The next is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 8, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, good to have you ever right here, Senator.
SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA): Thanks, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You sit on many related committees, armed providers, overseas relations. I need to ask you about this explosion in a single day close by the U.S. Embassy in Oslo. I perceive that the Norwegian police say it might have been a deliberate assault linked to the present safety state of affairs. What do we all know concerning the menace right here and to different American posts?
SEN. KAINE: There are threats. Due to my service on the Overseas Relations Committee, I have been in dialogue with State Division personnel all over the world. Escalated safety, different embassies or consulates have had protests, protests that form of have been merging towards violence or a minimum of horrifying to our diplomats. We now have Americans stranded within the area. They have been informed to return house, however they weren’t informed to return house till after business air flights had stopped. And so my workplace has been working with Virginians this week attempting to assist them come house. And so we owe it to our courageous professionals wherever they’re, and our residents to maintain them protected. And, Margaret, that is simply another reason why I have been asking the query, have we realized nothing from 25 years of struggle within the Center East? And with the arrival of the primary American casualties again house yesterday, together with a Virginian, I fear that the reply to that’s no.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So do you’ve gotten an estimate on the variety of Individuals nonetheless stranded within the Center East?
SEN. KAINE: It is hundreds and hundreds. Now, not each American chooses to return house. So there’s a whole lot of hundreds, in case you simply add all of them up, who’s coming house. I’m working with the Virginians who’re reaching out to my workplace. We have been capable of facilitate one Richmond space resident getting house from Dubai on a flight a few days again. And so it is form of coping with that. However what worries me a bit of bit extra is that a few of the professionals at embassies and consuls will not be being informed to return house. They usually’re form of there, and sometimes their safety presence just isn’t what we want it could be. So we now have to pay shut consideration to them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me ask you concerning the homeland now. We’re on this fourth week of a partial homeland safety shutdown. Meaning individuals on the Coast Guard, Secret Service, and TSA will not be getting paid. However ICE and CBP are nonetheless funded. On condition that the strain from Democrats is not affecting the companies the place Democrats need to see coverage change, is that this actually an efficient technique?
SEN. KAINE: Nicely, we now have stated to the Republicans, we have labored out funding for all these companies aside from ICE and CBP. Let’s simply cross these funding payments. Let’s confine the ICE and CBP reform dialogue simply to these two companies and fund the others. To date, Republicans have blocked these efforts. We need to fund TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard and CISA. We need to fund these companies. And we now have a funding settlement that is already been negotiated between each events and each homes. So let’s try this. After which ICE and CBP, the Republicans, gave them cash final summer time. They don’t seem to be operating out of cash. We will proceed the reform dialogue there.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, I ask as a result of CBS obtained a Homeland Safety crucial incident observe that cites Iranian spiritual leaders issuing fatwas, calling on Muslims to avenge the supreme chief’s demise. DHS says that, you realize, previously, these form of fatwas have not actually impressed assaults essentially but–
SEN. KAINE: –However you have to be frightened about it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: –However you have to be frightened about it on this second in time. So is not there a very good argument to be made to maneuver on this standoff, to finish it?
SEN. KAINE: I utterly agree. Let’s fund all these companies that do not have funds proper now, and let’s confine the ICE and CBP dialogue to what are the reforms essential.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Why is not that taking place?
SEN. KAINE: Nicely, we have provided this on the ground, and the Republicans have to this point rejected. They’ve stated, you have to fund all the things or nothing. And we stated, we have agreed on all the opposite companies. Let’s try this. However ICE and CBP want reforms. We have made that very, very plain, and Americans need there to be reforms. And so that’s the focus proper now. They usually do have the funds for as a result of the Republicans supplied to them final summer time within the reconciliation invoice.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We noticed Secretary Noem lose her job this week. You’ve got stated you do remorse having voted for her–
SEN. KAINE: –Large mistake–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –you have been one of many Democrats who did–
SEN. KAINE: –she was a governor. Governors are sometimes good cupboard secretaries. However what we realized, and this bears going ahead, is that she wasn’t calling the pictures. Stephen Miller is asking the pictures. And so long as he’s calling the pictures with out reforms, that is going to proceed to be a really, very rogue, renegade division.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, do you must see and listen to one thing from Senator Markwayne Mullin to get you to vote for him in case you’re saying he is simply going to be mainly a puppet of Stephen Miller?
SEN. KAINE: That is our worry. So he may exhibit in any other case. However what we need to see isn’t just the change within the nameplate on the door. We need to see reforms to the way in which ICE and CB- CBP operates. They need to function like native regulation enforcement does, not invading individuals’s houses with out warrants, physique cameras, not carrying masks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Administrative, not judicial warrants, proper?
SEN. KAINE: Sure–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –that they use.
SEN. KAINE: Nicely, for houses, I might say judicial warrants, I believe that may be essential for invading individuals’s houses. These are primary ideas that our native regulation enforcement companies stay by. The Ashland city police lives by them. We should always ask our federal companies to do precisely the identical factor.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You are on armed providers as nicely.
SEN. KAINE: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Pentagon could also be a supplemental finances request to fund this new struggle within the Center East. CSIS estimates the primary 100 hours of the struggle value practically $4 billion. Have you ever heard an estimate on value? The place are we on this supplemental? Will it get any Democratic assist?
SEN. KAINE: We do not know that the White Home is sending a supplemental. So we had a labeled briefing the opposite day, and the subject got here up. What I can say, and it is not labeled, is the administration stated they have not decided. My objectives proper now are twofold, cease this struggle, which I view as each unlawful and profoundly unwise, and defend our troops. If a supplemental comes over, I am gonna be seeking to see, okay, how does it sq. with these objectives? Defending the troops is vital. That is one of many causes I need to cease the struggle. I believe they’re simply uncovered to a totally pointless danger by what President Trump has performed. So we’ll take a look at a supplemental in the event that they ship one to see, okay, how does it accomplish these objectives?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did they let you know what that is depending on? Why do not they know in the event that they want extra money? Is it the period of time of the battle?
SEN. KAINE: I believe that is the problem. You historically do not ask for a supplemental midway via since you may ask for an insufficient quantity. I believe they could not need to ask for a supplemental as a result of they’re attempting to keep away from debates and votes in Congress on the Iran struggle proper now. I put up a struggle powers vote that I misplaced earlier this week. However I can guarantee you, I am not going away. We now have different means to have a debate and dialogue about whether or not this struggle is within the U.S.’s curiosity after 25 years of struggle within the Center East. They could need to keep away from a vote on that and are attempting to delay it for that purpose. They will make that decision, and we now have to take a look at the content material.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In a short time, I need to ask you about a few of the Individuals which are nonetheless being held in Iran, in Evin Jail. One in all them, Reza Valizadeh, a journalist. One in all them, Kamran Hekmati, a 70-year-old man. Do you’ve gotten any thought what’s being performed to guard them or cease them from being retaliated towards?
SEN. KAINE: I don’t, and I worry about that. Look, if college children are being killed in bombing, probably U.S. bombing, though the president and the secretary of protection at the moment are attempting to invent a declare that it was Iran. If college children are being killed, I fear concerning the destiny of U.S. pris- U.S. residents who’re being held prisoners there.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, we all know the navy is investigating that, Secretary Hegseth has stated, in regard to the women’ college. We now have to depart it there. Senator, thanks to your time.
SEN. KAINE: Glad to be with you, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We can be proper again.
