Senator Marshall: Americans Don’t Feel That Elections are Secure

Senator Marshall Joins Meet the Press on NBC

Washington - U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Ryan Nobles on NBC's Meet the Press to discuss the current progress on peace talks with Iran, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, President Trump's negotiations with the Senate, why the SAVE America Act needs to be prioritized before November, and Senator Marshall's commitment to his role as U.S. Senator.

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On achieving lasting peace in Iran:

"Ryan, look, I'm just going to stay focused on what my goals have been all along: no nukes for Iran, no forever wars, bring the cost of gas and groceries down. The major war is over, and think of this as almost just a mop-up operation - we have to press them if they strike us, we have to strike them back by 10. We're making great progress - to your point about Secretary Rubio, he just made a great landmark case over in Lebanon and Israel, getting those folks together. Listen, let's root for the Trump team for once, rather than try to tear them down. So, I think we're doing what we need to do, making great progress here, and again working toward those goals: no nukes for Iran, no forever wars, and let's keep bringing that cost of gas and groceries down back home."

"Well, I don't think the war is over. I think there is a detente going on right now. President Trump, for the first time ever, got Iran to sign a document that they will not develop any nuclear weapons in the future - that's great. And then he followed that up, they're going to sign a UN security resolution as well. We're making great progress, so I'm asking America to hang in there. This is a detente, this is a ceasefire, and, yeah, they broke the ceasefire, we have to answer that as well - they only understand strength. You know we destroyed their economy, we destroyed their military, we're in a good spot right now."

On why President Trump has not signed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act:

"Look, this is a long book right now. I'm concerned about the cost of living right now. Under Joe Biden, we saw the cost of housing, healthcare, childcare all go up 50%. And we're still reeling from that, but we're getting back in the game again. America is truly back, real wages are outpacing inflation right now, housing is part of the puzzle. But this is classic Donald Trump negotiation style: he's going to grab every leverage point he can - and this is one - to get the bigger priority to cross the finish line, and that's election integrity."

"Well, Ryan, again to push back, I think real wages are up since President Trump became President. We do have a little blip going on right now, but as the gasoline prices come down, inflation is going to come down, and wages will get back up. You can't look at just one day, one week, one month, you have to look at the bigger deal right now. Look, we can do both - we can have people show voter IDs and pass the housing bill, and actually have the president sign the housing bill - we can have both. I understand the cost of living is the defining issue right now, but also everyone back home is really concerned about election integrity. We need an election that is trustworthy, and right now some Americans don't feel it is trustworthy."

On why the SAVE America Act needs to be passed to implement voter ID:

"Well, that's very possible, but we shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. When are we going to do this? Look, I think that there is a huge concern on the part of Americans right now that our elections are not trustworthy. I don't think that fraud will ever end our democracy, but what I'm worried about is those that had this belief, this fear, that fraud is indeed possible, and that it could go unpunished. That's why we need to build an election process with integrity."

"Look, we make pilots - before they start flying a plane - we make them get a license to do that. We don't wait till they crash a plane until we make them go through a process. The issue right now is again that Americans don't feel that the elections are trustworthy. No one wants their vote canceled by an illegal alien or by a dead person, and all you have to do is look at the elections, recent elections in Los Angeles, just to see the concern there as well. So, I think there's real concerns. And the perception here is reality, Ryan, people want election integrity, 90% of Americans want voter ID, so why not do that."

"Yeah, Ryan, I guess we just look at this differently. I think again I'm going back to that election process needs to be trustworthy, that the election process is important to the backbone and the survival of this nation. Everything I've done professionally trust has been so important: as a physician - the trust between the doctor and the patient, a military officer - the trust between those below me and above me in rank, and now as a senator there needs to be trust. So, what are Democrats running from? If what you're saying is true, then why are you worried about this? Why not have voter ID? Why not have some type of proof of citizenship? Again, you can't get on a plane without your own ID. Look, when I go to a plane in Kansas, they know who I am but they make me show my ID as well. Why? They don't want to wait for a plane to crash before they start enforcing that particular law. So, I think again this is just part of trustworthiness, and the integrity of our election is that important to our democracy."

On President Trump's negotiations with the Senate:

"Yeah, I guess I'm just shocked that there's a world out there that thinks that grown people can't have a firm discussion. I've been through so many hospital board meetings with doctors yelling at each other over what time surgery should start - and maybe I was part of some of those yelling matches as well. Look, but it worked: at the end of the day, he got a couple people to flip and vote in favor of him to allow him to make better progress. He felt like he's got his legs cut out from under him, that they were negotiating on Iran, and then this war powers act comes through, and he feels like his own team pulled his legs out from behind him. And again, emphasis here, he thinks that this voting rights issue is the main issue - it's the big deal - the voting rights bill."

On whether Senator Marshall will be on the ballot in November:

"Yeah, there's no truth to that at all. I have no interest in doing that. No one from the Trump administration has approached me over anything like that. I'm right where I need to be - I'm where God has put me, that He's prepared me for this day. My background as a physician, fifth generation farm kid, military experience, all those coming to fruition right now, I'm right where I need to be. I have a great relationship working with Secretary Kennedy and Dr. Oz, I'm right where I need to be right now."

"I will be on the ballot on election day and will be honored to represent the people of Kansas for the next six years going forward. It's been the honor of my lifetime. Look, America is back, the economy is being fueled back home by energy independence, our manufacturing is growing. I got work to do on healthcare, lowering the price of health care through our price tags bill. I got so much more work to do as United States Senator, but America is back, and I'm just proud to keep serving on this position."

"I am ruling out any appointment in the Trump administration at least through the next two or three years. Who knows what would happen four years from now?"

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