The next is the transcript of an interview with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, that aired on “Face the Country with Margaret Brennan” on April 27, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We move now to New Hampshire. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Senator President Trump repeated his danger Saturday to have a look at attainable sanctions on Russia. Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted he is were given just about 60 co-sponsors for a sanctions invoice. But in our interview, Minister Lavrov mainly stated their financial system is self-sufficient and sanctions do not topic. Are they in fact leverage in any respect?
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN: Smartly, I believe we should take in the Graham law, and we should go it thru each properties and put the ones secondary sanctions on Russia. And the truth is I have been gazing Minister Lavrov for 16 years since I have been within the Senate, and he’s very adept at speaking so much and announcing not anything. And in that interview, as we all know, he refused to recognize Russia’s aggression into Ukraine. He refused to recognize that it is Russia that is firing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant, now not the Ukrainians. He refused to recognize the kids from Ukraine who’ve been disappeared into Russia, abducted there he he does now not. He is a a very good prevaricator who by no means takes a place this is against what he believes is Russia’s pastime.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Truthful abstract there as to his talents to evade direct solutions, however he did immediately solution at the sanctions bit, announcing looking to dismiss those threats. Given the vote rely, do you assume that that you must in fact get this to be veto evidence? That that you must pressure President Trump to place those sanctions on Russia and get congressional management to in fact assist you to vote within the first position?
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN: Smartly I do, and I believe in truth, the management has been operating with Senator Graham, and unquestionably understands that that is law this is within the works and that there’s some actual receive advantages as Vladimir Putin continues to pull his ft, to do the whole thing he can to play for extra time, in order that they can take extra territory in Ukraine and to raised advance Russia’s place, that is one thing that may lend a hand gradual them down.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to ask you concerning the oversight roles you’ve on probably the most committees you serve on. On the State Division, Secretary of State Rubio introduced a big reorganization this previous week with plans to scale back group of workers through 15%, sooner or later. It’ll additionally condense positive bureaus or get rid of them. Certainly one of them is the Place of business of International Ladies’s Problems. And I do know you’ve in my view labored with many of those diplomats. Can Rubio simply get rid of it with the stroke of a pen?
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN: Smartly, I spotted that probably the most issues for your polling that folks weren’t glad about was once the movements through the management with out oversight and recommendation and consent from Congress. And that is what this management is speaking about, what Secretary of State Rubio is speaking about. They are speaking about getting into, making those adjustments with out actually consulting with Congress. The explanation we’ve got an Place of business of International Ladies’s Problems is as a result of what we learn about overseas coverage is that the ones nations that experience ladies who’re empowered are extra strong. We all know that girls give again extra to their communities, to their nations, to their households, than males do. And there is a just right reason we’ve got an Place of business of International Ladies’s Problems, as it is helping us as we consider our overseas coverage, and it is been probably the most benefits that the US has had over our adversaries like China and Russia and Iran.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And had up to now gained strengthen from the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump, who I do know you labored with throughout that first management.
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN: I labored very carefully with Ivanka, and she or he was once very supportive of the Place of business of International Ladies’s Problems.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re going to, watch what occurs to it. I wish to ask you about Armed Products and services Committee wherein you additionally serve. Quite a few political appointees on the Pentagon had been fired or resigned in contemporary days, this means that the Secretary of Protection recently has no leader of group of workers, no deputy leader of group of workers, and no senior guide for coverage. Does it fear you that he does not have this type of structure round him, and what’s Congress doing with regards to oversight?
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN: It considerations me very much that he he has created chaos on the Pentagon. The truth is, Pete Hegseth was once now not certified to take the task as Secretary of Protection, and he has proven that over and over again. He confirmed it along with his sharing labeled knowledge on a Sign chat with the hot sharing of data once more along with his spouse, along with his brother, along with his attorney, on a Sign chat beside the point to take labeled knowledge after which proportion it in an unclassified supply with individuals who shouldn’t have the credentials to listen to that knowledge. He has created chaos this is now embroiling uniform- our uniform army within the chaos that he is developing on the Pentagon with no need the best folks to run issues, and he is not taken accountability for his movements. And for the ones individuals who serve beneath him, he has proven that he’s now not the type of position fashion, now not the type of chief that we want right now.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In no time, it is delicate knowledge the Pentagon is taking a look into thru this inspector common inquiry, whether or not it was once labeled. Do you’ve any concept when you’ll get a transparent solution?
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN: I do not, and I believe it will be significant that that is a bipartisan request to have that investigation carried out to look what was once suitable, and confidently they are going to pop out quickly with suggestions. You recognize, probably the most issues the troubles that I raised with the Secretary of Protection was once what the price lists are doing to the availability chain for our Division of Protection, we all know that the Ukraine struggle confirmed us that we have got some actual demanding situations with our protection commercial base. The ones are being made worse through those price lists. I used to be at an organization in New Hampshire closing week that does ball bearings for the aerospace business. They informed me that on account of the price lists on metal, that what used to take them 20 weeks to get metal. They are now having a two and a part yr backlog that places an actual pressure on our Division of Protection.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And I do know you sought additional info on that Senator. We’re going to have to depart it there for lately. Thanks for becoming a member of us. We’re going to again in a second.
