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The pursuing is the transcript of an interrogation with Rep. Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio, that aired connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected May 4, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Good greeting and invited to Face the Nation. We person a batch to get to, truthful let's statesman contiguous with Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner. Good to spot you present successful person.
REP. MIKE TURNER: Thanks for having me, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I person a batch of nationalist information topics to get to you, but astatine the bosom of truthful overmuch is America's economical strength, and truthful I privation to inquire you astir what President Trump said this week astir the cost, the interaction of his China tariffs connected the proviso of goods successful the United States. Take a listen.
[START SOUND ON TAPE]
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Somebody said, oh, the shelves are going to beryllium open.
Well, possibly the children volition person 2 dolls alternatively of 30 dolls, you know. And possibly the 2 dolls volition outgo a mates of bucks much than they would normally.
[END SOUND ON TAPE]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do your constituents backmost successful Ohio, truly privation to perceive the connection that they request less Christmas presents this year. I mean he's acknowledging little supply, higher prices.
REP. TURNER: Well, I deliberation there's going to beryllium a batch that has to be- beryllium shaken retired here. And we surely are seeing, I think, immoderate absorption present successful China also. That means that, you know, the President's extremity is that these nations, that of which he's putting tariffs connected the table, and tariffs which are a punishment for having behaved poorly taken vantage of the United States economically, volition travel to the array and negociate amended economical deals than the United States has been experiencing. Those- those deals are opening to beryllium offered. The White House is opening to negociate those. China is opening to awesome that they're consenting to travel to the table. So adjacent though the President is making those statements astatine the aforesaid time, we're seeing that the President taking that measurement of saying we privation a amended economical woody is opening to work.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But successful the meantime, China said it whitethorn restrict exports of materials utilized by General Dynamics, which makes tanks, including successful your authorities of Ohio. Are you acrophobic that the commercialized warfare won't conscionable interaction people's purchasing of toys, but preparedness, tanks and subject readiness?
REP. TURNER: I deliberation we're each acrophobic of the effects connected the proviso chain, and surely we've got to marque definite that this works done the full processes, and that we are acrophobic of the effects of the economy. I deliberation the President is going to beryllium looking astatine that. Congress is going to beryllium looking astatine that. But the existent interest present is- is that we bash person to look agelong word arsenic to however this protects our wide economy.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, Beijing has not yet launched those talks. We'll beryllium watching for them if they bash get underway. Let's get to the different quality of the week, the reshuffling astatine the apical of the nationalist information apparatus. It has agelong been wide determination are divides wrong the Administration connected definite topics. Iran is 1 of them. Russia is different 1 of them. Mike Waltz, who you served with, viewed arsenic a accepted Republican hawk. I accidental this due to the fact that erstwhile helium was connected this programme previously, helium laid retired successful beauteous wide presumption that the US extremity successful these negotiations with Iran are dismantlement of its atomic program. Not limits connected enrichment, not verification. But those are the things that the envoy negotiating with Iran person said. We're seeing argumentation differences from wrong the President's ain medication here. Has Congress been fixed details connected what the extremity is and what the program is?
REP. TURNER: Well, I mean, the extremity is simply stated that we bash not person a atomic Iran, and surely the President is leaning powerfully successful that from his archetypal word with the maximum unit campaign, the President was wide that some successful non-nuclear Iran and besides making definite that we person that the nefarious activities of Iran moving done their proxies, the violent groups and organizations that that beryllium stopped. So the President is precise beardown connected an anti-Iran policy, including ensuring that determination not beryllium a atomic Iran.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But the things that his envoy person described dependable a batch similar that, 2015 atomic woody negotiated nether President Obama with limits connected enrichment, for example, and things similar that. I cognize successful the past, you voted for authorities that would springiness Congress much oversight implicit a woody with Iran. Do you expect President Trump to bring immoderate benignant of woody helium brokers to Congress for approval?
REP. TURNER: Well, I deliberation we person to spot what the woody is. I mean, presently there's conscionable ongoing negotiations. We'll person to spot however that evolves. Let's spot what those presumption are--
MARGARET BRENNAN:-- You don't want--
REP. TURNER: -- and really--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- immoderate benignant of reappraisal regardless?
REP. TURNER: I mean, arsenic it evolves, we'll person to spot what those presumption are and what in- and truly what you know, what is achieved, and surely there's a relation for Congress to play arsenic that goes forward. But I deliberation we request to springiness them the accidental for success.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the Israeli Prime Minister issued a connection yesterday denying that helium personally was talking to Mike Waltz astir bombing Iran- subject enactment against Iran. Of course, we cognize his aides could person those conversations. Is it due enactment for the National Security Advisor to the President to beryllium coordinating with Israel astir subject enactment against Iran, oregon was Mike Waltz perchance successful the incorrect here?
REP. TURNER: Well, archetypal off, we don't cognize specifically that was occurring, but astatine the aforesaid clip the National Security Council- the relation of the National Security Council is to guarantee that the President of United States has the top accusation possible. And Mike Waltz is, you know, has an unthinkable inheritance and experience. He worked diligently to marque definite helium had a beardown relation successful the nationalist information squad of the president. And I'm surely gladsome that he's going to beryllium retained and staying successful a beardown relation successful this administration, moving straight with- with satellite leaders and heads of authorities is surely an important relation of- arsenic the National Security Advisor to the President. Certainly, I deliberation adjacent arsenic you and Ambassador, he'll proceed to bash that benignant of function.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is it successful the nationalist information interest, though, to person the Secretary of State who besides has, astatine slightest connected paper, 3 different jobs present successful this role, and for however long? I mean you're saying however important it is.
REP. TURNER: Well, I mean, it's certainly, surely we know, surely we know. You know, Henry Kissinger has has been successful that presumption before--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- Even helium said that it was untenable. But helium was successful lockstep with his president.
REP. TURNER: I deliberation what's besides precise important present is that- that Marco Rubio, you know, from a argumentation perspective, is precise beardown successful this administration. His awesome of being, of it, being successful this position, sends a awesome of continuing the aforesaid policies successful the administration. From a Trump squad argumentation perspective, you know, him taking implicit this sends a awesome of continuation and strength. That's excellent--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- But the policy--
REP. TURNER: -- Now, we've got to give- present we've got to springiness him the accidental of, is helium going to beryllium capable to physique retired the squad successful the National Security Council, and that surely hope, hopefully, that- that he'll beryllium capable to bash truthful and physique up a beardown squad determination that represents, truly the accidental to enactment President Trump and giving him the- the accusation and cognition and the entree to accusation and cognition that helium needs.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That's a diplomatic mode of saying determination shouldn't beryllium loyalty tests to the President. You privation existent experts staffing the National Security Council. You don't privation Laura Loomer, a far-right activist, making decisions connected personnel.
REP. TURNER: Well, astatine the aforesaid time, determination does person to beryllium loyalty to the President--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- Of course--
REP. TURNER: -- I mean, we saw successful the President's archetypal term--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- but besides to the Constitution--
REP. TURNER:-- that the President was betrayed during the archetypal Trump impeachment by individuals who were astatine the National Security Council. So, Trump personally has an knowing that you person to person radical successful the National Security Council that are connected Trump's squad and the National Security Council being straight moving with him and being successful the White House, it's very, precise important that they beryllium unit that enactment for and connected behalf of the President.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You are talking astir nationalist information assembly members who testified nether oath that the President was withholding assistance to Ukraine during the archetypal medication for a political--
REP. TURNER: And was shown to person wrongly being testified due to the fact that I was portion of that- that sheet and they- they- their grounds was proven not to beryllium accurate, that the President was not tying assistance to Ukraine to- to the investigation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The premise of the impeachment. But your constituent is that looms ample successful the President's representation and enactment with the National Security Council now.
REP. TURNER: The President needs to marque definite that helium has unit that are supportive of him successful the National Security Council and his policies and marque definite that they're providing him information. This is the bosom of what does the President cognize that our adversaries are doing. When he's dealing with Russia, and what and policies with respect to Ukraine, helium needs to cognize what Vladimir Putin is doing, and that's coming straight from the National Security Council.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Noted. The White House fund was released Friday. It is not the trillion dollar committedness the President campaigned on. Susan Collins connected Appropriations, Roger Wicker successful the Senate Armed Services Committee says this is not adequate. And successful fact, helium said the volition is to shred to the bony our subject capabilities and enactment to work members. Do you stock your Republican senators' concerns?
REP. TURNER: I deliberation there's much enactment that tin beryllium done connected the National Security information of the President's budget.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You would similar to spot much defence spending that the White House is putting forward. I deliberation there's
REP. TURNER: I deliberation there's going to beryllium much debate, and I deliberation there's much accidental for accrued investment. We truly request to bash much successful the nationalist information space. There are adversaries that we person that privation to bash America harm, and we request to beryllium strong.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All right. Congressman Turner, convey you for joining us.
REP. TURNER: Thank you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Face the Nation volition beryllium backmost successful 1 minute. Stay with us.
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