The following is the complete transcript of an interview with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Jan. 12, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Naples, Florida and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has a brand new documentary airing on PBS, “Coming to America.” It examines how 9 outstanding American immigrants have formed our nation’s historical past. Welcome to “Face the Nation.”
FORMER SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH: Good to be with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In this documentary, you inform the tales of those people who immigrated to the US, they usually had been very profitable, individuals like Albert Einstein. You know, if you have a look at Einstein and also you have a look at Henry Kissinger, they had been refugees to this nation. Donald Trump set refugee admissions at very low ranges first time period. He’s speaking about blocking refugee admissions this time period. Is {that a} mistake?
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: Well, I believe, I believe we’re going via a interval of, frankly, reacting to a very disastrous immigration coverage. So you are going to have some twists and turns. In the long term, we do wish to have a capability to permit authentic refugees to return right here. We additionally, and a part of the rationale Calista and I made this documentary for PBS, is- we actually consider strongly that authorized immigrants are a serious contribution to America’s success and to its distinctive nature. And we wish to make it possible for, , as many Americans favor authorized immigration versus unlawful immigration–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Right.
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: It’s essential to differentiate the 2, and we wish to strongly talk that authorized immigration in a wide range of varieties, refugees is one, and one other is varied work permits. But we would like individuals to have the ability to come to America in the event that they accomplish that legally.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You mentioned immigrants inhabit the very soul of what it’s to be an American. When you say authentic refugees, what do you imply?
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: Well, I believe individuals can- can arise and say, I’ve now determined I’m a refugee. I really feel threatened. The query is, is that true or not? Are they actually threatened–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Claim asylum, you imply?
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: –or is that simply their manner of stepping into the United States? To declare asylum, I believe there is a big- there is a large distinction between someone who genuinely faces a possible lack of life or freedom and someone who merely desires to return to America and decides to say that standing
MARGARET BRENNAN: Economic migrants, there. Let me ask you, another person you function in right here, Zalmay Khalilzad. Very outstanding Afghan American who brokered Trump’s cope with the Taliban to exit Afghanistan. As , with that chaotic exit, there have been tens of 1000’s of Afghans scattered, a few of them nonetheless separated from their households. Many of them labored for the U.S. authorities. Should Mr. Trump prolong the authorized means of this program and produce these Afghans right here, and would you ask Congress to lift the present cap they’ve on the variety of them coming?
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: You know, I believe the Afghan refugees who actively fought on the aspect of Americans, saved American lives, tried to assist win in opposition to the Taliban- I believe they deserve an uncommon degree of assist and remedy. And I labored all in the course of the interval of President Biden’s insanely disastrous withdrawal. I attempted to work with varied individuals and did podcasts with individuals who had been making an attempt to get people out of Afghanistan who ought to legitimately have been helped by the U.S. authorities. So, when someone is completely your ally- and this occurred with the Vietnamese and the Vietnamese War, when someone is completely your ally they usually danger their lives aspect by aspect with you, you should not abandon them. That’s a reasonably easy rule.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, one of many issues that Biden administration blamed the Trump administration for was the issue in making these quick preparations to carry these Afghans right here, and that is a narrative for an additional day, however the individual they put their finger on as making it tougher is Stephen Miller, who’s now the highest coverage adviser to Mr. Trump. He did add new necessities to visas, different issues that made it more durable to legally come right here. Have you spoken to him about a few of your issues?
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: No, I do know Stephen very properly. Look, Stephen was responding to a disastrous degree of immigration that is not sustainable. And I believe that’s- I believe just about each American agrees you possibly can’t have an open border. You cannot have Venezuelan gangs, for instance, or El Salvadorian gangs. I imply, there are loads of good causes, and you are going to get some overreaction, but it surely’s an overreaction, frankly, brought on by individuals like President Biden, who had been completely irresponsible in permitting individuals into this nation by the tens of millions in a manner that was completely unlawful. It was exterior the legislation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay- Pardon me, I do not know if our viewers heard that there was an alarm that went off right here, so it interrupted some of- of what you mentioned there. Donald Trump has chosen your spouse, Callista, who helped make this documentary with you, to be the subsequent ambassador to Switzerland. Are you advising the President-elect in any capability proper now?
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: Well, I chat with him, and I actually chat with members of the staff. I’ve had a protracted expertise as a Republican activist–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Okay–
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: –On some issues, like getting via the tax minimize invoice–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Alright, Speaker–
FORMER SPEAKER GINGRICH: –I work with all people within the House, Senate and the White House.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you, former Speaker, I ought to say. Thank you in your time. We’ll be proper again.
