MANSFIELD — U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan said he agrees with the continuing military actions Israel launched Friday to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
“I think what Israel did … I agree with it,” the veteran lawmaker said Monday after a speech during a Richland County Republican Party luncheon at DLX in downtown Mansfield.
Jordan, whose 4th District includes Richland and Ashland Counties, said he visited Israel in February with a group of 10 congressional representatives.
“I kind of thought (attacks) were going to come sooner. But I support Israel. You cannot have (nuclear weapons in Iran). (Israel’s military action) is not only good for Israel, this is good for America.
“You don’t want Iran with nuclear capability,” Jordan said. “Allowing Israel to do it, I think, is the right way.”
Jordan, a Champaign County native who has been in Congress since 2007, is the chair of the House Judiciary Committee and also serves on the House Oversight Committee.
The 61-year-old former Ohio high school and college wrestling champion spoke for about 17 minutes and then answered questions for about 30 minutes from a packed house inside the Kobacker Room at 28 N. Main St.
During that discussion, Jordan said some people were puzzled earlier this year when reports emerged President Trump’s administration was involved in nuclear negotiations with Iran.
“There were folks who were beginning to say, ‘Wow, what is President Trump doing?’ with trying to negotiate with Iran. Of course, we saw on Thursday, this was all part of this … I think President Trump has sort of alluded to this … that it was all part of this sort of a ruse to create this situation where Israel then could go get these really bad guys in Iran and go after the nuclear capability program that they were pursuing,” Jordan said.
National media reports have said Trump gave Iran a 60-day deadline to reach a new deal on its enrichment of uranium needed to produce atomic weapons. Israel launched its attacks one day after Trump’s deadline, strikes to which Iran has responded by firing hundreds of missiles into Israel.
After attacks and retaliation began, Trump told CNN that Iran should have listened to him.
“Iran should have listened to me when I said — you know, I gave them, I don’t know if you know but I gave them a 60-day warning and today is day 61,” he told the news network.
“They should now come to the table to make a deal before it’s too late. It will be too late for them. You know, the people I was dealing with are dead, the hardliners,” the president said.
Jordan said Trump, who took office again in January, has presented a different United States to the world.
“One of the keys is we now have a commander in chief that, contrary to what the left says (about) the president, you have a commander in chief that projects strength. That means so much on the world stage,” Jordan said.
He recalled a Fox News interview three years ago with Trump’s former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“The host asked, ‘Mr. Secretary, would this have happened under President Trump?’ Mike gave a great answer: ‘The short answer is I don’t know. But I do know this … it didn’t happen under President Trump (during his first administration from 2016 to 2020).’
“That sort of says it all. It’s a different environment. The strength projected with President Trump (that) you just didn’t see with President Biden,” the congressman said.
On a domestic issue, Jordan said the Republican-controlled House and Senate will ultimately approve Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill.”
The House narrowly approved its version of the megadeal, which the Senate is now working on. Some conservatives in the Senate have publicly opposed the bill, saying it will grow the federal deficit over the next 10 years.
Trump and Republican leaders hope to have the measure approved by a self-imposed July 4 deadline. It includes making permanent the tax cuts approved during Trump’s first administration.
“It’s going to pass in the end,” Jordan said. “Our party doesn’t believe in raising taxes on American families. We actually think, as I said before, letting you keep more of your money to chase your goals and dreams is a good thing.
“That’s why in the end that overriding principle, the hallmark principle of our party, is why this thing is going to pass, because we believe in letting you keep more of your money. Small business owners, families … keep more of your money.
“We’re going to make sure in the end it will pass.”
Jordan said he wished the legislation had more reductions in federal spending.
“We all know we have a debt problem and a deficit problem, which is creating this huge debt. That’s real and we are achieving some savings, some reduction in the rate of growth, which is at least a positive step compared to (Washington, D.C.) usually works.
“But I have said this every interview I’ve done here in the last month … or the last few weeks — you know it’s a good bill because the Democrats hate it,” Jordan said.
“The left hates it and the reason the left hates it is because it does four fundamental things, our party is all about.
“It cuts taxes; secures the border and makes sure resources are allocated to keep the border secure; tells able-bodied people who are in our welfare system you have to work; and it gives parents school choice,” Jordan said.
“And the left hates those things.”
