CNN "The Lead with Jake Tapper" - Transcript: Interview with Congressman Ted Lieu

Interview

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TAPPER: All right. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon for us -- thanks so much.

Joining me now to discuss this is Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu of California. He serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congressman, thanks for joining us. Trump administration officials would argue that their approach has worked, that they forced North Korea to the table, Kim Jong-un hasn't test fired a missile since last year. Do you think the Trump administration deserves some credit here?

REP. TED LIEU (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, thank you, Jake, for your question. Let me first say, I served on active duty under Pacific air forces. It is very clear to me the U.S. has exactly zero good military options. So, I support any diplomacy with North Korea. And I support the Trump administration doing diplomacy with North Korea, and yes, I hope it turns out well. But we don't know how this is going to turn out at this point in time.

TAPPER: Of course not. But there is a meeting between Pompeo -- there was a meeting between Pompeo and Kim Jong-un. Take a listen to Republican Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discussing Pompeo's visit to North Korea.

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TAPPER: Do you agree?

LIEU: Well, we don't know, Jake, because we don't know how the meeting went. We don't know how the summit is going to go. I can say that is very strange for the president to send the CIA director to do high-level diplomacy. That's not something that the CIA does and shows how depleted our State Department is.

The president still has not appointed a U.S. ambassador to South Korea and our leading expert on North Korea, the special envoy, resigned this year.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: General James Clapper, he went to North Korea to try to get some -- basically, some hostages back from North Korea.

Is it not the case that, usually, top intelligence chiefs have the closer relationship and ability to do the diplomacy that maybe the secretary of state doesn't have?

REP. TED LIEU (D), CALIFORNIA: I think it would fine to meet with his counterpart in North Korea. I think meeting the head of state of North Korea is strange for the CIA director to do that kind of diplomacy.

TAPPER: Democrats have expressed concerned that President Trump would go into a meeting with Kim Jong-un unprepared. But this does seem to demonstrate that the administration writ large at least is taking this possible summit with the North Korean dictator pretty seriously, don't you think?

LIEU: I do. And, again, I support any diplomacy at this point with North Korea, because it's better than war.

And keep in mind this is not a situation where we can just launch a bunch of airstrikes and cruise missiles and be done with it. We would need a land war in Asia to get rid of North Korea's nuclear weapons, if we want to do it by force.

TAPPER: CIA Director Pompeo is obviously in danger of not getting confirmed by the Senate as secretary of state.

Several Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have come out against him, as this White House is preparing for the summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un. Republican Senator Tom Cotton said in response to all of this -- quote -- "It would send a very bad sign and it would, I believe, set back the preparations and the results of that upcoming summit for the Senate Democrats to oppose as a block Mike Pompeo's nomination to be secretary of state."

What is your take?

LIEU: I disagree with Senator Cotton.

The timing of a summit should not have an effect on who should be our secretary of state for the next several years. And I don't think we should put the cart before the horse. We should look at whether Pompeo is qualified to be secretary of state.

TAPPER: And you do not think he is, or you do think he is? What is your take?

LIEU: I agree with Senator Rand Paul that Mike Pompeo is not qualified to be secretary of state.

He's far too hawkish to be the face of American diplomacy and he also supported torture, which would deeply trouble me as secretary of state.

TAPPER: Congressman Ted Lieu of California, thank you so much, sir. Appreciate it.

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