The next is the transcript of the interview with Military Secretary Dan Driscoll that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Nov. 16, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We wish to flip now to a number of the challenges confronted by the U.S. navy, and we’re joined by the Secretary of the Military, Dan Driscoll. Good morning, thanks for being right here.
SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY DAN DRISCOLL: Thanks a lot for having me.
MARGERET BRENNAN: So much to get to with you. Simply shortly on information of day, the president did say he “form of” made up his thoughts on Venezuela. I do know that is the Marines, that is the Navy which can be deployed. However does the Venezuelan military pose any type of menace to the U.S. if motion is taken?
SEC. DRISCOLL: I feel that the President and Secretary of Warfare have spent a variety of time fascinated about what’s the neatest thing they will do for the American folks, and I can converse from the Military’s perspective, which is, we’ve got a variety of coaching in that a part of the world. We’re reactivating our jungle faculty in Panama, we’d be able to act on regardless of the president and Sec. Warfare wanted.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However no orders past these workouts at this level?
SEC. DRISCOLL: I- we do not discuss these sorts of issues, however we’d be prepared if requested.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I do wish to ask you about what has been taking place with this shutdown. The federal government’s now funded by means of January 30, you probably did get from Congress full 12 months funding for veterans affairs and navy building, just a few different measures on this quick time period invoice. However we’ve got seen the shutdown hit navy bases and hit navy households. Expensive. $400 million or extra in emergency loans from USAA. How do you insulate the power in order that the subsequent shutdown would not hit these households the best way it did this time.
SEC. DRISCOLL: I feel the shutdown is indicative of one of many larger issues that we’ve got a nation have had. And so in case you look again for the final 30 or 40 years, one of many causes we have had such dangerous outcomes, after we spend the American taxpayers hard-earned {dollars}, and we go purchase issues that our troopers might want to battle, after we construct issues the place our troopers and their households will dwell, we’re such a nasty buyer, as a result of once you’re on the opposite facet of the take care of us and you need to take care of shutdowns. I imply, this shutdown will take months and months for us to get again and occurring these initiatives. And that is a part of the calcification of our system that below President Trump, we’re uniquely capable of attempt to go after a variety of this stuff and really get our military and their households residing in higher areas, and get our troopers prepared for the trendy battle. And the shutdown doesn’t assist.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me ask you in regards to the trendy battle. Tom Cotton, who’s the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, instructed our Olivia Gazis right here at CBS that the menace to navy websites and huge civilian gatherings “is extreme and rising.” He cited gaps in legislation enforcement authorities, a few of them lapsed throughout the shutdown, I perceive, and he is speaking about making an attempt to shut enforcement gaps on the subject of drones. What authorizations do you want?
SEC. DRISCOLL: So below Secretary of Warfare Hegseth, the USA Military has been put accountable for the counter drone menace for the Pentagon, after which we’re working hand in fist- or hand in glove with the broader legislation enforcement companies. We simply final week had a gathering proper exterior the White Home the place what we try to do, as a result of this drawback is totally different from almost something we have confronted in a very long time. It’s a flying IED. And so this IED–
MARGARET BRENNAN: IED, the explosive–
SEC. DRISCOLL: IED, improvised explosive gadget. They’re low cost. You’ll be able to 3D print them at residence, they usually cross borders extremely shortly. And so what you principally want is a digital layer to alternate data and alternate sensing and permit the closest individual on the bottom, or the closest effector on the bottom, to have the ability to take out a drone. And Senator Cotton is true. I imply, that is the specter of humanity’s lifetime. What’s occurring in Ukraine, what’s taking place in Russia, in case you have a look at the pace and scale of the devastation that may come from drones, we as a federal authorities have gotten to guide on it. However I am actually optimistic. That is truly one thing we’re doing proper. We’re partnering with each federal legislation enforcement, in a few weeks, we’re having the Sheriff’s Affiliation come. We have been simply on the NYPD. We’re together with the entire totally different legislation enforcement companies, fascinated about the borders and the ports and the upcoming NFL video games and Olympics and World Cup. Like that is one thing we as a nation can lead on. And so below President Trump’s management, we’re transferring quick at this drawback.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that is about radar jamming of drones to take them out, not exploding them.
SEC. DRISCOLL: So the issue with the drone battle is you want all kinds of layered protection. One resolution doesn’t work. When you simply attempt to jam them- in case you have a look at what’s taking place in Ukraine, folks have began to laborious wire drones, and so you possibly can’t do RF jamming on a tough wire drone. And so there are issues like web weapons which can be coming again, we’re utilizing all kinds of options and instruments, and it makes it much more difficult. While you’re by an airport and also you’re doing it in your personal homeland, you simply have totally different authorities. And so a variety of it is a human drawback of communication, command and management and having a layered set of options that you should use for any given drawback.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So that you’re speaking about right here on the homeland, issues just like the U.S. internet hosting the Olympics, the World Cup, even simply the Tremendous Bowl, video games which can be developing. Ought to there be restrictions on this nation on who is ready to personal and function drones?
SEC. DRISCOLL: I am fairly optimistic that we will work out an answer the place we’ll know what’s within the sky at each second throughout our nation, unexpectedly. And so in case you consider the President’s–
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re not there but.
SEC. DRISCOLL: We’re not there but, however below the President’s Golden Dome, I’d take into consideration this like a golden mini dome, the place, in case you took one of many websites for the World Cup, we’re closely centered on with the ability to see every thing within the space, have the entire interceptors we’ll want, have the entire coaching for the entire totally different forces that may have to have the ability to act. And so to your particular query, I feel we try to design a system in order that Individuals are capable of fly drones, in order that industrial corporations, like Amazon- like the way forward for supply, in a variety of methods, is industrial drones. And so we’ll simply must de-conflict the skies, working with the FAA. However it is a massive subject. I test in with Secretary of Warfare Hegseth on this virtually weekly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So after we final noticed the President of Ukraine, Zelenskyy, on the White Home, he introduced as much as President Trump, on digital camera, we have nice drones we wish to promote to the USA or present to the USA. You referred to Ukraine because the “solely Silicon Valley of warfare” proper now. What do you imply by that? Are they actually forward of the USA on innovation?
SEC. DRISCOLL: I feel in case you have a look at what’s taking place, Operation Spider’s Net in Russia, the Ukrainians used in all probability a pair hundred thousand {dollars} value of drones and took out virtually $10 billion value of apparatus in Russia. And Russia’s in that battle. And so I feel what’s wonderful about our nation is we’re capable of acknowledge the place we have to innovate shortly. And what we’re doing for drones, utterly in a different way, I feel, than we’ve got accomplished as a military in in all probability 50 or 60 years, is we’re welcoming in American business. So we simply did an AI battle recreation the place we invited 15 of the highest CEOs within the nation. They have been value in all probability $18 trillion in enterprise worth. And we mentioned, howdy, are you able to please assist us? What do you’ve got in your tech innovation pipeline to assist us with knowledge in contested environments? How will we do logistics 6,000 miles away if we’re dealing with an enemy who’s making an attempt to contest us? And we’re working with them, no joke, every day, to principally take their innovation and apply it to this drawback.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However what I heard you saying there may be, you have a look at the battlefield in Ukraine as type of like a check lab for the place warfare goes. Are you able to persuade a few of your fellow Republicans that there’s worth in that battle, when it comes to, you understand, those that are so isolationist they do not wish to be concerned in Ukraine, even financially?
SEC. DRISCOLL: Properly, I do not suppose I’ve talked to a single one that has mentioned we should not be studying from what’s occurring in Ukraine. All of our gear, the entire beautiful options we’ll want, are definitionally going to come- the information set that the Ukrainians are getting for his or her generative AI fashions of after they have drones they usually’re flying they usually’re studying they usually’re doing counter drone they usually’re taking all of this data from their sensors and making an attempt to determine what is going on on. There’s not a single individual I do know that does not suppose that’s an unbelievable treasure trove of data for future warfare. I feel a variety of the questions are, how will we truly execute on the President’s agenda of peace in that a part of the world. The place- I’ve not been to the White Home, the place it has not come up that we simply need peace in order that the American industrial base can thrive in every single place, and we’ve got to deal with that a part of the world unnecessarily proper now.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, you are on the Division of Warfare.
SEC. DRISCOLL: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So that you introduced that the military desires to purchase one million drones over the subsequent two to a few years. Navy, Marines, Air Power, they may clearly be very concerned in any battle within the Pacific, however you have to defend these American bases.
SEC. DRISCOLL: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So how do you consider the menace from China there? As a result of I’ve learn that you simply suppose they’re forward of America.
SEC. DRISCOLL: So we’re engaged on one thing with Congress known as SkyFoundry. And principally the concept is to, once more, do it proper from the start. What the military has traditionally gotten incorrect within the final couple of a long time is, we’re both all in or all out, that means we both use our natural industrial base and we make the drones ourselves, or we are saying, that is too difficult for us, we will have personal business do it. We aren’t doing that with drones. As a result of in case you look at- Ukraine is manufacturing 4 million a 12 months, China, I feel, is at 12 to 14 million drones a 12 months.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Wow.
SEC. DRISCOLL: And we as a nation should have our personal sector capable of assist us. And so what we’re going to do is, we’re going to spend money on issues like sensors and brushless motors and circuit boards and a variety of the elements which can be actually laborious for the personal sector to get proper now. The USA Military goes to construct these on our bases and empower the personal sector to buy from us. And so we’ll make drones, our personal companions will make drones, and we’ll catch up and surpass the Chinese language extremely shortly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary, thanks in your time. And I do wish to make the purpose that you’re taking questions, and that’s uncommon nowadays, because the Pentagon has restricted entry to reporters. And we expect it is necessary right here that the American folks hear about their very own safety in addition to the navy’s three million or extra staff. So thanks. We’ll be proper again.
