There are terrorist groups and rogue states have been taking Americans hostage and they've only seen upside the last four years.

You know, they take one like the Britney Griner case and they get one of the world's most notorious arms dealers out for it.

So why not take more? Why not take as many as you can and see what you get? With President

Trump, he made it very clear, very early on, not just with Hamas, with groups around the world,

there'll be nothing but downside. And after January 20th, any deal that they thought was on the

table is only going to get worse. And this is about imposing consequences for those who would do

this type of horrendous act like we saw on October 7th, who were take Americans or our allies

hostage. Right now, sadly, there's only upside with President Trump. He made it clear

there'll be nothing but downside. And I'm convinced that's why you're seeing this movement.

It's 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14th here in New York City. It's 12.30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 15th, in Israel, as Israelis turn to a new day and follow minute to minute, any news about the very likely hostage deal.

We hear it Call Me Back, are are following things closely and we promise an emergency

episode the moment we have concrete news to analyze. We've heard from a number of you about

calls for an emergency episode. Again, we don't want to engage in just idle speculation. We want to

make sure there's something concrete to report and analyze.

And we will do that as soon as there is.

And speaking of concrete news to analyze, our guest today is Congressman Mike Walts,

who is a colonel retired in the National Guard.

He is a Green Beret who served numerous tours in combat. He worked on counterterrorism policy

in the Bush White House, and he was a policy advisor at the Pentagon serving under Secretary's

Rumsfeld in Gates. And until this coming Monday, Mike Waltz is a congressman from Florida. I say until this Monday,

because as President Trump is sworn in, so will Mike Waltz be sworn in for his new assignment

as the president's national security advisor. Mike graduated from the Virginia Military Institute

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