▶ Watch Video: Sen. John Kennedy says U.S. should “stay the course” in Iran
The following is the transcript of an interview with Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on July 26, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Republican Senator John Kennedy, who joins us this morning from Madisonville, Louisiana. Senator, it’s good to have you on the program. I’ve- I’ve got a lot to–
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY: — Good to be with you, Margaret.–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — get to with you. Let me just button up where I left it with Ambassador Waltz, if I could, because that Saudi civil nuclear deal he was just discussing-it’s got to go to you. It’s got to go to Congress for approval. Are you comfortable with it?
SEN. KENNEDY: No. Maybe some someday, but not right now. We’re bombing a country to keep them from getting a nuclear weapon, but we’re signing a deal with another country, I know it’s a commercial agreement, but that the world perceives as possibly someday leading to a nuclear weapon. The world’s on a hair trigger. The world looks at what’s going on in- in Ukraine, the Middle East. The world looks at America’s relationship now with Europe. People are scared. That’s why I say hair trigger. And if you’re running Japan, or South Korea, or Australia, or Brazil, or some countries in Europe, you’re at least thinking about the need to acquire a nuclear weapon, and then you see this deal with Saudi Arabia, and it’s just not good timing. I think someday it might be. I don’t think it’s going to happen anyway because the president’s conditioned it on Iran- on Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel, and they’re not- they’re not going to do that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the Saudis said they’d be willing to, but they want a pathway for the Palestinians. The Israeli politics of the moment don’t make that sound–
SEN. KENNEDY: — I know. And- and the president’s going to say- the president’s going to point out correctly that we’ve got 26 of these one-two-three agreements with other countries.
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yes–
SEN. KENNEDY: — but the timing’s- the timing’s not good.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. It got a lot of attention this week. You were pretty sharp in your questioning there of the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when he asked for $67 billion in funding for the Iran War. You said, just like our poll shows, you need more information. Did you get an agreement that you will be provided the classified, detailed briefing that you say is necessary?
SEN. KENNEDY: I’m having breakfast next Wednesday with General Caine. I’ve seen the poll. It looks about right. I support the president in Iran. We all need to do a better job messaging. I may end up with a sombrero on my head by saying this, but we all know the president. He- he exists loudly. He- he grows anxious when he has an unexpressed thought. He’s not always disciplined in his messaging. I’m not saying he should stop talking. He’s the president and I’m not. But I would put Rubio and Caine and Ratcliffe and Hegseth out there, either in a speech or in a long press conference, to explain what’s going on in Iran. Why we went in? Why we’re still there? Now the Democrats- I listened to Bernie. Bernie wants to just come home. He wants to turn out the lights, make sure the cat’s inside, and go to bed. That would be a huge, huge mistake.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, it’s interesting because 67% of Americans want the war to end now, and during that questioning, you floated the idea to General Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, that the U.S. could stop in Iran, end the blockade, and bring troops home. He didn’t lay out for you the potential consequences. But why did you ask that question? Are you- you’re not advocating it. Why are you asking it?
SEN. KENNEDY: Because I wanted to know the answer. Look, here’s what I think we ought to do. I think we ought to tighten the sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil. I think we ought to continue the blockade and starve them out. I think we ought to bomb Pickaxe Mountain and try to reach what’s underneath it. I don’t know about- I don’t have enough information to know about continuing the attacks. The president likes the daily attacks. He believes that sometimes you have to kill a few chickens to- to scare the monkeys. That’s not- I don’t think that’s going to work with- with the Iranian leadership. These people are more than mildly insane. It’s like dealing with son of Sam or Charles Manson. But I don’t think we ought to just cut and run. If we can stand the pain of the rising cost of energy, we need to stay the course, at least for a few more months. I also don’t think we need to send in troops. That’s my opinion, for what it’s worth.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Lindsey Graham is going to be laid to rest this week in memorial service. One of the things that he wanted up until his death was financial restrictions on the biggest buyers of Russian oil. There are 62 signatories to that bill, filibuster-proof majority. Will it get voted on before the Senate breaks for summer?
SEN. KENNEDY: Don’t know. And let me say, look, with respect to the Senate, doing nothing is hard because you never know when you’re finished. We need to put the- the House budget resolution on the floor. It’s the only chance we have to get money to defense, the farmers, and to take another crack at the SAVE Act. We need to add Iran to the- to the Graham Russian sanctions bill and vote on it. We need to put- put the cryptocurrency market structure bill on the floor and vote on it. I love John Thune–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — All in two weeks?–
SEN. KENNEDY: — and- and maybe take a few extra days. Look, I mean no disrespect. I love John Thune. He’s my leader. He’s got a big brain. He’s- he’s better looking than me, but I think he’s just being too cautious. He wants to spend the rest of our time talking with- with Senator Schumer about shutting down government, and the Graham Platner wing of the party is, his party, is not going to let Schumer agree with us. They- they already want to give Schumer a bathrobe, a popsicle, and an early bedtime, and have him retire. I don’t think Chuck can agree with us.
MARGARET BRENNAN: — I just– I
SEN. KENNEDY: — I think he’s going to shut down government.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to go back- you just said you wanted to move forward on what the House just started the process on.
SEN. KENNEDY: Yes ma’am.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That would be a party line- that would be a party line vote. That would be Republicans jamming this thing through, and the SAVE Act, as you know, or even some version of it, is highly partisan, highly controversial. Bigger picture, isn’t it going to hurt faith in our election process if a Republican-only policy to change how elections are run is ramped through 100 days- you know, less than 100 days out from the election?
SEN. KENNEDY: No, in my opinion, for both sides to have credibility in the elections- in our elections, we need to do two things and only two things. Number one, you have to prove you are who you say you are in order to register to vote and to vote. And number two, however you decide to vote, that’s up to the states, we need to go back to having an election day, not an election month. We’ve got to know the results of election that night or shortly thereafter if it’s close. That to me is what the SAVE Act is all about, and I think we can pass it, and I think we can craft it in a way to survive a Byrd bath.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Grants, in other words–
SEN. KENNEDY: –But we’re not going to- to know if we don’t try.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Grants in other words, to states. To incentivize, not requirements for states to take action. That’s your version?
SEN. KENNEDY: Yeah, but that’s not the only thing. I’ve- I’ve been contacted by some really smart people about a way to do it in addition to the grants. I’m not saying it’ll work, but you’re not going to know unless you try.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All right, Senator- Senator Kennedy, a lot of business to get to. I’m going to have to leave it there, though. Thank you so much for joining us today. Appreciate your time.
SEN. KENNEDY: Thank you, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be right back.