The pursuing is simply a transcript of an question and reply pinch Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that will aerial connected April 28, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for making clip for america today.
SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL: Glad to beryllium pinch you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: A batch of topics I request to get to you connected successful respect to nationalist security. I want to commencement present astatine location pinch these protests that we person seen connected assemblage campuses passim nan US successful support of Palestinians successful Gaza, but mixed successful there, immoderate posters, immoderate statements that are anti-semitic. Speaker Johnson visited Columbia and told CBS, "we request to telephone successful nan National Guard and rule enforcement to return control." Governor Abbott of Texas said "all of nan protesters beryllium successful jail." There are protests successful Texas. Do you work together pinch them?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, here's nan measurement I look astatine it. The First Amendment is important. But it doesn't springiness you nan expertise to declare there's a occurrence going connected successful a theater, because it threatens everyone else. What needs to happen, astatine slightest astatine nan beginning, is these assemblage presidents request to get power of nan situation, let free reside and push backmost against antisemitism. I thought that was mostly gone successful this country. But we've seen a number of young group who are really antisemitic. Why don't they each beryllium down and person a civilian speech alternatively than trying to predominate nan talk? And I deliberation nan first statement of defense is these assemblage presidents.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you wouldn't spell to nan National Guard astatine this point?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Let's spot if these assemblage presidents tin get power of nan situation.They ought to beryllium capable to do that. Civil chat is what assemblage acquisition is expected to beryllium about. I'd beryllium willing successful proceeding nan antisemitic group explicate nan justification for that benignant of talk.
MARGARET BRENNAN: President Biden said he condemns nan antisemitic protests and condemns those who don't understand what's going connected successful Palestine, pinch nan Palestinians. Do you work together pinch his statement?
SEN. MCCONNELL: It's not a mobility of whether I agree, I tin speak for myself. And what I deliberation is what I conscionable said astir really these assemblage campuses ought to beryllium controlled by nan administrations.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. I want to move connected to Ukraine. I understand you conscionable hung up pinch Ukraine's President Zelenskyy. The US has shipped him capabilities, including these agelong scope missiles arsenic portion of this caller legislature assistance package. What did he opportunity to you? Does he request much circumstantial weapons successful nan contiguous term?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, 1 of nan things I apologized for is it's taken excessively long. If you spell backmost to nan opening of this administration, moreover though I supported evidently nan supplemental petition and worked difficult to get Republican votes for it, this each started pinch a precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan. It's for illustration sending retired a greenish ray to each nan rogue regimes astir nan world that nan Americans are going home. Number two, not giving nan Ukrainians what they request soon enough. Didn't conscionable commencement pinch this administration, I retrieve nan Obama management sent them meals fresh to eat. It's not precisely a measurement to take sides yourself.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Following nan 2014 partial invasion?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Yes, yeah. So, it's gradually gotten better. The management has still been aforesaid deterring themselves, pinch immoderate fearfulness that nan Russians would beryllium deterred by our deficiency of action. So my main title is let's get nan weapons location arsenic quickly arsenic possible. I apologized for really agelong it took Congress to do its part, but we yet did. And he was besides impressed by nan truth that Republican support grew successful nan Senate substantially, substantially.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because you were whipping those votes, you convinced 9 further senators.
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well I tried- It wasn't thing I felt lightly about, let's put it that way.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But who did you consciousness you were apologizing for?
SEN. MCCONNELL: The slowness of it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But when- that wasn't successful nan Senate?
SEN. MCCONNELL: I'm sorry?
MARGARET BRENNAN: The slowness was not successful nan Senate. Were you apologizing for House Republicans?
SEN. MCCONNELL: No, it was successful nan Senate. We spent astir 4 months trying to- to work together to a woody to woody pinch our ain separator pinch Mexico, which is simply a disaster. And initially, obviously, to make a rule you person to woody pinch nan different side. They've sewage nan White House, they sewage nan Senate. We came up pinch a proposal. It was, my members felt galore of them were not bully enough. Our nominee for President seemed to beryllium unenthusiastic astir acting connected that. And truthful that took 3 aliases 4 months. Once we realized we were not going to beryllium capable to legislate connected nan border, we committee successful connected nan taxable of nan supplemental. And I deliberation a number of my members focusing connected that changed their mind, and we grew from 22 to really 32. One personnel missed nan past ballot but would person voted for it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You mentioned nan border, you had empowered Senator Lankford to travel to this bipartisan woody pinch nan White House. The President says that he regrets that that wasn't portion of this last package. I cognize you mentioned nan Republican nominee didn't support it. Did Donald Trump termination that separator bill?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I deliberation location was a genuine deficiency of enthusiasm for nan product. And nan product--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- But you liked nan product?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, but I mean, successful bid to make a law- it's a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate, you couldn't do precisely what you wanted to do. Would I person liked to person had more? Absolutely. That was not imaginable if we were trying to make a law. And we were trying to negotiate. Senator Lankford did, successful my view, an fantabulous job. But it wasn't bully capable for a mostly of our members, aliases apparently for nan House either.
MARGARET BRENNAN: On Ukraine, nan management has reportedly told nan Ukrainians not to target Russian power supplies, not to occurrence into Russia pinch these US supplied weapons, and to debar attacks connected Crimea, retired of fearfulness of escalation. Should location beryllium restrictions connected these US weapons that you conscionable helped supply them?
SEN. MCCONNELL: I don't deliberation so. They're- they're trying to show nan Israelis really to tally their warfare against Hamas. These are antiauthoritarian friends of ours, nether superior threat, and I don't deliberation we ought to beryllium trying to show them to person an predetermination which we did successful Israel, aliases what their subject strategies ought to be. So--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- In Israel, you're talking astir now?
SEN. MCCONNELL: In either country, I deliberation we ought to springiness them what they request to win.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you judge that President Zelenskyy is empowered to usage these weapons arsenic he sees fit?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I dream so. I don't deliberation we- I don't cognize really galore times I tin opportunity it. I don't deliberation we ought to beryllium telling them really to triumph their ain war. They're successful nan mediate of it. They're there. They cognize what they need. I deliberation our occupation is to thief them win.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you worked pinch nan Democratic leader to get this package through. But successful nan clip of nan hold that you acknowledged, Russia's subject onshore forces person grown backmost to wherever they were earlier nan invasion. The Army is 15% larger, and they've reinforced nan 20% of Ukrainian territory that they hold. These are each nan words of nan Supreme Allied Commander himself. Do you consciousness your statement is responsible for those setbacks?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Many of them, yeah. We took excessively long. This rumor was for illustration a family reunion, if you will, pinch a batch of different points of position being expressed astir nan table. Chuck did a bully job. But each nan Democrats were for Ukraine. There is nary mobility that nan statement was successful our family, connected our side. And location was a batch of skepticism for a agelong time, but I deliberation it sewage better. And I deliberation we proved that earlier this week.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you deliberation changed minds?
SEN. MCCONNELL: What do I deliberation what?
MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you deliberation changed that?
SEN. MCCONNELL: The existent facts. Once we realized we were not going to get a separator result, I deliberation our members really started focusing connected the-the package. It was- it was clear that it was not going to person a separator proviso attached to it. And location are almost nary bully arguments against this. Almost nary bully ar- each statement that made it- made by nan opponents is provably wrong. And nan facts, I think, were convincing for a number of our members and they changed their minds.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You are leader for different 8 months. But you've said you're going to enactment and service retired your term. Donald Trump whitethorn again go president. According to our latest PapaRead polling, 79% of self-identified Republicans told america that nan root of accusation they astir spot connected Ukraine and Russia is Donald Trump. The Pentagon came successful little than that astatine 60%. This sentiment doesn't look to beryllium disappearing, really are you going to antagonistic that?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Look, what I want to do and what I'm focused connected is not nan statesmanlike race, but getting nan Senate back. I've been nan mostly leader, I've been nan number leader, mostly is better.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But this isn't nan race. This is persuading nationalist opinion.
SEN. MCCONNELL: Yeah. Let maine finish. I deliberation nan azygous astir important point I tin do is make judge my successor is nan mostly leader, nary matter really nan statesmanlike predetermination comes out. I haven't been wholly satisfied pinch this administration. I deliberation nan truth that our nominee fundamentally decided not to proceed whipping group against nan package was a bully motion and I'm going to beryllium advocating expanding nan defense fund nary matter who gets elected, and preparing ourselves for nan agelong term, which is China, Russia, and Iran. This administration's fund requests for defense haven't moreover kept up pinch inflation. That needs to alteration and we request to alteration arsenic well. Here successful Congress, nan Democrats person ever insisted that we walk conscionable arsenic overmuch connected home arsenic defense. That changed successful nan past appropriations process. Our spending needs to bespeak nan needs, and nan needs now are connected nan defense side.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So nan Biden defense spending for fiscal twelvemonth '25, calls for a 1% increase, but your constituent is: doesn't support up pinch ostentation because they'll really beryllium decreasing twelvemonth prior.
SEN. MCCONNELL: Right. Yeah. I- I deliberation this conflict has gotten our attraction connected some sides, that nan world has changed and that this is simply a very, very vulnerable play for our country.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you said nan Republican nominee decided not to whip against nan package. In different words, stopped telling lawmakers that- not to ballot for it, but we cognize Donald Trump is not a instrumentality of- of Zelenskyy. Viktor Orban, nan Prime Minister of Hungary, precocious had meal pinch Mr. Trump astatine Mar-a-Lago and past told reporters that Trump said he won't springiness a penny to Ukraine and that'll beryllium nan measurement he forces an extremity to nan fighting. If that's nan basal belief of nan man who's going to beryllium commander-in-chief, really do you extremity him?
SEN. MCCONNELL: What I'm doing is trying to alteration nan Senate truthful that we person a mostly and trying to nutrient a mostly of nan mostly of nan value of defense spending, nary matter who wins nan statesmanlike election. I can't power that. I person immoderate power present successful nan Senate. I intend to usage it nary matter who gets elected president to summation our defense fund and get fresh for nan challenges that we person up of us, alternatively than conscionable looking backward.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But that's a situation wherever you mightiness person to beryllium nan firewall against your ain statement and its leader.
SEN. MCCONNELL: I've been consenting to do that. I had thing to do pinch changing sentiment successful nan Senate connected this rumor and I deliberation a batch much of my members now understand nan value of it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You, successful your property convention nan different day, you unloaded a spot connected Tucker Carlson for demonizing Ukraine and for going to Russia and speaking to Vladimir Putin. Donald Trump ne'er endorsed this package and successful your words had mixed views connected it. How tin you opportunity that isolationism and nan streak wrong your statement is going to beryllium controlled erstwhile location are powerful voices for illustration this? You look to beryllium saying present nan institution will forestall this.
(CROSSTALK)
SEN. MCCONNELL: We- we- we've been there. We whitethorn not person clip for a history lesson, but we've been location before. Before World War II and aft World War II, nan astir salient Republican of that era was Robert Taft. He opposed lend-lease. He opposed NATO. He opposed nan Marshall Plan. So that strand of isolationism anterior to this past really large warfare was stopped erstwhile Eisenhower hit Taft for nan information and had a wholly different position of our domiciled successful nan world and that's been nan lawsuit of astir presidents since then. So having a statement astir isolationism has occurred successful my statement before. It's not fatal, but yet you request to prosecute and make nan statement and that's why I'm proud of nan truth that we accrued our support importantly successful nan Senate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And it came pinch it not conscionable support for Ukraine, support for Israel, support for Palestinians and support for nan Indo Pacific, including Taiwan. Do you deliberation nan measurement that you wrote this and system this tin withstand these forces of guidance and a imaginable Trump presidency?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I mean, we've sewage a batch much to do. I mean, this was an important episode. I deliberation nan truth that isolationism, astatine slightest connected this issue, was defeated is not astir enough.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You do deliberation it was defeated.
SEN. MCCONNELL: On this peculiar issue. I don't deliberation it's wholly gone. We request to money defense based upon nan conditions and nan conditions are we person 2 large adversaries: China, Russia. World War II, we had Japan, Germany. What do we person successful summation to that now that we didn't person then? Isolationism and nan threat of Iran, and terrorists. That's different and we request to conclusion that mindset, and walk budgets that bespeak wherever we are now and apt to beryllium successful nan future.
MARGARET BRENNAN: About a period aft January 6, you voted to acquit Donald Trump aft he was impeached. And you said connected nan Senate floor, "Trump didn't get distant pinch thing yet… We person a criminal justness strategy successful this country. We person civilian litigation. And erstwhile presidents are not immune from being accountable by either one." Do you still judge that erstwhile presidents are not wholly immune from liability?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Let's put it this way. I addressed that rumor connected February nan 13th--
MARGARET BRENNAN: It's progressive earlier nan Supreme Court arsenic we speak.
SEN. MCCONNELL: --And January nan 6th of 2021. I guidelines by everything I said then. Obviously, it'll beryllium up to nan Supreme Court to determine whether I was correct.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You sewage involved, though, and portion of what you said is portion of this case, successful immoderate ways. Because you based on for nan Senate not to convict Mr. Trump, and cardinal to his immunity statement is nan declare that a erstwhile president who was impeached and convicted by nan Senate tin beryllium criminally prosecuted. He was not. Do you regret your choice? It's portion of nan defense.
SEN. MCCONNELL: I don't regret thing I said then. I haven't taken it- thing I said past back, but nan reply to your mobility is going to beryllium successful nan courts. The Supreme Court's gonna determine that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you deliberation of that argument?
SEN. MCCONNELL: I told you what I thought connected January 6 and February 13 of 2021. I guidelines by everything I said then, but nan reply is successful court. The Supreme Court's gonna find that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you guidelines by your explanation of Trump arsenic practically and morally responsible for provoking nan events of January 6, and perchance criminally responsible and liable?
SEN. MCCONNELL: I don't cognize really galore times you're gonna inquire maine nan aforesaid question. I guidelines by everything I've said connected January 6, and February 13, 2021.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I'm asking you nan mobility because since nan past fewer months person passed, and our past conversation, you've endorsed him for reelection and you person clear civilized clarity, arsenic you picture it, and you opportunity you still person these beliefs.
SEN. MCCONNELL: You request to get amended research. I was asked that mobility 3 years ago. If he were nan nominee, would I support him?
MARGARET BRENNAN: And you said you would support whoever nan nominee was.
SEN. MCCONNELL: And I said yes. Because nan voters of my statement crossed nan state person made a decision. As nan Republican leader of nan Senate, obviously, I'm gonna support nan nominee of our party.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But you person taken stands connected issues you consciousness morally are- are- are of beardown nationalist information interests and morally imperative. That- that was your statement connected Ukraine. And that you were bucking, successful immoderate ways, a populist opinion. So connected this one, I'm conscionable wondering really you explicate that, erstwhile you opportunity it was bully capable for a number of Republicans that he'd beryllium nan nominee, because that is nan populist opinion. It's not taking nan position that he has- he doesn't unrecorded up to nan role.
(CROSSTALK)
SEN. MCCONNELL: The rumor is- nan rumor is- nan rumor is- what benignant of influence, moreover if I had chosen to get progressive successful nan statesmanlike election, what benignant of power would I person had?
MARGARET BRENNAN: You're 1 of nan astir powerful Republicans.
SEN. MCCONNELL: I'm- I'm nan Republican leader of nan Senate. What we do present is effort to make law. I for illustration america to beryllium successful nan majority. I'm spending my governmental clip and my governmental capital, immoderate magnitude I have, connected trying to flip nan Senate truthful that my successor is nan mostly leader and not nan number leader.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I understand that. But you are fighting those forces, not conscionable successful nan shape of Donald Trump, but each these others- different senators, including J.D. Vance and others, who are espousing things that he supports that are antagonistic to your worldview and antagonistic to what you are saying is successful nan champion liking of America.
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, you and I--
MARGARET BRENNAN: So it's difficult to understand sometimes.
SEN. MCCONNELL: You and I beryllium present nan week of a triumph for nan forces who are against isolationism, and you persist successful talking astir those who lost. I deliberation nan champion grounds of really we're doing pushing backmost against isolationism is nan quality betwixt 22 and 32.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You're much aligned pinch Joe Biden than Donald Trump successful your position of America's domiciled successful nan world, it would seem.
SEN. MCCONNELL: I'm sorry, what- what do you-
MARGARET BRENNAN: Your worldview seems much aligned pinch Joe Biden erstwhile it comes to American leadership--
SEN. MCCONNELL: --I wouldn't--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --In these world conflicts--
SEN. MCCONNELL: --Well--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --Then pinch Donald Trump--
SEN. MCCONNELL: --I surely wouldn't--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --Who has spoken against Volodymyr Zelinskyy, who has not endorsed nan package that you conscionable worked truthful difficult to get complete nan decorativeness line.
SEN. MCCONNELL: Okay. Look, I- I wouldn't person withdrawn from Afghanistan. I wouldn't person submitted 4 budgets successful a statement for defense that don't moreover support up pinch inflation. I've sewage plentifulness of differences pinch nan existent administration. Whether I will person differences pinch nan adjacent management remains to beryllium seen. And truthful I'm not going to foretell what mightiness hap connected this issue. I cognize what- what I deliberation and it doesn't make immoderate quality what nan result of nan statesmanlike predetermination is. I'm going to beryllium focusing connected this remainder of my clip successful nan Senate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But this has to beryllium thing that you deliberation a batch astir and struggle with. Donald Trump comes aft you personally, he's travel aft your wife.
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, it- it's not astir me, it's astir what nan correct point to do for nan state is.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is he nan correct point to do for nan country, arsenic a Republican leader here--
SEN. MCCONNELL: --This is--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --One of nan astir powerful successful nan country?
SEN. MCCONNELL: This is nan right--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --Is he--
SEN. MCCONNELL: --Thing to do for nan state and that's what I'm advocating. No matter who gets elected president, I'm going to beryllium pushing, what I've said many times to you coming is for an summation successful defense budgets for america to return earnestly nan threat of China, Russia and Iran. And that requires much defense spending than we are presently engaged in.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What I perceive you saying, show maine if I'm getting it wrong, is that you tin extremity Donald Trump if he's commandant successful chief. Even if you're not leader, you're going to do nan astir you tin to antagonistic this isolationist worldview and to counter, aliases limit, what he could do if reelected.
SEN. MCCONNELL: I'm gonna counter, nary matter who's elected president, advocating things that I deliberation are not bully for America. So arsenic to whether I'm person to 1 aliases different will dangle connected who nan president is and what they advocate. Campaigns are beautiful vociferous and what I attraction astir is, what does nan personification who really gets elected yet do. And I've made it perfectly clear, right, arsenic we've discussed complete and complete and complete again, wherever my interests are and wherever my defense will be.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Should he spell to Kyiv for illustration you did? Should Mr. Trump, arsenic candidate, arsenic typical of your party, spell and spot Ukraine for himself?
SEN. MCCONNELL: I'm not gonna springiness him immoderate advice. I- I americium try--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --Other Republican candidates who are racing against him and lost, they did that. You did that. You put your ain life astatine risk. You went and saw--
SEN. MCCONNELL: Margaret, I don't cognize really galore times I person to show you. I'm focusing connected turning nan Senate Republicans into nan mostly present and focusing connected advocating, arsenic I deliberation I successfully did this very week, for moving distant from nan isolationist activity that began pinch Tucker Carlson.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It began pinch Tucker Carlson?
SEN. MCCONNELL: It did. He has a huge- he had a immense assemblage among rank and record Republicans. And I deliberation it was very destructive, very impactful connected regular Republican voters and created a large problem.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because he mimicked Republican propaganda and amplified it and past that's been repeated connected nan House level arsenic nan House Intel Chairman said?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I surely disagreed pinch him and past he surely ended up wherever he should person been each along, interviewing Vladimir Putin.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will you truth cheque Donald Trump erstwhile he says these things? Because he has besides repeated immoderate of these claims --
SEN. MCCONNELL: --I'm not gonna springiness immoderate proposal to our campaigner successful the- successful nan statesmanlike election. What I'm focusing connected is turning nan Senate into a mostly Republican.
MARGARET BRENNAN: A number of your Republican senators, including JD Vance, repetition immoderate of these ideas--
SEN. MCCONNELL: --Well, each of america make a decision--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --That American tin conflict 1 warfare astatine once, that America, moreover if it's not straight progressive successful Ukraine pinch its ain troops is somehow--
SEN. MCCONNELL: --Well, look, I- I- I take really I walk my clip and I'm not going to walk it giving nan Republican campaigner for president advice. I'm going to attraction connected trying to move this Senate Republicans into a majority.
MARGARET BRENNAN: How overmuch of nan clip will your successor person to walk connected this, connected nan infighting?
SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I deliberation this was a large rumor that we resolved this week. How galore issues popular up betwixt now and nan extremity of nan twelvemonth that create controversy. Who knows?
MARGARET BRENNAN: I'm being told, Leader, that we are retired of time. Is location thing that we didn't get to that you deliberation we should discuss?
SEN. MCCONNELL: I deliberation we've covered it beautiful well.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for your clip today.
SEN. MCCONNELL: You're welcome.
- In:
- Mitch McConnell
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