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 Nov. 30, 2025.
NANCY CORDES: Welcome again to Face The Nation. We’re joined by Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine. Senator, thanks a lot for being with us.
SENATOR TIM KAINE: Completely, Nancy.
NANCY CORDES: I wish to begin out by asking you concerning the state of affairs in Venezuela, as a result of there are actually critical indicators that navy motion, together with probably floor motion, may very well be imminent. You will have tried twice to go conflict powers resolutions that may drive President Trump to get approval from Congress first earlier than any navy motion. Twice, you’ve failed. Do you suppose the numbers on this can change if there may be floor motion, and can it even matter at that time?
SEN. KAINE: I d- I do imagine the numbers will change. You are proper, I together with others, filed a decision, no conflict in Venezuela or in opposition to Venezuela with out congressional approval. It failed, however that was earlier than all of those belongings have amassed round Venezuela, and earlier than President Trump stated that the airspace must be closed. I’ll transfer with colleagues, Senator Schumer, Senator Paul, Senator Schiff, instantly ought to there be navy motion. After which secondly, I additionally tried to cease the, what I view as unlawful boat strikes within the Caribbean and the Pacific along with Adam Schiff, and the circumstances have modified within the months since we had that vote. In every of those situations, we had been capable of get two Republicans to vote along with Democrats. We predict the escalating tempo and a number of the current revelations, so, for instance, the current revelation concerning the kill everybody order apparently dictated by Secretary Hegseth. We do imagine that we’ll get extra help for these motions when they’re refiled.
NANCY CORDES: You are referring to this new Washington Publish report that claims that Secretary Hegseth known as for everybody aboard, the primary suspected drug boat that was focused, to be killed when two folks survived. The navy went again in, reportedly with a follow-on strike. What questions do you’ve for the Pentagon about that state of affairs?
SEN. KAINE: Nicely, first, if that reporting is true, it is a clear violation of the DOD’s personal legal guidelines of conflict, in addition to worldwide legal guidelines about the best way you deal with people who find themselves in that circumstance. And so this rises to the extent of a conflict crime if it is true. And the questions that we have been asking for months are give us the proof that the parents on board had been actually narcotraffickers. In a single occasion, there have been two survivors, one Colombian, one Ecuadoran in a unique strike. As an alternative of arresting them and prosecuting them, the U.S. picked them up and returned them to their nations of origin the place they had been launched. So in the event that they had been narcotraffickers, why would we try this? We want extra proof about that. And we undoubtedly want the administration to lastly reply the query of why strike somewhat than interdict. If you realize the place the ships are, you may interdict. And whenever you do, you get proof. You get people. You possibly can squeeze them to present testimony in opposition to their higher-ups. You get proof with the drug seizures. And at last, the opposite query that my colleagues and I are deeply anxious about is your entire authorized rationale for the strikes. We needed to pry with a crowbar after weeks and weeks out of the administration. The supposed authorized rationale for the strikes in worldwide waters, it was very shoddy. As a result of it is categorised, I can not inform you what’s in it. However I can inform you it was in no way persuasive that these are authorized actions. And so along with a complete sequence of issues, the early retirement of the pinnacle of SOUTHCOM, the information that the SOUTHCOM’s lead lawyer stated the strikes weren’t lawful, the choice of allies just like the U.Ok. to cease sharing intelligence with america on this space as a result of they imagine the strikes are unlawful. It is time for Congress to rein in a president who’s deciding to wage conflict on his personal say so, which isn’t what the Structure permits.
NANCY CORDES: A whole lot of lawmakers on either side have questions which are much like those you are elevating. On a associated notice, President Trump simply introduced this weekend that he plans to pardon former Honduras President Juan OrlandoHernández, who was accused of conspiring with drug cartels to maneuver 400 tons of cocaine from Honduras to the U.S. He is at the moment serving a 45-year sentence. Have been you stunned by the President’s plan to pardon him, given how strongly the President feels about medication coming from different nations like Venezuela?
SEN. KAINE: That is surprising, and once more, this isn’t a person who was accused of working medication to america. He was convicted in a federal court docket in america. One of many bits of proof was his assertion that was picked up by these close to to him that he wished to shove medication up the nostril of gringos and flood america with cocaine greater than 400 tons. He was the chief of one of many largest legal enterprises that has ever been topic to a conviction in U.S. courts, and fewer than one yr into his sentence, President Trump is pardoning him, suggesting that President Trump cares nothing about narcotrafficking. Suggesting probably that pardons are actually on the market by this White Home. And if he does not care about narcotrafficking, and this was additionally proven earlier this yr with the pardoning of Ross Ulbricht, then what is that this Venezuela factor actually about? The President of Colombia has stated that he thinks it is concerning the U.S. attempting to grab oil belongings in Venezuela. I lived in Honduras for a yr as a missionary approach again when. The conspiracy theories are working wild within the Americas about why this- this navy effort is so essential to the President when he is pardoning drug kingpins who’re working medication into america. These are additionally questions that we’ll need to dig deeply into once we return to Washington tomorrow.
NANCY CORDES: I wish to ask you about some massive developments in Washington this week. The Trump administration is making massive modifications within the wake of this tragic capturing of two Nationwide Guard members. They’re halting all asylum choices. They’re halting Afghan immigration functions. The President says he needs a everlasting pause to immigration from what he calls “third world nations,” we do not know what number of nations. Have they got a case that it is smart to place a few of these processes on maintain whereas they work out what occurred right here?
SEN. KAINE: Nicely, you realize, first, let’s simply acknowledge this unhappy truth, these two guards, members, Ms. Beckstrom andMr. Wolfe, what a tragedy for them and their households. And you realize what? They need to have been at residence at Thanksgiving, celebrating Thanksgiving with their households, not deployed in a political deployment, to do legislation enforcement in D.C. that the D.C. police and different native legislation enforcement companies can do. And this demonstrates, but once more, one thing we have seen so usually our troops, together with our guards members, they will serve in courageous and brave and self-sacrificing methods, and we will be so pleased with them, however the orders that they get from their civilian leaders, that is the place the issue is available in. Whether or not it is a Hegseth order to kill all of them, or an order to ship guardsmen and ladies in a political stunt deployment to cities across the nation, these two people ought to have been celebrating Thanksgiving with their households, and I simply mourn for them and all that suffer consequently. The President’s determination to say, okay, this specific legal who needs to be prosecuted to the complete extent of the legislation, who got here in below an asylum grant, that President Trump and his administration determined this previous summer time, that now we’ll pause processes or asylum from 19 quote “third world nations” you do not know which of them they’re. You should not paint with a broad brush. Go after a legal to the complete extent of the legislation. However do not say that each one Afghans in america, those that served with our navy and who misplaced their lives and their well being and their households in some ways by doing so, do not say that they are all dangerous. Do not say that individuals who come from third world nations are dangerous. Virginia, about one out of 9 of us is an immigrant, and our immigrant communities in Virginia have been an infinite supply of energy to our commonwealth and to our nation. And it is improper to focus on all of them for the dangerous actions of a person, identical to we would not target- goal different communities in america for the dangerous actions of 1 particular person.
NANCY CORDES: One thing tells me that is going to be a giant matter of Congress- of dialog somewhat, in Congress–
SEN. KAINE: –It can–
NANCY CORDES: –this week. Senator Kaine, I actually recognize you being with us, and Blissful Thanksgiving.
SEN. KAINE: So glad we may do it. Thanks.
NANCY CORDES: And we’ll be proper again.
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