After President Biden released $6 billion in frozen oil revenues to Iran, the theocratic despotic Iranian regime released five American prisoners it had detained for years.

“A plane carrying the five Americans and two of their relatives has taken off from Iran and is en route to Qatar, which had helped broker the swap,” NBC News reported Monday morning. A senior Biden administration official had claimed the funds would be sent to Qatar and the Treasury Department would follow up to make sure the money was used for “humanitarian purposes.”

But Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi dismissed such claims, telling NBC News’ Lester Holt, “Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people needs, so this money will be budgeted for those needs, and the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government,” adding that the funds would be spent “wherever we need it.”

Prominent GOP senators blasted the deal; “I am always glad when Americans are released from captivity,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tweeted. “However, this agreement will entice rogue regimes, like Iran, to take even more Americans hostage. The ayatollah and his henchmen are terrorists and truly represent a terrorist state.”

I am always glad when Americans are released from captivity.
 
However, this agreement will entice rogue regimes, like Iran, to take even more Americans hostage.  The ayatollah and his henchmen are terrorists and truly represent a terrorist state. 
 https://t.co/EOUaH8SVpX

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 11, 2023

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) echoed, “The U.S. should be unrelenting in its efforts to bring detained Americans home, but Iran will now count pallets of ransom money, putting its leaders in a better position to develop a nuclear weapon and fund terrorists. And the price to release U.S. hostages will only go up.”

Over the weekend, Iran barred roughly one-third of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspectors from examining its nuclear sites in the country. Rafael Grossi, director-general of the IAEA, stated:

These inspectors are among the most experienced Agency experts with unique knowledge in enrichment technology. They have conducted essential verification work at the enrichment facilities in Iran which are under Agency safeguards. With today’s decision, Iran has effectively removed about one third of the core group of the Agency’s most experienced inspectors designated for Iran.

“I strongly condemn this disproportionate and unprecedented unilateral measure,” he declared.

“This summer, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), a Foreign Terrorist Organization, raised some of its proxies’ salaries by 13 percent,” Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) wrote last week. “This means that the IRGC-QF, and its proxies, have ample support to kill Americans, attack our partners, and threaten the region.”

“On this third anniversary of the Abraham Accords, the most significant advancement to peace in the Middle East, we are reminded of the need to strengthen our partnerships in the face of increasing Iranian aggression,” she added.

Every Sunday morning, legacy media outlets are taken over by elected officials, aspiring elected officials, administration insiders, and the usual collection of talking heads — all of whom are there to discuss specific policies, push talking points, or simply promote their own campaigns.

For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to unravel a full week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.

ABC News, “This Week”:

During a panel discussion on ABC’s “This Week,” former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile weighed in on the situation currently facing House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Referencing warnings from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) that he would call for McCarthy to vacate his position — or oust him from it if he chooses to prioritize keeping the government open over fighting for spending cuts — Brazile said, “He’s in a real pickle … they’ve shown him the third finger.”

ABC News' @donnabrazile weighs in on Kevin McCarthy's challenging situation, saying, 'He's in a real pickle… they've shown him the third finger.' Amid these dynamics, Democrats prioritize averting a government shutdown over bailing out McCarthy.https://t.co/qZsc2KW7tF pic.twitter.com/0dqHPfmxFK

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 17, 2023

Sarah Isgur weighed in as well, saying that the precarious nature of the situation could lead to an unlikely alliance between McCarthy and Democrats — in part because they would prefer to avert a shutdown, but also because if McCarthy loses the Speaker’s gavel, they can’t guarantee that his replacement would be someone they could work with.

ABC News' @whignewtons explains that Democrats may support McCarthy despite his challenges, citing the fear of the unknown alternative. Adding McCarthy's impeachment inquiry may offer temporary relief, as she notes, "It bought him another week or two."https://t.co/qZsc2KW7tF pic.twitter.com/XawT8RXe4e

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 17, 2023

 

CBS News, “Face the Nation”:

A new CBS News poll, highlighted on Sunday morning’s broadcast of “Face the Nation,” delivered more bad news to Democrats hoping for President Joe Biden to win and serve a second term in the White House.

According to the poll, well over one-third (44%) of voters believe that former President Donald Trump has the mental acuity and cognitive capability to hold the office again. Just one-fourth (26%) believe that Biden would be mentally fit for a second term, and slightly fewer (23%) say that neither Trump nor Biden is fit for the position.

In our new @CBSNewsPoll, 44% of voters say only Donald Trump – not President Biden – has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president. Only 26% say the reverse is true, and 23% say neither man is mentally healthy enough. pic.twitter.com/YPYTTfXtCW

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) September 17, 2023

“Face the Nation” also addressed the controversial topic of artificial intelligence (AI) during this weekend’s show, and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) warned that it could certainly have a negative impact on upcoming elections.

A.I., Warner said, presented “an enormous risk” going forward, and called for Congress to explore regulations in that particular arena.

Artificial intelligence poses "an enormous risk" to the upcoming American elections, Senate Intel Chair @MarkWarner says. Warner adds that Congress regulating A.I. tools could also have the "most immediate effect" on the public's "faith in our public markets." pic.twitter.com/HC5pgnZBAU

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) September 17, 2023

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CNN, “State of the Union”:

Former Vice President – and 2024 Republican presidential hopeful Mike Pence — joined CNN anchor Jake Tapper on “State of the Union,” where they discussed a number of topics facing Americans going into the next year.

Pence weighed in on the looming government shutdown — which has pitted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy against members of the House Freedom Caucus — and said that Republicans should be working to “get as much as they possibly can” with regard to measurable spending cuts.

.@Mike_Pence tells @jaketapper that House Republicans should “get as much as they possibly can” amid shutdown fight. #CNNSOTU https://t.co/KeHBffi7me

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) September 17, 2023

NBC News, “Meet the Press”:

Former President Trump created a stir with his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” — opposite newly-minted host Kristin Welker — prompting leftists to flood X with posts calling for people to boycott the interview entirely for giving Trump a platform.

During the interview, Trump raised eyebrows with several statements — including one aimed at his closest competitor Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) — claiming that it was unwise for GOP-led states to implement “heartbeat” laws outlawing abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

When pressed on Taiwan and whether or not he would commit to sending U.S. troops in the event that China invaded, the former president demurred.

“Only stupid people are going to give that answer,” he said.

“But you don’t take it off the table?” Welker pressed again.

“I don’t take anything off the table, no,” Trump confirmed.

WATCH: Fmr. Pres. Trump “won’t say” if he would send U.S. troops to Taiwan if China were to invade, if re-elected.

Trump: “Only stupid people are going to give that answer.”@kwelkernbc: “But you don’t take it off the table?”

Trump: “I don’t take anything off the table, no.” pic.twitter.com/3Gc5EhkY7R

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) September 17, 2023

FOX, “Fox News Sunday”:

“Fox News Sunday” anchor Shannon Bream spoke with Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, and she pressed him on a series of foreign policy issues that have come up over the early weeks of the campaign.

Among other topics, Bream asked Ramaswamy about his claim that policies allowing American companies to hire foreign workers specifically for skilled tech jobs amounted to “indentured servitude” — and asked whether that was the case when his own company had made use of those policies.

WATCH: @VivekGRamaswamy responds to criticism of his foreign policy positions. #FoxNewsSunday pic.twitter.com/9x9BVvhbgQ

— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 17, 2023

MSNBC, “Inside With Jen Psaki”:

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) tried to backtrack after reports circulated last week that he was not fully behind President Joe Biden keeping Vice President Kamala Harris on his 2024 ticket, joining former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki to discuss that issue and others.

Referencing reports that Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was also having doubts about Harris with regard to Biden’s re-election bid, Raskin replied, “I think somebody was trying to get me to pick a fight with my friend Nancy Pelosi which I’m not going to do. We’re all behind the Biden-Harris administration.”

"I think somebody was trying to get me to pick a fight with my friend Nancy Pelosi which I'm not going to do. We're all behind the Biden-Harris administration." @RepRaskin addressing his previous comments on a Biden-Harris ticket. pic.twitter.com/0AEDrAqOhf

— Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) September 17, 2023