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We the People

The Iran nuclear deal under Trump

We the People

National Constitution Center

News, News Commentary, History

4.61.1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 May 2018

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On May 8, President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal, calling the deal “horrible,” “one-sided” and “the worst deal ever.” The president said he planned to institute sanctions against Iran, and that the U.S. would also sanction any other nation that helps it pursue nuclear weapons, as well as U.S. and foreign companies and banks that continue to do business with Iran. The Iran Deal was one of President Obama’s major foreign policy achievements, which had re-opened diplomatic negotiations between the two countries; yet the deal also had its critics, both of its merits and its constitutionality. Joining us to discuss the complex history of Iran-U.S. relations, President Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran Deal, and any constitutional issues implicated as a result are two leading national security and constitutional experts.   Jamil Jaffer is the founder of National Security Institute and an Adjunct Professor of Law and Director of the National Security Law & Policy Program at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University.   Jake Sullivan is a Martin R. Flug Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School. He served in the Obama administration as a national security and served as the key architect of the Iran Nuclear Deal. Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you. Contact the We the People team at podcast@constitutioncenter.org The Constitution Center is offering CLE credits for select America’s Town Hall programs! Get more information at constitutioncenter.org/CLE.

Transcript

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0:00.0

I'm Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution

0:17.2

is a nonpartisan nonprofit chartered by Congress to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American

0:25.8

people.

0:26.8

On May 8th, President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear

0:32.3

deal. The Iran deal was one of President Obama's

0:35.4

major foreign policy achievements and today we are going to discuss the complex

0:41.8

history and legal issues surrounding the Iran deal and joining

0:46.7

us are two of America's leading experts on national security law as well as leading experts on the Iran deal and we're so thrilled to be able to

0:55.9

bring them together to educate all of us about this fascinating question.

1:00.0

Jake Sullivan is Martin our flu visiting lecturer-in-law at Yale Law School.

1:05.4

He served in the Obama administration as national security advisor to Vice President

1:09.6

Joe Biden and Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department.

1:15.0

Jamil Jaffer is adjunct professor of law and director of national security law and policy programs

1:19.9

at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University.

1:24.0

Jamil served as the Chief Counsel and Senior Advisor for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

1:29.2

and was centrally involved in national security and foreign policy issues.

1:34.7

Jamil, Jake, thank you so much for joining.

1:37.2

Thanks for having us.

1:38.6

Yeah, thanks for having us.

1:39.8

Jake, you helped to negotiate the Iran deal.

1:43.6

You are one of it, the James Madison of the Iran deal.

1:46.6

If I can be so bold, and if you can tell our audience

...

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