CBS "Face the Nation" - Transcript: Import Tariffs

Interview

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BRENNAN: We want to turn now to Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst. She joins us this morning from Omaha, Nebraska.

Senator, good morning.

I want to ask you about impact of those tariffs on your home state.

SEN. JONI ERNST (R), IOWA: Good morning.

BRENNAN: But, first off, I want to ask you, because you are one top 10 recipients of NRA funding in the Senate, your image was being held up by some of those protesters at the rally here in Washington yesterday.

I wonder how you are responding to these young activists who are calling for gun control.

ERNST: Well, Margaret, I want to push back on that, because I myself don't receive funding from outside organizations, other than what those smaller donations that might come from PACs.

Many outside organizations will run advertisements without the consent of candidates. They will run advertisements for candidates, against candidates. I have no control over that. My campaign has no control over that. But I will...

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BRENNAN: So, you're separating yourself from the NRA by saying that?

ERNST: I am -- no, I am not separating myself from the NRA.

I would state that there are lot of outside organizations that cannot coordinate with candidates or their campaign. That's against election law. So they will do what they want to do.

But I will say that I am a supporter of the Constitution. I'm a supporter of our Bill of Rights. We have many rights that need to be upheld in the United States. And I would say that I have been a Second Amendment supporter my lifetime.

I was a member of the NRA long before the NRA knew of Joni Ernst, private citizen in Iowa.

BRENNAN: And your advice to those young activists?

ERNST: I would say, I -- I appreciate the fact that they have the right to peacefully protest and inform the government of what they believe is the right path forward. I think every citizen has the right to do that.

But every citizen, as long as they are law-abiding, also has the right to exercise their Second Amendment right. So, what we don't want to do as a nation is start stripping rights away from law-abiding citizens.

So, I think that the status quo is not OK. And that's where these young demonstrators are -- are speaking out against. And so we do have to find a way forward, but simply stating we need to get rid of other people's rights is not the right way forward.

BRENNAN: Senator, U.S. stocks had their worst week in about two years, in part due to these concerns of a trade war.

Iowa is a major exporter to China. What will these new tariffs the president announced on China and other countries do to your home state?

ERNST: Well, nobody wins in a trade war, Margaret, and especially with the Chinese officials, their media reporting that they will retaliate against American agricultural products, namely pork and soybeans.

China has purchased $14 billion worth in 2016 of American soybeans. And roughly 60 percent of our soybean crop does go to China. So, if they start retaliating, we will see significant impact, very detrimental impact, not just in Iowa, but across the Midwest as well.

BRENNAN: Now, the White House has not yet detailed exactly what these tariffs on China are going to look like. Are they talking to Republicans like yourself?

ERNST: Well, there -- there are talks. And I have spoken on trade issues directly with the president before, and I hope that we can continue those conversations in the future.

I know that Congress had the U.S. trade rep, Robert Lighthizer, in front of it the other day. They were asking him questions. And it was concerning that Mr. Lighthizer came back said, yes, it will be painful, basically, for the American farmer, but that's a small price to pay.

And I -- I disagree. If we want to close up trade deficits, we need to do it in a smart manner. And let's allow American agricultural to close that gap. Let's open up additional markets, not close them off to agricultural goods.

BRENNAN: You also sit on the Armed Services Committee.

And late Friday, the president did announce that he was changing his position, but still banning, essentially, transgender people from serving in the military. Do you support that?

ERNST: Well, I support allowing those transgenders that can serve, I believe they should serve.

We do want to make sure that they meet physical requirements. We can't waive that. That is true across any -- any demographic within our military, making sure that they are physically fit and they meet the mental standard.

But I have asked transgenders myself, if you are willing to lay down your life beside mine, I would welcome you into our military. But, again, there are standards that have to be met. And I will support the president and the administration on making sure that standards are met.

But if there are transgenders that meet those qualifications, certainly, I would gladly have them serve in our United States military.

BRENNAN: Will you ask the White House to change its position?

ERNST: Well, I think that the White House has done a very studied analysis of how we have the best-qualified people coming into the military.

BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.

ERNST: And so I'm happy to have those discussions with the administration, but, again, making sure that those standards are applied fairly across the spectrum of every citizen that wants to join our United States military.

BRENNAN: Senator, thank you for joining us this morning.

ERNST: Thank you, Margaret.

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