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The pursuing is the transcript of the interrogation with White House Correspondents' Association President and elder CBS News analogous Weijia Jiang that aired connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected April 26, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're joined present by our Senior White House analogous Weijia Jiang, who's presently serving arsenic the president of the White House Correspondents Association. Weijia, convey you. It's been a precise aggravated past fewer hours. You had conscionable welcomed everyone. You had conscionable started disconnected the evening erstwhile this lawsuit unfolded. I've seen video present of you- you crawling disconnected of the signifier arsenic the president was being whisked to safety. What was going connected backmost there? Why didn't the president leave?
WEIJIA JIANG: Margaret, it each happened truthful fast, and erstwhile we were inactive connected stage, we were successful the mediate of a precise airy infinitesimal with the entertainer who was doing a trick. And erstwhile I heard thing successful the audience, I thought it was a protester oregon thing we're precise utilized to. But past erstwhile I saw SWAT squad members travel to the caput array and unreserved america to the crushed and say, down, down, down, we were crawling disconnected the stage. And successful the back, that is simply a holding country wherever radical wait, including President Trump and distinguished guests, to spell onto the stage. And we were sitting there, and I saw much than a twelve SWAT officers. There were members of the Secret Service milling about. There were members of the president's team. And arsenic you tin imagine, a batch of conflicting information, due to the fact that it had conscionable unfolded. I volition accidental it was singular to spot that successful enactment and to recognize it was their speedy enactment that protected each of america that night, not conscionable the president, not conscionable the cabinet, everybody successful that hotel. And you cognize that is heartening, but evidently it was a pugnacious concern for everybody that was there, including you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You were precise stoic, though. You had large grace nether pressure. You had to spell out, you had to speech to everyone. And I cognize you shared that due to the fact that you were successful this relation of the presidency, this was a arrogant infinitesimal for you. Your 7 twelvemonth aged girl was there, your parents were there, your hubby was there. This was a lot. And I wonderment what you deliberation astir this, and why- wherefore it was truthful important for each of america to beryllium gathered. How are you making consciousness of that? Have you? I deliberation we're processing this still.
WEIJIA JIANG: I deliberation we're each processing it. I person covered countless shootings and murders and unspeakable things successful my career, and this is the archetypal clip that I've been connected the different broadside of a perchance convulsive and deadly situation, and nary magnitude of reporting tin hole you for that. You're close that my household was successful the audience, and it was incredibly meaningful to person them there. And truthful that added an further analyzable layer, due to the fact that I'm reasoning astir the information of my members, the information of each of our meal guests, and evidently astatine the forefront, the information of the radical who I tin see, who substance the astir to me. And we didn't person information. So erstwhile I was successful the back, I didn't cognize if determination was an progressive threat. I was watching the monitors and keeping my eyes close connected their table. But astatine the aforesaid clip trying to find much accusation truthful I could stock it with everyone successful that room. And President Trump called maine to his holding country and briefed maine earlier helium sent retired a station astir the meal being, successful his words, postponed and that helium was going to person a property conference. And helium truly wanted to speech it done and to explicate that helium himself realized however important that nighttime was. It's thing we bash each night, and erstwhile I did code the room, I reminded everyone that, you know, the freedoms that we are celebrating contiguous successful the First Amendment are inactive incredibly fragile. And I admit that the president acknowledged that, and helium told maine that we were not going to beryllium deterred. He refused to basal down, and that's wherefore helium was there, contempt what had unfolded, and I don't cognize what his squad was telling him, they were relaying to me, the president keeps saying he's not going anywhere, truthful that's wherefore helium stayed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We kept proceeding that, with the helium wants to travel backmost and tin we leave? Weijia, I want- I privation you to spell location to your family. Thank you.
WEIJIA JIANG: Thank you, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you precise overmuch for sharing with us. We'll beryllium close back.
English (US) ·