>> Jason: TAMMY, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL EDITION
OF A "HANNITY," I'M JASON
CHAFFETZ AND FOR SHAWN.
JUST 24 HOURS AGO, MANY IN THE
MAINSTREAM MEDIA WERE OPENLY
MOCKING PRESIDENT TRUMP OR
LOSSES IN THE STOCK MARKET AND
RIDICULING HIM FOR NOT VISITING
OUR TROOPS DURING THE
CHRISTMAS SEASON.
ONCE AGAIN, THE DESTROY TRUMP
PRESS LOOKED A BIT FOOLISH.
TODAY THE STOCK MARKET BOUNCED
BACK WITH A RECORD SINGLE DAY
POINT GAIN AND PRESIDENT TRUMP,
ALONG WITH THE FIRST LADY
MELANIA TRUMP, SPENT THE DAY
WITH OUR TROOPS, AFTER A
SURPRISE VISIT TO IRAQ WHERE HE
SHARED HIS GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF
AMERICANS' BRAVE SERVICEMEN AND
WOMEN.
WATCH THOSE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND EVERY SERVICE MEMBER
THROUGHOUT THIS REGION, FOR THE
NEAR ELIMINATION OF THE ISIS
TERRITORIAL CALIPHATE IN IRAQ
AND IN SYRIA.
TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN I BECAME
PRESIDENT, THERE WERE A VERY
DOMINANT GROUP.
THEY WERE VERY DOMINANT.
TODAY THEY ARE NOT SO DOMINANT
ANYMORE.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> Jason: ON HIS WAY BACK FROM
IRAQ TO MY PRESIDENT TRUMP
VISITED U.S. SOLDIERS IN
GERMANY.
WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON HIS
SURPRISE TRIP THROUGHOUT THE
SHOW.
BUT FIRST, JOINING US NOW WITH
THE REACTION, THE AUTHOR OF "WHY
WE FIGHT," BOXERS NATIONAL
SECURITY STRATEGIST SEBASTIAN
GORKA.
FORMER PRESS SECRETARY FOR
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE AND MEMBER
OF THE TRUMP 2020 ADVISORY
BOARD, MARK LAUDER, AND FROM
"THE WALL STREET JOURNAL,"
ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITES,
KIMBERLEY STRASSEL.
THANK YOU, ALL THREE OF YOU, FOR
JOINING US, ON THIS BEAUTIFUL
NIGHT AND THIS GREAT HOLIDAY
SEASON.
I WANT TO START WITH DR. GORKA.
THE PRESIDENT IS OUT THERE, I
THINK, ONE OF THE GREAT STRINGS
OF THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN HIS
FOREIGN POLICY BUT THERE HAVE
BEEN SOME MOVES.
WHAT IS THE SIGNAL AND THE
MESSAGE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS
TRYING TO PORTRAY ARTHUR TO THE
WORLD?
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS, JASON.
IT'S A VERY SIMPLE ONE.
IT IS THE ANTITHESIS OF THE
PREVIOUS EIGHT YEARS UNDER THE
OBAMA WHITE HOUSE.
REMEMBER, UNDER THAT
ADMINISTRATION, WE HAD CONCEPTS
SUCH AS LEADING FROM BEHIND,
WHICH IS OF COURSE AN OXYMORON,
AND STRATEGIC PATIENCE, ALLOWING
OTHERS TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE,
BUILT INTO THE FOREIGN POLICY OF
THE UNITED STATES.
BASICALLY AMERICA WITHDREW FROM
THE WORLD AND ALLOWED OTHERS
LIKE PUTIN, LIKE ISIS, LIKE
CHINA, LIKE IRAN, TO TAKE
INITIATIVE AND DESTABILIZE BLUE
GLOW.
WHAT YOU SAW TODAY, I SPOKE WITH
THE WHITE HOUSE, THE PRESIDENT
ON HIS WAY TO IRAQ, WHAT YOU SEE
IS AN EXPRESSION OF AMERICAN
LEADERSHIP REASSERTED, WHETHER
IT IS SAYING IN SYRIA, LOOK, WE
HAVE GENERALLY CAME TO DO, THE
CALIPHATE IS DESTROYED.
NOW OTHERS HAVE TO PICK UP THE
LOAD.
OR WHETHER IT IS SPENDING YOUR
CHRISTMAS AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF
WITH THE FIRST LADY, THE FIRST
TIME EVER, THE FIRST LADY AND MY
UNDERSTANDING IS VISITED IRAQ
SINCE 9/11, TAKING YOUR
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION, AND
TAKING IT TO THE TROOPS, AND THE
AMAZING MOMENT THAT SARAH
HUCKABEE SANDERS IS SHARED WITH
US WHEN ONE OF OUR SERVICEMEN
ASIDE TO THE PRESIDENT, I CAME
BACK INTO THE ARMED SERVICES
BECAUSE OF YOU, MR. PRESIDENT,
AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, WHAT?
I AM HERE NOW IN IRAQ BECAUSE OF
YOU.
THAT IS THE MAKE AMERICA GREAT
AGAIN WAY AND THAT IS
DONALD TRUMP.
>> Jason: MARK, TELL US ABOUT
THE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WE ARE THE WORLD'S PREEMINENT
SUPERPOWER.
SO WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS PUTTING OUT
THERE BY BEING ON THE GROUND
HIMSELF IN IRAQ?
>> I THINK IT SENDS A STRONG
MESSAGE THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS
THE FACTS OF OUR SOLDIERS AND
OUR AIRMEN AND OUR SAILORS, NO
MATTER WHERE THEY ARE STATIONED
IN THE WORLD, AND HE SHOWED
THAT, HE DEMONSTRATED THAT, AND
THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO IS ALSO
STOOD WITH THEM BY REBUILDING
THE MILITARY, AND SO MUCH
EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED TODAY
ON THE LAUNCH OF THE HYPERSONIC
MISSILE OVER IN RUSSIA.
THIS IS A PRESIDENT NOW WHO SAW
OUR MILITARY DECIMATED UNDER THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
HE STOOD UP, HE'S REBUILDING OUR
MILITARY, HE IS PUTTING UP IN A
POSITION WHERE WE CAN DEFEND
OURSELVES AND OUR ALLIES AROUND
THE WORLD AND OUR ENEMIES
KNOW IT.
>> Jason: KIM, THERE'S BEEN A
LOT OF DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST
WEEK THAT THE MOVES IN SYRIA OR
WHATNOT BUT THIS IS ALSO JUST
ABOUT IRAN?
THE PROXIMITY CANNOT GET LOST.
WE HEAR ALMOST NOTHING BEING
MENTIONED ABOUT IRAN AND THE
MESSAGE THAT THIS MIGHT ASCEND
TO THE IRANIANS AND THE
EUROPEANS AND OTHERS ABOUT OUR P
EUROPEANS AND OTHERS ABOUT OUR S
EUROPEANS AND OTHERS ABOUT OUR T
EUROPEANS AND OTHERS ABOUT OUR N
EUROPEANS AND OTHERS ABOUT OUR I
EUROPEANS AND OTHERS ABOUT OUR A
EUROPEANS AND OTHERS ABOUT OUR .
HOW DO YOU READ INTO THAT?
>> THAT IS WHY THAT IS SO
IMPORTANT, BECAUSE, COMING ON
THE BACK OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS
ABOUT SYRIA AND AFGHANISTAN, THE
WORRY WAS, OF COURSE, THAT THE
MESSAGE THAT WAS BEING SENT TO
IRAN WAS THAT WE WERE NOT
CERTAIN ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT IN
KEY AREAS IN THAT REGION.
AND BY GOING THERE, BY MAKING IT
CLEAR WE ARE NOT WITHDRAWING
FROM IRAQ, NOT STOPPING THE
FIGHT AGAINST ISIS, AND WE ARE
NOT SEATING THE TERRITORY AND
THE REGIONAL CONTROL TO IRAN,
THAT IS A GOOD MESSAGE FOR THE
PRESIDENT.
CAN I JUST ADD SOMETHING, JASON?
I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE,
THERE IS ALL THIS FOCUS RIGHT
NOW ON WHAT THIS MEANS, THE
PRESIDENT'S RESTAURANT WEEK, AND
THE PRESS HAS BEEN STRUGGLING
AND FOCUSING ON THAT.
THIS IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD STORY
OF A PRESIDENT GOING OVER TO
VISIT THE TROOPS, SAYING HELLO,
WHICH IS A CUSTOMARY THING TO
DO, AND WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING
IT FOR THAT IN AND OF ITSELF.
>> Jason: MARC, DO YOU THINK
WE WILL SEE A LOT OF CORRECTIONS
ON THE FRONT PAGES OF THE
NEWSPAPERS AND TALK TO US ACROSS
THE COUNTRY?
IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THEY ARE ALREADY PICKING APART
EVERY WORD THAT HE SAID.
AND TO KIM'S POINT, THE ONLY
VIDEO AND THE ONLY AUDIO WE
REALLY NEED TO HEAR IS, ARE
THOSE TROOPS WERE CHANTING "USA,
USA" WHEN THE PRESIDENT AND
FIRST LADY WALKED IN THERE,
THEY LOVE THEIR COMMANDER IN
CHIEF AND DONALD TRUMP.
>> Jason: DR. GORKA, ONE OF
THE IMPORTANT MESSAGES TO THE
TROOPS IS THAT WE AS AMERICANS,
ALL OF US AMERICANS, NO MATTER
YOUR POLITICAL STRIPES, THAT WE
STAND BEHIND THE TROOPS.
IS THIS JUST A PHOTO OP?
THE CRITICISM IS, HEY,
DONALD TRUMP DIDN'T GO THERE AND
THEN AS SOON AS HE GOES THERE,
THEY SAY IT IS JUST FOR A PHOTO
OP.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SAYING TO THE
MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES
WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE
FOR OUR UNITED STATES MILITARY
AND FOR THIS COUNTRY?
>> JASON, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY.
IT WAS LEAKED FROM US AND ALL I
CAN DISCUSS IT, AND A SECOND
MONTHS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, WE
HAD 18 FUTURE GREEN BERETS
VISITING THE EISENHOWER
BUILDING NEXT TO THE
WHITE HOUSE.
UP THERE, I TOOK THEM TO MEET
THE PRESIDENT.
THE PRESIDENT TOOK TIME OUT OF
HIS SCHEDULE TO MEET THESE YOUNG
OFFICERS, EACH ONE WAS
PHOTOGRAPHED NEXT TO THE
PRESIDENT AT THAT RESOLUTE DESK,
NOT BECAUSE THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS
CAN BE USED IN PUBLIC, BECAUSE
THESE ARE OUR CUTTING EDGE, ARMY
SPECIAL FORCES GUYS.
THIS PHOTOGRAPH NEVER SEE THE
LIGHT OF DAY.
BUT HE WANTED TO GIVE SOMETHING
TO THEM, TO GIVE BACK, TO SHOW
THAT HE STILL RESPECTS ALBERT
DOMINIC ANYONE WHO WEARS THE
CLOTH OF THE REPUBLIC OR
LAW ENFORCEMENT, I SEE IT
AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
THE FIRST THING THE PRESIDENT
DOES WHEN HE GETS OFF
AIR FORCE ONE, WHEN THERE ARE NO
CAMERAS THERE, AT THAT BASE, HE
GETS OFF AND HE GOES DOWN AND HE
SHAKES THE HAND OF EVERY POLICE
OPERATOR TO SHOW HIS RESPECT.
THIS IS A MAN WHO LOVES THOSE
PEOPLE AND IT MAKES SUCH A
CHANGE AFTER THE OBAMA YEARS.
>> Jason: NO, IT DOES.
THE PRESIDENT IS ON THE GROUND
AS WE SPEAK AT THE RAMSTEIN
AIR FORCE BASE IN GERMANY.
THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
HE IS THERE VISITING WITH
TROOPS.
THEY ARE IN STORE       AIR FORE
THEY ARE IN STORE       AIR FORB
THEY ARE IN STORE       AIR FORS
THEY ARE IN STORE       AIR FORE
THEY ARE IN STORE       AIR FORA
THEY ARE IN STORE       AIR FORE
WORKING 24/7      24/7 THE PRESD
WORKING 24/7      24/7 THE PRESS
THERE ON THE GROUND AS WE
SPEAK.
KIM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
OTHER BIG NEWS THAT HAPPENED
TODAY WHICH WAS THE STOCK
MARKET.
1,000-POINT AGAIN, WHICH IS NOT
A TYPICAL DAY.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME VOLATILITY
ON THE MARKET.
HOW DO YOU READ INTO THAT?
WHAT ARE THE SWINGS ATTRIBUTED
TO AND WHERE SHOULD INVESTORS
LOOK AT WHERE ARE THEY GOING?
>> THE FIRST THING IS, IT WAS
GOOD NEWS OF THE WHITE HOUSE
CAME OUT TODAY AND MADE CLEAR
THAT THE FED CHIEF JEROME
POWELL, HIS JOB IS SECURE.
THAT WAS SOME OF THE UNCERTAINTY
THAT WE WERE SEEING OUT THERE.
BUT LOOK, I THINK THERE COMES A
POINT AT WHICH THE MARKET JUST
STEPS BACK.
MAYBE THAT IS WHAT WE SAW TODAY.
IT WE REALIZED THAT DESPITE ALL
THE TALK ABOUT THE UNCERTAINTY
THAT IS OUT THERE, CHINA,
TRADE DEALS, SHUTDOWN,
ET CETERA, THAT THE FUNDAMENTALS
OF THE ECONOMY REMAINED REALLY
STRONG AND WE ARE SEEING THAT
COME IN.
REALLY ROBUST HOLIDAY SALES.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE GDP COME IN
AT A VERY STRONG NUMBER THIS
YEAR.
UNEMPLOYMENT REMAINS LOW.
ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE KEY
INDICATORS OF ECONOMIC STRENGTH
AND MANUFACTURING AND OTHER
AREAS.
THEY REALLY ARE LOOKING GOOD.
AND HOPEFULLY, THAT IS WHAT YOU
ARE SEEING TODAY, IS A BIT OF A
CORRECTION WITH REGARDS TO THE
MARKET ON THE MARKET IS NOT AN
INDICATOR OF THE ECONOMY.
OBVIOUSLY.
BUT IT TAKES A CUE FROM ECONOMIC
SIGNALS AND HOPEFULLY, THIS IS A
RETURN TO A LITTLE BIT OF
RATIONALITY ABOUT THE FUTURE AND
THE PROSPECTS FOR U.S. GROWTH.
>> Jason: MARC, ONE OF THE
THINGS THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID
WHILE HE WAS IN IRAQ IS THAT HE
PLANS TO VISIT THE SOUTHERN
BORDER.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE
PRESIDENT DUE AND HOW DOES THIS
PLAY INTO THE SHUT DOWN FIGHT
AND DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE GOING
ON ON ALMOST AN HOURLY BASIS
RIGHT NOW?
>> I WANT TO SEE HIM HIGHLIGHT
THE GREAT WORK THAT CUSTOMS AND
BORDER PATROL DOES EVERY DAY,
EVEN DURING THE SHUTDOWN, TO
KEEP OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION,
STOP GANG MEMBERS, AND DRUGS
FROM FLOWING INTO OUR COUNTRY
AND SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD
WHAT WE WHO KNOW THE STATISTICS
NO, WALLS WORK.
IT IS EASY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
THROUGH REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES, AND
SO I THINK THE PRESIDENT WILL
HIGHLIGHT THAT AND WILL SET THE
STAGE FOR NOT ONLY THE
NEGOTIATIONS WITH SPEAKER
PELOSI, BUT IT WILL SET THE
STAGE FOR A VERY STRONG STATE OF
THE UNION SPEECH THAT I CAN
ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU WILL HAVE A
VERY HEAVY FOCUS ON IMMIGRATION,
REFORM, BROAD-BASED IMMIGRATION
REFORM, AND SECURING OUR
BORDERS.
>> Jason: WHEN THE PRESIDENT
GETS AN HOUR OR TWO TO ADDRESS
THE NATION IN THE STATE OF THE
UNION AFFAIR AND HE GETS TO TALK
IN FRONT OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS,
I HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE
AUDIENCE TO LISTEN EIGHT TIMES
TO BARACK OBAMA TRY TO TELL ME
THE WAY THE WORLD WAS, I WAS --
IT WAS A FASCINATING THING.
DR. GORKA, THE PRESIDENT IS
GOING TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER.
WHAT IS THE METHOD YOU WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THE PRESIDENT
PORTRAY?
>> MARC IS RIGHT, IN ADDITION TO
RECOGNIZING THE INCREDIBLE WORK
OF CBP AND I.C.E. AND EVERYONE
WHO WEARS THE UNIFORM AND
PROTECTORS OF THE BORDER, THERE
IS ONE VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE: THE
WALL WILL BE BUILT AND THE
BORDER IS A NATIONAL SECURITY
ISSUE, JASON.
YOU KNOW AS WELL AS ANYBODY
ELSE.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT ILLEGALS WHO
ARE TURNED INTO A VOTING BASE
FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
THIS IS ABOUT MS-13.
IT'S ABOUT DRUG TRAFFICKING,
IT'S ABOUT WOMEN WHO ARE RAPED
AS THEY WALK ACROSS THE BORDER.
THIS IS A NATIONAL SECURITY
ISSUE AND THIS IS HOW THE
PRESIDENT IS GOING TO REPRESENT
IT TO ALL OF AMERICA, WHETHER
CHUCK SCHUMER OR NANCY LIKE IT
OR NOT.
>> Jason: I THINK YOU ARE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
STAY TUNED WITH US LATER IN THE
