Christopher Coons

On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “News Central,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said President Donald Trump ” has catapulted us into instability and violence in the Middle East” with his military operation in Iran.

Coons said, “Trump’s war of choice with Iran has catapulted us into instability and violence in the Middle East, and has also caused costs to go up for the average American, and there’s no clear end in sight.”

Co-host Kate Bolduan said, “President Trump says that he believes that Iran’s negotiating tactics involves a calculation of the midterm elections. He has said over and over again he thinks Iran’s going to come back to the negotiating table after the midterms. Iran’s foreign minister was just out yesterday and said unequivocally, rejected that, saying that midterms are not part of its calculation. We only care about our national interests. We are ready to negotiate. Do you think the midterms are a calculation for Iran?”

Coons said, “Look, the Iranians have shown over decades, in particular in 1979, 1980, that they understand American domestic politics. They don’t have a midterm election. The IRGC and the Ayatollah are a brutally repressive regime, and they have a firm grip on power.”