The next is a transcript of an interview with Rep. Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Dec. 8, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by the Chairman of the Home Intelligence Committee, Ohio, Congressman Mike Turner. Only a beautiful flip of occasions inside such a brief time frame. The US would not have a diplomatic presence within Syria. Our visibility is a little bit restricted right here. What’s it that you just assume Individuals have to learn about this flip of occasions?
REP. MIKE TURNER: Margaret, that was a wonderful report, since you actually laid the groundwork of this has been an extremely brutal civil struggle with lots of of hundreds of individuals dying, together with using chemical weapons. And naturally, reminding folks that the Obama administration had stated this could be a purple line, that we’d use army drive to cease using chemical weapons, then failing to take action. That is an Islamic militia that has risen up and has continued and now’s efficiently toppling the Assad regime. As your report indicated, it is al Qaeda in its origins, however it opposes ISIS. It’s Turkish-backed. It is a blow to Iran, a blow to Russia. We’re seeing what is probably going a disintegration in Syria. The large questions can be, what does this imply for the US? What does it imply for Iran, Russia, the neighbors of Israel and Jordan, that are sturdy allies of america?
MARGARET BRENNAN: So that you talked about there, and we confirmed the image of Abu Muhammad al-Golani. He’s the chief of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, individuals name HTS. You are going to hear lots about that within the coming days and weeks, the insurgent group that seems to be taking management. However they’re working additionally with the Prime Minister. The US authorities has a ten million bounty on the top of Jolani. Do you assume america nonetheless ought to preserve that? Ought to Individuals be involved that this can imply one thing by way of impression for terror threats to america?
REP. TURNER: It is a terrorist group and group, however this isn’t going to be only a passing of energy and authority. It might be. We’ll need to, clearly, watch that. You already know, one of many issues that we do see right here, although, is this can be a diplomatic failure with respect to america and Turkey. You already know, the U.S. has troops in Syria. That is on the border of Turkey. Turkey is a NATO ally. The US is working with the Kurds. This actually might have been a chance for america to work to attempt to resolve the difficulty between the Kurds, Turkey and america and dealing with Turkish pursuits in Syria. Hopefully this might be a chance the place there might be a diplomatic help there that hopefully might have- assist on this transition in Syria.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are 900 US troops in Syria within the South. Donald Trump in 2019 pulled US troops out of northern Syria, abandoning our allies there. Do you imagine he’ll stand by the 900 US troops that stay there? Or ought to he think about pulling them out when he takes workplace?
REP. TURNER: Nicely I feel, , one of many issues that Donald Trump will clarify is, is that any any risk to us, troops can be unbelievably responded to. So everybody ought to perceive, completely, america troops are to be safe. The second factor is, is he does completely help the Kurds and that he’ll search for a diplomatic resolution. I feel there can be an evaluation as as to whether or not these troops ought to stay. But it surely’s, , I feel right here there is a chance for the events, particularly now that Iran and Russia’s roles are going to be domin- diminished. They’ve been brutal of their help with Assad, the lots of of hundreds of individuals, together with use of chemical weapons which have been killed, have been below the Russian affect there. Russia nonetheless has two bases, a naval and air drive base there which might be going to be, , each in danger for Russia, but additionally a threat to the inhabitants of Syria as a result of they could- they’ve been used earlier than to assault the Syrian inhabitants. We’ll need to see what Russia does there. However that is going to be an space that is going to be extremely risky and in transition.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And no thought the place Bashar Al Assad might need fled to?
REP. TURNER: No, not right now.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you, since we’re speaking in regards to the incoming administration, Donald Trump has chosen Tulsi Gabbard, the previous Congresswoman, a former Democrat, now Republican, to be the Director of Nationwide Intelligence, overseeing 18 intelligence businesses. She not solely went and met with Assad, she publicly doubted excessive confidence assessments by U.S. intelligence that he did what we confirmed you footage of him doing, utilizing chemical weapons there. Do you belief that she might really signify the intelligence group, lead it and be trusted to transient the Commander in Chief?
REP. TURNER: Nicely, I clearly differ in an amazing deal in various areas with each her judgment and and her background and expertise, however what I do belief is the–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –You are smiling if you’re saying this–
REP. TURNER: The Senate is the Senate course of, and I feel this- the senators are going to place her by a course of. She has been nominated. She’s going to undergo the method, and I feel there can be vital debate and analysis. I feel–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –You do not assume she’ll be confirmed?–
REP. TURNER: –that Donald Trump has put collectively in his final time period, and I feel he’ll on this time period, an amazing nationwide safety crew. I feel CIA director, Radcliffe, I feel Mike Waltz as Nationwide Safety Director, are each nice examples of people who find themselves going to be foundational. I feel you are going to see an amazing nationwide safety crew.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, this can be a group that you just even have oversight of, so it’s possible you’ll not vote within the Senate, however it appears like she would not have your confidence. What about Pete Hegseth to run the Pentagon at a time of worldwide instability?
REP. TURNER: Yeah, I feel the Chairman of the Armed Providers within the Senate made an amazing assertion. He stated, we actually help the method, and he has his help going by the method, and we’ll need to see how that goes by. One factor that’s completely clear is that the Pentagon wants reformed. We aren’t conserving tempo with what Russia and China are doing in superior weapon programs. On the identical time, we’re seeing the weapon programs of superior know-how which might be being utilized on the battlefield of Ukraine, and our acquisition programs and our accounting programs, our spending programs aren’t working on the Pentagon–
MARGARET BRENNAN: -That requires expertise–
REP TURNER: –We want reform. We want reform. Somebody has to have the ability to lead that, and that is going to be the controversy within the Senate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I like once I ask Congresspeople, and so they simply preserve reminding me that they do not sit within the Senate and do not need to remark. I sense some some uncertainty there in your half, however I do not need to put phrases in your mouth. I need to ask you although about what’s ticking down in Congress proper now, and that’s one thing there is a scramble on the finish of this yr to get a bunch of labor carried out. Your Democratic colleague within the Senate, Mark Warner, stated “it’s an pressing precedence to handle cybersecurity gaps in these ultimate weeks.” Is it a precedence so that you can do one thing due to this huge breach by China, of U.S. Telecom?
REP. TURNER: You already know, one factor that’s- it’s totally disappointing, and we have seen from this administration, this this malaise of this stasis of the place they’re unable to maneuver because of the president unable to decide. Right here we have now this huge breach, this hack that has occurred from China, however we’re listening to nothing from the president himself, no motion from this administration as to what their- what penalties that can be. This isn’t- would not want only a technological repair. This wants additionally a diplomatic repair, a nation to nation, penalties to China–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –What would penalties appear like?
REP. TURNER: Now within the Obama administration, within the Obama administration, China hacked the personnel administration system of the US authorities, and there have been no penalties, and now we’re seeing China hack the complete system of the nation. There must be penalties. They are often financial. They are often in various methods. However proper now we have now zero, we have now nothing popping out of the administration. What should be speaking about will not be technologically how will we repair this? However how will we tackle, which is what Donald Trump is doing, is coming in and saying China is our most, gravest risk. How will we tackle the truth that China is aggressively attacking america, and so they’re doing that in our telecom?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Query for the incoming administration to choose that up. Thanks, Chair Turner. “Face the Nation” can be again in a minute. Stick with us.