:32:45,146]: And as you well know we’ve been talking about this for a very long time [00:32:48,366]: So I’ve got nothing against that and everything for that [00:32:52,106]: But also I do think there is some truth to the charge that is being made that you are nicer to your enemies than you are to your friends just in terms of the way that you talk [00:33:01,086]: Not you personally but this building let’s say [00:33:05,226]: But do you think there’s some truth to that [00:33:07,466]: As a man and as a father let me ask you a question [00:33:11,146]: Do you judge a man by what he says or what he does [00:33:14,106]: You judge a man by what he does absolutely [00:33:16,906]: So there’s what is said and then there’s the reality of what is done right [00:33:22,166]: And I would say it’s like who was it [00:33:25,426]: It was that great journalist who wrote the best description of Trump derangement syndrome [00:33:34,526]: I think it was eight years ago Selena Zito who you should have on your show if you haven’t [00:33:39,706]: Selena said President Trump’s supporters don’t take him literally but take him seriously [00:33:46,686]: And everybody says oh my gosh he said what [00:33:48,826]: They take him literally but they don’t take him seriously [00:33:53,366]: Look at Gaza [00:33:54,406]: Let’s talk about Gaza [00:33:56,626]: When the President Trump said we’re taking over Gaza what did he mean [00:34:02,336]: People said oh my gosh it’s going to be Gaza Lago [00:34:05,186]: Is it going to be gold plated hotel towers coming out of the Middle East [00:34:10,046]: No [00:34:11,606]: But analyze what happened [00:34:14,046]: He makes a comment [00:34:16,206]: Certain nations of the region have a fit [00:34:18,766]: Oh my gosh how dare he say that for 24 hours [00:34:23,326]: And then the selfsame nations three days later who’ve done nothing for the Gazans for 50 years say huh maybe we should invest in the future of the Gazan people [00:34:38,026]: So again this is the art of the deal [00:34:41,646]: Everybody likes to talk about the Overton window [00:34:43,726]: You’ve got to enlarge the Overton window [00:34:46,246]: President Trump does not enlargen the Overton window [00:34:49,106]: He takes a sledgehammer to the frame the walls the roof and he blows it out of the water [00:34:55,606]: And then he does what [00:34:57,746]: He engenders radical discussion [00:35:02,086]: Countries who’ve done nothing for that benighted region say you know what yeah I don’t like that Gaza comment but maybe we should finally do something [00:35:10,586]: That’s how President Trump should be judged not by you know clips of things he said at a press conference by what he’s done [00:35:20,246]: That would be my recommendation [00:35:21,546]: No no [00:35:22,066]: And I get that [00:35:22,966]: And it’s something that I think is a fair criticism that people freak out a little bit about the language too much [00:35:31,126]: However when you talk about you know annexing Greenland and making Canada part of your country and breaking up NATO as some people around President Trump are doing I mean it’s said often enough people are going to listen to it [00:35:45,746]: You said yourself earlier words matter [00:35:48,566]: Data brokers collect and sell everything you do online your browsing history searches even your location [00:35:56,326]: That’s bad enough [00:35:57,466]: But did you know they also sell this data to government agencies like the IRS [00:36:03,426]: I’d rather keep my digital life private which is why I use ExpressVPN [00:36:09,266]: One of the easiest ways for data brokers to track you is through your device’s unique IP address which also reveals information about your location [00:36:19,366]: With ExpressVPN your IP address is hidden [00:36:22,866]: We’ve used ExpressVPN every day at Trigonometry since 2019 because it’s fast super secure works on all devices and most importantly it’s reliable [00:36:33,706]: Right now you can take advantage of ExpressVPN’s Black Friday Cyber Monday offer to get the absolute best VPN deal you’ll find all year [00:36:42,466]: Use our special link expressvpn com [00:36:46,066]: slash trigger to get four extra months with the 12 month plan or six extra months with the 24 month plan totally free [00:36:56,566]: That’s expressvpn com [00:36:58,346]: slash trigger to get an extra four or even six months of ExpressVPN for free [00:37:05,186]: I think with regards to Greenland I would ask anybody out there to have a look [00:37:09,526]: You know I have a globe in my office [00:37:11,406]: I’m old school right [00:37:13,426]: Have a look at Greenland and get out a ruler or tape measure and measure how close it is to America and how far it is from Europe [00:37:21,926]: And then look at Greenland during World War II and look at the waterways look at the airways and then get back to me about oh my gosh that language is so shocking [00:37:32,986]: But instead talk to me about geopolitics [00:37:35,346]: But hang on Seb [00:37:36,086]: We can say the same thing about Argentina and Las Malvinas [00:37:39,806]: Yes we can [00:37:41,886]: We can [00:37:42,626]: But is it of geopolitical importance like Greenland [00:37:46,486]: But this is the trick you’re playing though [00:37:48,186]: Because you’re saying well don’t take him literally [00:37:50,286]: But then when it comes to Greenland oh actually we actually do need Greenland right [00:37:54,246]: No no [00:37:55,186]: But not necessarily as part of the United States [00:38:00,026]: OK [00:38:00,466]: Right [00:38:01,766]: So it’s the art of negotiating right [00:38:03,826]: So you do this right [00:38:06,826]: Say I want 150 [00:38:08,506]: People get horrified [00:38:09,806]: And then you get 80 [00:38:11,846]: You’re never going to get 80 if you start off negotiating for 80 [00:38:17,446]: You never get it [00:38:19,206]: Ever get it [00:38:20,526]: You can only get the 80 if you enlarge in the aperture to twice that size [00:38:27,106]: And then the elastic snaps back to something that otherwise would never have been deemed possible [00:38:35,686]: But because you blew past the Overton window you create the space in which to [00:38:41,486]: Look let me illustrate this another way [00:38:43,506]: One of the biggest ways to get in trouble with President Trump I saw this in the first administration [00:38:46,626]: I saw this with three star generals right [00:38:48,586]: Is when he asked you so why are we doing it this way [00:38:51,426]: And if they said and I’ve seen this well Mr President it’s because we’ve been doing it like that for 30 years [00:39:02,426]: The American people 77 million of them elected a man whose job it was to dogefy America [00:39:12,226]: To shake the tree to say no men are men and they can’t get change with teenage girls in bathrooms [00:39:19,206]: I’m sorry you’re insane [00:39:20,666]: The idea that we can’t have borders is absolutely suicidal [00:39:25,186]: And we’re not going to be on the side of the rapists the muggers the murderers who right now judges are protecting because reasons right [00:39:33,806]: So this is [00:39:34,766]: You have to understand we have arrived at and I think your book An Immigrant’s Love Letter to the West supports that [00:39:43,206]: There’s a point at which you have to shake the nation and the establishment by the throat and say guys just because you’ve been doing it like this for 30 years is crazy [00:39:54,546]: And that’s why you need language that actually has an effect to wake you out of that soporific state [00:40:05,426]: And in Europe as I concede that has happened as a result [00:40:08,606]: So I’m not coming at it from any kind of hate kind of place [00:40:11,866]: But I guess the worry for a lot of people is and this isn’t what President Trump has said but I hear Steve Bannon saying we’re going to have President Trump run again in 2028 and we’re working on it [00:40:26,506]: It’s good for clicks [00:40:29,126]: But Steve Bannon isn’t a homeless guy on the street with all respect [00:40:33,006]: Neither is he inside this building [00:40:35,226]: So I would like not to be judged by what somebody else says [00:40:42,146]: That’s fair [00:40:43,386]: Should you be judged by what Francis says [00:40:45,826]: Absolutely not [00:40:47,126]: Carl Benjamin says [00:40:48,886]: So really I don’t care [00:40:52,446]: He used to be inside this building and very close to the president [00:40:54,986]: Many people were [00:40:55,606]: People who were saboteurs were inside this building [00:40:58,806]: People like John Kelly a former Marine Force General were inside this building [00:41:02,426]: Not anymore [00:41:03,026]: I mean this is why the second administration is so very very different [00:41:07,066]: Think of this [00:41:07,786]: The power you have to get things done when you’re friends and you’re all trusted by the president [00:41:14,306]: The director of the FBI is a friend of mine [00:41:16,066]: Kash Patel [00:41:17,026]: Pete Hexeth Secretary of Defense he’s a friend of mine [00:41:19,046]: Pam Bondi the director of the CIA [00:41:21,426]: We have people we’ve never heard of before [00:41:23,606]: Rex Tillerson CEO of XYZ [00:41:26,366]: This is a team that is defined by one thing [00:41:28,866]: The president trusts them and they love America [00:41:31,906]: And the people who aren’t in the building are not in the building for a very specific reason [00:41:36,586]: And to go back let me just you know this is really important for all those who [00:41:40,226]: Would you get how scary that is to a lot of people Seb [00:41:42,766]: A guy who used to work for the president who’s still part of the MAGA movement he’s not been cast out as far as I know talking about ending the constitutional order of the United States of America [00:41:54,506]: Yeah I never thought you’d be a shrinking violet [00:41:57,126]: I’m not a shrinking violet but I’m pro democracy [00:41:59,606]: Yes we all are [00:42:02,126]: That’s why we want our borders back and that’s why we want a government that isn’t sending you know tens of millions of dollars of transvestite opera in Africa [00:42:09,786]: We agree on all of that [00:42:11,546]: So again I can’t do better than this [00:42:16,806]: Can we judge my boss on what he did for four years [00:42:25,446]: It’s not difficult right [00:42:27,126]: What he did for four years [00:42:30,706]: We destroyed the caliphate of ISIS [00:42:33,286]: We strengthened NATO [00:42:34,906]: We sealed the border [00:42:36,806]: This is what he should be measured by [00:42:39,246]: Not by what Steve Bannon or anybody else says [00:42:43,566]: Not by clips of speeches [00:42:46,106]: What did he do for four years [00:42:48,446]: That’s the metric in my opinion [00:42:50,986]: I would agree with you [00:42:56,106]: But [00:42:56,826]: That has very real world impact [00:42:59,806]: I was in Texas and I was sitting around with a group of guys who were all madder and we were having a conversation and then the topic of Ukraine came up [00:43:08,826]: And they were very much anti intervention when it came to Ukraine [00:43:12,406]: And let’s be honest they were pro Putin [00:43:14,266]: And when I asked them why they were like well President Trump says Zelensky’s a dictator [00:43:18,586]: Words have impact [00:43:20,226]: Hang on hang on [00:43:20,626]: Are you truly telling me that these grown ups became pro Putin because of that one line [00:43:27,906]: No but I’m saying it reinforced their worldview [00:43:30,026]: Did it bring him to the table [00:43:32,246]: Oh no doubt about that [00:43:34,106]: No doubt about that [00:43:35,426]: But my point is that has an impact on culture as well [00:43:39,326]: It does [00:43:39,886]: That does [00:43:40,546]: And I found that kind of comment profoundly [00:43:44,246]: Look if it was just on the geopolitical level and if it’s just mainstream media having a meltdown I wouldn’t care [00:43:49,106]: But it also you know people listen [00:43:52,486]: And that’s their worldview and that’s what they take from Ukraine [00:43:56,526]: And it got into the table and what’s the president interested in [00:44:00,006]: At that moment in time the only thing he cares about is to stop the meat grinder [00:44:05,086]: To stop the meat grinder [00:44:07,566]: And if you’re being recalcitrant if you’re refusing to come to the table and if you’re not a nuclear power maybe this is the language that gets to the table [00:44:18,126]: Did it [00:44:19,246]: I think it did [00:44:20,406]: And then he made the decision he made with regards to what he was going to say in the Oval [00:44:26,006]: And we’re looking and we’re talking about things that are happening around the world and I’m looking at what’s going on in the U S and I come here and I love this country so I think it’s [00:44:35,206]: We’re waiting for you to move here dude [00:44:37,446]: San Antonio’s calling all right [00:44:39,646]: San Antonio [00:44:41,066]: Where do they run it [00:44:42,306]: Austin [00:44:42,926]: Austin sorry [00:44:43,826]: Austin [00:44:44,666]: Austin [00:44:46,906]: We have higher ambitions [00:44:48,746]: Anyway carry on [00:44:49,846]: But I’m looking at this country economically and it’s not in a good place [00:44:55,346]: The gap between rich and poor is growing day in day out [00:44:58,486]: We went to a really lovely sandwich shop around the corner who said we’re going to have to put up our sandwiches containing eggs by a dollar because of the price of eggs [00:45:06,946]: Now for everybody who’s sitting around that’s not a major problem but there are a lot of people in this country who live paycheck to paycheck and that is a major problem [00:45:14,466]: Absolutely and that’s why I tell everybody if you want to understand how 64 million Americans a lot of them working class blue collar Democrats voted for the billionaire from Manhattan you have got to read J D [00:45:30,066]: Vance’s book [00:45:31,066]: I mean this is the great you know the reshaping of the reorientation of politics [00:45:37,766]: There’s no conservative Republican Democrat left wing anymore [00:45:43,886]: There’s the metropolis [00:45:45,766]: There’s the Wi Fi is too weak at Starbucks for me crowd [00:45:49,026]: I’ve got a gender studies degree [00:45:50,226]: And then there’s the people who Rich Minneton my friend calls the accountables people for whom the price of eggs and petrol actually makes a difference on a day to day basis [00:46:00,466]: Most of the people in the metropolis have no idea what the price of you know a gallon of petrol is [00:46:06,146]: That’s the problem [00:46:07,306]: And as a result you have a billionaire who’s broken through all of these barriers [00:46:12,206]: It’s like the Brexit vote right [00:46:13,886]: How many labor voters voted to leave [00:46:17,866]: They broke through those red walls [00:46:20,046]: And the president by the tariffs alone demonstrate to you what [00:46:25,246]: He wants Americans to have good paying jobs in America [00:46:29,926]: And he will punish you as an American company if you think I’m just going to leverage slave labor wages in China or you know cheap labor in Mexico [00:46:40,106]: No I want those jobs to be here [00:46:41,646]: And you know the hillbilly energy is the best explication from a man who didn’t like President Trump back then of how both parties betrayed the working Americans [00:46:53,886]: The Democrats who said we’re here for the workers and the Chamber of Commerce GOP who said well you know you can outsource jobs and it’s going to make products cheaper [00:47:03,706]: That’s how Donald Trump became president the first time around [00:47:06,586]: And think of this [00:47:07,666]: That was 64 million [00:47:09,066]: And then he gets 77 million [00:47:10,786]: It’s pretty impressive [00:47:12,366]: So before we ask our last question we’re running out of time [00:47:14,866]: You’re a busy guy and we appreciate it [00:47:16,526]: Before we ask the last one what do you think is the biggest challenge for the Trump administration over the next four years [00:47:23,326]: Lawfare [00:47:24,646]: Lawfare [00:47:24,826]: We’re witnessing it right now with judges who think they control the executive who say the president cannot use enacted powers as the commander in chief as the chief executive to ship literal terrorists out of America [00:47:40,666]: Rapists and murderers [00:47:43,846]: Judges who say you have to order the plane to turn around and not go to Venezuela [00:47:49,806]: Lawfare in my opinion [00:47:51,366]: And what’s the one thing we’re still not talking about that we should be [00:47:54,726]: And I say this as a great sinner myself when it comes to this sin [00:48:05,466]: Put your stinking phone down and switch it off and read a bloody book [00:48:12,786]: And preferably by a white guy who died over 400 years ago [00:48:17,766]: Shakespeare and beyond right [00:48:19,146]: So from the ancients to Shakespeare [00:48:20,486]: Shakespeare’s canceled Matt [00:48:21,266]: I don’t know if you’ve heard [00:48:22,286]: Not in my library [00:48:24,586]: You know just knowledge knowledge knowledge and AI again [00:48:29,746]: It’s like I was talking to a friend of mine earlier today Alex Marlow the editor of Breitbart [00:48:34,126]: And he says you know you can write books without researchers now [00:48:36,986]: You put it in a grok and you’ll get something that would have taken you a week to do [00:48:40,386]: Who’s going to learn [00:48:41,486]: Who’s going to actually learn how to read books and do research in the future [00:48:46,306]: Yeah [00:48:46,626]: It’s going to be a very small percentage [00:48:48,866]: A tiny amount of people [00:48:49,986]: I was being facetious but it’s actually true [00:48:51,926]: Right [00:48:52,706]: So switch the phone off read a book [00:48:55,066]: Perfect [00:48:55,586]: By a dead white guy [00:48:58,086]: Seb appreciate your time [00:48:59,406]: Thank you guys [00:49:00,046]: Thank you for watching [00:49:00,846]: There is no sub stack for this interview because Seb is a very busy guy [00:49:03,826]: We don’t have time but we incorporate as many of your questions as we could in the main interview [00:49:08,186]: Head on over there now and subscribe [00:49:11,886]: What are the biggest differences that you as an actual insider observe in the culture and functioning of the present White House staff as compared to the previous Trump White House [00:49:35,786]: What are the biggest differences that you as an actual insider observe in the culture and functioning of the present White House staff as compared to the previous Trump White HouseTranscribe your media with TRNSCRB.
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