It is important that the world sees the United States standing behind protesters in Iran, but it's "not really the point at the moment" who will take power if the current regime is removed from power, presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway said Wednesday.
"That's not really the point at the moment," Conway told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" co-anchor Bill Hemmer, who asked her if the United States knows "what is behind the next curtain in that country" should there be another revolution.
"You see such a contrast to what the last president did in 2009, peaceful protests by folks who are standing up to this authoritarian regime."
In comparison, she continued, President Donald Trump has spoken on behalf of the Iranian people.
"This is very important because the world needs to see that America, I disagree with the premise that the regimes have all the power and people don't have power," Conway said. "We believe very much in the power of the people. We've seen it again and again across this world and people have every right to stand up and try to get a better life there. So this president is speaking unequivocally and not looking the other way."
Conway on Wednesday also defended Trump's tweeted threat to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority, after the Palestinians on Wednesday called his words equal to blackmail.
On Tuesday, Trump pointed his finger at the Palestinians and blamed them for blocking his attempts to broker peace between them and Israel.
"I don't think that's the definition of blackmail," Conway said. "I haven't been a practicing lawyer in many years, thankfully. What they should take is this is a president who uses social media and his words and a lot of transparency and accountability and availability."
She added that Trump was telling the Palestinians, in the same way he commented to NATO, or the Paris accord, "'why aren't you pulling your weight?'" and she thinks he's right.
"Why are we giving millions of dollars to folks to help them protect their borders and we don't protect our border?" Conway said. "To help them when they show us very little respect. He has been very consistent about America first."
In other matters, Conway commented on Trump's stance on immigration, saying she thinks it will be a historic year.
"This president has a 70-point immigration plan," she said. "People on the left want to boil it down to DACA. He pointed out a 70-point immigration plan. Read it."
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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