Transcript: Rep. Ted Lieu on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 10, 2026

Key Points:

• Rep. Ted Lieu expressed skepticism about Republicans holding a significant advantage in the upcoming midterms, citing the collapse of the Trump coalition due to inflation and high gas prices, and predicted a Democratic "blue wave" despite recent redistricting court decisions.
• Lieu criticized the Virginia Supreme Court's handling of redistricting as wasteful and disgraceful, emphasizing that Democrats plan to continue fighting the issue in court and aim to win key seats in the midterms.
• On policy, Lieu highlighted Democrats' focus on reducing healthcare, energy, and overall living costs, countering Republican claims by pointing to legislative efforts like extending ACA tax credits and plans to reverse Medicaid and Medicare cuts.
• Regarding foreign affairs, Lieu stressed the need for a new U.S. defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific due to depleted munitions stockpiles revealed by recent conflicts, and expressed concern about the U.S. ability to sustain prolonged military engagements with China or Russia.
• On AI regulation, Lieu supported the idea of government oversight and reasonable guardrails for the AI industry to prevent it from operating without sufficient controls, though the interview ended before he could elaborate fully.