The next is the transcript of the interview with Rep. Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sept. 28, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now by Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner. Good morning. Good to have you ever right here in particular person.
REP. MIKE TURNER: Thanks. Thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to discuss to you about Ukraine, which you simply returned from, however earlier than I do this, let’s button up the place we left the dialog with Senator Klobuchar. FBI Director Chris Wray was twice spoken about in public statements by the President yesterday, and he mentioned he has some explaining to do. He appeared to be connecting it to the FBI and January Sixth. Are you in any respect involved by the previous director’s actions?
REP. TURNER: Nicely, I do suppose that there- , with this new data, there’s going to need to be some explaining as to what Sixth- what is that this new data, and the way does this relate to January?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Particularly, the variety of the brokers? That 274 —
REP. TURNER: Sure. This does appear to be considerably completely different than what anybody has heard earlier than, and the way does this relate to the circumstances of what occurred there. Definitely, Kash Patel, as he is bringing this ahead, that is going to be data that I believe does relate. It actually does go to everybody’s confidence of what we at present find out about that day. There’s been quite a few investigations, and quite a few individuals who’ve checked out this. You recognize, this actually is regarding. And I believe it’s higher —
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, what half is regarding, as a result of that inspector basic report mentioned months in the past that there have been a number of 100 FBI brokers who responded after the Capitol Police requested him to be there?
REP. TURNER: However it’s the problem of, , what was- what- what was their function? What did they do? You recognize, that side, I believe actually. As we have a look at this data, because the FBI appears on the data, is it the identical? Is it the identical data that has been checked out earlier than, or is it completely different? And that actually bears overview, and that, I believe, will happen.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, when the President says Chris Wray has some explaining to do, how do you interpret that? As a result of the Inspector Basic report is public. Kash Patel mentioned these people had been there. It isn’t customary to ship them, however it was disclosed they had been there on the Capitol.
REP. TURNER: I imply, clearly, the present FBI Director, and the FBI goes to have to return ahead with the knowledge. That data will likely be reviewed, after which, finally, the FBI goes to have to- and I believe that the prior director must clarify how this data pertains to what we have checked out earlier than. And it is both going to be the identical and show that it’s as everybody believed the circumstances had been earlier than, or it may be completely different. And, at that time, we will have to have a look at, , how does it relate to what we consider we knew, and the way does it relate to what we now see, what we do not know. As a result of I’ve no data, I believe nobody else has any extra data in addition to what the information studies are, and we’ll need to overview what that data is.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However simply to be very clear, as a result of it’s such a harmful data setting in so some ways, you aren’t in any means suggesting that the FBI was secretly agitating, which is what the president mentioned the assault on January Sixth?
REP. TURNER: I am not suggesting something, and I do not suppose you’re both. I believe what we’re each suggesting is that this at present is in information studies, and people information studies actually bear a overview of the knowledge that is going to return ahead, and that data is both going to inform us that it is the similar data that has been seen earlier than, or it may be new data. And if it is new data that is going to should be reviewed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We will take a break, and I wish to speak about your journey to Ukraine on the opposite aspect of it, however I’ve to do that proper now. So stick with us, all of you.
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MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to Face the Nation. We return now to our dialog with Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner. Congressman, we had been displaying video there earlier of the in a single day assault Russia carried out in opposition to Ukraine. You had been simply there, in Kyiv. I am positive you welcomed what the President mentioned this week, when he mentioned he now has modified his thoughts, and he does consider Ukraine may win this warfare and get its territory again from Russia. However he additionally added he needs everybody properly when he made that assertion. So is he telling us that the USA is strolling away from Ukraine and leaving it as much as them, or is he signaling that the USA goes to assist Ukraine win that territory again?
REP. TURNER: Nicely, we undoubtedly want to assist. And that is a part of the soiled secret that basically the place the USA actually must step it up, and it is a part of the assembly that he had with the president of the EU Fee. You recognize, the USA is offering assist to Ukraine. However, on the similar time, the West, the EU, and the USA is subsidizing Russia and its manufacturing machine, as a result of, , we’re shopping for from China and India that’s shopping for power from Russia, and the EU is shopping for power from Russia. So we have to place sanctions on Russia in order that we’re not funding their financial system, which is funding their potential to assault and kill Ukraine. So we’re funding each side of this. Unlucky- sadly, there are these in Congress that wish to cease supporting Ukraine’s potential to defend themselves. Nicely, that’ll simply lead to extra assaults from Russia, as we noticed final evening, in opposition to Ukraine. That is not going to get us to peace. The one strategy to get us to peace, and Trump’s imaginative and prescient of peace, is to impression their potential for manufacturing, to cease subsidizing Russia’s financial system and their potential for manufacturing and killing Ukrainians, and that is to undertake Lindsey Graham and Brian Fitzpatrick’s invoice that might impose sanctions. Give the President the power to impression Russia’s potential to wage this warfare and get us to peace.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However Speaker Johnson has mentioned earlier than that he would put that invoice to a vote, he simply hasn’t. And he has mentioned, oh, I want the president to inexperienced gentle it. That is not true. He has a veto-proof majority. We have had Senator Graham on this program one million occasions telling us that is set to go, simply give us the inexperienced gentle. Did Speaker Johnson reply to your request to maneuver?
REP. TURNER: No, and he’s- the momentum is right here, we have to do that now. The President would not want to present us a inexperienced gentle. He is not a crimson gentle. The final time that- and we and we’re coming again, and we want to take action, we want to take action now. The final time we placed on the ground the invoice that might have stopped funding Ukraine, over 300 members voted for it. If we put the invoice on the ground to cease the- to place sanctions on Russia, cease funding their financial system, it might be comparable. Over 300 members would vote for it. The one strategy to peace is to place sanctions on Russia, proceed our help for Ukraine, which is what we’re doing, what the President goes to be doing, and produce this warfare to an finish. Assist Trump’s imaginative and prescient of peace. Put sanctions on Russia, cease funding their- their warfare financial system. Now, what I noticed in Ukraine, which is what’s actually unimaginable, is that they’re profitable trendy warfare. What they’re doing with their anti-drone expertise, I imply, they’re actually the tech bros of the long run. They’re implementing on the entrance line, anti-drone air protection expertise that’s profitable this warfare with our assist and help, which they are going to proceed to wish for the long-range programs that Russia is bringing in and which might be attacking Kyiv with. However what their anti-drone expertise that nobody else has, that they’re implementing. They’re profitable this warfare. We should be on the aspect of that warfare of the long run that they are profitable and help Ukraine.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And I’ve heard army officers clarify this to me that this is sort of a actually attention-grabbing take a look at case to study the teachings that Ukraine is illustrating for the world. Nevertheless, within the instant time period, will the President raise restrictions on Ukraine’s potential to make use of long-range weapons to really assault Russia?
REP. TURNER: Nicely, and he actually wants to take action, as a result of what’s occurring with that stress that is on the entrance line –
MARGARET BRENNAN: However he has the outdated Biden coverage.
REP. TURNER: Proper, properly, he does, and that is what he must launch, as a result of with the stress on the entrance line and the truth that Ukraine has developed anti-drone expertise, the place they’re taking down Russian drones, they’re utilizing their very own drones to assault Russia, however Russia has long-range weapons that they are attacking that entrance line. Ukraine must have the power to make use of long-range weapons to push Russia again. And once they’re ready to do this, they’ll get their territory again. If they can do this, they’ll win this warfare. And if we put sanctions on Russia, impacting their potential to supply their warfare machine and manufacturing, they’ll have the ability to win this contemporary warfare, and will likely be on the best aspect of what- this isn’t old-time warfare. That is trendy warfare, and we’re being on the best aspect of Ukraine.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You have simply acquired to steer President Trump to do that- that change in coverage. Once we had been in France final week talking to President Macron, I requested him about these incursions into European airspace, some would say by Russian drones or Russian jets, others have mentioned they nonetheless want to research. We have seen drones or jets into Poland, Estonia, Romania, Norway, probably Denmark. What ought to the USA be doing to push again on these provocations?
REP. TURNER: You recognize, what’s attention-grabbing about that is it? What we have all the time mentioned is that, , Russia, as soon as they acquired via Ukraine, can be testing and go- can proceed into Europe. However what they’re seeing- however what they’re seeing now, as a result of they’re having this- this success of Ukraine, they are going over Ukraine. They’re now going into Poland and Romania, and so they’re seeing that Poland and Romania haven’t got the superior expertise that Ukraine does, and as a substitute of going via Ukraine, they are going over Ukraine since- since that is Fashionable Warfare, and Ukraine is profitable it, they’re seeing that the outdated warfare is definitely outdated Europe.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mike Turner, thanks for sharing a few of your insights, what you realized on the bottom in Ukraine.
REP TURNER: Thanks,
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’ll be proper again in a second. So stick with us.
