Transcript: Sen. Tom Cotton on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 4, 2026
CBS News••world
Key Points:
- Senator Tom Cotton praised the U.S. military and CIA for their role in the successful operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, emphasizing the regime's ties to narcotics trafficking and hostile foreign powers like Iran, Russia, China, and Cuba.
- Cotton expressed cautious optimism that the new Venezuelan leadership could change course by stopping drug and weapons trafficking, expelling foreign radicals, and restoring stability, but stressed that the U.S. will not tolerate continuation of Maduro's policies.
- He denied any U.S.-Russia deal involving Venezuela and Ukraine, affirming the operation was unilateral to protect U.S. interests and combat drug trafficking linked to Maduro and his allies.
- Cotton supported the possibility of further U.S. military actions against other indicted Venezuelan
