CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: "Interview with Rep. Mazie Hirono"
Interview
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BLITZER: Yes, they are.
All right, Sunlen, thank you.
Let's get some more on all of this.
Joining us now, Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, a member of the Judiciary and Armed Services committees.
Senator, thanks so much for joining us.
SEN. MAZIE HIRONO (D-HI): Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: And let's get to this sharp rebuke of President Trump.
The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, is now writing a new article in "The Washington Post," suggesting that withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria is -- quote -- "a grave mistake."
The president wants to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. So, how significant is this rebuke of the president by Mitch McConnell?
[18:10:03]
HIRONO: This is one time when I agree with Mitch McConnell.
But, of course, as the majority leader, he can and should do more than write op-eds, because we have a House-passed bill that would rebuke the president, sense of Congress. And then there are other bills that would impose sanctions on Turkey.
So those are the kinds of measures that Mitch McConnell has within his power to bring to the floor of the Senate. And so he has to do more than this op-ed.
BLITZER: I don't know if you heard, but McConnell says he wants stronger legislation than what was actually passed in the House of Representatives. You agree with him?
HIRONO: Well, great.
Bring all of this legislation to the floor, Mitch. Thank you. I'd love to debate and get on with it, because there's no question that the president enabled Turkey to do what Erdogan wanted to do.
And the so-called cease-fire is a total capitulation to what Erdogan wanted, which is to get the Kurds out of Northern Syria. So, this is a total capitulation.
And we need to bring all of this to the fore, because we have a president who's out of control.
BLITZER: You were briefed by the defense secretary, Mark Esper, yesterday, you and your colleagues on the Armed Services Committee.
Did you get any clarity on the president's decision-making process in all of this?
HIRONO: No. No. The fact of the...
BLITZER: So, what did you learn? So, what did you learn, if anything?
HIRONO: Well, since I can't talk about the substance, but what it is that is the conclusion I and others have drawn is that the -- that Erdogan would not have risked attacking Northern Syria if American troops were still there.
He would not have risked killing, even by accident, American troops. And the president removed that risk by withdrawing our troops. And so you get what we have now, which is chaos.
And for the president to describe this as -- this situation as a sandlot fight just goes to show how infantile his thinking is.
BLITZER: Let's get into some other issues, sensitive issues.
Yesterday, as you know, the acting right as chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, acknowledged that military aid to Ukraine was in fact withheld in part because of President Trump's interest in seeing Ukraine investigate the 2016 election and Democrats at the same time.
He then, Mulvaney, tried to walk that back. But how concerning is this admission to you?
HIRONO: It is an admission.
So, great. This administration is very flagrant in its abuse of power and its corruption. And I suppose, Mulvaney thought, sure, let's just put it out there that there was a quid pro quo.
And, obviously, this didn't go over very well. So now they're trying to walk it back. But we all know what we heard.
And for the White House people to start once again blaming the press for getting things wrong? Please. What are we supposed to do, not believe our, what, lying eyes? Give me a break.
BLITZER: What, if anything, can you do? Because you heard just a little while ago, the energy secretary, Rick Perry, who is leaving, he's not going to comply with House subpoenas. Other White House officials are not complying with House subpoenas.
What are you going to do about that? What do you think can be done about that?
HIRONO: The House is going to be able to -- they're going to continue to proceed with their impeachment inquiry, which is a constitutional process.
And so this is all part and parcel of what could be considered another aspect to the articles of impeachment.
But what's happening, Wolf, is that you have two processes going on. You have the -- all of the policy and political decisions that are creating chaos for our country. And there's that going on, with the Muslim ban, the immigration, the trade wars, the latest going on with Turkey.
And then you have, on the other hand, the constitutional inquiry, impeachment inquiry. And I think people should keep it straight. And on the political side, we have a chance to rebuke this president
by going to the polls and saying we can't have four years more of this kind of chaotic decision-making that exposes our country to pretty much, I would say, the ridicule of the world.
BLITZER: Senator Hirono, thanks so much for joining us.
HIRONO: Thank you.
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