The U.S. military buildup in the Middle East means that President Donald Trump "means business" as tensions escalate with Iran over its nuclear program, former Rep. Peter King said Sunday on Newsmax.
"It means that Iran, hopefully, they got the signal last summer that when the president says he's going to take action, he will," the New York Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend."
King said Trump has "put tremendous pressure on Iran," and warned that if Iran does not "allow the inspections" and does not "stop their nuclear program altogether," military action could follow.
"Nobody wants a war, including President Trump, but if he has to take military action, he will," King said. "They will hit key targets first and take it from there."
King also said the outcome could be dramatic for Tehran. "It could well mean the downfall of the entire regime in Iran," he said.
Former Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., was more skeptical that talks would change Iran's behavior, even as the president pushes diplomacy and negotiations are planned next week in Geneva.
Kingston said one reason Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Trump this week was to deliver a warning: "You can't trust these people."
Iran will continue to pursue nuclear capabilities and missile development, while backing extremist groups, he added.
"They are going to continue to build and export ballistic missiles, are going to continue their nuclear pursuits, and they're going to continue to fund terrorist groups around the world," Kingston said.
King later said any U.S. action against Iran would serve American interests, while also addressing urgent concerns among regional allies.
"In the short term, it's certainly in the best interest of Israel and other countries in the Middle East, including Arab countries, Muslim countries, who are terrified by Iran," King said. "So to me, action is required here."
Kingston, meanwhile, praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio's speech to the Munich Security Conference this weekend, calling it "Reaganesque."
"It was presidential," he said. "It was a world leader speech."
"I listened to it, believe it or not, three times. I liked it so much," Kingston said.
The conversation then turned to Washington, where lawmakers left town without an agreement on Department of Homeland Security funding. King said he believed negotiations were underway, but stressed one condition.
"Any talks to go on, any compromise at all, cannot involve taking masks away from ICE," King said. "That is absolutely essential that they wear those masks."
Kingston called the standoff political and urged Democrats to return to negotiations.
"Democrats were at the table. They helped negotiate this deal, and now they're using Minneapolis as an excuse to break it," Kingston said. "They need to get back to the table, do what they committed to do, and vote for the bill."
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