CBS’s Margaret Brennan Floored After GOP Congressman Says He Wants a ‘Purging’ of the State Department: ‘What Does That Mean?’

CBS Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan was taken aback by a Republican congressman stating he supports the “purging of people throughout the State Department.”

In an interview on Sunday morning, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) — who chairs the House Foreign Affairs committee — said that he’s on board with a purge of State Department personnel.

“I will make sure, certainly as the foreign affairs chairman, that we give every single authority as we go through State Department reauthorization to make sure that this moves forward, as well as purging of people throughout the State Department, other agencies where we’re freezing aid,” Mast said. “These are all very important and necessary steps to make sure that we secure America. And we’re going to support that.”

Brennan was visibly surprised by the remark.

“I’m sorry, can I follow up on what you just said there?” Brennan said. “You want to authorize purging of State Department personnel? What does that mean exactly?

“Well, if you want to take a look at the State Department, where DEI has been a priority over, let’s say, diplomacy in many accounts, I can give you hundreds of examples of that,” Mast responded. “Let’s list them off. Half a million to expand atheism in Nepal, $50,000 to do … a transgender opera in Colombia, $47,000 to do an LGBTQ trans comic book in Peru, $20,000 a pop to do drag shows in Ecuador. Shall I continue with more examples of where DEI was the priority?”

The CBS moderator pointed out just how minuscule those figures given the scope of the federal budget.

“It certainly seems like there could be a review of things,” Brennan said. “Foreign aid, as you know, is less than 1 percent of the entire federal budget. So we’re talking small amounts of money by comparison.”

“We’re still talking about tens and tens of billions of dollars,” Mast replied.

Brennan went on to ask whether President Donald Trump’s administration has told him about its plans for the State Department.

“Has the Trump administration informed you of plans to dismantle or significantly shrink this agency?” Brennan asked.

“This is something that I’m working on very specifically in conjunction with Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio, to make sure that there is the appropriate command and control of these agencies.”

Watch above, via CBS.