WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined Katie Pavlich on NewsNation to discuss regime change in Iran and the importance of the SAVE America Act.
Watch the full interview HERE.
Daines on regime change in Iran:
It’s up to the people of Iran to do that [regime change]. I was at the Munich Security Conference, in fact, a week and a half ago. There were over 250,000 people protesting for the overthrow of the regime in Iran. It was amazing. Lindsey Graham spoke in front of that group. It was quite the moment. It was right after Marco Rubio’s great speech there in Munich. But I remember the days when the Shah was in power in Iran. We used to have an ally and a friend in the Middle East in Iran. It would be a game changer. This is a Berlin wall moment for the Middle East. I hope this regime changes. You’ve got these brave Iranians losing their lives as the current regime is slaughtering innocent Iranians. We’ll see what happens, but clearly President Trump has got enough force in the area to take action if they decide to. The administration has issued additional sanctions against Iran. That doesn’t always work, but it has worked as the broader pressure campaign against the Iranian regime. In terms of the American interest here, you have a number of administration officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance today saying that the Iranians are continuing to pursue a nuclear program. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State said that they will not even talk about their ballistic missile program with the United States or others in these negotiations, and that’s a huge problem.
…Well, I don’t trust this regime, and why should we? This is a regime that it calls out death to America, calls America the big Satan, Israel, the little Satan, the primary sponsor of Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis. They are disruptors of the world order. They are a threat to the homeland. This would be a game changer. And I hope the Iranian people succeed in overthrowing the current regime.
Daines on the SAVE Act:
We should put it on the floor and take an up or down vote. It is the most common sense, basic part of election integrity. This is an 80 -20 issue for the American people. You think about, you know, we both enjoy the outdoors, we enjoy hunting and fishing. You want to buy a white-tailed doe tag in Montana at Walmart. You’ve got to present a valid ID to shoot a deer, to get a fishing license, you should have to present a valid ID to vote. We should put the bill on the floor of the U.S. Senate. I think you’re going to see most Democrats oppose it, most Republicans support it, and call out the Democrats for their failure to support the most basic 80 -20 issue.
Daines discusses Democratic opposition to SAVE Act:
Well, I hope there’s enough pressure on the Democrats because I can’t answer that question, why they would oppose it. But clearly, they don’t want to see it happen. They will likely stop it, and we need to hold the Democrats accountable for stopping the most basic requirements in our election system. That is a valid idea to vote.
…We would have a majority on the Senate, but you’d need 60 votes to pass it. That’s what we’ve got to have, probably eight or nine Democrats to join us. We need to call out the Democrats for their failure to support this most common sense requirement showing the voter, showing an ID there to vote.
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Contact: Matt Lloyd, Gabby Wiggins