Congress should "try to get back" the more than $1 billion shelled out by the United States to Iran in a deal that corresponded with the release of American prisoners of Tehran, Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, told Newsmax TV on Thursday.
In an interview with "Newsmax Prime" host J.D. Hayworth, the Texas Republican, who chairs the House Science and Space Subcommittee, called the outlay "an absolute disgrace."
According to a Wall Street Journal report, the United States has shelled out to Iran a total $1.7 billion in cash to settle an old military transaction – two cash payments totaling $1.3 billion in addition to the sum of $400 million in "ransom" money that had been previously disclosed.
"Once again this president, this administration has disgraced our country, our nation," he said. "Back in 1801, back during President Thomas Jefferson's administration, he sent millions for defense, not one penny for tribute and we fought the barbaric pirates, we defeated them and now here we are breaking that rule, paying tribute again, ransom."
"We're being told it's called leverage. Well, I don't buy that for a second."
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Babin also said he agrees "100 percent" with Trump's gibe at President Barack Obama during a national security forum Wednesday night that the president doesn't listen to his advisers – and said Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton doesn't either.
"The man does not take advice," Babin said. "Obviously his former Secretary of State Clinton did not take much advice as well. We can see that from the report we got back from the Benghazi Committee and the contrast couldn't be more stark, more plain between these two nominees."
Babin also praised Trump for having "surrounded himself with lawyer generals, he's given them their orders to come up with a plan to defeat and destroy ISIS within 30 days."
"He wants to rebuild our military, peace through strength, the philosophy of Ronald Reagan."
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