‘Those Assets Were Frozen!’ NBC’s Kristen Welker Repeatedly Pushes After GOP Rep. Accuses Biden of Giving Iran $6B

NBC’s Kristen Welker repeatedly pushed back when Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) insisted the Biden administration simply gave Iran $6 billion, implying that the money could go toward the regime’s nuclear weapons program.

On Meet The Press Sunday, Turner said that Iran should “never be allowed to be a nuclear weapons state” before accusing Joe Biden of handing over the funds.

“This administration gave it $6 billion to release detainees. It has continued to —”

“Wait, hold on. Those assets were frozen. Congressman, as you know, those were Iranian funds and the assets are now frozen. Let me ask you this —”

TURNER: This administration permitted Iran to have access to $6 billion —

WELKER: But those assets were frozen and haven’t made their way to Iran, Congressman.

TURNER: This administration has continued to, to fail to recognize that Iran is an adversary. It’s an adversary to Israel. It is coordinating Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis in Yemen attacks on commercial waterways. The administration continues to look the other way and fail to recognize that this is escalating. They’re going to have to step up to the plate —

WELKER: But, Congressman, this administration has done what you said they had to do, which was to warn that there will be countermeasures if Iran continues to escalate. I’m asking you what should be done right now? Donald Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton called on Israel to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Would you support that?

TURNER: Well, first off, Israel shouldn’t, and the United States have made it very clear that Iran should never be permitted to become a nuclear weapons state. This administration, however, has been very slow to step up to that declaration. They have, instead, worked to try to engage Iran, and failed to see it as an adversary, really as the malicious force that is destabilizing the Middle East while Iran was destabilizing the Middle East. They’ve continued to work with Iran, and, I think, emboldened Iran.

WELKER: Well —

TURNER: This administration’s failing to say, “There is a red line.” There should be a red line.

WELKER: Congressman, after Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, Iran is closer to developing a nuclear weapon.

Watch the clip above via NBC News.