Transcript: Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper on "Face the Nation," Oct. 1, 2023
The following is a transcript of an interview with Trump administration Defense Secretary Mark Esper that aired on "Face the Nation" on Oct. 1, 2023.
United States Department of Defense
Remains of World War II POW buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arthur Barrett, a Vermont native, was among thousands of service members captured and held at prisoner of war camps.
LGBTQ+ vets sue Pentagon over discriminatory discharges
The class action lawsuit claims the Pentagon's failure to correct "ongoing discrimination" represents a violation of constitutional rights.
Biden changes military's handling of sexual assault cases
President Biden signed an executive order Friday that takes decisions about whether to prosecute major crimes in the military, like sexual assault, out of the chain of command.
UFO whistleblower: Nonhuman "biologics" found
Former military intelligence officer-turned-whistleblower David Grusch told House lawmakers Wednesday that he had interviewed government officials who had direct knowledge of aircraft with "nonhuman" origins, and that so-called "biologics" were recovered from some craft. Grusch, who served for 14 years as an intelligence officer in the Air Force and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, appeared before the House Oversight Committee's national security subcommittee alongside two former fighter pilots who had firsthand experience with unidentified aerial phenomena.
Latest on Capitol Hill with recess ahead
Congressional lawmakers are preparing to break for their monthlong August recess Thursday night, but the Senate is still hammering out details on the bill that will set Pentagon policy. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has more on that and other top stories from Capitol Hill.
Don Bacon discusses Trump target letter
Reaction from Capitol Hill is pouring in following former President Donald Trump's social media post saying he's been informed by special counsel Jack Smith that he is a target of the investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska joined "America Decides" to discuss the target letter and the fight over controversial amendments in the defense spending bill.
House escalates battle over federal government diversity initiatives
Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene said the FAA's mission is to ensure safe airspace, adding, "It doesn't talk about skin color." Rep. Eric Swalwell said the bi "should not become the next frontier of the GOP's imaginary culture wars."
Rep. McCaul: NDAA will ultimately be a "bipartisan bill"
Most House Democrats refused to vote for the bill after it included an amendment that bans the Pentagon from covering travel expenses for service members seeking abortions out of state.
Defense bill's passage threatened by abortion amendment
Democrats vowed to oppose the defense bill if it includes an amendment that bars the Pentagon from paying for abortion-related expenses.
Audio reveals Trump discussing classified material
Newly leaked audio has revealed former President Trump allegedly showing a Defense Department plan for attacking Iran to people at his New Jersey golf club. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the ongoing case of his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Catherine Herridge has the latest.
29,000+ military vets kicked out over sexuality denied honorable discharge
The new data, shared exclusively with CBS News, covers the years from 1980 until the federal courts lifted the ban against gay and lesbian service members in 2010.
Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon Papers leaker, dies at age 92
Daniel Ellsberg copied and leaked documents that revealed secret details of U.S. strategy in the Vietnam War that became known as the Pentagon Papers.
Lawmakers again target military contractors' price gouging
Bipartisan lawmakers from the House and Senate are zeroing in on exorbitant amounts contractors charge the Pentagon.
Chinese fighter jet harassed U.S. Air Force spy plane
The pilot of the Chinese jet performed an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" while intercepting a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane May 26, the Pentagon said.
Inside the government agency working to identify fallen service members
At the Department of Defense, one division works to bring home tens of thousands of unidentified soldiers.
Senators urge Pentagon to investigate price gouging by military contractors after 60 Minutes report
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is asking the Department of Defense to launch an investigation into longstanding price gouging by defense contractors.
Weapons contractors hitting Pentagon with inflated prices
A six-month 60 Minutes investigation found the nation's defense budget is plagued by a military supply chain rife with price gouging.
How the Pentagon falls victim to price gouging by military contractors
Almost half of the Department of Defense's massive budget will go to defense contractors. Experts in the field say those contractors are overcharging the Pentagon.
Talks continue as debt limit deadline looms
Talks continue Tuesday between President Biden and congressional leaders as the June 1 federal debt limit deadline looms. This comes as the Office of Management and Budget says proposed cuts from House Republicans would cut at least 30% of all areas outside Defense, the Veterans Affairs department and Homeland Security. Weijia Jiang reports.
Hearing held for suspect in Pentagon docs leak
A 21-year-old Air National Guardsman charged with leaking troves of highly classified U.S. military secrets appeared in federal court Thursday for a detention hearing. In new court documents, prosecutors said that rifles and AK-style weapons were found in Jack Teixeira's bedroom. Catherine Herridge has more.
Air Force suspends leaders of alleged Pentagon leaker's intelligence unit
Jack Teixeira of Massachusetts is accused of leaking hundreds of classified Pentagon documents.
Pentagon considers sending contingent of troops to Port Sudan to help Americans
After evacuating U.S. diplomats and their families over the weekend, the Pentagon is examining options to help the remaining U.S. citizens in Sudan who wish to leave.
Lawmakers briefed on Pentagon documents leak
Lawmakers received a closed-door briefing Wednesday from top intelligence officials on the leak of classified Pentagon documents. Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira was arrested and charged under the Espionage Act last week in the case. CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett discusses lawmakers' reaction to the leak.
U.S. tracking more than 650 potential UFOs, official says
The sightings are concentrated off the East Coast and West Coast of the U.S., in the Middle East and in the area of the South China Sea.
Justice Department releases initial trove of Epstein files under new law
The Justice Department has released records from the Epstein files, the first documents to come to light under a new law signed by President Trump.
Motive sought after suspect in Brown shooting, MIT professor's murder found dead
The Brown University shooting suspect was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire. Authorities believe he is also responsible for killing an MIT professor.
U.S. strikes ISIS targets in Syria, after killing of 2 soldiers and interpreter
The airstrikes on ISIS targets are being conducted in response to the killing of two U.S. Army soldiers and an civilian contractor by a lone terrorist in Palmyra, Syria.
Over 500 pages in Epstein files were entirely blacked out, CBS News finds
The Justice Department released thousands of new photos and records on Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, but at least 550 pages in the documents are fully redacted.
Greg Biffle's wife texted "we're in trouble" before crash, her mother says
Cathy Grossu, the mother-in-law of retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, said she had seen the family a day before the fatal crash.
Justice Dept. appealing decision tossing out James Comey and Letitia James cases
A federal judge ruled that Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor who secured the indictments against them, was unlawfully appointed to her role as interim U.S. attorney.
How to view the Epstein files, and initial takeaways from the first documents
The Justice Department has disclosed thousands of files and photos related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following years of pressure from lawmakers and abuse survivors.
Investigators struggled to ID Brown suspect while gunman went on to kill again
The manhunt for the Brown University shooter was complicated by the early misidentification of a person of interest and limited, low-quality video footage.
Rob Reiner's friends and colleagues share fond and funny memories
Friends and colleagues of Rob Reiner sat down with CBS News to share personal anecdotes and fond memories of him following the news of his tragic death.