The next is a transcript of an interview with Home International Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Sept. 8, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re again with the chairman of the Home International Affairs Committee, Republican Michael McCaul of Texas. Congressman, good morning.
REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL: Thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’ve rather a lot to get to with you. I wish to rapidly ask you about what we heard from the Justice Division on Friday in regard to this huge Russian scheme to affect the upcoming election. Again within the spring, you took some warmth after you stated Russian propaganda had contaminated chunk of your occasion’s base, and also you blamed right-wing media. It looks like you are being vindicated right here, however Donald Trump stated yesterday at a rally- he appeared to dismiss all of it, “I do not know what it’s with poor Russia.” Do you will have any purpose to doubt what the Justice Division and intelligence neighborhood stated?
REP. MCCAUL: Look, the Russians have been making an attempt to do that for, you realize, a few years, so is China, so is Iran, for that matter, and it is intensified. And I believe I did not blame anyone for it. I blame Russia for placing disinformation in america that does get picked up by folks unwittingly in lots of circumstances. I believe on this specific case, the homeowners of the corporate knew they have been coping with a Russian disinformation marketing campaign, and if that is true, needs to be indicted. Nevertheless it’s an issue with China. They’re concerned in my election, similar to Nikki talked about her election. Iran below indictment there. So I imply, that is Russia, China, Iran, North Korea.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to put that apart for a minute and delve into your investigation. You have been on this program a variety of occasions over the previous three years, investigating the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Your report comes out tomorrow. Clarify the timing, as a result of it is an election season, a day earlier than the presidential debate. Your rating member colleague is saying that that is politically motivated and so they did not even get a replica of the report. Why is that?
REP. MCCAUL: They’re getting a replica of the report right now, as is Secretary Blinken, as is the White Home. And–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Is that this politics, although, in an election 12 months?
REP. MCCAUL: No, it is taken me two years to get so far due to the obstruction. I’ve needed to serve subpoena after subpoena transfer to compel, threaten to, you realize, maintain the Secretary in contempt to get data like after motion studies, all these paperwork, testimonies that we lastly obtained to. Why is it essential proper now, Margaret? As a result of overseas coverage is at stake. What occurred after Afghanistan impacted the world? Why? As a result of Putin responded by invading Ukraine, two months after Afghanistan fell. Chairman Xi, Putin made an unholy alliance in Beijing, threatening the Pacific now, after which the Ayatollah reared his ugly head within the Center East, and we’re seeing this. Lastly, that is actually essential. The Bagram prisons unleashed 1000’s of ISIS-Okay prisoners that went to the Khorasan area. Eight of these, and that is who we learn about, have been detained by the FBI in america that obtained in via the southwest border. It is a failed overseas coverage colliding with a failed border coverage all on the similar time. These are very related. Lastly, my investigation will go effectively after the election.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The place does it go subsequent?
REP. MCCAUL: We’ve got quite a lot of unanswered questions relating to the DOD. You understand what occurred on the bottom? Why have been these snipers left principally unprotected? The place was the surveillance gear that was videotaping? Why do not we’ve got one video of the suicide bomber going off?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, there is a GoPro digicam that you just doc that did movie it. And there was a Reaper drone, I imagine, that began filming three minutes after the explosion–
REP. MCCAUL: — After. After–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — However- however are you implying right here some sort of conspiracy? I imply, you may’t be saying that the Pentagon wanted–
REP. MCCAUL: — I am not a conspiracy man. I am a prosecutor. This was achieved very methodically. I wasn’t on the lookout for press clippings. I did this- details, proof. I did not attain any conclusions. However the reality is, sometimes, they do multi-attacks on the similar time. We all know–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — The ISIS suicide bombers who have been attacked at Abbey Gate?–
REP. MCCAUL: Right and and that is their- that is their modus operandi. That is how they conduct these items. We do know that each one the video was destroyed after what we all know from the Marines on the bottom is that pictures have been coming from the Taliban, and among the Marines have been truly hit by bullets, in response to their testimony. It is the most effective proof we’ve got, as a result of the movies have been destroyed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, Common McKenzie, in a briefing in 2022, stated that that was ball bearings that got here from the suicide bomber’s explosion, and there was some dispute–
REP. MCCAUL: And that very effectively often is the case.
MARGARET BRENNAN: –but I suppose why I am asking is, there have been a number of CENTCOM investigations, a State Division investigation. Do you not settle for the findings of these investigations?
REP. MCCAUL: If it wasn’t for my investigation, CENTCOM never- by no means would have opened- reopened any investigation. It- it was this, you realize, very courageous sniper that got here ahead. You understand, Tyler Vargas-Andrews. They got here ahead and stated, I had the suicide bomber in my sights. I requested for permission to interact. Permission was denied.
MARGARET BRENNAN: CENTCOM denies that that occurred.
REP. MCCAUL: They denied it occurred. I wish to know the place they obtained the image. Is {that a} image of the bomber on the website at HKIA, or the place do they get that image? We simply do not know.
MARGARET BRENNAN: HKIA, being the- the airport. I wish to ask you although, 11 Marines, one sailor, and one soldier, misplaced their lives at Abbey Gate when it- that suicide bomber detonated. On Tuesday, the Speaker of the Home is presenting an award to the relations of the fallen. That is additionally debate day. I believe you’d agree, all Gold Star households should be revered on this nation. Greater than 2,400 People have been killed in Afghanistan. 45 fight deaths below Donald Trump. Why aren’t all of them being honored? Why solely these 13?
REP. MCCAUL: Properly, this was one of many deadliest days in Afghanistan. It might have been prevented on the State Division, did its job by legislation and executed the plan of evacuation. They didn’t try this until- till the day the Taliban invaded and overran Kabul. By that point, it was too late. They left these 13 servicemen and ladies hanging out to dry. 170 Afghans killed. 45 service members and Afghans injured because of the I might say, ethical negligence on the a part of the administration permitting this to occur. I believe it’s very acceptable to honor them. It was by no means achieved with the intention of it being on the identical date as the controversy. That was not a coordinated effort.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Actually?
REP. MCCAUL: To my data, it was not.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Common McKenzie, who was the CENTCOM commander in 2021, stated the Trump-era Doha settlement was one of many worst negotiating errors ever made by america. It was the “operational mechanism that killed Afghanistan, that destroyed the federal government of Afghanistan.” Did you establish errors by the Trump administration?
REP. MCCAUL: Properly, we recognized Zal Khalilzad. The error here–
MARGARET BRENNAN: The negotiator.
REP. MCCAUL: –yeah, with Doha, was the truth that he negotiates with the Taliban and leaves out the Afghan authorities. That was a slap within the face to them, and it was not good for morale. Having stated that, the Taliban–
MARGARET BRENNAN: That was the Trump coverage.
REP. MCCAUL: Yeah, and the Taliban was in violation of Doha. That is why Trump left 2500 troops. When President Biden got here into workplace, it was very clear: go to zero. In truth, his press man stated it is immaterial, Doha settlement’s immaterial to us going to zero. We’re getting the hell out of there, regardless of situations on the bottom.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Each presidents agreed with getting out. It was the navy that opposed the way it was achieved.
REP. MCCAUL: Properly the Trump administration had situations. I do not think- I do not think- we will speculate. One factor’s for certain, Biden had an agenda on day one to get out.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’ve so many extra questions for you, sir, however I am informed we’re out of time, and we’ve got to go away it there. Mike McCaul, Chairman of the Home International Affairs Committee, we’ll be again in a second.
REP. MCCAUL: Thanks, Margaret.
