Sunflower State News

Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) appeared on The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox News Radio to discuss a range of topics, including recent trade agreements under President Trump, the progress of the MAHA movement, U.S.-China relations, and ongoing delays in Senate confirmations.

Addressing the impact of President Trump’s trade deals, Marshall stated: “Brian, I mean, we’re ecstatic, absolutely ecstatic. Every time I see the President, I’ll tell him we’re not tired of winning. But you know, who’s excited about these trade deals are my Kansas farmers and the aerospace industry. What Kansas exports are agriculture products and airplanes, and jets. So just ecstatic about these deals. The President removing these non-trade barriers all these countries, in addition to giving us basically zero types of penalties going into their country’s tariffs, but they’re also opening their markets, and they’re moving investment into America. Just this past week, I had several of the large pharma companies who make their drugs overseas, very popular, very successful [say that] they’re moving that manufacturing here, so we’re all excited about them.”

On monetary policy and interest rates set by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Marshall said: “I sure hope so. Jerome ‘too late’ Powell, he is too late, kind of like ‘too tall’ Jones. This is Jerome ‘too late’ Powell. He should have cut it a quarter point, some time ago, a quarter point now, half point in the future. He’s a lame duck, and I don’t know what he’s going to do. If he doesn’t drop something today, I just have to think it’s politically or emotionally motivated.”

Discussing the MAHA movement's progress in Congress and its relevance for agriculture policy and supply chain security with respect to China-made pharmaceutical knockoffs entering the U.S., Marshall remarked: “Yeah, we’re making great progress. Making incredible progress. We have a group of bills that will help support that movement as well. A group of bills that’s going to make our soil healthier, help our farmers grow more with less pesticides, and with less fertilizers. The thing I’m worried about right now which is coming to my attention Brian is China continues to make a lot of knockoffs. So for instance China is making a knockoff of a GLP-1 that they’re sending to the US that’s compounded into a pharmacy 14 people have died from that So one of my big emphases here is moving all that supply chain back to the United States It’s easier said than done.”

Marshall also discussed broader trade issues with China: “The big picture is that with China we have a $270 billion trade deficit to address I think that people missed the calculated way that the Trump administration is doing this Basically they boxed in China Think about it They’ve done the EU They’ve done Indonesia the Philippines Vietnam Japan and Australia so that by having bilateral trade agreements with them it’s putting a lot of pressure on China One other thing China does to cheat is they’ll send a bunch of T-shirts that they made or tennis shoes and they’ll send them to Vietnam and then Vietnam is getting them in at their lower tariff rate So the President is doubling up on that type of transaction to make sure that those are tarred appropriately So we absolutely are getting there To your point I’m much more concerned about fentanyl poisoning their intellectual property theft the counterfeits they make all those things But I have faith in Scott Bessent This guy is one of the sharpest people I’ve ever met.”

On Senate business regarding nominations and spending bills delayed by Democrats led by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Marshall commented: “I think this is the big political picture here and you get this but what’s driving the Democrat Party right now is the far left Chuck Schumer is scared to death of AOC on the far left so they’re demanding he’s got to do something He’s got to do something So he’s doing everything in his power to gum up the process whether it’s nominations or appropriations bills as well He’s in a panicked mode right now and he’s lashing out slowing up what is traditionally done People that would pass with unanimous consent and take zero floor time we’re having to vote on them three times and spend two hours or more on each one of them So if they’re going to keep doing that then we just need to stay here in August till we get more of these people confirmed.”

Regarding postponing Senate recess until pending nominations are addressed: “The Democrats secretly want to all go home right That is their number one priority These people are professional politicians; they’re used to having all summer off And by the way when I go back I’m going to work harder back in Kansas than I do here Then at same time their leader is scared…he hasn’t been fired yet but he’s scared…So it’s all about his political legacy right now keeping together But…I want go home but…four telephone town halls up here…over 5 000 people on each one…You can go home weekends We’ve had significant strong events as well We could stay for easily two weeks…and still accomplish mission…So…I think we can walk chew gum But what we could do most help people America get President Trump nominations confirmed so can execute agenda.”

Finally addressing internal divisions among Democrats over bipartisan legislation: “First…the one thing learned politically up here when opponent forming circular firing squad don’t hop middle them…I think need give rope can This takes us back earlier Far left Democrat Party tail wagging dog Here Cory Booker running president right He trying reach primary base saying most radical progressive person up here That what doing right there Again party won’t stop digging They hole No respect law order keep digging digging These bills she proposing bipartisan stronger law order support police He out shouting like mayor candidate New York wants defund police…I think this political More interested running president Cory Booker Then Amy Klobuchar…most moderate Democrats level-headed people To be honest joy get know work her We’re bipartisan prayer breakfast together It something never see…but she gave just incredible lesson today life bipartisan prayer breakfast.”