ICYMI: Rep. Kustoff to Newsmax: Iran Must Be 'Defanged'

Iran will remain a threat to the United States until its military capabilities are "defanged," Rep. David Kustoff told Newsmax on Thursday, after U.S. airstrikes continued for a fifth consecutive night in the Middle East.

"Look, we know Iran is a threat to our national security," the Tennessee Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "Until Iran is defanged, they are a threat to the United States."

Speaking after reports that President Donald Trump notified Congress of renewed hostilities, Kustoff said lawmakers must ensure the administration and U.S. troops have the resources necessary to confront Iran.

"I see it as our responsibility in Congress to make sure that the president, and most importantly, the men and women in uniform have the tools and the resources that they need so that they can protect us, whether it's against Iran or anybody else, so that they can protect our freedoms," Kustoff said. "And we've got to get that done for them."

Kustoff also condemned House Democrats after more than 100 voted for an amendment that would have cut off aid to Israel.

"We need to recognize, I think we all do recognize, that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East," he said. "If Israel were to fail, Israel's enemies are coming after us – Iran, Hamas, all their proxies."

Kustoff said the United States must ensure Israel can defend itself.

"We should do what we need to do to make sure that Israel can defend herself," he said. "And to see over 100 Democrats vote for an amendment to strip that funding, including Nancy Pelosi, including the number two leader among the House Democrat leadership, that's offensive."

"That's offensive to every American because we've got to make sure that we do what we need to do to protect ourselves," Kustoff added. "And that means that we need to make sure that Israel has the resources that it needs."

Kustoff noted that only one Republican, the amendment's sponsor, supported the measure.

"I was proud when I looked at that vote," he said. "There was only one Republican, the one who sponsored it, the one who's not coming back to Congress, who voted for it. All the other Republicans opposed it."

Kustoff said the vote should serve as a warning to Jewish voters who have traditionally supported Democrats.

"I would say to people across the country, especially Jewish people, especially Jewish people who have voted traditionally Democrat in the past, this is not your party anymore," he said. "That Democrat Party may have been your grandmother or grandfather's party. It's different. They are going so far left to appease the socialists and communists who are winning in their congressional primaries."

Turning to reconciliation legislation, Kustoff said concerns from fiscal conservatives about the $95 billion package unveiled by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., are "reasonable" and "legitimate."

"With the fiscal conservatives, and I count myself among them, those arguments are reasonable, and they're legitimate," Kustoff said. "So they're going to hash all this out."

The package would increase defense spending and incorporate portions of the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Kustoff, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the legislative process is likely to be contentious but emphasized the need to fund the military.

"If anybody watching paid attention to that hearing today, it's going to be messy because that's the way lawmaking is," he said. "And we'll see the arguments and how it comes out."

"Here's what I know," Kustoff added. "We need to do what we need to do in order to make sure that our military and our troops are properly funded."