Transcript: Rep. Jim Himes on
The next is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on July 20, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to the highest Democrat on the Home Intelligence Committee, Consultant Jim Himes. He joins us from Connecticut. Good morning to you. Congressman, you might be on the Monetary Providers Committee, so let’s choose up proper there. The Supreme Courtroom indicated that the President of the US doesn’t have the authority to fireside the Fed Chair until there may be trigger. It sounds just like the White Home is attempting to construct a case that they’ve trigger. In the event that they go forward with it, what occurs?
CONGRESSMAN JIM HIMES: Yeah, effectively, you understand, Margaret, the final query you requested the Secretary, reveals what a con man he’s. And I simply listened to his complete factor. And, you understand, if you happen to’re over the age of 5, you have handled hucksters and con males. All the things goes to be nice in two weeks. By August 1st, we’ll have a deal. The American persons are going to be so comfortable. Full failure to grasp the details, proper? He stated that tariffs are paid by overseas international locations. Tariffs should not paid by overseas international locations. He stated, Jay Powell is torturing the American individuals. Margaret, you did not have the time, however if you happen to’d had a minute, you’d have stated, wait a minute. There is a Federal Open Market Committee that’s comprised of seven Fed governors, and all the heads of the central financial institution workplaces across the nation. That committee, comprised of people that have been appointed by Democratic and Republican Presidents, set the rates of interest, proper? So, this notion that Jay Powell is unilaterally stopping a decline in rates of interest, which, by the way in which, within the of- within the face- for these of these of us who know slightly bit about economics, within the face of up-ticking inflation, which we’re seeing, can be completely bananas. So, what you simply noticed was a grasp class by a huckster and a con man who makes use of phrases like torture which can be very, very harmful phrases, not only for the financial system, however for the bodily security of individuals like Jay Powell.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, simply to be clear, that is why I stated it is not the Chairman’s unilateral resolution for precisely the explanation you raised, that there’s a committee that makes the choice. The inflation price for the CPI was 2.7% if you happen to strip out food- power and meals, which is extra risky, it is up two-tenths of a p.c. So, that financial information is what we’re pointing to there, not opinion on pricing. However, is there congressional pushback that may be finished? I imply, what occurs if there is a tweet that claims the Fed chair is gone?
REP. HIMES: Effectively, curiously, contained in the White Home, and I do not know who it’s, my guess is it is perhaps the Treasury Secretary is saying, and it is a very troublesome factor to say to an individual like Donald Trump, that if you happen to fireplace the Fed chair, both illegally, which they’re comfortable to do, or since you trump up some baloney-like-charge related to a renovation of the headquarters, there may be going to be a large market response, since you can not mislead the capital markets. We noticed this the day after Liberation Day, earlier than all of us have been familiarized with the TACO commerce. The day after liberation day, the inventory and the bond markets took a nosedive. So, my guess is that anyone is saying to the president as a result of he does not care if he follows the regulation or not, and the regulation could be very clear that he cannot fireplace the Fed chair. However anyone is saying to the President, the financial instability that will get induced when the cornerstone of the worldwide financial system and capital markets all the sudden has a politically pushed rate of interest coverage. I believe that is the one factor that is holding them off.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman, we’ll take a fast break and proceed our dialog on a wide range of subjects. We have to carry up with you on the opposite aspect of it, stick with us.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to Face the Nation. We’re persevering with our dialog now with Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes, who’s the rating member on the Intelligence Committee. Congressman, I need to choose up on that subject. Only a assertion of truth right here: A bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee investigation discovered that the US intelligence neighborhood evaluation of Russian interference within the 2016 election was right. They deemed it to be so on a bipartisan foundation. I am saying that as a result of in the present day and yesterday, the director of the intelligence neighborhood, Tulsi Gabbard, has stated that she is referring for prosecution former American officers she accused of treasonous conspiracy, a years-long coup towards President Trump, as a result of they assessed Russia had tried to affect the election. That is weeks after the CIA Director issued a report critiquing the tradecraft that went into that 2016 evaluation. Is there any authorized foundation for any form of prosecution right here?
REP. HIMES: None, completely none. Margaret, what you noticed from the Director of Nationwide Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was not only a lie, however a really harmful lie, as a result of once you begin throwing round language like sedition and treason, anyone goes to get harm. Now, you identified that the Senate committee, then led by Marco Rubio, a Republican and now Secretary of State, discovered unanimously that Russia meddled within the election to attempt to help Donald Trump. John Durham, particular counsel appointed by Donald Trump, investigated this, discovered that the Senate report was right. Now, what Tulsi is doing it is slightly sleight of hand, nevertheless it’s value specializing in. She is saying that the Intelligence Committee, early on, stated that the Russians couldn’t use cyber instruments to mess with the voting infrastructure, the machines that tally our votes. And that was true then, and it’s true now, although the Russians tried to interrupt into a few states, you understand, election technical infrastructure. They did not do it, however it’s well-known and effectively established that the Russians hacked into the DNC and undertook any variety of different affect operations, together with shopping for reams of Fb adverts to discredit Hillary Clinton. That’s not in competition, proper? And what’s horrifying about this complete lie out of Gabbard is, primary, it places individuals in danger. And proper now, you understand, the mouth-breathers on MAGA on-line are simply going out of their minds based mostly on a lie. And quantity two, the intelligence neighborhood is stuffed with very, good individuals who do their jobs each single day, and now they’re watching their chief do one thing that every one in all them is aware of is dishonest and it’s a actually, actually dangerous factor for the security and safety of the American individuals when that dynamic is- is on the market.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That Senate report is on-line, the findings are there, however I perceive your distinction there, and it is an vital one in affect versus bodily hacking. You are–
REP. HIMES: — By- by the way in which Margaret, if I could- if I could, you requested concerning the referral. This is the check. That is Epstein another time. Legal referrals. We’ll prosecute Barack Obama, you understand, treasonous and seditious. This is the factor, and I hope that 4, 5, 6, weeks from now- do not take it from this Democrat. 4,5,6, weeks from now, let’s have a look at if this administration, Tulsi Gabbard, accusing a former president of treason. Let’s examine if they convey fees. They will not. They will not, as a result of there’s not a decide within the land, not a single decide who will deal with this with something apart from laughter that might be heard from the Atlantic to the Pacific on this nation. So the check of that is 4,5,6 weeks from now, is the DOJ bringing fees? And the reply to that’s no. And now we’ll be in Epstein world. We’re like, wait a minute, treasonous conspiracy by a former president. Why is not the Division of Justice bringing fees? And the reply to that query is that it’s a lie.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. On the opposite subject, I need to ask you about as a Democrat, the New York Occasions– the DNC– is reporting the DNC examination of what went unsuitable within the final election goes to avoid the choices made by the Biden turned Harris marketing campaign. You have been very direct early on in calling for then President Biden to drop out of this race. You do not parse your phrases usually. Do you truly suppose it’s attainable on your celebration to self-diagnose issues with out trying on the presidential race itself when it comes to the candidates?
REP. HIMES: Look, we have to acknowledge and every- and all of America noticed it on the night time of that disastrous debate within the July earlier than the election that Joe Biden was not going to win the election. That was not simply evident within the debate. It was evident within the polling that his individuals have been retaining from him. Okay, so that may be a truth. Now, Democrats are a giant tent celebration. We go from Joe Manchin, who’s virtually a Republican, to AOC who’s a Democratic socialist. So, we at all times have a battle in developing with kind of one set of insurance policies, one set of messaging, and it is notably arduous to do when we do not have a presidential candidate. You realize, a presidential candidate, after all, attracts the eye, is kind of the one one who should run nationwide and converse for the celebration as a complete. Proper now, we’re having a variety of conversations with a variety of completely different views, and I perceive that is enormously irritating to Democrats who’re so upset over the results of the election. However you understand, apart from combat again with the instruments that we have now proper now, we have got to be introspective about what we have now finished unsuitable that resulted in a dramatic win by Donald Trump in 2020*. There’s an terrible lot of rage within the Democratic Get together, and my message to my Democratic associates is ok. I get the trend, consider me. I used to be within the chamber on January 6, 2021, and apprehensive for my very own life. However the factor to do proper now could be to be introspective and ask your self, what can we do higher to enchantment to extra individuals, together with these folks that we have now misplaced time and time once more in elections.
MARGARET BRENNAN: 15 months out from the midterm races. Congressman Jim Himes, thanks. We’ll be proper again.
*President Donald Trump gained the 2024 election. Former President Biden gained the 2020 election.
