The next is a transcript of an interview with Sen. Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Sept. 22, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we flip now to Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. And he joins us from Miami. Good morning to you, Senator.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO: Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I’ve rather a lot to get to with you, however I need to focus in on what you and your committee have been advised. I do know US intelligence and the FBI mentioned overseas actors are growing their election interference as we get nearer to November. This week, the Senate goes to be briefed in full on this. What is that this state of affairs that’s regarding to you?
SEN. RUBIO: Effectively, I believe it may develop into a truth of life within the twenty first century. It is simply very straightforward now for anybody to do it, you do not have to be a giant nation state, so that they’re type of all completely different. The Russians are what are the preexisting fractures in our nation, after which they attempt to sow division, getting us to struggle with each other. That is primarily what we have seen them targeted on, you realize sowing messages on the market, together with with inauthentic issues that they create. You utilize AI, you make a pretend video, no matter, you place it on the market simply to get People to struggle in opposition to one another. Within the case of Iran, Iran has- it appears to be extra particularly targeted on Donald Trump. I imply, it has been, now publicly documented they’re making an attempt to kill him. And so, if Iran’s making an attempt to kill Donald Trump, they most actually don’t desire him to win the election. And so that is what their efforts have been, together with tried hack and leak operations and issues of this nature, the Chinese language are actually type of new into this enterprise, or rising into this enterprise of it, they usually appear more and more in some at the least in previous instances that we have seen publicly disclosed, going after particular candidates that they view as being anti-China. I do not suppose they need Donald Trump to win, however I do suppose you have seen them concentrate on issues like congressional races up to now, and I additionally suppose they’re laying the groundwork for extra expansive operations sooner or later, on influencing American public opinion, on issues like Taiwan and what’s occurring within the South China Sea and issues of that nature. So, there are a number of actors on the market which can be on this house now, and I believe you may see extra within the years to return. Since you do not actually need, you realize, to construct something actually costly. You simply want entry to the world vast net. You recognize, we’re an open nation, an open society, with open technique of communication. And the easiest way to take care of all that is for consciousness. Folks perceive every thing you see on the web is not true.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. Precisely. That is why we need to speak about it. Microsoft’s President testified earlier than your committee, and as he put it, probably the most perilous time is the 48 hours proper earlier than the election. He described this as a race between not simply Trump and Harris, however Iran versus Trump and Russia versus Harris. Do you suppose the US has gotten smarter in the way it responds? And have we discovered from what occurred in 2016?
SEN. RUBIO: Yeah, so what he alluded to are some situations up to now the place some pretend audio or pretend video generated utilizing AI is put on the market and it influences the election 48 hours. I believe we’re a bit of bit insulated from that, not that we must always let our guard down, however plenty of the votes are already in by the point 48 hours comes round. So that does not imply it is irrelevant and really shut races. It might tip the scales. I do suppose all the way in which around- here is the underside line, when you see one thing on the market, a video that simply appears manner too scandalous, I’d pause for a second and make it possible for it may be verified. That is my recommendation to all people is, do not simply imagine one thing you see for the primary time. It might have been one thing that occurred 5 years in the past, they usually’re making it seem like it occurred yesterday. It might be one thing that- that- that has been made up utilizing an AI mechanism to take action and- and in order that’s my recommendation to folks as effectively. Once more, I am not saying 48 hours earlier than the election is irrelevant in America. I’m saying it is in all probability much less impactful than it’s in a few of these different international locations who do not have mail voting, early voting, the place so most of the votes are already in by then.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, the Biden administration has issued sanctions, warning, these public disclosures. Certainly one of them this week was about Iran making an attempt to harm the Trump marketing campaign by hacking and stealing info after which sending it to the Biden marketing campaign. This was much like that hack and leak operation disclosed when it comes to making an attempt to focus on journalists, and I do know it was broadly reported, details about you, sir, was stolen and given to journalists. Are you aware what was stolen?
SEN. RUBIO: No, however I doubt it is something that you simply in all probability could not discover with, you realize, only a search on-line of previous tales which have been written and issues of that nature. However look, I believe you are going to see extra of that within the years to return, and I do not suppose that the- you realize, to- credit score to the media retailers and so forth- I remind- that did not run with it, I remind all people you realize again in 2016 when this primary occurred, and I mentioned, that is a overseas operation that was used focusing on the Clinton marketing campaign. So, that is going to develop into a type of issues that’s, I am not saying we needs to be pleased about it or accepting of it, however we have to be simply understanding that that is now going to develop into an everyday function. Not simply the presidential races. Presidential races get a lot consideration that I believe you’ll be able to wade by means of a few of that. It advantages from that at the least. However I believe a few of these decrease poll races are those which can be significantly extra inclined, as a result of when you’re operating for Congress or Senate someplace, to illustrate a congressional seat, and somebody dumped one thing like this on you, it is a lot more durable to get the reality on the market in time for it to be cleared up. There simply is not going to be as a lot curiosity, and there is not going to be as a lot folks masking it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Donald Trump posted concerning the hack and leak operation attributed to Iran, however he mentioned it was proof that the FBI was spying on him, after which blamed the vice chairman for spying on him. That’s not in any respect the case.
SEN. RUBIO: Effectively, once more, I do not know something greater than what’s been publicly reported on the subject of that hack and leak operation. Maybe we’ll know extra this week. However once more, it would not shock me that somebody you realize clicked on one thing, they bought into your system, they stole paperwork, after which they attempt to give it to the media. And look, here is what we will see in the future. It isn’t simply that they will take it and provides it to a marketing campaign or the media. They are going to give it to anyone, some on-line journalists, anyone who will run with that stuff and can start to report on it, or perhaps even alter it. For instance, make up a pretend electronic mail the place it seems to be like an actual electronic mail, perhaps it’s a actual electronic mail, however they alter just a few phrases in it and put it on the market. And by the point you place out that fireside, it is completed injury. In a presidential race, all people will cowl that, and I believe, get to the reality rather a lot sooner. In a down poll race, it may be rather a lot more durable for some candidate to show that that electronic mail is pretend. By the point they do, the election could also be over.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Simply to be clear, although, it was the FBI that publicly disclosed this with the Intelligence Committee is occurring, not the FBI spying on the Trump marketing campaign. There are- after we need to speak about threats to Mr. Trump. It was simply final Sunday. There was this second close to miss. There are FBI investigations underway into what occurred right here, however Senator Vance mentioned he would not belief Kamala Harris’s Division of Justice to essentially examine these items. Are you able to guarantee the American people who regulation enforcement is conducting a full and neutral investigation?
SEN. RUBIO: Effectively, I believe folks on the bottom in regulation enforcement need to achieve this. What info is made accessible to the American public, which deserves to know what’s behind each- not only one however, two assassination makes an attempt of Donald Trump. I believe that is the place this lack of belief in establishments. Look, a number of folks within the Federal Bureau of Investigation confronted prices or had been fired from misconduct in the way in which they dealt with points about Donald Trump simply eight years in the past. So, I believe individuals are rightful to be suspicious and distrusting, and that is why it is so damaging. For instance, when 51 former intelligence officers, formers signal a letter saying {that a} laptop computer of Hunter Biden is Russian disinformation. Then it seems to not be true, after which folks logically conclude, effectively, that is an instance of how these companies and our establishments work in opposition to candidates they do not like. It undermines folks’s belief in our establishments, and that lack of belief is eroded in authorities, within the media, in our companies inside authorities, and sadly, that is why people- that is why disclosure and openness on the subject of these investigations, is so vital. It isn’t simply because we need to know. It is as a result of it is necessary to protect belief in our establishments. And we’re not seeing that extra on the second than the primary, however we have however you realize, however we’re not seeing it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However you belief the FBI and may guarantee the general public that they’re investigating these assassination makes an attempt that JD Vance says they are not taking severely?
SEN. RUBIO: I belief rank and file on the sector FBI brokers to do their job. I do not know what their management in a few of these companies and the mid-level will do with it, since you’ve seen a historical past up to now of there being biased. I hope that is not true. And extra importantly, I do not- I do not- I believe what the actual query is that if, actually, they do uncover, let’s simply say I am speculating. I am not saying I do know this to be true, and even that I believe is true. However to illustrate there’s a overseas nexus to considered one of these two makes an attempt. Would they permit that info to be put on the market to the American public earlier than the election in November? I am unable to let you know with 100% certainty that there would not be these throughout the agency–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Ought to they?
SEN. RUBIO: Sure, completely. I believe that is an necessary issue for folks to know.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I needed to ask you about whether or not you might have heard or have any info in regard to a overseas nexus, in regard to the bomb threats made in Springfield, Ohio. The governor of Ohio mentioned they’d over 30 and he mentioned the one that made the calls got here from abroad. This was after Trump and Vance put the concentrate on Haitian migrants in that city.
SEN. RUBIO: Yeah, solely what’s been reported publicly, however that will not be unusual. For instance, plenty of these- these calls the place they name and inform the SWAT staff to go somebody’s home as a result of there is a homicide occurring. Quite a lot of these come from abroad as effectively. Sadly, there are you know- that does not imply it is being directed by a authorities abroad. It might be, I have never heard that, however simply because they’re coming from abroad doesn’t suggest our authorities is behind it. However yeah, we now have these varieties of people everywhere in the world that love to do these sorts of issues.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, right here on this nation, when it comes to folks being impressed to take motion, we now have been wanting, as you heard about, what the notion of the general public is correct now, significantly a few of the issues that Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance say. Our ballot exhibits two thirds of Trump supporters imagine these false and disparaging claims about Haitian migrants are true. The governor of Ohio has mentioned he’s a giant supporter of the ticket, however he is unhappy about this as a result of there is not any proof of those claims, he is disparaging migrants who’re authorized, and the verbal assaults dilute and cloud what needs to be a successful argument for Republicans concerning the border. Do you agree that this type of factor is a distraction from the broader level and harmful?
SEN. RUBIO
Effectively it should not be a distraction as a result of, at a minimal, it should not hold us from, for instance, saying, Okay, effectively perhaps I do not imagine I do not imagine the canines and the cats factor, however there are actually folks transferring in by the by the 1000’s within the case of Springfield. Charleroi in Pennsylvania, you realize, that is a 4,000 individual metropolis that has 2,500 migrants. And I believe one of many issues right here is that someway People who will not be illiberal, they are not bigots, they’re not- however they’re troubled by the truth that their metropolis is being flooded. In Springfield, you see reviews, these are reliable reviews of giant will increase in site visitors accidents resulting in slower police response time, overcrowded colleges. I imply the pressure this places on a group, and when you complain about it, someway you are a bigot, you are a racist, you are a hater–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — No we have talked about these legitimate–
SEN. RUBIO: — That may be a story right here that on a regular basis People are being made to really feel like they’re haters as a result of they’re complaining about one thing all- any of us would complain. If any of us, I do not care who we’re, stay in a metropolis of 4,000 folks, and also you usher in 2,500 migrants in a single day into one place, there are going to be issues there.
MARGARET BRENNAN: — There are completely problems–
SEN. RUBIO — It would not make you a bigot there. That needs to be what we’re targeted on.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The governor has documented and that we now have talked about right here. However it wasn’t on a regular basis folks making these claims. It was the Republican nominee and his Vice President making these false claims about Haitian migrants. That rhetoric–
SEN. RUBIO: — Effectively, these are claims that people- these are claims that individuals in these communities made, perhaps a few of now recanted or moved other than it. However that ought to not take us away from the elemental reality, and that’s, there is- there are actual impacts occurring while you transfer folks into communities, as has been completed by design, by the Biden administration–
MARGARET BRENNAN
— Sure, however you realize you are in management. You recognize phrases matter.
SEN. RUBIO: Yeah, and I believe one of many phrases that ought to matter probably the most is there’s a actual migratory disaster. There’s a actual migratory disaster and even on this explicit case, not simply Springfield, Charleroi, different locations like that, folks are- there are actual impacts occurring in our nation with this motion of mass migration, and that is not gotten the protection that it deserves. And also you say you have coated it different cover- nevertheless it hasn’t gotten the protection the cats and canines factor has gotten far more protection than the actual world impacts that that is having, and I believe that is what wants to alter, and the way in which this situation is roofed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll speak about that extra on this program, Sir, we have got to go away it there for in the present day. Senator Marco Rubio, thanks for becoming a member of us. We’ll be again in a second.
SEN. RUBIO: Thanks.
