CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Vincente Gonzalez

Interview

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MARQUARDT: He wants them to call him.

I want to bring in Texas congressman Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat who sits on the House foreign affairs committee.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining me this afternoon.

REP. VICENTE GONZALEZ (D), TEXAS: Thank you for having me.

MARQUARDT: After the U.S. pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal, the JCPOA last year, we did see this week Iran themselves partially pulling out. When you see these competing messages from the White House, does it look liked that Trump is trying to play good cop to Pompeo and Bolton as bad cop? Do you think on some level, the mixed messages are intentional?

I don't know. You know, this President can be quite unpredictable on foreign affairs issues, as you know it. We saw with the North Korea, but it could be. I do consider Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Bolton very serious diplomats that have America's interest in mind. And I think that they may have a concerted end that hopefully will be effective in dealing with Iran and holding a strong line on the concern that they bring to that region and to the world.

MARQUARDT: Congressman, as you know well, it's been a busy week on the foreign policy front, Iran just one of many issues that the White House is dealing with, as well as China. We saw the President tweeting this morning about his new tariffs on China amid this escalating trade war.

He wrote, such an easy way to avoid tariffs, make or produce your goods and product in the good old USA. It's very simple.

Congressman, is it that simple? What is the impact of these tariffs on U.S. (INAUDIBLE)?

GONZALEZ: Well, it's clearly not that simple because this is a 40- year relationship that we can't turn around with one tariff. But I do -- that's one of the few things that I think I can agree with the President from time to time is being tough on Iran and being tough on trade and make sure that they don't take advantage of us with our trade deals and make sure that they quit taking advantage of our intellectual property, and have been very difficult in the financial sector that was supposed to be integrated into China.

So I agree with him sometimes on some of the steps he takes, and even some of the rhetoric you hear against China. And I think most of the American people would agree on that issue as well.

[16:20:08] MARQUARDT: One of the tariffs from the Trump administration against China is a new one. That is 17.5 percent on tomatoes that are imported from Mexico. You wrote letters, urging secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross to reconsidering, did you hear anything back?

GONZALEZ: Yes. And I haven't heard back but obviously, Mexico is a very difference partner. And Mexico and Canada are good friends. They are good allies. We have had an agreement for the past 20- something years that's been very effective. That's about bash prosperity to all three countries. I think that we should be on an open playing field when it comes to Mexico and Canada.

MARQUARDT: While I have you, I want to hit another hotspot in the world. In Syria, we have seen a major escalation over there, the Assad regime launching a military offensive on the northern Idlib region, one of the few parts of the country that they don't control. It is home to about three million civilians. Many are fearing a massacre.

Congressman, you have urged President Trump and Mike Pompeo to stop those attacks from the Assad regime, but at the end of the day we have heard President Trump say repeatedly that he wants out of the Syria.

GONZALEZ: Yes, he has. And I don't know that that's the most intelligent solution. I'm quite shock that he would make those comments publicly. Because I do think that we should continue having a presence there, otherwise we leave it just open to China and Iran to control Syria and everything that happens in that region.

I think that our sphere of influence should continue to stay in that region. And we need to continue to help our friends and neighbors that are dealing with a refugee problem.

I was just in Lebanon and Jordan, they have millions of refugees that are in their country that have been impacted by the conflict in Syria. And you know, their economies are suffering, which brings instability on other trading partners there in the area, to Israel, to Turkey, to other places. So I think America needs to stay engaged in that region. And talking about pulling out of the Syria I think is absurd.

MARQUARDT: You know, one of the place that is Russia is engaged where we are seeing this rivalry between the U.S. and Russia play out is Syria. One of the reasons that President Assad is still in power is because he is so dependent on the Russians, and specifically on their airpower. And now, we see secretary of state Mike Pompeo meeting with President Putin next week. Does Putin have any pressure to back down on Syria? GONZALEZ: I hope he does. And I think that we should try to work

with him to come up with a Syrian solution. I think at this point, I don't see how we can resolved the conflict in Syria without have been the Russians set the table. And we created that place for ourselves over the years.

MARQUARDT: All right. Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, thanks very much.

GONZALEZ: Thank you.

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