Transcription: Senator Tim Kaine on “Face The Nation with Margaret Brennan”, September 28, 2025
The following is the transcription of the interview with Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, who was broadcast on “Face The Nation with Margaret Brennan” on September 28, 2025.
Margaret Brennan: We are now turning to the Democratic Senator of Virginie Tim Kaine, who joins us this morning from Richmond. Hello to you, senator.
Sénable Tim Kaine: Hello, Margaret.
Margaret Brennan: What, 140,000 federal civilian workers in your state, one of the largest numbers in the country. To what extent are you concerned about the fact that you will see mass layoffs if we enter the closure that the White House says they are preparing?
Sénable Tim Kaine: Well, and I think your journalist Robert Costa said they even welcomed him. We are really worried about this, Margaret. When Ted Cruz forced a government closure in October 2013, it hurts Virginia quite badly. And when Donald Trump forced a government closure at the end of 2018, early 2019, it hurts Virginia quite badly. And the latter would be the same. The only thing about the president’s threat to get more people is that he already does it, and instead of threatening, he should simply meet to negotiate. We approached to close the deadlines during the Biden administration, but we never closed the government because the president was sitting with the leaders of the Congress of the two parties and would find a way to follow. And this is what we have asked since the Democrats put an alternative plan on the table on September 18, just sit and speak with us, and finally, he agreed to do it tomorrow. But if you point out, it is to believe, it goes there in a way, badly defining expectations. He should do what the presidents do and say, we will find an agreement to keep the government of the largest open land.
Margaret Brennan: Is that enough to say, take the short-term financing contract, seven weeks, and we will continue to talk about these health care subsidies that say that Democrats are so concerned. I mean, is it really worth the risk?
Sénable Tim Kaine: Here, here is my thought on this subject, Margaret. And this is my personal point of view. We have to solve this health care problem. And the Republicans say the same thing. Mike Johnson said it. Senator Cornyn said, Senator Hawley said it. Senator Murkowski said it. We ask to solve a problem that even the Republicans want to solve. I don’t think we have to have all the details pinned with everything that is dotted and crossed in order to make a short -term extension, but I want to see that the Republicans say, you are right. We can solve this problem, and here is the path to find a fix. And the second thing we need, which is so reasonable, we just ask, if we agree, please do not do so, Mr. President, sign the agreement, then immediately the start of the next day, start to take funds, cancel the agreements you just made yesterday. An agreement should be an agreement, and we must all agree that Americans should not see their health care, their premiums are increasing and people lose insurance and providers. We have already made sure that the suppliers in Virginia announce that they are closing because of the bill that the Republicans adopted in July, and this happens throughout the country. Let’s just do what is right by our voters and replace it.
Margaret Brennan: I want to ask you another specific question in Virginia, and that’s what happens within the judicial system. In August, it was the American lawyer for the western district of Virginia, Todd Gilbert, who suddenly resigned. Then, earlier this month, the American lawyer in the Virginia Oriental District Eric Siebert resigned after failing to file a complaint against the New York Attorney General, Letitia James. What is going on here in Virginia’s judicial system? Margaret?
Sénable Tim Kaine: It is damn simple that the president appointed two American lawyers in Virginia, both with good republican faith. Todd Gilbert, in the western district, had been the republican of our delegate room. He resigned as a legislator to take the appointment of Trump. President Trump’s team interviewed these candidates, approved the candidates, appointed the candidates, and then appointed them in the temporary position. But the two were forced to go out because they said that their integrity as a prosecutors would not allow them to manage Donald Trump. And in the case of Todd Gilbert, they wanted to force him to demot a long -standing member of the Western district of Virginia who had served under several administrations and presidents. He refused to do so. And in the case of Eric Siebert, he refused to bring a criminal accusation against a perceived political opponent of Trump when there was no evidence to support the accusation. President Trump spends time pursuing enemies, trying to find a way to give $ 20 billion to a friend, the Argentine government, instead of taking up the challenges we have elected it to face. Food prices are increasing. Construction supplies are increasing. School supplies increase. Energy costs are increasing, health care costs are increasing and Donald Trump seems to focus on a remuneration campaign. You have to focus, guy, it’s an important job. It’s time to focus.
Margaret Brennan: Regarding these cases of Virginia, did you speak to Siebert, did you speak to Gilbert to understand why they thought they had to resign?
Sénable Tim Kaine: I spoke to each of them once the resignations are finished. These are individuals I knew both. I knew Todd Gilbert because of his legislative role, and I knew Eric Siebert very well by reputation. And again, it was the prosecutor Margaret, who, when the Biden administration went to the Trump administration, the Trump administration DOJ put it in the interval role before even recommending it, with our republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, as you mentioned. So, after being dismissed, yes, I called and I said that I would like to understand why you were forced to go out, and they shared thoughts with me without putting anything in special cases or a particular communication they had had with the officials of the Trump administration. But I am convinced and the Virginians are convinced. I have traveled in the state this week. People talk about it. These two people had a backbone. They would not come to Donald Trump, and they would not bring a baseless case, and we should not see this in any district of this nation. And it is sad that President Trump focuses more on remuneration than serving his voters.
Margaret Brennan: Well, this district of the East did this, this indictment of the former director of the FBI James Comey. Yes, it was only a two -page indictment, no evidence presented publicly here, but it was convincing enough for 14 of the 23 people sitting on a large jury. Can you really say that there is not there?
Sénable Tim Kaine: Well, a naked majority, as you know, Margaret, there are 23 people on a large jury. They need at least 12 votes to get an indictment, and yes, they got their finger on the bar with 14, although the four – the 23 are not suitable for one of the accusations that the American lawyer was pushing. So we will see what this business is. It is strange that the indictment has so few facts, and I found it very strange. I used to train before this court, and when the Attorney General published a press release after the indictment and we will follow the facts in this case. What the prosecutors follow the facts before they indicate, they do not emit, then say, well, let’s see what are the facts. I think she even revealed that it was a weak case, that everyone in her office told her that it was a weak case.
Margaret Brennan: You in your role of armed services. I want to ask you quickly, you said that you support the creation of a Palestinian state, and we saw in the UN last week, a large number of members simply started when the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, it was a declaration tomorrow that he was going to be in the White House before this meeting, President Trump said:
The president of Vo Soot Donald Trump: I do not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. There were enough. It’s time to stop now, okay?
Margaret Brennan: It is a solid statement. Do you know how the United States should apply this? How do you force Israel to step back after the annexation?
Sénable Tim Kaine: Well, I was very encouraged that the president said that, and you are right. I support what the United States voted in the United Nations in 1947 a state of Israel and a state of Palestine. One of these promises was made. One did not do it, and we must be on the path of a demilitarized Palestinian state, where Hamas plays no role in its governance. And until we find this way to follow, we will have cycles of continuous violence which are bad for the Israelis, bad for the Palestinians, bad for the region. I therefore hope that the president, who, according to all the accounts, has a solid relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu, clearly shows that we are, we are against the annexation, and this proposal for 21 points that the president has on the table, which is quite similar to the dialogue of New York led by the French and the Saudis. These are different efforts, but they try to reach the same point, a future state for Israel and Palestine, where the two can live in peace and create stability in the region instead of cycles of violence. So I hope that the president is based on this during the meeting tomorrow. I was encouraged by his comment. It would be a big mistake for Prime Minister Netanyahu to look at all these nations that have been allies, saying that you have to change course, and for him to shoot his head in the shell and turn to the interior and continue to isolate Israel, rather than going to peace and more stability in the region.
Margaret Brennan: Kaine senator, thank you for your ideas today. We will come back in a moment.
