The next is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Oct. 12, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now, right here in studio, by Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. Thanks for being with us.
SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY: After all.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Simply on this matter, I do know you’ve gotten a whole lot of variations with the President, however on this, is that this a transparent win?
SEN. MURPHY: Nicely, it is actually essential that we’ve a stop fireplace. It is essential that these hostages are coming dwelling, and I congratulate the negotiators on getting this executed. There’s, there is no politics about this second, as you are going to see some very tearful reunions tomorrow, hopefully as these hostages are launched. However you watch these devastating pictures of what Gaza seems to be like immediately, and it is each heartbreaking and infuriating that this deal has been on the desk for over a 12 months. And it has been Benjamin Netanyahu, due to his political issues domestically, making an attempt to guard himself, has annoyed the flexibility to seek out peace and to get the hostages dwelling far earlier than immediately. So once more, this will probably be an excellent week, however as you’ve gotten reported, there are huge points to come back. Israel just isn’t totally pulling out of Gaza. There isn’t any clear path ahead on what the safety and governance power goes to seem like inside that nation. There’s actually a threat of hostilities starting once more if we do not construct on this primary section and are available to some selections about what Gaza seems to be like heading into subsequent 12 months.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And President Biden wasn’t keen to place this type of strain on Benjamin Netanyahu. President Trump has. Your level is that is bought to be sustained strain to see this right through. My understanding —
SEN. MURPHY: Yeah. I imply, pay attention, I feel the barrier right here has been Netanyahu, and Netanyahu is barely going to maneuver if he thinks that his relationship with the USA is in danger. And so, clearly, the strain goes to need to proceed to be robust and fixed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Now let me ask you in regards to the different diplomacy that should occur simply up the road frankly. You could have referred to as on Democrats to stiffen their spines to face as much as the president of the USA. At what level, although, does this ache grow to be an excessive amount of when it comes to the price of the shutdown. And when are Democrats going to point out some flexibility on this?
SEN. MURPHY: Nicely, I listened to the Vice President, and he is simply not dwelling in actuality. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — What do you imply? —
SEN. MURPHY: — The very fact is, nicely, as a result of there is no negotiations occurring proper now as a result of Republicans are boycotting these negotiations. They’re boycotting negotiations to reopen the federal government as a result of they’re determined to lift premiums on folks on this nation by 75% in an effort to finance their tax minimize for the rich. Their solely precedence is defending the billionaire class and the company class. The opposite cause the Home of Representatives is not on the town proper now making an attempt to reopen the federal government, as a result of they’re about to have sufficient votes to move a decision mandating the discharge of the Epstein information. So JD Vance and Donald Trump’s primary precedence is defending billionaires, defending companies and elevating premiums, elevating well being care prices by 75% on Americans. So sure, I feel that Democrats ought to say if you need our votes for a price range, it could’t be a corrupt price range. It could possibly’t be a price range that’s going to devastate the lives of center class households on this nation in an effort to defend and reward billionaires. That is a fairly cheap request.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You are speaking in regards to the premiums that may enhance a mean of about $1,000, I imagine, for many who are utilizing a few of these —
SEN. MURPHY: — That is the typical, however in Connecticut, some households will see a $25,000 enhance in premiums. And once more, in an effort to afford a $270,000 tax minimize for the richest households on this nation. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — As a result of additionally it wasn’t handled earlier when Democrats had been in management right here. However you probably did hear the Vice President say, when it got here to well being care, the administration is open to a dialogue, we wish to decrease insurance coverage premiums. That was a quote there. Did you hear any likelihood at a gap?
SEN. MURPHY: I imply, there are not any negotiations occurring, largely as a result of the Home of Representatives is not even right here. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Proper. —
SEN. MURPHY: — They have been on an unprecedented 5 week recess as a result of they don’t wish to threat their billionaire tax minimize they usually additionally do not wish to discuss in regards to the president’s lawlessness. I imply, that is the opposite factor that we’ve to speak about on this price range. If we will fund this administration, we have to fund an administration that’s taking note of the regulation. I’d be a sucker, Margaret, to vote for a price range that permits the president to then go and spend cash solely in states which are run by Republicans and spend no cash in states which are run by Democrats.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However that is simply the seven week deal that we’re speaking about at this level, the brief time period funding —
SEN. MURPHY: — Appropriate, the long run price range that we move finally has to require that the president not interact in mass scale corruption. However a brief time period settlement, actually just isn’t going to repair all the issues that exist proper now in the way in which the President is working the nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However you’ve gotten been crucial prior to now of the tactic of selecting to close down the federal government. You had been in 2018, you had been again in 2013 when it was a dialogue over well being care. That is what you mentioned in 2018.
[SOT]
SEN. MURPHY: The way forward for the American well being care system was a professional public coverage challenge, as is the safety of our borders, however we should not be having the dialogue amidst a authorities shutdown, making an attempt to make use of our nation’s safety and all of those federal staff and the work that they do as hostages.
[END SOT]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Aren’t you doing immediately precisely what you had been criticizing then?
SEN. MURPHY: No, that was a struggle over, type of, the long run construction of the American well being care system. That is an emergency. In a couple of month, premiums are going to go up by folks by 75% and we’ve to decide whether or not this price range goes to permit for that to occur or to cease it. What is going on in Chicago proper now’s an emergency. What is going on on the FCC as they attempt to shut down free speech on this nation is an emergency. So we’ve a duty on this upcoming price range to stop catastrophe for households whose premiums are about to go up, and to deal with the destruction of our democracy and the rule of regulation that is occurring throughout this nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However you do not–
SEN. MURPHY: These are pressing issues.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You don’t belief that in case you vote to open the federal government after which have a separate dialog about well being care, that there will probably be any comply with via?
SEN. MURPHY: Completely not.
MARGARET BRENNAN: As a result of that’s what the vp was arguing right here, that it is like Democrats aren’t even saying what it’s they wish to negotiate over.
SEN. MURPHY: No, you can’t belief this administration. And I feel it is essential to do not forget that we did not have a shutdown when Joe Biden was president, and the reason being as a result of they did not play the sort of video games that Republicans are enjoying. Joe Biden and Democrats, once we had been in command of the Senate, negotiated with Republicans and prevented shutdowns. This shutdown is going on as a result of Republicans are determined to guard their billionaire tax minimize. And all we’re asking- we’re not asking to repair your complete American well being care system. We’re merely saying, do not make issues worse by elevating premiums by folks, in some circumstances, by $25,000 a 12 months.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However the Minority Chief gave an interview to Punchbowl this week. I imply, there may be simply additionally the naked bones politics of this. And in that interview, he mentioned, day-after-day this goes on, day-after-day will get higher for us. The Speaker of the Home mentioned that was this callous assertion.
SEN. MURPHY: Nicely, they’re- they’re type of desperately making an attempt to spin what Democrats are saying. Pay attention, our precedence is the American folks. And sure, it’s true, as each day–
MARGARET BRENNAN: However you’ve got been crucial of Schumer prior to now, again in March, you had been saying, we have got to face up and do one thing. Is that this in regards to the tactic of simply saying, hey, we’re standing up?
SEN. MURPHY: No. As day-after-day goes on, there are extra Republicans which are breaking with JD Vance and President Trump and saying, sure, we ought to be keen to take a seat down and discuss in regards to the well being care disaster that’s about to go to this nation. There are extra Republicans which are breaking with the president’s regime of censorship. In order day-after-day goes on, there are extra Republicans which are keen to face up and defend the American folks, to attempt to cease the President’s destruction of democracy, and hopefully in some unspecified time in the future, there will probably be sufficient Republicans to hitch us and attempt to defend folks’s pocketbooks, that are about to be destroyed, their financial livelihoods are about to be destroyed, by these huge will increase in well being care.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, however within the meantime, there’s additionally the not- not getting a paycheck drawback for a few of these folks.
SEN. MURPHY: The place’s the Home of Representatives, Margaret? They’re on trip. The one approach you’ll be able to clear up a shutdown is to have two events which are in Washington negotiating. That is fairly easy. Republicans are boycotting negotiations. They’re within the witness safety program all around the nation, refusing to even present up for work. In the event that they’re critical about sitting down and reopening the federal government, they might be in Washington relatively than unfold out all around the nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Murphy, thanks on your time.
SEN. MURPHY: Admire it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be proper again.
