Transcript: Rep. Ro Khanna on
The next is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 13, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who joins us this morning from one other state, Ohio. Good morning to you, Congressman.
REP. RO KHANNA: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to get to what’s occurring to Silicon Valley in only a second on the commerce and tech entrance. However first off, I wish to ask you, because you sit on the Armed Providers Committee, for any perception you may need on one of many bulletins made late on Friday, the President licensed the US army to take over a big swath of public land alongside the southern border, together with within the state of California. And I perceive that meaning the Pentagon’s funds can now be used for issues like border safety or doubtlessly to even detain migrants in that space. Has Congress been briefed on these plans? Do you have got any sense of what is occurring?
REP. KHANNA: We now have not. And Margaret, it is longstanding regulation you can’t use the army for home enforcement. It is a violation of the Structure. I am hopeful the Supreme Courtroom would 9 to zero rule that means, identical to they’ve dominated that the deportation of Abrego was unconstitutional, however we now have not heard any specific- specifics of it, and it is blatantly towards the regulation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You, there, had been speaking about Maryland resident Abrego Garcia, who was detained after which despatched to a jail in El Salvador. The Supreme Courtroom mentioned that the Trump administration really has to facilitate getting him again, however they did not really rule on whether or not he was a gang member or not. The Justice Division cannot substantiate it. However why did you carry up that particular case as proof of one thing?
REP. KHANNA: Properly, it simply reveals that this administration is taking actions which can be unconstitutional. Look, Vice President Vance mentioned that the- Abrego was an M-13 gang member with no authorized rights right here, and the Supreme Courtroom mentioned, properly, we do not know, and he does even have authorized rights. And so equally, you now have an administration that’s utilizing the army for home enforcement, which is unlawful. And I imagine that even this Supreme Courtroom, a conservative Supreme Courtroom, would rule it is unconstitutional.
MARGARET BRENNAN: On Garcia, ICE mentioned it was an administrative error that led to this man’s arrest within the first place. It appears the Trump administration is saying it is now within the arms of the President of El Salvador, who will likely be on the White Home this week. So we are going to look ahead to developments on that area. However going again to the road of questioning right here relating to armed companies, we perceive that the President despatched his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to speak to Iranian officers over this previous weekend. We do not know a lot apart from they’ll meet once more, however within the meantime, the US army has positioned as many as six B-2 bombers within the Indian Ocean. That is the form of plane that might carry a weapon that might be used to take out underground amenities for a nuclear program. Do you imagine President Trump would wish congressional approval to hold out a strike, even when it was simply in help of Iran- Israel main that assault on Iran?
REP. KHANNA: Completely, and virtually a 3rd of our B-2 bombers are there. Look, it is unconstitutional what they’re doing in Yemen. I mentioned it was unconstitutional when Biden made these strikes. We- they should come to Congress. And look, the President was elected by the American individuals saying we do not need our tax {dollars} going for extra bombing within the Center East, for extra wars within the Center East. I believe he is ignoring the bottom that truly elected him, that doesn’t need extra of those strikes with- within the case of Yemen, the Saudis had warfare there for nearly 10 years, and although it did not do something to handle the state of affairs with the Houthis. The President campaigned on diplomacy. He hasn’t executed that, and what we’re seeing is escalation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, we’ll see what the diplomacy he is making an attempt achieves within the close to time period. However let me ask you, why you are out in Ohio speaking to us this morning? I perceive within the coming days, you are additionally going to go to Connecticut to Yale Regulation on Tuesday. Are you making an attempt to, kind of, troll vice chairman Vance? And in that case, why?
REP. KHANNA: Properly, no, I imply, Cleveland Metropolis Membership invited me to present a speech on the financial system and- let’s discuss these tariffs. I imply, they had been chaotic, and so they had been completely haphazard. So that you had Howard Lutnick on, saying that we had been going to carry manufacturing again and- electronics manufacturing again to the US, and so they realized instantly that that wasn’t going to occur. Really, the iPhone value would go as much as 1700 or 2000 {dollars}. And by the best way, if that manufacturing moved, it will most likely transfer to Malaysia or Vietnam. In order that they instantly reverse. They exempt all of electronics manufacturing, which is a few third of our commerce deficit. And I am right here on the Cleveland Metropolis Membership to say, if you wish to have electronics manufacturing right here, the best way to do it isn’t blanket tariffs. You must create an digital manufacturing hub, the type we did with the CHIPS Act. Which means investing in device engineering and workforce. It means having funding tax credit. It means having authorities purchase issues from the US. The President has no plan of easy methods to even have excessive finish superior manufacturing in the US.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, the district you characterize contains Silicon Valley. So that you should be listening to from a few of these CEOs. Who’re they lobbying- apparently efficiently, to get these carve outs.
REP. KHANNA: I believe they’re speaking about sound financial coverage. I imply, it actually would have been- they’re speaking to anybody they will on the White Home. They’re speaking to anybody they will who has the President’s ear. However what they’re saying is fairly easy. First, they’re saying that Howard Lutnick the screws and the screwing solely is about 0.1% of an iPhone’s value. I imply, you want to- the precise elements or reminiscence or digital camera or RAM. I imply, it is like, I perceive they’ve nineteenth century insurance policies of McKinley, however they should have a twenty first century understanding of the financial system. After which they’re saying, okay, you actually wish to do that. The iPhone will value 16 to 1,700 {dollars} however we’re not going to have the ability to carry it again to the US. We’ll go to India, we’ll go to Malaysia, we’ll go to Vietnam. And if you wish to carry again the manufacturing to the US, you must spend money on the workforce, you must have some funding tax credit score for the amenities, and you’ve got to have the ability to purchase the issues we make in the US. So all I am saying is, let’s have sound financial coverage. And I noticed the ballot earlier. This isn’t a hypothetical. This isn’t one thing the President will be capable of spin. Both we will see new factories come or we’re not, and tariffs simply aren’t going to try this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, we did not get a transparent reply on when the semiconductor tariffs are coming, however the administration argues they’re within the pipeline, and that, you already know, China is just not going to get a free cross in relation to tech. What’s that going to imply to your a part of the nation?
REP. KHANNA: Properly, it’s- once more, they haven’t any sense of when the tariff will come, when it will not come, and so they’re towards the CHIPS Act. So how are you going to- as an instance you instantly put tariffs on China. What it will imply is the manufacturing would transfer to different components of Asia. It nonetheless is not going to come back right here, except you are financing these factories right here, prepared to purchase right here. Tariffs could be a device used as a broader Hamiltonian industrial coverage, and that is what I am right here in Ohio to speak about, which is what is definitely going to carry superior manufacturing to this nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Alright, Congressman Khanna, we’ll be watching. We’ll be proper again.
