The next is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Nov. 23, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Republican Senator Rand Paul, who joins us from Bowling Inexperienced, Kentucky. Welcome again to this system, Senator. Rather a lot to get to, however on this concern about political violence or offended rhetoric, I do know the President himself has survived these two makes an attempt on his life. You talked to us about these dangers to him. After which we had this killing of Charlie Kirk just some months in the past. Is the President holding himself to the identical normal that he’s asking of others in relation to dialing again harmful rhetoric?
SEN. RAND PAUL: You recognize, everyone is aware of that the President is known for his unfiltered social media. However in the event you take at face worth the concept calling your opponents traitors after which particularly saying that it warrants the dying penalty is reckless, inappropriate, irresponsible, there are a selection of different methods to explain it, but it surely’s not one thing that’s serving to the nation heal wounds. I feel it stirs issues up and- and actually, I feel we are able to do higher.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, on the homeland safety entrance, I perceive you might be chair of that committee, and so you have got some perception into a few of these home threats. It isn’t simply these Democratic lawmakers. We noticed out within the state of Indiana, 4 Republican state senators have been focused by swatting threats amid President Trump’s public strain on them to redistrict their state. Just some weeks in the past, we did see one of many convicted January 6 rioters who was then pardoned by President Trump arrested for threatening to kill Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries. Are we on the level right here the place it isn’t simply unfiltered social media posts, however really harmful rhetoric?
SEN. RAND PAUL: Nicely, you understand, I have been on the receiving aspect of this. Even my father, who’s been retired for a while, has been on the receiving finish of swatting. Police are known as. Says there’s an emergency within the residence, and the aim is to, you understand, have somebody draw a gun and be killed because the police are available, supposedly to rescue somebody who’s probably not in want of being rescued. So, I feel each side have been doing this, and I feel the language on treason and traitors, each to Republicans and Democrats, is, as I mentioned, reckless, inappropriate, irresponsible.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you suppose that- so one of many different developments we have seen simply over the weekend is that Consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican from Georgia, only a staunch supporter for thus lengthy of the President, has mentioned she goes to step away as a result of she’s paid such a public worth for a few of her positions. Do you suppose there’s room in your get together for arguing with President Trump?
SEN. RAND PAUL: I feel it is vital that we now have unbiased voices. So, I am unhappy to see her voice go away, or doubtlessly go away. I feel that she introduced up one thing within the final week or in order that was essential. What’s the Republican plan for well being care? So, I’ve engaged the President on this, and I am placing ahead my very own plan. However in my plan, what it permits for is folks to purchase their insurance coverage by a collective. Mainly to purchase their insurance coverage by Costco or Sam’s Membership or Amazon. And mine is the one plan on the market that will really drive costs down. However that is what an unbiased voice will assist in our nation. Impartial voice throughout the Republican caucus, to not see issues all the time contained in the field, however to think about some out of the field options. So, I feel unbiased voices are vital within the Republican Celebration.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you, due to your place on Homeland Safety, you might have some perception into the drug cartels. You might be additionally on Senate Overseas Relations, and it’s tomorrow that the Trump administration formally will designate the Cartel de los Soles as a overseas terrorist group. That is the cartel the Trump administration says is linked to Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro. Secretary Hegseth, says it provides the administration new instruments. Nothing’s on or off the desk, he says, militarily. Legally, what modifications tomorrow? What turns into potential?
SEN. RAND PAUL: I feel by doing this, they’re pretending as if we’re at warfare. They’re pretending as in the event that they’ve gotten some imprimatur to do what they need. When you have got warfare, the foundations of engagement are lessened. So, for instance, we usually do not shoot boats that we suspect of being drug sellers. In reality, if the Coast Guard tomorrow began capturing all vessels which can be off of Miami or off of San Diego, about one in 4 of the vessels that they usually board would not have medication. So it really could be illegal if the Coast Guard began blowing up boats. However for some cause they are saying, oh, we’re at warfare off the coast of Venezuela. And so it is totally different rule of engagement. It is one in every of warfare. However you understand, Senator Kaine and I introduced this up, and we mentioned, if it is warfare, let’s- let’s declare it as warfare. Let’s have this dialogue. Is it warfare or not? And the administration refused that. They need to have it each methods. They need to say, Oh, we are able to simply say these persons are terrorists, are narco-terrorists, so we are able to blow them up. But it surely’s extraordinary that when a few of them survive, they pluck them out of the water. They do not prosecute them for medication. They do not acquire medication. They do not inform us in the event that they have been armed or not. They only ship them again to their nation, more often than not, not being Venezuela. They’ve despatched one again to Colombia and one again to Ecuador, however no person’s making any pretense of even interviewing them to seek out out who’s promoting you the medication. Possibly we may discover out who the kingpins are in the event that they’re concerned within the drug commerce. Not a phrase. And I have been given zero, not one briefing, as a result of I am skeptical of what they’re doing. They do not transient me or the overall Senate in any respect. A couple of hand chosen folks might have gotten a briefing, however I’ve not been invited to any briefings on Venezuela.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, that is pretty uncommon, given your homeland safety position, and that the premise for a few of this motion has to do with each immigration and drug coverage, in line with the President. I do know the DEA administrator just lately spoke to our Nicole Sganga and instructed her that they’ve seen between a 30% to 45% improve in cocaine costs per kilogram attributable to these DoD boat strikes and a shift in the direction of land routes for supply of these medication. In different phrases, there’s nonetheless demand for the medication and the cartels are simply discovering totally different routes to ship them. Have you ever seen any proof that the President’s actions up to now are profitable a drug warfare?
SEN. PAUL: You recognize, I feel we must be making an attempt to work on the demand aspect, treating it as a well being drawback, as an habit drawback in our nation, and making an attempt to minimize the demand. And that’s a part of the general resolution, the warfare on medication, although, to seize all of the folks promoting medication. The worth goes up and extra persons are interested in it. You recognize, a few the folks which were recognized as being on these boats are merely down on their luck, folks with no prospects who’re supplied $500 to get on a ship and race throughout the ocean, and so there all the time can be these folks. There’s most likely a limitless variety of these folks in South America. There’s been some profit once we’ve cooperated with international locations and with governments. However that is not what that is, and I worry that this isn’t going to do something for the drug commerce, however it’s actually going towards the rule of legislation in the best way wherein we work together with folks on the excessive seas, and it has no precedent.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’ve seen you quoted as saying there are folks within the administration who’ve wished to go to warfare in Venezuela for a while. Who’re you speaking about?
SEN. PAUL: I feel it is clear that Senator Rubio, as a senator, was very a lot an advocate of regime change. This was at odds, actually, with President Trump, and so when he was picked, lots of people who had been supportive of President Trump were- oh, my goodness, they’re choosing somebody rather more hawkish and rather more desperate to be concerned and to intervene in different international locations. And so folks fearful. After which the primary yr or so, persons are like, oh, nicely, Rubio has executed an excellent job on overseas help, and so they’ve reduce on all the abuse of those NGOs around the globe. And I feel the folks supporting the President have been very supportive of the Secretary of State. However I feel as soon as there’s an invasion of Venezuela, or in the event that they determine to re-up the subsidies and the items to Ukraine, I feel you may see a splintering and a fracturing of the motion that has supported the President, as a result of I feel lots of people, together with myself, have been interested in the president due to his reticence to get us concerned in overseas warfare.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, up to now, they are saying nothing on or off the desk, no specifics. We’ll proceed to trace all of the reporting on that. Senator Rand Paul, thanks on your time at the moment. We’ll be again in a second.
