There is "excitement in the air" with President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration now less than a few days away, Rep. Jim Baird told Newsmax Saturday.
"We can hear it back in the district at home in Indiana as well as here in D.C., so this Monday will be an exciting time for not only the folks in Indiana, but for our country and the United States," the Indiana Republican told Newsmax's "The Count." "One of the things that we really want to do is get this country back on track for the people of the country and all of those that have sacrificed to keep the kind of freedoms that we have here."
Baird, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he questions why anyone would vote against legislation to protect the United States from the effects of immigrants being in the country illegally, including the Laken Riley Act vote this week.
"Why anyone would vote against trying to protect our American citizens is just beyond my comprehension," he said. "But needless to say, President Trump and Tom Homan are going to do a great job I think, of finding those individuals, particularly those that are criminals, and removing them from our presence."
Baird also said he believes Trump can restore the economy, including reversing President Joe Biden's actions that have affected the fossil fuel industry.
"The first thing that first executive order that the Biden administration signed was the closing of the Keystone pipeline, and everything in this country moves either by plane or air or truck or and or a boat, and all of that takes fuel," said Baird. "And when you when you put a war on fossil fuels, that's going to increase the cost of transportation, and that transportation is going to be passed on to the consumer. So you're going to pay for that."
Trump "can figure out" how to deal with [it]," he said.
"He's got a tremendous group of individuals put together that have skills outside of the government area and I think those skills in business are going to be extremely useful in making sure we get this country back on track," said Baird.
Meanwhile, a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas that will result in the release of hostages taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, and Baird said the deal is because of Trump's strength.
"I think it's very effective when you say you don't want to release the hostages, there's going to be hell to pay," he said. "[With] my military background, I understand what he's saying, and I certainly hope that we can get those hostages released and get them home. It's just unbelievable to me what those families are enduring for this 18 months or so that their family members have been in prison."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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