The next is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Nov. 2, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now by Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner. Good morning. Good to have you ever right here.
SEN. MARK WARNER: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So on this shutdown, we’ve got seen the CEO of all the main airways come out. The union that represents the air site visitors controllers all help the Republican place of simply shortly fund the federal government with a brief time period clear spending invoice. The American Federation of Authorities Staff additionally echoing that, AFSA, which represents the diplomats our nation has, are popping out and saying that. They’re saying in excessive risk posts they do not have armored automobiles as a result of they cannot afford to restore them. Cyber-attacks are up. Consular officers are paying out of pocket to go to sick or incarcerated Individuals. Remedy shipments aren’t arriving, payments aren’t being paid. At what level does all of this ache and stress finish the shutdown?
SEN. WARNER: I hope it ends it this week. Frankly, I see it from my people. I used to be greeting voters yesterday, we’ve got early- early vote for our gubernatorial election, however I hear folks additionally very indignant at this president. I imply, we knew this wasn’t going to finish except Donald Trump was again within the nation. He is now again within the nation. He bought to go forward and put America first and sit down with us, cope with the well being care scarcity, deal as well- and to point out the simply cruelty of this administration, there have been $6 billion put aside for SNAP advantages. He is had judges say spend that cash. We’re nonetheless ready to see whether or not the administration needs to attraction that. Get the cash out to folks in want, sit down with us, get this resolved this week, and let’s get everyone again to work.
MARGARET BRENNAN: While you say it may finish this week, does that imply you are going to see extra Democrats cross the aisle and conform to vote for a brief time period spending bill–
[CROSSTALK]
SEN. WARNER: What I believe it means is that–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –three have.
[CROSSTALK ENDS]
SEN. WARNER: What we have seen out of your polling, all the things else, it is a pox on each your homes. We bought to place this to mattress. It should require Trump within the room. It is why the bipartisan dialog to date, I do not suppose we’ll ever get to sure, as a result of sadly, my Republican colleagues cannot transfer on something and not using a Trump log off. Trump has spent sufficient time going on the market now attempting to audition for a Nobel Prize, operating around the globe. Come again and put America first. Sit down and let’s get this resolved. It may be completed in an hour utilizing Donald Trump.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However to be clear, what’s the Democratic ask at this level to get that. As a result of chief Thune mentioned, hey, I am going to discuss to you about well being care open the federal government first.
SEN. WARNER: The Democratic ask is- everybody, as of Saturday, noticed well being care charges skyrocket. That is a direct disaster too–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper, we have blown previous that date of November 1–
SEN. WARNER: They’ll- we can- however we will cope with this collectively, however it may require the energetic intervention of the President.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That means you should see some form of negotiation on an extension to authorities well being care subsidies earlier than voting to reopen the federal government?
SEN. WARNER: Pay attention, President Trump has ended up- and I am an enormous supporter of Ukraine, has met extra with Volodymyr Zelenskyy this 12 months than he is met with any Democrat.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So the ask is the assembly?
SEN. WARNER: The assembly is, let’s sit down and resolve it. I can not imagine Donald Trump, the nice deal maker of deal makers- who at the least how he presents himself, sitting down with us, we could not attain an settlement in an hour.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However at this level, what I hear you saying is, you aren’t prepared to cross the aisle for a direct, quick time period funding invoice that’s clear. You continue to want a negotiation over well being care.
SEN. WARNER: The notion of at the least sitting down to speak about well being care, ensuring that $6 billion that’s put aside for SNAP advantages will get paid out so folks do not go hungry and we get the federal government reopened once more. The President of the USA has mentioned when he was not President that it is the accountability of a president to finish shutdowns. He has paid no consideration to the shutdown. He is- stopped his many worldwide journeys, come sit down and let’s get this resolved.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And there is been outreach, or there hasn’t been outreach?
SEN. WARNER: There’s plenty of conversations.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So once you say you are optimistic- or would you say you are optimistic about it after this week?
SEN. WARNER: I believe as- what your ballot indicated, persons are pox on each your homes at this level, get the darn factor open. Cope with the well being care cliff. Do not let folks go hungry after we’ve bought cash put aside on SNAP. That may all be achieved, sooner the higher.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’ll be speaking about these meals stamps later in this system. I wish to ask you about your nationwide safety portfolio. Simply in a single day, there was one other US strike on an alleged drug boat. I do know you have got been involved that Democrats are being excluded, significantly from a key assembly that occurred this previous week with solely Republicans within the room. Secretary Hegseth was requested shortly after your press convention by our Ellee Watson of CBS about his plans to share proof with Congress. Take a pay attention.
[SOT]
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: We’re presenting it to Congress. Now we have time and time once more on a bipartisan foundation they’ve been given the proof straight.
[END SOT]
MARGARET BRENNAN: He says it has been given. So is your criticism that the proof is just not adequate, otherwise you disagree with the–
SEN. WARNER: The Secretary of Protection would not inform the reality on this matter, we requested for the authorized opinion again in July when it was first written. We had been promised it repeatedly. The Secretary of State, my former colleague and good friend, Marco Rubio, regarded me within the eye 9 days in the past and mentioned, Mark, you are going to get it straight away. We nonetheless did not get the authorized opinion. After which a bunch of random Republican senators was shared on a partisan foundation what’s the President’s understanding of why these- why it is authorized to take these actions. That- you realize Margaret, that’s not the way in which the system is meant to work. While you additional partisan nationwide security- after we’re placing troops in hurt’s method. I bought an plane provider from Norfolk that is within the Caribbean proper now. How do I reply the households of these sailors about whether or not this operation is even authorized? This doc must be shared with each member of the Senate this week, in order that as we get into this dialogue about battle powers, we have got the premise of how the administration is claiming that it is authorized.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You understand the administration says this is not about battle powers that the President has has authorities below Title Two. However let me learn to you, as a result of the White Home knew you had been approaching, they reached out to us yesterday to say they’ve supplied six bipartisan briefings to members or workers, together with your workers, plus the Gang of Eight. A senior Administration official additionally mentioned categorized paperwork had been made obtainable.
SEN. WARNER: There have been no categorized paperwork made obtainable to the Gang of Eight members till after a partisan briefing was made to Republicans solely. That isn’t the way in which our system is meant to work. If you wish to put Individuals in hurt’s method, it must be completed on a bipartisan foundation. My Republican colleagues, a lot of them afterwards, mentioned, oh yeah, that was not likely good. Nicely, I want they might have gotten up and walked out of the rattling room, as a result of everybody is aware of partisanship shouldn’t be concerned in these nationwide safety issues, significantly after we’re placing our troopers and sailors in hurt’s method.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So it wasn’t simply you. The Senate Armed Companies Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Republican and his Democratic colleague, Jack Reed, mentioned they’ve twice written to Secretary Hegseth, asking for execute orders particularly authorized justifications and the checklist of terror organizations tied to those strikes. They do not have that info, and so they have oversight of the navy.
SEN. WARNER: I relaxation my case. That is what we’re all saying, come clear. And the actual fact is, if, because the administration says, these are all dangerous guys, and yeah, they’re all medication on these boats, interdict these boats and present the world. Pay attention the Maduro authorities in Venezuela. And by the way in which, none of- none of this authorized opinion has something to do with the Venezuelan Authorities, Maduro is a foul man. We should always have pushed more durable on him when the folks of Venezuela voted him out below President Biden. Biden did not do sufficient. The medication are all cocaine it has nothing to do with fentanyl. If you’re going to attempt to make a case to the American public, make it publicly, do not do that after which attempt to cover the authorized justification and provides it out solely on a partisan foundation?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Does your Republican colleague, the Chair of the Intelligence Committee, Tom Cotton, hear you on this? Is he working with you on this?
SEN. WARNER: To his credit score, he didn’t attend this Republican solely briefing that befell earlier this week.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And neither did Roger Wicker, Armed Companies–
SEN. WARNER: –the notion right here is–
MARGARET BRENNAN: So the White Home and the Republicans are in disagreement on this.
SEN. WARNER: Nicely, there may be not an absence of disagreement from members of the Senate that we have been asking for this authorized justification for months, and they’re now hiding the ball and solely giving it out on a partisan foundation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All proper. Senator Warner, thanks to your time right now.
SEN. WARNER: Thanks, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: ‘Face the Nation’ will likely be again in a single minute, stick with us.
