Politics

Sanders and Kennedy Appear on CBS News to Discuss Iran War, 2026 Midterms

With midterm elections approaching and U.S. military engagement with Iran ongoing, the appearance of a progressive and a conservative senator on the same broadcast signals that both parties are...

The Congressional Times · July 26, 2026

Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and John Kennedy (R-LA) both appeared on CBS News' 'Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan' on July 26, 2026, according to the broadcast's published program rundown. The two senators discussed what CBS described as 'the war with Iran' and the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. The program rundown, published by CBS News, also listed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb as guests, alongside CBS News Director of Elections and Surveys Anthony Salvanto presenting the latest CBS News poll results.

Senator Sanders, currently serving his third full Senate term, caucuses with Senate Democrats and has been a consistent voice on U.S. foreign policy and military spending. Senator Kennedy, a Republican in his second Senate term representing Louisiana, sits on the Senate Appropriations and Judiciary Committees, according to the official U.S. Senate committee roster. Neither senator's office has released a public statement summarizing their positions as stated during the broadcast, as of the time of publication.

Mike Waltz, confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, previously served as National Security Advisor before his appointment, according to White House public records. Scott Gottlieb served as FDA Commissioner from 2017 to 2019 under the Trump administration, per FDA official records, and has since been affiliated with the American Enterprise Institute. His presence on a broadcast segment alongside active policymakers discussing an ongoing military engagement suggests a potential public health or biosecurity angle to the Iran discussion, though the specific substance of his remarks had not been publicly transcribed at the time of this report.

The CBS News poll results referenced in the broadcast have not yet been published in full on the CBS News public polling portal as of July 26, 2026. Salvanto's CBS News polling unit releases full topline data and crosstabs on cbsnews.com following broadcast appearances; those documents, once released, would provide the specific approval and preference numbers cited on air.

What remains unknown includes the specific legislative positions, vote commitments, or policy proposals, if any, that Sanders or Kennedy advanced during the broadcast. The full transcript, which CBS News typically publishes within 24 hours of broadcast on its official website, would constitute the primary public record for verifying any specific claims made by either senator. Additionally, the current statutory or appropriations basis for U.S. military operations described as 'the war with Iran' — including any Authorization for Use of Military Force — has not been identified in publicly available congressional records as of this publication's deadline.

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