Jonathan Karl brought Republican presidential hopeful Tim Scott on to his show today to discuss Scott’s belief that President Biden is “complicit” in the Oct. 7 Hamas-orchestrated attack against Israeli civilians.
After Scott referenced $6 billion in funds to Iran that the US has frozen again, Karl jumped in and said, “You said that he has blood on his hands. With all due respect, the blood is on the hands of Hamas, and to say that Biden is complicit, which you also said in the greatest, deadliest attack, on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, I mean, that’s beyond the pale.”
As Karl continued to speak, Scott replied, “Well Jon, let’s just go right back to where we find ourselves … I think it’s important for your viewers to hear the actual truth as I see it.”
“There’s no doubt that when you have President Biden negotiating with the Iranians for the release of the hostages… I said this under President Obama as well, when we paid $400 million for hostages, you are creating a market for American lives to be lost.”
“When you pay $6 billion,” he continued, “do not be surprised when the result of that $6 billion leads to more conflict in the Middle East.”
To be clear, the United States did not give Iran money. In September, the United States unfroze a block of $6 billion as part of a prisoner swap with Iran. On Oct. 8, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken clarified that the country has not been able to spend any of that money to date amid concerns that Iran had used part of the funds to support Hamas.
On Oct. 12, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, “Every single dime of that money is still sitting in the Qatari bank. … Not one dime of it has been spent.”
