'It’s never about Americans': Rep. LaMonica McIver says Iran war started for Trump's own profit
U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver from New Jersey, one of President Trump's staunch critics, accused him of triggering the Iran war for his own profits and power. In an interview with Mehdi Hasan on Zeteo, McIver alleged that the Iran war is not about Americans, but a power grab and a move to make money for the President and his family. She claimed it had nothing to do with the well-being of Americans, as Trump, "does not care about Americans." McIver and Trump have a long-standing political rivalry, and the New Jersey representative is currently in a legal battle with the Department of Justice.
In the interview, the host asked McIver what she thought the Iran war was about, and the Democratic Congresswoman responded, saying, "Just like everything else with Trump, I think this is about him becoming more powerful and making his friends and family more powerful." She went on to add that it was about money and oil, and the whims of the power-drunk president. "Recently, he said, 'Let's look at Cuba, let's take Cuba.' Literally saying things like this means he feels like he could just wake up and do that." She claimed that it was the whole agenda of the Trump administration, and it was never about Americans. "It's never about Americans because he doesn't care about Americans. All he cares about is himself and his friends and his family and about getting richer," she said.
The comments come as the U.S.-Iran conflict entered its 27th day, with tensions escalating across the Middle East. While Trump claimed victory, Iran's leadership has sparsely mentioned any ongoing negotiations. As of today, the U.S. President said he would pause his threat to attack Tehran’s nuclear facilities until April 6, claiming they requested more time, Al Jazeera reported. The war has already had an impact on Americans, with gas prices soaring, mortgage rates rising, and higher inflation, further complicating affordability.
Meanwhile, McIver is fighting her own battle, as she became one of the President's targets when he returned to the White House. She has been charged by the Department of Justice for allegedly "assaulting, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement" during a routine oversight on her visit to an ICE detention center in Newark last year. While the visit turned into chaos, as seen in viral videos, McIver argued that the Trump administration was targeting her in political retaliation and her case was being treated differently than those who were charged for the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, until Trump pardoned them.
McIver has been charged with assaulting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and interfering with the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, according to The Guardian. "They tried to stop us from going in to have oversight," McIver told Mehdi. While she was never arrested, she is the only lawmaker facing charges that could lead to 17 years in prison. "If they [the Trump administration] can do what they can to other members of Congress and me that we've seen happen, imagine what they're doing in the dark," she further added in the interview.
