CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: "Interview with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi"

Interview

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But joining us right now, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. He is a Democrat. He serves on both the Intelligence and Oversight committees.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.

REP. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI (D-IL): Hey, thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: So what does John Bolton's ouster mean for U.S. national security? KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, obviously, John Bolton and his views were

problematic.

But I think the real problem here is the president's foreign policy or national security or whatever you want to call the strategy there, which is nonexistent. At this point, the president seems to cozy up to our adversaries and pushes away our allies.

And there isn't really much of a coherence to his vision on how we should be conducting foreign policy or national security strategy. So I think there's not going to be much job security in the future for any national security adviser in that particular situation.

BLITZER: Do you worry about the constant turnover inside the president's national security team?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Yes.

We started with Michael Flynn, who's now about to go to jail, then H.R. McMaster, and now Mr. Bolton. And we don't know who's next.

Whoever is next is going to have to come in and actually, hopefully, knock some common sense into the Trump administration with regard to foreign policy and national security, because, right now, there's no coherence, there's no vision.

And when there's none of those things, it's hard to execute and deliver anything for the American people.

BLITZER: What would you like to see from the president's next, his fourth national security adviser?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I'm hoping for someone who can actually build our alliances again.

We have some very significant security challenges around the world, including with regard to Russia and China. And we should be very firm with regard to our adversaries.

And, right now, we are doing the opposite. So that's what I'm -- I'm hoping that the next person can move us in the direction of a foreign policy that both Democratic and Republican administrations have consistently pursued and that actually yielded results in the past.

BLITZER: You sit on the House Intelligence Committee.

Let's talk a little bit about some new reporting from our Jim Sciutto. According to multiple senior officials who have served in the Trump administration, the president has repeatedly expressed opposition to using covert foreign sources to gather intelligence for the United States.

What kind of impact would foregoing covert foreign sources have on U.S. national security?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, gosh, I can't comment on that specific reporting.

But what I can say is, there's just an ongoing concern with regard to the president and his relationship to the intelligence community, his handling of classified intelligence, and, quite frankly, his relations with the Russians.

This came up over and over again in the Mueller hearing about a month ago. That's why I think that we should continue with the investigation to assess the counterintelligence risks of the president's ties to Russia.

BLITZER: All right, you also serve on the Oversight Committee.

[18:15:00]

CNN has learned that the inspector general over at the Commerce Department is now looking into that unsigned statement put out by NOAA backing up President Trump's faulty Hurricane Dorian forecast.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Yes.

BLITZER: Is this something your committee should also take a look at?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I'm going to follow the lead of Chairman Cummings. I'm sure that he's extremely concerned about this.

And if he decides to call hearings, I think we would be extremely supportive.

I would just make two points. One, I think that there's just going to be stormy weather for any truth-teller at NOAA or, for that matter, at any agency within the purview of someone like Wilbur Ross.

And then, secondly, I just think that Wilbur Ross is yet again pursuing a political agenda for the president, rather than the business of the American people. He did this with regard to trying to insert the citizenship question on the census, and then making up pretexts for why he did it.

And now we see his performance with regard to NOAA. This is extremely troublesome.

BLITZER: You think he should resign?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: I think his time is up.

And I do think that we have to investigate what exactly has been going on at the Commerce Department. The census is about to start early next year. And we can't have someone like Wilbur Ross or anybody who's politically motivated in conducting the census, when so much depends on it.

BLITZER: Congressman Krishnamoorthi, thanks, as usual, for joining us.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Thank you, Wolf.

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