‘Death to America’ Chants Are Misunderstood [WATCH]

Richard Stengel, a former under secretary of state in the Obama administration and a key public diplomacy official during the early Biden years, is facing renewed criticism following recent remarks on MSNBC where he questioned the U.S. alliance with Israel and downplayed threats from the Iranian regime.

Stengel, who now serves as an analyst for MSNBC, made the comments during a recent segment discussing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

Referring to the U.S. stance against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, Stengel asked, “Why is it a foundation issue for Trump that Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon?”

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He went further, questioning the U.S. strategic relationship with Israel, asking, “Why are we allied with Israel?”

The remarks drew attention for their timing and context, as tensions remain high in the Middle East following recent military strikes between Israel and Iran.

Iran continues to face accusations of backing regional terror proxies and pursuing nuclear capabilities, despite international restrictions and inspections by agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Stengel’s public comments echo a pattern of controversial statements made during his time in government and as a commentator.

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While serving in the Obama administration, Stengel was appointed under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, where he was responsible for shaping the administration’s global messaging strategy.

During his tenure, he was criticized for aligning public messaging with political narratives, including during the U.S. response to the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014, which he referenced in a social media post using the hashtag #UnitedForGaza.

Later, as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s transition team, Stengel stirred controversy again by downplaying the threat of Islamic terror organizations such as al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

In a public statement, he said President Donald Trump and his supporters were “a greater threat to the United States” than those foreign terrorist groups.

In his most recent comments, Stengel attempted to illustrate a softer side of Iran, recalling a visit in 2014.

“I was sitting … at a rally,” he said.

“These young guys were chanting ‘death to America.’ … They finished the chants. And two young men came over and said, ‘Are you American?’ I said yes, [and they said,] ‘We want to welcome you to our country. We love American culture. We love American movies.’”

He added, “Iran is the most Western nation in the whole Middle East. We have much more in common with them than a lot of countries that we do have alliances with.”

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Stengel said that Iranians do, in fact, chant “Death to America,” but are respectful about it.

“Iran is the most Western nation… pic.twitter.com/v3VWkONi4p

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 19, 2025

Stengel’s portrayal of Iran stands in contrast to well-documented human rights abuses by the Iranian regime.

Public chants of “death to America” remain common at government-organized rallies.

The country enforces strict Islamic law, where same-sex relations are punishable by death, and women are legally required to wear head coverings in public.

Stengel’s comments have received pushback from critics who argue that his remarks misrepresent the nature of the Iranian regime and overlook serious concerns about its nuclear ambitions and history of anti-American rhetoric.

The United States formally designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1984, and the regime continues to face international sanctions over its missile development and uranium enrichment.

“For 40 years, Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel.

They have been killing our people. Blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. We lost over 1,000 people, and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have… pic.twitter.com/mF7AG4HAeN

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 22, 2025

The network is currently undergoing internal changes following the announcement of a future separation from NBC News operations, though it is unclear how that reorganization will affect its lineup of analysts and contributors.

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