Transcript: Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," July 26, 2026

Key Points:

• Senator John Kennedy expressed opposition to the Saudi civil nuclear deal at this time, citing global tensions and concerns it could prompt other countries to pursue nuclear weapons, though he acknowledged it might be acceptable in the future.
• On U.S. military involvement in Iran, Kennedy supports continuing sanctions and blockades but is cautious about ongoing attacks and opposes sending troops, emphasizing the need for more information and better messaging from the administration.
• Kennedy highlighted the Senate's legislative challenges, urging action on defense funding, sanctions on Russia and Iran, and cryptocurrency market regulation, while criticizing Senate leadership for being overly cautious and predicting a potential government shutdown.
• Regarding the SAVE Act aimed at election reforms, Kennedy defended the proposal as necessary to restore election credibility by verifying voter identity and shortening election periods, advocating for incentives to states rather than mandates.
• Kennedy acknowledged partisan divisions but stressed the importance of attempting election reforms to ensure timely and trustworthy election outcomes ahead of the upcoming election cycle.