CBS "Face the Nation" - Transcript: Foreign Affairs

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

JOHN DICKERSON: It's Sunday, October 14. I am John Dickerson and this is FACE THE NATION.

This week a mystery in the Middle East. The Saudi government is accused of orchestrating the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi who walked into a Saudi consulate and vanished.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP (60 MINUTES): There's something really terrible and disgusting about that if that were the case. So we're going to have to see. We're going to get to the bottom of it and there will be severe punishment.

JOHN DICKERSON: We'll have more from tonight's 60 MINUTES interview. We'll ask a key senator on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Florida Republican Marco Rubio, what's next for the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia? He'll also give us an update on Florida's recovery from Hurricane Michael. Then in a week of back to back to back presidential rallies, we'll check in on November's midterm elections with chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Chris Van Hollen. And we'll take a look at who's ahead in the battle for control of the House with our CBS News Battleground Tracker. Plus, we'll talk to Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse about his new book.

All of that and plenty of political analysis all ahead on FACE THE NATION.

Good morning and welcome to FACE THE NATION. President Trump sat down on Thursday with 60 MINUTES correspondent Lesley Stahl for an interview that will air tonight. With U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley announcing her departure last week, Stahl asked if the President has any more changes in store for his administration.

(Begin VT)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP (60 MINUTES): I have some people that I am not thrilled with. And I have other people that I am beyond thrilled with.

LESLEY STAHL (60 MINUTES): What about General Mattis, is he going to leave?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I don't know. He hasn't told me that.

LESLEY STAHL: Do you want him to leave?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I have a very good relationship with him. I had lunch with him two days ago. I have a very good relationship with him. It could be that he is. I think he's sort of a Democrat if you want to know the truth. But General Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. Everybody. People leave. That's Washington.

(End VT)

JOHN DICKERSON: For more of that interview tune in tonight to 60 MINUTES. In their conversation President Trump told Lesley Stahl that he plans severe punishment if Saudi Arabia is proven responsible for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, though, he's reluctant to cut off arms sales to the Saudi kingdom.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source