CNN "The Lead with Jake Tapper" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Ro Khanna

Interview

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TAPPER: All right. Sunlen Serfaty on Capitol Hill, thanks so much.

Joining me now to discuss is Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna of California. He's in both the House Oversight Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.

Thanks for being here.

Now, the White House will say that Nancy Pelosi started this when she went after the president for a, quote/unquote, cover-up. And obviously, the back and forth has been going on all week. Isn't it important that both of them, not just President Trump, like, stop this and get to work?

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Well, she has been civil. She has been using the same language for the past few weeks. The president has launched a personal attack on her and is amplifying doctored video.

I will say this as a Silicon Valley congressperson, Facebook needs to remove that doctored video immediately. They haven't done that. I mean, imagine if CNN were saying, we're going to limit distribution, but still showing the video. It's absurd. They need to remove it.

TAPPER: What --how do you think that Nancy Pelosi is saying that President Trump needs an intervention? How was that civil?

KHANNA: Well, what she's saying is, she actually wants the president to succeed, because he's the president of the United States. What she's saying is, someone should tell the president that he should work with House Democrats.

[16:20:01] We want to pass an infrastructure bill and get things done. And he should be able to put aside the differences.

Look, Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich did that in 1998 when impeachment was taking place. Richard Nixon at the height of impeachment passed the Endangered Species Act and the Highway Fund Advanced Act. So there's no reason the president can't do both. And I think that's what she's saying.

TAPPER: The president said today that he's sending an extra 1,500 American troops to the Middle East. This in response to what the White House calls increased threats from Iran.

You're on the House Armed Services Committee. Have you been briefed on this? Do you support this? Do you oppose it?

KHANNA: I oppose it, as do most of my colleagues.

TAPPER: Democratic colleagues.

KHANNA: Most of my Democratic colleagues and some of the Republican colleagues.

Look, it makes no sense for two reasons. First, we have been briefed that without going into anything classified, just publicly, that there's increased threat to troops there. Well, if that's the case, why would you send more troops and 1,500 more troops isn't going to have any deterrent effect. It's just going to be perceived by Iran as escalation.

Second, Jake, this is important. The president's own national security strategy says China is our biggest competition. There are 15 percent of world GDP, we're 24 percent of world GDP. Do you think we need to be at war with a country that's 0.55 percent of world GDP? It makes no sense under the president's own strategy.

TAPPER: You've -- I want to ask about Iran, another question. Is the Trump administration notified Congress, is going to around Congress, going to around lawmakers and invoke their powers to expedite arm sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are on the other side of this war which is going on in Yemen, on the other side of Iran, and obviously there is a power struggle going on between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

What's your reaction, what is Congress going to do about it, if anything?

KHANNA: Well, first of all, Congress has spoken. We've passed a war powers resolution in the House and the Senate to say that we shouldn't be supporting the Saudi bombing of Yemen, which is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, 14 million Yemenis face famine. So, it is utterly offensive so this president to supply bombs and missiles to the Saudis that could be used to kill women and children in Yemen.

We're considering taking it to the Supreme Court to make it clear that Congress has the power of war and peace, and it's important, Jake, to know that there were many Republicans, Republican allies like Matt Gaetz and Mark Meadows who supported the war powers resolution and are concerned about the Saudi relationship.

TAPPER: Now, you've said that you support Speaker Pelosi's stance on impeachment, that you'd rather focus on the investigations of President Trump or rather focus on other issues. But at least 35 of your House colleagues are calling for impeachment proceedings to begin. And in fact, Bernie Sanders, who I know you're a big fan of, said that it may be time to begin impeachment proceedings.

They're all wrong?

KHANNA: They have their perspective, and you're right, there are about 35 folks in our caucus who believe, are so offended by this administration stonewalling that they want to take more dramatic action. I --

TAPPER: To be fair, a couple of them are calling for impeachment if the first month of his presidency. I mean --

KHANNA: Some, but there is a growing discontent and frustration, understandably, as the president continues to stonewall.

But I believe the speaker's approach is working, which is to have aggressive committees investigating him. She's obviously gotten under the president's skin. He's reacting. We are winning in court. And as she said, we have to build public opinion. You can't do something momentous without public opinion on your side, and that's an approach that I support.

TAPPER: You have said that special counsel Robert Mueller has to testify before Congress publicly. The House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said Mueller is willing to make an opening statement, but he wants to testify privately. And then I suppose the transcript would be released.

Would you be willing to support that? Could you get behind that?

KHANNA: I think it would be more effective for him to testify publicly, so that the American people can make a judgment. He can help bring closure to this. He can help educate folks from this.

Obviously, I will take a principled compromise that we need to hear from him, but I really hope he considers for the sake of the country making a statement publicly and taking questions publicly.

TAPPER: Lastly, Congressman, I've been asking a lot of members of Congress, especially veterans, who they're going to be thinking about this weekend, Memorial Day weekend. You didn't serve, neither did I. But I know that there is somebody special that you're going to be thinking about this weekend?

KHANNA: Matthew Axelson was born in Cupertino in my district, he served in Afghanistan. He led counterterrorism operations. He was a Navy SEAL. Unfortunately, he lost his life at 29. I had reached out to his parents this morning.

The entire district is thinking of him, our country is thinking of him, and I salute his sacrifices and the sacrifice of so many others. Thank you for bringing that up.

TAPPER: Well, thank you for sharing that. And, obviously, the name might be familiar to people who have read the book "Lone Survivor" or seen the movie, "Lone Survivor."

Thank you for being here, Congressman.

KHANNA: Thank you.

TAPPER: We appreciate it. We hope you have a meaningful weekend.

KHANNA: Thank you.

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