Below is the transcript from an interview with Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 30, 2025.
MAJOR GARRETT: Welcome back. We now have with us the Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Virginia Democrat Mark Warner. Senator, it’s always great to have you. Thank you for joining us. We’re going to discuss two main topics: the chat room and the recent raid. Let’s start with the raid. Are you supportive of this administration’s more aggressive military stance against the Houthis, and do you believe that a successful operation will enable the resumption of commercial shipping through the Red Sea?
SEN. MARK WARNER: I believe we should engage in more decisive action. The administration is making the right moves. Ideally, I would prefer to see more involvement from our allies. However, it’s concerning that Donald Trump’s America First policy has quickly morphed into America standing alone. I do agree with the approach to confront the Houthis more forcefully.
MAJOR GARRETT: The administration has contended that the Biden administration’s response was insufficient. Do you agree?
SEN. WARNER: I think the Biden administration took numerous actions against the Houthis, but they could have escalated their efforts.
MAJOR GARRETT: Now, let’s shift to the chat room. What is your experience with it? Do you use Signal, for instance?
SEN. WARNER: Yes, Signal is more secure than standard cellular phones because the Chinese, through Salt Typhoon, have compromised our conventional networks. While Signal is an improvement, the Chinese and Russians are actively targeting it. The intelligence community has advised everyone against using Signal for classified discussions. This is fundamental cyber hygiene 101—crucial for maintaining security.
MAJOR GARRETT: One topic discussed in this chat, which the administration has confirmed, mentioned a high-value Houthi target located at his girlfriend’s residence, presumably in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. David Martin, my distinguished colleague at CBS, has reported that the Israelis are outraged over this, believing that readers could reverse-engineer the information and expose sensitive details. Do you concur? What are the implications?
SEN. WARNER: I haven’t seen the classified information, so I’m relying on open-source data. If the Israelis are upset, they have every right to be concerning the careless handling of classified information. This behavior appears to be a recurring issue. We have observed the exposure of CIA agents within the first two weeks and the DOGE boys publishing full budgets and personnel counts of classified agencies. This is not isolated. If our Five Eyes allies, including the Israelis, are dissatisfied, will they continue to share intelligence with us given this negligence? If this administration fails to take action, or if no one is held accountable, it sends a detrimental message to the workforce. Major, I can assure you, if you were a military officer or CIA agent mishandling classified information like this, you would be terminated, period.
MAJOR GARRETT: When Republicans assert that it was a mistake and that it won’t happen again, does that satisfy you?
SEN. WARNER: Nonsense. I could use stronger language for a Sunday morning, but this is indicative of a consistent pattern of carelessness. Consider the DOGE boys printing inaccuracies and confidential savings data—half of which was factually incorrect. This administration fails to appropriately protect classified information, Major. We haven’t even confirmed whether the phones involved were retrieved or inspected to ensure no malware was installed by malicious actors. That should be a fundamental step for a serious administration. I’ve asked the FBI Director about initiating an investigation and have yet to receive a response.
MAJOR GARRETT: Are you reassured that the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Roger Wicker, a Republican, and Democrat Jack Reed have called for an inspector general investigation? Is that sufficient?
SEN. WARNER: I appreciate that bipartisan effort and hope for more. Frankly, I think the Department of Justice should investigate potential legal violations. Context matters; just a couple of weeks ago, the Director of National Intelligence boldly tweeted that anyone leaking information should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. If Tulsi Gabbard believes that, does that principle apply to her as well? During our hearing, she didn’t even acknowledge being on the call initially, failed to reveal whether her phone was personal or government-issued, and initially claimed no classified information was present. Yet, if you have precise information about an impending attack, that’s classified. I would urge her or Hegseth to visit Norfolk and Virginia Beach. I was there yesterday meeting with families of Truman aircraft carrier crew members, and their frustration was palpable; if that information had leaked, the Houthis could redirect their defenses, potentially leading to avoidable American casualties.
MAJOR GARRETT: Let’s shift to another topic that is of great concern to you. You’ve authored legislation that puts Oracle in discussions with the administration about acquiring TikTok ahead of the April 5 deadline. Uncertainty exists over whether China would retain control of the crucial algorithm. What do you know, and what are your concerns moving forward?
SEN. WARNER: From what I’ve gathered, there are four potential bidders. I’m not aware of all the contenders, but if the outcome results in a change of ownership while the algorithm remains in Beijing, it would be a sham. The ability to manipulate that TikTok algorithm—what we see on the app is significant. Remember, China doesn’t allow its own youth to access TikTok as we know it; they receive a sanitized version. The potential for propaganda manipulation is concerning, and if that algorithm doesn’t change ownership in this transfer, it’s all for show.
MAJOR GARRETT: And that would breach the law.
SEN. WARNER: Exactly, it would violate the law. The irony is, it was Donald Trump who first raised alarms about TikTok during his presidency. Truthfully, I didn’t fully grasp the implications until I researched on my own; it’s alarming how much data collection and propaganda power exists—it’s concerning for American users. Both parties in Congress, around 80 percent, acknowledge this issue.
MAJOR GARRETT: Senator Warner, please stay with us. We have more questions for you, and for our audience at home, don’t go anywhere; we’ll be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
MAJOR GARRETT: Welcome back to Face the Nation. We continue our discussion with Senator Mark Warner, Democrat from Virginia and Vice Chair of the Intelligence Committee. The intelligence community released its National Threat Assessment on Tuesday, indicating that China is attempting to access Greenland’s natural resources, positioning itself strategically to advance its broader economic goals in the Arctic. The Vice President visited recently, and President Trump claimed that America would completely acquire Greenland, not dismissing the possibility of military force to achieve that. Is Greenland a valid strategic concern? How is this administration addressing that issue, if it is indeed significant?
SEN. WARNER: Greenland possesses a wealth of rare earth minerals and has considerable value, just like many other regions around the globe. Building stronger ties with Greenland is undoubtedly in our interest. However, the notion of threatening military intervention against a population that seemingly does not desire to join America is misguided—as is confronting Denmark, a NATO ally that governs Greenland. This Trump approach has alienated our allies, transforming friendly nations like Canada into adversaries while trying to cozy up to Putin in Russia and Xi in China. Recently, America voted alongside Russia, North Korea, and Belarus against democracies for not acknowledging that Putin instigated the war in Ukraine. This is an irrational foreign policy; America’s strength relies on its alliances. America alone is a weaker position if we don’t protect our intelligence exchanges and mutual defense agreements.
MAJOR GARRETT: The National Threat Assessment also marked a shift, declaring that drug cartels, gangs, fentanyl, and Islamic terrorists pose a more significant threat than Russia or China. Do you concur?
SEN. WARNER: The drug crisis is dire, and we must combat fentanyl more effectively. Yet, the enduring strategic competition with China, particularly in technology, is the crucial issue for the next thirty years. This includes developments in AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology. Concerning Russia, it’s noteworthy that the assessment still categorizes Russia as an enemy and warns of ongoing election interference. Simultaneously, the Trump administration disbanded the election threat group within our intelligence community, which presents a glaring contradiction.
MAJOR GARRETT: Lastly, this threat assessment notably omits any mention of climate change, which was addressed during the previous Trump and Biden administrations. What is your take?
SEN. WARNER: Ignoring scientific evidence doesn’t negate its existence. One reason Greenland and the Arctic are strategic is the significant ice melt we’ve experienced, leading to new shipping routes. Sea-level rise is a reality we cannot overlook. We spend millions annually in Norfolk to elevate piers due to rising sea levels. This situation demands our attention.
MAJOR GARRETT: Thank you, Democratic Senator Mark Warner from Virginia, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. We appreciate your insights.
SEN. WARNER: Thank you, Major.
MAJOR GARRETT: We’ll be right back.
