MSNBC "Hardball" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

KORNACKI: And new tonight, NBC News now reporting that U.S. negotiators  have already dropped a key demand ahead of the summit, that North Korea  agree to disclose a full accounting of its nuclear weapons and ballistic  missile programs.

Joining me is Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and 2020 presidential  candidate, Tulsi Gabbard.
Congresswoman, thank you for joining us.

First, let me just start -- we have been talking all show all day about  what went on in Washington today. The Michael Cohen testimony before the  House Oversight Committee. The president weighing in on Twitter. All the  accusations that were leveled his way.

Do you think, as we are now counting down the hours and minutes to Trump  and Kim Jong-un sitting down together, do you think this is going to have  an effect -- what happened in Washington today is going to have an effect  on that summit in Vietnam?

REP. TULSI GABBARD (D-HI), ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: That remains to be  seen. I think what`s most important and what I`ve been focused on is the  summit and the reality of the situation that we`re facing with North Korea.  Unfortunately, I think it`s highly unlikely that Kim will be willing to  give up his nuclear weapons for two main reasons.

First is, you know, Kim saw what happened in Libya. He saw how we promised  Libya`s dictator, Gaddafi, that if he gave up his nuclear weapons program,  that we would not overthrow him. Well, he gave up those weapons -- he gave  up that program and we blew him away. And so, Kim`s not going to make that  same mistake.

The second reason is, Kim has seen how President Trump tore up the Iran  nuclear agreement, tore up the INF treaty and therefore will not have any  faith in whatever kind of agreement Trump presents to him.

KORNACKI: Well, if that`s the frame work for looking at this, then no  matter what you think of Libya, it can`t be undone. It happened. It`s on  the record.

So, what is the path to denuclearizing North Korea? Is there even one?

GABBARD: Well, the problem is not only has Kim seen what happened in Libya, he has seen how United States continues, President Trump has continued this policy of regime change in the world. This continues to undermine any kind of promises that President Trump tries to make to Kim Jong-un, saying we`re not going to overthrow you as long as you give up your nuclear weapons.

This policy of the United States of regime change is what causes dictators  like Kim to hold on even stronger to their nuclear weapons.

KORNACKI: You`re talking about a policy of regime change here. The  policy, the posture we`ve been hearing, just watching the president in  public toward Kim Jong-un is one of almost -- it sounds like flattery,  talking about him as a friend, talking about him as a great leader of this  country, all the potential he has over there. What do you make of that?

GABBARD: Well, the point is whatever Trump says is not really what`s at  issue here. What`s at issue is the reality of U.S. foreign policy, and  this continued policy of regime change is actually undermining our national  security, that`s undermining the ability for such an agreement to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, to take place, and that change in that policy is what needs to happen.

KORNACKI: Tulsi Gabbard, Democratic congresswoman, Democratic presidential  candidate -- thank you for taking a few minutes.

GABBARD: Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source