2 hours ago
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On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan:
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana
- Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia
- Jan Crawford, CBS News main ineligible correspondent
Click here to browse afloat transcripts from 2026 of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."
MARGARET BRENNAN: I'm Margaret Brennan successful Washington.
And this week connected Face the Nation: The fragile detente betwixt the U.S. and Iran is disrupted. And tensions implicit the warfare with Iran detonate betwixt President Trump and the Republican legislator that helium worked to defeat.
Following a Capitol Hill shouting lucifer betwixt President Trump and Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy implicit the senator's ballot against the warfare with Iran, we spoke exclusively with Cassidy astir that exchange, his narration with the president and his thoughts connected the administration's wellness argumentation docket arsenic Cassidy wraps up his Senate career.
(Begin VT)
MARGARET BRENNAN: You person said that Secretary Kennedy broke promises to you.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY (R-Louisiana): It's beauteous clear.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation you conscionable made those promises to triumph your vote, that it was conscionable governmental expediency?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Easy to surmise.
(End VT)
MARGARET BRENNAN: We volition besides talk to Virginia Senator Tim Kaine astir the displacement of the Democratic Party to the near and cheque successful connected each the different quality of the week.
It's each conscionable up connected Face the Nation.
Good greeting and invited to Face the Nation.
Today marks precisely 4 months since the U.S. launched the warfare with Iran, and the agreed-to talks implicit Iran's atomic programme are successful jeopardy pursuing respective caller rounds of airstrikes. This weekend, Iran attacked U.S. Gulf allies successful Bahrain and Kuwait, and the U.S. responded by striking Iranian rocket sites and different targets.
Last Wednesday, President Trump faced Republican senators connected the Hill, 4 of whom, including Louisiana's Bill Cassidy, had conscionable voted with Democrats against his launching the warfare without legislature approval.
Following that heated meeting, Cassidy did person a backstage White House Situation Room briefing with Vice President Vance and peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff. Cassidy past voted successful enactment of the president's warfare connected a 2nd measure.
And, aft that, successful our interview, Cassidy told CBS that helium spoke to the president and that the speech was – punctuation – "positive and looking to physique a moving relationship."
Here's what Cassidy told america astir that meeting.
(Begin VT)
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY (R-Louisiana): The president was berating the 4 radical that voted for the War Powers Act. Frankly, I'm not determination to beryllium berated. And the president wasn't invited to crockery retired verbal abuse.
Raised my…
MARGARET BRENNAN: But that's what helium did.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I raised my hand.
I said: "Mr. President, bash you conscionable privation – is that a rhetorical question that you're asking, wherefore bash we ballot for it, oregon are you truly interested?"
He goes: "I'm truly interested."
I stood up and I said: "This is why."
And I listed those objectives that I did not spot being achieved and however the benignant of endpoint of the warfare kept stretching retired longer and longer. He began to talk implicit me. Unfortunately, I raised my measurement to lucifer his, and we spoke to each different similar that, or, shall we say, spoke astatine each other, not to each other.
Now, I shouldn't person mislaid my temper, nor should he, but, you know, my woman volition archer you, each present and then, my Irish temper gets the champion of me, but constituent being, I needed to know. I request to cognize to service my radical successful my authorities and my country.
As it turns out, I got a briefing afterwards. In 1 sense, I really accomplished the ngo of what I needed to do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But you had besides said the American radical request that information.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: So…
MARGARET BRENNAN: … the American radical aren't getting those nationalist hearings and briefings.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: When I asked astir that successful my briefing, they said, close now, the negotiations are delicate and they could illness if they're not nursed on successful the due way.
I tin judge that. Sometimes, you person to person immoderate abstraction for radical to travel to an accommodation. That's the crushed they said for their benignant of deficiency of being forthcoming. I tin judge that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Not lone did you accidental this is the worst overseas argumentation blunder connected record, Reagan would beryllium rolling successful his grave. You said America mislaid the credible usage – credible menace of force, which is different mode of saying that President Trump's threats to instrumentality to bombing are bare threats.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I don't cognize if they're bare threats, due to the fact that helium tin surely instrumentality to bombing.
But the information is that a medium-sized powerfulness astatine this constituent is perceived to person fought a superpower to a draw, requiring immoderate measurement of accommodation of we, the superpower. And we spent $29 cardinal and we person 13 Americans dead.
We anticipation to get backmost to presumption quo ante. I volition say, successful the briefing past night, they would marque the statement that we've really made progress. If that's the case, we should each beryllium thankful.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you telephone for a ballot for immoderate benignant of legislature oversight if an existent statement is reached?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I deliberation this would magnitude to a treaty. Congress has a…
MARGARET BRENNAN: It does not?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I'm saying it would.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It would?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: And so, I mean, if it – I don't cognize the method explanation of a treaty. Seems similar a pact to me. And so, if it is, past Congress should beryllium capable to measurement in.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you person that benignant of committedness that, erstwhile things aren't truthful delicate, Congress really volition beryllium work successful and possibly enactment to a ballot nether INARA?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I deliberation I person shown, astatine slightest connected my level, that I'm consenting to marque pugnacious votes successful bid to get that briefing that I consciousness I request to person the information to marque a determination that's bully for my country.
So – so, we didn't speech astir that past night, but I deliberation that's a just statement.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will anyone other clasp the president accountable erstwhile Cornyn is gone and Tillis is gone and you're gone?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: The elemental reply volition beryllium yes.
The men and women who service successful Congress, by and large, emotion our country. I mean, they each emotion our state deeply. And, by and large, they volition bash what is required.
Now, erstwhile you're moving for office, you person to beryllium alert of what your voters are funny in. You person to speech astir what your voters are funny successful if you privation to get reelected. But, successful the Senate, astatine least, there's that abstraction of 4 years anterior to that, and I deliberation you spot each - - each – each play those senators that measurement up and say, we request thing different, we request more.
The Senate is simply a abstracted body, abstracted from the presidency. I deliberation we're seeing that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation the president understands that?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I don't cognize if the president does. Sometimes, helium acts arsenic if Congress is simply an appendage. And, frankly, sometimes Congress acts similar it's an appendage.
But, that said, I deliberation helium got the connection yesterday. Congress wants to beryllium work in, and Congress has our rules and procedures that our founding fathers acceptable up. And they acceptable it up precisely truthful that determination would not beryllium excessively almighty of an instauration of a presidency, designed to bespeak each of the American people, not conscionable the volition of 1 person.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That's being tested close now.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I accidental it's being tested, but, hopefully, we walk the test.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the president seems to person immoderate changing priorities himself erstwhile it comes to what he's asking you each to present on. He canceled that lawsuit connected the bipartisan lodging bill, which had beardown enactment from some sides of the aisle.
It was aimed astatine slightest astatine affordability. He seemed to sabotage his ain nominee to tally the quality community, Jay Clayton. He told him, don't amusement up astatine the proceeding that Senate Republicans had scheduled. And he's been talking astir the ballroom, authorities similar the SAVE Act, which Leader Thune has said determination are not the votes for it.
What bash you deliberation his priorities are close now?
(LAUGHTER)
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Margaret, you're asking maine to get wrong the president's brain. I cannot get wrong the president's brain.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You had luncheon with him yesterday.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I did, but it wasn't really, you know, sipping beverage with a pinkie digit retired and saying, hey, however bash you consciousness astir life?
(LAUGHTER)
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: But, clearly, helium wants the SAVE Act passed. So you tin accidental that that was a priority.
What I deliberation should beryllium the precedence is, however bash you marque beingness much affordable for the American people? And truthful that's wherefore I'm asking the president regularly, let's enactment connected affordability of wellness care. The president has made a beardown propulsion to marque wellness attraction much affordable.
I privation to marque wellness attraction much affordable. So I can't archer you what his priorities are beyond the SAVE Act. I tin archer you what I deliberation they should be, and, however bash we marque beingness much affordable for the mean American?
MARGARET BRENNAN: The SAVE Act, helium wants to enactment successful spot much restrictions astir national elections, but it's already national instrumentality that noncitizens can't vote…
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Yes, but…
MARGARET BRENNAN: … successful national races.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: But he's asking is that radical person to amusement an I.D.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: And showing an I.D., I think, is simply a tenable thing. We've done it successful Louisiana. There's been nary disenfranchisement astatine all. But we had a estimation for corrupt elections, and present everybody acknowledges our elections are beauteous straightforward.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But – but you hold with Leader Thune, determination conscionable aren't the votes?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: There are not the votes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You person besides made wide you deliberation that the manager of nationalist intelligence, Bill Pulte – he's successful the presumption successful an acting relation presently – that he's not qualified. He has nary nationalist information experience.
But he's successful the job, and helium tin enactment determination for 210 days without Congress having a accidental here.
(CROSSTALK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is Congress powerless to enactment a check?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: What's nether the rules, and we unrecorded by the rules, the president tin marque an interim appointment, and so helium tin enactment there.
Now, determination whitethorn beryllium different things we could bash that the parliamentarian oregon idiosyncratic tin archer us. I'm not acquainted with those. My objection to Bill is that helium utilized idiosyncratic accusation to people a governmental force of the president.
MARGARET BRENNAN: At the Federal Housing Administration.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: At the Federal Housing Administration.
(CROSSTALK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mortgage information.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Using idiosyncratic data.
Now, if – we person an inalienable right, I have, you have, the pistillate targeted has an inalienable close to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I'm a conservative. You should not beryllium utilizing the unit of authorities to clang upon idiosyncratic conscionable due to the fact that the idiosyncratic successful complaint does not similar them oregon finds them inconvenient.
The information that Bill did that is disqualifying for idiosyncratic to beryllium the manager of nationalist intelligence. We should beryllium – we should beryllium astir each radical having entree to that life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, not saying we're going to bring, boom, DOJ down connected you due to the fact that you person the nervus to disagree.
And truthful that's the modular I clasp him to. And, arsenic champion I tin tell, helium does not conscionable that standard.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are determination immoderate checks connected the abuses that you accidental Pulte has carried retired successful his existent presumption astatine Federal Housing?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: You tin spell to court. So we person 3 branches, and 1 is the court. Secondly, Democrats person said they volition not o.k. FISA…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Right, the surveillance authority.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: … until we bash thing astir that DNI director.
And the president, of course, should beryllium acrophobic astir FISA.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is he?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Again, you're asking maine to get wrong the president's head, but my constituent being that the president, arsenic a liable agent, arsenic the liable servant of the American people, should beryllium acrophobic astir making definite that we don't person a cyberattack oregon that we don't person a violent compartment coming into our nation.
And truthful the Democrats are, if you will, holding that hostage. I'm not saying I hold with it, due to the fact that I deliberation we request FISA reauthorized, the constituent being, they're each points of leverage.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But, successful the meantime, there's a standoff.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: There's a small spot of a standoff. And that's…
MARGARET BRENNAN: FISA's authorization has expired.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Yes, my knowing is that it's continuing to beryllium implemented, but, nonetheless, determination is simply a – determination is simply a standoff.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You were 1 of 7 Republicans who voted to convict President Trump for his actions connected January 6 of 2021.
After January, determination volition beryllium lone 1 oregon 2 senators who stay present who took the basal you did. You've been warring his attempts to make this $1.8 cardinal fund, compensation for those who were – who felt they were wrongly prosecuted nether the Biden administration, possibly including immoderate of these radical who attacked the gathering we are sitting successful close now.
Do you spot that the acting lawyer general, Todd Blanche, that helium won't determination guardant with the fund?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I similar to accidental I voted to uphold the Constitution and my oath of office, which is to support the Constitution against each enemies, home and foreign. So, fto maine conscionable archetypal framework what my ballot was that day.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: You're asking astir Attorney General Blanche.
Right now, I americium actively considering my ballot for him, truthful I volition reserve judgment. He has assured Congress that helium volition not usage the weaponization fund. I volition enactment that he's not fixed the aforesaid warrant to the Seventh District Court, if I person that right, down successful Virginia, which has asked for a guarantee.
He says, well, we don't deliberation they person jurisdiction. But it doesn't look hard to conscionable constitute a missive saying, we're not going to bash it. But, nonetheless, nonetheless, helium has said that helium is not going to. The president has sent conflicting signals. That's thing that has to beryllium sorted retired earlier the vote.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Before you determine your vote.
But you really wrote a memo, due to the fact that the DOJ had said this money was going to beryllium created. They besides said the U.S. is everlastingly barred from prosecuting immoderate claims against President Trump, his family, his businesses and each related oregon affiliated individuals.
Do you inactive entity to that? Do you request Blanche to accidental thing much intelligibly connected that point?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I perfectly entity to that. And I don't deliberation that statement should clasp the unit of law.
Absolving idiosyncratic of immoderate crime, which they oregon their household whitethorn person objected to – whitethorn person committed, not conscionable successful presumption of IRS audits, but, like, anything, seems a small spot acold afield from the self-sacrifice that our founding fathers embraced.
It seems more: I americium supra everybody other and I should beryllium held to a antithetic standard.
Leaders should beryllium held to a higher standard, not a antithetic standard. They should beryllium much accountable. They should beryllium pledging their life, their liberty, their ineffable honor. I should, arsenic a senator. Frankly, I deliberation each Americans should, immoderate their role.
The constituent being, I would entity to thing that goes against the benignant of tone of that. And making 1 idiosyncratic supra the instrumentality is wrong.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're 4 months until midterms. You got six months left. Is wellness attraction your apical priority?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I person got truthful galore things, due to the fact that I'm going to tally done the tape.
But, close now, we're moving connected Social Security. Social Security is insolvent, going to spell insolvent. And erstwhile that happens, there'll beryllium a chopped of 22 percent to 25 percent successful someone's benefits, if we travel the existent law. I person been moving connected a program for astir six years. I americium inactive moving connected that plan, and I privation to bring it to completion.
How bash you marque wellness attraction much affordable? Second thing, successful our Health Committee, of which I'm the chairman, we're moving connected terms transparency. Wouldn't it beryllium large if a mom, girl has an earache, could say, hey, Siri, wherever is the astir affordable urgent attraction halfway adjacent me?
Oh, this 1 is $50 and that one's $500. And truthful she goes to the 1 that's $50. Let's springiness her the instrumentality of terms transparency, truthful that she tin marque the champion determination for her family's health, but besides for her pocketbook.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When you were connected the Senate level recently, you were banging your hands down. You were yelling that the president needs to get engaged.
(End VT)
(Begin VT)
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Mr. President, excessively galore radical person this debt, $10,000, connected their recognition paper related to symptom successful portion for things specified arsenic aesculapian expenses, and they are going down. That is thing that we, Mr. President, you, the president, we, arsenic Congress, indispensable prosecute upon.
(End VT)
(Begin VT)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Your enactment controls the White House. Your enactment controls the Capitol. Why haven't they done thing to woody with what you are describing arsenic truly a wellness attraction situation successful presumption of affordability?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: If you afloat elaborate connected what I said, Margaret, is that we arsenic Republicans and Democrats person to travel together.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: You request 60 votes to get thing done, but, practically, you've got to beryllium unified arsenic a country.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, first, you got to try.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: You've got to try.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The enactment hasn't enactment guardant plans.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, I'm not going to blasted that connected the president.
Congress has a role, and the president needs to collaborate, but Congress has a role. And, by the way, that's what I'm attempting to do. And truthful – truthful everything is not Donald Trump's fault. But I bash accidental that, if the president gets engaged, it gives a existent push.
The program I suggest takes principles that the president has embraced and makes them – and benignant of puts them into practice, if you will'
MARGARET BRENNAN: Giving currency to…
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: What's that?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Giving currency to individuals, alternatively than straight to security companies, is that what you're talking about?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Yes, if you instrumentality somebody, a household connected – getting security from their employer, and if you springiness them, for a household of four, up to $2,000, wealth successful their pouch to wage that retired of pocket, to wage that retired of pocket, really benefits the household immediately.
You tin bash that, and we tin person that acceptable up successful a comparatively abbreviated play of time. That would assistance that family.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You person immoderate pledge from enactment to determination that forward?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: No. But, partly, you conscionable got to marque radical alert of it, and, partly, the American radical person to talk to our leadership.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that's what November is about?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: That's what November is about.
(End VT)
MARGARET BRENNAN: In our adjacent half-hour, portion 2 of our interrogation with Senator Cassidy.
Face the Nation volition beryllium backmost successful 1 minute. Stay with us.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: We crook present to Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who joins america from Brussels.
Good greeting to you, Senator.
SENATOR TIM KAINE (D-Virginia): Great to beryllium with you, Margaret. Thanks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because you are successful Europe, I privation to inquire you astir precisely what is going connected with the U.S. Army Europe General Chris Donahue. We cognize helium was ordered by Secretary Hegseth to crook successful his status papers. He's going to relinquish bid July 2, relinquish NATO bid July 9.
Do you person immoderate denotation wherefore this precise well-respected wide is getting pushed retired the door?
SENATOR TIM KAINE: Margaret, I americium successful Europe with a bipartisan delegation of senators visiting NATO allies and our troops, talking chiefly astir NATO acme adjacent week and enactment for Ukraine.
I volition say, connected General Donahue, a batch of questions and precise fewer answers. He was precise good regarded successful the Armed Services Committee, wherever I sit. Both sides of the aisle thought truly highly of him. And truthful the quality that helium was being ushered retired caught america each by surprise, and we don't yet person bully answers from the Pentagon.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, it's portion of a bigger question arsenic to the changes Secretary Hegseth is making astatine the Pentagon.
Retired Admiral Bill McRaven, radical cognize him from commanding the raid to instrumentality retired Osama bin Laden. He wrote a portion successful "The Atlantic" raising concerns astir the exit and the firing of astatine slightest 12 different high-ranking subject officials.
He explained officers request to beryllium brutally candid successful bid to springiness bully advice. He said: "These caller firings rise a existent hazard elder officers volition beryllium overly cautious astir providing their champion advice, and truthful the accidental for subject miscalculation volition turn dramatically."
How acrophobic are you? Can Congress intervene and bash thing here?
SENATOR TIM KAINE: Well, I don't deliberation that interest is misplaced. We're disquieted astir the aforesaid thing.
Are you – are you pushing retired the truth-tellers to situation yourself by yes-men? And, successful particular, it looks similar the caput is coming down hardest, coming down hardest connected the Army. He served successful the Army. He felt similar helium wasn't treated good by the Army. That's a grudge he's carried that he's described publicly.
And so, erstwhile you spot Army officers forced out, you got to wonder, is this a idiosyncratic thing, oregon is it truly what's champion for the nation? So we are moving connected the defence measure close now. We've – we voted it retired of the Senate Armed Services Committee. There's thing successful the measure astatine this constituent that would code this situation.
But, erstwhile we bring it up connected the floor, I deliberation by then, we'll person immoderate of our questions answered. And if we request to spell farther to enactment immoderate guardrails successful place, you'll astir apt find bipartisan enactment to bash that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What are you proceeding from your NATO partners determination astir the American plans to trim the beingness successful Europe?
SENATOR TIM KAINE: So the – it would beryllium hard to trim the beingness successful Europe, based upon immoderate NDAA provisions that we person enactment successful spot that benignant of acceptable a level successful presumption of U.S. unit strength.
And here's the bully news, Margaret. Both due to the fact that of President Trump, but also, frankly, due to the fact that the actions of Vladimir Putin, European nations are truly stepping up their concern successful their corporate defense. They spot the request to bash it, and they recognize that the United States is close determination with them.
There's immoderate governmental churn. No uncertainty astir it. European nations are not lone acrophobic astir rhetoric coming retired of the White House. They spot a chaotic tariff argumentation arsenic hurting their economies. But they besides spot the U.S. continuing to marque sizable investments successful European defense, unit presence.
The Senate mentation of the Armed Services measure that we conscionable passed has sizable investments for the defence of Ukraine. And I deliberation you're going to spot immoderate positives coming retired of the NATO acme adjacent week. That's my expectation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I – you conscionable mentioned the defence measure that is truthful significant.
And we looked, and you said that for the archetypal clip successful your 13 years connected the committee you voted against it. I recognize you person objections to the Iran war, but, fixed the important subject assemblage you person successful Virginia and the request the subject says it has, however tin you support that?
SENATOR TIM KAINE: Margaret, it was 1 of the hardest votes I person formed successful 13 years successful the Senate, but present was the reason.
President Trump is seeking astatine slightest a 40 percent summation successful the defence fund successful 1 year. He hasn't truly told america wherever that wealth is coming retired of. Is it coming retired of education? Is it coming retired of wellness care?
And to ballot for that benignant of an summation without knowing wherever we're going to propulsion the wealth from successful the mediate of a warfare that I deliberation is illegal, unnecessary, and foolish, and besides to enactment that benignant of an summation without guardrails astir however the wealth is spent, I conscionable couldn't bash it.
Part of protecting our Virginia troops and going to bat for them is making definite that they're – that, erstwhile we usage troops, particularly erstwhile we spell to war, we bash it the close way, not the incorrect way. Our troops person deployed into the Middle East often implicit the past 25 years.
And an amerciable warfare for benignant of a fishy rationale, that's nary mode to dainty our troops.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I request to speech to you astir much successful respect to this, but I person to instrumentality a commercialized break.
So, delight enactment with us, if you would, Senator Kaine, determination successful Brussels.
(CROSSTALK)
SENATOR TIM KAINE: Will do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We'll beryllium close back.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: In conscionable nether a week, America volition beryllium celebrating its 250th birthday, and we anticipation you volition articulation CBS for a peculiar presumption of the festivities.
The Great American Block Party airs astatine 8:00 p.m. Eastern connected the CBS broadcast network, CBS 24/7, arsenic good arsenic Paramount+.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: We volition beryllium close backmost with a batch much Face the Nation with Senator Kaine and much with Senator Cassidy. Plus, we volition instrumentality a look astatine what's coming retired of the Supreme Court successful these last days of their league with main ineligible analogous Jan Crawford.
Stay with us.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome backmost to "FACE THE NATION."
We instrumentality to our speech with Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine.
Senator, I privation to inquire you a small spot astir what's happening present astatine home.
There were 3 far-left candidates, hand-picked by New York City Mayor Mamdani, who won past week implicit much centrist candidates. Some are looking astatine that and saying the scope of the near helping of your enactment seems to beryllium expanding.
And present is what President Trump said. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VC)
DONALD TRUMP (President of the United States): It's becoming a communist party. These are not societal Democrats, these are hard-core, godless communists. They're godless communists. All communists are godless. They don't judge successful God. This is the astir superior menace to our state since its existence.
(END VC)
MARGARET BRENNAN: What bash you marque of that onslaught here? And bash you person concerns that the progressive level of immoderate members of the enactment volition marque it much hard to triumph successful different parts of the state headed into November?
SENATOR TIM KAINE (D-VA): Margaret, what the president said is conscionable goofy connection salad. I'm not an adept connected New York House races. I americium an adept connected legislature races. And we person got Senate candidates each implicit this state flip – moving to flip reddish seats bluish by focusing connected the president's mismanagement of the American economy. Families are suffering outgo increases due to the fact that of chaotic tariffs, amerciable warfare and absorption connected goofy things similar ballrooms, arches, and the Reflecting Pool.
At the Virginia, the House races, I've got 4 Democratic challengers moving to flip reddish seats bluish who are focused connected the aforesaid benignant of outgo and affordability docket that led america to person a landslide triumph successful authorities races past fall. So, I can't truly explain, you know, what is connected the voter's minds successful New York City legislature races, but I cognize what's connected Virginian's minds and I deliberation I cognize what's connected American's minds. Let's absorption connected the system and bringing costs down, not foolish wars and chaos.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, Senator Elisa Slotkin of Michigan said the enactment needs important caller enactment due to the fact that the aged models are not working. And she pointed a digit astatine leadership. Leader Jeffries. Leader Schuler. Said they request to marque country for others who tin accommodate if they cannot. Do you hold with her assessment?
SENATOR TIM KAINE: Well, I don't cognize precisely the discourse successful which she was making it.
Look, I bash deliberation immoderate of these elections tin amusement that there's a – there's a tendency for new.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR TIM KAINE: And it's a pugnacious situation for incumbents. And that, I think, works to the Democrat's vantage successful November.
Remember, primaries are interested, but wherever you truly marque the quality is not trading retired 1 Democrat for another, oregon 1 Republican for another. Where you marque the quality is flipping a spot from reddish to blue.
And it is simply a challenging situation for incumbents, but that's going to enactment to Democrat's vantage successful November.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you volition proceed to enactment Chuck Schumer arsenic leader?
SENATOR TIM KAINE: Yes. He is –
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
SENATOR TIM KAINE: He was 1 of the champion bulk leaders we've had successful a agelong time. And if helium gets the chance, he's going to beryllium a bully bulk person going forward.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, conscionable to prime up connected thing Senator Cassidy said. He was talking astir healthcare affordability. Is determination immoderate Democratic program for healthcare oregon accidental to enactment crossed the aisle?
SENATOR TIM KAINE: There is. And, look, Bill has been a bully chairman. I hold with him connected a lot. We person immoderate disagreements. But he's a – he's been a bully president of the Health Committee. And we're moving connected immoderate affordability issues. For example, we person a bipartisan measure that we've enacted immoderate pieces of, but we could bash much to reign successful pharmaceutical outgo by much effectual regularisation of the PBMs, the pharmacy payment managers.
On the Democratic side, we privation to reverse immoderate of the harmful Medicaid cuts that the Republicans enactment successful spot a twelvemonth ago. And we've had immoderate involvement by immoderate Republicans successful that. But reversing those Medicaid cuts and the cuts to SNAP benefits is thing that we consciousness very, precise powerfully astir arsenic Democrats.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Kaine, convey you for joining america this morning. We'll person to permission it there.
And we instrumentality present to our speech with Republican Senator, and doctor, Bill Cassidy.
(BEGIN VT)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let maine inquire you astir your relation connected this almighty committee overseeing wellness policy. You were precocious raising interest that the World Cup and immoderate of these different wide gatherings happening successful the United States tally the hazard of transmission astatine wide standard of immoderate of – immoderate of these diseases close now. Given the cuts to personnel, fixed the interest you person astir what's happening wrong these institutions, is American nationalist wellness up to dealing with this level of risk?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): Well, we would – one, we don't cognize the implicit effort that's being taken, OK? On the – connected the –
MARGARET BRENNAN: You don't?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, the Center for Disease Control, for example, has galore things going connected astatine immoderate 1 infinitesimal that nary 1 idiosyncratic knows unless you're straight progressive successful the agency. And so, fto maine conscionable accidental that. And I person nary uncertainty that there's a committedness to making definite that determination is not a wide dissemination of illness astatine 1 of the wide events. I'll accidental that arsenic well.
We bash spot the consequences, though, of ignoring the benefits that things similar vaccines brings for nationalist health. And if determination – if you will, I deliberation what you're going aft is that this administration, parts of it, person tried to downplay the value of immunization. The caput of war, Hegseth, precocious did distant with the flu mandate, and past determination is was large outbreak of flu successful 1 of their subject outfits.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: If you disregard history, past doesn't needfully repeat, but it has a rhythm. An d we tin look backmost astatine World War I, wherever the Spanish Flu went through, decimating armies, but 1 of the reasons the Germans collapsed is due to the fact that truthful galore radical died from Spanish Flu that they had – that didn't person manpower to fulfill, that their lines began to collapse.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Uh-huh.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Combat readiness means preventing disease. And if you privation to beryllium combat rod ready, you don't privation everybody retired with the flu.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But helium was pursuing the caput of Health and Human Services propulsion for aesculapian freedom.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: So, if you spot that, you tin spot – we person a communal obrogation. When our founding fathers pledged their life, their fortune, their ineffable honor, determination is simply a consciousness that we each person to want, execute – to execute those inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There has to beryllium besides a tone of sacrifice among everybody else.
And so, if we're speaking astir however to support others –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Obviously, much radical being immunized makes it little apt that idiosyncratic other gets ill. There is simply a effect to not obeying the subject of immunization. And 1 is, children dying from measles, arsenic has occurred, and thousands getting sick with galore successful the hospital.
So, I would argue, unfortunately, facts tin beryllium a tough, pugnacious teacher. Protect yourself. Talk to your doctor. But nine has a vested interest, arsenic we each do, and we each being (ph) protected.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We present person a long-time vaccine skeptic who is moving HHS, who, successful backstage practice, sued vaccine makers. How overmuch harm has helium done, oregon bash you judge that helium has restored spot successful nationalist health, arsenic you thought helium mightiness do?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, helium has not restored spot successful nationalist health. And you tin spot the administration, if you judge the property accounts, are trying to bounds his scope of activity. Polling shows that the American radical recognize that vaccines are important. And for idiosyncratic to beryllium retired determination saying that they're not goes against their experience.
And again, if you look astatine the measles outbreak successful which thousands of kids got measles, with the consequences of that, intelligibly the American radical recognize immunization is important. So, I deliberation you tin spot the medication responding to the American people's consciousness that folks should beryllium vaccinated.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But we looked astatine the vaccination rates, which person plummeted. There is not a azygous region oregon parish successful Louisiana wherever kindergarten rates conscionable herd immunity extortion levels for measles. Meaning, it could inactive beryllium transmitted.
Why bash you deliberation that is happening, peculiarly successful reddish states similar yours?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well –
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because Kennedy says it's not his fault. This pre-dated him, adjacent though helium had been moving connected the issue.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Yes. So, leaving that aside, we tin look backmost – 2 things. One, radical person not seen that illness. They person not seen illnesses. So, if you person not been exposed to something, sometimes it's a small spot harder to ideate that it tin hap to you. If you've ne'er had idiosyncratic who's had a kid who's profoundly mentally retarded due to the fact that they – the mama was exposed to a illness portion the kid was successful utero, you mightiness not beryllium capable to subordinate to it.
What we're going to find, though, is that radical volition spot these unspeakable events, erstwhile they spot children die, a pistillate abort, possibly a kid unluckily calved mentally retarded, past they volition person greater understanding. Facts tin beryllium a pugnacious teacher, but they bash teach.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you spot Secretary Kennedy learning from those facts? Is helium unfastened to those facts?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: He and I person had aggregate conversations, substance messages going backmost and distant and e-mails. And helium seems beauteous dug successful connected his positions. And immoderate you bring to the table, for immoderate reason, is not adequate. So, I don't spot him changing his mind.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation he's going to inactive beryllium present aft you permission successful January?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: He serves astatine the president's pleasure. And so, I can't reply that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You've called guardant immoderate of these erstwhile CDC officials to stock with you what's happening wrong nationalist health. Secretary Kennedy went connected tv and made mendacious claims astir the MMR vaccines, adjacent claiming determination were fetal parts successful it. I mean you had CDC officials saying that the caput is retired determination successful the mediate of a measles epidemic telling radical mendacious information. Why isn't that disqualifying for the job?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, first, he's already successful the job. And so, again, helium serves astatine the president's pleasure. But –
MARGARET BRENNAN: And you deliberation the president is present alert that this is simply a problem?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: The polling – conscionable what I work successful the paper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: The White House has seen polling that shows the American radical rightly recognize that immunization is important. And they spot these measle outbreaks and they recognize that folks nether – that the American people, whoa, we're not getting immunized and present person children dying from measles. We person radical successful the infirmary due to the fact that of measles. We person schools that can't unfastened due to the fact that of measles. And truthful the administration, clearly, has gotten disconnected the anti-vaccine connection into thing much positive. By the way, let's springiness the caput credit, helium is precise overmuch into ultra-processed foods.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: If that's wherever helium stayed, our state would beryllium truly overmuch amended off. But the conception that immunizations someway are atrocious has been intelligibly disproven by beingness acquisition due to the fact that what's happening is radical are getting sick, successful immoderate cases dying. And the medication intelligibly has moved distant from that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, there's nary Senate confirmed surgeon general, nary Senate confirmed CDC director. There hasn't been for 9 months now. No Senate confirmed FDA chief. Thirteen of the 27 NIH centers are presently tally by acting directors. Is this a problem? Is this thing you privation to determination done by the clip you leave?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Clearly it is simply a problem, if you will, that bespeak a wider occupation astatine HHS. That conscionable goes without saying. Lack of stableness is simply a problem. But determination are radical nominated for immoderate of these positions. We volition process them successful this committee, the committee I'm seat of, the Health Committee, we're successful the Health Committee room, arsenic soon arsenic they get their paperwork. That's thing we conscionable person to have. There's a process you spell through.
But I person met with the nominee for the surgeon general, and I met with the nominee for CDC director, and precise favorably impressed. And truthful I ideate they volition – I can't talk for everybody, but I ideate they volition beryllium approved. And so, advancement is being made.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I mean, the existent CDC autism and vaccine's leafage has a heading that says "vaccines bash not origin autism." Very clearly. But there's an asterisk adjacent to it.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And it says it's up determination owed to an statement with you, the seat of the committee. Do you deliberation determination volition beryllium beardown oversight aft January? Do statements similar that disappear?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I cannot archer you that it's going to disappear. Excuse me. I tin archer you that that breached statement that I person with the secretary, that that was not expected to happen. So, erstwhile you suffer spot successful somebody, you're not rather definite what to spot going forward. In fact, you don't spot anything. It should spell distant due to the fact that the grounds is that that is not the case. That is simply a prejudice being brought.
And by the way, if you physique nationalist wellness upon a instauration of lies, past you're going to person the lack of capable nationalist health. You request to physique everything successful beingness connected truth.
I spell backmost to being a doctor. You got to hunt for the information and usage the information for your solutions. That sounds benignant of, ohio my gosh. No, that's the lone mode you marque the close diagnosis and the close – this is not existent (ph) and determination volition beryllium a effect of it. And that consequence, unfortunately, volition beryllium borne by those who really are influenced by it.
I volition say, but for – but for quality anchors, precise fewer radical work the CDC website. And so, I'm not definite however overmuch power that has. How overmuch antagonistic power that has.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But the connection is heard. I mean from the president of the United States' ain societal media account.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, I get that. I wholly get that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: He links the MMR vaccine and Tylenol to autism.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I wholly get that. I wholly get that. And that's wrong.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Isn't determination harm that's done?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, I don't – again, radical person sensory overload. So, I'm not definite however overmuch that does. But that's false. It is wrong. And if you physique a presumption based upon lies, upon falsehoods, that presumption cannot stand. I americium a doc searching for truth, some for the diagnosis of the occupation and however bash you cure it?
In this case, autism is, ohio my gosh, don't – doesn't our bosom spell retired for the genitor whose person autism? But putting them connected a guilt travel due to the fact that they gave their kid a Tylenol oregon they took Tylenol erstwhile they were large is not the answer. You don't marque that ma guilty. What you bash is you put those resources into uncovering the existent answer.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You've said that Secretary Kennedy broke promises to you.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: It's beauteous clear.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation helium conscionable made those promises to triumph your vote? That was it conscionable governmental expediency?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Easy to surmise.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You hatred the question of whether you regret your vote, but tin you explicate wherefore you said yes.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Bobby Kennedy is going to person the receptor of the president. The president seems to beryllium fascinated with the Kennedys. So, either helium is going to beryllium successful a presumption wherever they are guardrails, and I did person commitments made arsenic to benignant of guardrails, oregon helium is going to beryllium appointed White House wellness czar, successful which lawsuit helium would person the president's receptor without the guardrails.
Now, I had to marque a decision. He's going to person the president's ear. Is it going to beryllium with immoderate benignant of guardrails, whether it beryllium a committedness to conscionable connected a quarterly ground successful which determination could beryllium regular communication, successful which determination would beryllium benignant of an statement that I would have, you know, evidently arsenic a chair, I person immoderate relation successful presumption of the radical who assistance him, oregon would helium beryllium an unappointed – excuse me, non-Senate confirmed healthcare czar? That's benignant of my choice. And I chose, you tin knock it, but I chose to person the 1 with the guardrails.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You deliberation you reined him in?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: The committedness –
MARGARET BRENNAN: It would person been worse?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I don't – well, that is thing that you cannot know. We can't spell backmost successful clip and say, White House czar. But we bash cognize the president is precise influenced by Bobby Kennedy.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But you don't deliberation helium should beryllium successful that job?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: At this point, the commitments that were made to maine person been violated. When commitments are made, spot is destroyed, it's hard to person effectiveness. By the way, I erstwhile read, spot is the coin of the realm. If you suffer trust, you suffer everything here. And by the way, the quality to enactment with others is indispensable for our authorities to function. Essential.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The caput of the governmental enactment radical Make America Healthy Again, oregon MAHA, says they've poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into your superior race. Do you deliberation it made a discernible difference?
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: To bushed maine I had a governor, a authorities legislature, a president, furniture officials, and members of Congress each coming astatine me. And they evidently succeeded. But they – we utilized to person an unfastened superior successful which 1.2 cardinal radical could ballot for oregon against me, and they closed it to 400,000. Trying to distill it down to those who are – who were slightest apt to ballot for me. And among those people, the captious contented is, who did the president endorse? He endorsed idiosyncratic different. And truthful –
MARGARET BRENNAN: He openly encouraged a superior challenger.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Absolutely. And truthful – and we cognize why. I voted to uphold the Constitution. The president was offended by that. But that said, it took each that effort successful bid to bushed me.
So, successful 1 mode I'm complimented. MAHA, they conscionable supported my state's economy. Because the existent contented is, what bash – who did the president endorse?
MARGARET BRENNAN: The advocacy radical MAHA Action touted the triumph arsenic the MAHA movement's taking its archetypal scalp by defeating you.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Yes, that's a property merchandise they're going to enactment retired to effort and rise money. It was the president's endorsement, period, extremity of story.
(END VT)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary Kennedy testified past twelvemonth that helium is complying with each the agreements helium made with Senator Cassidy. We did scope retired to HHS to corroborate that the caput inactive believes that, but we did not perceive back. We person requested an interrogation with the caput for this broadcast, and we volition proceed to bash so.
Our afloat speech with Senator Cassidy tin beryllium viewed connected our website and our YouTube channel.
We'll beryllium close back.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Supreme Court is connected the verge of wrapping up this session. For immoderate investigation connected past week's cardinal decisions and a look up to these past fewer cases, we crook to main ineligible analogous Jan Crawford.
Jan, it's ever the hardest ones astatine the end. We cognize the Supreme Court ruled the president oregon DHS caput tin decide, the courts cannot, connected the close to cancel impermanent humanitarian protections, oregon TPS designations for Haitians and Syrians. That was a decision, but it had bipartisan outcry because, successful part, of the interaction connected the economy. Should we expect everyone present connected TPS to beryllium expelled sometime soon?
JAN CRAWFORD: No. I mean that volition instrumentality immoderate time. They're, you know, going to suffer their ineligible status, enactment permits. But determination volition beryllium immoderate process arsenic this benignant of unfolds due to the fact that they volition present beryllium taxable to deportation. But advocates accidental that they could person different grounds for staying successful this country, immoderate of the people. And so, it truly volition person to beryllium done much connected a case-by-case basis.
Now, this was conscionable 1 of 2 of the large migration wins for the president past weekend. In this case, it really could spell beyond the Haitians and the Syrians, immoderate 350,000 who present are taxable to deportation. President Trump is wanting to end, oregon volition beryllium ending present 13 of the 17 countries that presently person impermanent protected presumption for radical from those countries. So, we're talking upwards of 1.5 cardinal who present could beryllium taxable to deportation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, connected this peculiar ruling, the lawyers for the Haitian immigrants argued the administration's determination to revoke TPS, and specifically the president's ain language, was racially based, and truthful successful usurpation of adjacent protection. Just privation to work a fewer of the things helium said.
The president said, "Haitian migration is similar a decease privation for the country. They astir apt person AIDS." He falsely claimed they're eating cats and dogs. You retrieve that from the statesmanlike race. And helium described Haiti with a connection that I can't accidental connected this network.
Why did the tribunal look astatine that and say, this is not radical animus?
JAN CRAWFORD: Because of the expanse of the president's efforts to extremity these TPS designations for 13 of 17 countries, right.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because it wasn't conscionable the Haitians. OK.
JAN CRAWFORD: Right. And, you know, Trump wants to extremity astir each of them. So, they're not conscionable singling retired Haiti. So, they had a race-neutral reason. And the tribunal said that that was sufficient.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, among the different decisions, asylum. Stephen Miller, the designer of a batch of the policies, stood connected the White House tract and says, "America's doors are afloat closed to asylum seekers." Is that what they did?
JAN CRAWFORD: Yes. I mean, no, not quite. I mean it surely volition – could beryllium severely restricted. But this lawsuit was astir a programme that started nether the Obama administration. And President Trump expanded it. It's not adjacent successful cognition close now. It's called metering. And it allows agents, erstwhile there's a batch of radical trying to travel into the state astatine 1 time, it's conscionable overcrowded, to basal astatine the borderline and crook radical back. Well, that conflicts with national migration law.
What does that mean for national migration law? Because you person to beryllium physically contiguous oregon person arrived successful the state to use for asylum oregon to question admission. And so, this lawsuit turned on, what did the statute say? What does it mean to person arrived successful the country? And the Supreme Court said "arrived in" means you're successful the state connected U.S. soil, not lasting connected the beforehand gait – you know, beforehand gait of the country.
And I deliberation if you look astatine some of these migration cases, they some crook connected what Congress said. Temporary protected status, Congress created that successful 1990, and it says courts person nary relation successful reviewing the president's determinations. So, that's what the tribunal ruled.
But Congress tin alteration these laws. And if you don't similar it, they tin alteration them. And that, I think, is simply a existent taxable that we're seeing from this Supreme Court. It's reinforcing the thought that elections person consequences.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.
JAN CRAWFORD: And who you ballot for, whether successful Congress oregon for the White House, that matters.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And if they tin really legislate precise speedy decisions, transgender, commencement right, however are these going to go?
JAN CRAWFORD: Well, I deliberation it's going to beryllium a mixed container for the president.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
JAN CRAWFORD: He'll suffer birthright, but helium whitethorn get a triumph connected another, firing enforcement officers.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All right. We'll beryllium backmost successful a moment.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thanks for watching. For "FACE THE NATION," I'm Margaret Brennan.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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