1 hour ago
3
On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast:
- Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina
- Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter
- Amb. Rahm Emanuel, erstwhile ambassador to Japan, White House main of unit and politician of Chicago
- Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, erstwhile seat of the House Intelligence Committee
Retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, president of The Citadel and erstwhile commandant of U.S. Central Command
Click here to browse afloat transcripts from 2026 of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."
MARGARET BRENNAN: I'm Margaret Brennan successful Washington.
And contiguous connected Face the Nation, breaking overnight, a elephantine of the Senate, Republican Lindsey Graham, has died. And, successful the Mideast, the U.S. and Iran commercialized caller attacks.
Rattling Washington this morning, the unexpected quality that Senator Graham has died from what his bureau calls a little and abrupt unwellness astatine the property of 71. We volition person the latest and speech with chap South Carolina Senator Tim Scott astir Graham's interaction successful Washington and beyond.
Plus: caller developments overseas. U.S. Central Command has launched a caller question of strikes against Iran aft its subject attacks instrumentality vessel successful the Strait of Hormuz, successful defiance of U.S. demands to support the waterway open. What's adjacent for the information of the portion aft President Trump declared that fragile cease-fire woody to beryllium over?
We volition beryllium joined by erstwhile CENTCOM Commander Frank McKenzie, Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner, and Israel's Ambassador Dr. Michael Leiter.
We volition besides speech with Democrat Rahm Emanuel, who's conscionable backmost from delivering a code successful Tel Aviv astir the aboriginal of U.S.-Israeli relations.
It's each conscionable up connected Face the Nation.
Good morning, and invited to Face the Nation.
Washington is waking up to stunning quality that Trump state and longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has died. Calls to exigency dispatch bespeak archetypal responders had performed CPR earlier a cardiac apprehension was declared astatine Graham's location successful the Capitol Hill vicinity successful D.C. past night.
The legislator from South Carolina was archetypal elected to the House successful 1994 earlier joining the Senate successful 2003. With his signature Southern twang, helium was a singular dependable connected U.S. nationalist information and an advocator for Ukraine.
Graham had conscionable returned from Kyiv, wherever he'd met Friday with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He pressed some Trump and Biden administrations to get tougher connected Russia, enactment adjacent to Israel, and helium supported assertive subject enactment against Iran.
In years past, he'd worked crossed the aisle connected thorny issues similar migration betterment with adjacent allies Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, the radical erstwhile dubbed the Three Amigos.
While helium had erstwhile challenged Donald Trump for the 2016 Republican statesmanlike nomination, successful caller years, Graham had go his ally. In a TRUTH Social station overnight, President Trump called Graham "one of the top radical and senators I person ever known and a existent American patriot who was ever working."
After 31 years successful Congress, Graham had been seeking a 5th word arsenic a senator. Now South Carolina's politician volition name an interim replacement for his spot to service retired the remaining 5 months of the term. Republicans volition present unreserved to clasp a peculiar superior successful August to prime Graham's replacement connected the ballot up of the wide predetermination successful November.
We spell present to South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott.
Senator, bully morning. And we are atrocious for your loss. As Americans aftermath up this morning, I wonderment however you would person them retrieve Senator Graham, idiosyncratic who served this state successful uniform, but besides astatine the Capitol for truthful galore decades.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT (R-South Carolina): Margaret, convey you for your condolences.
And America surely has mislaid a statesman. I person mislaid a friend.
To retrieve Lindsey Graham, Margaret, is honestly to retrieve his precise humble beginnings. I'm not definite everyone connects the dots connected who helium is and wherefore helium is. His parent dies of cancer; 15 months later, his dada dies of a monolithic bosom attack. He adopts his 13-year-old sister erstwhile helium was conscionable 19 years aged and a pupil astatine the University of South Carolina.
And that remarkably hard and harsh opening would framework his satellite view. And arsenic a nationalist servant, Margaret, the 1 happening that we don't oftentimes deliberation astir with Lindsey is, helium wanted to marque definite if you needed help, and helium could help, helium was there.
He wanted to marque definite that those who would sometimes consciousness invisible, that they were seen, and helium did an unthinkable occupation successful – successful South Carolina providing the benignant of nationalist work that you would privation to spot from your elected official.
He – helium besides understood that helium worked for the radical of South Carolina, and not helium was conscionable a person of South Carolina. Of course, determination is simply a overseas argumentation portfolio that's undeniable that was synonymous who we knew him to beryllium successful nationalist service.
But, arsenic a South Carolinian, arsenic a friend, I got to archer you, helium was conscionable a witty guy. He was ever funny.
I volition archer you 1 speedy story, Margaret. When I archetypal started my South Carolina supplication meal successful D.C. for those of america who came from South Carolina, I called Lindsey connected the phone. And I knew helium was not a greeting person. And supplication meal starts 8:30 successful the morning.
And I said: "Lindsey, volition you come?"
He says: "I'm not coming adjacent if Jesus comes earlier 10:00 a.m."
(LAUGHTER)
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: And it made maine – I conscionable laughed retired loud. And, of course, astatine 8:31, who walks done the door?
(LAUGHTER)
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Lindsey Graham.
He was ever committed to the priorities that helium thought was important, not conscionable for him, but for me. And it's 1 of those times erstwhile you conscionable cognize who helium is arsenic a person, and then, arsenic a nationalist servant, we surely cognize him arsenic a fierce combatant connected overseas policy, arsenic a…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: … idiosyncratic who enactment connected the azygous for 30 years, a colonel successful our military. He loved America passionately. He served america brilliantly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: And helium volition beryllium missed undeniably.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, I privation – you know, Senator Graham's unit said that helium had a abrupt and little illness.
Do you – bash you cognize what happened? Because it shocked us, frankly, overnight.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Yes, I don't cognize the details, immoderate much than his unit has released. My hunch was it was a bosom attack, but I – I hatred to just…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: … springiness you my sentiment connected what I person heard from radical that are adjacent successful circle. But I deliberation we'll person much accusation implicit the adjacent mates days.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: But it appears to person been a bosom attack.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You know, you mentioned the senator's consciousness of humor. He would travel connected this program.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And helium would usage this platform. He was precise clear. He was coming connected tv due to the fact that helium had a message, often for the president of the United States himself, that helium wanted Mr. Trump to hear. He was perpetually flying astir the world.
I wonderment however Republican enactment plans to grant his legacy.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Well, you know, 1 of the things I deliberation we should do, obviously, that South Carolina Prayer Breakfast is coming up for maine aboriginal this month. I'm going to rename it successful grant of Lindsey Graham, and we'll present person the Lindsey Graham Prayer Breakfast going connected for arsenic agelong arsenic I'm successful nationalist service, fig one.
Number two, arsenic Senate enactment comes together, I talked to John Thune astir 3:00 – astir 4:30 this morning. And helium and I and John Barrasso and others volition find the due mode to grant him each week and frankly the remainder of this term.
I volition accidental that 1 of the ways we tin champion grant Lindsey Graham is to recognize the value that helium placed connected America – American information abroad.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: If you privation to cognize who helium was, helium was a idiosyncratic who believed that, erstwhile you near this country, you should beryllium harmless nary substance wherever you spell and nary substance what it cost.
And that's why, arsenic a feline who became the Budget chair, Margaret, 1 of the funniest stories, I retrieve sitting determination with Lindsey Graham. And helium said: "I americium present the fund chair, and I cognize thing astir money."
(LAUGHTER)
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: "I cognize thing astir numbers, but I'm going to bash the occupation anyways."
And, arsenic you tin tell, we got that fund instrumentality called reconciliation done once…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you know, I spoke to Senator…
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: … done doubly because, Lindsey Graham, helium knew people.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I spoke to Senator Graham a fig of times connected Friday erstwhile helium was successful Kyiv. We spoke by phone.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Yes. Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And I cognize helium was truthful excited that the White House was yet going to enactment this measure he'd been moving connected with Senator Blumenthal to spell pugnacious connected Russia and its biggest lipid buyers.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: He said he'd got 85 signatories. He said: "This is going to – this is going to alert through."
Are you going to grant him by making that ballot happen? Is determination a committedness to it?
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Yes, well, Margaret, it's mode excessively aboriginal for maine to speech authorities and – and astir the authorities that Lindsey Graham sponsored.
We'll get engaged connected that tomorrow. Today, I'm going to enactment engaged connected his bequest and praying for his – his sister and the remainder of the country, who's mislaid a almighty leader. There are galore ways for america to grant Lindsey Graham today.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: The champion mode for maine to grant him is to speech astir his bequest arsenic a idiosyncratic and arsenic a nationalist servant. No doubt, overseas argumentation volition beryllium 1 of the ways that we get to grant him. I won't beryllium circumstantial because, frankly, it's going to instrumentality the full of enactment to travel to the decisions connected the mode to bash that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, I conscionable – the excitement successful his dependable connected that 1 stood retired to me.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Oh, he's – you – Margaret, you knew him…
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: … arsenic good arsenic anyone successful this nationalist forum, due to the fact that helium was truthful committed to nationalist service.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: And I cognize your household has been committed to nationalist work arsenic good successful the aforesaid mode that helium wore the uniform.
And 1 of the ways that we volition show our committedness to Lindsey, my anticipation is to absorption connected the priorities that helium had established for this federation from a planetary perspective. And, hopefully, the White House, the Senate, frankly, Republicans and Democrats, volition travel unneurotic and bash the things that we ought to bash for the American people. And that volition beryllium the champion mode we tin grant his legacy.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You know, I cognize it is excessively aboriginal to statesman talking astir who could perchance adjacent effort to capable his shoes for the remainder of his term.
But I bash cognize that the relation Lindsey Graham played was a cardinal 1 for the enactment connecting with a president that, frankly, sometimes Republicans person had immoderate hostility with. He'd beryllium retired there. I retrieve him saying, oh, Margaret, I spent 4.5 hours with the president connected the play people yesterday, and here's what we're going to do.
Who tin measurement up and assistance make that connective insubstantial betwixt the White House and lawmakers now?
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Well, I don't cognize anyone who tin capable the shoes of Lindsey Graham.
The 1 happening I tin accidental that you conscionable emphasized was the important relation that helium played successful gathering bridges successful life, conscionable arsenic a portion of who helium was. And that's wherefore I started disconnected with the communicative of those who felt invisible. And, successful his presence, you knew you were seen.
And we're going to person an important speech to come. President Trump is committed to the Republican Party and, frankly, to the Republican Senate. There are disagreements, without immoderate question. But the bully quality is, those disagreements truthful acold person made america stronger.
And Lindsey Graham being connected the telephone with the president each azygous time was helpful, without immoderate question.
(LAUGHTER)
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Playing play each play for 4 hours – however anybody plays play for 4 hours, I volition ne'er cognize due to the fact that I person ne'er played for 2 hours.
But the information of the substance is, it was the enslaved that helium forged connected the play people that made him specified a almighty advocator for the president and a almighty advocator for america with the president. And truthful we'll request that.
But, much importantly, what we'll request is simply a champion who steps up to the sheet not for politics, but for serving our country. That is who Lindsey was. He had friends connected some sides of the aisle.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: You're seeing satellite leaders travel retired crossed the satellite for Lindsey Graham. And why? Because helium enactment others first.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: It is the biblical rule to fto others radiance much than you, and he's done that truly well. Even successful his passing, helium is…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Like, robust sharpens iron, truthful 1 idiosyncratic sharpens the other. We're present watching the satellite respond to the interaction that Lindsey Graham had, not conscionable present astatine location successful South Carolina, but astir the world.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Scott, convey you for your remembrances this morning.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT: Yes, ma'am.
Face the Nation volition beryllium backmost successful a minute. Stay with us.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're joined present by Israel's ambassador to the United States, Dr. Michael Leiter.
Good to person you backmost here.
MICHAEL LEITER (Israeli Ambassador to the United States): Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Your premier curate this greeting has been honoring Senator Lindsey Graham. I cognize helium was a fierce advocator for Israel.
And helium besides was truly pushing for normalization of relations betwixt Israel and Saudi Arabia. Just 3 weeks agone connected this program, helium made that pitch. I wonderment if you deliberation determination is simply a mode to transportation connected his bequest done continuing that benignant of diplomatic work.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Well, absolutely.
Lindsey was a beloved friend. My archetypal time successful Washington, January 27, 2025, the archetypal telephone telephone I got erstwhile I landed connected my spot successful the embassy was from Lindsey Graham. He said: "Can we person meal tonight?"
And we've been talking astir normalization successful the Middle East for the past year-and-a-half. And helium was not lone a fierce advocator of defeating this Iranian regime. He was besides a fierce advocator of what would hap afterwards.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: And helium saw – helium had a imaginativeness for bid successful the Middle East. And, absolutely, we person to enactment toward that end.
But it truly is going to hap if his archetypal portion of that imaginativeness is fulfilled, and that's that Iran is nary longer a determination hegemon menacing its neighbors.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, 3 weeks ago, Lindsey Graham said connected this program, 2026. That was his vow, that normalization would happen. So we'll person to travel that.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: We inactive person immoderate time.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We inactive person immoderate time.
Let maine inquire you astir the different important improvement overnight with Iran. The effort to revive this truce betwixt the United States and Iran intelligibly has conscionable collapsed. This was conscionable an effort to person a intermission to reopen the – the Strait of Hormuz. Frankly, it was beauteous constricted successful scope. But past the IRGC fired connected a commercialized vessel. The United States has resumed bombing.
For the moment, Iran has not fired connected Israel. Israel has not fired connected Iran. Does Israel mean to enactment connected the sidelines? How bash we spot this struggle astatine this point?
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: President Trump has been consistent, I think, passim this confrontation. If talks volition work, if diplomacy tin work, past he's successful favour of the diplomatic route.
But erstwhile it doesn't work, you person to spell backmost to subject and kinetic activity. When the United States signed the MOU with Iran conscionable a fewer weeks ago, determination was 1 item, conscionable 1 thing, that the Iranians had to fulfill, and that was keeping the straits open. And that, they've wholly ignored.
So they forced the U.S. to spell backmost into kinetic activity. We're a partner. We're an ally. If the United States calls connected america to rejoin kinetic enactment against Iran, we're going to beryllium determination for the United States.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But, astatine the moment, the U.S. is asking you to wait?
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: I didn't accidental that. I said the United States has not asked america to articulation the effort. But if that petition volition travel in, we're going to beryllium there.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, that MOU, erstwhile it was signed by the president successful Versailles and past by the vice president, your authorities was opposed to this.
You made nary mistake that Prime Minister Netanyahu saw large flaws successful this deal. When you saw what happened, was determination a infinitesimal of "I told you so" here?
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: No, that's not the quality of our relationship.
We explicit our opinion. We saw flaws, but we besides expressed anticipation that it would work. If, astatine the extremity of the day, 60 days aft the MOU, we've got a denuclearized Iran, we've got Iran not producing ballistic missiles…
MARGARET BRENNAN: That is the astir assertive timeline successful history.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: … and not supporting their proxies – well, if it would beryllium 90 days oregon 120 days, if we person Iran that's denuclearized, not gathering ballistic missiles, not supporting proxies astir the region, conscionable not being a menacing, mayhem-spreading regime, past we volition person accomplished it without kinetic activity.
We person doubts astir the anticipation of that really working, but each we bash is explicit our opinion.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, precise wide astir the precise archetypal fewer lines of the MOU that mentioned Lebanon. And that's wherever I privation to spell next, due to the fact that the U.S. has been trying to broker these talks betwixt the Israeli authorities and the Lebanese authorities to fundamentally enactment unneurotic against Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
Under the model that was reached past month, Israel pledged to retreat from areas of Southern Lebanon. Do you inactive mean to bash that? What does that timeline look like?
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Well, I'm really starring the negotiations connected Israel's behalf with Lebanon, truthful I cognize a happening oregon 2 astir the trilateral agreement.
And what the statement with Lebanon does is wholly region Iran from the paradigm. Iran is not to beryllium progressive successful Lebanon. They person nary concern successful Lebanon. Hezbollah has nary concern successful Lebanon. As a substance of fact, Israel and Lebanon are connected the aforesaid page. We privation Hezbollah retired for our information and for their sovereignty.
We tin retreat the infinitesimal that Hezbollah is dismantled.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well…
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: If Hezbollah is not dismantled, past we person to enactment successful our information zone, due to the fact that we're not going to spell backmost to a concern wherever our citizens are going to beryllium threatened by an Iranian proxy firing missiles and gathering tunnels truthful they tin attack, similar Hamas did October 7.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
Well, that's antithetic from what the U.S. State Department has lined up here, which is specifically 2 aviator zones that Israel is expected to retreat from…
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Oh, that…
MARGARET BRENNAN: … and CENTCOM would oversee. Is that…
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: They're aviator zones, aviator zones.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When does that happen, those withdrawals?
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Well, we're preparing it close now. But the full thought of the aviator zone…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because Lebanon has said that's delayed.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: No, it's not delayed.
We're moving unneurotic with CENTCOM and the Lebanese Armed Forces to make the conditions truthful that we tin really determination into a concern wherever the aviator zones are receptive to Lebanese Armed Forces. If they're not going to beryllium receptive, if Hezbollah is going to enactment there, we haven't accomplished anything.
And that's wherefore they're called aviator zones.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: If it works, past we proceed the withdrawal. If it doesn't work, past we enactment wherever we are.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you inactive going to Rome to behaviour these talks? And volition those aviator portion withdrawals hap anytime soon?
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: I surely anticipation – they're planned for the adjacent fewer weeks. We're moving connected that unneurotic with CENTCOM.
Am I inactive going to Rome? That's going to beryllium a question regarding the Senator Graham funeral. But, certainly, the talks volition proceed successful Rome.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, earlier I fto you go, determination were 2 high-profile incidents I privation to rapidly interaction connected here, one, a CNN unit attacked successful the West Bank by what they accidental were 4 settlers. There was besides an incidental with Ro Khanna, the congressman from California, who said helium was – his vehicles helium was successful were stopped by Israeli settlers, and then, erstwhile the IDF showed up, they were connected the broadside of the settlers, not him.
He said: "It's not a bully thought to detain longshot statesmanlike candidates." It was a informing to your government.
Do you deliberation your authorities needs to apologize to some him and those CNN journalists?
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Any unit is to beryllium condemned, nary excuses, nary explanations, OK?
So, if the CNN unit was attacked, that needs to beryllium condemned. And I'm doing truthful close now. And we request to bash a amended job.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You are condemning it?
(CROSSTALK)
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: If – if – if it was – really took spot arsenic they've reported it, perfectly condemning it. We request to rein successful unit connected each sides.
Now, successful presumption of Ro Khanna, we reached retired to him erstwhile we heard helium was going to Israel, the Israeli Embassy present successful Washington. As each congressmen do, they coordinate their travel with the Israeli government. We suggested helium sojourn with – with survivors of the October 7 massacre, that helium sojourn the borders, truthful helium understands the – the issues that we person connected our borders and truthful on.
He ignored that. And helium decided to coordinate his travel not with Israel, but with Palestinian activists and with J Street, which is an anti-government - - anti-Israeli authorities advocacy radical present successful Washington. So helium coordinated…
MARGARET BRENNAN: It's a Jewish lobby group…
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Well, it's…
MARGARET BRENNAN: … that is supportive of a antithetic way for Israel.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Yes, yes. I – I play tennis erstwhile a year. That doesn't marque maine a tennis player.
The information that they telephone themselves a Jewish enactment is – is irrelevant. They're – they're an advocacy radical against the authorities of Israel. That has to beryllium clear.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The existent government, Netanyahu government…
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Yes. Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … your – is what you mean, the authorities you enactment for currently.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: And Congressman Khanna has made nary concealed astir his antipathy towards the authorities of Israel arsenic well.
So, possibly if helium would person coordinated the travel – and then, you know, to person this incidental connected Wednesday and hold to merchandise it connected Saturday, possibly this had much thing to bash with…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: … his enactment of – of Graham Platner beforehand and the difficulties helium had with that…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well…
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: … and trying to displacement the absorption to thing other perhaps.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: I'm asking a question.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we did perceive from Congressman Khanna, who said that determination was an alert to the embassy connected his behalf, and that they asked for the news…
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: There was not. There was not.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … to beryllium held until helium had near the country.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: There was a question. There was not an alert. There was a question astir visas. That's all.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: But erstwhile we requested that helium coordinate the travel with us, helium rejected that by fundamentally staying silent.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. OK.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: So that's unfortunate. This full incidental is unfortunate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: And if – if idiosyncratic – it's benignant of absorbing that idiosyncratic wants to state a statesmanlike tally by moving disconnected to Israel. Not strange?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we're going to person to permission it there, sir.
There's truthful overmuch much to speech astir with you, but I'm retired of time. Thank you for coming.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Thank you, Margaret. Good to beryllium with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we'll beryllium close backmost with a batch much Face the Nation.
Stay with us.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: We spell present to the erstwhile Mayor of Chicago and the erstwhile U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel.
Welcome to Face the Nation, Ambassador.
RAHM EMANUEL (Former White House Chief of Staff): Thanks, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I person truthful overmuch to get to with you, but I cognize you worked with Senator Lindsey Graham for a clip present successful Washington.
RAHM EMANUEL: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You weren't precisely connected the aforesaid leafage politically, but I wonderment your thoughts connected his passing.
RAHM EMANUEL: Good observation.
No, look, you mislaid a patriot. We disagreed, but we weren't disagreeable astir it. There were 3 things we worked on. One, helium represented John McCain. I represented then-Senator Obama connected the statement rules.
Two, erstwhile we had a gathering during the transition, Senator McCain, Lindsey, the president-elect, myself, we agreed to enactment connected a nationalist work bill, which we really got done successful outpouring '09 that doubled the size for AmeriCorps and for the Peace Corps.
And past third, our final, which was truly the astir difficult, but we got to an agreement, which was to adjacent Guantanamo. It was Senator Levin, Lindsey, myself representing the administration. We got to a last issue. The lawyer wide was against it, which was the proceedings of the sheik, which – helium wanted civilian. Lindsey said it had to beryllium subject tribunal to get the 15 votes.
That's not what happened. And so, truthful – and it was 1 governmental analysis, which I thought was accurate, versus a ineligible analysis, which was possibly by the law, but wasn't going to happen. And truthful we worked astatine my table arsenic the main of staff, I don't know, a twelve meetings betwixt Carl Levin, myself, and the legislator that would really person closed Guantanamo, moved each the prisoners retired and brought that section to America to an end.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. Right.
RAHM EMANUEL: Now, did we spot everything 100 percent? No. Did we find compromise? Absolutely.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
Well, Ambassador, we request to instrumentality a interruption and decorativeness our speech astir the important speech…
RAHM EMANUEL: OK.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … you conscionable gave successful Israel a fewer days ago. But we're going to bash that successful a minute. I anticipation everyone volition enactment with us.
We volition beryllium close back.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome backmost to "FACE THE NATION."
We proceed our speech present with Ambassador Rahm Emanuel.
Ambassador, you are conscionable backmost from a travel overseas. Your family, I know, has heavy ties to Israel. You worked during the Clinton administration, the Obama administration, connected important Mideast issues. In the code you conscionable delivered, you were precise captious of the Palestinian Authority's enactment failures. You faulted Arab states for not doing much successful a credible mode for the Palestinian people. And past you took purpose astatine Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying "he has led his state into a dead-end."
What bash you anticipation you accomplished?
RAHM EMANUEL (Former U.S. Ambassador): Well, it was not conscionable a criticism, each those are wide and I stated that. I besides said the United States made mistakes successful the past. But I laid retired a program that gets retired of Israel being a pariah. It's went from a technological prowess to a territorial pariah. And for a tiny nation, that's not survivable. In 22 years it volition beryllium 100 years old. You cannot past similar this.
So, one, not a two-state solution, a 23-state solution, taking the Arab League's connection to admit the authorities of Israel, each 21 nations, if they travel to an statement connected information for the authorities of Israel, which is essentially, and Palestinian sovereignty. That's Israel's champion time and Iranian's worst day.
Second, gathering disconnected the India-Mideast-European economical corridor, which would beryllium the astir important commercialized way –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: And enactment Israel's technological prowess astatine the center, interruption into the integration that's happening.
So, that was a plan. Others tin connection theirs. But to me, it addresses the azygous astir important happening for the aboriginal of this alliance, that you cannot trim your nationalist information apparatus with subject power, economical statecraft, governmental persuasion, and taste attraction, trim 3 of them and fto them atrophy and your full nationalist information apparatus is lone subject power. And that's an illustration of however Israel has a breakout. That is bully for alliance.
The United States is beardown with NATO. You tin spot that successful the nationalist opinion. The United States nationalist sentiment is besides beardown with our Asian allies. This is the lone state that is successful the debased 20s successful support.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: That is not a sustainable way for an confederation that's indispensable for Israel-America security.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You said the existent Israeli government, the Netanyahu government, "views each information situation arsenic a nail and Israel's subject arsenic a hammer." That sounded precise similar, to maine astatine least, to this.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You're a state of 9 cardinal people. You can't conscionable termination your mode retired of solving each azygous nationalist information occupation that you have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARGARET BRENNAN: I ideate determination aren't a batch of points of statement betwixt you and the vice president, J.D. Vance –
RAHM EMANUEL: Correct.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But bash you spot this connected the close and near arsenic a large displacement successful argumentation present for the United States that does not crook around?
RAHM EMANUEL: So, 2 things, Margaret. The – successful 2009, erstwhile I challenged, arsenic main of unit for President Obama, I challenged the premier curate directly, not – I didn't request this war, directly, that what you're doing connected lodging successful the West Bank volition pb to perpetual struggle and isolation. If determination was a prediction I wanted to beryllium incorrect connected –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: That was it. So, telling idiosyncratic the truth, adjacent erstwhile it's painful, that's not caller to me.
I was besides successful the country with President Obama erstwhile we funded and started backing the Iron Dome that has protected thousands of Israeli civilians. I judge backing the Iron Dome is close for America's strategy, close for Israel. I deliberation making definite that you're not having a – undermining the West Bank oregon the anticipation of a two-state solution, a 23-state solution is besides successful Israel's information interest.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: And I privation to get backmost to – those spell manus successful hand.
And truthful my presumption is, instrumentality Syria for example.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: There's nary much Assad. You person a caput of Syria that is the transitway to Hezbollah from Iran of each their weapons.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Uh-huh.
RAHM EMANUEL: The Syrian caput of authorities has said, that helium – Iran is simply a occupation –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: And that Israel and helium should person a information agreement.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: Nobody's called. I said, I'll wage for the telephone telephone charges. Pick up the telephone and travel to a information statement –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: Where your bluish part, Jordan is unafraid connected the east, Egypt is unafraid connected the southbound –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: Syria, you would really person a information agreement. That breaks out.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: Diplomacy, governmental strategy, is dormant arsenic a portion of Israel's nationalist security.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: And that, therefore, harms the United States.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I –
RAHM EMANUEL: My fig 1 goal, what advances America's interest?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: This align – and if they don't change, the presumption quo contiguous is unsustainable. I did it successful the involvement of America.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
RAHM EMANUEL: The confederation with an state that is isolated politically astatine location and abroad.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. No, and to your point, I was successful Syria successful September and I saw the parts of Damascus that were bombed by the Netanyahu authorities precise recently. But that aforesaid authorities –
RAHM EMANUEL: And you would chopped disconnected Hezbollah –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. Well –
RAHM EMANUEL: You would chopped disconnected Hezbollah from Iranian weapons.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: That's successful your nationalist information involvement that doesn't necessitate the military.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, Trump mightiness beryllium trying to bash that. Trump whitethorn beryllium trying to bash that. I conscionable –
RAHM EMANUEL: I cognize helium is (ph). But, erstwhile again, I connection my telephone card, AT&T, they tin usage it immoderate time. They tin marque a telephone to Damascus.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But bringing you backmost present to home. When I conscionable finished that speech with the existent Israeli ambassador to the United States, who, by the way, precise overmuch supports Israeli settlements successful the West Bank, arsenic you know.
RAHM EMANUEL: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: He did instrumentality a deed determination astatine those trying to motorboat statesmanlike campaigns from his country. He was speaking astir Representative Ro Khanna and what happened to him successful the West Bank. Some are saying that astir you, too, sir. I mean however bash you respond to that, and bash you hold with words similar apartheid and genocide that progressive Democrats similar Khanna utilized to speech astir the existent Israeli government?
RAHM EMANUEL: Second, I was invited by Tel Aviv University. So, I took it up. And I didn't conscionable connection criticism. I offered a program for peace.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: Second, I spell backmost to moving connected this, not – with President Clinton connected some the Oslo Accords, the Wye Plantation, Camp David and with President Obama.
And third, if it comes to wherever you commencement oregon however you do, I haven't decided whether I was moving for president. But the archetypal happening I did was spell to Mississippi, that has moved from 49th to ninth connected speechmaking scores. I person made acquisition the people (ph).
We, arsenic a country, 50 percent of our kids cannot work astatine people level. And we note, everybody successful Washington is vigor soundlessness connected the aboriginal of this country.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: So, if there's going to beryllium a place, it wasn't the Middle East. It was really down successful Mississippi, wherever I went.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: That is wherever the aboriginal of America is.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
RAHM EMANUEL: Now, 1 happening I know, Margaret, astir the White House –
MARGARET BRENNAN: All right.
RAHM EMANUEL: You person to beryllium bully successful the Situation Room –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
RAHM EMANUEL: The committee room, the interruption room, and the classroom.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
RAHM EMANUEL: And the occupation for some parties is one's stuck successful the bath and the different one's stuck successful the bedroom. Get retired and absorption connected the future.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador, we'll permission it there. Look guardant to having you backmost to speech more.
RAHM EMANUEL: Thanks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We'll beryllium close back.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we're joined present by Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner.
It is bully to person you here, Congressman. I cognize you are a person to Ukraine. Senator Graham surely was. As I mentioned, helium was truthful excited astir yet getting to determination this sanctions and tariffs bill.
Do you deliberation that this volition spell guardant without a champion similar him down it?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER (R-OH): Well, let's hope. Let's hope, arsenic you had indicated, that that is 1 of the legacies, that they'll – that the Senate volition determination his bill.
You know, we were – I was astatine the NATO Summit with Lindsey Graham and different senators the past – this week. Senator Shaheen, Coons, Durbin, Rounds. And arsenic we met with Zelenskyy, you know, Lindsey Graham was making the constituent of the request for this sanctions measure that has passed the House and that I've cosponsored and that should walk the Senate, that Lindsey has been specified a champion for. It was his – it was his bill.
You know, what's truthful bittersweet astir losing Lindsey is that, you know, successful this statement present that we person of America first, you know, you tin beryllium America archetypal and inactive recognize that it doesn't person to beryllium America alone. That, you know, allies privation America's voice. America's dependable is important. America needs to basal for state and ideology and liberty. And that's what they saw successful the dependable of Lindsey Graham, you know, successful McCain's voice, successful Reagan's voice. And what they saw successful Lindsey was idiosyncratic who was consenting to basal up and say, you're not alone. America is with you.
You know, we're not going to bash it for you. We're not going to, you know, travel successful and determine for you. But you're not going to beryllium alone. And helium was that dependable with Ukraine, having conscionable gone to Ukraine, saying we're going to beryllium with you.
An this measure would beryllium an important symbolism to say, we're going to beryllium with Ukraine. And I surely anticipation the Senate moves it this week and we tin enactment it connected the president's table this week.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: As you had said earlier, helium had been successful interaction with you and said helium believed helium had question from the White House for that bill.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: We should walk this measure and enactment it connected the president's desk.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you cognize if Republican enactment has considered that astatine each astatine this point?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: I don't.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: I cognize that, you know, we surely person the quality wherever they had conscionable said, upon our instrumentality from the NATO Summit –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: That they believed that they could determination this successful the Senate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: The House has already passed a mentation of this bill.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: So, I cognize there's wide support.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: There were, you know, much than – a, you know, veto-proof fig of senators who co-sponsored it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, 85 successful the House.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: With the White House's support, this measure could beryllium connected the president's table this week.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let maine inquire you arsenic good astir NATO. You had voted for a measure years ago, CAATSA (ph) we'll telephone it, that would situation what Turkey had done, which was bargain this Russian weapons system, and President Trump said this week that he's OK with lifting immoderate of the sanctions and letting Turkey person the F-35 fighter. How could that hap and not interruption the instrumentality that you supported?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: All right, truthful you're speaking of the S-400, which is the Russian aerial defence strategy that Turkey had purchased.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: And during that time, Congress had passed, which had been signed into law, a measure that would restrict the president's quality –
MARGARET BRENNAN: In the archetypal Trump administration.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Right. And – to waive sanctions that were placed connected Turkey, including taken – had taken them retired of the F-35 program. The – Turkey has signaled they are present successful a presumption that they privation to comply with the – with that measure that would enactment them successful a presumption wherever the S-400 would nary longer beryllium an impediment to their entering backmost into the F-35 program. I surely anticipation that that occurs. The accusation -
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will merchantability it to idiosyncratic else?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: You know, I can't disclose what they had told to us.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: But it's precise promising. Of each the senators, we agreed unneurotic that we would beryllium capable to publically accidental what we heard was precise promising. And Senator Shaheen has said – you know, she was 1 of the archetypal authors of this. She believes it's promising.
If they bash this, and to get them backmost successful the F-35 programme is incredibly important. They're a subordinate of NATO. A precise beardown subordinate of NATO, having just, of course, hosted the summit, which was precise successful. I surely anticipation that they travel done and that they bash truthful successful a mode that returns them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: They were besides a shaper of parts for the F- 35. So, entering backmost into accumulation would beryllium very, precise important.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I privation to inquire you astir immoderate different things connected the home beforehand arsenic well.
Late Friday, Homeland Security made an announcement that they're going to alteration – they privation states to alteration the mode that elections are conducted or, if states refuse, they'll suffer millions successful national coercion prevention funds. So, it – determination were a database of things successful there, including switching to insubstantial ballots, which similar astir each azygous authorities has a insubstantial backup strategy astatine this point. What bash you deliberation of this national unit to get states to alteration their elections?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: All right, truthful I'm not truly acquainted with this announcement. I, you know, evidently they're disconcerting Congress of national involution connected the predetermination side, connected the authorities side.
MARGARET BRENNAN: As a conservative, you must. Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: But astatine the aforesaid time, determination is also, oregon America first, you know, the, you know, the provisions of the bills that are moving done the House that subordinate to ensuring that we person recognition for radical to beryllium that they're American citizens, message ballots, arsenic the president has made arsenic a information of his provisions that he's –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Right.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Provisions that he's – continues to –
MARGARET BRENNAN: He wants to alteration each these things.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: All of those things are of interest and surely we person to code them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You're however galore days until the midterm elections astatine this point? That's not truly practical.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: The House has passed these provisions respective times, each of which I person voted for. I deliberation this –
MARGARET BRENNAN: We noticed that. We did check.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: I deliberation the Senate does request to determination these provisions.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But did you ballot for it knowing that the Senate doesn't person the votes to really marque it go law? Vote yes, anticipation no?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: I deliberation – I deliberation the president is surely making a precise bully lawsuit arsenic to however these provisions request to go law, and I deliberation that they are ones that volition ensure, for the American public, you know, integrity successful voting.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, non-citizens can't ballot successful national elections. That became instrumentality successful 1996.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: The interest is, however bash you guarantee that that's going to – that is occurring.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Which each authorities does.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: And we request to marque definite that we guarantee that that occurs.
MARGARET BRENNAN: At the authorities level?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: You know, surely –
MARGARET BRENNAN: I'll fto you spell connected that, but conscionable –
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Certainly having recognition should beryllium astatine slightest the mode to guarantee that idiosyncratic – that we cognize who's voting.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. But that's – yes, but not – yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: How bash we – however bash we person – I mean determination are truthful galore things that you person to person recognition for.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the state's verify it. And not each driver's licenses accidental you are a citizen.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: How bash you – however bash you fto idiosyncratic ballot and not adjacent person an identification. I can't recognize however anyone would beryllium opposed to that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let maine –
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: And this is 1 of those things wherever it's disconnected the charts that the American nationalist judge that radical should person recognition to vote.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: This should pass.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, yes. And I cognize it's often required erstwhile you register.
But precise quickly, bash you cognize what the program is to woody with the Haitians who are having their impermanent protected presumption revoked successful Springfield, Ohio?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: So, arsenic of Friday, there's been a short-term hold due to the fact that of the –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Until the 24th of July.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Two weeks. You know, the – Markwayne Mullin, the secretary, has said that those individuals who are working, that they should look to arsenic – a mode successful which they mightiness beryllium capable to beryllium included successful different processes because, you know, they're contributing to society, certainly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: You know, our governor, Mike DeWine, and myself and others, who person individuals successful our assemblage who are going to beryllium affected are surely advocates for these individuals to beryllium capable to enactment successful our communities, who are moving and contributing. They're invaluable radical successful our assemblage and we surely anticipation –
MARGARET BRENNAN: And you voted for Congress to widen this.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: We surely anticipation that they tin –
MARGARET BRENNAN: But leadership, maybe?
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: That they tin enactment and beryllium capable to lend successful – to our communities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're going to proceed to way that, and whether they person that anticipation beyond the 24th of July.
Congressman, convey you for your time.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We'll beryllium backmost successful a moment.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: We spell present to the erstwhile commandant of the U.S. Central Command, retired General Frank McKenzie.
General, invited back.
You know, I was conscionable looking backmost astatine my past speech connected "FACE THE NATION" with Lindsey Graham, and the legislator said, "if this woody fails, President Trump is going to instrumentality the Strait of Hormuz implicit by force. The U.S. volition power the Strait of Hormuz." That was 3 weeks ago.
How does the United States extremity up controlling the Strait of Hormuz?
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE (Retired Former Commander, U.S. Central Command): Well, Margaret, we surely person the capableness to power the Strait of Hormuz if the president chooses to travel that people of action.
Look, what he's been trying to bash is get to a diplomatic and governmental solution here, which I applaud and I deliberation we should each privation to spot arsenic the last extremity state.
Nonetheless, the information of the substance is, the Iranians mostly lone respond to subject unit and to utmost pressure.
Look, we're not talking astir authorities alteration here. What we're talking astir is modifying the views and actions of an utmost hardline regime. That is possible. We person the capableness to bash that. That capableness is nonmigratory successful the U.S. subject should the president elite to employment it. That would see opening the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining the Strait of Hormuz open, and, successful fact, seizing Kharg Island should we elite to bash that.
And I would conscionable accidental arsenic an aside, that's thing we should deliberation astir doing due to the fact that possession of Iranian ungraded would beryllium a important origin successful aboriginal negotiations with Iran. So, each those options are connected the table. I'm not definite wherever we're going to spell with this but I bash cognize we person these capabilities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We person those capabilities but the president has made wide helium benignant of conscionable wants a – helium wants a woody here. How bash you explicate to the layperson, erstwhile the president says, "we power the Strait of Hormuz," but past CENTCOM says, "military forces are positioned to guarantee state of navigation," which makes it dependable it isn't precisely free-flowing postulation here?
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE: No, it's not close present due to the fact that we person not deployed each the capabilities that we person to unfastened the Strait. We surely tin bash that. It would necessitate putting warships up into constrictive waters. But the U.S. Navy doesn't emotion to bash that, but they're precise bully astatine it. And, if necessary, they tin bash it and they tin bash it well.
You got to spell backmost to the basal rule of Iranian authorities craft, which is authorities preservation. If you privation to summation concessions from Iran, you person to straight unit the authorities and you person to bash truthful successful a mode that possibly is existential to them. We person those capabilities should the president take to spell that way.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do those capabilities request to impact crushed troops, and person you been astatine each amazed by the magnitude of symptom that it appears the Iranian enactment is consenting to instrumentality connected present portion turning down each the fiscal incentives the Trump medication is offering them?
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE: Margaret, fixed the past of Iran and their dialog posture, negotiating posture implicit galore years, I'm not amazed astatine each by the existent Iranian posture. A erstwhile CENTCOM commandant erstwhile said, you know, Iran has ne'er met a warfare they could triumph oregon a dialog they could lose. And that's precise true. What Iran wants to bash is widen negotiations successful time, arguing astir the size of the table, who's successful the room, the font connected the document, everything astir – but the halfway issues. We request to admit that, and we request to beryllium prepared to unit Iran to negociate connected the real, germane issues. And by that I mean, opening the Strait of Hormuz, immoderate question connected ballistic missiles, immoderate question connected enactment for proxies. All those things are – we are susceptible of getting immoderate signifier of question connected each those things. We conscionable person to beryllium consenting to enactment unit connected Iran successful bid to execute those goals.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I mean Jordan said overnight 3 missiles fell into their territory. There were nary casualties according to CENTCOM, but they're firing disconnected astatine Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman. They proceed to beryllium capable to people American partners and places wherever American troops are. Does that astonishment you?
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE: It does not astonishment maine astatine all. What surprises me, actually, is – not surprises me, but what gratifies maine is that Iranian attacks person been – not been larger oregon much capable. Many years ago, erstwhile we warfare crippled scenarios similar this, we assumed the Iranian effect would beryllium much robust. The information that it is not much robust is simply a grounds to Admiral Cooper and Central Command's quality to spell aft these targets and marque it hard for Iran to fashion, you know, cohesive ample strikes against our forces.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE: Now look, these strikes are going to continue. This is not a – this is not a bloodless endeavor we're embarked upon.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE: And bases are going to beryllium deed and buildings are going to beryllium destroyed and, tragically, radical are going to die. And if we're going to enactment successful this crippled and proceed to face Iran, which I judge is successful our involvement to do, we've got to beryllium prepared for this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Quickly, your thoughts connected Senator Graham.
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE: Senator Graham was a large typical of the authorities of South Carolina and our nation. A large dependable successful the nationalist information space. And a peculiar person to the Citadel, the subject assemblage of South Carolina. Over galore years he's done a batch of large things for our school. In fact, helium embodies the conception of the national soldier. The idiosyncratic who isn't a nonrecreational subject officer, pursues a broad, deep, nationalist nonrecreational career, and yet dawns the azygous an serves his nation. That's what we question to nutrient astatine the Citadel. No amended idiosyncratic to emulate than Lindsey Graham.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE: And we volition miss him dearly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: General, convey you for your time.
We'll beryllium close back.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Before we spell this morning, a enactment connected Senator Lindsey Graham, a fierce Ukraine protagonist who had conscionable returned from his tenth travel to that warfare portion astatine what was a cardinal infinitesimal for 1 of his proudest accomplishments. I spoke doubly by telephone connected Friday with Senator Graham portion helium was successful Kyiv and helium told maine it was a large day. He was excited to stock the quality that the Trump White House had yet fixed him the greenish airy for Congress to determination his long-sought bill, to enactment significant, fiscal penalties connected the biggest buyers of Russian oil. He had conscionable met with President Zelenskyy and said that wile helium didn't privation to get up of Trump, helium believed that the U.S. president present sees the Ukrainian person arsenic much of a victor now.
Graham wanted maine to cognize that Senator Blumenthal, his Democratic workfellow who helium had partnered with connected the bill, deserves a batch of credit. It was a uncommon enactment of bipartisanship successful a hyperpartisan clip and it had shades of the benignant of crossed the aisle enactment helium and Senator John McCain utilized to broker with different Connecticut senator, Joe Lieberman.
It was astir precisely 1 twelvemonth agone to the time that Graham and Blumenthal had joined america connected "FACE THE NATION" to speech astir their bipartisan effort to unit Russia done sanctions and tariffs connected buyers of their oil.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): We're going aft the radical who support Putin successful concern and further sanctions connected Russia itself. This is genuinely a sledgehammer disposable to President Trump to extremity this war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Following Graham's passing, it falls to Republican leaders successful Congress to marque the determination connected whether to instrumentality it up. Graham had conscionable appeared with america 3 weeks agone to propulsion different large goal, crook the morass of the Iran War into an accidental for normalization of relations betwixt Saudi Arabia and Israel, and a brighter aboriginal for Palestinians. He'd worked with past President Biden to effort to get that done, but the enactment was stymied by the onslaught of October 7th. That unfinished concern besides present lays waiting.
That's it for america today. Thank you each for watching. Until adjacent week, for "FACE THE NATION," I'm Margaret Brennan.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Content and programming Copyright MMXXVI CBS Broadcasting Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2026 VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright instrumentality and whitethorn not beryllium reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published oregon broadcast without the anterior written support of VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. You whitethorn not change oregon region immoderate trademark, copyright oregon different announcement from copies of the content.
In:
English (US) ·