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 Nov. 30, 2025.
NANCY CORDES: We’re joined now by Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner. Congressman, thanks for being with us. Joyful Thanksgiving.
REP. MIKE TURNER: Thanks, Nancy. Joyful Thanksgiving to you additionally.
NANCY CORDES: So, you heard what Sam Vinograd simply needed to say concerning the vetting course of. You have additionally heard what administration officers are saying about it. Do you consider that this was a failure of vetting, or do you consider that is somebody who simply grew to become radicalized or grew to become mentally disturbed right here in the USA?
REP. TURNER: That is very troublesome, as a result of, I imply, that is traditional terrorism. And that is the place a person who tries to interrupt the center of a nation who would not enact a murderous act proper earlier than Thanksgiving and the- I believe what Samantha is lacking in all of that is that we did not go to Afghanistan to convey Afghanis right here. We went to Afghanistan to kill Osama bin Laden, to dismantle and destroy al-Qaeda, to avenge 9//11, to dismantle and to overthrow the Taliban and to make sure that Afghanistan was now not a secure haven for terrorism. What occurred is that the Biden administration allowed Afghanistan to fall and fled, and in doing so, then discovered itself in a state of affairs the place those that had been aiding us have been then in danger, and in doing so made the decision–
NANCY CORDES:– You do not assume they’d have been in danger both means?
REP. TURNER: No, they were- their intention was that they’d be nonetheless there. That Afghanistan would now not be a secure haven for terrorists, that it could not be a return to the Taliban, and there wouldn’t be a necessity for these individuals to be evacuated. You would not see American planes on the tarmac, as you confirmed with individuals working to attempt to get on them. By the way in which, these planes would not be being chased by individuals in the event that they have been on their method to China or Russia, they have been on their method to America, and people individuals have been fleeing what the Biden administration was permitting to unfold, which is that it could as soon as once more be a nation that will be in danger to us. And so, you already know, that is the way you get to the state of affairs the place these people are in danger. Now, clearly the vetting was flawed. By your individual report, you confirmed that people who have been on our recognized terrorist watch listing made it into this nation via that course of. So clearly that the vetting course of–
NANCY CORDES:– However then- then they have been identified–
REP. TURNER:– however they made it in. They made it in, proper? They made it into this nation. So clearly the method was flawed, and it was additionally a course of that ought to have been pointless, if there hadn’t been this hasty fall of Afghanistan. Wherein the Biden administration had promised us all that they weren’t going to run for the exits. And so they not solely ran for the exits, they did so at evening. You realize, Congress was, you already know, after listening to, after listening to, you already know, raised the problems of the style through which the Biden administration fled and what the results could be. And we’re all dwelling with this consequence now, the investigation is underway.
NANCY CORDES: Weren’t their fingers tied partly by the truth that Trump had reduce a cope with the Taliban promising to go away by a sure date?
REP. TURNER: No, their fingers weren’t tied. The style through which they did so, and Congress did various investigations, at various hearings, and filed various stories that confirmed that it was the actions of the Biden administration, a fashion through which they utterly withdrew. However that investigation is underway. It should be underway as to this particular person, and I believe all of us want to attend for that investigation to be concluded.
NANCY CORDES: The President has known as for 500 extra Nationwide Guard troops to be despatched to the nation’s capital. Your state has already contributed 150. Do you consider that extra troops being deployed is the reply, or do you assume it is time to wind this deployment down?
REP. TURNER: If you ask this, is that the reply? You need to first discuss what the query is, and the query is, is there a nationwide difficulty of- of crime and security? And definitely the American individuals, by all polls, point out that individuals are experiencing it and report that there’s. And definitely within the nation’s capital, there has been- there was unbelievable stories of simply the- the felony exercise, although, the- these people who’ve succumbed to, you already know, violent crime. And definitely, there’s been a reporting that the Nationwide Guard presence has made a distinction.
NANCY CORDES: Proper. No query, I believe crime is down 30% one thing like that in DC within the final 4 months. I need to flip to Ukraine now, one other difficulty essential to you. A workforce of Ukrainian negotiators is assembly proper now in Miami with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff. What’s your understanding of the place the negotiations stand proper now. There have been considerations initially that the White Home plan was too pro-Russia. Do you continue to have these considerations?
REP. TURNER: Properly, I believe all of us have these considerations. The- the- you already know, the President’s aim of peace is extremely necessary, and we noticed as we speak with Secretary Rubio his assertion of, you already know, we have now to have a powerful and sovereign Ukraine, and I- and that is everybody’s aim, and the- and positively a affluent Ukraine. And we noticed the Ukrainian consultant there, who’s, you already know, dedicated. And we actually assume, and I believe everybody thinks that President Zelenskyy is dedicated to peace. However you already know, one factor that I believe all people understands is which you could’t have- you possibly can’t be America first and pro-Russia, as a result of Russia has- is a self declared adversary of the USA. It is fielding new, superior nuclear weapons which can be particularly concentrating on the USA. It is continually attacking the USA with offensive cyber. It constantly identifies each NATO and the West, the USA as its adversary. So on this and naturally, when it identifies Ukraine as its adversary, it does so in figuring out the West and the USA as its adversary. You need to perceive that the stability of this- this peace association needs to be one the place it’s important to have a look at Russia as a skeptical adversary.
NANCY CORDES: Talking of the query of being pro-Russian, this week, Bloomberg received a maintain of this transcript of a name between Steve Witkoff, the particular envoy, and a Putin advisor, through which Witkoff gave the impression to be teaching the Russian on easy methods to win over President Trump. And there are a number of Republicans which have nice considerations about that. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania known as it a serious drawback. Don Bacon of Nebraska mentioned Witkoff totally favors the Russians and needs to be fired. What do you assume?
REP. TURNER: Properly, the half that involved me most is that there gave the impression to be an orchestration of giving Putin a chance to talk to Trump earlier than President Zelensky was on his method to the White Home. And I would not need any orchestration of lessening President Zelenskyy’s relationship with Trump, as a result of it is essential when you’ve gotten negotiations that, particularly as you’ve gotten, you know- on this occasion Russia is being, you already know, clearly, unbelievably murderous of the Ukrainian individuals. It’s an aggressive authoritarian regime on this it is killing civilians. It’s- it isn’t simply this. Is just not a army towards army motion. They’re bombing into Ukraine and murderously killing civilians in Ukraine. The- the Ukrainian individuals are being subjected to this, and the President Trump wants to have the ability to hear Zelenskyy’s voice clearly, and never simply the authoritarian murderous Putin.
NANCY CORDES: So given your considerations, ought to Witkoff proceed to function one of many foremost US negotiators right here and may he be despatched by President Trump to Moscow this week to fulfill with Putin?
REP. TURNER: I believe you possibly can’t take only one slice of somebody’s dialog throughout a protracted, stretched out facet of negotiations as reflective, however I believe it is actually necessary that after we do get that chance, that our voices are heard of warning and concern. And the orchestration of inserting Putin’s voice earlier than Zelenskyy may be very regarding, and I believe the White Home needs to be very involved about any efforts to orchestrate Putin’s voice on the White Home earlier than Zelenskyy’s as a result of Ukraine’s sovereignty and safety must be preeminent. And we heard that this morning from Rubio, and that must be the main focus.
NANCY CORDES: President Trump mentioned this was simply common deal making. I need to flip to Venezuela, since you’re on the Home Armed Providers Committee. We have all been watching the army buildup within the waters round Venezuela. Simply yesterday, the President mentioned airways ought to think about Venezuelan airspace closed. Do you’re taking that to imply {that a} army operation is imminent?
REP. TURNER: Properly, the President didn’t say that, and the President actually has not given Congress any discover that that’s going to happen. And he actually has not made the case. There’s a buildup that the President has not defined in a means that relates solely to the actions which can be presently taking place within the Caribbean, and with respect to the drug commerce that the President has been discussing with Congress, it’s actually a major concern in Congress.
NANCY CORDES: The Washington Put up is reporting that earlier than the strike on the very first suspected drug vote in September, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that everybody on board be killed, after which when two of the 11 individuals on board survived, a follow-on strike was ordered to complete them off within the water. Now some legislation of warfare specialists are saying that that was unlawful, that killing people who find themselves now not in a position to combat is a warfare crime. What’s your view and what questions do you’ve gotten for the Pentagon?
REP. TURNER: Congress doesn’t have info that that had occurred. Each the chairman of the Senate Armed Providers Committee, Chairman of the Home Armed Providers Committee, and rating members have opened investigations. Clearly, if that occurred, that will be- be very severe, and I agree that- that- that would- could be an unlawful act. That isn’t the authorized opinion or the knowledge or the authorized justification, the acts which were described to Congress which can be being undertaken in- on this. There are very severe considerations in Congress concerning the assaults on the so-called drug boats down within the Caribbean and the Pacific, and the authorized justification has been offered. However this is- is totally outdoors of something that has been mentioned with Congress, and there’s an ongoing investigation.
NANCY CORDES: Very attention-grabbing to listen to you say that this is perhaps an unlawful act. I do know your committee is asking extra questions. We would like to study what you discover out. Congressman Mike Turner of Ohio, thanks a lot for being with us.
REP. TURNER: I respect it.
NANCY CORDES: And we’ll be proper again with much more Face the Nation. Stick with us.
