Mike Pence: Trump is ready to attack Iran, if necessary

The clock is ticking for Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump has given the regime in Tehran a two-month deadline to come to the negotiating table to work toward a new nuclear agreement. If that effort fails, he has signaled that he won’t hesitate to take military action.

In his own words, it would be a “bombing unlike anything seen before.”

But just how serious is Trump about this threat, with only one month remaining? According to his former vice president, Mike Pence, the answer is: very serious.

Pence sat down for an interview with THE ROSENBERG REPORT on TBN and was asked by ALL ISRAEL NEWS Editor-in-Chief Joel Rosenberg whether he believed Trump would be willing to use force if he felt there was no other option.

“It feels like we're getting close to that point,” Rosenberg observed.

Pence’s response was what many Israelis and others across the Middle East were hoping to hear:

“I think President Trump recognizes peace comes through strength. And while you rightly understand that he's a president that wants to end wars, and would like to see less American deployments and commitments in certain parts of the world… the American people can be confident, and people in that region – including our enemies – should know that President Donald Trump will take such action as is necessary, to protect our most cherished ally.”

Pence isn’t making his case based on a hunch, but on the track record of the previous Trump administration – one in which he played a key role. He was in the room alongside the president when major decisions were made and serious consequences weighed.

“When Syria used chemical weapons on innocent civilians, we sent 58 cruise missiles, and not once, but twice,” he recalled. “Our military was greenlighted to take out 300 Russian mercenaries in Syria when they advanced on our troops.”

This demonstration of strength also included the takedown of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, as well as decisive actions in collaboration with regional partners to root out ISIS.

“Does Trump really want a deal? Or is he just giving the Iranians an opportunity to say, ‘we won't go down a diplomatic track,’ and therefore, all bets are off in terms of a possible military operation?” Rosenberg asked.

“I think I know the president well enough to know that during our administration, I saw him never hesitate to use force, but always as a last resort,” Pence responded.

“I honestly think that this is a time when we need to make it clear to the ayatollah, to the mullahs in Tehran, that the United States and Israel, and the free world will never tolerate Iran obtaining a usable nuclear weapon. The president's willingness to signal a willingness to dialog with the president of Iran, I think, in no way should ever diminish the clarity of America's purpose in this regard,” he added.

“We have one hand resting comfortably on the holster of the arsenal of democracy. And America will take such action, alongside Israel, as necessary.”

The former vice president is convinced that “this is an opportune moment,” emphasizing that Iran has never been in a weaker position in his memory.

He credits Trump and his national security team for recognizing and capitalizing on that vulnerability. As an example, he cited recent U.S. military operations against the Houthis in Yemen, as well as the president’s clear warning that Iran would be held accountable if their proxies continue to disrupt global commerce or launch attacks on U.S. warships.

Pence also praised Israel for helping create the conditions that have led to Iran’s current weakness, noting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts and the Israeli government's actions against Iran’s top proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah.

“The isolation, economic and otherwise, that we placed Iran in during our years, and evidenced by the collapse of the Assad government in Syria – my hope is that the administration will continue as they did,” he concluded.

Watch Part Two of Joel Rosenberg’s full conversation with former Vice President Mike Pence on the TBN website.

The Rosenberg Report airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. EST and Saturday nights at 10 p.m. EST on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the most-watched Christian television network in the United States.