Transcript: Sen. Mark Kelly on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” June 14, 2026
The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on June 14, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who joins us from Phoenix. Welcome again to Face the Nation. Senator, I simply wish to learn one thing that the president posted on his social media account moments in the past in regard to the occasions at this time in Beirut. He mentioned the assault, the Israeli assault on Beirut, shouldn’t have occurred, significantly on a big day once we are so near a peace deal with Iran. Israel has a proper to defend itself, however the assault it was responding to was very small and meaningless, and all sides ought to stand down. That’s a special response than what the Secretary of Defense shared with us. It looks as if the president is apprehensive this might disrupt the negotiation and the risk of a deal being signed. Do you help the memorandum of understanding?
SENATOR MARK KELLY: Well, I have not seen the particulars but, Margaret, and you realize, I do not know if this can be a big day, and if we’re very near a deal. I do agree with what the president mentioned about standing down. It’s apparent that we’re negotiating with the Iranians at this level. I believe it is at all times essential for people to recollect, how did- how did we get right here? We’re right here as a result of in 2018, Donald Trump tore up the JCPOA and obtained us into an unauthorized conflict with the Iranians, and all this has carried out for the American folks is pushed up prices, the prices of power, so, particularly gasoline, the price of meals. And that is at a time when the American persons are having a historic time simply affording their lives.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you questioned Secretary Hegseth final month about what this conflict did to American army preparedness, particularly restocking munitions which can be depleted by the Iran conflict. As I questioned him about that, he mentioned it was a half narrative, that I used to be making it up, but additionally mentioned his testimony earlier than your committee was hypothesis. What’s the actuality examine there? Do we now have a ammunition downside?
SEN. KELLY: Well, as Secretary Hegseth mentioned in entrance of the Armed Services Committee, of which I’m a member, this can take years to rebuild the stockpiles of ammunition, so after all we now have a ammunition challenge. I imply, it simply got here from him, and I believe it is extensively understood that while you assault over 10,000 targets from the air with cruise missiles and ballistic missiles and bombs from airplanes, you might be utilizing loads of ammunition, and we do not need an limitless provide of this stuff. So, now we’re in a posture the place we have got to be extremely cautious, and that is additionally at a time when Ukraine continues to want some assist. President now sells ammunition to the Europeans, as a result of I believe, as everybody understands, that is at all times about the backside line for him. But Ukraine is an ally, they have been illegally attacked by the Russians, they usually nonetheless want our help.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, President Zelenskyy was on this program and advised us he is ready on President Trump to say sure to a US-Ukraine drone deal. Do you realize what the holdup is?
SEN. KELLY: I don’t at this level, and I do not suppose there must be a holdup. I additionally agree that we must always contemplate some co-manufacturing. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, you realize, clearly indicated that he did not appear very on this, but when Ukraine goes to win, and I obtained to say, proper now it looks as if the momentum is on their facet, they want further assist from us. So co-production of some interceptors might be a risk, but additionally assist with their drone manufacturing, and this might additionally assist us in the future. Ukrainians are actually good at this, and we now have rather a lot we may study from them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to come again to one thing we have been discussing with Senator Warner, and that’s the safety threat that’s ensuing from having this warrantless surveillance program, Section 702, suspended proper now. You, earlier this month, voted towards a bipartisan invoice extending surveillance authority. You mentioned any quick or long-term extension you wouldn’t be in favor of till you resolve the Bill Pulte downside. Hasn’t that downside been solved now that Jay Clayton is the nominee?
SEN. KELLY: Not fully, as a result of when Tulsi Gabbard leaves, we’re not so positive if the president goes to place Bill Pulte in as the performing DNI, however that is very straightforward to unravel. The president may at this time make it very clear to the American those who Bill Pulte goes to haven’t any function in the workplace of the Director of National Intelligence. When I hear that, then we now have a quite simple path to getting FISA renewed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That’s the worth of your vote, is that assertion from the president himself?
SEN. KELLY: I imply, you realize, I’m consistently reevaluating the state of affairs. I worth FISA, particularly 702B, that enables surveillance of overseas nationals in different international locations. It is extremely essential to our nationwide safety, and when it lapses, there may be some threat. But I additionally suppose there may be as a lot, if no more threat of placing somebody, Bill Pulte particularly, who is- who’s unqualified for this job, Margaret. If you made an inventory of the a million most certified Americans for this place, I’m very assured that Bill Pulte wouldn’t be on that listing. There’s threat in placing him on this place, and it is fairly simple proper now how we resolve this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the listening to for Jay Clayton, who can be the Senate-confirmed head of National Intelligence, if he will get all these votes, is that this Wednesday. Are you just about a particular sure? I imply, given your opposition to Pulte, you want an answer. It seems like this isn’t a query.
SEN. KELLY: Hey, I do not know Clayton. I imply, I’m reviewing his background. He’s obtained a course of to undergo. We must vet him. The statute for this job says somebody may have in depth nationwide safety or intelligence expertise. Does he have that? I believe it is fairly clear he would not. Is he higher than Bill Pulte? Yes, I believe rather a lot higher. Does he meet some sort of, perhaps a minimal, barely minimal normal? Perhaps. So, I’m trying ahead to Wednesday. He’s obtained to reply some robust, robust questions from the committee, and I’ll consider his background and whether or not or not I believe he is ready to do that job.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Wow. Meanwhile, there are such a lot of points of great concern on the nationwide safety entrance. One of them, synthetic intelligence. The White House on Friday got here out and appeared to actually ramp up the dispute with Anthropic. The White House advised them to droop entry to any overseas nationals, which led the firm to droop all clients from accessing its most superior AI techniques. Do you realize if there may be an emergency, and is it, as reported by Semafor, as a result of there was suspicion {that a} China hyperlink group had accessed it?
SEN. KELLY: Well, I have not formally heard that, however Mythos and a few of their different fashions from AI firms are extremely succesful, and a few of the capabilities that these fashions must entry techniques, not solely federal authorities techniques, however monetary techniques, could be very regarding to us. So we have got to take a while with these instruments and do in depth evaluations as to what’s the threat to the American folks once we launch these. So I agree with the administration on this. We’ve obtained to be extremely cautious, and the AI firms, and you realize, I believe Anthropic is an efficient instance, appears to be keen to work with the federal authorities on this to make it possible for we don’t make a mistake and launch one thing that we’ll later remorse.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Mark Kelly, thanks to your time at this time. We’ll be again in a second.
