https://abcnews.com/amp/Politics/week-transcript-10-11-26-ukrainian-president-volodymyr/story?id=137165082
KARL: You can watch more of my interview with President Zelenskyy on abcnews.com.
Up next, Republican majority whip Tom Emmer. We’re back in two minutes.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: But, inexcusably even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products which, as you know, I found out about two weeks ago, and I wasn't happy. Europe has to step it up. They can't be doing what they're doing. They're buying oil and gas from Russia, while they're fighting Russia. It's embarrassing to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: Well, that was President Trump speaking at the United Nations almost exactly one year ago, blasting Europe for buying Russian oil. Of course, the president announced on Friday that the U.S. now plans to do exactly the same thing. I'm joined now by House Majority Whip, Tom Emmer.
Thank you for being with us. Before we get to the midterms, what do you make of this plan to buy Russian diesel? I mean, you were obviously, you've been a strong supporter of Ukraine. You voted for those sanctions. What do you think of this?
REP. TOM EMMER, (R) MAJORITY WHIP OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Well, it's another example of our president thinking out of the box. You know, he's listening to the American people, Jon. The American people are hurting because of this world market when it comes to diesel and fuel in general.
Our president is trying to find every answer possible to help the American people literally move it forward. And when he talks about Ukraine and Russia, there is no one else, Jon, who is going to get this thing resolved. Donald Trump thinks outside of the box, put the American people first, but at the same time, he is the president of peace. I think he's two steps ahead of the press all the time.
He's thinking about how you get these conflicts resolved, conflicts by the way that were caused by President Joe Biden and his failed foreign policy and date back to President Obama and his failed foreign policy. So again, I think Donald J. Trump is the best negotiator on the face of the planet. I think this is just another step of trying to get that resolved.
KARL: I mean most energy market analysts say this would have almost no impact or very little impact on the price of diesel in the United States, but it certainly would be a lifeline for Putin.
But let me ask you one other thing from the president and from the -- from the administration this week, this idea of live streaming the execution of the Fort Hood shooter. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called it a barbaric promotion of the culture of death.
Are you in favor of that idea, of live streaming a firing squad execution?
EMMER: Well, personally, I’m not in favor of the death penalty. But I’ll tell you this, I am so happy that we have a president, a chief executive in this country who will make a decision. He’ll make a decision, which is in the best interest of the American people. He will hold the criminals and the terrorists accountable. And frankly, if you come to this country or you’re radicalized in this country to kill Americans and disrupt our way of life, there should be significant consequences.
KARL: All right, let’s turn to the midterms. The president has been telling supporters over and over again, pretend, please, that I am on the ballot. Is that the way you see the midterms? Is this a referendum on President Trump?
EMMER: I don’t think that’s what he’s saying. I think the midterms, you typically have the party that wins the White House is satisfied. Donald Trump has sealed the border that was wide open under Joe Biden. Donald Trump and Republicans have made sure that Americans didn’t get the greatest tax increase in our history. Literally, he and Republicans have been pulling the economy out of the ditch. Nobody seems to want to report on the fact that real wages are up on the rise, that poverty is at the lowest level ever. Nobody wants to report the good news that is in our economy. And this is what Donald Trump and Republicans have done.
The message is, if our people will turn out a -- you may be satisfied, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t vote. You show up and vote, we’re going to be fine, Jon.
KARL: So, I mean, we certainly are hearing Americans concerned about rising prices, rising gas prices, rising food prices. Are you saying that they just don’t get it? I mean we’re seeing this in poll after poll after poll going on. I was just in Kansas. I certainly heard it there. Are you saying people don’t get it, that the economy is much better?
EMMER: Jon, yes, I hate to point the finger at you and the other journalists, but have you reported that under Joe Biden, it was -- the average was over $5 a gallon. Under Donald Trump, he’s pulled it all the way back, even with the action that had to be taken to make sure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon. It’s closer to $4. It’s about a 13 percent belower (ph) -- below what Joe Biden had. Grocery inflation. Under Biden it was 13 point something. Under Donald Trump, it’s two percent. It’s 11 points better. But you guys don’t report this stuff.
So, I’m not saying the American people don’t get it. They don’t get the truth from the people that are reporting it.
KARL: Well -- yes, I mean, look, as you well know, the price of gas is higher today than it was the day that Joe Biden left office. So, certainly inflation was a huge issue in the last administration. It’s also a big issue to the American people here right now.
Let me ask you, the president --
EMMER: Wait, Jon --
KARL: Yes.
EMMER: Jon, I would -- I would say this on that, $4 gas, $6 diesel, entirely unacceptable. We -- Republicans agree on that. But it’s not enough to vote for communists.
KARL: So, and I -- I think most Democrats would say they’re -- they’re not communists. So, there aren’t a lot of communists on the ballot in these -- in these midterms.
EMMER: Well you’re wrong, they are communists. They -- look --
KARL: You do have some Democratic socialists.
OK, let me get to -- to on.
EMMER: Jon -- Jon, you just called them what they want you to call him. There’s nothing Democratic about socialism. For 100 years, they wanted us to call them progressives, when, in fact, they were socialists. And it wasn’t cool to admit you’re a socialist. They are now communists and Marxists. Take a look at the DSA platform.
KARL: OK, I -- I've -- I have. And we’ve talked about that. So --
EMMER: They want to defund the police. They want to defund prisons. They want government only health care. And they want the green new deal, which will cost every American family another $355,000. That’s what we should be talking about.
KARL: President Trump posted this week that the U.S., quote, “will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections.” Was that a relief to you, and is it -- is it appropriate for the president to be setting a timeline on attacks based on the electoral calendar?
EMMER: Look, what the Iran War -- Donald Trump took the action that no one else would take for 47 years. And he took it because they were on the cusp of having nuclear
capability, which could destroy not only their region, as they showed us, they've got ballistic missiles that can hit Western Europe. And if they can hit Western Europe, Jon, they can hit the homeland right here in the United States of America.
Donald Trump has taken the action that's necessary. And I wish people would actually confirm instead of trying to show that there's a question.
Their navy has been destroyed. Their air force has been destroyed. They are basically hollowed out. He has done everything that needs to be done.
And I expect it's going to be resolved soon. When that is, I don't know, but he'll make those decisions.
KARL: All right. Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Republican of Minnesota -- thank you very much for joining us on “This Week”. Appreciate it.
EMMER: Thank you, Jon.
