Diaz-Balart Says Trump is a Threat to Western Hemisphere Dictators (VIDEO)

In an exclusive interview with The Floridian, Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R) discussed the incoming Trump Administration and how it will respond to dictators in the Western hemisphere.

Rep. Diaz-Balart: "I’ve said multiple times, Javier, that I’m convinced that this is true because I worked very closely with the first Trump Administration. And it was with Senator Marco Rubio. Particularly, as I mentioned, with the western hemisphere. I said multiple times that I didn’t think [pause] I still don’t think that those dictatorships in the western hemisphere would’ve survived another four years of Trump as president."

The Floridian: "Because of sanctions?"

Rep. Diaz-Balart: "Because of the sanctions and the pressure and what he was doing to help the opposition. It was a pretty well-designed thorough foreign policy to, in essence, help the national security interests of the United States. And it was starting to bear fruit, but then of course, you know, the Biden Administration came to be, and all of that was wasted away and lost, and given away, so that’s a shame. That’s four years of loss, but I expect this second Trump Administration to be as good, as aggressive if not more, on the enemies of the United States around the world, but particularly in this hemisphere. And, if that’s the case, I think those dictatorships that are struggling right now... the people are hitting the streets almost on a daily basis in Cuba right now. And then you’re seeing the crackdowns that are just horrific. They just murdered another political prisoner."

The Floridian:: "yeah."

Rep. Diaz-Balart: "In Venezuela, you saw the same thing. These are dictatorships that are very, very weak. That are teetering, and I am convinced that with four years of Trump in the White House, with the team that he has assembled to deal with foreign policy and national security, that those dictatorships are gonna have a very difficult time hanging on."

Editor's note: this transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length.