MSNBC political analyst and former Obama official Richard Stengel sparked backlash Thursday after questioning why the U.S. stands with Israel over Iran, declaring that Iran is “the most Western nation” in the Middle East.
Stengel brushed aside Iran’s hostile rhetoric and multiple plans to assassinate President Trump. “They chant ‘death to America,’” he admitted, but added, “they also love American movies.”
He pressed further: “Why is it a foundational issue for Trump that Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon? Why are we allied with Israel?”
Stengel, who once served as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy under President Obama, even recounted a moment from a 2014 rally in Iran. “These young guys were chanting ‘death to America,’” he said.
“Then two of them walked over and asked if I was American. I said yes, and they said, ‘We want to welcome you to our country. We love American culture. We love American movies.’”
“Iran is the most Western nation in the whole Middle East,” Stengel said. “We have much more in common with them than a lot of countries that we do have alliances with.”
Dismissing “death to America” chants because the crowd likes Top Gun? That’s a take.
Watch the clip below:
MSNBC Analyst, a Former Obama Official, Calls Iran 'Most Western Nation' in the Middle East pic.twitter.com/YoTSXhYZwY
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) June 19, 2025
