The next is a transcript of an interview with Sen. Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Nov. 24, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul. He’s set to chair the Homeland Safety Committee subsequent 12 months, and he sits on the Well being Committee. Welcome again to “Face The Nation,” Senator.
SEN. RAND PAUL: Good morning, thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, you’re a physician by coaching. I wish to ask you about a few of these well being picks. I do know that you just personally stated that you’ve got vaccinated all your kids, however vaccination charges on this nation, as you realize, are on the decline. Are you in any respect involved that elevating people who’ve been publicly crucial of some explicit vaccines, RFK jr. at HHS Secretary, Dave Weldon, the CDC director, that any of that can erode belief in vaccination?
SEN. PAUL: You understand, I believe all of us can agree that there is a rise of vaccine hesitancy. I believe it comes from folks not believing what the federal government is telling them. The truth that the CDC committee for vaccines and the FDA committee for vaccines stated for COVID boosters that it is best to take a booster should you’re over 65 and but the Biden administration, Rochelle Walensky, truly politicized that, did not comply with the indicators and stated it is best to enhance your six-month-old. And the American public is rejecting this. Solely about 20% of the American public of all ages is taking the COVID booster as a result of the federal government hasn’t been trustworthy with us. That dishonesty has led to vaccine hesitancy–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Effectively its vaccination charges in other- different vaccines as nicely not simply COVID vaccines. There’s concern about measles–
SEN. PAUL: –Proper however folks must imagine it, proper precisely, however individuals are doubting as a result of they’re being instructed that. I am going to provide you with an instance. Look, I believe vaccines, smallpox, the story of smallpox vaccine, polio vaccine, are a few of the most miraculous discoveries in all of drugs. And I am not in opposition to vaccines, however like when my children had been little, the hepatitis B vaccine, they nonetheless wish to give it to them as a new child. I just- my infants new and simply, you realize, come into the world, and you may see how loads of cheap folks say, Why do I’ve to do it as a new child? Might I come again in three months or six months? So actually, it is about alternative. It is about eliminating mandates. It is about letting folks take part, but it surely’s additionally in regards to the authorities being trustworthy. What are the dangers and what are the advantages? And so they have not been trustworthy on COVID, as a result of wholesome kids don’t die from COVID, don’t get significantly sick, and there is no proof that the vaccine has any medical profit for wholesome kids.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively we wish to transfer on to different subjects, sir, however we are going to proceed to cowl vaccination on this nation. I believe what you stated there may be that you just’re supportive of all these well being nominees. From what I heard you, you have got been- I am sorry, did you wish to say?
SEN. PAUL: I used to be simply going to say, sure, I’m supportive,
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
SEN. PAUL: However I would not describe them as the issue with vaccine hesitancy. I’d describe the federal government misinformation as the issue with vaccine hesitancy.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. Messengers matter, although, however you have got raised issues in your function on Homeland Safety in regards to the implementation of a few of the guarantees Donald Trump made on the marketing campaign path. His mass deportation vow may be very well-liked. Our CBS polling reveals 57% of voters like the concept, however how it’s applied issues loads to voters. The overwhelming majority desire that federal legislation enforcement or immigration companies carry them out. Simply 40% say the US navy must be concerned. The acknowledged Trump plan is to make use of the navy, navy belongings, deputize the Nationwide Guard and have them act as immigration brokers. Do you imagine that’s lawful?
SEN. PAUL: You understand, I am 100% supportive of going after the 15,000 murderers, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapists, all these folks. Let’s ship them on their approach to jail or again house to a different jail. So I’d say All-points bulletin, all in however you do not do it with the Military as a result of it is unlawful. We have, we have had a mistrust of placing the military into our streets, as a result of the police have a troublesome job however the police perceive the Fourth Modification. They must go to Judges. They must get warrants. It must be particular. And so I am for eradicating these folks, however I’d do it by means of the traditional means of home policing. Now, I’d say that the mayor of Denver, if he is going to withstand federal legislation, which there is a longstanding historical past of the supremacy of federal legislation, he is going to withstand that it’s going to go all the best way to the Supreme Court docket. And I’d suspect that he could be faraway from workplace. I do not know whether or not or not there’d be a felony prosecution for somebody resisting federal legislation, however he’ll lose. And other people want to appreciate that what he is- what he’s providing, is a type of revolt, the place the states resist the federal authorities. Most individuals objected to that and rejected that way back. So I believe the mayor of Denver is on the flawed aspect of historical past, and actually, I believe will face authorized ramifications if he does not obey the federal legislation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Simply context on these numbers you rattled off by way of criminals, these numbers from ICE are correct figures, however they’re over a 40 12 months time frame. The. What we all know now in regards to the immigration authorities who must be charged with rounding these people up. There are simply 6,000 brokers, 41,000 detention beds to hold out the project of rounding up hundreds of thousands of undocumented folks, probably. How do you recommend they implement it? And if this can be a crimson line for you by way of utilizing the navy, would you vote no on the DHS Secretary Kristi Noem?
SEN. PAUL: I cannot help and won’t vote to make use of the navy in our cities. I believe it is a horrible picture. However I’ll let you know, however simply within the final week, with the idea {that a} new administration will change issues, there have been 4 or 5 criminals arrested within the final week. And what would occur, and I believe what is going to occur below Donald Trump’s administration is, I do not advocate to make use of the military, however I’d use the FBI, I’d use ICE, I’d use Border Patrol. And so they have a listing now of 15,000 I do not care if it got here in over 40 years or 10 years. In case you’ve received a listing. You set these folks on an All-points bulletin. These are the form of folks which might be harmful and that everyone must be the watch on. And they might exit and search these those that now we have about 30,000 very harmful folks already convicted of crimes, that must be the primary precedence for all of this. Let’s go discover these folks. Nevertheless it’s not about detaining them, in all probability, they need to be going to a jail, both a jail right here or within the nation they got here from. So I believe if we did that, there will likely be loads of unity. In the event that they ship the military into New York, and you’ve got 10,000 troops marching carrying semi computerized weapons, I believe it is a horrible picture, and I’ll oppose that. Nevertheless it’s not that I oppose eradicating folks. I simply–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Proper
SEN. PAUL: Object to what has been in opposition to the legislation for over 100 years, and that is utilizing the military.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However deputizing the Nationwide Guard. That particularly is the proposal. You additionally oppose that?
SEN. PAUL: I do not suppose it is the easiest way to do it. It is much less clear whether or not that is authorized or unlawful. Sometimes, it must be accomplished on the behest of the governors. I nonetheless do not like a militarization of police, whether or not it is Nationwide Guard or military. I believe there’s loads of FBI, there’s loads of border patrol brokers. There’s a greater approach to do it, and it must be individualized. That does not imply I am any much less severe about getting it accomplished. It simply must be accomplished based on the legislation and according to our traditions.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. You’ve got made clear you’re a fiscal conservative. I wish to ask you in regards to the alternative simply made to pick out hedge fund supervisor Scott Bessent because the treasury secretary. He had a protracted monetary profession. He served because the Chief Funding Officer for George Soros’ funds. He is been a political donor. Elon Musk got here out publicly in opposition to him, calling him enterprise as normal. Do you prefer Mr. Bessent within the function as Treasury secretary?
SEN. PAUL: You understand, I’ve heard good issues about him. I have never decided. I lean in the direction of being supportive. I do not like tariffs, however then once more, I do not just like the president selling tariffs. I believe tariffs are a tax on the patron, they usually ignore issues like with metal, there are 80 staff working in steel-buying trade for each employee making metal. So yeah, you’ll be able to shield sure industries, but it surely’s on the expense of different folks. I do not imagine that will likely be sufficient for me to wish to vote in opposition to greatest and since it is also the President’s place as nicely. I will likely be vocal in saying that I believe tariffs are unhealthy and that worldwide commerce truly saves each shopper about $7,000 a 12 months. So everyone in our nation is $7,000 richer due to worldwide commerce. It is a part of one of many booms of post-war and post-industrial revolution. These superb worldwide commerce has made us all richer, and we have to speak in regards to the statistics and information regarding the advantages of commerce.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood on the nuances and specifics there, however that’s primarily how Donald Trump is promising to pay for all of the issues he promised on the marketing campaign path. As you realize, the federal debt is previous $36 trillion as of this week. His proposals to carry taxes off of suggestions, extra time, Medicare, Social Safety, give tax credit that might add as a lot as $8 trillion extra to the deficit, based on the Committee for a Accountable Funds. Do you truly count on Republicans to take up these proposals?
SEN. PAUL: You understand, in 2017 I voted for a tax discount bundle that they stated would add to the debt, however I additionally compelled my colleagues to vote for pay-as-you-go, it is a coverage that is in our legislation, they usually must waive it, which signifies that if a tax minimize causes a discount and causes a rise within the debt due to decreased income that you must have spending cuts. So, I’ve all the time been in favor of the tax cuts, however I’ve additionally been in favor of the spending cuts. The identical will happen with this. If we do cut- minimize taxes, which I believe helps the economic system, you allow cash within the palms of the productive personal sector. I believe that is a good suggestion, however should you do it. I’d minimize spending, and there will likely be procedural blockade or procedural votes that I’ll power, that claims that we must also minimize spending as nicely.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Our polling reveals that the overwhelming majority of Individuals, 86% desire folks with expertise operating the companies, and 64% polled by us, suppose it is necessary to nominate folks with that have in Washington. Provided that, for instance, the Pentagon choose has never managed a big company or held a excessive rank within the navy, do you suppose he can run the Pentagon?
SEN. PAUL: Sure, and I believe the overwhelming majority of individuals, should you ballot them, will say that they do not suppose folks must be picked primarily based on faith or gender or sexuality. They need folks to be picked on advantage. And one in every of one in every of Pete Hegseth’s criticisms of our Pentagon is that we have gone away from advantage–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –sure
SEN. PAUL: and gone extra in the direction of racial traits.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK–
SEN. PAUL: –And so I believe that the individuals are, and could be, overwhelmingly in favor
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK–
SEN. PAUL: -Of somebody who’s going to base hiring on advantage not on racial traits.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. Senator Paul, thanks to your time at this time. “Face the Nation” will likely be again in a minute.
