Jan. 15 was the first night of the Israeli-American Council's National Summit in Hollywood, Florida. Thousands of Israelis and Americans heard from speakers that included U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Gen. Michael Kurilla, former commander of the United States Central Command. Both spoke about potential U.S. involvement in Iran.
Witkoff was asked by an interviewer how President Donald Trump is handling the situation in Iran, and whether or not he will decide to initiate military action. -- 📺 Watch NTD News 24/7 on cable, broadcast, and streaming: https://www.ntd.com/watch
The Israeli-American Council 10th National Summit began yesterday in Hollywood, Florida.
Middle East Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff spoke at the event.
He reflected on freeing Israeli hostages and discussed the situation in Iran.
He also shared his thoughts on President Trump as Commander-in-Chief.
NTD reporter Chris Bobb was there and sends us this report.
When we got the 20 hostages home, the last 20, and their families came to the White House,
The President pulled me aside. I saw the tears. He doesn't like anyone to see tears.
And he said to me, this is the greatest day I've ever had in the White House.
Last night was the first night of the Israeli-American Council's National Summit in Hollywood, Florida.
Thousands of Israelis and Americans heard from speakers, including U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff
and General Michael Carrillo, former commander of the United States Central Command.
Both spoke about potential U.S. involvement in Iran. Here's what they told the crowd.
The biggest question we have to ask ourselves, and then what?
What is our strategy? What is the end state we're trying to achieve?
I've always been a proponent of the whole of government to take action.
I'm the military arm of our instruments of national power.
But you have a diplomatic, an informational, a military, and an economic.
And if there is going to be action against Iran, it needs to be the whole of government.
And candidly, it needs to be an international effort that is able to do that.
I remember when President Trump and I were talking, Steve Whitkoff was in the room,
and we were talking about Iran, and the one comment I said,
if we're ever going to take action, I want to phone a friend, and that friend is Israel.
Because of the capability and the friendship that we have with them, and Israel has very unique capabilities.
So I think right now it's a very tense situation, but I think we have to always ask ourselves,
what is the strategy, and then what?
The people of Iran clearly want that regime gone. What would you say to them?
I'd say to them, they're incredibly courageous people, and we stand with you.
I had the great privilege of being in the command center with the president during the 12-day war.
The president, he's a really good commander-in-chief.
I actually asked him afterwards, where did you learn this? Did you go to war college?
Because he's just that good.
Were you just trying to say to me, just trust President Trump?
That's what I'm saying. He's the right guy to trust.
Steve Whitkoff was asked by the reporter interviewing him,
how President Trump is handling the situation in Iran,
and whether or not he will decide to involve military action.
Here's what his response was to the crowd.
I hope there's a diplomatic resolution. I really do.
There are four issues. Nuclear enrichment, missiles.
They have to cut back on their inventory.
The actual material that they have, which is roughly 2,000 kilograms,
which is enriched anywhere between 3.67% and 60%.
And the proxies, of course.
And I think if Iran, which is stumbling in their economy,
it's a pretty serious situation.
There's no water there 16 hours a day.
There's no electric 12 hours a day.
Inflation is probably well north of 50%.
That's a lot of problems.
So I think if they want to come back to the League of Nations,
if we can solve those four problems diplomatically,
then that would be a great resolution.
And I think the alternative is a bad one.
Chris Bobb, NTD News, Hollywood, Florida.
