United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, appeared on Newsmax’s “The Big Take” with Ed Henry on Sunday to discuss funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), security threats, Iran, and President Trump’s leadership.
During the interview, Hagerty addressed the issue of Democrats blocking DHS funding. He stated, “I think that absurdity is being put to the test right now. All of America can see that the Democrats are simply playing politics here at a time where we need to be protecting the homeland. If you look back no further than Joe Biden’s administration, 1,500 Iranians were apprehended trying to enter our country at the southern border. Biden allowed over half of them into the country. We don’t know where they are. These people are unvetted. The consequence of this, it’s hard to say, but the concern is that there certainly could be sleeper cells or a lone wolf activity. You don’t know. But we need our very best on the ground. We need our forces fully funded here domestically, and the Department of Homeland Security should not be suffering in this way. Again, the Democrats are just playing politics with this. They’re supposedly resisting ICE activity. Well, ICE has been fully funded since last year [via the Working Families Tax Cuts Act]. What they’re doing though is they’re keeping TSA, the, the Coast Guard Secret Service from getting paychecks. The men and women that are doing these jobs are heroic. They need to be fully funded. They need to get their paychecks, and the Democrats need to stop playing politics.”
Hagerty discussed concerns about raising threat levels: “I do believe the concerns of the threat are significant. But the last thing I’m going to do is get in front of our authorities who have the most relevant, most current information. It’s their call to make. The last thing they need is for me to get on television and start to prognosticate about what it ought to be. Let them do their jobs. But I’ll say this: we need to fully fund everybody on the ground so they can do their jobs and so the American public can demonstrate that we support them.”
He also spoke about calls from some Democrats regarding war powers during ongoing tensions with Iran: “This is a time for Americans to come together. We need to lock arms here as a nation and support the fact that we’re taking out a deadly regime, one that since 1979 has been basically pushing terror throughout the region. They’ve got the blood of Americans on their hands going all the way back. Think back to the early 1980s, the Marine barracks in Beirut that was taken out [by an Iran-backed terrorist bombing], over 200 of our Marines were killed in that activity… Think no further than October of 2023 when we saw Iran-backed Hamas come in and kill 1200 innocent people, 40 American citizens in that group. What we’re doing right now is taking out a regime at its most vulnerable point. I would hate to step back and tell my children or grandchildren that when we had the opportunity to do this, to end the largest state sponsor of terror in the world, we failed to do so. President Trump saw this opportunity. I think the rest of the world sees it too. Look at number of allies that are coming to our aid in support right now. No one’s coming to Iran’s support This is something that we need lock arms together here United States My Democrat colleagues stop playing politics Let’s fully fund DHS let support administration activity”
On Iranian Americans’ perspectives regarding current events he said: “I talked an friend mine just little while ago New York City I think entire population here United States great diaspora since 1970s thrilled see possibility freedom back their country President Trump has made clear; he not waged war And gets absurdity what probably going take place from Democrats coming week done something very surgical targeted with own security as nation but also presents opportunity people actually majority them want People celebrating streets now certainly America ”
Regarding America’s role Operation Midnight Hammer Hagerty commented: “President Trump been clear side promised would there have put position take country would point simple fact intelligence throughout operation exquisite shared Israelis IDF team knows lot happening high-level contacts execute level precision every confidence United States levers challenging situation continue maintain maximum pressure also lost control airwaves Israeli Air Force able consistently targets Not only launch capacity make weapons ballistic used threaten neighbors region moving direction could threaten homeland mention complete success terms taking nuclear capabilities again begun steps toward recreating capability more coming end never allow possess weapon certain never happens ”
Senator Hagerty represents Tennessee as Republican in U.S Senate official website. His office includes district locations across Tennessee such as Chattanooga Knoxville Tri-Cities well Washington D.C site Russell Senate Office Building official website. Through these offices he provides services including casework federal agency support constituents statewide official website. For current Congress he holds positions committees Banking Housing Urban Affairs Foreign Relations Appropriations Rules Administration official website.
