Full transcript of “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Nov. 15, 2026

• Transport Secretary Sean Duffy
• Rep. Jim HimesDemocrat of Connecticut
• Rep. John MoolenaarRepublican of Michigan
• Sen. Expense CassidyRepublican of Louisiana

Click here to search complete records from 2026 of “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”

MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m Margaret Brennan in Washington.

And today on Face the Nation: An across the country air traffic control service disaster leads to an air tourist’s headache and raises brand-new issues about the security of the skies.

The fallout from Friday’s shutdown remained well into the weekend, with 10s of countless air guests having a hard time to finish their itinerary. Authorities state they have actually identified what failed, stating it’s associated to upgrading out-of-date air traffic interactions systems.

(Begin VT)

SEAN DUFFY (U.S. Transportation Secretary): Let’s refrain from doing a patchwork repair to a system that’s crucial for each single household. It’s not red. It’s not blue. It’s not Democrat. It’s not Republican. It’s American. Provide us the cash to repair it.

(End VT)

MARGARET BRENNAN: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will join us.

Plus: The blast radius from the Nvidia scandal keeps broadening simply as President Trump is set to leave for a high-stakes journey to Asia, where he will consult with Chinese President Xi Jinping. We will talk with the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Connecticut’s Jim Himes, and the existing chairman of your house Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Michigan Republican John Moolenaar.

And, lastly: As measles cases climb up throughout the nation and the U.S. loses its removal status, we will consult with Louisiana Republican Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy.

It’s all simply ahead on Face the Nation.

Great early morning, and welcome to Face the Nation.

Friday’s across the country ground stop lasted simply over 4 hours, however the results are still being felt today, with more than 1,900 flights currently canceled and interruptions anticipated to continue. After almost 2 days of silence on the crisis, President Trump is weighing in for the very first time today on his social networks platform, calling the FAA under his predecessor– quote– “a disaster” and likewise prompting Congress to authorize– quote– “desperately needed funding to modernize the system.”

For more, we go now to the secretary of transport, Sean Duffy.

Great early morning to you, Mr. Secretary.

Will the nation be back to totally functional with a complete flight schedule by the end these days?

SEAN DUFFY (U.S. Transportation Secretary): So, we have some hold-ups in the airspace today, however, as we want to completion of the day and into tomorrow, we ought to be performing at complete capability.

What occurs with a ground stop, like on Friday, we have aircrafts and teams that run out position, so it takes a bit of time for the airline companies to return and choreographed and at complete capability in operations, however we’re well on our method.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I understand that there was a router in El Dorado, Arkansas, as I comprehend it, that ended up being a concern on Friday. You stated on another network today there was a 2nd problem at a radar website in Amarillo, Texas.

Are those 2 things related? And, if so, why did they both end up being issues on Friday?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: Yes, so the– the Amarillo center, that work had actually been done weeks back. Therefore why, when we did the set up in El Dorado, did that start to relay information into our network?

Then likewise the– the center in Amarillo, why did that take place? We’re examining that today. We in fact have both routers with L3Harris, who runs and owns our network. FAA is on website. FBI is providing assistance.

We’re taking a look at that today. And when we understand what the source of this concern was, was it not– was it the set up from L3Harris, was it the router, I’m going to inform you and the American individuals what we discover.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, was the problem old facilities or was it brand-new devices?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: So, first of all, the– the– the telecom in El Dorado, it was an old copper wire that generally was– it was going to be decommissioned. They stated it can’t be utilized any longer. We were required by the telecom service provider to really upgrade that copper to fiber, and we brought in our routers and did the work.

Which’s when we saw the– the flooding of the network. This was– this is part of our upkeep that we do on this truly old architecture of a telecom network that was– I indicate, this goes back years.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: By the method, the remainder of the world, every organization, every business, not simply in the U.S., however around the globe, they’re– they’ve all switched to digital and fiber. It’s simply the FAA is still utilizing this actually old telecom network that needs to be upgraded, updated, and I believe developed brand name brand-new.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So the union that represents air travel security experts, PASS, as they’re called, stated the concern was separated …

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: Yes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: … to 2 contractor-owned-and-maintained routers that were being upgraded in the middle of the day, and they stated their specialists were not associated with the upgrades.

I question, did the FAA do a danger evaluation in advance and understand that something like this was– occurred, or were you completely captured off guard?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: So, let’s be clear.

The– the union that operates at the FAA, they’ll do the deal with the radios, our devices, or the radar, our devices. They do all of the deal with FAA- owned devices. This union does not do any deal with telecom, and it’s our telecom professional and suppliers, like L3Harris in this scenario, they’re the ones that really do the work.

The FAA lets L3Harris into our– into our websites, and then L3Harris will do the telecom work. Our– this union just works on our devices. This telecom is not our– is– that’s not our devices. It’s L3Harris’s network. Simply to clarify that, this– this was done properly, which, by the method, it’s been done thousands of times by us, by others, and other business.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: This has actually never ever occurred. Therefore that’s why, when you have a remote area like this, we felt comfy doing it in the middle of the day, since it’s been done countless times. We’ve never ever had this scenario.

We’re going to need to reassess now when we do this work. Now, typically, if you have a huge center, a Newark or an Atlanta or an L.A., we have work to do, we do that during the night. In a remote place, we can do it throughout the day since the danger traditionally has actually been really low.

Certainly, on Friday, we saw, no, it– it– it flooded our network, and we needed to take the remarkable action of releasing a ground stop.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So there was not a danger evaluation, or there was a danger evaluation, and this was simply not anticipated as a problem?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: Oh, no, no, listen, we do run the risk of evaluations on whatever? And if you wish to speak about a threat evaluation, the GAO has actually done a threat evaluation on my network, on all of the old devices, and they’ll state, hey, this is– this is dangerous America. Make the financial investments and repair American air traffic control service systems.

And, by the method, the Congress provided me $12.5 billion.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: I’m– I have actually got– bought brand-new radar, brand-new radios, brand-new voice switches. We’re doing all of that.

It’s likewise dangerous to state we’re running on a 1980s network with copper wires. We’ve done a danger evaluation, how do you change over from copper to fiber? We keep planes safe in the sky. That’s our primary top priority.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: We’ve done that, and which is why it’s worked countless times when we’ve made the switchover.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, when …

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: This time, it– it didn’t, and the– proceed.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

You simply discussed the– the Government Accountability Office. They likewise, in a September report, concluded that there is a push to improve rapidly, which “the FAA is buying delivery speed at the risk of cost uncertainty and potential disruptions.”

Should you have seen this coming?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: Well, initially off, with regard to the GAO, my number one top priority is security, which is why we shut down the airspace on Friday? We did the closure due to the fact that we …

MARGARET BRENNAN: They’re stating speed.

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: My– my– no, I’m going to get to that.

We– I desire to make sure that– that Americans get from point A to point B securely, they get back to their liked ones. I desire them to be on time, however I desire them to be safe, which is why we released the ground stop.

In regard to speed, we are going I believe, at the– at the best speed. We need to leave old network, old telecom. By the method, that’s why I have actually currently switched 70 percent of copper to fiber without occurrence, without concern. Practically 470 radios have actually been switched, brand-new– brand-new electronic flight strips and towers.

We’re doing unbelievable work. And simply– let’s be clear about something.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: For years, this operate in our– in the FAA has actually not been done. It hasn’t been done due to the fact that it’s difficult. I do not wish to be deceitful. It’s a tough issue to resolve.

The Trump administration, with my management, we are resolving the issue. We’re constructing and releasing brand-new innovation. Among the issues I have is, I require more cash to– to develop a brand-new …

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: … telecom network. I require brand-new software application. We’re doing the best thing by– by method of the American individuals by repairing this truly, actually old system that was left to us.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But, respectfully, the American individuals have actually put a great deal of cash into facilities upgrades. In 2021, it was $25 billion for upgrades under Biden, under your administration, the Trump administration, as you simply stated, $12.5 billion for upgrades.

Democrats state the lion’s share of the cash that was offered to you, you simply have actually not obliged or invested. Why?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: So, let– so …

MARGARET BRENNAN: And if the White House has enabled reprogramming of funds, why do you keep stating Congress is stopping you from investing the cash they’re offering you?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: So, to begin with, there was a great deal of cash that was provided to the FAA in the past. And I can’t address for other secretaries or other FAA administrators.

A great deal of cash was provided. Not a great deal of work was done. When I asked for a huge quantity of cash to repair the system, what the Congress did is, they stated, OK, we’ll offer you a partial financing, $12.5 billion, in One, Big Beautiful Bill. And they were really particular in how we invest it.

Now, I can’t– I can’t go purchase radar off the rack. This is an enormous order. We’ve asked those who won the agreement, I desire them to develop the radar in America. They’ll begin to provide those radar to us in the spring. All of them will be released by the end of 2028. All that cash hasn’t been invested, however it’s been bound to radar.

Radio is the exact same thing. I’m purchasing radios, however I– they do not– they’re not on the rack. They need to be developed. They particularly stated how I invest the cash. And I have– and I have actually got it all invested, prepared to be released by the end of the president’s period in workplace.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But …

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: But what I do not have cash for is a brand-new telecom system. I do not have cash for brand-new software application.

Those– those are crucial pieces to the facilities, and it’s been traditionally underinvested in. I’m making the case to the American individuals and the Congress, for the very first time, the FAA is taking your cash, and we’re in fact constructing with your cash. Let me continue. Let’s complete the task. Let’s not see what took place on Friday, let’s not let it occur once again

MARGARET BRENNAN: Is $50 billion the overall ask?

SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: Let’s make certain we keep the American individuals safe– yes, $50 billion.

MARGARET BRENNAN: All right, Mr. Secretary, I’m informed you need to get to another network. Thank you for your time today.

Face the Nation will be back in one minute. Stay with us.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re signed up with now by the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes, who joins us from Greenwich.

Excellent early morning.

Congressman, you simply heard the secretary request for $50 billion in financing for upgrades. There are 16 working days left in your home. Are you going to think about that financing demand?

AGENT JIM HIMES (D-Connecticut): Yes, well, Margaret, I indicate, look, you– you– you had the ideal concern.

This is not a Congress cash issue. You mentioned that there was $50 billion sent out in the Biden administration and $12.5 billion appropriated that has actually not been bound. For the American individuals seeing, obliged is an elegant D.C. word for invested?

This is not instantly a costs issue. It is a prioritization issue. And it’s repayment, by the method, for– you keep in mind when Elon Musk was basing on a phase spinning his chain saw around, cutting federal government willy-nilly?

Well, part of that chain saw got 1,300 workers of the FAA to resign or to retire. They fired 400 probationary workers. These are the technical experts and the upkeep individuals. What you’re seeing here, apart from an absence of prioritization of enhancing our– our– our FAA system, what you’re seeing is the earnings of what Elon Musk did, where he simply gutted an entity that– that impacted countless Americans last Friday.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you’re a no on the 50 billion?

AGENT JIM HIMES: Well, no, I’m not a no.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.

AGENT JIM HIMES: Look, if– if– if– if they– I’m not on the Transportation Committee, however if they came and stated– my very first concern would be, well, what about that other $12.5 million (sic) …

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

AGENT JIM HIMES: … that’s being in your checking account today? How about if you invest that before we– we put more cash because checking account?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood.

I wish to ask you about what is occurring with this arms race with China and chips. You was among the remainder of the Gang of Eight who were informed this previous week on what is happening with Nvidia, that chipmaker.

CBS has actually reported, U.S. intelligence companies think Alice Huang, the Megaspeed CEO who was connected to Jensen Huang of Nvidia, was undoubtedly a property of China’s Ministry of State Security. When President Trump was asked about the scandal, he put it this method:

(Begin VT)

DONALD TRUMP (President of the United States): The huge thing is, was the lady a spy? And I do not understand if that’s been identified. If the lady was a spy, yes. If the female was not a spy, maybe it would be various.

(End VT)

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, how specific is U.S. intelligence that she was a possession of Chinese intelligence, and is that the main problem?

AGENT JIM HIMES: Margaret, I do not– I do not even understand how to react to the president’s declaration.

Keep in mind, it was March when– or March or April when the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, flowed a memo to all of the senior individuals, consisting of most likely the White House, stating, we have issues that this female is a spy.

It is now November, and the president of the United States had no interest in comprehending whether, in this most necessary innovation, the innovation which might end countless tasks or remedy cancer, and/or produce, you understand, a genuine tool for terrorists and– you understand, I suggest, the truth that the president in November is stating we do not understand if she’s a spy, that– that really sort of completely highlights my issue.

Now, here’s what I can inform you based upon what I understand. I do not believe that we understand. I do not believe that we understand. And when we state spy, spy is a quite inaccurate term? It’s possible, based upon what I understand, that Alice Huang had no concept that she was perhaps being kept track of or– or– or working for the Chinese.

That’s possible. We do not understand the response to that concern. It’s likewise possible, on the other end of the spectrum, that she was a totally paid-up, you understand, intelligence possession and in fact interacting.

The point of all of this is, how is it possible that we do not understand this around the single most crucial innovation of our life time? As you may think of, Margaret, I’m going to invest a lot of time getting to the bottom of this. And I’m delighted to report that, in fact, as you’ve observed, Republicans in Congress are interested too.

MARGARET BRENNAN: They are.

You referenced there a memo. CNN reported Marco Rubio, as nationwide security consultant and secretary of state, prepared this based upon CIA intelligence and after that informed the president. It likewise made use of obstructed interactions in between Alice Huang and Jensen Huang.

Has that memo been shown the Gang of Eight?

AGENT JIM HIMES: That memo has actually not been shared.

And, once again, the only info that has actually come our method– and I’m speaking, I believe, on behalf of the entire Congress here due to the fact that I was with the Gang of Eight recently. The only info that has actually come our method was sort of a glancing, not-on-the-agenda conversation because conference.

We have a lot of work to do. I indicate, the essential concern is, number one, has the FBI– and I do not understand the response to this concern. The FBI, as you understand, is the entity that does this counterintelligence work, figuring out what Alice Huang is and what she sent out to the Chinese, if anything?

We do not understand that. We do not understand if they introduced an examination. We’re stressed over it, right, since the president and his buddy-buddies, and obviously Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, who has duty for keeping chips that might assist develop, you understand, Chinese AI out of China, you understand, these guys are palling around.

Jensen Huang is, you understand, composing $25 million look for the ballroom. We got to get to the bottom of this, and we’re– we have not even started to get the truths we require here.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Two police sources informed CBS that DOJ’s National Security Division is examining Megaspeed. That’s the Singapore business that Alice Huang was CEO of.

She’s considering that left that position, as I comprehend it. And they’re taking a look at that. It sounds like you are likewise stating Jensen Huang requires to be looked at with more examination here, and whether he was undoubtedly a target.

If– if he was a target of Chinese intelligence, why would not the United States inform him that?

AGENT JIM HIMES: Well, let’s take that piece by piece.

Megaspeed is an entity that sort of didn’t exist ten years earlier in any significant method. And now they appear– and I wish to state appear– to be doing perhaps 2 things. Top, they might be a method of getting these chips to China.

You understand, Nvidia might offer them to Megaspeed, Megaspeed provides to China. Or, more remarkably, and we understand that this goes on, China desires to train its designs so it does not even purchase the chips, however it simply utilizes Megaspeed’s information centers? China is, you understand, training up their frontier designs just online, if you will?

That’s the concern around Megaspeed. The concern around Alice Huang is what– you understand, was she a witting representative of the Chinese federal government, or was she simply sort of being kept an eye on? And after that the actually essential concern is, what info– and– and this is where you understand Mr. Huang, Jensen Huang, is available in.

What info made its method from the CEO, Jensen, to her to the Chinese? What impact was applied? I suggest, if you take a look at the habits of the Commerce Department in specific, it appeared like someone was defending Nvidia. Why? Was that impact on the part of Jensen Huang?

Twenty-five million dollars in cash turned over for a ballroom seems like a respectable method to develop impact, to me, a minimum of.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Has Secretary Lutnick, whose Commerce Department would supervise of managing a few of this, did he react to your demand to consult with the Intelligence Committee?

AGENT JIM HIMES: Well, that– that demand simply headed out Friday of recently, so, you understand, he– he will react.

And, as you most likely understand, there’s likewise been a bipartisan ask for him to appear in the Banking Committee in the Senate.

MARGARET BRENNAN:.

AGENT JIM HIMES: But, once again, if you check out the reporting here, it appears like he has actually been the barrier inside the federal government to stopping the circulation of these Nvidia chips to China. And the concern is, why?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, sort of to that point, I wish to ask you about what the treasury secretary– if I might ask you to put your Financial Services hat on for a minute here and bridge both worlds, the treasury secretary was on FOX today, and he drifted that more Nvidia executives ought to be gotten rid of.

He stated there’s a culture of noncompliance that may require to be taken a look at, and whether they improved possibly illegal sales of chips, he– which sort of recommends it’s part of a bigger smuggling operation that you might have simply discussed there.

And he pointed out reporting that just 1 percent of the computer system chips imported to Singapore remained there, despite the fact that Nvidia stated Singapore represented 20 percent of their sales. Now, if a bank were knotted in those type of activities, there would be extremely strong action taken.

What action requires to be taken here, in regards to addressing all these concerns the treasury secretary simply set out?

AGENT JIM HIMES: Yes. Yes.

I imply, let’s be extremely clear here? Nvidia makes chips. They get rich when they offer chips. Of course they have a reward to offer these chips to the Chinese. That’s absolutely nothing brand-new. Great deals of business would enjoy to offer whatever to the Chinese.

It’s the federal government’s task, it is the commerce secretary’s task, and the president’s task to stop that from occurring through things like the Entity List, which, you understand, restrict American business from working with anyone on that Entity List. Lo and see, Megaspeed was not on that Entity List. In fact, the treasury secretary has actually been stating that.

Yes, what you’re talking about, were banks helping with a smuggling operation? I do not understand what the treasury secretary was speaking about. Yes, it needs to not simply be Jensen Huang. It requires to be his individuals, who obviously were doing precisely whatever that he– that– that they were informed to do.

It requires to be the commerce secretary, who was refraining from doing, obviously, according to the treasury secretary, enough. And, yes, if banks were facilitating this things, they too, you understand, require to be called to account.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, the treasury secretary was really clear that enforcement concerns Commerce, which Commerce was not taking the action there.

We need to leave it there, Congressman. Thank you for your time today.

We will be right back.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: The U.S. has actually struck another record this year, the greatest variety of deportations in its migration enforcement history.

ICE revealed Thursday that it deported simply over 483,000 individuals in the 2026. And while numerous Americans state they support the administration’s border security policies, CBS News exit ballot from the midterm elections revealed 58 percent of citizens believed the Trump administration’s enforcement had actually gone too far.

In spite of claims by the administration that they are deporting the worst of the worst, a CBS News analysis discovered in July that over half of ICE arrests included immigrants without any criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.

In the wake of the Republican midterm losses, President Trump informed 60 Minutes last Sunday that his migration policies may have been too hard. Days later on, when asked once again, he stated his policy hasn’t altered.

(Begin VT)

DONALD TRUMP (President of the United States): We have an extremely strong deportation policy. There’s no amnesty, no– no anything.

(End VT)

MARGARET BRENNAN: In addition, the president raised the designer of a lot of the most limiting migration policies, Stephen Miller, who simply finished his very first week in his brand-new task as the White House chief of personnel.

In current weeks, ICE authorities have actually been advised to attempt to perform around 19,000 arrests each week, up from previous targets. In a declaration, the Department of Homeland Security stated: “ICE is not backing away or slowing down.”

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: We will be right back with the chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Congressman John Moolenaar, and the chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy.

Remain with us.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to “FACE THE NATION.” We turn now to Michigan Congressman John Moolenaar. He is the chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and he joins us from Grand Rapids.

Excellent early morning to you, Congressman.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR (D-MI): Good early morning, Margaret. Excellent to be with you today.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, President Trump will leave the U.S. later on today for this journey through Asia. He’s anticipated to have a trilateral conference with Xi Jinping, in addition to Vladimir Putin on Thursday to talk about the decrease of nuclear weapons. To date there hasn’t been any type of three-way nuclear arrangement in between our nations. Has the administration shown your committee anything of what it has prepared here?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: No. You understand, that’s something where I believe it’s crucial that the president meet these leaders. Clearly, it’s in everybody’s interest to reduce the threat including nuclear weapons and to have those discussions is very important. I do not think any contracts are going to be made, however definitely China has actually withstood belonging to any contracts. And if there’s a method to supply more security for the American individuals through those type of conversations, I believe it’s crucial to have it.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, while China is broadening its nuclear toolbox, we understand that the race of this century appears to be around expert system. That’s why I desire to ask you about what’s going on with Nvidia. You’ve been really concentrated on these computer system chips. Has Jensen Huang, the ousted CEO of Nvidia, accepted honor your demand to come in for a closed-door interview December 1st?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Yes, he has. And likewise agents from Nvidia. We remain in the procedure of talking about specific dates. Yes, they stated they will be upcoming and work with the committee– really 3 committees, the Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and our China Select Committee. And we believe that’s going to be a really essential conference to comprehend, to what degree fortunate info was accessed, likewise to what degree this capacity declared Chinese spy affected Nvidia’s viewpoint which might have had an impact on a few of our policies with regard to A.I. and export controls.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you will not need to provide the subpoena? Mr. Huang will can be found in and sit with you at some point in the next couple of weeks, you simply do not have a date?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Yes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: That’s appropriate.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.

You stated, however, that, from what you’ve seen, Jensen Huang has, quote, “severely compromised our national security.”

President Trump hasn’t released that type of issue. Why are you so specific that damage has been done here? What have you seen?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Well, there is a continuous examination into Alice Huang, however what we do understand is this, she’s a Chinese nationwide, established a business that has actually had the ability to gain access to over $12 billion of high-end chips. And there’s an examination regarding whether those chips were unlawfully smuggled into China.

And for Jensen Huang to be in a relationship like that, understanding that every Chinese nationwide can be pressed by the Chinese Communist Party to comply whatever instructions they have from the intelligence, that was just reckless and a direct hazard to our nationwide security. These are essential innovations that our military rely on, our business entities rely on. And for Nvidia and for Jensen Huang not to see that as a nationwide security danger is outrageous.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I think she is a Hong Kong local. You think that she may really be an active possession?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Well, what we do understand is that China has an all of society technique when it pertains to their intelligence. They have nationwide security laws in impact in Hong Kong. We keep in mind when it was going to be one nation, 2 systems. That’s no longer the case. That’s why Jimmy Lai remains in jail today for breaching nationwide security.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: So, anybody who does not adhere to the CCP can be sent to prison, they or their relative.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I wish to ask you about a concern of judgment here. You heard the leading Democrat on House Intelligence, Jim Himes, who has actually been informed, he stated in a minimal method, however it has actually been shown him, some degree of intelligence. Why would the president, after being informed by the nationwide security consultant that this was of an issue, still give such access to Jensen Huang, even taking him aboard Air Force One and taking him to China? Why aren’t we hearing more from Republicans calling out the president for doing that?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Well, my view is, I believe he brought Jensen Huang to China due to the fact that he seemed like that would be an advantage for settlements with whatever instructions they wished to head. Therefore, you understand, individuals in history can question that.

To me the larger concern is, what kinds of policies, either were affected or not followed up on. And more worrying is, how do we win this competitors with China–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: When you have the Commerce Department and others not either imposing or examining doubtful practices.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, there appears to be a great deal of heat on Secretary Lutnick. The Treasury secretary stated that the State Department, the Treasury Department, the War Department, the trade agent, they all wished to blacklist this business, Megaspeed, that Alice Huang was running, and, quote, “Commerce has the pen.” Indicating Howard Lutnick did refrain from doing that.

President Trump’s his employer.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Yes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Who’s actually at fault here, Howard Lutnick or the president for not understanding?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Well, initially, I believe it’s– we require to take a look at why the Commerce Department did not upgrade their entity list for the previous year. Why did Megaspeed– why was it not completely examined? We understand that Singapore wished to examine and now it appears that there might be a criminal examination or some type of Justice Department examination. Why is it that export controls were so adamantly opposed by Commerce?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: And to what degree did Jensen Huang affect that? And to what degree was he affected by a Chinese nationwide?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you comfy with Howard Lutnick, the Commerce secretary, going to China tomorrow with the president of the United States? Should he remain in that task still?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: No, I’ll leave that approximately the president. I think that there require to be concerns responded to by Howard Lutnick, by the whole Commerce Department. We require responses. And it likewise raises the level of value to getting export controls in the National Defense Authorization Act. And to me, that’s going to be our focus for the next couple of weeks.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, you’ve been on record for a long time that you believe this requires to be actually managed with more force, less loopholes. Let me ask you about a plan that the president has actually talked about, and happily so.

In August of 2025, Nvidia and chip maker AMD accepted share 15 percent of their earnings from chip sales to China with the U.S. federal government. The president later on published on social networks that he upped that to 25 percent. These were terms worked out by the Trump administration to authorize sales of Nvidia’s computer system chips.

Should this policy be reviewed? Is the U.S. federal government in fact earning money off of these chip sales that you state are truly an endangerment?

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Well, I believe the crucial concern is, what kind of chips? You understand, you have the innovative, the Blackwells, the Rubens, which the Trump administration has actually restricted sales of those. And it’s essential to designate, there are some chips that are not a risk to nationwide security and do not incrementally and even particularly greatly enhance China’s abilities. And, to me, there still will be commerce because location.

We have to secure these crown gems. We need to ensure that we aren’t assisting China’s military commercial complex. Which’s why it’s so essential that Megaspeed ought to have been on the entity list due to the fact that they were partnering with Alibaba, which is a designated, by Department of War, as a Chinese military business. We have to distinguish in between types of chips. We require to understand where those chips are going. We require to make certain American business have very first gain access to. We require to ensure there’s not remote gain access to or smuggling.

Therefore, all of these need– and we require to build on a few of the safeguards the Trump administration has actually put in location and prosecutions they have actually done, however likewise have this codified in Congress. Which’s why it’s going to be so crucial in the next couple of weeks that we do not let up on the gas pedal on this.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary Bessent has actually been stating in interviews today that the administration has the authorities they require. They do not require more legislation. It’s a concern of sort of will and enforcement.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Yes, I believe Congress has a crucial oversight function. For certainty for the personal sector, and for connection in between administrations, you in fact require acts of Congress to put that in location. And we’ve been working really difficult to codify Trump administration policies, whether it’s outgoing financial investment or biosecurity, all of these which are favorable efforts by the Trump administration requirement to be followed up and codified in law.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you rely on that those in those positions will do that? Due to the fact that today the Commerce secretary is Howard Lutnick and you’re stating that he hasn’t done these things.

AGENT JOHN MOOLENAAR: Well, I believe there is an increased awareness now. If you– if you take a look at the Cold War and the Sputnik minute that took place, in some aspects this sophisticated innovation, the leader in this sophisticated innovation, China’s function in this procedure has actually produced a higher awareness than ever in the past on how we require to secure these innovations. Therefore, I believe there will be more action and I believe it’s bipartisan in Congress. That’s one of the advantages of our choose committee, that we operate in a bipartisan method with committees of numerous jurisdictions to concentrate on winning this competitors, both nationwide security, the financial innovation, in addition to the human rights.

Since do not forget, China’s the master of a security society. And these innovations will be utilized for additional injustice of the Chinese individuals, along with individuals worldwide.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood.

Congressman Moolenaar, thank you for your time today.

We’ll be right back.

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MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to the chairman of the committee on health, education, labor and pensions, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

Excellent early morning to you, Doctor.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): Good early morning.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You might have seen these headings that it is now main that the U.S. has actually lost its status as a nation where measles is removed our partners at KFF report. And as you understand, infants do not get their measles shot up until they’re around a years of age. Therefore that implies this routine transmission of measles throughout the nation can leave moms and dads with dangers of exposing their kids and little that they can do to safeguard them in these winter months. Do you believe that the present health authorities are doing enough to inform the general public about the threat of transmission?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: First, let me highlight what you simply stated. Speaking as a doctor, the option– you might choose not to be immunized since it’s your free choice, however the kid, who’s too young to be immunized, is susceptible if you enter that kid’s existence. And we’re seeing kids pass away from measles who are too young to be immunized.

By the method, it’s likewise real for the immuno jeopardized, which may be a lady who is pregnant and her resistance falls. It may be– it may be somebody on cancer chemotherapy. If you’ve not been immunized, you might be the individual that brings death to another. That’s something to bear in mind.

Your particular concern, are public health authorities doing enough? I believe, if I were president, I ‘d be stating, base on the mountaintop, consider that message. That you might choose that this is simply your body, do you what you desire, however you can bring measles or some other illness into the– into the health area of a kid who is not– who’s not old adequate to be immunized. I believe that need to be the message heading out. It needs to be pounded, pounded, pounded.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You have oversight of these health organizations in the next couple of weeks. Do you prepare action? I indicate why aren’t we speaking with the CDC director?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: So, I’m in routine contact with the CDC director. There was a damaged link where you fill in your zip code and it informs you where to get the influenza shot. And I– someone notified me it was broken. I texted her. She reacted rapidly and stating that she didn’t understand about it. She would check out it. And after that she texted back to state it’s been broken for a year. Therefore she’s working to repair it.

There’s a great deal of things to repair. And Dr. Schwartz is, as finest I can inform, doing her finest. There will be more remarks about this. It is– we’ve got 4 to 6 weeks left– no, we’ve got about 4 weeks left therefore there’s a minimal time to have a public hearing, however there’s contact going on in the background.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. Well, you have actually shown us formerly that when you voted to verify Secretary Kennedy, you thought that he would have more oversight because Senate verified position. You likewise stated that he’s damaged pledges to you.

This previous week, Secretary Kennedy stated, while Senate Republicans utilized to threaten not to verify his appointees, now that Democrats will remain in the bulk, his gloves will be off.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VC)

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., HHS SECRETARY: The Senate no longer has any take advantage of over me. And, you understand, which’s a huge offer. We have Stephen Miller in, who’s a good friend of our motion, and I do not believe anything is going to get in our method now.

(END VC)

MARGARET BRENNAN: The Senate has no utilize over me. What do you make from that?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, initially, he’s certainly attempting to offer cover for failure as secretary of Health and Human Services. He was expected to be doing something favorable on ultra-processed foods. That’s what MAHA mothers desired. There’s been very little development.

And now we’ve lost our measles removal status and we have babies passing away from measles. If you’re a MAHA mother and you were hoping for something much better, and hundreds of them called me throughout this dispute about whether to support the secretary for HHS secretary, that’s what they desired. They have every right to be dissatisfied.

And the reasoning that due to the fact that Republicans have actually existed and now Democrats supervise will make it simpler for him, there is no reasoning. This has to do with covering a series of failures. And by the method, I ought to likewise state that health care expenditures are sky high. Going greater. Small companies dropping protection. Staff members not able to manage their deductible. This has actually been a failure. If I were president, I would pick somebody else due to the fact that there requires to be responsibility for greater health care expenses, more measles deaths, losing removal status and no development on processed foods.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, a variety of Democrats, consisting of Senator Alsobrooks and Warnock have actually stated RFK needs to resign or be fired. Among the inbound senators, Dr. Annie Andrews from South Carolina, she in fact worked on a platform of impeaching RFK. When I’ve asked you in the previous about that possibility, you informed me you didn’t see an impeachable offense. Is that still the case?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Well, it’s up to the president. This is eventually the president’s tradition.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, impeachment.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Oh, impeachment. As relates to impeachment, you understand, you can impeach, I think, over a ham sandwich. They’ll have to choose what to do on that. I do believe it’s more notably the president’s choice. The president might desire a tradition of greater health care expenses, losing measles removal status and no development on dealing with ultra- processed foods and other things. If so, I– that will taint the president’s tradition. If the president desires in fact something favorable, he ought to alter. Which’s simply– that’s simply speaking politically.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: The American citizens indicated at the midterm they do not like status quo, especially in health care. And I believe it’s time for something various.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Republicans are racing to verify candidates before Democrats take workplace in January. And this Wednesday is the vote on the election of Dr. Heidi Overton, the president’s candidate to end up being the FDA commissioner. You’ve formerly stated her function in crafting the Trump administration’s. youth vaccine policies was practically disqualifying. Senator Collins has actually raised issue about the FDA’s permission of flavored vapes and nicotine. Senator Murkowski has actually stressed over political pressure on clinical evaluation and the FDA-approved abortion drug Mifepristone.

Provided all of this, do you still anticipate that Dr. Overton will be authorized by your committee?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I do not understand that. I’ve been working the phones all week. Both consulting with Dr. Overton, talking with others, I still have concerns. Therefore, I can not inform you the result of that vote today. I spoke to 4 or 5 of my down dais Republican members, as well as continuing to go over things with my advisors. I can’t inform you that response.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you may leave without a Senate-confirmed FDA commissioner in location? Does that fret you?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Yes. Which’s part of it, Margaret. It’s constantly simple to state, my gosh, would not we wish to have excellence. We’re not going to have excellence. We feel in one’s bones that.

Then the concern is, do we desire a series of short-term administrators who most likely will have more impact from the secretary, as opposed to somebody who might be not, you understand, the ideal prospect in someone’s mind however at least would be a long-term one and have the capability to develop some self-reliance. Which’s part of the idea procedure there. That weighs on one side and, naturally, other things weigh on the other.

And I’ve spoken with a great deal of individuals who are substantial, who believe deeply about the FDA, who have stated it’s much better to have a stable hand. I’ve spoken with others to have a various viewpoint. It continues to go back and forth, and we’ll understand Wednesday.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we’ll see how you vote on Wednesday. As you stated, you’ve got a minimal variety of days, 20 precise, before completion of the year. Twenty working days. You got a great deal of organization. There’s defense financing. There is federal government financing. And appears like potentially the threat of a federal government shutdown. You stated President Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have actually made dedications to you to resolve Social Security. Can you actually get all that sort of major work carried out in 20 working days?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: So, I had a dedication from both Thune and from Mike Ccrepo to have a hearing and a markup on a Social Security expense. It might be mine. Might be another person’s. And the president in fact has actually offered me individual dedication that he would support it and his administration has actually been really practical. I have Democrats who are likewise encouraging. It’s a bipartisan costs.

The ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden, has actually chosen he does not wish to be useful. And I stated, Senator Wyden, it does not need to be my costs, it can be any costs. No, he does not desire to be positive. Therefore we will not most likely have that hearing unless he alters his mind, which is regrettable since we have the capability to have 60 votes in the Senate, to have your house and have a president who will sign it, and yet he does not wish to be positive. And because it’s so– Social Security resembles a kid and you need to– you need to take care of that kid the minute it begins to look ill. And today Social Security has actually been looking ill for a long time.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: We as a nation, as a federal government, should look after it. And I seem like that care is being overlooked. Extremely discouraging, however that’s where we are.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, yes, it will be insolvent in 6 years. Medicare quite much. And yet you do not see–

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Which is why we need to act now.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: But, by the method, Senator Wyden does not like me strategy, so he states, due to the fact that we obtain $1.5 trillion, we put it in mutual fund different from Social Security trust fund, put it into the wider economy, and enable it to grow over 6 years, at which point it spent for approximately 70 percent of what we require to cover the financial obligation for Social Security. He does not wish to put tax dollars in the stock exchange.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: He’s done that previously. He has actually chosen that precise very same policy nearly for the federal railway retirement system under George W. Bush, which’s done great. It’s worked. We understand it does. I believe it’s a fig leaf.

By the method, I likewise stated, let’s bring us Bernie Sanders’ strategy.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: We can do that. There’s simply a rejection to take part of it. And I’m so annoyed. This is so crucial to our nation.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Congress exists to take difficult options and now we’re

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Now those hard options are being ducked.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, thank you for your time today. We’ll continue to cover that.

And we’ll be back in a minute.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: That’s it for us today. Thank you all for enjoying. Up until next week. For “FACE THE NATION,” I’m Margaret Brennan.

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