Richard Arnold: US Correspondent talks potential escalation from US in the Middle East
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Are the United States on the brink of a new Middle‑East war?
Richard Arnold, morning to you. Hey there, Mike. Are we off to war again?
All we can say is that there is a rush of political and diplomatic activity amid growing speculation about US military ops maybe against the Houthis. Trump cut short his stay at Camp David. He flew back to the White House last night. He was supposed to stay on. at his retreat until today. The self-described Secretary of War, Hegseth, was called away from a football game in Texas. The U.S. State Department has issued a rare worldwide travel alert and is calling on Americans to avoid the Middle East. This is the week, of course, when the new session of the U.N. is set to begin, and Trump also is due to meet with China's President Xi on Friday, your time.
Why has the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide travel alert for the Middle East?
Alert levels have been raised in Israel as well. Netanyahu is cutting short his U.S. visit. He's flying in for his U.N. speech and then leaving immediately. He had originally been planning to stop over in Texas. So there is a scramble happening, isn't there? The Saudis have confirmed that the Yemen-based Houthis sought to attack Riyadh's capital with a ballistic missile as drones also targeted their oil facilities. We've seen all the video of that. The Houthis now appear to be pushing to expand their territory. There have been battles in mountainous areas where they are strong, including sites that overlook the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is the key point of passage for oil shipments, with the Strait of Hormuz blockaded for now as it is.
So what will the Americans do? This is what we are now waiting to see.
What did the Houthis target in their recent missile and drone strike on Saudi Arabia?
Indeed. And I was watching the coverage over the weekend from the street, given they're no longer allowed in. Where does this ban go?
Yeah, the three major news organizations, CNN, MSNOW and Politico, who've been barred from the White House by Trump, are saying, see you in court. We are now just 44 days off from the midterms and things have not been going so well for Team Trump, you would have to say. Mortgage rates have hit a 19-month high. Oil back over 100 US bucks a barrel. Diesel at record high. raising the price of everything that is delivered on a truck. All this happening in the shadow of the seemingly intractable Iran war. Now the question of free speech is spelled out in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which begins, quote, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.
First Amendment lawyer Connor Fitzpatrick says...
I would expect the courts to very quickly enjoin these three organizations from being ejected from the White House.
How might the United States respond to the escalating Saudi‑Iran‑backed Houthi conflict?
Well, in banning these three news operations from the White House, Trump called their coverage sick and uniformly negative.
They want to write them, that's fine, but I don't have to let them into my... Into the people's house.
Yeah, it is the people's house. And former President Obama says he's been taken aback by the Trump move.
I'm trying to think what would have happened if I had said, you know what, Fox News, you're out of here. It's unimaginable.
Well, Republican Senator John Barrasso was downplaying the constitutional concerns. He told NBC News a short time ago. NBC is currently still allowed to do such interviews. He told them this.
The press has an obligation to report fairly. And the president doesn't see it happening that way.
What are the legal implications of Trump barring major news outlets from the White House?
Every politician wants fair treatment. from the press.
And every politician dislikes being criticized. That's the bipartisan fact of it all, of course. Lawyer
Fitzpatrick says... The law in this area is clear, and it's been clear for 50 years. In 1977, in a case called Sherrill v. Knight, the courts held that the White House cannot exclude reporters simply because they don't like their reporting. Meantime, that
satirical cartoon show formerly known as South Park is back for its new season with a new name. We've seen the debate over the Trump moves to rename all kinds of things after himself and after... America. Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. Lake Ontario, Lake America.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
Are the United States on the brink of a new Middle‑East war?
0:00–0:38
2
Why has the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide travel alert for the Middle East?
0:38–1:23
3
What did the Houthis target in their recent missile and drone strike on Saudi Arabia?
1:23–2:21
4
How might the United States respond to the escalating Saudi‑Iran‑backed Houthi conflict?
2:21–3:04
5
What are the legal implications of Trump barring major news outlets from the White House?
3:04–3:51
6
Why is the satirical show formerly known as South Park being renamed, and what does it say about political branding?
3:51–4:35
7
What new defense deals and diplomatic moves are unfolding as the UN General Assembly convenes?
4:35–5:24
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from The Mike Hosking Breakfast
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