CPAC Chair Matt Schlapp and former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., told Newsmax on Tuesday that President Donald Trump is "clear-eyed" in his understanding of Iran and what must be done to clean up the mess that former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden left behind.
"I think when it comes to this question of Iran, I think anybody who believes that civilization is at stake as we deal with China and as we deal with radical Islamic terrorism, knows that Iran simply cannot have a nuclear weapon," Schlapp said on "The Chris Salcedo Show."
"This is a line in the sand that Donald Trump has drawn. Joe Biden and Barack Obama did everything they could to try to appease the dictators, the mullahs, in Iran and to devastating consequences.
"And look at Donald Trump — it's yet another area where he has to clean up their mess and the consequences, and what's at stake, couldn't be higher."
Trump is reportedly considering a number of options when it comes to Iran, including a direct strike on the Islamic Republic. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the president met with top security advisers in the Situation Room for nearly 90 minutes to discuss options, though it was unclear if any decision was made.
Santorum said he's "thankful" that Trump is the current Oval Office occupant because the 47th president is "a realist."
"He's looking at the reality of the situation, and sure, he'll listen to all sides, but he's going to look at the situation with a clear eye and not do what, frankly, the left does a lot, which is try to put the rose-colored glasses and see it the way they would like the world to be," Santorum said.
"Donald Trump looks at the Fordow [uranium enrichment] facility and says, 'Hmm, there is no reason to build that facility in a mountain to do what they're doing, other than to develop a nuclear weapon.'
"I mean, it's pretty clear that, like the mostly peaceful protests, where the left likes to look at reality and say, 'No, it's not really what you see, it's something different,' Donald Trump is looking at Iran and sees the reality of what Iran is as far as the capability they're developing and the policies that they support, which … is radical Islam and the desire to not just destroy Israel, but to destroy the United States," he continued.
"The only way they can do that, and they know that, is to develop a nuclear weapon. You can say they're closed now, but the reality is they have everything that they need as far as facilities to build one.
"The president is clear-eyed in saying, 'No, they're not going to do it, and someone's got to stop them.' And I think he's going to do that."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.