Fox News "Sunday Morning Futures" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Interview

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SEN. MARSHA BLACKBURN, R-TENN.: Good to be with you. Thank you.

BARTIROMO: Sure.

I want to get to the border wall funding and all of the issues around that, but let me begin with this breaking news, John Bolton requesting from Pentagon strike options against Iran. Your thoughts on that? Is that something that surprised you in terms of potentially striking Iran?

BLACKBURN: Maria, I think that what you are seeing with the national security team and those that are working to make certain that we are increasing our strength in the Middle East is viewing all options.

And, indeed, this past week, we have voted twice on a bill strengthening America's presence in the Middle East. And this includes legislation that is vitally important to Israel, our greatest ally. It is military and financial support for them.

It is provisions to help combat -- combat BDS and that movement, which is boycott, divestment. And we want to make certain that we shore Israel up, that we also provide provisions in this legislation for Jordan, who is a key regional ally, vitally important, as we look at the Middle East.

And what we have seen from the Democrats is just obstruction. They have voted against this twice. We're going to go with this again on Monday and see if we can again have another tool in the toolbox to deal with bad actors.

This legislation also has provisions that would hold Syria's brutal regime accountable for torture and murder of innocent civilians.

BARTIROMO: And we know Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed on Friday that, in fact, Israel war plans did target Iran plans -- planes, rather.

But, here, we have got this evidence that the U.S. and Israel are in step with fighting harsh and plainly against Iran. And yet the president has announced he's withdrawing troops from Syria.

So do these two issues jibe together?

BLACKBURN: We have received a classified briefing on Syria. And, of course, you can appreciate that I'm not able to talk about much of what is in that briefing.

I will say the legislation that Senator Rubio has brought forward that the Democrats have voted against twice is vitally important for us, as we take it up again for a third vote. And I appreciate Leader McConnell's persistence in trying to move this forward.

BARTIROMO: Senator, the president announced that he's withdrawing troops from Syria, and yet Secretary of State Pompeo is on the ground in the Middle East, saying we are here, we will make sure that the troops on the ground that remain and our Kurdish partners in this are not harmed.

Has -- has the plans changed? Has the mission changed?

BLACKBURN: I -- I don't think it would be appropriate to say that the mission has changed. I think it is appropriate to say that the military is looking at a systematic, stable process of withdrawing troops from Syria, but also of the U.S. maintaining this leadership, moving toward stability in the Middle East.

And you will see that continue. Secretary Pompeo, you also have John Bolton who is working on these issues.

And, Maria, what we want to make certain is that, as our military moves forward, they have the tools, the training, the equipment that they need to do their job, that we are listening to the commanders that are on the ground there, and, whether it is the diplomatic or the military side, that we are working in a -- in a coordinated and cohesive way to make certain that we protect Americans.

BARTIROMO: Let me switch gears and talk a bit about the shutdown and border security.

We know that the majority of Americans are opposing the border wall, 54 percent, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll. But those numbers, this gap is actually lessening here. So it looks like the American people are recognizing that a border security is of the utmost importance.

Let me ask you, should the president declare a national emergency here?

BLACKBURN: My hope is that the Democrats will come to the table and we will be able to resolve this. Congress should be the ones to take the lead.

And you're right. More Americans are looking at this, and they are saying -- I hear it from Tennesseans every single day -- look, stop the drug traffickers, the human traffickers, the gangs from coming in this country, because, until that southern border is secure, you are going to have every state a border state and every town a border town.

And they want to get this issue resolved, securing that border. And, Maria, it's important to realize, walls work. Ask Israel. Walls work. Look at the Border Patrol. They say they need three things. And they tell us this regularly. They need a barrier. They need technology. And they need more border agents and officers that are there on the ground to help with this situation.

And trafficking has dropped in areas where there is a border wall. You have less illegal entry. And that is what they're saying that they need.

So I think that it is outrageous that they do not want to give the Border Patrol what they need to secure the border and to secure the sovereignty of this nation.

BARTIROMO: Well, it's interesting, because we're looking at a graphic right now of the current wall and fencing -- 30 percent of the border already has a wall.

And last week on this program, we spoke with one of your colleagues on the House side, Congressman Mac Thornberry on Foreign Affairs. And here's what he said about the current situation. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MAC THORNBERRY, R-TX: For years, way before President Obama was elected, the Border Patrol experts said you need a combination of things. You need physical barriers, you need people and you need technology, all three of them.

So I was struck this week when Speaker Pelosi said this is a moral issue. We already have some sort of barrier across 30 percent of the border. To go to 40 percent is a moral issue? It just tells me this is politics.

And the disappointing thing is, the country -- the best interests of the country do not seem to be the first consideration. It's all about political positioning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARTIROMO: And, Senator, we know that Nancy Pelosi has voted for border wall, border security twice before.

BLACKBURN: That's right.

BARTIROMO: Barack Obama has. Others have as well, Senator Schumer.

And yet now, when President Trump wants to do it, she says it's immoral, even though we already have the wall in 30 percent.

Your reaction to this? Because we know that 800,000 government employees have not been paid, and it feels like this is people playing politics, frankly.

BLACKBURN: Well, it does feel like people playing politics, because there is an offer that is there on the table.

And we all have concern about the portion of government that is in shutdown and the employees that are not being paid. And for the Democratic leadership to say, absolutely not, we will not negotiate, is unfair to them.

And I will tell you something else, Maria. If I were someone who had a dreamer in my family -- and I talked with someone yesterday who's helping a family. Two children are dreamers. Two were born here.

And you know what? They were expressing their frustration that the Democratic leadership is not coming to the table, when they know the president and Republicans have said, let's address the dreamer issue. Let's secure the southern border. Let's get government reopened.

And I think that more people are becoming frustrated. You were just talking about the polling and showing how more Americans are coming forward in favor of the wall.

BARTIROMO: Right.

BLACKBURN: They realize every town is a border town, every state is a border state, until you secure it and end illegal entry of drugs, human trafficking, sex trafficking and gangs.

BARTIROMO: Do you think we will get a resolution this week?

BLACKBURN: My hope is that we do.

BARTIROMO: Senator, stay with us.

We know that this upcoming week is also important for the upcoming A.G. General -- attorney general nominee William Barr heads to Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning for his first set of confirmation hearings.

We're going to talk about that, Senator Blackburn, when we come right back.

Follow me on Twitter @MariaBartiromo, on Instagram @MariaBartiromo and @SundayFutures. Let us know what you would like to hear.

We have got a big program ahead. Stay with us, as we look ahead on "Sunday Morning Futures."

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BARTIROMO: Welcome back.

We are back with Republican Senator from Tennessee Marsha Blackburn.

Senator, this upcoming week, we will begin the confirmation hearings for the president's nomination for attorney general, William Barr. Your expectations? You will be there asking some of the questions. What are you expecting to ask Mr. Barr?

BLACKBURN: I had the opportunity to visit with him last week and talked with him a little bit about his prior service as attorney general for the late President George Bush, and then also to talk -- touch about his work with Verizon, his service on the board of Time Warner, and the 25 years of expertise that he is bringing from the telecommunications industry.

Also, Maria, I -- I wanted to talk with him about running the agency, the leadership that he would bring to bear there, which I think is vitally important for the Department of Justice, to have leadership that is seasoned.

And he would be a steady hand. And I think that is what you will see. He's been in retirement for 10 years. Basically, he is coming out of retirement to serve President Trump.

And I was thinking back through some of the previous attorney generals. And I got to tell you, when you look at William Barr, I think you see somebody who's going to be a 180 or an exact opposite of what Eric Holder was.

And, of course, we expect that the Democrats are going to oppose Mr. Barr and his confirmation.

BARTIROMO: Why?

BLACKBURN: And -- because they have -- look at how they -- three of them participated in suing the president to block Matthew Whitaker from being the attack...

BARTIROMO: Right.

BLACKBURN: ... acting assistant attorney general.

And they are on this obstruct tangent, everything that they can do to get in the president's way.

BARTIROMO: Right.

BLACKBURN: And the Senate is there to provide advice and consent. That's should be our role.

BARTIROMO: Senator, there's an argument -- there's an argument being made that William Barr should recuse himself from the Mueller investigation.

Your reaction?

BLACKBURN: I think that Mr. Mueller should finish his investigation and deliver his report.

I will tell you this. Tennesseans, when I am out and about, they are not talking about that. They are not interested in the story of the day. They are interested in the story of their lives. They like the fact that we have seen 2.6 million jobs created...

BARTIROMO: Yes.

BLACKBURN: ... since we had the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed.

(CROSSTALK)

BARTIROMO: Will he have to recuse himself, Senator?

BLACKBURN: I...

BARTIROMO: Do you think he will have to recuse himself?

BLACKBURN: I think that that is something that should be up for discussion. And we will get through that as we get through the hearings.

BARTIROMO: It just -- it just seems to me that Jim Comey set up this special counsel very neatly. You have got a special counsel in place, which we still don't know where he's going, what he has in terms of this attack of collusion and obstruction.

And yet anything having to do with the FBI's behavior, that cabal of people who did try to stop Donald Trump like Peter Strzok and Andrew McCabe and Bruce Ohr and Lisa Page, any questions regarding their behavior is, well, we can't answer that, we can't discuss it because there's an active investigation going on by the special counsel.

So, what is your sense in terms of when the Mueller investigation will provide this report? And who is going to check Robert Mueller, if not the attorney general?

BLACKBURN: Well, and you just listed the list of questions that people are asking that they want to have answers to. How in the world could this have happened?

How could they have or did they go after President Trump? Were they actively trying to go after him? How did the dossier play into all this? These are the answers that people want to have. And this is why I think William Barr is a good person for the Department of Justice. He will bring that seasoned leadership.

He has been in that position before. He has led the agency.

BARTIROMO: Unless he's forced to recuse himself. Unless he's forced to recuse himself.

BLACKBURN: Well, let's see what the discussion...

BARTIROMO: Then we don't have anybody following the truth or seeking actually what went on here, because they are covered by a special active investigation. Isn't that true?

(CROSSTALK)

BLACKBURN: That is correct. And people want to see leadership at the Department of Justice that is going to get this department back on track and that the American people will know exactly what happened.

BARTIROMO: OK.

We are talking about China as well.

BLACKBURN: Yes.

BARTIROMO: We want to get your take on where this goes, the next meeting at the end of January between Chinese and U.S. officials.

We know that China has been a bad actor, from stealing I.P., to being unwilling to open its markets to the rest of the world. Your reaction to what happens now?

BLACKBURN: You and I have talked about China and the bad actors like Huawei and ZTE for many, many times, the theft of intellectual property, reengineering, reverse-engineering much of our I.P.

My hope is that these intellectual property protections will be put in place and that we will continue to block bad actors like Huawei and ZTE from selling their technology. They embed that hardware with malware and spyware.

And, Maria, our critical infrastructure in this country, our U.S. military, U.S. government entities do not need to be doing business with companies like ZTE and Huawei. So, let's hope...

BARTIROMO: Well, we know that there's been a whole host of spying going on in inside America's companies by ZTE and by Huawei.

BLACKBURN: Yes, that's right.

BARTIROMO: And, of course, other countries are also reacting to this, not just the United States.

So what will be done about it? Will we actually get a resolution on the table between the U.S. and China, not just about trade, but about things like spying and I.P. theft?

BLACKBURN: Well, and this is why intellectual property protections need to be negotiated in those agreements...

BARTIROMO: Right.

BLACKBURN: ... to make certain that there is going to be a level playing field and that we are going to be able to protect American innovators...

BARTIROMO: Right.

BLACKBURN: ... and inventors and the value of those U.S. patents.

BARTIROMO: Senator, it's good to have you on the program this morning. Thanks so much.

BLACKBURN: Good to be with you. Thank you.

BARTIROMO: Senator Marsha Blackburn.

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