The next is the transcript of an interview with Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Jan. 18, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to the highest Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner, who joins us this morning from Virginia. Senator, now we have had some extraordinary information this week on the nationwide safety entrance, two of America’s closest allies, NATO and Canada. Canada signed a commerce cope with China. The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, stated the US is undercutting the worldwide world order. Prior to now 24 hours, President Trump appeared to begin a commerce warfare with our closest European allies, saying he put tariffs on the UK, France, Denmark, till they comply with hand over Greenland. Will there be now any checks and balances from Congress relating to the president’s use of tariffs on this approach?
SEN. MARK WARNER: Properly, Margaret, that is the query of the hour. I’d hope so. We thought when the president took on the independence of the Federal Reserve, Congress may get up. We thought when the president despatched 20% of our fleet down off the coast of Venezuela, Congress may get up. We might get a- we received a vote on the Warfare Powers Act. Then the administration rolled again the Republican votes. Now the query is, when the president is taking up, probably a brand new tariff warfare with our NATO companions, with threatening Greenland. Will my Republican buddies past saying quietly to me, Mark, that is loopy, will they are saying that publicly and get up towards the president that has introduced chaos to the worldwide order, and received to inform you, will not be making People safer when you- once you threaten, for instance, the safety of NATO, essentially the most profitable alliance in trendy historical past. The one nation that’s, frankly, benefiting essentially the most from this chaos are each Russia and China.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And I will get to a few of that intimately with Congressman Mike Turner shortly. However simply on this level, there’s an effort by some Republicans. Lisa Murkowski is one among them. She and Jeanne Shaheen are engaged on a bipartisan invoice known as the NATO Unity Safety Act to ban the usage of federal funds to blockade, occupy, annex, conduct navy operations towards or assert management over the territory of a NATO state. That’s extraordinary that that’s being put ahead as a invoice. Would you vote for it?
SEN. WARNER: After all, I’d. However remember–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will it ever see the sunshine of day?
SEN. WARNER: — the one safety threat- I do not know, however let’s be clear about this there presently and as Vice Chair the Intel Committee. I’m very acquainted what is going on on. There isn’t any present safety menace from Russia or China to Greenland. The one safety menace to Greenland proper now could be america. I have been in contact with the bipartisan delegation who’ve met with the Danes, who’re over there now the Danish folks, frankly, are flipping out that their longest ally, America is now threatening to invade a part of their territory, these different nations that Trump is now threatening with further tariffs. Bear in mind, the European Union’s already received a 15% tariff. The French, the Germans, the Norwegians, have all put small numbers of troops in Greenland to assist shield it, but in addition ship a sign that if America assaults, they’re attacking our closest allies. And I’d additionally level out, , America used to have 17 navy bases in Greenland. We determined we did not want all of them. We’re down to at least one navy base, and on that base there are extra Danish companions on the bottom than American navy. The Danes have made very clear that if we wish extra navy bases, if we wish extra capability to extract vital minerals, they might welcome that. But it surely must be completed in partnership, and it must be completed with the NATO allies and and I simply level out Margaret, when we- these are all tied collectively, this craziness round NATO weakens our capability to have the world rally towards the Iranian regime proper now, which has been brutal to its folks. One of many causes the president could not take navy motion towards the Iranians was as a result of the plane provider that might usually be there to stop to assist our assist our forces was off the coast of Venezuela. So all of this worldwide chaos ties itself collectively, making America much less secure. And once you see the Canadian Prime Minister in impact saying, , China could also be a extra reliable associate. If that does not convey us all again, I am undecided what would.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, the president is shifting on the Iran entrance. Is shifting an plane provider from the Pacific to CENTCOM to that Mideast area the place there hasn’t been an plane provider. He additionally advised Politico Saturday, it is time to search for new management in Iran that does not kill folks by the hundreds with the intention to maintain it underneath management. It was reported that the pinnacle of the Mossad, David Barnea, was down in Miami assembly with Steve Witkoff. Are you aware the main target of these conferences? Is america working with Israel on a plan for what occurs subsequent in Iran?
SEN. WARNER: I am unable to discuss something particular, however what’s within the public area is that Israel, in addition to all of our allies in that area, had been involved a few strike by way of Iranian reprisals, and the truth that we do not have all of our forces there, as a result of a part of our forces are off the coast of Venezuela, make us much less of a menace. And there’s a actual query, what would you bomb? And is there an opportunity that that type of kinetic motion may make extra help for the regime a rally across the flag. That does not imply that we could not be doing extra cyber it would not mean- and I say, I’ve received plenty of issues with Elon Musk, however his Starlink operations are sensible. We should always be capable of get extra Starlink into- into Iran so the Iranian folks can get reconnected to the web and our capability, for instance, in a traditional course, we’d be rallying all of our NATO allies to additionally put strain, as a result of they’ve relations with Iran. However most of our NATO allies are involved about People’ potential navy motion in Greenland and the specter of further tariffs. So the power for America to convey a concerted worldwide confrontation to this terrible Iranian regime, and the Iranian persons are terribly courageous to face up. We have to do extra, however a few of our choices are restricted due to the chaotic strategy that the president is taking round the entire world.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, let me ask you about Venezuela, since you are chair- rating member on the Intelligence Committee. The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, was down in Caracas on Thursday to satisfy with the interim President Delcy Rodriguez. A US official described it as intending to enhance the connection between the 2 nations. Are you comfy with the administration’s plan and what the director has defined to you is the intention to principally coerce them into compliance?
SEN. WARNER: Properly, let’s- let’s look the what the American navy did in Venezuela was extraordinary. No person else might do this, and the president’s aim, which he is made clear, was principally about oil, not concerning the Venezuelan folks. It should take years for the Venezuelan oil fields to rise up again working to something near effectivity. Maduro was terrible on that, however our capability to strangle off and maintain the choke maintain on the Venezuelan regime retains that fleet blockading Venezuela. Are we going to maintain that fleet- 20% of our fleet, off the coast of Venezuela for the subsequent three years–
MARGARET BRENNAN: I believe it is like 14% now–
SEN WARNER: –is that actually in America’s longterm–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Have you ever requested the administration that?
SEN. WARNER: Now we have requested, and they- now we have not gotten a response on how lengthy the fleet might be there. And one factor that I’d additionally level out, and let me be clear, the Biden administration screwed up in 2024 when the Venezuelan folks voted overwhelmingly to throw out Maduro, and we did not push him out. However to out of the blue say the to the chief Machado, who was chief of the Venezuelan opposition, who received the Nobel Prize- I imply, does President Trump not understand he seems type of foolish taking that prize from her as she tries to principally suck as much as him? And the very fact is, what she has stated, and once more publicly, is that, sure, you removed Maduro however the identical individuals who tortured and imprisoned the Venezuelan opposition are nonetheless accountable for the regime. The place does that lead the Venezuelan folks? And the place does that lead us to a greater relationship, frankly, a partnering relationship with Central and South America and never a colonial relationship, which is once more to look what the president appears to be intending.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All proper. Senator Warner, a world of issues to speak to you on that entrance, however I received to go away it there. Thanks to your time at the moment. We’ll be again in a second.
