Transcript: Sen. Bill Cassidy on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," June 28, 2026

Senator Bill Cassidy has shifted his stance on the War Powers Act concerning military actions in Iran, citing a crucial briefing he received from the Vice President and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Cassidy, who had previously voted against the president's objectives due to a perceived lack of information, stated that the briefing provided him with the necessary details to reconsider his position.

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My original rationale was because we were not being briefed. We could be the Senate, the Congress, or the United States, and I felt important that we be briefed.

Cassidy explained that his initial rationale for voting for the War Powers Act was rooted in the need for congressional awareness. He felt it was important for the Senate and Congress to be briefed on the situation. While he agreed with the president's original goals, to degrade Iran's nuclear capability, ballistic missile program, and conventional warfare capacity, he felt these objectives were not being met as presented.

Following an exchange with the president, Cassidy requested and received a briefing from Witkoff. He described the briefing as providing a "plausible plan" to achieve the stated objectives. The senator clarified that the objective of regime change in Iran was explicitly stated as being "off the table," which eased some of his concerns.

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So, if the original objections were to destroy, degrade, if you will, Iran's nuclear capability, their ability to do a ballistic missile, and their conventional warfare capability, and we were supposed to be out of there in four to five weeks with maybe a little bit of a sprinkling of regime change, that's how it came across. The regime change is off the table, that doesn't seem as if that's going to happen, but it does seem as if the way they laid it out, the other three objectives can be reached, and with those other three objectives- now we have to trust but verify, but as they laid it out, they have a plausible plan by which to achieve those, and that's what I was interested in.

Cassidy likened his approach to that of a doctor seeking comprehensive information to diagnose and treat a patient. He expressed frustration when denied information, as it hinders his ability to fulfill his duty to serve with the best available facts. The senator indicated that while he must "trust but verify," the information presented in the briefing was sufficient for him to consider changing his vote, emphasizing the importance of detailed diplomacy in such critical matters.

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I'm a doctor. I am going to try and get as much information as possible to come to the truth of someone's diagnosis and the truth of how to treat that problem, as much information as possible. You deny me that information, and I'm going to be frustrated, because my job is to serve with the information I have before me.