Sunday on on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” while commenting on the $400 million dollar payment to Iran by the White House at the same time American hostages were released, Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) bragged the U.S. government had “bargained it down to a fraction and paid a portion of the claim” and added “we got hostages home.”

Kaine said, “Chuck, here is the only thing new about this. This arrangement, the settlement of a claim with Iran, the payment of a portion of that settlement, hostages coming home, thank God. This was brief to Congress and the American public months ago. The only thing new this week, the only thing new is Donald Trump’s claiming to have seen a non-existent video of cash being given to the Iranians.”

He continued,”I understand why Donald Trump is trying to make something out of it but look, you have two important issues. The first one is there was a legitimate claim against the United States. The United States bargained it down to a fraction. We’re making claims in international tribunals and we are having claims made against us all the time. We bargained it down to a fraction and paid a portion of the claim, and we got hostages home. Both of those things are appropriate. I understand why Trump is trying to make something out of it, but there’s just no there there.”

When asked if it looked like a ransom, Kaine said, “No, absolutely not. We don’t pay for hostages. We don’t negotiate for hostages, absolutely not. We’re a nation of laws and if there is a claim we think we owe something on, we try to bargain the best way we can.”

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