INTERVIEW: 13 lawmakers on why none of them trust Iran to abide by any agreement with Trump

As President Donald Trump continues to bomb Iran following the latter’s ongoing violations of the ceasefire, House Republicans are unanimous in telling the Washington Reporter that they do not trust Iran to abide by the terms of any agreement it strikes with the United States or with its allies.

At the latest House GOP media row, arranged by House GOP Secretary Rep. Lisa McClain (R., Mich.), thirteen House Republicans told the Washington Reporter in a series of interviews that none of them trust Iran — and explained why.

“I think back to 47 years ago when we saw them take the American embassy in Tehran, and I think about those Americans who were held hostage for over a year,” Rep. Bob Latta (R., Ohio) said. “An embassy is sacred ground. That is American property…I have a hard time saying we can trust that Iranians. They’ve broken so many treaties, and they’re the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. We need to make sure the inspectors go in and that they aren’t producing nuclear weapons. The only thing that got their attention is what the president and our great military have done. Our men and women have no equals. Iran is breaking international law all the time, especially with the Strait of Hormuz.”

Every lawmaker the Reporter spoke with agreed — and Rep. Harriet Hageman (R., Wyo.) made her objections particularly clear: “I don’t trust Iran,” she said. “I remember the Iranian Revolution in 1979 very well. I have recognized for 47 years that at some point we’d have to take out that malign leadership. President Trump has worked mightily to do that. There have to be intense mechanisms in place to make sure they comply with whatever is put in place. I can’t even say ‘trust but verify,’ because I don’t trust them at all.”

“The verification is the only way we can get through this,” Hageman added. “We’ve been paying a terror tax since the regime came to power. From my standpoint, I would like to see the people of Iran rise up and assert their own freedom and get rid of the mullahs and the barbarians who have run that country.”

Several other legislators, like Rep. Chuck Edwards (R., N.C.), stressed the importance of the verification. “No, I don’t trust them at all,” Edwards said. “Remember a president who said ‘trust but verify.’ Whatever actions are put into place should come with policies that would allow us to verify that they are keeping up with their end of the bargain.”

Another, Rep. Rudy Yakym (R., Ind.), added that he does not trust the Iranians as well. “Here, it should be don’t trust, but verify,” he explained. “President Trump, however, is a master negotiator. The president should keep options at his disposal. When we make a deal, we live up to it. They don’t. The deal should be simple: the Strait of Hormuz needs to open, they can’t have a nuclear weapon, and they have to stop funding terrorism. In return, they can join the first world.

Hageman’s sentiments were echoed by lawmakers who spent decades between them serving in the U.S. military.

“Hell no I don’t trust Iran,” Rep. Troy Downing (R., Mont.) said. “We’ve seen 47 years of bad faith negotiations, and to expect that they are not doing that is unrealistic. I don’t expect them to negotiate in good faith.”

But Downing, like many of his colleagues, has faith in Trump as a negotiator. “Donald Trump is a very smart man, and he’s done a lot of negotiating,” he added. “He knows who he’s dealing with. At this point, we have decimated their navy, we’ve decimated their ballistic capabilities. They are hanging on by a threat. We can compel compliance like never before. Will they try to circumvent it? Likely. Will it be met with consequences? I hope so. We have two goals: Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, and we need to have free commerce in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Rep. Zach Nunn (R., Iowa), another military veteran who is leading the maximum pressure campaign against Iran in Congress, noted that “this conflict has been going on for 47 years, and I haven’t trusted the Iranians for any of those years. The Iranians needed an off ramp far more than we did. That alone is why they negotiated.”

Another veteran, Rep. Gabe Evans (R., Colo.), who spent a decade in the Army, “was deployed to a combat zone in the Middle East,” so Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism is personal for him. “I’ve done work in the Middle East to counter Iran there. There were over 23,000 kinetic strikes conducted in Iran by us and Israel during that 40 day period. That economic impact on Iran between that and the blockade has been 50 percent of their GDP. We want peace through strength. We’ve demonstrated the strength. Oil and gas prices are both dropping already. As long as you’ve got terrorists in charge of Iran, it’s what Reagan said — you need to trust but verify. Between our military and oversight, we’ve got what it takes to get that done.”

For Rep. John McGuire (R., Va.), a former Navy SEAL, the issue is simple: “I don’t ever trust anything about them,” he said. “That’s why we must have peace through strenth.” And for Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R., Wis.), another former Navy SEAL, the issue is an opportunity to contrast how Republicans and Democrats have handled the Middle East. “Let’s remember that Donald Trump set a conditions-based withdrawal for Afghanistan,” he noted. “There was not a single American casualty in the final 13 months of his presidency.”

Most lawmakers, like Rep. Erin Houchin (R., Ind.), are willing to trust Trump and his top negotiators, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“We have to trust President Trump and his approach, as well as those of our negotiators, like Marco Rubio who is doing a fantastic job,” she said. “I trust our intelligence on what’s happening there, as well as our advisors. The American people would love to see an end to the conflict, and President Trump is leading that effort. He did what no president had done for 47 years, which was to show Iran that we will not tolerate them ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. We are once again a world leader under President Trump’s leadership.”

“We have learned that the president means what he says,” Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R., Texas), said. “I’m not worried about what Iran will or won’t do, because I know that our president will held countries accountable when he needs to.”

Rep. Mark Alford (R., Mo.) is another who trusts Trump and co. but not Iran.

“No I don’t trust Iran,” he said. “I was a kid during the Iranian hostage crisis. I have seen how these knuckle head operators have worked for 47 years. President Trump had the courage to annihilate their nuclear capabilities and to make sure they don’t have the wherewithal to terrorize the Middle East and the rest of the world. Midnight Hammer happened a year ago this week; during it, we buried a thousand pounds of enriched uranium.”

Following Midnight Hammer, he noted, “these roaches of people started trying to dig it out and in so doing they made it clear that they are not done with their nuclear capabilities. I wish the president finished off this regime. I wish that we were able to affect lasting change when it comes to leadership in Iran, and that may still happen. I want to applaud Secretary Marco Rubio; he has done a fantastic job through his diplomacy and through the relationships that he has built during his time in the Senate.”

When America’s operations in the Middle East are done, Alford said that he believes “it will mean lasting peace in the Middle East. It won’t just change Iran; it will lead to more people joining the Abraham Accords. When I was in the Middle East a year and a half ago, we visited with Bibi Netanyahu and a lot of Arab leaders. The only thing they all had in common was they wanted us to do something about Iran. They want to live in peace. You can’t do that with Islamic terrorists.”

Rep. Buddy Carter (R., Ga.), one of the staunchest Iran hawks in Congress, said that he does not trust Iran, but added that it is nevertheless in Iran’s interests to sign a deal and to abide by it.

“In order for Iran to reap the benefits, they’ve got to perform,” he said. “No, I do not trust them. But if they abide by it, it will benefit their country. I want maximum pressure if they don’t abide by it.”

Below are transcripts of our interviews with thirteen House Republicans, lightly edited for clarity.

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R., Wyo.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Harriet Hageman:

I will be in Wyoming in Cheyenne doing a parade. There’s an entire day of activities that will be going on across the whole state, of course. If you’re in Cody, it’ll be a rodeo at the Irma Hotel. Same with Lander, where they have the Indian relay races. Goshen County has something similar.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Harriet Hageman:

They have started to believe their propaganda that we are an inherently evil country. We have been fighting this battle for a long time. In the 1960s you saw this same kind of unrest. They have raised an entire generation of people who believe that Palestine exists, which it doesn’t. They believe that there is more freedom in Iran than there is in America. They believe that America is based on oppression. They forced a generation of Americans to believe those lies. In many ways, our prosperity is killing us. It is easy to thrive here because of the prosperity we built. That’s what allows for these types of beliefs to gain traction in our politics, and it is a problem.

Washington Reporter:

The Trump administration’s fraud task force recently captured a Haitian scammer who stole $58 million using the 340B program — do you support the administration’s work in cracking down on 340B and other healthcare fraud?

Rep. Harriet Hageman:

You are going to see fraud in every state in the country, because the people responsible for making sure it wasn’t happening either turned a blind eye or were negligent. I don’t think you’ll see it as much in red states because the incentive structure isn’t there. The incentive structure in blue states looks like using government funds to stay in power for Democrats. As they are able to spread that money around, they hope some comes back to them. We don’t have that nearly as much in red states.

Washington Reporter:

When it comes to President Trump’s diplomacy with Iran, do you trust Iran to live up to its bargain? What should President Trump do if Iran violates its commitments or continues to support terrorism?

Rep. Harriet Hageman:

I don’t trust Iran. I remember the Iranian Revolution in 1979 very well. I have recognized for 47 years that at some point we’d have to take out that malign leadership. President Trump has worked mightily to do that. There have to be intense mechanisms in place to make sure they comply with whatever is put in place. I can’t even say ‘trust but verify,’ because I don’t trust them at all. The verification is the only way we can get through this. We’ve been paying a terror tax since the regime came to power. From my standpoint, I would like to see the people of Iran rise up and assert their own freedom and get rid of the mullahs and the barbarians who have run that country.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Harriet Hageman:

I want them to take home the realization that America is truly the bright shining city on the hill. Freedom is ingrained in our DNA. Liberty and equality are who we are. We are very fun. Families are extremely important to us, patriotism is extremely important to us. Maybe their leaders and their media have been lying to them about us.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Harriet Hageman:

I’d want to show them everything — the space, the openness. I represent the least populated state, but the 9th largest geographically. Our ranches, our small towns, our communities, our National Parks, our skies at night, all of it.

Rep. Zach Nunn (R., Iowa):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Zach Nunn:

We are so excited; we are going to have the whole family out here. My whole family is coming, and we are going to go to the Great American State Fair, which is of course modeled after the Iowa State Fair. We are going to see how beautiful and safe the city is. I’ve been stationed here with the military and it’s never been this clean. Most importantly, it’s safe. I’m inviting all the high school groups out too to visit it to see it in person. It probably won’t be this safe and clean again for a long time.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Zach Nunn:

New York is the bellwether for the Democratic Parry. What we saw was a Bolshevik revolution in the Big Apple. Across the aisle, folks who engaged with terrorists are getting elected, folks who hate America, and there are even folks in my own race who claim to be Lutheran pastors then officiate Satanic weddings. This is the kind of dissociative behavior that would play well on Reddit — but not in Congress. We need to have people who want to come here to lead; I don’t care what your party is.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Zach Nunn:

It’s been huge. This is one of the most impactful things we’re seeing. Right up the street from me at home there was $600 million of fraud in the Twin Cities, and a lot of it went to Somalia, not to Stuart, Iowa. We are leading the GUARD Act to allow local law enforcement to go after these guys. I am happy to say that Senator Katie Britt and I are leading this effort. I want Trump to go after scammers overseas as well.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Zach Nunn:

This conflict has been going on for 47 years, and I haven’t trusted the Iranians for any of those years. The Iranians needed an off ramp far more than we did. That alone is why they negotiated. I am leading the Iranian maximum pressure campaign in congress. Six service members in my community have died in this war, so it’s been something that hits close to home for us.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Zach Nunn:

First off, go Team USA; I’ve been thrilled to see America showcased at its best. We have 250 years of success here. Despite the media wanting to paint us with a broad brush, we see the good old fashioned patriotism all across our country, and I know that these visitors have seen it too.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Zach Nunn:

You’ve got to spend a little bit of time in the Field of Dreams. We are going to be coming home with a World Cup championship. Come to the Iowa State Fair too — I’ve been showing sheep there for 40 years. I’d also want them to try all the great food we have to offer at the fair: pork chop on a stick, fried Oreos, then deep fried lobster rolls from JRs. We also have some of the best craft beers in America.

Rep. Gabe Evans (R., Colo):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Gabe Evans:

I’m excited to celebrate 250 years of America. We’ve got the Greely Stampede up in my district, and I’ll end it with some fireworks for my boys.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Gabe Evans:

The tail is wagging the dog of the Democratic Party. The extreme Marxist left is calling the shots. Unfortunately that is devastating to the rest of the country. Look at the coasts. There is mass exodus going on with these Democrat-controlled cities because these policies gut business and no one wants to live there. Denver, Colorado, has the emptiest downtown of any major city in the nation. It’s so expensive, the regulatory burden is so high; that’s what their policies do.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Gabe Evans:

In Colorado, there was $25 million of fraud alone in the Medicaid non-emergency transportation fund. There was another $77 million worth of fraud in medicated autism. There’s $100 million in Colorado alone going to illegal immigrants. Medicaid and health care has to be a partnership; states like Colorado have run absolutely rogue. Under Republican leadership here, we are putting guardrails around the money we are sending to these states. The mismanagement is so bad in Colorado that our director resigned in shame because the state senate was about to take a vote of no confidence. The only reason that happened is because of pressure from D.C. Republicans

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Gabe Evans:

I spent 12 years in the U.S. Army. I was deployed to a combat zone in the Middle East. I’ve done work in the Middle East to counter Iran there. There were over 23,000 kinetic strikes conducted in Iran by us and Israel during that 40 day period. That economic impact on Iran between that and the blockade has been 50 percent of their GDP. We want peace through strength. We’ve demonstrated the strength. Oil and gas prices are both dropping already. As long as you’ve got terrorists in charge of Iran, it’s what Reagan said — you need to trust but verify. Between our military and oversight, we’ve got what it takes to get that done.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Gabe Evans:

80,000 Europeans die every year from lack of air conditioning. When people come here, they see the lies that a lot of media outlets that aren’t proud to be American put out. Houston, Texas is the energy capital of the U.S. I’m down in Houston a lot in my capacity as a member of Energy and Commerce. The hotel I stay in had a lot of visitors for the World Cup. A lot of people were blown away by how in a random hotel in Houston you could get a hotel breakfast buffet with everything they could want. They were blown away by sausage, biscuits, eggs, and gravy.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Gabe Evans:

We are the agriculture capital of Colorado. Agriculture is a multibillion dollar industry. I have farmers producing millions of shell eggs every week. You eat anything beef in this country, most of it runs through my district. We have giant feed yards to bring beef to the American people. Seven percent of all dairy goes to Leprino Foods in my district. We provide that bacon, eggs, sausage, and biscuits that visitors and Americans alike enjoy so much.

Rep. John McGuire (R., Va.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. John McGuire:

I will be all over the district attending parades, shaking hands, and knocking doors. I am in the middle of a primary right now.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. John McGuire:

It sounds like the left has gone crazy. People say this is not your grandfather’s Democratic Party; they are going straight to communism. We’ve lifted more people out of poverty than any other system. Socialism kills. It’s killed hundreds of millions of people. When I was a Navy SEAL doing counter drug missions in South and Central America, the only safe country there was Venezuela. Then Hugo Chavez took over. They went from over a dozen oil refineries to one owned by the state. I hope Americans see that contrast between common sense versus crazy. We want you to be able to live, work, and raise your family in peace. I want everyone to be able to double their businesses. Even on our worst days, everyone wants to come here; just don’t bring the crazy ideas here when you come.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. John McGuire:

It’s very important. JD Vance just said that he thinks that there is enough fraud that would get rid of our national debt. There is a lot of fraud. Minnesota is the tip of the iceberg. What happened in Minnesota is nothing compared to what’s going on in states like California.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. John McGuire:

I don’t ever trust anything about them. That’s why we must have peace through strenth. Fortunately we have a president who isn’t all talk. President Trump has a backbone.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. John McGuire:

The most important thing as a Christian is truth. Truth is important. The media has screwed a lot of things up with its coverage of America over the years, and I hope they get to see that and take that realization home with them.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. John McGuire:

I’d tell them that Virginia’s 5th District is the gateway to the Bill of Rights. The Civil War ended right in Appomattox County.

Rep. Erin Houchin (R., Ind.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Erin Houchin:

I’ll be celebrating America 250 in our nation’s capital. My mom turns 79 on the Fourth! I’ll have her here with me celebrating the birth of the nation.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Erin Houchin:

The Democratic Party is out of touch with most of mainstream America. We’re seeing these radical candidates get elected in primaries. I am not sure how that will translate this fall. Patriotism is at all time high with Republicans and at an all time low with Democrats. When we look at these midterms, they could be a turning point for our country based on the reverence that Republicans across the country have for our Founders and what they gave us and in contrast with the radical left.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Erin Houchin:

The administration has done a fantastic job in identifying and trying to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. Look at child care alone. In just five states, enough fraud has been identified, to the tune of $11 billion. That’s enough to fund the child care voucher system four times over. That’s only the beginning, and it’s just one entity. Dr. Oz is doing great work looking at health care fraud. We are only going to see, unfortunately, more uncovered. But fortunately we are the party doing something about this problem.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Erin Houchin:

I don’t want to speak to hypotheticals, but I think we have to trust President Trump and his approach, as well as those of our negotiators, like Marco Rubio who is doing a fantastic job. I trust our intelligence on what’s happening there, as well as our advisors. The American people would love to see an end to the conflict, and President Trump is leading that effort. He did what no president had done for 47 years, which was to show Iran that we will not tolerate them ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. We are once again a world leader under President Trump’s leadership.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Erin Houchin:

I understand that TSA is having a really hard time keeping them from taking ranch home. They can get a powdered version of ranch, and that might be an adequate substitute. I hope that with intangibles, they take the American spirit and the optimistic nature of our people home with them.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Erin Houchin:

I would want to show them where Indiana limestone comes from. It’s found in the Capitol, the Pentagon, the Empire State Building, and it is the foundation of some of our most important buildings. That’s in Bedford, Indiana. I would also want them to experience an IU Hoosier football game under Coach Curt Cignetti’s leadership. I am optimistic about a repeat too, by the way. Coach Cignetti will deliver and he’s put together a great team once again.

Rep. Mark Alford (R., Mo.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Mark Alford:

My son just got a double masters in New York, and we are driving to Kansas City before the Fourth starts. On the Fourth itself, we are going to Henry County in the interior of our district. We will be in Clinton, Missouri, at an Old Glory Days Parade. We are going to do the parade, go crappie fishing, do a cook out, and enjoy family. We are also going to shoot some AR15s.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Mark Alford:

You know me. I came here, and one of my goals was to establish relationships with Democrats and build common ground without abandoning my conservative values, but the direction that they are taking by welcoming socialists and communists is a problem. There are going to be members who take the Oath of Office who have made themselves to be enemies of America. That is reprehensible; there ought to be some mechanism to prevent Darializa Avila Chevalier from joining this body. You can’t hate America and work in this body. Why would I doubt her when she says she hates America? Everyone thought it was cute that Zohran Mamdani was elected, but Mr. Adriano Espaillat, the chair of CHC, who is on Appropriations with me, is out because Mamdani’s candidate wins based on his endorsement. This started off as a slippery slope, and I fear it will be a landslide if we don’t realize this is a danger to America.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Mark Alford:

There’s more to come. When I first got here, I was on the Ag Committee, and I learned about the waste in food stamps, and no one wanted to do anything about it. Secretary Tom Vilsack did not want to do anything about it. The blue states were not reporting their information to USDA. In the One Big, Beautiful Bill, we found the money to pay for these programs by kicking people off of Medicaid who should have never been there. We found the people abusing the system. There’s more to go. We saw this with Somalis in Minnesota, with hospices in California. If we have the willingness, temerity, and courage to lift up this tree and see what’s in the roots, I think that’s the only way we’ll flourish as a country.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Mark Alford:

No I don’t trust Iran. I was a kid during the Iranian hostage crisis. I have seen how these knuckle head operators have worked for 47 years. President Trump had the courage to annihilate their nuclear capabilities and to make sure they don’t have the wherewithal to terrorize the Middle East and the rest of the world. Midnight Hammer happened a year ago this week; during it, we buried a thousand pounds of enriched uranium. These roaches of people started trying to dig it out and in so doing they made it clear that they are not done with their nuclear capabilities. I wish the president finished off this regime. I wish that we were able to affect lasting change when it comes to leadership in Iran, and that may still happen. I want to applaud Secretary Marco Rubio; he has done a fantastic job through his diplomacy and through the relationships that he has built during his time in the Senate. I truly believe when this is all said and done, it will mean lasting peace in the Middle East. It won’t just change Iran; it will lead to more people joining the Abraham Accords. When I was in the Middle East a year and a half ago, we visited with Bibi Netanyahu and a lot of Arab leaders. The only thing they all had in common was they wanted us to do something about Iran. They want to live in peace. You can’t do that with Islamic terrorists.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Mark Alford:

We are celebrating 250 years of greatness, freedom, democracy, and hope. With the world looking at us, and in Kansas City at the heart of America, we are seeing that we have things that no one else has; unlimited ice, ranch dressing, and free refills. We aren’t perfect, but we have the freedom of movement, freedom of speech. We are always trying to get to a more perfect union. Other countries getting a view of what we’re all about is important. I hope it causes a stir in America for us to be more grateful for what we have. Some of these visitors are energized by our freedoms and the commodities that we have. That should make us more appreciative. We have become so used to immediate gratification and to variety in products and services that no one else has on earth.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Mark Alford:

I want to take them to my brother-in-law’s farm and climb on a $2 million combine guided by computers and drone technology and show them how Missouri is feeding the world.

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R., N.C.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Chuck Edwards:

I’m going to spend a few days in the district visiting with friends and constituents, but I’ll be here on the Fourth itself.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Chuck Edwards:

They have no identity. They are searching for an identity. None of this surprises me anymore. They have found a very slim section of the population that they can ignite through these divisive tactics. Overall, this is convincing folks that the conservative way of life is better.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Chuck Edwards:

We’ve known for years that there are great quantities of waste, fraud, and abuse in our government. Last year alone we saw over $100 billion in improper payments. I am glad that the administration is taking this head on and helping us lead the way to a more efficient way to spend our dollars.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Chuck Edwards:

No, I don’t trust them at all. Remember a president who said ‘trust but verify.’ Whatever actions are put into place should come with policies that would allow us to verify that they are keeping up with their end of the bargain.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Chuck Edwards:

I hope they take away the sense of patriotism that we have here in America, the love we have for our country, and that they see the benefits of a capitalist society and a free society. We want to strengthen friendships with our allies, and this is a great way for their people to see us up close.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Chuck Edwards:

I’d want to show them the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina, the people who have helped us rebuild so strongly from a hurricane, and what conservative values can bring to them.

Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R., Texas):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Monica De La Cruz:

I have the honor of representing South Texas right here in D.C. I will spend it here this year.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Monica De La Cruz:

It’s a wake up call for all Americans, both on the Republican and Democratic sides. The Democratic Party has become the Socialist Party of America. We need to make sure in this midterm that we are voting for conservative legislators who love America.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Monica De La Cruz:

What we have seen is exposure of what has been happening with taxpayer dollars. When I go to my district, they are thankful that the president is exposing the fraud, not only in health care, but in other areas. When Americans see their taxpayer dollars being wasted on fraudulent activity, it is very upsetting.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Monica De La Cruz:

We have learned that the president means what he says. I’m not worried about what Iran will or won’t do, because I know that our president will held countries accountable when he needs to.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Monica De La Cruz:

What I hope they take back is their experience and spread it to their fellow countrymen. What they are fed by their media are lies about what America is. We live in the greatest country on this planet, and people from other countries are getting to experience it firsthand.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Monica De La Cruz:

In Texas’s 15th District, I’d show them a good ol’ South Texas BBQ. Edinburg will be hosting a 250th celebration with a huge Texas BBQ, and I’d invite them to see that firsthand.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R., Wis.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Derrick Van Orden:

It’s up in the air. I love being in Wisconsin, but it’s the 250th anniversary of our country, and they are turning out here. I have not decided. If I’m home, I’d do what every red-blooded American does. I’d have a BBQ with my family, have meat products, drink at least one Miller Lite, do a motorcycle ride before said Miller Lite, see my grandkids.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Derrick Van Orden:

I have lived and worked in former Soviet bloc countries. Communism is a system of government that crushes men’s souls. I have a lot of friends who still live there, and they are shocked at this. One of my best friends is in Estonia. He’s from a town called Tartu, right in the middle of the country. Way before I got into Congress, I talked with him — we’re in his backyard, and I asked him what his earliest memory is. His earliest memory is his dad not coming home; there’s 100 percent employment in the Soviet Union, but some jobs are to sit in a chair. His dad’s job was to take care of one horse and watch it. One day, Soviet soldiers came in and they wanted to take the horse and take ‘forest brothers’ out. There were anti-communist partisans until 1956 there, and the Soviets wanted to find them. His dad told them it was his job to protect the one horse. They shot his dad in the head. There was nothing they could do. He and his mom dragged his dad’s body home after dark. Later on, they were on a list for 12 years to get a Lada, a crappy car. It took a dozen years to get a car. That’s what these people are toeing with now. My opponent, Rebecca Cooke, endorsed Mamdani for mayor. She wants to have all these social programs that sound great but they don’t turn out well.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Derrick Van Orden:

Two of our kids have profound orthopedic issues; at one point we had to get surgery in Dresden, where there is socialized medicine. They put us into a little room because we had military insurance. If you don’t have this, however, you are at the back of the line. Fraud in the health care space is massive. Let’s take the SBA’s work, for example. Kelly Loeffler has been able to rope in $200 billion worth of fraud; at the same time, she’s gotten more loans out to actual businesses than at any other time. She’s gotten money back and she’s gotten money out to legitimate businesses. There are 23 states that will not turn over SNAP rolls to the Trump administration; there are over 100,000 people on SNAP who are dead. Hundreds of thousands of people were getting benefits in more than one state. If a person is getting SNAP, where I live there are three states that come together. Some people are getting benefits in three states. If we cut their benefits in two states, that is cutting two-thirds of the benefits for one person, but those benefits shouldn’t have been given out to begin with.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Derrick Van Orden:

Let’s remember that Donald Trump set a conditions-based withdrawal for Afghanistan. There was not a single American casualty in the final 13 months of his presidency. The MOU is in place, the final conditions are in place.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Derrick Van Orden:

The truth — I want them to take the truth home. I’m a grandpa. I saw this montage of people from all over the world, and I got misty-eyed watching it, I’m not going to lie to you. One reason was absolute pride in being an American, but I also had a deep-seated sorrow that there are a lot of Americans who don’t share that pride any more.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Derrick Van Orden:

I’d take them to a creamery, and I’d want them to see how cheese curds are made. I’d definitely take them to the GasLight bar. I’d also want to take them to a fish fry, and to a Kwik Trip stop.

Rep. Rudy Yakym (R., Ind.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Rudy Yakym:

My family will be coming to D.C. and joining me here; we will be on the National Mall celebrating America 250. Just this morning I took a five mile run down to the Lincoln Memorial and back. The Mall is ready to accept Americans already. The Great American State Fair is open and ready. The National Mall is safe. The National Guard is out in force. The Reflecting Pool looks great as well, I might add.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Rudy Yakym:

We have to remind people that it is okay to love this country. It is okay to say I love this country. The Democrats keep nominating crazy people. Look at New York; these people are nuts. They do not love this country. How crazy is that? We are going to create quite a contrast. Republicans are nominating normal people, and the American people want to see that.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Rudy Yakym:

Since the early 2000s, there have been over $2 trillion in improper federal payments. Fraud is something we can’t allow to happen. The only money the federal government has is what it takes from us forcibly by the tax code. We need to take that responsibility seriously. The Trump administration is the first to take it seriously. It has a special department at DOJ; they are arresting fraudsters, which is a welcome change. Look at Minnesota in particular. We’ve got to go after this stuff.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Rudy Yakym:

I don’t trust the Iranians. Some people in diplomacy say trust but verify. Here, it should be don’t trust, but verify. President Trump, however, is a master negotiator. The president should keep options at his disposal. When we make a deal, we live up to it. They don’t. The deal should be simple: the Strait of Hormuz needs to open, they can’t have a nuclear weapon, and they have to stop funding terrorism. In return, they can join the first world.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Rudy Yakym:

America is a welcoming and hospitable place. I’ve seen videos of people from all over the world and they are surprised at how good the food is. They are surprised at even free refills of Diet Coke! My hope is that they see that America is the greatest country in the history of the world. I hope they take a little piece of that with them.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Rudy Yakym:

I’d want to show them how we are the manufacturing capital of North America. We make 85 percent of America’s RVs, and we are also the medical device capital of the world. It’s a great place to call home and I’d love to show them our manufacturing prowess.

Rep. Buddy Carter (R., Ga.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Buddy Carter:

I’m excited to celebrate the 250th birthday of the greatest nation the world has ever known. I will likely do it here.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Buddy Carter:

Their party has gone off the rails. Tuesday is an indication of that. We live in the greatest country on earth. Why don’t they realize that? Look at these visitors’ impressions of America. They understand how great we’ve got it here, as well as how great our freedoms are. The Democrats want to dismantle this. A survey just showed that about 90 percent of Republicans love America; only 29 percent of Democrats were in that same boat. That is baffling to me. I don’t understand how they don’t recognize this. We live in the greatest country the world has ever known. For me, it doesn’t matter who is in power.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Buddy Carter:

I applaud the administration for what it’s doing, and I back them and want to support them. Fraud is stealing. We’re not even talking about waste. Stealing from programs that are intended for the most vulnerable in society is horrific. I hope we put more procedures in place to stop this before it happens on such a large scale. How did one hundred hospices in LA come out of the same address? The first duplicate address should have been kicked out. If I ran my business this way, I’d have been kicked out. Look at Minnesota; we didn’t discover this. A 20 something year old kid discovered it.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Buddy Carter:

Let’s talk about trust. My daddy used to tell me that the only two people he trusted are himself and me, and he wasn’t always sure about me. I hope this MOU is signed; it is laden with performance conditions. In order for Iran to reap the benefits, they’ve got to perform. No, I do not trust them. But if they abide by it, it will benefit their country. I want maximum pressure if they don’t abide by it.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Buddy Carter:

I hope they’ll take our form of government back with them. It is the greatest experiment that’s ever been made. I also hope they take Georgia products back; lots of Coca Cola, lots of Chick Fil A.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Buddy Carter:

There’s no question — my home, where I’ve lived my whole life and where I intend to live the rest of my life. Savannah is the greatest city in America. The entire coast of Georgia is great; out of all 435 districts, I get the honor of representing the very best one. We have 14 barrier islands, I am so proud of it.

Rep. Troy Downing (R., Mont.):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Troy Downing:

Historically, we go with a number of friends and families that go camping in Harlowton. We do this when they’re branding their cattle; my job is normally handling the calf fries. But with America 250, celebrating the greatest nation in history, you have to think about whether you do the tradition, or the big thing. I’m old enough that I remember America in 1976; I was a little kid at the time. They issued these bicentennial quarters. As we hit this date, I think about how great our American experiment is. I hope that the next generation feels the same sense of awe that I did.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Troy Downing:

This is a Bolshevik Revolution; rank and file Democrats are wondering how to deal with that. I went to high school in the 1980s during the Soviet Union; I saw the failures there. The worst thing you could call someone then was a ‘communist.’ We all saw the failure of the Soviet Union; we saw the lines to get a loaf of bread. We saw how horrible that was. Nothing has improved the human condition more than free market capitalism has. We can elevate people who didn’t have a path in systems like that. The fact that we have the lunatic fringe of the Democrats embracing communism is a serious problem. The opportunity is that that is the fringe; they are going to have an internal fight, and I think they are going to collapse. That is one of the reasons we’ll win.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Troy Downing:

340B is crazy; it’s the largest drug program and growing. It was intended for the uninsured, lower income people. As we’ve seen uninsured numbers drop, 340B has grown. Something is going on there. When it comes to fraud more broadly, it’s out of control. I did an event in Helena, and a woman asked me why we’re taking everyone’s health care away. We’re not. We’re making sure that people who need health care have access to it. She said that’s a red herring. A red herring? I saw a lot of this fraud firsthand in my previous job when I was working as Montana’s insurance commissioner. Shortly after, we uncovered a $55 million fraud where they were preying on tribal Montanans and they were rounding them up, canceling one plan, putting them on another, shipping them off, and saying they would help them with addiction, but not actually do anything. $55 million! Look at what we’ve uncovered federally. $6.5 billion of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. Skin graft fraud is out of control; they are defrauding our system. It involved 41 Attorneys General, the FBI, and Dr. Oz. These fraudsters are buying Maseratis. One bought a resort in the Philippines. All of this is happening on the backs of the American taxpayers. When everybody says you are hurting the most needy, no, we are not. We have a duty to taxpayers. I am really happy to see the FBI, CMS, and state AGs all working together. A lot of times in the past, CMS has not had the resources to deal with fraud in Montana. I have a bill, the PARTNERS Act, that allows states to enter into agreements with CMS. As a former insurance commissioner, I’ll tell you that states want to take care of their own. The issues that I had in Montana are that we had these 1970s sports heroes and celebrities who were selling Medicare Advantage programs in Montana and defrauding these seniors, and selling them programs that may not have had care in our state, and there was nothing I could do. There are a lot of issues we need to do, but let’s start with low hanging fruit.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Troy Downing:

Hell no I don’t trust Iran. We’ve seen 47 years of bad faith negotiations, and to expect that they are not doing that is unrealistic. I don’t expect them to negotiate in good faith. But Donald Trump is a very smart man, and he’s done a lot of negotiating. He knows who he’s dealing with. At this point, we have decimated their navy, we’ve decimated their ballistic capabilities. They are hanging on by a threat. We can compel compliance like never before. Will they try to circumvent it? Likely. Will it be met with consequences? I hope so. We have two goals: Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, and we need to have free commerce in the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Troy Downing:

I want them to see what happens when you allow people to innovate, and what happens when you give them the tools to innovate. America is a shining example of changing the world. Innovation happens here. We need to protect that. They need to go home seeing that they are not even a close second.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Troy Downing:

Montana’s 2nd District is where food comes from. I’ve got more cows than people. We have so much wheat and barley, I’d like to show them some of our spectacular views. I’d love to go to Yellowstone with them.

Rep. Bob Latta (R., Ohio):

Washington Reporter:

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?

Rep. Bob Latta:

I will be out in the district at parades and probably in some festivals doing what our ancestors, especially John Adams, discussed. John Adams talked about fireworks and parades and making sure that we celebrate what happened on that great day. At that time we celebrated that we would be free of Britain, and that we’d have our democracy right here in this county.

Washington Reporter:

Democrats in New York just nominated three Democratic Socialists, who are all but guaranteed to win their elections in November; what is happening across the aisle?

Rep. Bob Latta:

It doesn’t portend well for this country. When I give tours of the Capitol, the last stop we do is in front of the Ronald Reagan statue in the rotunda. It looks like there are three types of stone, but it’s two — he is standing on the Berlin Wall. He destroyed communism without firing a shot. All of a sudden, now, communism is being talked about as a mainstream ideology, and it’s not. When you think about communism, it’s about state-run everything. We have to preserve our freedoms. 250 years ago we proclaimed that. Can some of these people take an oath to defend that Constitution? Can they pledge allegiance to our flag?

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Bob Latta:

I serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and we have health underneath us. We want to make sure that we have health care out there for people. If people are stealing from the American people and taking away our benefits, they need to be prosecuted. What the administration is doing is right, but we’ve got to make sure that we have the health care system out there and that the benefits are for the right people.

Washington Reporter:

Rep. Bob Latta:

I think back to 47 years ago when we saw them take the American embassy in Tehran, and I think about those Americans who were held hostage for over a year. An embassy is sacred ground. That is American property. You didn’t see the American government of that time take action to free those Americans. It is very difficult to trust but verify. That is the way to go. I have a hard time saying we can trust that Iranians. They’ve broken so many treaties, and they’re the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. We need to make sure the inspectors go in and that they aren’t producing nuclear weapons. The only thing that got their attention is what the president and our great military have done. Our men and women have no equals. Iran is breaking international law all the time, especially with the Strait of Hormuz. It’s got to be constant verification.

Washington Reporter:

What have you thought about the tourists visiting America during the World Cup? What would you like them to take home with them?

Rep. Bob Latta:

I haven’t been watching it, but I’ve been reading the stories about the people who come here, and they think about what they see in movies and on TV, and now they get to meet the actual American people; we are very friendly. They also love how people can travel and see things that they don’t have back at home. We outproduce Saudi Arabia on any given day in energy. We have all of these benefits in this country. It’s great to have people from all around the world coming here and seeing our people and our country.

Washington Reporter:

If you could take them to your district, where would you take them?

Rep. Bob Latta:

I’d want to show them what our people do; we represent a district that has 86,000 manufacturing jobs. We make things not only for people here, but for people around the world. I’d want to show all of those benefits; it all comes down to those hardworking people I get to represent.

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