NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 17)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, President Trump says the U.S. knows exactly where the Iranian Supreme Leader is hiding. He also says, quote, our patience is running thin. Fiona Ji has the latest on Trump's response to the Middle East conflict. Thousands of residents have now evacuated Iran's capital and Israel's defense ministers as they plan to soon strike significant targets in Tehran. Jason Perry reports. The fighting also continues in Ukraine. A U.S. citizen is among over a dozen civilians reported dead today. Irian Pozdar has how the U.S. is responding. As there's no sign of slowing in the Israel-Iran conflict. What is the U.S. diplomatic response? And what's it doing for U.S. citizens in the region? Jack Bradley at the State Department. Senate lawmakers are casting doubt on the integrity of Olympic sports because of actions by the World Anti-Doping Agency. A hearing today brought last year's Chinese swimming doping scandal back into the spotlight. Jason Blair with the key takeaways. This is NTD Evening News, live from our global headquarters in New York City. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. A series of truth social posts from President Trump, giving some clues to what could be happening behind the scenes as the Israel-Iran conflict continues. The president left the G7 summit earlier than planned last night, as he promised something bigger was coming. Joining us live now from Alberta, Canada, is NTD's Fiona Ji. Fiona, what do you have for us? Tiff, all eyes are on the Middle East. Some truth social posts recently from President Trump is now shedding a little bit more light on the U.S. stance currently in this whole conflict. Earlier today, President Trump wrote on truth social, quote, we know exactly where the so-called supreme leader is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there. We are not going to take him out, at least not for now. And then he goes on to say, our patience is wearing thin. In a separate post, the president Trump also said, quote, we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. President Trump has also clarified that he is not currently seeking out any sort of peace talk with Iran. And actually, yesterday, before even leaving the G7 summit, President Trump posted and said that anyone living in Tehran should evacuate. Now, in response to all of this, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce had this to say. Listen. That is up to the president. He is the singular guiding hand about what will be occurring from this point forward. As he has been. And President Trump continues to reiterate this exact same stance. Earlier on, Air Force One, before he touched down in Washington, D.C., he said that what he was looking for was not a ceasefire, but a real end to the war. And then today on truth social, he also posted in all caps, unconditional surrender. Now, President Trump also disputed a statement earlier made by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard when she said that she believed Iran was not making nuclear weapons. Watch. I've always said that you don't believe Iran should be able to have a nuclear weapon. But how close do you personally think that they were to getting one? Because Tulsi Gabbard, Tulsi Gabbard testified in March that the intelligence community said Iran wasn't building a nuclear weapon. I don't care what she said. I think they were very close to having one. And according to the White House, President Trump has already reiterated no fewer than 15 times that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. He's made these 15 statements since taking back office on January 20th. And they also said that over the course of his campaign trail and even earlier than that, President Trump made this exact same type of statement no fewer than 40 times. And in a lengthy ex post earlier today, Vice President J.D. Vance said that through his interactions with the president, he believes Trump is very consistent on his stance on this topic, and that he believes President Trump's ultimate goal is to protect American troops and American citizens. Now, President Trump did just finish a meeting with his National Security Council in the Situation Room. That meeting lasted approximately one hour and 20 minutes, Tiff. And Fiona, now that Trump is back in D.C., what's happening at the G7 summit? Well, Tiff, despite President Trump being gone now, the G7 summit is still continuing. With this early departure, President Trump actually missed a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although the Russia-Ukraine war continues to be a major topic of discussion at the summit right now. President Trump also missed a scheduled bilateral meeting with Mexican President Claudia Shainbaum, although the White House has confirmed that Trump and the Mexican president did hop on a call today and that it was, quote, a good call. Now, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson did stay behind to continue negotiating trade talks. Tiff? All right, Fiona, thanks for those updates. As the war between Israel and Iran intensifies, thousands of residents have evacuated Tehran, and Israel's defense ministers said they plan to strike significant targets soon in the Iranian capital. NTD's Jason Perry has the war update. On Tuesday, a long line was seen at this gas station in Tehran as the city has been emptying out. Thousands of residents began fleeing the city soon after President Trump posted on Truth Social saying everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran. Trump aboard Air Force One was asked why he told residents to evacuate. I just want people to be safe. On the same day, Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, said they were planning to soon strike very significant targets in Tehran. And he gave a warning to Iran's supreme leader while standing near the impact site where an Iranian missile hit. If you continue to commit acts of war and launch missiles at the civilian population in Israel, your fate will be exactly like that of the dictator in the neighboring country to Iran, whose end is well known. On the same day, Israel reported killing Iran's top military commander, Ali Shadmani. And he only held the position as wartime chief of staff for a few days, as Israel reported killing the other top military commander at the beginning of the war. Israel released a map showing the locations of the targets they've struck so far, including military commanders, nuclear targets and nuclear scientists, air defense systems and surface-to-surface missiles. Israel Defense Forces spokesman gave an update on the war. We have delivered significant blows to the Iranian regime. And as such, they have been pushed back into central Iran. They are now focusing their efforts on conducting missile fire from the area of Isfahan. We are aiming at military targets. They are attacking civilian homes. Israel's foreign minister also blamed Iran for targeting civilians, as he visited the site of impact of an Iranian missile as well. Meanwhile, the spokesman for Iran's defense ministry appeared to be undeterred in an interview on Tuesday, and he said that Israel will be defeated. And while residents in Tehran have been evacuating, some residents in Israel have decided to go to the beach in the midst of war. For me, it's very relaxing to be around the sea, and I know my whereabouts. If I need to go into shelter, I can go under that bridge, or I can go to my car and go back up in the mountain. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 injured. Jason Perry, NTD News. In a video, the exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, gave a speech addressing the Iranian nation. He said the Islamic Republic has reached its end and called for a united uprising. Take a listen. Fellow compatriots, the Islamic Republic has reached its end and is in the process of collapsing. Khamenei, like a frightened rat, has gone into hiding underground and has lost control of the situation. What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright, and together we will pass through this sharp turn in history. In these difficult days, my heart is with all the unarmed citizens who have been harmed and have become victims of Khamenei's warmongering and delusions. For years, I have strived to prevent our homeland from being consumed by the fire of war. The end of the Islamic Republic marks the end of its 46-year war against the Iranian nation. The regime's repression apparatus is falling apart. Only one united uprising is needed to end this nightmare once and for all. Now is the time to rise. The time to reclaim Iran. How much is China aiding Iran in the current conflict with Israel? What are China's interests in Iran, and has its support emboldened Iran? Hear analysis from journalist Simcha Brodsky in Jerusalem, host of Overnight Israel. Tune in to NTD's Capital Report with Steve Lance at 7pm Eastern Time. A U.S. citizen is among the over a dozen civilians reported dead after a large-scale attack on Ukraine. Kyiv calling it one of the most horrific attacks on the capital city yet. NTD's international correspondent Ariane Posdar has the war update. Scenes of destruction are seen in cities across Ukraine on Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky describes the impact as one of the most horrific attacks on Kyiv yet. Even hours after the overnight attacks, first responders were still working to put out fires caused by the strikes. At least 14 people are reported dead and over a hundred wounded. Ukrainian officials declared a day of mourning on Wednesday for the victims. A U.S. citizen is among the civilians who died. Our priority is the safety of Americans overseas and here at home, particularly those in Israel and Ukraine who spent another night sheltering in bunkers as they came under attack. She added that the State Department will not comment on the U.S. citizen who passed away out of respect for the family. Zelensky says Russia attacked using 440 Shahid drones supplied by Iran and 32 ballistic missiles. According to the Ukrainian president, a large number of civilian infrastructure was destroyed in the attack. The Ukrainians had, our families had, a very difficult night, one of the biggest attacks from the very beginning of this war. Zelensky is in Canada on Tuesday for the G7 summit. He's urging the Group of Seven to provide more backing for the fight against Russia. Canada says it will provide almost $1.5 billion in new military assistance for Ukraine as well as impose new financial sanctions on Russia. To be absolutely clear, the support will be unwavering until we get a just peace for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. President Trump left the G7 summit early due to developments in the Middle East. While still there, he signed a joint statement calling for an end to the fighting between Israel and Iran. Ariane Pasdar, NTD News. The State Department establishes a new task force to help Americans in the Middle East. That says the FBI declassifies documents alleging that the Chinese Communist Party interfered in the 2020 election. NTD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley reports from the State Department. The Department of State has established the Middle East Task Force to help coordinate support for U.S. citizens, our U.S. diplomatic missions, and personnel and diplomatic engagement. The State Department announced that it had established a Middle East Task Force to inform and support U.S. citizens over in the region. Now it has no clear plans that were announced to evacuate U.S. citizens from the region, but State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said that U.S. citizens are urged not to travel. Over the past week, to help keep U.S. citizens informed, we have issued more than 30 security alerts to countries in the region. We remind U.S. citizens not to travel to Israel or Iraq, and not to travel to Iran under any circumstances. This comes as President Trump says that if Iran strikes U.S. targets, there will be repercussions. That says the U.S. worked to evacuate its Iraq embassy prior to Israel's strike with a partial evacuation with other embassies in the region. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel says that he's declassified documents that accuse the Patel sent the information to the Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley. Patel also told the news outlet Just the News that the report alleges that the CCP planned to make fake driver's licenses to make fake mail-in ballots all for Joe Biden. Senator Grassley requested this information and raised concerns earlier that this information when it was looked at prior wasn't fully vetted. Patel also said that previous allegations were substantiated, but abruptly recalled and never disclosed to the public. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray said that there were no known plots of foreign interference ahead of the 2020 election. Reporting from the State Department, Jack Bradley, NTD News. Coming up, New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was put in handcuffs today after a scuffle at an immigration court. Homeland Security says he was impeding ICE agents. David Lam has more on the incident. Lawmakers in California are taking aim at law enforcement officers who cover their faces during operations. A new bill could make it illegal for officers to hide their identity during public interactions. Christina Corona has more on that, plus new charges tied to the L.A. immigration protests after the break. Inflation is still driving up home repair costs. How are millions of homeowners saving money on unexpected bills? With Choice Home Warranty. Is a new refrigerator in your budget? How about a replacement A.C. unit? I'm Ty Pennington. For many families, these costs can be catastrophic. That's why I'm a Choice Home Warranty customer. They save millions of homeowners from unexpected repair bills with an affordable monthly plan that provides peace of mind and helps avoid surprise expenses. Call now to protect your home with Choice Home Warranty and get your first month free. Choice Home Warranty offers plans that cover repair or replacement on up to 25 essential home systems and appliances. Protect your budget with a customizable Choice Home Warranty. 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Protect your home and your wallet with Choice Home Warranty. Call now to get a free quote, your first month free, and save $10 a month for the first year. Call 800-983-4585, 800-983-4585, or go to choicehome.com. I'm Jonathan Lawson. If you're 50 to 85, please listen closely. The lock I want to talk to you about isn't the one on your door. It's a rate lock for your life insurance that guarantees that once you're insured, your rate can never go up at any time for any reason. Many policies you see don't have one, but you can get a lifetime rate lock from ColonialPen. This plan was designed for people on a fixed income with coverage options that start at $9.95 a month. That's less than 35 cents a day. Your rate is locked in for life. Coverage can never be canceled, and your acceptance is guaranteed. You cannot be turned down because of your health. See for yourself. Call for an information kit and gift. Both are free with no obligation. Call 1-800-624-6556 for your free information and your free gift. That's 1-800-624-6556. 1-800-624-6556. Call now. Welcome back. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Thousands of viewers tuned in today to a federal appellate panel questioning attorneys about whether the president had the authority to federalize California's National Guard. Is it the United States' position that the court has no role at all in reviewing what the president has done in calling forth the militia under subsection 3? Where in the jurisprudence of the Take Care Clause or the language of this statute is the president, with significant deference at least, required to have judicial review of whether he considered lesser measures? The three-judge panel will determine whether or not the California National Guard should remain under President Trump's control. Trump deployed the state's National Guard following protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids. The appeals court last week temporarily overturned a lower court's ruling to return control to California. The panel today adjourned without making a ruling, but acknowledged its awareness of California lawmakers are proposing a new bill that would ban law enforcement from hiding their faces during operations. And new charges are being filed in connection to recent immigration protests. NTD's Christina Corona has the latest. California lawmakers are pushing a bill that would ban law enforcement officers from covering their faces during operations. The proposal follows growing concern over masked agents seen in recent ICE raids across the state. Video showing masked officers, unmarked vehicles, and arrests have sparked concern statewide. Democratic State Senator Scott Weiner introduced the No Secret Police Act, which would require local, state, and federal officers to show their faces and wear visible identification, with exceptions for SWAT, natural disasters, and health reasons. However, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons defended the use of masks, saying officers face threats and harassment. People are out there taking photos of the names, their faces, and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves. So I'm sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I'm not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line and their family on the If passed, the bill would make it a misdemeanor for officers to hide their identity without a valid exception. Meanwhile, Los Angeles officials announced new charges tied to recent immigration protests. Among them is 39-year-old Adam Palermo, who was accused of throwing a large rock at a California highway patrol vehicle from an overpass on the 101 freeway. He also allegedly lit an object on fire and threw it at a patrol SUV, setting it ablaze. Anonymous tip from Crimestoppers is what helped law enforcement identify, locate, and arrest Mr. Palermo. If convicted as charged on the state charges, he faces up to nine years and eight months in state prison. Another man, 23-year-old William Rubio, faces four felony counts. Prosecutors say he threw fireworks at LAPD and LAFD crews responding to a dumpster fire downtown on June 8th. Mr. Rubio left the scene, but was spotted 30 minutes later, allegedly throwing fireworks at Los Angeles Police Department motor officers who were on a skirmish line. He was arrested. And when he was arrested, in his backpack, they found 20 individual fireworks. These included 11 M-1000 quarter sticks. With more than 575 arrests since June 7th, officials say charges range from misdemeanors to serious federal offenses. When we're dealing with explosives, Molotov cocktails, arson, those are federal charges and they carry significant penalties in federal prison. And so we want to take those federally to reflect the seriousness of the conduct, especially when the targets are law enforcement. This comes the same day Los Angeles officials lifted the downtown LA curfew, which had been in place since last week's protests. But Mayor Karen Bass says it could be reinstated if needed. Christina Corona, NTD News, Los Angeles. Democrats have now taken their battle against the reconciliation bill into the appropriations process for fiscal year 2026. Our Washington correspondent, Luis Adoro-Martinez, has the details. Our nation continues to face a nexus of complex challenges. Defending the homeland, deterring the pacing threat of China in the Indo-Pacific, the increasing complexity of multi-domain threats, and the competition for resources, and the increasing rate of technological change. The People's Liberation Army continues expanding, modernizing, diversifying its entire military, including its air, space, cyber, and nuclear forces. The White House has requested of Congress $19 billion for military construction for fiscal year 2026. And Republican lawmakers have included $900 million for military construction in their reconciliation bill. The majority of the funds are destined to upgrading combatant command infrastructure, but Democrats are accusing Republicans of bypassing them in the process. I'm concerned that the administration intends to use those funds, $900 million of military construction through the reconciliation process, not to upgrade defense facilities at home and abroad, but instead to build a migrant detention complex. They snuck what essentially amounts to a backdoor abortion ban into the health provisions of this big, ugly betrayal. The Democrats' shift in strategy to oppose the reconciliation bill now focuses on immigration and abortion. The House-passed version of the reconciliation bill does not include language that bans abortion, and it focuses most of its immigration policies on drug interdiction and border security. Democrats continue to melt down over the reconciliation bill that Republicans are getting ready to consider. To hear Democrats talk, you'd think Republicans were getting ready to rip Medicaid from the hands of needy children and pregnant women. Nothing could be further from the truth. Lawmakers also received this Tuesday private briefings on threats to public officials after last weekend's shooting in Minnesota that killed a state lawmaker and her husband. The threat to public officials and their families is very real and very widespread. Well, we're discussing that. There's a lot being done that is not being reported and won't be reported, but there's more that has to be done. All of us, every single one of us, has to help dial down the level of rhetoric. This week, the Senate is debating their version of the reconciliation bill, also considering the House's version of the rescissions package, and also going forward with the appropriations process for fiscal year 2026. Republican lawmakers maintain that they remain committed to ridding waste, fraud, and abuse from all three congressional mechanisms. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Luis Eduardo Martinez, NTD News. New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander has been released after he was handcuffed and arrested this morning at an immigration court in Manhattan. Homeland Security says he was impeding ICE agents. NTD's David Lam has more on the incident. New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was handcuffed Tuesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. A post on Lander's ex-account, attributed to his wife Meg Barnett, said that Lander was escorting a defendant out of immigration court. The video appears to show masked agents trying to separate Lander and the defendant, whose face is blurred. I will let go when you show me the judicial warrant. Where is it? At one point, Lander was separated from the individual. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Lander was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer. You don't have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens. Stay back. I'm not obstructing. I'm standing right here in the home. Lander's wife said this happened right after the individual's immigration case was dismissed. They did say to him in the courtroom, you have the right to appeal this decision. You will have a month to do so. They give him a date in July. So the guy thinks he has a month to appeal. Nobody says ICE is waiting for you on the other side of the door. I know I will have due process and I will have a good lawyer and my rights will be protected. But Edgardo has no due process rights and no lawyer. Lander has advocated for bolstering legal services for immigrants. Tuesday's incident comes days after police handcuffed Senator Alex Padilla. He was forcibly removed from a Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles. The White House has addressed the incident, saying Padilla interrupted the event without wearing his Senate pin. David Lam, NTD News. And we've got some breaking news. In Washington, D.C., Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was taken to the hospital this afternoon by ambulance. An assistant secretary says she had an allergic reaction and is alert and recovering. Senators are calling for the World Anti-Doping Agency to be reformed after almost two dozen Chinese swimmers were cleared by the agency despite failing doping tests. NTD correspondent Jason Blair reports. As we approach the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, both hosted by the United States, we must ensure that the competition will be fair and free from doping. Senate lawmakers are calling the recent track record for the World Anti-Doping Agency less than satisfactory. In the months leading up to the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympic Games, the China Anti-Doping Agency, Chinara, found that 23 Chinese swimming athletes tested positive for banned substance. What actions did World Anti-Doping Agency take following the test? It refused to investigate how China's swimmers consumed the banned substance. They accepted a deeply questionable explanation and allowed these athletes to go ahead and compete. Many of them went on to win medals. This wasn't just a lapse in judgment. It was a cover up. Since the fallout, the world has, I think it's fair to say, lost faith in water. Chinese authorities said that the 23 swimmers who tested positive for the banned substance consumed it accidentally by eating meat. This is the third time in recent years that Chinese athletes have cited contaminated food as the reason for failing doping tests. After being cleared by the Anti-Doping Agency to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, the 30-member Chinese swim team went on to win six medals, including three gold. In response to the doping scandal, the United States took decisive action, withheld its $3.6 million contribution to water. First time a nation's ever taken this action, withholding funds. Unfortunately, almost a year after the explosive New York Times report exposing the scandal, water has failed to provide answers. Instead, all that they have provided are threats, stonewalling and intimidation. Former Olympic swimmer and silver medalist Katie McLaughlin was a witness at the hearing. She also competed in the 2020 Olympic Games. To me, competing clean wasn't just a rule, it was a responsibility. I was representing my country, my teammates, my family. And when I stood on the blocks, I wanted to know that I earned that place honestly. But what about the next young athlete who steps up on the blocks and doesn't have a shot at fairness? Young athletes get one chance to achieve their dream, and they can't on an uneven playing field. And whistleblowers are alleging widespread doping amongst Chinese athletes. In 2017, a former doctor for China's national team, after seeking asylum outside of China, released her recorded documentation of systemic doping amongst Chinese sports, dating back to at least 1978. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, NTD News. Coming up, President Trump attends a Situation Room meeting about the Israel-Iran crisis, with U.S. officials reportedly keeping all options on the table. What's next in the conflict? And could the U.S. be pulled into another never-ending war? Foreign Policy and National Security Analyst Armin Kerdian joins us to discuss. And how should the U.S. position itself in the escalation between Israel and Iran? We'll hear from folks in D.C. about that when we come back. 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The president also issued a series of warnings today to Iran, calling Ayatollah Ali Khamenei an easy target and demanding unconditional surrender. Joining us now to discuss the latest in the Israel-Iran crisis is Armin Kurdian. He's a foreign policy and national security analyst, as well as a retired U.S. Navy captain. Armin, thank you so much for joining us. Great to see you again. Our reports say the White House Situation Room meeting on Iran wrapped up after 80 minutes, with U.S. officials keeping all options on the table. What are you expecting from the U.S.? Supplying Israel with weapons, intel or staying out of it? I think right now what the United States is trying to do is determine how much damage has been done to Iran's nuclear capabilities. The United States doesn't want to or really need to engage Iran's military or even the IRGC at this time. Trump has been very, very strategic and tactical, and his handling of Iran during his first administration was very, very successful. And he's trying to emulate that right now. I think what they're trying to weigh is whether the U.S. is sending B-2 bombers or those GBU-57 penetrators to take out what's left at Natanz or at Fordow, which is very, very deeply varied. It's a capability the Israelis don't have right now. So I think that's probably what he's looking at. And he's trying to get in the head of the mullahs and the leaders of that regime right now to try to get them to either shake or capitulate or ultimately give up their weapons without any further bloodshed. Now, expanding on the messaging President Trump has called Iran's supreme leader an easy target, adding that the U.S. knows exactly where he's hiding and says the U.S. patience is wearing thin. How are you reading the messaging here from the U.S. in terms of deterrence? Well, there's a couple of things going on. I think he's saying that, again, get in his head and make them do extra security, make it harder for him to move around in various places, keep him underground, keep him hidden. So for the for how many, that might be very humiliating. So that's that's part of the calculus. The other part of the calculus, I think, is if Iran chooses to attack U.S. bases in the Middle East, I don't see the U.S. having an overwhelming response. I see the response to that being a very targeted attempt to take out Iran's leader directly. So if they are tracking him, they are they do know where he is, then he's probably a target that is going to be taken out as the opportunity provides, assuming Iran takes those kinds of actions, because, you know, attack a large scale attack against Iran's military infrastructure really doesn't serve the United States at all. But taking out the leadership in an environment like this with cause that could be very, very beneficial. Now, from a different angle, some note that the U.S. publicly distancing itself from Israel was to keep Iran off guard. What are your thoughts on the U.S. approach so far? Only Donald Trump knows what Donald Trump is going to do. He listens to his his advisor sometimes, but ultimately the decision is going to be his. He's playing a game of basically saying, hey, look, we told you guys you needed to come back and we can still come back to the table if you want. He's trying to be the good cop to Israel's bad cop. And in some ways that that helps the U.S. geopolitically put on the same terms with a lot of our allies in Europe and around the world that are hopeful that this conflict doesn't doesn't go on. And Trump does have a reputation or has built a reputation of an adversity to use U.S. forces, except in very specific tactical ways. He doesn't want an endless war with Iran. And Israel is has been called out by Iran for for destruction. So Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. I think we're all very surprised at how successful Israel has been in its campaign to taking out a lot of these military facilities. If there's anything left, I think that's what the U.S. needs to do. And if the U.S. does take any kind of military action, they need to do before a ceasefire starts, because once that ceasefire starts and the longer ago you go without shooting, it's just that much harder to take out what's left. Because I think if a ceasefire comes down and Iran doesn't fully give up its nuclear capabilities, we're just going to be doing this again in about five years. And Armin, the exiled crown prince of Iran addressed the Iranian people, saying in part, quote, The Islamic Republic has come to an end and is falling. What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright. And together we will navigate this sharp turn in history. Now is the time to stand. It is time to take back Iran. May I soon be with you. May I be with you soon. How significant is this? Could this bolster a response from the Iranian people to overthrow the current regime? It's entirely possible, certainly an internal overthrow of the religious council would be much more beneficial to Iran and the rest of the world than an outside force coming in and killing its leaders. You do that if you absolutely have to. But a lot of times, even for folks within the country who may not like the regime, it can definitely build some resentment saying, look, you took out our country. I don't know that you're really our friend or not. For Reza Pahlavi to come out and make these kinds of comments is also very interesting. His father was deposed 46 years ago. That's probably maybe only about a third or 30 percent of Iran's population was perhaps alive at the time when the Shah was alive. So you might say, well, times under the Shah weren't the best, but the times under the mullahs has been a lot worse. Or they may just not remember it. And maybe the youth of the nation is where the real hope is to see him come in, a historical figure, a figure embedded in Iran's history, a native Iranian, to come in and perhaps help guide the country out of its current state as an international pariah, either as its leader or as someone who can advocate for Iran in the world stage. Because let's remember, the Iranian people are very, very, they're very intelligent, they're very hardworking, they have a deep, rich culture, some of the best food in the world. But unfortunately, what has happened is this theocratic regime has overshadowed that. And a lot of this is forgotten or lost on the world, hopefully not for much longer. And expanding on that, what does his speech here mean for the future of Iran? If there were to be a regime change, could he go back? Iran was a great player on the world stage back in 1970s, a strong economy, women wearing makeup and cut off shorts. He had Elvis Presley on the radio, Keebler crackers for sale, video games, the whole nine yards. And like I alluded to before, I think he's probably talking to a lot of the youth of the country. I think in that sense, perhaps information operations, psychological operations, basically trying to pass a lot of information, get information into Iran. There's been talk, say, well, what if, you know, Elon Musk gets a Starlink back up and running to give the Iranians access to the to the world wide web, which is not something that the Iranians would necessarily be able to counter all over the world, the information we get in there. I think hopefully we're doing a little bit of that, but we need to do a lot more of it because an internal change is going to be much stronger, much more stable than an external force change. We've seen what can happen in the past. It's very, very, you know, all bets are off when you start shooting, especially in high volumes. But if people decide to rise up, throw them out, and then the United States, the Western powers, the rest of the world can be right there and say, hey, we're ready to lift the sanctions. We're ready to have you be a neighbor and part of the world again. Who knows what might happen? And I want to go back to one of your earlier points, because some analysts are saying now would be the time to strike Iran's nuclear program. That does come as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a piece recently saying Iran has not been building a nuclear weapon. What do you make of her assessment here? Well, the Israelis seem to think that Iran was trying to build a crude nuclear weapon because they thought that perhaps their time was up, which they might have been able to do, a backpack-sized weapon. It may not even been the size of a kiloton, but even that in the hands of the Iranian regime was not good. So, you know, even if there's a 10 or 20 percent chance of them have actually building a nuclear weapon, that has to be treated as a 100 percent possibility. So Israel took stock of that and went after Iran. U.S. involvement in this conflict has been purely defensive in nature. Any offensive action would need to be completely and totally limited to Iran's nuclear facilities. You know, we're talking five to 10 penetrator weapons to go after the hardened bunkers. I don't even know that we necessarily need to provide refueling capability to Israeli forces. We've done that. It could be a big feint, bringing a lot of these forces into the region to try to put a lot of pressure on Iran without actually taking any action. I think that is what needs to be done. If we do anything, if Iran wants to take offensive action against the United States or additional offensive action against Arab countries to try to draw them into the war for them, we've seen how incredibly effective the U.S. was, especially, you know, the Jordanians were out there shooting down drones as well. I believe, I can't remember who else, the Saudis or the UAE was up there as well intercepting Iranian weapons. So if the whole Middle East comes together to defend to defend itself in unison against Iran, Iran is going to find itself very, very isolated. And the arguable strong strategic position they may have found themselves in right around October 7th of a couple of years ago when they were kind of dictating the pace of events in the Middle East has shifted dramatically against them. Hamas is not an effective fighting force anymore. Hezbollah was eviscerated by the Israelis. They've taken their Syria slumps. The Houthi rebels have been badly mauled by the U.S. and the rest of their proxies in Syria no longer find a Syria as a friendly home to them now that that regime has changed and is no longer friendly to Iran. So Iran is not able to operate the way they did two years ago. But it is, of course, entirely possible they may find themselves in a we've got nothing to lose kind of scenario and then just bring the whole house crashing down all around them. Dirty bombs or whatever. What have you. It's entirely possible. It's not outside the realm of possibility. They may do that, but hopefully a cooler has can prevail. And even some of these regime leaders will value their lives more than perhaps inflicting more pain on the world. Armin Kurdian, as always, thank you so much for joining us. Thanks, Tiffany. As tensions escalate in the Middle East, how are everyday Americans viewing the U.S.'s approach towards Iran and are they concerned about the regime's nuclear development? And Sam Wong was out on the National Mall in D.C. to hear from the people. What kind of role do you think the U.S. should play in the Israel-Iran conflict right now? I think we should give all the help that they need. They're the chosen people and we're here to back them up. We don't want war. Nobody wants to go to war, but we will defend where we need to defend. Just a supportive role and keep supporting Israel. I know there's a lot of things going around the world. I think the United States should be a maker of peace, not initiate violence. I don't know. It's tough. It's tough because we don't want to get drawn in. I guess I'm leaning more towards we should just help Israel take out the last. If they don't have the means to take out the last nuclear site, we should help them take it out. The Iranian regime could go down and that is a net positive, but you never know what comes after that. So that could potentially be a good thing. But I don't think changing these equilibriums so drastically, so quickly and war is never a good thing. So no, I'm not happy about it. Are you concerned about Iran potentially acquiring nuclear weapons? Because this is the concern that's been reiterated by the Trump administration right now. What are your thoughts? Yes, they should not have any nuclear weapons. Nobody should. Ideally, yeah, nobody should. But yeah, we don't want it in the hands of people that aren't reasonable. Iran containing nuclear weapons? Of course I am, because they're an unstable country and run by radicals. I am concerned that they have nuclear weapons, but I don't think we should go in and try to manipulate or try to start something where we get rid of those nuclear weapons. I think should be more discussion based. I am. But relatively speaking, I think they're actually pretty close to getting it. And I think that they would always stop a centimeter short of their goal of actually achieving it, because the moment they would have it, all hell would really effectively break loose. They support proxies that, you know, do a lot of terrorist acts around, especially the Middle East against Israel. So, no, I don't want them to have any bigger weapons that they can do some more attacks with. Coming up in the NBA Finals, the Thunder win a pivotal game six. But what's the status of Pacers all-star Tyrese Halliburton? Dave Arndt joins us to discuss when we return. To celebrate our newest launch, Rev7, I'm bringing you an amazing introductory offer, plus an exclusive overstock sale that you're not going to want to miss. Rev7 is our premium energy drink that tastes great and gives you energy all day with no jitters and no crashes. That's because there's no sugar and no caffeine. 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You know, I really thought last night one of the big keys was Oklahoma City's pressure defense. It really seems to speed up Indiana on offense. And then they ended up making some turnovers, just trying to escape that pressure. Indiana turned the ball over last night 22 times, just 11 times for Oklahoma City. Now on the other side there, Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams scored 40 points. That was a game high. Also had Shea Gilgers, Alexander with 31. Indiana had a tough time stopping those two. Let's actually listen to what those two said after the game. It's something more that I'll like look back on later on than like worry about what kind of statement it makes. I think the only statement we have right now is we're up 3-2 and we still have to go earn another win. But it would be cool to look back on later on and hopefully somewhere down the line I'll have like a more fun answer for you. Um, I wouldn't say take control. I'm just, I'm just out there being aggressive. And like I said, I have a staff and teammates that allow me to do that and like figure out, figure out my game and just figure out spots where I can, can try and be dynamic. And a lot of that is just me trying to pick my spots and, you know, do what I can in order to win the game. And not every game is going to be 40 or 25. It's just kind of like doing whatever it takes to win the game. Every play is important. Every play matters a little bit more, obviously later in the game, but, uh, you just try to go out there and make the right basketball, a basketball play, play off your instincts. Um, and on both ends of the floor, you just try to do what's best, um, in that moment, that possession, uh, and try to stay in the moment as much as possible. Not worry about what's happening, what the swings are. Just try to win that possession. Of course, on the other side, Tyrese Halbert in Indiana's All-Star only had four points, missed all six shots. Uh, it looked like he had some kind of leg discomfort, we'll say anyway. So it was a rough game for him. But regarding Haliburton, what is his status going forward? It sounds like he's going to play. Of course, if it's up to him, it sounds like he's definitely going to play. I mean, the finals, game six is the next, is the next game. It's Thursday night. But according to ESPN, they are saying that he has a strange right calf, is undergoing an MRI today. Let's actually listen to what Haliburton said though, last night after the game. Uh, I missed NBA Finals. It's the finals, man. Uh, I've worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete. Um, you know, help my teammates any way I can. Um, you know, I was not great tonight by any means, but, uh, you know, it's not really a thought of mine to, to, to not play here. You know, if I, if I can, uh, you know, walk then, then I want to play. So, um, you know, they understand that and, uh, you know, is what it is. And, uh, you know, gotta be ready to go for game six. Now, fortunately for the Pacers, you know, they got a very good backup, of course, in TJ McConnell. McConnell came in with, uh, I think he had 18 points in just 22 minutes last night. 13 of those were in the third quarter. He's very explosive. Uh, Haliburton then came back in the fourth quarter and that the game kind of got away from the Pacers. I was actually kind of surprised they didn't go back to McConnell because Haliburton just didn't quite have the same kind of explosiveness there. Uh, but we'll have to see for game six, what Haliburton is like. Oh, shifting gears to the NHL tonight, we have game six of the Stanley Cup finals between Florida and Edmonton. Now the Oilers, which trailed three games to two, are going with Stuart Skinner at goalie tonight. Was there a reason given? Yeah, it sounds like playoff experience. That was according to Edmonton head coach, Chris Knobloch. Now Skinner was in six high pressure, you know, elimination games last year in the playoffs. He won five of those. It was very good. So they've got a lot of confidence in him and in these games. Now Skinner, of course, was their starter during the regular season, but in the postseason, he's been pulled twice in favor of Calvin Pickard. Actually Pickard won six straight games earlier in these playoffs, but then he got injured and they went back to Skinner and now they're here in the finals. So Florida, meanwhile, tonight though, they're up three, two. They have a chance to clinch their second straight Stanley Cup title. Uh, they are at home. That's going to be at 8 p.m. Eastern tonight. We'll see you wins. Well, David, thanks for joining us. And that's all for today's news around the clock coverage. Visit us at ntd.com slash live or download our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Good night.