Transcript: Senator Chris Murphy on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” October 12, 2025

Below is a transcript of the interview with Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on October 12, 2025.

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MARGARET BRENNAN: And joining us now, here in the studio, is Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. Thank you for being with us.

Senator Chris Murphy: Of course.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Just on this topic, I know you have a lot of disagreements with the president, but is this a clear win in that regard?

Sin. MURPHY: Well, it’s really important that we have a ceasefire. It is important that these hostages return home, and I congratulate the negotiators on achieving this. There is no politics about this moment, as you will witness tearful meetings tomorrow, and hopefully these hostages will be released. But you see these devastating images of what Gaza looks like today, and it’s heartbreaking and infuriating that this deal has been on the table for over a year. It was Benjamin Netanyahu, due to his political considerations domestically, trying to protect himself, who thwarted the ability to find peace and bring the hostages home long before the day. Again, this is going to be a good week, but as I mentioned, there are big problems coming. Israel did not completely withdraw from Gaza. There is no clear path forward on what security and governance within that country will look like. There is certainly a risk of hostilities erupting again if we do not build on this first phase and reach some decisions about what Gaza will look like next year.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And President Biden was not willing to put that kind of pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu. President Trump has. Your point is that there has to be constant pressure to see this all the way through. My understanding –

Sin. Murphy: Yes. I mean, listen, I think the barrier here was Netanyahu, and Netanyahu would only move if he thought his relationship with the United States was at risk. Obviously, the pressure must remain strong and constant.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Now, let me ask you about other diplomacy that needs to be done on the street, frankly. I called on Democrats to strengthen their members to stand up to the President of the United States. But at what point does this pain become too much in relation to the cost of closing. When will Democrats show some flexibility on this matter?

Sin. MURPHY: Well, I listened to the vice president, and he’s not living reality. —

Margaret Brennan: -What do you mean? —

Sin. MURPHY: -The truth is that there are no negotiations going on right now because Republicans are boycotting those negotiations. They are boycotting negotiations to reopen the government because they are desperate to raise people’s insurance premiums in this country by 75% in order to fund a tax cut for the wealthy. Their only priority is to protect the billionaire class and the corporate class. The other reason the House isn’t in town right now to try to reopen the government is because they’re about to get enough votes to pass a resolution to release the Epstein files. So J.D. Vance and Donald Trump’s first priority is to protect billionaires, protect corporations, raise insurance premiums, and raise health care costs by 75% for American citizens. So, yeah, I think Democrats should say if you want our votes for a budget, it can’t be a corrupt budget. It cannot be a budget that will destroy the lives of middle class families in this country in order to protect and reward billionaires. This is a very reasonable request.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re talking about bonuses that will increase by an average of about $1,000, I think, for those who use some of —

Sin. MURPHY: – That’s the average, but in Connecticut, some families will see a $25,000 increase in premiums. And again, to provide a $270,000 tax cut to the wealthiest families in this country. —

MARGARET BRENNAN: –because it also wasn’t dealt with earlier when the Democrats were in charge here. But you heard the Vice President say, when it comes to health care, the administration is open to discussion, and we want to lower premiums. That quote was there. Did you hear any chance at the opening?

Sin. MURPHY: I mean there’s no negotiation, largely because the House isn’t here. —

Margaret Brennan: – Right. —

Sin. Murphy: They were on an unprecedented five-week break because they didn’t want to risk tax cuts for billionaires, and they didn’t want to talk about the president’s lawlessness. I mean that’s the other thing we should be talking about in this budget. If we want to fund this administration, we need to fund an administration that cares about the law. It would be foolish, Margaret, for me to vote for a budget that allows the President to go and spend money only in Republican-run states and no money in Democratic-run states.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But that’s just the seven-week deal we’re talking about at this point, the short-term financing —

Sin. MURPHY: Right, the long-term budget that we ultimately approve should require that the president not engage in widespread corruption. But it is certain that the short-term agreement will not solve all the problems that now exist in the way the president runs the country.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you have criticized in the past the tactic of choosing to shut down the government. You were in 2018, and back in 2013 when the debate was about health care. That’s what I said in 2018.

(Sot)

Sin. Murphy: The future of America’s health care system was a legitimate public policy issue, as is the security of our borders, but we should not be having the discussion in the middle of a government shutdown, trying to use the security of our country and all of these federal employees and the work they do as hostages.

(end audio)

MARGARET BRENNAN: Aren’t you doing today exactly what you criticized then?

Sin. MURPHY: No, this was a struggle over the long-term structure of the American health care system. This is an emergency. In about a month, premiums will rise by 75% and we have to make a decision whether this budget will allow that to happen or stop it. What’s happening in Chicago right now is an emergency. What is happening at the FCC as they try to shut down free speech in this country is an emergency. Therefore, we have a responsibility in this upcoming budget to prevent catastrophe for families whose insurance premiums are about to rise, and to address the destruction of our democracy and the rule of law that is taking place across this country.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you don’t–

Sin. Murphy: These are urgent matters.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Don’t you trust that if you vote to open the government and then have a separate conversation about health care, that there will be any follow-up?

Sin. Murphy: Absolutely not.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Because that’s what the vice president was arguing here, as if the Democrats aren’t even saying what they want to negotiate about.

Sin. Murphy: No, you can’t trust this administration. And I think it’s important to remember that we didn’t have a shutdown when Joe Biden was president, and the reason is because they didn’t play the kind of games that Republicans play. When we were in charge of the Senate, Joe Biden and the Democrats negotiated with Republicans and avoided shutdowns. This shutdown is happening because Republicans are desperate to protect the billionaires’ tax cut. All we are asking is that we are not asking to reform the entire American health care system. We’re simply saying, don’t make things worse by raising people’s insurance premiums, in some cases, by $25,000 a year.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But the Minority Leader did an interview with Punchbowl this week. I mean there’s also the naked politics of it. Every day this continues, every day gets better for us,” he said in that interview. The Speaker of the House of Representatives said that this is a harsh statement.

Sin. MURPHY: Well, they’re kind of desperately trying to twist what the Democrats are saying. Listen, our priority is the American people. And yes, that’s true, like every day–

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you were critical of Schumer in the past, back in March, you were saying, we have to stand up and do something. Is it a tactic of saying, hey, we’re standing?

Sin. Murphy: No. With every passing day, there are more Republicans who are breaking with J.D. Vance and President Trump and saying, yes, we should be willing to sit down and talk about the health care crisis that is about to visit this country. There are more Republicans who disagree with the president’s censorship regime. So, with every passing day, there are more Republicans willing to stand up and protect the American people, to try to stop the president’s destruction of democracy, and hopefully at some point, there will be enough Republicans to join us and try to protect people’s pocketbooks, which are about to be destroyed, and their economic livelihoods are about to be destroyed, by these massive increases in health care.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, but in the meantime, there’s also the issue of not getting a paycheck for some of these people.

Sin. Murphy: Where’s the House, Margaret? They are on vacation. The only way to solve the closure problem is to have two parties negotiating in Washington. This is very simple. Republicans boycott the negotiations. They’re in a witness protection program across the country, and they refuse to even show up for work. If they are serious about sitting down and reopening the government, they will be in Washington rather than spread across the country.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Murphy, thank you for your time.

Sin. Murphy: Appreciate that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be right back.