The following is an interview transcript with Democrat Sen Rand Paul’s Democrat Sen Rand Paul, aired on 13 July, 2025 on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brainon”.
Margaret Brainon: We now go to the chair of the Homeland Security Committee, Senator Rand Paul, which includes us from Bowling Green, Kentki. Good morning, senator.
Sen Rand Paul: Thanks. Thanks for being
Margaret Brainon: Today is a one -year mark as the then candidate Trump was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania. You have released an accountability report, we have taken a look at it, and the description is that the assets were requested by the Secret Service, which included the requests on the phone, and were denied. You also say that the former Gupta Service Director made false claims under the oath when Kimberly Chaidal said no denying. Was she misled, or are you accusing her of lying?
Sen Paul: He did not tell the truth. He said that there was no property that was already requested. We got at least four opportunities, in fact, perhaps five opportunities where requested were made. The primary request that Trump’s secret service details were made by both, as well as their campaign for counter-snipers. Counter-snipers were denied till Butler. So, thankfully to God, that day in Butler County, Pennsylvania, this was the first time he was allowed counter-sniper. If he did not have counter-snipers, the killers were again pop up- he again popped up to continue the firing, and when he was thrown out. But, thank God that we had counter-snipers there. But why were they denied for months and months? When he finally asked him, he mysteriously, magically, appeared. They found them where they needed them. They were not just trying much. So, it was a waterfall of errors. This was only one error after the other. When we talked to people in charge of security, everyone raised a finger on someone else. We said, who was responsible for the roof, the roof where the killers were with a straight vision line. Nobody wanted responsibility. Everyone said that it was someone else. There was a lot of time to get him off the stage. The suspect with a Range Finder who became a shooter, several times saw him with suspicion. The President should have been enough to move away from the stage. Even on the roof with him, there was a period of about three minutes when he could be taken from the stage. And yet, anyone was fired. Some of these people may be in charge of security for another presidential candidate. And, in fact, it is a threat that one of the people in charge in Butler can be again in charge. This is not correct.
Margaret Brainon: Well, the President’s United States has said that it is satisfied with the answers that they have gone wrong, they have received them in relation to it. But, back to this point about not telling the Congress the truth: The report found that there were 10 occasions where resources were requested and denied or not filled. And, in fact, when it came to Butler, the counter-surpilance drone request was made on the phone. Therefore, when you say that a person is not telling the truth, is there no record of requests and refusal? Was this Congress deliberately misleading? Or was it like a culture of cover-up within the agency?
Sen Paul I think it was a cultural cover-up for the agency. They did not want to assess the defect. They did not want to see internally. And they wanted to exempt any of their tasks, which could happen. This cover was like your donkey, and I believe they knew. There is no way that the director of the Secret Service, that she did not know that these requests were made. And, so, yes, it was a great failure. And, if you talk to the current head of the Secret Service, which was Trump’s main detail, and Trump has great confidence, he would accept that these failures were present. But even disciplinary action he finally took. They took only because I was a sub -assurance. I wanted to know who was disciplined. We were not going to release the name, but I wanted to know who was disciplined and what discipline was. He refused to tell me this for a year. He told me that a week ago, you saw the news report, but some people were disciplined two weeks ago, so they were not going to discipline anyone until I used to sub -sub -and asked them what they had done. But, in the end, no one was removed. The observer who heard about the person on the roof, who did not immediately expand the President to take away from the stage, delayed several minutes. He stayed in his job. He retired recently, but stayed in his job. Therefore, no, I think the investigation by Secret Service was also inadequate. But that’s why we need to care for the Congress.
Margaret Brainon: Are you going to request all, all requests for property will be made in writing and not on the phone, so people can deny that they were ever asked to help?
Sen Rand Paul: Yes, I think they were also made in writing, and I think some were made by phones, but I think it was made by the phone that he was following the things he was written in written. Somebody was begging only for property. And think about it, President Trump has extraordinary rallies, no matter what political perspective you come from, they have extraordinary rallies, which has extraordinary risk, much better, much better, much better, you know, you know, 200 people in a auditorium where everyone has been well tested and the location is safe. These things actually expand very much. But we asked the secret service that who was in charge of that roof? How can you walk at three o’clock in the afternoon and see that roof? Nobody went. No one was in charge. Everyone said, Oh, he was in charge of the roof or he was in charge of the roof. No one will actually be in charge of security for Butler.
Margaret Brainon: So there, the big, beautiful bill that the President sought, gives $ 1.2 billion to secret service. What does money fix? And what do you say to the family member of the Sajjan killed that day? Are we ever going to know the motive of the shooter?
Sen Rand Paul: You know, I think we are not knowing the purpose, and I take it to an inscribed price. I know very often when we get nothing and we have some doubt, we feel that the government is lying to us. And see, I have my doubt about the government at many levels, but I think at this stage, they have tried their best and I don’t think they are not revealing us. I think they don’t know now. What do we know that there are security failures, and that the Corey Complete could probably be saved from getting better security that day. And this boy was seen four hours before the shooting. He was seen again 45 minutes ago. Three minutes before the shooting, there is a crowd chanting, man on a roof, man on a roof. 45 seconds to go because he is collecting his gun. 45 seconds is a long time. No one asked him to take the President from the stage. Exclusive, terrible security, but whoever in charge, should be removed, and in fact this type of charge should never be, or this type of responsibility should be again.
Margaret Brainan: On the question of predisposition, but on a different subject. It is a deadline to vote on a plan to return about $ 9 billion for foreign aid for both Senate and House on Friday, including support for NPR and PBS. Some of your companions Republicans, such as Murkowski and Colins, have said that they are concerned about the cuts in local radio and public broadcasters in their areas. We saw and in your Kentki state, public broadcasters provided important emergency warnings to the government, if there is a storm, for example. Are you worried that such cuts are going to endanger people?
Sen Rand Paul: You know, I made my debut on public television, Kate at Kentaki, being a commentator for my taxpayer group I started. Therefore, you know, I am not an enemy of public TV, but at the same time we have a $ 2 trillion deficit, and whatever we will present is a $ 9 billion deduction in the expenditure. And should we, and should we start cutting at least 9 billion? Yes, if I had my druthers and I could plan it, and I could present the package, then I liked the idea of a small percentage board cut. So instead of taking 100% public TV, what you do is 6% everything. But the only way that works is that you will literally take 6% of every dollar, and then you have to find out how to work so that it is not absorbed by the poor or needy in our country. And you could do this. With a penny plan, you can balance your budget within six, within five years, but it cuts the real 6% of everything. But I think people are more inclined to accept a haircut on things that they like if everyone is accepting the same level.
Margaret Brainon: So are you saying that you are still going to vote for it? Are there 51 Republicans who are going to vote to cut all this funding and pull it back?
Sen Rand Paul: I suspect it is going to be very close. I don’t know if it will be revised in advance, but I can’t really look at Americans on the face and say that if I cannot bite 9 billion then I’m going to do something about the deficit. Even though there are people who argue for it, and I can give an argument for a different way to cut it, we are going to present $ 9 billion and presented with $ 2.2 trillion deficit. Therefore, we have to cut the expenditure. Absolutely spending has to be cut.
Margaret Brainon: And the debt promotes a record for sealing that was only in the bill you did not vote, but the Republican did. Senator Paul, thanks for your time today. We will come back right.
