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The pursuing is the transcript of the interrogation with Rep. Don Bacon, Republican of Nebraska, that aired connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected June 7, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We spell present to Republican Congressman Don Bacon, who joins america from Omaha, Nebraska. Welcome backmost to Face the Nation.
REP. DON BACON: Thank you, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Before we get to nationalist security, I privation to inquire you astir authorities and campaigner quality. Last month, Texas Republicans chose to marque Ken Paxton their Senate nominee, contempt the fact, arsenic Texas AG, helium was impeached by the Republican-controlled House connected aggregate charges of maltreatment of office, including bribery. His woman is divorcing him connected what she called biblical grounds due to the fact that of adultery, and helium was indicted successful 2015 connected securities fraud charges that were aboriginal dropped. Despite each this, the President backed him implicit sitting Senator John Cornyn, and truthful did Texas Republicans. For your party, does Trump's favour transportation much value than character?
REP. BACON: I deliberation successful galore cases it does. His endorsement successful a superior is often carries- carries the astir weight. I deliberation it was a mistake. I deliberation this has wounded the president. A batch of senators consciousness precise adjacent to Senator Cornyn. He was a large fundraiser. He helped a batch of these Republicans get elected each implicit the country, truthful there's a batch of loyalty to John Cornyn. In fact, I cognize him too, and I respect the guy. And present they've not- we've nominated a feline successful Texas that is astir apt the astir susceptible successful a wide election, and it puts that spot up for grabs. So, it was- I don't deliberation it was a omniscient decision, and I would say- 1 different origin present is the Democrat nominee. I deliberation he's besides beauteous weak, though, successful Texas. So, I deliberation they both- some sides person nominated radical that are susceptible successful general. But, John Cornyn could person won the spot easily, and present the Republicans volition beryllium spending a batch of wealth to clasp it, and I deliberation it was a mistake.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I cognize you person chosen to retire, but if you were having to run and explicate each this, including the higher state prices, however would you transportation voters?
REP. BACON: Well, I effort to, successful my case, I effort to show- I effort to bash what's right, whether it's President Trump's presumption oregon not his position. And I conscionable effort to look voters successful the oculus that say, "Hey, I enactment Ukraine. I deliberation tariffs are a mistake. I person votes to backmost it up. I besides enactment the information that we secured the border. I support, generally, what we're doing successful Iran, due to the fact that Iran has been waging warfare against america for 47 years." So, I conscionable effort to telephone balls and strikes, and I effort to beryllium honest, and I effort to bash erstwhile I'm elected what I run on.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All right. Well, we'll fto you telephone immoderate of those balls and strikes connected the different broadside of this commercialized interruption that I person to take. So, delight enactment with us. We person much questions for Congressman Bacon, and a batch much Face the Nation. Stay with us.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome backmost to Face the Nation. We instrumentality present to our speech with Nebraska Republican Congressman Don Bacon. Congressman, I privation to spell to Europe and speech astir Ukraine, but fto maine archetypal inquire you astir what was said astatine Normandy connected Saturday. Secretary Hegseth seemed successful his remarks to nexus migration to the bequest of the D-Day landings by Allied forces who were liberating Europe from the Nazis. Take a listen.
[START SOUND ON TAPE]
SEC. HEGSETH: Sadly, today, antithetic European beaches are stormed by antithetic unsafe ideologies. Beaches successful Spain and Italy and Greece and Bulgaria. Boats and men arrive. When volition European capitals bash thing astir that invasion?
[END SOUND ON TAPE]
MARGARET BRENNAN: I'm not definite who the allies were successful that analogy, but I wonderment what you marque of Hegseth's remarks.
REP. BACON: You know, Normandy is simply a clip to observe a large day. You know, it was- I've been connected the beaches of Omaha, and you know, we mislaid astir 3,000 troops connected that formation connected 1 day. That's wherever the absorption should person been. It's a accidental to observe with our allies. We enactment unneurotic to decision Nazi Germany, and 1 of the concerns that galore of america person erstwhile it comes to this administration, and peculiarly the Pentagon, close now, they're precise captious of Europe, they're captious of the EU, they're captious of NATO, they're captious of a batch of the countries that marque up NATO, and you ne'er perceive him knock Russia, and that bothers us. Why are they truthful anemic connected Russia which affects their Ukraine overseas policy, their argumentation towards the Baltics, but they are speedy to ever privation to knock Europe. It reminds maine of the connection that Secretary Hegseth sent to the Vice President connected Signal erstwhile helium said however overmuch helium loathed Europe. Well, I deliberation that's not bully for America. It's not bully for our nationalist security, and we are allies. We person to enactment unneurotic to antagonistic Russia, to antagonistic China, to assistance america successful the Middle East, and his changeless criticism, on with the President's threats towards Greenland, arsenic good arsenic Canada. It's wounded us. Our allies person mislaid a batch of trust. So, I don't deliberation these comments by the Secretary were helpful.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I cognize you person been taking a basal against Russia and for Ukraine. You did that this past week, on with immoderate of your colleagues, arsenic you enactment it successful remarks connected the House floor. "This is our Churchill moment, oregon our Chamberlain moment, and by God, I'm going to take Churchill." 17 Republicans joined you the past clip we saw a ballot connected Ukraine aid, determination were 100 Republicans supporting it. What is going connected here? And however bash you get the Senate to instrumentality up what you did get implicit the line?
REP. BACON: Well, a mates things here. First of all, the President has had a argumentation of wanting to negociate a settlement. I don't deliberation it's working. He is excessively overmuch arsenic trying to enactment similar an umpire, trying to enactment with 2 antithetic radical successful a boxing match, but it's not the case. You person a state that's invading Ukraine, they're bombing cities each night. There's a bully versus evil here, and America should be, you know, unabashedly for the close broadside here, the democracy, the state that wants escaped markets, the state that wants to align with us. Russia hates us. I don't cognize wherefore the president can't spot that. Putin hates the United States, helium hates what we basal for. So that's- that's a occupation determination erstwhile it comes to the House, the Speaker has not wanted his, not wanted to get successful beforehand of the president connected this, and truthful helium lobbied beauteous hard, and we telephone it whipping against this vote. I deliberation helium was wrong. I've waited for a twelvemonth and a fractional successful this Congress to get thing done connected Ukraine, and we've done nothing. There's been nary votes, nary policies from the enactment present oregon the president to enactment a state that's warring for its life. I hold with your erstwhile interrogation that Ukraine has the precocious manus close now, but Russia is bombing those cities each night, and we should beryllium determination to assistance them to support against these ballistic rocket attacks. The Speaker whipped against us, truthful that's wherefore I drove that fig down. I deliberation helium was wrong. He says he's pro-Ukraine, but the actions talk louder than words.
MARGARET BRENNAN: President Zelensky was connected this programme past Sunday, asking for much interceptors, but besides helium made wide that helium wants affable countries successful Europe who person a bully narration with the US to beryllium capable to nutrient the Patriots arsenic well. I cognize your workfellow Mike Turner wrote to the President past week asking for that portion to beryllium delivered on. Do you enactment it? I mean, what's the clasp up?
REP. BACON: I bash enactment it. We cannot nutrient capable Patriots close present to grip what we're doing connected Iran to provide. Ukraine, but besides we request to person the aforesaid rocket defenses successful Asia, for whether it's North Korea oregon China, and we're not producing enough, truthful we should look for our allies to assistance make further accumulation lines. I cognize Ukraine would emotion to assistance bash that, and they request these missiles precise badly. What I would bash successful this case, and we person a debased stockpile due to the fact that of Iran, I would beryllium down with our allies and conscionable look astatine what assets we person and travel up with a program to springiness anti-ballistic rocket exertion and capabilities to Ukraine, and we can't bash it all, but we should beryllium down with our allies and physique a program and get it done.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Don Bacon, Republican from Nebraska. Thank you truthful much, sir. We'll beryllium close back.
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