- 2 hours ago
Amid the escalating West Asia crisis, US President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause in military action against Iran, citing what he called "very good and productive conversations" and the "real possibility" of a deal.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chaudhary.
00:02The latest news, of course, coming in.
00:04The President of the United States has made a claim that there is a temporary ceasefire.
00:09What does it mean? What are the modalities?
00:12Why is there abject silence from America's ally Israel?
00:16What does Iran have to say?
00:18All of that coming up. First up, allow me to take you to the headlines.
00:42What does Iran have to say?
00:51Claims Trump remarks wants time for military plans and aims to decrease energy prices.
01:04First reaction from Modi government after U.S. pauses strikes on Iran.
01:08MEA says watching developments closely.
01:10All of this after Prime Minister Modi earlier had pitched for diplomacy and peace in West Asia.
01:25India Today World Exclusive from Lebanon.
01:28Crashing buildings, bond highways, fearless reports from war-torn Lebanon.
01:35India Today is only the channel in the world who has reached this spot.
01:39Currently, what the world is witnessing on the India Today television.
01:45And you can see the impact and the destruction after this massive blasting on this main highway.
01:59London anti-Jew hate attack caught on camera.
02:02Four arsonists torch multiple Jewish community ambulances.
02:06London top cops says Iran plot behind attack.
02:09UK Prime Minister vows to fight anti-Semitism.
02:20NDA seals the deal in Tamil Nadu.
02:22AIDMK gets the lion's share.
02:24Set to keep over 170 seats.
02:26BJP to contest in 27.
02:29AMMK gets 11.
02:31While PMB to fight in 18.
02:46All right, the latest global developments.
02:48Even as tensions peak in West Asia, conflicting signals coming in from the U.S., Iran, an abject silence from
02:54Israel.
02:55Talks or no talks, the confusion is deepening.
02:58Donald Trump says Washington and Tehran held very good, productive conversations over the past two days,
03:04prompting him to delay U.S. strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure by five days,
03:09practically saying there is an interim five-day ceasefire, a pause where the war is concerned.
03:16This is what the U.S. is saying.
03:17What is Iran saying?
03:18Iran's foreign ministry has denied this outrightly, saying that there are no talks,
03:22no direct communication, no contact, even through intermediaries.
03:27With Iran warning of escalation in the Persian Gulf, the gap between the two sides is now stuck.
03:33And in the midst of it, U.S.'s ally Israel is completely silent.
03:39All right, before we cut across to our panelists and my colleagues, let's quickly pose a couple of questions.
03:45And we go across to my colleague Shweta Singh, who's come in from Israel.
03:50Geeta Mohan, our foreign affairs editor.
03:52Sandeep Unethan, senior journalist, all in the studio with me.
03:55So the questions that we trick, prompts war, pause, ceasefire or decoy?
04:00It's happened before.
04:01Is Trump building an exit strategy?
04:04Has Trump blinked first?
04:05Does Israel back the ceasefire deal?
04:08Well, to break it all up, let me quickly cut across to my colleague, Geeta Mohan, our foreign affairs editor,
04:13to simplify the latest global developments for our viewers, Geeta.
04:16Trump says productive talks.
04:19Iran says there are no talks, even through go-betweens.
04:22And Israel is completely silent.
04:24What's really going on?
04:25Well, at this point in time, it does seem like the U.S. administration is seeking time.
04:31Nuclear, sorry, the civilian power plants and energy infrastructure coming under attack was certainly not an option for West Asia.
04:39A lot of messaging must have gone through the GCC countries as well that should they attack the energy infrastructure
04:46in Iran
04:47and a retaliatory attack take place in the GCC countries, they will have a huge price to pay,
04:53not because just that the electricity is something that will be affected,
04:57but also the fact that basic supplies are affected.
05:00Strait of Hormuz does not just carry oil outside of that little strip of water.
05:06It also takes in a lot of basic supplies to the GCC countries, and they're already facing shortages.
05:12So things are looking quite grim.
05:14And at this point in time, it doesn't seem like Trump really wanted to escalate.
05:19And therefore, before the deadline ends, we are looking at Trump having called a ceasefire.
05:25But Sandy and I, Sandeep, and I, we were discussing earlier, it could just be decoy.
05:30It could just be Trump buying time.
05:32We have seen amidst negotiations, the first 12-day war take place,
05:37the second war that we're looking at right now take place when the negotiations were underway in Geneva.
05:43So we do not know what this and the conversations between U.S. and Iran that Trump is talking about
05:49looks like.
05:50Iran, for now, is saying there have been no direct negotiations or conversations,
05:54rejecting the proposal to have a conversation with Washington.
05:58You know, I want to quickly cut across to the latest news break that is coming in.
06:02It seems to suggest that certain countries are, you know, playing the go-between or intermediaries between Iran and the
06:10United States of America.
06:11The story behind the de-escalation in West Asia, as temporary as it might be right now.
06:16Reports suggest Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan have been passing messages between the U.S., Iran over the past two days,
06:23all in an effort to de-escalate.
06:25Reports suggest senior officials from Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan held separate talks with White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign
06:35Minister Aragachi.
06:37And reports also tell us that talks on deal with Iran that included envoys and counterparts took place on Sunday
06:46night.
06:47But till now, at least what is officially confirmed by Iran is that there are no talks, even through intermediaries.
06:53Having said that, you have the United States of America that has come in and made it very clear that
06:59the talks are positive.
07:00And there is now a five-day ceasefire.
07:03Is it a decoy?
07:04Many suggest, Sandeep, that possibly let things calm down where the Strait of Hormuz is concerned,
07:09and then the U.S. will escalate again.
07:12It's happened before, twice before that, every time Iran is on the talking table with the U.S., the U
07:17.S. is attacked.
07:18I see this as a tactical pause, primarily to cool the markets.
07:22There's a, that tweet on Truth Social from President Trump is like an escape wall for a lot of that
07:28pent-up anxiety.
07:29Those, the markets, the oil prices were surging.
07:33The markets were unhappy.
07:34And that tweet by Trump, that Truth Social post has calmed the markets.
07:38Oil prices are down by 11%.
07:39That is one part of this strategy.
07:43The other part of this tactical pause is that he's buying time before the U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit reaches
07:49the scene of the theater.
07:51There is the USS Tripoli and two other amphibious assault ships that are in the Indian Ocean.
07:56As we speak, they're heading towards the Persian Gulf.
07:58That could be Trump's boots on the ground moment to try and get Iran to force the Straits of Hormuz
08:05open.
08:06Now, the fact is that the U.S. will not de-escalate.
08:09They will not take an off-ramp without getting military escalation dominance over Iran.
08:14That's not happening at the moment.
08:16Iran seems to hold the cards, whether it's controlling the Straits of Hormuz,
08:20through which not just oil and gas flows through, but as Geeta pointed out,
08:25the fact that a lot of the essentials for the GCC countries flow through that.
08:29Iran has throttled that.
08:31They have lost their air force.
08:32They have lost their navy.
08:33But they still retain the ability to launch missiles, drones at all countries in the region
08:39and to literally throttle the Straits of Hormuz.
08:42That is what Trump is going for.
08:43And all of these statements point to buying time, getting a tactical pause before he can regroup
08:49and assault the Iranian forces that are holding the Straits of Hormuz hostage.
08:54Well, there have been no rules of war where this war is concerned.
08:58And there is a trust deficit at the lowest between Iran and America.
09:03I want to bring in now my colleague Shweta Singh.
09:05She has been in Israel over the past couple of days, has filed some fabulous stories as well.
09:11Shweta, in all of this, you've been in Israel, you've been following the developments there.
09:16While you have one ally who says, very positive talks, there is a pause where the war is concerned,
09:23at least an interim pause for five days.
09:26Israel is silent.
09:27Israel will remain silent, Preeti.
09:29I feel the country is constantly at war.
09:31And as far as they are concerned, their objective is not met.
09:35They are attacking Iran and with a vengeance and they want all the proxies that Israel claims that Iran supports.
09:45They want all of them finished.
09:47There was no indication from Israel when I asked, even off the record, if they wanted the war to stop
09:55or if they thought there was a way the war would stop, they said until everything is finished.
10:01So the entire leadership, all the military installations, their proxies, everything.
10:08So I don't think Israel is in this war to end it with a rider like what Trump is saying
10:15right now.
10:16Israel wants to fight it out till they think their goal is met, their borders are safe.
10:22And the end of Hezbollah, Hamas, they've been killing the heads and the commanders of all these terror organizations all
10:34through.
10:35But now they say it is a good opportunity for them to finish their enemies once and for all.
10:41I don't know how Trump will bring Israel or Netanyahu on board or whether he wants to do it as
10:45well.
10:46While he might want to cool down this war on various parameters, but I don't think he would want Israel
10:55to actually completely finish it
10:57and seize from the fire that is going on at present.
11:03You know, Shwata, you've been there.
11:04So you talk about this end game that Israel seemingly is following.
11:08Does that also include expanding a geographical footprint where Lebanon is concerned?
11:12Because we can see that happening right now.
11:14There were boots on the ground in the first week of the aggression.
11:18They did not ever claim it.
11:20But the borders, they are trying to push back Hezbollah to the litany river.
11:25And they are sure they'll be able to do it.
11:28And that is why we've seen the enhanced attacks on Beirut.
11:32Because they want the Hezbollah, Qadar and the entire setup to recede as further inside Lebanon as possible.
11:42To put it plainly, Golan Heights is still not recognized as Israeli territory by a lot of nations across the
11:50world.
11:50But Israel has control over all those mountains, not just the Golan Heights,
11:55but all those mountains which once were Hezbollah's strongholds.
12:00They've pushed them back and they want to push them back further.
12:02Well, you know, where India today is concerned, we do have our boots on ground in Lebanon.
12:07Ashraf Vani is doing a fabulous job, one of the few reporters who's getting us what's really taking place in
12:13Lebanon.
12:13I want to get a quick word in from Geeta and Sandeep before we let our panelists go.
12:16Geeta, five days ceasefire.
12:19What does it look like in the coming few days?
12:21Because Iran's not backing up.
12:23Iran's very clear that there is no talk, leave alone go-betweens.
12:27Well, the ceasefire is only for energy and power plants, so I don't think that bombings or strikes would stop.
12:36And I certainly don't think Israel will stop.
12:39So if Trump is trying to buy time so that he can move the ships and strike group that he
12:48requires
12:48for Khark Island and other purposes and projects like Sandeep was spelling out, I don't see Israel stopping.
12:56And I certainly don't see an absolute ceasefire.
12:59So things might heat up a little later and we'll see how Iran responds.
13:04But certainly power plants and energy infrastructure right now out of the war theater is good news.
13:10All right.
13:11But for now, the call for ceasefire, at least with our experts, is being read as an eyewash of sorts.
13:18Trump buying time.
13:19But Sandeep, there are domestic pressures on President Trump as well.
13:22You know, of course, with the economic compulsions that have come out of the war
13:27and also the ideological compulsions back home.
13:30Well, yes, Preeti.
13:31You know, there are some very significant milestones ahead of Trump in 2026.
13:36The first one, of course, is which he pushed back, which was that meeting with Xi Jinping.
13:40That was to happen in April.
13:42He's pushed that away because he needs something tangible out of this conflict with Iran.
13:46That hasn't happened yet.
13:47And the second big milestone, of course, is the 4th of July, 2026.
13:52That's the 250th anniversary of the United States.
13:55And the third one, of course, and the most important as far as Trump is concerned,
13:58are the midterm elections in November.
14:00So these three milestones that he's looking at, all of them have a bearing on the outcome
14:05of this conflict with Iran.
14:08All right.
14:08I appreciate all three of you for joining us.
14:10Thank you for taking the time out, Gita, Sandeep.
14:13Lots going on.
14:14Too many developments in Trust India today to keep you on top with that.
14:17Thank you, Shweta.
14:18With that, let's get you the fallout of this war where domestic politic is concerned.
14:23Today, you have the Prime Minister address the war in West Asia in Parliament.
14:28Lok Sabha.
14:29Prime Minister Modi attempted to reassure the nation amidst rising West Asia tension,
14:35saying India has enough reserves, even as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut.
14:40The opposition, however, demanded a full discussion in Parliament.
14:43This is how it panned out.
15:07In a statement in Parliament on Monday, the Prime Minister asserted that India's energy
15:14supplies remains secure, even as the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carries nearly 50 percent
15:20of countries' oil imports, remains closed.
15:24The Prime Minister assured that LPG supply remains a priority, and farmers will get adequate
15:30fertilizers ahead of the Kharif season.
15:34The Prime Minister has been established in the Gulf of Hormuz.
16:04India's old surging dialogue and diplomacy
16:07stressing that disruptions to key roads like Hormuz are unacceptable.
16:44The Congress demanded a full discussion on West Asia crisis.
17:01Amarmy Party, Sanjay Singh urged the government to heed opposition advice.
17:23The impact of the West Asia war is already visible.
17:27LPG prices have been hiked once, air fares are up, shortage of cooking gas is reported
17:34across India, edible oil prices are climbing and price of freemint patrol has been hiked.
17:41The government says there is no need to panic.
17:43But with global tension high, the challenge is to keep India insulated.
17:49Bureau Report, India Today.
17:56All right, for our political face-off this evening, joining me, Ms. Bhavya Narsimha-Murthy,
18:00Spokesperson, Congress, Tuhin Sinha, National Spokesperson, BJP.
18:03Both of you will get two minutes to put your point of view forward.
18:07Ms. Narsimha-Murthy, let me begin with you.
18:09These are unprecedented times, which we are facing as a collateral and not as a participant.
18:15And one needs to understand that there will be issues, especially economic issues, issues
18:23of shortage, and we need to deal with that.
18:25And the Prime Minister did try to allay these fears today in Parliament.
18:31Yeah, he did give a speech in Parliament, but we need an elaborate discussion where we will
18:38be asking the right questions.
18:40You know, thanks to this state elections that he started speaking about this in public rallies
18:47and the Parliament.
18:48Anyways, he'll never attend a press conference, but let him at least answer the questions that,
18:53you know, have an active debate in the Parliament is what we are requesting for.
18:56So, the second point, you know, for him to say he is having all these diplomatic talks
19:01with the Middle East nations and finding a solution, if we know only two ships of India
19:07has been allowed among 24.
19:09And, but China, dozens of ships have been passing through straight or foremost since
19:14the war started.
19:15And the Prime Minister is asking for COVID-level preparedness.
19:18What does he mean by prepare yourself?
19:20Does he mean like prepare to lose jobs?
19:23Does he mean by asking migrant workers, like, you know what, you're going to lose jobs, you
19:27will have to go back to your villages or something like that?
19:30What does he mean by that?
19:31And, or is he like, you know how the government...
19:35Bhabha, I need to, I need to...
19:36Can we, can we just listen to it?
19:39If these talks go well and you reach a ceasefire agreement with Iran, do you believe Israel
19:44would abide by that agreement?
19:47I think Israel will be very happy with what we have.
19:51We just spoke to Israel a little while ago.
19:54I think they'll be very happy.
19:56This will be peace for Israel, long-term peace, guaranteed peace.
20:00If this happens, and, you know, I can't guarantee it, but I think it's going to, my life is a
20:06deal.
20:06That's all I do is deals my whole life.
20:08I think this is something that's going to happen.
20:10And why wouldn't it happen?
20:13So, tomorrow morning, sometime, their time, we were expected to blow up their largest electric
20:21generating plants that cost over $10 billion to build.
20:26It's a very good one.
20:27There was no dearth of money, and one shot, it's gone.
20:33It collapses.
20:35Why would they want that?
20:37So, they called.
20:38I didn't call.
20:39They called.
20:40They want to make a deal.
20:42And we are very willing to make a deal.
20:44It's got to be a good deal.
20:45And it's got to be no more wars, no more nuclear weapons.
20:48They're not going to have nuclear weapons anymore.
20:51They're agreeing to that.
20:52Any of that stuff, there's no deal.
20:57You said you want to get the enriched uranium.
21:00How are you going to get the enriched uranium?
21:02It's very easy.
21:03If we have a deal with them, we're going down and we'll take it ourselves.
21:07Can I ask you, the Treasury lifted sanctions on Iranian oil that was out to sea.
21:12You criticized President Obama for giving Iran $1.7 billion.
21:16Well, I just want to have as much oil in the system as possible.
21:19But Iran is making the oil in the system.
21:19And we don't even know if Iran gets that money.
21:22Frankly, I think it's very hard for them to get it.
21:24But you have ships that are out there that are loaded up with oil.
21:27Well, rather than keep it there, I would rather see it go to the system.
21:31Any small amount of money that Iran gets is not going to have any difference in this war.
21:35But I want to have the system be lubricated.
21:40Even $14 billion, you don't think helps them?
21:43Where's the $14 billion?
21:45Because the inflated price, they get $14 billion from the oil.
21:48I don't think they're getting the money.
21:49I could tell you.
21:50When this is all over, I will tell you who's getting the money.
21:53Mr. President, I don't think it's going to be the Marines from California, given that it'll take them weeks to
21:58arrive.
21:58It's the intention to police the strait or take cars.
22:01What are you talking about?
22:02Well, it's been reported that there are Marines that left California, left San Diego last week, at the end of
22:07the week.
22:08Why are they headed there now?
22:09Well, let me ask you this.
22:11If you were in my position and I asked you that question, do you really believe I'd give you an
22:16answer?
22:16It's a crazy question.
22:18Mr. President, we don't talk about strategy.
22:21Yeah?
22:22Another woman is killed by an illegal immigrant that was let in under the Biden administration.
22:25The President, let in by Biden.
22:26Give a message for her family.
22:29It's devastating.
22:30These people were let in by Biden.
22:32We're getting them out.
22:33We're getting them out fast.
22:34That's why ICE is so important.
22:36They're doing such a good job.
22:38This animal, I saw the whole thing last night.
22:42They gave me a briefing.
22:43Came in through Joe Biden with his open-door policy.
22:47And his borders are a Kamala who never saw the border.
22:50Never made one phone call.
22:52All the ICE people, you see, they all know me.
22:54Everyone knows me.
22:55They like me.
22:56I speak to them all the time.
22:58Didn't make one phone call during four years.
23:01She was the border czar to anybody on the border.
23:05Never went there.
23:06This person came in through the open-door policy of Joe Biden.
23:10And we have others.
23:11We're taking them out by the tens of thousands.
23:14We're doing a great job.
23:15But it's a shame.
23:18They've hurt our country.
23:19Just remember this.
23:21Joe Biden and that gang of radical left lunatics.
23:25Some very smart, but radical left and bad ideology.
23:29Sick people.
23:30These people have hurt our country very badly.
23:33Are we directly talking with Iran?
23:35If you end up getting those Iranian power plants, how is that different from what Russia has been doing in
23:40Ukraine by getting Ukrainian power plants?
23:42Well, I think it's a lot different.
23:44And if you look at the nuclear weapons that they wanted to have, that they wanted to possess, a lot
23:49of things are different.
23:51I'm not a fan of what Russia is doing either, just so you understand.
23:55All right?
23:55But it's a lot different.
23:57You're talking about a country that has been evil for 47 years.
24:02They've been horrible.
24:04Death all over the world.
24:05Not just us.
24:06Look at the way they attacked, unexpectedly, all of those countries surrounding them.
24:12It was not supposed to be.
24:13Nobody was even thinking about it.
24:15But they wanted to take over the Middle East, and they wanted to knock out Israel permanently.
24:19And if they had a nuclear weapon, they would have been able to do that.
24:23Are we, Mr. President, talking before Iran?
24:25Mr. President, do you know whether Joe Kent was leaking?
24:28Look, I'm not a fan of the guy.
24:30If you look at, and you never cover this, if you look at his truths or whatever he went on,
24:35if it's X or truth, if you look at his truths or his statements, he was all for everything.
24:41All of a sudden, he wasn't.
24:44He was a man that I met at Dover.
24:48He came and his wife was killed.
24:50He remarried fairly quickly.
24:54His wife was killed, and I felt badly for her.
24:57He ran, and for Congress, he lost.
24:59He ran for Congress again, and he lost.
25:02I said, you know, he's a guy, nice guy, seemed like a very nice guy.
25:06I bet him he was pretty heartbroken.
25:10Pretty.
25:11But I said, you know, it's a shame.
25:13He ran for Congress twice.
25:15Call him up.
25:16Give him a job in the White House.
25:18Smart.
25:19They gave him a job in the White House, and this is what he does to me.
25:23You know?
25:24Being a nice guy doesn't pay off too much.
25:26Think of it.
25:28He loses twice in Congress.
25:30Ran not very good campaigns.
25:33Should have won.
25:34But he loses twice.
25:36How do I get him?
25:37I have my people call him, because I didn't deal with him for the most part.
25:41I saw him a couple of times.
25:42But I never dealt with him at all.
25:44I had no idea his ideology was left or right, whatever it is.
25:49I can say this.
25:50He said very strongly that Iran is not a threat.
25:54Iran's been a threat for 47 years, and there's not a country in the world that doesn't agree
25:59with me on that.
26:01So I take this guy, Joe Kent, who lost twice for Congress, pretty badly and tough, and who
26:08was devastated.
26:09And I know that he lost his wife.
26:12So instead of letting him live out his life, I brilliantly have my people call him and
26:18offer him a job in security, essentially, in the White House.
26:23And what does he do?
26:24He goes out and he says that Iran is not a threat to get publicity.
26:29Now, he probably signed up with CNN or maybe he signed up with your division of Newsmax.
26:35I don't know.
26:35But probably signed up with CNN or somebody.
26:39But if you look at his tweets, exes or truths, whatever he uses, I don't know because I don't
26:46follow him, what he said is 100% he agrees with me.
26:50All of a sudden, he leaves.
26:52I never knew he had a problem.
26:54Now, I hear they're looking at him for leaking.
26:56That's possible.
26:57But just so you understand, just to put it to rest, he lost twice badly.
27:03He also lost his wife.
27:05He's remarried since.
27:06He lost his wife.
27:08I felt badly for him.
27:09So I told my people, reach out to him, give him a job at the White House.
27:13This is the thanks I get.
27:15Any other questions?
27:16You said Iran was not an imminent threat, but that's what the intelligence showed.
27:21I think it was an imminent threat.
27:22I think that Iran, if they, if we didn't bomb them with the B-2 bombers, now that set them
27:28back.
27:29But if we didn't hit them with the B-2 bombers, they would have had a nuclear weapon within
27:33two weeks to a month.
27:35And if they had a nuclear weapon, they would have used it as soon as they got it.
27:39And if you obliterated their nuclear sites last summer with your strikes, then how can
27:44you argue it was an imminent threat now?
27:46Oh, we hit them so hard, we obliterated them.
27:49But obliterated them.
27:50But that doesn't mean with the right equipment, you can't dig down and go get it.
27:55We don't want that.
27:56And we don't, we won't have that.
27:57But we obliterated that site.
28:00They still haven't been able to get it.
28:01That was a complete success.
28:04But if it wasn't, they would have had, if we didn't hit them, if we didn't use the B-2
28:09bombers, it's, who are, which are unbelievable, we just ordered 22 more of them, modern version,
28:15by the way, super modern version.
28:17If we didn't hit them with the B-2 bombers, they would have had, within two weeks of that
28:21attack, that's why we hit them, because we knew they would have had a nuclear weapon.
28:26They would have used it on Israel and the entire Middle East.
28:31Overall crime in Memphis is down 43% since you began this task force.
28:36Is this a template you think is working?
28:37What I'm doing, what I'm doing today, really, this was supposed to be, this was a little
28:41bit before, set up a couple of weeks ago.
28:43This was before we had this situation with Iran take place last night.
28:50And by the way, they're just not communicating.
28:51When they say, I'm sure they don't mean that.
28:54When somebody says, oh, I didn't know you were talking, we were talking last night,
28:57and I'm sure they have a lack of communication, which is appropriate, considering we blew up,
29:02in addition to their Navy, Air Force, every division, their radar.
29:08We also blew up all of their anti-aircraft and communication.
29:12So they have no telecommunication.
29:14So there is a lack of, I would imagine, a lack of coordination.
29:18If they're, if you're worried about the miscommunication.
29:21Well, we think, we think, all we can do is think, look, we have numerous leader groups.
29:25They've all been killed.
29:27Very dangerous position.
29:29Khomeini was killed.
29:31Khomeini's son is unavailable.
29:33Nobody knows what happened to him.
29:35I can say they haven't seen him there either.
29:37Something is going on with him.
29:39But regardless, I don't consider him really the leader.
29:42But they do have some leaders left, because we blew up group number one, group number two,
29:50a lot of group number three.
29:52But we think we have people that are very representative of the country and will do a good job.
29:58Elon Musk has offered to pay TSA workers during this DHS shutdown.
30:05Is this something that you've been speaking to him about?
30:07Yeah, I'd love it.
30:07I think it's great.
30:08Let him do that.
30:09And I want to thank ICE, because they stepped in so, so strongly.
30:13They'll do great.
30:15And if that's not enough, I'll bring in the National Guard.
30:18We're not going to have the Democrats destroy our country.
30:21These people are the most destructive, sick people, the Democrats.
30:26They want, and they're fighting for this.
30:28They're fighting for men in women's sports.
30:30They're fighting for transgender for everybody.
30:33Everybody go out, get your kid a nice operation, and change the sex of your kid.
30:39They're fighting for no, think of it.
30:42They don't want you to do voter ID.
30:44You walk into a booth.
30:45In California, if a person who's doing voting, an official, asks you for identification,
30:52they're subject to being arrested.
30:54What's wrong with this country?
30:56So we're fighting it hard.
30:58And I think they should, because the Democrats are being blamed for the shutdown, and it's
31:03their fault, and they're getting killed.
31:05That's why, when I announced yesterday about ICE, the Democrats called, we want to settle.
31:13We want to settle.
31:14And I told the people, don't settle.
31:16Don't settle, because we have something bigger.
31:19Only settle if you get the Save America Act, voter ID, and so important, proof of citizenship,
31:26et cetera.
31:27Thank you very much.
31:28The Pressure Who's idea was that?
31:28To go to ICE at the airport?
31:30We're dealing really...
31:32The Pressure Who's idea was it?
31:33Mine.
31:33That was mine.
31:34The Pressure Who's idea was it?
31:35You said they're...
31:35That was like the paperclip.
31:36You know the story of the paperclip?
31:39182 years ago, a man discovered the paperclip.
31:42It was so simple.
31:43And everybody that looked at it said, why didn't I think of that?
31:47ICE was my idea.
31:49I called...
31:50First person I called was Tom Holman.
31:52I said, what do you think?
31:53He said, I think it's great.
31:55Then I saw today there was some masks on.
31:57I didn't think the masks were appropriate.
31:58I put out a statement, and I asked them, would it be possible to take off the mask?
32:04Because they should wear a mask when they're dealing with the murderers and the thugs let
32:08into our country.
32:09And just in detail, you said there's many points of agreement with Iran right now.
32:12Many.
32:13What?
32:13Can you give us a...
32:14Many.
32:14Like 15 points.
32:1715 points.
32:17The Iran has said yes to that.
32:18Well...
32:19They're not going to have a nuclear weapon.
32:20That's number one.
32:21That's number one, two, and three.
32:23They will never have a nuclear weapon.
32:24They said yes to that?
32:25They've agreed to that.
32:26Are you...
32:26Will we see an arrest or legal migrant arrests at airports, sir?
32:30Arrests...
32:31Will we see ICE arresting illegal migrants at airports?
32:33Yeah.
32:33That's...
32:34Are we talking about...
32:34That's why the Democrats are going crazy.
32:36Because they've allowed, by what they did, and hold up, we put ICE, who are a very high-level...
32:43I mean, they really are a high-level group of people.
32:47And they love it because they're able to now arrest illegals as they come into the country.
32:54That's very fertile territory.
32:55But that's not why they're there.
32:57They're really there to help.
32:58Are we talking to Iran directly?
33:00To no enrichment whatsoever, even for medical purposes, civilian purposes?
33:04They have.
33:05What about the street of Hormuz?
33:06Who's going to be in control of that?
33:07That would be opened very soon, if this works.
33:10How soon?
33:11And who's in control of it?
33:12Will Iran still be able to control the flow of oil?
33:15Be jointly controlled.
33:17By whom?
33:19Maybe me.
33:20Maybe me.
33:21You want the United States to be in control of the...
33:22The Ayatollah, whoever the Ayatollah is, whoever the next Ayatollah...
33:26Look, and there'll also be a form of a very serious form of a regime change.
33:32Now, in all fairness, everybody's been killed from the regime.
33:37They're really starting off.
33:38There's automatically a regime change.
33:40But we're dealing with some people that I find to be very reasonable, very solid.
33:47The people within know who they are.
33:49They're very respected.
33:50And maybe one of them will be exactly what we're looking for.
33:55Look at Venezuela, how well that's working out.
33:58We are doing so well in Venezuela with oil and with the relationship between the president-elect and us.
34:06And maybe we find somebody like that in Iran.
34:10Are you considering any more options to lower the price of oil while these stocks...
34:14The price of oil will drop like a rock as soon as a deal is done.
34:17I guess it already is today.
34:19No, we have a very serious chance of making a deal.
34:22That doesn't guarantee anything.
34:24I'm not guaranteeing anything.
34:25I'm not going to come out here in a week or two weeks and have you all say,
34:29Oh, you said I didn't say anything.
34:31All I'm saying is we are in the throes of a real possibility of making a deal.
34:37And I think if I were a betting man, I'd bet for it.
34:40But again, I'm not guaranteeing anything.
34:43They want to make a deal very badly.
34:45What changes would you like to see in DHS under Mark Wayne Mullen?
34:49Well, he's going to be fantastic.
34:50He'll make his own change.
34:51He's already given me a list of people he wants to bring.
34:53He's a fantastic guy.
34:55I think he's just the right guy.
34:56You all know him.
34:57He's a very open, smart guy.
34:59Very successful, actually, in business, which people don't know.
35:03And he's a friend of mine.
35:04I think Mark Wayne is going to be fantastic.
35:06Are these direct talks going on?
35:10Terrible.
35:11They made a mistake.
35:13It's a dangerous business.
35:15That's terrible.
35:21All right.
35:22That is President Trump, who says in all probability he cannot guarantee it, but there will be a deal with
35:29Iran.
35:30He also goes on to say that he's not heard from Ayatollah Sun, the Supreme Leader.
35:35He also says that it was Iran that called and he didn't call.
35:39When questioned, how is it that Iran has come out and said that there is no deal or there is
35:46no contact with America, direct or indirect, to broker peace?
35:50He says there is a communication problem.
35:53While he is speaking to a certain set and they, that is, the regime knows who these people are.
36:00There's a communication issue.
36:01When asked, when will be the Straits of Hormuz be open, he said it will happen immediately if this deal
36:09is cleared and it will be controlled by him and whoever will be the next head of state where Iran
36:16is concerned.
36:17Well, that is President Trump.
36:19He also said that he's going to be talking to Iran later today.
36:23He didn't say anything on why Israel is silent, but says very hopeful that this deal will come through.
36:31I want to cut across right now to my colleague Geeta Mohan, our foreign affairs editor, joining me from the
36:37newsroom.
36:38Geeta, you have President Trump say he hopes there's a deal.
36:41He cannot confirm it, but he hopes it goes through.
36:46And if it goes through, it will be good for Iran when he, when questioned, why does Iran say that
36:51there is no direct or indirect contact with America to broker peace?
36:56He says that's lack of communication.
36:59Well, Preeti, I'd like to break down what the U.S. president has said, but I'm failing to do that
37:05because this is one of the strangest conversations.
37:09Gaurav Savant and I were just discussing the conversation and he actually just said that Strait of Hormuz will be
37:15controlled by him and the next Ayatollah.
37:18And we were made to believe that they were trying to get rid of the Ayatollahs, that it was a,
37:22it was a mission for regime change.
37:26So I don't know what the end game over here really is.
37:30Too many lives have been lost.
37:32A lot of damage to property.
37:34No end game or proper objective in sight.
37:36And finally, Trump says he is actually in conversation with people in Iran.
37:41Who they might be, we do not know because again, Iran has denied those reports.
37:46But again, he's again said that he's going to go and have a conversation with Iranian leadership later, later today.
37:52It's, it's morning there in America.
37:55So I, I am, I am at a loss.
37:58A loss of words.
38:00Yes, completely loss of words.
38:01But Geetha, even one question right from the beginning, you know, was his ally Israel in the know?
38:06He didn't answer that question directly.
38:08He said Israel will be very strong when it comes out of this.
38:12You know, there are no answers.
38:13There are absolutely no answers because again, look Preeti, Israel has not reacted, spoken or put out a statement with
38:22regards to the decision to not attack energy infrastructure of Iran.
38:27Now that's significant because the most important part of the next phase, which we've been talking to, at length, was
38:38the Khark Island energy project.
38:41They're going to go in there, capture Amhar, so on and so forth.
38:44So is this decoy for that because he needs his, he needs his ships in place, he needs his amphibious
38:51strike group in place and that's why he's buying time or is it yet another example of how he normally
38:58makes this announcement on a Monday to stabilize energy prices, which is what we've seen, 11% down rent crude
39:03prices.
39:04Or Gita, sometimes say something one day and then in the next 24 hours you hear a completely different statement
39:09coming in from President Trump.
39:11Well, right now, lots of questions that remain unanswered.
39:15Then they were answered in that long interlude that President Trump had with the American press.
39:22But lots of questions still remain because apparently President Trump is in conversation with Iran.
39:28Iran has denied it.
39:29He says that there's a lack of communication.
39:31He also says that he's looking to effect a regime change again, but the regime is already wiped out.
39:37So who he is in conversation with, maybe one or two persons from that could effect or be in control
39:43of Iran.
39:44When questioned on who will control the Strait of Hormuz, when will it open?
39:47He says if this deal goes through, it will open immediately and he and the next Ayatollah will control the
39:53Strait of Hormuz.
39:54We'll keep our viewers clued in on to the next development.
40:07Bengal's political battleground is shifting and the biggest challenge to Mamata Banerjee may no longer be the BJP.
40:15A new alliance is now targeting her core vote bank, Muslims.
40:19In a significant political development, Asaduddin O.A.C. has announced an alliance with former TMC MLA Humayun Kabir for
40:28West Bengal Pools.
40:53Kabir who floated his own outfit after being expelled from the TMC,
40:58now heads the Amjanta Unayn Party and is positioning himself as a new voice for minority voters.
41:07What makes this development particularly striking is the turnaround.
41:12In December, AIMIM had ruled out any alliance with Kabir and even called him a BJP B-team.
41:19This sudden tie-up signals a major political recalibration.
41:23And its significance is clear.
41:25It threatens to spit the Muslim vote, a bloc that has consistently backed the TMC.
41:32Muslims make up about 27% of Bengal's population and influence over 100 seats.
41:38Especially in Murshidabad, Malda and the 24 Parganas.
41:42Historically aligned with the left, this vote bank has over the past decade shifted decisively towards the TMC.
41:49The community's support for TMC rose from 22% in 2006 to nearly 75% in 2021.
41:59That is why this alliance could hurt Mamata Banerjee more than the BJP by splitting her strongest support base.
42:06The TMC, however, has downplayed the threat.
42:31Meanwhile, the Congress has raised questions over the intent and timing of the alliance.
42:36The ICG party has been in Mohoros, in Delhi and in Delhi.
42:44We have been in Delhi.
42:44We have been in Delhi before.
42:46And we have not done this.
42:48This is not the case.
42:49This is why we have been built by the local Muslim leader.
42:53We have been built by the local Muslim leader.
42:54We have been built by the local government.
42:56Adding another layer to this evolving context is the Indian Secular Front founded by clerics from Furfura Sharif.
43:04The ISF made a strong debut in 2021, winning the Bhangar seat in South 24 Parganas, a traditional TMC stronghold
43:12and has since been expanding its footprints across Muslim-majority regions.
43:18In Bengal, the minority vote bank may be fragmenting and that poses a big challenge for Mamata Banerjee.
43:26Bureau Report, India Today.
43:31Apologies to all our panelists. We're coming to them late and for a very short while, but we've got President
43:36Trump to blame for that.
43:38So apologies in advance. We had to cut life to him.
43:40I'd like to give all of you a minute and a half each so you can put your point forward.
43:44There's so much that is going on in terms of conversation on how this possible Muslim coalition could actually harm
43:51Mamata Banerjee a lot more than just, you know,
43:55with the kind of offensive BJP is building because BJP takes one set of vote.
44:00A court vote bank, 75% of the 27 percentage of Muslims in West Bengal has gone to her.
44:07If there's a fracture in that, this could be an imminent threat.
44:11Neerja Choudhury, senior journalist, columnist with us.
44:13Tawseev Ahmed Khan, political analyst.
44:15Rajat Sethi, political analyst.
44:17How do you read the developments in West Bengal, Ms. Choudhury?
44:22I think it's bad news for Mamata Banerjee.
44:25The Muslims and the Mahla vote, two Ms, have been a solid support bank for her.
44:31And remember, she's now facing a fourth term.
44:35And no matter how good you are as a leader or popular anti-incumbracy does set in.
44:42And there is a whole thing going on about the voters list also with adjudication going on.
44:48Large number, lakhs of voters.
44:50That is a separate story.
44:52So it will be interesting to see how Mamata Banerjee counters this.
44:56Even if it's a marginal cutting of the votes, say even 10%, in an assembly election, it does, it can
45:04make a difference.
45:05And in certain areas like Murshidabad, where Mamata Banerjee's TMC had made inroads earlier, it used to be Congress and
45:13left stronghold.
45:14But since 2011, TMC has made inroads into these areas.
45:20I think there, Humayu Kabir, who's talked about building a replica of Babri Masjid as an emotive issue.
45:27And that is one of the reasons why he was expelled from the TMC in December last year.
45:32I think all these things put together.
45:35And Murshidabad has been a very, it's been a trendsetter in Bengal in the past.
45:40Right.
45:40So I think overall, it will be interesting to see whether Mamata Banerjee now plays the card of sub-nationalism,
45:48Bengali nationalism, to counter all this.
45:51Well, she had done so, you know, in 2021 as well.
45:54But this is different.
45:55Because if you actually look at the Arthumatrix and the vote percentage, Rajat, a 6% swing of the Muslim
46:01vote, which goes away from Mamata Banerjee to this new Muslim coalition.
46:05We don't know if Furfura Sharif is joining them.
46:07The last time around, you know, they were not happy.
46:11Ultimately, were placated by Mamata.
46:13This could be trouble.
46:15I agree, Preeti Ji.
46:17And I think you cannot come out with a simple label that it is a B team or a C
46:22team of BJP.
46:23You tried doing that for almost a decade.
46:26And look at where and how AIMIM has grown as a pan-India party.
46:31In fact, if you look at Bihar, Rajasabha elections, it was still AIMIM, which still stuck with the India alliance,
46:37whereas Congress's own MLA's went out and voted for the BJP candidate.
46:41So, you know, you cannot constantly put these tags and try to belittle them.
46:46They are sharp and smart leaders.
46:48This new generation of Muslim leaders will at least ensure that they are able to capture the imagination of this
46:55very communal electorate,
46:57which Mamata Banerjee for a very long time has been cultivating very carefully with signaling and doing all kinds of
47:03things.
47:04And I think if this base, 5% also shifts, and a few, you know, the Bhadralog of the Bengali
47:10middle class, they shift, then she is in deep hot waters.
47:14Well, that's what, you know, that's what the arithmetic says.
47:16Tawseev Ahmed Khan, 6% is what is being estimated of swing of Muslim votes, trouble for Mamata Banerjee.
47:22But what's interesting in all of this, Tawseev Ahmed Khan, is also the AIMIM, because in December, you had Mr.
47:29Ovesi call Humayu Kabir, the team B of the BJP.
47:34Look, Bengali voters are smart.
47:36They understand that even 1% of vote swing will have an impact.
47:42Therefore, you know, we all know that Mamata Banerjee stands on the two strong foundations, the two strong pillars.
47:51That is one, the Muslim vote, and the other is Mahila vote.
47:55Therefore, the Mahila vote stays intact.
47:57The question here is Muslim vote.
48:00Now, I will say that if we go by the data in 2021 compared to 2016, Muslim vote share towards
48:09Thirnambul increased.
48:11Why?
48:11Because there was a talk of Ovesi entering the frame, even though at the last moment Ovesi pulled it out.
48:18Just the news of Ovesi joining the Bengal election turned all Muslim voters towards Thirnambul.
48:24Imagine what will happen now, when we see Humayun Kabir, clearly with a communal agenda.
48:30Okay, Mr. Khan, but many said that this is also a simplistic reading.
48:33We're going for a fourth term.
48:34There's anti-incumbency.
48:36But let's see how it really pans out where West Bengal is concerned, because this is truly
48:40khela hobay and game on, because this could hurt if this actually reaches fruition as a possible
48:47Muslim coalition against Mamata Banerjee.
48:50Deep apologies to all three of you.
48:51We wanted more time, but we couldn't help it.
48:53We had to cut live to President Trump.
48:55We hope to have you back.
48:56Thank you for joining us.