CASPER, W.Y. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) joined CBS Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan to discuss this week’s hearings for President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and the new Republican majority’s agenda.
On President Trump’s Cabinet Nominees:
“Republicans are now in the House, the Senate and the White House because Americans wanted safety and prosperity.
“The rubber hits the road this week with all of these hearings on the Cabinet. And then when President Trump takes office next Monday, there is going to be shock and awe with executive orders, a blizzard of executive orders, on the economy as well as on the border.
“When we met with President Trump just earlier this past week, he said the number one goal for the Senate needs to be to get his team in place. I met with just about all of them. I support every one of these nominees.
“As the Whip, my job is to make sure they get across the finish line, get on the job. President Trump deserves a team early. Chuck Schumer said he wants to make fireworks at the hearings. If that happens, we are going to work around the clock, through the night, through weekends to make sure we get that cabinet confirmed.”
On Department of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth:
“He certainly has the qualities that we need to lead the Pentagon. He knows about a fit, fighting force. He is very qualified. In my opinion, he has a distinguished record of service in the military.
“Every senator gets to speak for themselves, and they will do that. The meetings have gone very well. Things are heading in the right direction.
“The hearings start Tuesday, and they’re going to be consequential. People will listen and make their own decision. People have already had chances to ask questions, and they’re going to continue to do so. I expect he will have quality answers to the questions that they ask.
“I support Pete Hegseth. If you take a look at the current nominee compared to who has been in the Pentagon the last four years where they had a woke military, where recruitment went down, morale went down. I think Pete is going to be terrific in terms of recruitment, in terms of morale, in terms of returning America to a fighting force, which is what the American people really want. They want to make sure if our military is called upon, they’re ready to go. That they’re ready to fight with intimidating power.”
On Director of National Intelligence Nominee Tulsi Gabbard:
“I support Tulsi Gababrd. She is amazing in that she has been a member of Congress and a decorated combat veteran for her work under fire in Iraq.
“She continues to have promotions in the military. She’s a Lieutenant Colonel. She now has top-level security clearances. She is the right person to keep America secure and safe […]
“The issue that you just raised, which is foreign surveillance, she is now in the mind and position that is consistent with the chairman of the committee and Republican members of the committee”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks on Pres. Trump’s cabinet nominees.
On the Republican Agenda:
“What President Biden just did by executive order, I expect that President Trump will eliminate with executive orders as well. In terms of the reconciliation bill, we need results. The results are what matter.
“We were sent here – and President Trump says he doesn’t care if it’s one bill, two bills, three bills – he wants results. We are united on securing the border, bringing down costs for American citizens. We want to make sure tax cuts don’t expire. We want to make sure that the country is safe and strong. Those are the issues that the American people elected us to do. That’s what we’re here to do.
“You take a look at what happened this week in the Senate. There was actually bipartisanship because the first bill we brought to the floor was the Laken Riley bill. It is about a wonderful young woman, 22, a nursing student in Georgia who was out for a jog and was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant – somebody who was a criminal in this country. He should have either been in jail or deported, but neither of those were done under the Biden administration. We have bipartisan support now even though Chuck Schumer blocked the bill last year.”
