Transcript: Rep. Mike Turner on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 4, 2025

The following is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on May 4, 2025.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Good morning and welcome to Face the Nation. We have a lot to get to, so let's begin today with Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner. Good to see you here in person.

REP. MIKE TURNER: Thanks for having me, Margaret.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I have a lot of national security topics to get to you, but at the heart of so much is America's economic strength, and so I want to ask you about what President Trump said this week about the cost, the impact of his China tariffs on the supply of goods in the United States. Take a listen.

[START SOUND ON TAPE]

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Somebody said, oh, the shelves are going to be open.

Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know. And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.

[END SOUND ON TAPE]

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do your constituents back in Ohio, really want to hear the message that they need fewer Christmas presents this year. I mean he's acknowledging less supply, higher prices.

REP. TURNER: Well, I think there's going to be a lot that has to be- be shaken out here. And we certainly are seeing, I think, some reaction now in China also. That means that, you know, the President's goal is that these nations, that of which he's putting tariffs on the table, and tariffs which are a punishment for having behaved poorly taken advantage of the United States economically, will come to the table and negotiate better economic deals than the United States has been experiencing. Those- those deals are beginning to be offered. The White House is beginning to negotiate those. China is beginning to signal that they're willing to come to the table. So even though the President is making those statements at the same time, we're seeing that the President taking that step of saying we want a better economic deal is beginning to work.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But in the meantime, China said it may restrict exports of materials used by General Dynamics, which makes tanks, including in your state of Ohio. Are you concerned that the trade war won't just impact people's purchasing of toys, but preparedness, tanks and military readiness?

REP. TURNER: I think we're all concerned of the effects on the supply chain, and certainly we've got to make certain that this works through the entire processes, and that we are concerned of the effects of the economy. I think the President is going to be looking at that. Congress is going to be looking at that. But the real concern here is- is that we do have to look long term as to how this protects our overall economy.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, Beijing has not yet launched those talks. We'll be watching for them if they do get underway. Let's get to the other news of the week, the reshuffling at the top of the national security apparatus. It has long been clear there are divides within the Administration on certain topics. Iran is one of them. Russia is another one of them. Mike Waltz, who you served with, viewed as a traditional Republican hawk. I say this because when he was on this program previously, he laid out in pretty clear terms that the US goal in these negotiations with Iran are dismantlement of its nuclear program. Not limits on enrichment, not verification. But those are the things that the envoy negotiating with Iran have said. We're seeing policy differences from within the President's own administration here. Has Congress been given details on what the goal is and what the plan is?

REP. TURNER: Well, I mean, the goal is simply stated that we do not have a nuclear Iran, and certainly the President is leaning strongly in that from his first term with the maximum pressure campaign, the President was clear that both in non-nuclear Iran and also making certain that we have that the nefarious activities of Iran working through their proxies, the terrorist groups and organizations that that be stopped. So the President is very strong on an anti-Iran policy, including ensuring that there not be a nuclear Iran.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But the things that his envoy have described sound a lot like that, 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under President Obama with limits on enrichment, for example, and things like that. I know in the past, you voted for legislation that would give Congress more oversight over a deal with Iran. Do you expect President Trump to bring any kind of deal he brokers to Congress for approval?

REP. TURNER: Well, I think we have to see what the deal is. I mean, currently there's just ongoing negotiations. We'll have to see how that evolves. Let's see what those terms are--

MARGARET BRENNAN:-- You don't want--

REP. TURNER: -- and really--

MARGARET BRENNAN: -- any kind of review regardless?

REP. TURNER: I mean, as it evolves, we'll have to see what those terms are and what in- and really what you know, what is achieved, and certainly there's a role for Congress to play as that goes forward. But I think we need to give them the opportunity for success.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the Israeli Prime Minister issued a statement yesterday denying that he personally was talking to Mike Waltz about bombing Iran- military action against Iran. Of course, we know his aides could have those conversations. Is it appropriate work for the National Security Advisor to the President to be coordinating with Israel about military action against Iran, or was Mike Waltz possibly in the wrong here?

REP. TURNER: Well, first off, we don't know specifically that was occurring, but at the same time the National Security Council- the function of the National Security Council is to ensure that the President of United States has the greatest information possible. And Mike Waltz is, you know, has an incredible background and experience. He worked diligently to make certain he had a strong role in the national security team of the president. And I'm certainly glad that he's going to be retained and staying in a strong role in this administration, working directly with- with world leaders and heads of state is certainly an important role of- as the National Security Advisor to the President. Certainly, I think even as you and Ambassador, he'll continue to do that type of function.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Is it in the national security interest, though, to have the Secretary of State who also has, at least on paper, three other jobs now in this role, and for how long? I mean you're saying how important it is.

REP. TURNER: Well, I mean, it's certainly, certainly we know, certainly we know. You know, Henry Kissinger has has been in that position before--

MARGARET BRENNAN: -- Even he said that it was untenable. But he was in lockstep with his president.

REP. TURNER: I think what's also very important here is that- that Marco Rubio, you know, from a policy perspective, is very strong in this administration. His signal of being, of it, being in this position, sends a signal of continuing the same policies in the administration. From a Trump team policy perspective, you know, him taking over this sends a signal of continuation and strength. That's excellent--

MARGARET BRENNAN: -- But the policy--

REP. TURNER: -- Now, we've got to give- now we've got to give him the opportunity of, is he going to be able to build out the team in the National Security Council, and that certainly hope, hopefully, that- that he'll be able to do so and build up a strong team there that represents, really the opportunity to support President Trump and giving him the- the information and knowledge and the access to information and knowledge that he needs.

MARGARET BRENNAN: That's a diplomatic way of saying there shouldn't be loyalty tests to the President. You want actual experts staffing the National Security Council. You don't want Laura Loomer, a far-right activist, making decisions on personnel.

REP. TURNER: Well, at the same time, there does have to be loyalty to the President--

MARGARET BRENNAN: -- Of course--

REP. TURNER: -- I mean, we saw in the President's first term--

MARGARET BRENNAN: -- but also to the Constitution--

REP. TURNER:-- that the President was betrayed during the first Trump impeachment by individuals who were at the National Security Council. So, Trump personally has an understanding that you have to have people in the National Security Council that are on Trump's team and the National Security Council being directly working with him and being in the White House, it's very, very important that they be personnel that work for and on behalf of the President.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You are talking about national security council members who testified under oath that the President was withholding aid to Ukraine during the first administration for a political--

REP. TURNER: And was shown to have wrongly being testified because I was part of that- that panel and they- they- their testimony was proven not to be accurate, that the President was not tying aid to Ukraine to- to the investigation.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The premise of the impeachment. But your point is that looms large in the President's memory and interaction with the National Security Council now.

REP. TURNER: The President needs to make certain that he has staff that are supportive of him in the National Security Council and his policies and make certain that they're providing him information. This is the heart of what does the President know that our adversaries are doing. When he's dealing with Russia, and what and policies with respect to Ukraine, he needs to know what Vladimir Putin is doing, and that's coming directly from the National Security Council.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Noted. The White House budget was released Friday. It is not the trillion dollar promise the President campaigned on. Susan Collins on Appropriations, Roger Wicker in the Senate Armed Services Committee says this is not adequate. And in fact, he said the intention is to shred to the bone our military capabilities and support to service members. Do you share your Republican senators' concerns?

REP. TURNER: I think there's more work that can be done on the National Security portion of the President's budget.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You would like to see more defense spending that the White House is putting forward. I think there's

REP. TURNER: I think there's going to be more debate, and I think there's more opportunity for increased investment. We really need to do more in the national security space. There are adversaries that we have that want to do America harm, and we need to be strong.

MARGARET BRENNAN: All right. Congressman Turner, thank you for joining us.

REP. TURNER: Thank you.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Face the Nation will be back in one minute. Stay with us.