CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Chris Murphy

Interview

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BLITZER: Very strong reporting, Phil Mattingly, thank you very much for that report.

Joining us now, Democratic senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. He's a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: So you and other top lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee introduced a package of joint resolutions to block U.S. weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. You just heard this excellent report from our Phil Mattingly.

Do you have any specific concerns about China's involvement?

MURPHY: So I can't comment on the substance of classified briefings. But let me say this, I was in those briefings and I have nothing to offer that contradicts the reporting of Phil Mattingly.

It has long been the policy of the United States that we don't want to sell ballistic missiles nor do we want anybody else to sell ballistic missiles to Saudi Arabia because it would essentially be a green light to the Iranians to continue to build up their ballistic missile program.

[17:30:00] Many of us on both sides of the aisle support a moratorium on arms sales to Saudi Arabia today because our relationship with the Saudis has, you know, fundamentally gone off the rails.

And we can talk about all of the ways in which that has happened. The war in Yemen is a disaster of epic proportions. The targeting of American residents and journalists is obviously beyond the pale.

But if there is, indeed, going to be a ballistic missiles arms race in the region, that would be very bad for the United States, that would be very bad for Israel, and very bad for our allies.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Do you believe, Senator, that the Trump administration deliberately misled lawmakers about China's involvement?

MURPHY: Well, again, I can't specifically report -- talk to you about the contents of that classified briefing. What I can tell you is that this administration has effectively given a blank check to the Saudis and has committed a record amount of arms sales.

They are under the belief that if the Saudis just get bigger and stronger and obtain more military capabilities, that that will cow Iran back into its corner. In fact, the opposite is happening.

The more weapons we sell to Saudi Arabia, the more advanced their military becomes, frankly, the more interested Iran becomes in increasing the size and scope and capacity of their military. And that's bad for us.

BLITZER: I know that it's sensitive and classified information, but, in general, can you tell us whether you believe the administration has been hiding intelligence from your committee?

MURPHY: Well, let me say this, there -- I agree with Senator Menendez, there was a classified briefing that we got that would not have been given to us if Democratic staff had not uncovered that information.

And if, indeed, the Chinese are selling ballistic missiles to the Saudis, the question is, why would that need to be classified in the first place?

The sources and methods that we might uncover intelligence like that may need to be classified. But if that is indeed true, that is very relevant to a public debate that Congress is having about our future relationship with Saudi Arabia.

And beyond it potentially being embarrassing to the administration or to others that might be trying to hide that information were it to be true, there isn't really any other reason to not have it out in the public domain.

BLITZER: When it comes to U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia -- and they're in the billions and billions of dollars -- do you believe, Senator, you have enough bipartisan support in the Senate to override a potential presidential veto?

MURPHY: I think we're getting closer. When I first brought up a resolution to disapprove of a Saudi arms sale during the Obama administration, I got about 24 of my colleagues to vote for it.

Today, there are certainly over 50 Democrats and Republicans who would vote to stop this most recent arms sale that's been noticed to the Saudis, and it includes bombs that the Saudis used to drop inside Yemen on civilians.

I think it is a question as to whether we can get to 67. Lindsey Graham, who is one of the chief proponents of these arms sales in the past, is now the lead Republican sponsor on the effort to stop the arms sale. And so that shows you how quickly the votes have shifted.

I think we're closing in on a veto-proof majority in the Senate when it comes to Saudi arms sales. Because Republicans are as perplexed as Democrats are as to why this administration treats Saudi Arabia as if they are the senior partner in our relationship.

BLITZER: Senator Murphy, thanks so much for joining us.

MURPHY: Thanks a lot, Wolf.

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