Transcript: U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz on ‘Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,’ July 26, 2026

July 26, 2026 | 12:34 PM

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The following is the transcript of an interview with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on July 26, 2026.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now by the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz. Good to have you here in person. Thanks, Margaret. You just heard our polling. The American people support the goals. The stated goals: opening the Strait, ending a nuclear program, stopping Iran’s ability to threaten other countries. But they don’t think that the U.S. is achieving those goals, and 67% want to end the conflict now. What happens if the U.S. decides to cut its losses?

AMBASSADOR MIKE WALTZ: Well, I don’t think it should surprise anyone that we want the conflict to end. We wanted this conflict to end since 1979. I think that’s incredibly–

[CROSSTALK]

AMB. WALTZ: But I can tell you, as a veteran, you know, Afghanistan, Iraq, these wars– these endless wars, where the policy goals, what were we doing there, drifted so badly. The president has been consistently clear on what our goals are. I think your poll showed that the American people support those goals. Yes, it’s been difficult, but I, for one, am quite thankful that he is taking the difficult right to do the thing that I think historians will look back on and say was the absolute right thing to do to prevent Iran from ever having a nuclear weapon. And sometimes that’s going to be harder than you know, harder than initially planned for. But the president’s laser focused on getting this done and achieving those goals that 78– 70, what 80% of Americans support. And by the way, also important in there, I don’t think anyone else sees a better plan. That–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, that’s what I wanted to–

AMB. WALTZ: –Yeah, that Democrats you know complain–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

AMB. WALTZ: –criticize, but no one’s coming with a better plan, and the plans in the past administrations have failed.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so talk to me about what’s happening because after 13 straight days of bombing, there was no bombing Friday, there was no bombing Saturday. Is that to help the diplomacy that was underway in Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

AMB. WALTZ: It’s giving diplomacy some space. It’s giving diplomacy a little bit of time. Of course, the president tried diplomacy last year. He’s tried it this year. He is a president of peace. He is giving diplomacy a chance. We’ll see over the next coming days. But make no mistake, assets– additional military assets are moving into the region. They should believe the president. The regime should believe the president when he says they’re locked and loaded, and where all options are on the table.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, but just to be– put a fine point on it, this is a round of discussions just to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with a 30 day pause in the fighting?

AMB. WALTZ: No, all conversations are– are continuing–

MARGARET BRENNAN: With the goal of getting back to–

AMB. WALTZ: –this is at the highest levels, all the way down to the technical levels, to do with the nuclear program, to do with the Straits of Hormuz. The diplomacy has not stopped.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But the bombing did. So how long will the bombing stop for to allow for this–

AMB. WALTZ: Well, to give that– well, I’m not going to take that option off the table for the president. That’s up to him. Let’s see how these conversations go.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the president said to–

AMB. WALTZ: By the way I have to give Aman some- some credit there. They have been engaging in a helpful way.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Oman.

AMB. WALTZ: Oman. Yes, I’m sorry.

MARGARET BRENNAN: About– so, President Trump told Axios that he was close to making a decision and considering a massive attack bigger than ever before. That was Thursday. Did he make a decision yet?

AMB. WALTZ: I wouldn’t advertise that, Margaret but–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, it’s widely reported there was a big meeting Friday.

AMB. WALTZ: There– there was a meeting Friday, but there’s ongoing meetings. There was a senior–

MARGARET BRENNAN: There was no final decision.

AMB. WALTZ: Right.

MARGARET BRENNAN: –other than–

AMB. WALTZ: He’ll– he’ll make that decision in– in good time. But I also want to address this nonsense that somehow we don’t have the assets that we need. Not only do we have what we need in theater, there’s more moving into theater.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, specifically, CBS has reported we cannot sustain the rate at which the United States has expended precision munitions, as we did early in the campaign with Iran. That there is a shortage of interceptors.

AMB. WALTZ: Yeah, I wish they would also talk about the massive degradation of Iranian munitions–

MARGARET BRENNAN: No, but–

[CROSSTALK]

AMB. WALTZ: –that has far less– that has far less than what they started with not only in their industrial base but what they have on hand. Number one, but number two–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

AMB. WALTZ: –what if the president had done nothing and they had built that massive conventional shield–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

AMB. WALTZ: –for which they could then hide their breakout behind?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay.

AMB. WALTZ: –then we would have been in trouble.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me take a break because we need to finish this on the other side of it. Stay with us, Ambassador, if you would. We’ll be right back.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to Face the Nation. We return to our conversation with UN Ambassador Mike Waltz. So, Ambassador, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy is headed to Washington this week for Senator Graham’s memorial ceremony. Zelensky said yesterday that since the beginning of July, Ukraine has recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and the U.S. military installations that are located there, and he says those images then appear in Iran. How deep is the level of Russian involvement in helping Iran target and kill Americans?

AMB. WALTZ: Well, I think you’ve seen this symbiotic relationship with Russia-Iran, particularly with the Iranian drones. Now that manufacturing capability has been devastated in Iran itself. But Iran has been providing drones and drone technology to Russia–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right.

AMB. WALTZ: –that they are then using- using on Kyiv. In terms of the active help, look, I’ll just let the president’s statement this week stand on its own that he has spoken to both Putin and Xi about this and has put both on notice, frankly, that they should not be assisting, and that bad things will happen if they are.

MARGARET BRENNAN: This would suggest that they haven’t stopped assisting. Zelensky says that’s happening in July.

AMB. WALTZ: Okay. Well, we’ll let Zelensky’s statement, I think, just stand on its own. But the president’s statement is out there as well.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Let me ask you about Saudi Arabia. We know exporting America’s nuclear technology is a priority for the president. He had an executive order on it. He wants to help build these data centers in the Gulf. Those things rely on nuclear energy. There are partners of ours that have civilian nuclear energy program, but there was blowback against the administration this week when news broke of the commercial deal that was signed between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to build this civilian nuclear program on Saudi soil. Were you surprised at that level of blowback? And–

AMB. WALTZ: Margaret, I think that I think there’s a misunderstanding about what’s in the deal. This is civil nuclear power, just like we have with the United Arab Emirates, the 123 agreement that we’ve had for- for over a decade. There is no enrichment technology being provided to the Saudis. That will be done here in the United States. It’s some of our most sensitive technology, and people, I think, need to understand that countries around the world have been buying from Russia, have been buying from China. President Trump has initiated a nuclear renaissance here at home when it comes to nuclear power. We want our partners buying from us. They will be buying civil nuclear reactors from the United States with full inspections in place and no enrichment happening on Saudi soil.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So on the enrichment point, as I understand it, the deal, which was a version of what the Biden administration had also been working on, but not closed, that it would have a study to look into how much uranium Saudi has and if it’s commercially viable, that they would be able potentially to enrich on their own soil.

AMB. WALTZ: There’s a clause in the deal that says it can be discussed if mutually agreed by both sides sometime in the future.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right, two-year study for this to possibly happen.

AMB. WALTZ: For- for some open-ended discussion. But as the deal stands now, there is no enrichment capability being provided to the Saudis for them to do on their own. But there is power, and that’s incredibly important. They want to diversify, and again, I want them buying from us, not the Chinese or Russians.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But- and I focus on the enrichment because that is that key difference from what, for example, the Emirates have. They buy their nuclear fuel elsewhere.

AMB. WALTZ: And that’s what this deal is to buy the nuclear fuel from us.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But it’s got that pathway to enrichment, and that panicked some people this week, it would seem. And there was some criticism as well that the president then posted the next day, Oh, well, now it’s going to be dependent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords. Which was not in the deal.

AMB. WALTZ: I mean it shouldn’t surprise anyone. The president’s been talking about the Abraham Accords, having the Saudis–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well it wasn’t in the signed agreement.

AMB. WALTZ: –having the Saudis join, and you know, and the president has made that part of this agreement, which is- he’s absolutely right to do, number one- and number two, there was also these kind of odd comparisons to Iran. How can you have the Saudis having nuclear power when Iran’s trying to seek the same thing, which is just ridiculous. I mean, they’re burying it under hundreds of feet of granite–

MARGARET BRENNAN: In Iran.

AMB. WALTZ: They have kicked out- in Iran- they have kicked out the inspectors. This is the largest state sponsor of terrorism year after year, decade after decade in world history. Completely different issue. It’s actually all of the things that Iran is violating, which is why we are stopping and seeking to stop their pursuit of a nuclear weapon, but having civil nuclear power provided by the United States is perfectly fine and should be applauded.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Just before I let you go, on that, does the U.S. want to help other countries enrich? And then, secondly, doesn’t changing the terms of a deal after it was signed undermine America’s negotiating position with all countries? Like, who’s going to trust us if we say, ah, tomorrow add in a new term after we sign the deal?

AMB. WALTZ: Do we want to help other countries enrich? That is- we do that, and very select countries do that. And there is an entire- there’s a non proliferation treaty–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

AMB. WALTZ: There’s an entire international- the IAEA, the UN agency that sends these inspectors out to ensure that countries cannot do what Iran has been doing, which is enriching–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, but that’s breaking–

AMB. WALTZ: –way past–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –yeah.

AMB. WALTZ: Yeah. Way past what you need for civil nuclear power that can only be used for weapons, and that’s why we are absolutely convinced, and we know Iran is seeking a nuclear weapons program.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. I mean, we could keep going on this, but I know that I have a Republican senator who- who has some thoughts on the matter as well up next. I’ve got to leave it there with you. Thank you, Ambassador Waltz. We’ll be right back.

Republicans worry their chances of keeping Congress are slipping away. Inside the Trump campaign plan to change that

By CNN
August 15, 2026 | 6:12 AM

(CNN) — President Donald Trump has finally given the green light to pour millions of dollars from his personal PAC toward boosting vulnerable Republicans in November, two people familiar with the plans told CNN, as some top campaign advisers privately acknowledge that Republicans’ chances of keeping control of both the House and Senate are dwindling.Trump’s political team is still debating what the final dollar figure will be, though one person familiar with the discussions floated $30 million in the first tranche. Another official cautioned that the final amounts have not yet been decided. The long-awaited cash infusion is happening in the coming weeks, two people said, describing it as the first salvo in a stretch-run effort as November looms just three months away.And it comes amid growing GOP concerns that severe headwinds over the Iran war and high gas prices could suppress voter turnout.“There is a path where we keep the House and the Senate,” one source told CNN. “I’m not in a place today where I’m prepared to say we’re cautiously optimistic about that.”Trump is also belatedly preparing to ratchet up his own campaigning schedule, with plans to travel at least once a week to hold a spate of rallies in battleground districts, one adviser said. His team first promised this move months ago, and Republicans have long argued it’s a crucial step to energizing MAGA voters critical to the party’s midterm chances.“He loves to travel, but he hates to travel,” said one of his advisers, noting that domestic issues and the Iran war upended early plans to get him on the road more frequently. Trump has recently told his closest aides that he wants to be out more stumping for GOP candidates. But advisers acknowledge his enthusiasm could evaporate just as quickly.“We’ll see how long that lasts,” the adviser said. “Once he’s traveling, he’s like: ‘Why am I doing this? I want to be doing other things.’”Still, there’s widespread angst within the party that Trump has waited too long to get more directly involved. Lawmakers and operatives have privately agonized for months over the president’s reluctance to commit his vast sums to helping elect candidates across the country. The GOP is fighting to hold dozens of House districts and a handful of critical Senate seats amid voter backlash over rising prices and the deeply unpopular war in Iran — with no end in sight on either problem.“President Trump is the unequivocal leader of the Republican party who is committed to maintaining Republicans’ majority in Congress. In just over one year, the President has made our country greater than ever before with the most secure border in American history, the largest middle-class tax cuts ever, and the lowest murder rate since 1900,” White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said in a statement to CNN.“President Trump will continue to draw a sharp contrast with his commonsense agenda and the radical Democrats in Congress,” she added.Leaning into the baseAn adviser close to Trump acknowledged that, with the president’s approval ratings scraping new lows, there’s little expectation he can win over large numbers of independents and swing voters — which was part of his path to victory in critical swing states in 2024. Instead, Republicans believe their fate in November rests almost solely on turning out millions of the MAGA faithful who typically don’t vote in midterm elections.“Without a doubt, we’ve got to make sure we get some of these voters who show up for Donald Trump in presidential elections to show up for these congressionals,” the adviser said.But in recent months, Trump and Republicans haven’t offered much to energize their base. Congressional Republicans squandered the final weeks before the August recess fighting amongst themselves over legislation — specifically the president’s controversial elections bill that would cement federal voter ID laws and install more voting restrictions, which stands little chance of becoming law and never even made it to the Senate floor.Congressional GOP leaders have long believed that their success in the midterms will largely hang on Trump’s ability to recreate his 2024 coalition. They need Trump to help turn out as much of his MAGA base as possible in crucial battleground turf — especially in states like Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina, which have critical House and Senate races that could determine control of Congress next January.Republicans are defending critical blue-state seats too, like the pivotal Senate seat in Maine and several House seats in both New York and California. But the vast majority of this fall’s map is in places where Trump has already proven he can win, like in Iowa and Pennsylvania.GOP campaign officials have also been urging their candidates from the start to lean in — not away — from Trump on the trail, according to House and Senate campaign operatives. That includes even the most centrist Republicans, like Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents a vulnerable seat in New York’s Hudson Valley and welcomed Trump this spring for a joint rally in one of the reddest parts of his district.Lawmakers also need him to stay on message, driving out big crowds and turning on his election-year charm with talk of the GOP’s accomplishments on affordability. But Trump has made little headway in selling his domestic accomplishments — or ending a monthslong foreign war that he repeatedly vowed would only last four to six weeks.In private conversations with Trump, some advisers have sought to emphasize how significantly the war is dragging down Republicans’ chances, arguing that even voters who generally support his goals in Iran are unwilling to stomach a drawn-out conflict that’s raising prices at home.The prospect of persistently high gas prices has particularly damaged Trump’s standing, people familiar with the internal discussions said, serving as a prominent visual reminder of an affordability crisis that many Americans feel has gotten worse under this administration.“It’s higher prices; that’s what they’re upset about,” said one of the advisers.Perhaps reacting to those pressures, both Vice President JD Vance and departing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt this week started emphasizing that lowering gas prices was equally as or more important to Trump than keeping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. That’s a shift from Trump’s frequent assertions that Tehran’s nuclear capabilities are all that matters.“I think both goals are equally as important to the president: We want to keep gas prices low but also ensuring Iran can never get a nuclear weapon. Something he will see through no matter what,” Leavitt told reporters traveling on Air Force One Friday.Trump has nevertheless insisted publicly that he’s willing to prolong the war for as long as it takes to win it, downplaying the domestic impact even as he struggles to find a clear path toward achieving his aims in the Middle East.Trump’s enthusiasmAmid that worsening backdrop, Trump has repeatedly suggested recently that the midterms aren’t really his problem. And in addition to waving off Americans’ economic anxieties and declining to prioritize bringing an end to the Iran war, he’s also emphasized his own pet projects over the broader GOP agenda.“I don’t have to be supporting all the people. You know, I have a busy schedule,” Trump said in an interview with Punchbowl News last week, adding: “I said to somebody, ‘I won. I’m not campaigning.’”Those closest to the president insist he still cares deeply about ensuring Republicans win as many races in November as possible. But, one adviser cautioned, he won’t get involved in races he thinks aren’t winnable.“He doesn’t want to carry dead carcasses across the finish line,” that person said, referencing Trump being incredibly protective of who he chooses to endorse. “He’s not going to endorse a loser and ruin his brand.”But he does acutely understand that Democrats winning either the House or the Senate in November would have a highly negative impact on his final two years in office, they said.“The next two years will be f*cking horrible if we lose both chambers. And Trump knows that,” that source said. Other officials have emphasized that Trump does not want to go through the same type of investigations and battles with Congress that he did during his first term, which included two impeachment trials.Inside the midterms operationThe political operation surrounding the president consists of a tight group of loyal advisers who worked on Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and other previous campaigns. It’s run by his former political guru, James Blair, who up until recently served as the White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs.Other high-ranking members of the team include: Chris LaCivita, a co-campagin manager of Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign; Taylor Budowich, who previously ran MAGA Inc. and later led White House communications; Timothy Saylor, who previously helmed Trump’s 2024 data operations; and Tony Fabrizio, the president’s longtime pollster.White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who worked alongside LaCivita and the others throughout Trump general election campaign, continues to be heavily involved in all strategy ahead of November, the officials said.There was a bit of a shakeup this week when Leavitt announced she’s departing her role as press secretary at the end of August, just two months before the midterms. Leavitt has long been viewed inside the West Wing as one of the president’s most effective messengers on the upcoming elections. As of Saturday morning, it was unclear when the role would be replaced.Those on the team have described their strategy as being guided by the same principles they used to take them across the finish line in 2024. The most crucial aspect, they said, is their data operation. The president’s chief of staff will often remark to the group that everything must be driven by the extensive data they have amassed in recent years and used to energize members of Trump’s base.“We know exactly who our voters are,” one of the president’s political operatives said. “Based on the data operation, we know how to reach them, and we know what it takes to get them off their ass.”Trump’s advisers also cite a number of recent political wins they argue should help come November, including Republicans’ unprecedented effort to redraw congressional districts across several states, shifting a handful of seats toward the GOP and further limiting the number of races that are realistically up for grabs. That redistricting push — spurred directly by Trump — is a key reason that Republicans believe they still have a chance to keep the House.Republicans claimed another victory after the Supreme Court struck down restrictions on the amount that official campaign committees can spend on individual candidates — a change that party operatives insist will help even up the financial arms race given the GOP has far more money than Democrats in PACs and outside groups.“Our money’s going to go so much further,” one Republican campaign official said following the ruling. “We’re not going out there and saying we’re going to win a gazillion seats … but we feel like we’re probably in the best possible position we’ve been in.”The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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