Pompeo on Iran, Tariffs, and US-China Relations (with Haslinda Amin)

Asks Pompeo about the Trump administration's proposed 10% tariffs on multiple nations for labor practices, and whether this is a distraction from Iran negotiations.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Defends tariffs as a legitimate use of US power to achieve objectives when other nations' behavior is inconsistent with American interests.

States it is not a distraction but a policy Trump has pursued for decades.

Questions whether Trump's Iran strategy is working, noting he predicted a 3-4 week war but it is now in the fourth month.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Argues the Iran campaign is incredibly effective, having set back Iran's nuclear and missile programs massively, something no previous president did.

Claims the campaign has delivered a superior outcome for the US, region, and Israel, and given the Iranian people an opportunity for a better life.

Asks about the perception that Israel is blocking a US-Iran deal due to differing views on how the war should end.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Dismisses the idea of a US-Israel split as 'total nonsense', asserting President Trump makes decisions in the best interest of the US.

States Trump is evaluating how to achieve the ultimate objective of keeping Americans safe from the Iranian regime.

Asks Pompeo what he would do differently with Iran, given his direct experience.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Would continue economic pressure via the blockade, which is putting enormous pressure on the regime, and notes the regime is confused and fractured.

Mentions personal risk (fatwa on his head) and that the regime has killed many Americans.

Asks why not take more direct kinetic action against Iran since it is weakened.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

States it is not straightforward because it puts more American lives at risk; it is a difficult decision only a president can make.

Thinks it is likely the US will have to provide more weaponry to Israel and fight alongside them to do more kinetic damage to Iran.

Asks about long-term peace and whether the US moving unilaterally creates distrust among allies.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Claims the world is far closer to peace than under any previous president, citing the Abraham Accords and Gulf Arab states recognizing Iran as their primary threat.

States Gulf Arab states are thrilled at the damage inflicted on the Iranian regime and are far safer.

Asks about US-China relations and the 'bromance' between Trump and Xi Jinping.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Warns not to mistake personal interactions for relations between nations; calls the Chinese Communist Party an adversary intent on global hegemony.

Accuses China of going to war with every bordering nation and committing genocide against Uyghurs.

Suggests the world is reassessing its relationship with the US, not China, citing talk of a 'world in rupture'.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Argues nations will conclude their best partner is not China, Iran, or Russia, but the US, because Western civilization depends on American leadership.

Expresses thorough confidence in this outcome.

Asks if there is a softening in the US stance towards China, noting Secretary of War Pete Hegseth did not mention Taiwan at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Emphatically states the Chinese Communist Party is an adversary of the US, and the conflict is between Western civilization and a Marxist-Leninist regime.

Claims the current administration has moved more weaponry and made more alliances in the region than any previous administration.

Asks if Taiwan is still key in America's strategy towards China.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Confirms Taiwan is key for military geostrategic reasons (first island chain) and commercial reasons (advanced technologies).

States it is deeply in the US interest to ensure Taiwan does not come under Chinese Communist Party control.

Asks if it is worrying that Hegseth refused to answer whether the US will proceed with arms sales to Taiwan, and if Taiwan could be a bargaining chip.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Says he is not worried and is confident the US will do what is necessary for Taiwan; dismisses the idea of Taiwan as a bargaining chip as a 'made-up left-wing media story'.

Asks about the biggest risks for Asian nations, including China's aggression in the South China Sea, and the US role and priorities.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

States China has been aggressive in the South China Sea for a long time, and the alliance must stick together to confront this challenge.

Emphasizes the US is a Pacific nation with enormous interest in free and open navigation through the Strait of Taiwan and Malacca.

Asks what Asian nations can do to contribute more to their own defense and how they should position themselves strategically.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Advises every nation to do what is necessary to defend their own sovereignty, step up their own resources and capabilities, and work alongside partners like the US.

Cites Singapore as a great example of a partner that takes its own defense seriously.

Asks about the next potential flashpoint and Pompeo's concerns.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Expresses concern about the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to undermine nations globally, and about political Islam and radical Islamism.

Notes the largest Muslim nations are in Asia, not the Middle East, and counterterrorism efforts must remain strong.

Asks about the state of US politics and whether Pompeo might run in 2028.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Does not rule out a run, but says it is a long way off; his priority is ensuring the next US leader understands global threats and protects the American people.

Suggests America no longer wants to play the role of a policeman in the world.

Haslinda Amin

Mike Pompeo

Disagrees with the 'policeman' framing but asserts the US will continue to lead the world as the most exceptional nation, and without American leadership the world is far more dangerous.

States America is not going to walk away from that role.

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