"Face the Nation" on April 16, 2023
Interview
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Thank you, Margaret.
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Well, I don't think we're numb to it.
And it's really heartbreaking to see moms across the country terrified about sending their kids to school. I mean, it's not the country we should live in.
I have a 2-year-old granddaughter, and, in her preschool, she has already gone through one lockdown. Now, she's 2. She doesn't know what it was. But, I mean, this -- if we don't make some serious change, this is going to be her experience growing up.
We have some of the most permissive gun laws in the world. And we have the -- some of the highest levels of gun violence. We passed this bipartisan, Safer Communities Act. It is a step in the right direction, but it's only one step, and there is more we can do.
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Well, I think this issue is so important to address and so tragic.
And, you know, Margaret, I'm a gun owner. I'm a supporter of the Second Amendment, but we make it so easy for irresponsible people and criminal -- criminals to get access to firearms. There are three schools in Arizona that have already gained access to this money, but, you know, moving it into the states and into communities faster is going to be -- it's going to be helpful.
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Well, Governor Hutchinson also said that he didn't want to compel states to -- to comply with the red flag laws.
You know, we provided money. And it's voluntary for states. We could make that mandatory. Red flag laws work. I mean, we -- we have data that shows that, in states that have red flag laws, you prevent -- you prevent gun violence. So that's certainly a place to start.
And we provided money for mental health services. We've got a mental health crisis in our country. There's more we can do. But listening to the -- the former vice president to say that this isn't about, you know, firearms, not about guns? I mean, it is.
I mean, we just make it way too easy. How about more background checks? You know, here in the state of Arizona or Texas or many places, you can go to a gun show and get a gun without a back -- background check. That doesn't make sense to most Americans.
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Well, Margaret, I spent 25 years in the United States Navy. I flew in combat. This is my first time I have actually went to a war one, a country that's been brutally attacked by -- by Vladimir Putin.
There's war crimes committed every day. I mean, the situation is just heartbreaking. You know, one of the things we were looking at was their ammunition supply. I don't want to comment specifically on the classified intelligence here.
But we have to make sure that we continue to give them the weapons and the weapon systems that they need to be successful. We cannot allow Putin to win this thing. I mean, he -- he said what his plan is. I mean, he wants to rebuild the Soviet Empire. And, if we don't stop him in Ukraine, I mean, there is no telling where he will go next.
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No. I mean, there's rounds for their howitzers. They need to -- their air defense system is challenged as well. I mean, that's what you're specifically talking about.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine have air superiority at this time. That's important in a combat zone. And to get it is -- is challenging. And they're using a lot of their weapons. I mean, they -- they -- HIMARS is another example.
So, the purpose of this trip was to see what they need, see what we can supply. I will go back to DOD and to the administration and give them my assessment of what the situation in Ukraine is.
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Well, I think it's something we need to look at. And I have communicated that to the Department of Defense and the administration.
We recently evaluated here in Arizona, in Tucson, where I live, two Ukrainian F-16 pilots. I spoke to the instructor pilots. It's still unclear exactly how they want to use the F-16. They're looking for the next game changer. F-16 is not an artillery piece. It's not a tank. It's very complicated and hard to maintain.
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We -- we -- we've also looked at some other options. I mean, there are other countries that have F-16s as well. That might become an option.
But it's going to take some time. I mean, the assessment here is, it'll take about a year to train 12 Ukrainian -- if we go that route, 12 Ukrainian MiG-29 pilots.
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