Mike Waltz, ex-Attorney General Eric Holder, more — Face the Nation Full Broadcast - April 19, 2026

[0:01] I'm Margaret Frennan in Washington, and this week on Face the Nation, [0:05] the struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz could threaten the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. [0:13] The short-term truce in the war with Iran is holding for now, [0:17] but tensions are escalating over the status of the vital waterway that provides passage for about 20 percent of the world's oil and energy supplies. [0:26] Iran reversed course this weekend, closing it to ships and firing at vessels attempting passage. [0:32] They wanted to close up the Strait again, you know, as they've been doing for years, and they can't blackmail us. [0:40] We'll get the latest from U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz. [0:43] Former White House advisor on energy security Amos Hochstein will also join us with analysis on how the war continues to spike energy prices. [0:52] How long will it last? [0:54] Meanwhile, new developments in what the president calls his push to make America healthy again. [1:00] An executive order loosening restrictions on psychedelic drugs. [1:04] And a new pick for head of the CDC. [1:07] We'll ask former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams to explain it all. [1:11] We'll also hear from former Attorney General Eric Holder on the latest in the redistricting wars. [1:17] Plus, we'll check in on Pope Leo's tour through Africa as he downplays his dispute with President Trump. [1:24] It's all just ahead on Face the Nation. [1:27] Good morning and welcome to Face the Nation. [1:45] President Trump announced another round of talks in Islamabad starting tomorrow evening. [1:50] And three White House officials tell CBS News that Vice President Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, [1:57] and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will be leading the delegation. [2:01] President Trump also, once again, threatened to knock out every single power plant, [2:08] every single bridge in Iran, unless it agrees to a deal with the U.S. [2:13] All of this as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a near standstill. [2:18] Senior foreign correspondent MTS Tayyib has the latest. [2:21] This video posted online appears to show the moment Iran's military ordered an Indian ship [2:35] to aboard its passage of the Strait of Hormuz. [2:37] I will come back and there is no permission to transit harmosic. That's correct, sir. [2:42] For a brief moment, Iran had reopened the world's most contested waterway following a ceasefire deal in Lebanon. [2:48] But when President Trump announced the U.S. would continue blockading Iranian ports, [2:53] Tehran reversed the decision. [2:56] We were on the Strait in the hours before Iran's announcement, [2:59] a rare trip into a waterway that is off-limits to journalists. [3:03] We've only been on our journey for a few minutes now, [3:06] and we've already seen tanker after tanker, and they've been stuck like this for weeks now. [3:12] An analysis by Reuters has found the Iranian blockade of the Strait [3:16] has seen $50 billion worth of oil lost from the global market since fighting began. [3:22] Overnight, Iran's Revolutionary Guard forces reportedly shot gunfire [3:25] at an oil tanker and cargo vessel attempting to cross these waters. [3:30] In a statement read out on state TV, [3:33] apparently from the Supreme Leader, Mujdaba Khomeini, [3:36] he said Iran's Navy would, quote, [3:38] make their enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats. [3:41] Still, the ceasefire in Lebanon, a key demand of Tehran, is holding. [3:46] Thousands of Lebanese return to the south of the country [3:49] to see what's left of their homes after weeks of intense Israeli strikes. [3:55] And the second round of talks between the U.S. and Iran in the Pakistani capital, [3:59] Islamabad, will come just days ahead of when that two-week ceasefire, [4:03] brokered by Pakistan, is set to expire. [4:06] Now, the gulf between Tehran and Washington is frankly enormous, [4:10] with major disagreements over Iran's nuclear program, [4:13] its regional proxies, and, of course, the Strait of Hormuz, Margaret. [4:17] And the fear is, if a deal isn't reached, both sides will return to all-out war. [4:24] That's MTS Tayyib reporting from Dubai. [4:26] We turn now to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, [4:29] Mike Waltz, who joins us this morning from New York. [4:32] Welcome back to Face the Nation, Ambassador. [4:35] Thank you. Good to be with you. [4:37] So the president said Iran broke the ceasefire, [4:40] but he is still offering them a deal. [4:43] Is this a presentation of terms, [4:45] or should we expect an actual prolonged negotiation? [4:52] Well, I think this will be a continuation of the terms [4:56] that the vice president offered a week ago. [4:59] And, look, we have to take a step back here [5:02] in that President Trump, the U.S. Navy, [5:06] is controlling what is coming out of the straits. [5:09] We've had the highest-level engagement in the history of the Iranian regime, [5:14] with the vice president leading. [5:16] We have historic ceasefire talks going on between the Israelis and the Lebanese. [5:23] The markets are up. [5:25] Oil prices are relatively stable. [5:28] The Iranian economy is devastated. [5:30] And they've never been, I can tell you here at the United Nations, [5:33] they've never been more diplomatically isolated. [5:37] So Iran does not have the cards. [5:38] And we are confident they will come to the table [5:41] and finally give up their obsession with having a nuclear weapon. [5:47] Well, Iran has not yet announced that it's sending a delegation to Islamabad. [5:51] I know there's this back-and-forth all morning long [5:53] about whether the vice president would be leading it or not. [5:56] CBS, as you just heard, is reporting he will be. [5:59] But why is it important that he be there in person? [6:02] Is it because Iran has refused to send anyone [6:04] with decision-making authority unless he is there? [6:10] Well, you've seen the chaos, I mean, that you just pointed to [6:13] on the Iranian side the last 48 hours. [6:16] You have their foreign minister announcing [6:18] that they're going to stop attacking shipping. [6:20] Then you have the IRGC saying that they will, [6:24] and then doing so, as President Trump pointed out, [6:27] an absolute violation. [6:29] So the Iranian side's in a bit of chaos. [6:32] This is absolutely due to the devastating strikes [6:35] on their leadership. [6:37] But I think the vice president leading shows, [6:40] look, the level of engagement from the U.S. side, [6:43] that we are absolutely serious. [6:45] And I, for one, thank God for future generations [6:47] that we are arresting a problem before it's too late. [6:51] We're not waiting until the U.S. has no options, [6:54] and Iran has some kind of breakout, [6:56] which would lead to a nuclear breakout [6:57] all over the Middle East. [6:58] Let me follow up on what you just said, though, [7:00] because that's important. [7:01] The Iranian side's in chaos. [7:03] So how do you know you're negotiating [7:05] with the right person? [7:06] It's been reported, the Institute for the Study of War [7:08] says that the IRGC Commander General Vahidi [7:11] has secured control over the negotiations [7:13] and the military within the past 48 hours. [7:17] Does that mean Foreign Minister Aragji [7:19] is not the person to be sitting across the table from? [7:22] Who's in charge? [7:26] Well, look, again, the Iranian regime, [7:31] we've put them in chaos. [7:33] But at the same time, [7:34] we are never going to take an approach of trust. [7:39] Any deal that comes out of this [7:41] will have to absolutely be verifiable [7:43] and be enforceable. [7:45] I can tell you from sitting in my seat at the U.N., [7:48] we've been in extensive discussions [7:50] with the International Atomic Energy Agency, [7:52] the IAEA, [7:53] which would have ostensibly a key role [7:56] in ensuring Iran lives up to any deal [8:00] that it signs up to. [8:02] There is no trust on this side. [8:04] There is verified and enforceable provisions [8:09] that are on the table from the U.S. [8:12] to ensure they never have a nuke. [8:13] Okay, that's important in terms of enforcement. [8:16] Does that mean if you actually get to a negotiated deal [8:19] and the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog [8:22] would be very much in those details of going in [8:24] and perhaps securing that enriched uranium, [8:28] does this mean you're going to put a deal for approval [8:30] before the United Nations? [8:32] Is it going to be codified like that? [8:33] Well, I'll tell you, [8:37] there are dozens and dozens of resolutions [8:42] over the years, [8:44] not just the United States, [8:45] the entire world, [8:46] saying Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. [8:50] We had snapback provisions [8:51] that are in place now for global sanctions [8:53] and that Iran could not enrich. [8:56] So anything that would change those resolutions [8:59] would then need to come back before. [9:01] But let's not get ahead of ourselves. [9:03] Let's see if the Iranians actually sign up [9:06] to a very reasonable offer that is sitting on the table [9:09] from the United States, [9:10] which is an off-ramp from them [9:12] and also will ensure the region, [9:16] the United States, Europe, and the world [9:18] is never threatened by a regime [9:20] with its hand on a nuclear button. [9:21] Okay, so, but back to the point of who's in charge. [9:24] President Trump says he hopes they take the deal. [9:27] That was the post this morning. [9:29] But on Friday afternoon, [9:30] he spoke to my colleague, Weijia Zhang, [9:33] and he gave us an incredibly optimistic read. [9:35] He said Iran had, quote, [9:37] agreed to everything, [9:38] including to stop enriching uranium forever [9:40] and to stop backing all proxy groups like Hezbollah. [9:44] He made it sound like it's all been sorted out. [9:47] So, which is it? [9:48] Was there an agreement with certain parts [9:50] of the Iranian government, [9:51] but now there are others in charge? [9:53] Or was he just, you know, I don't know, [9:56] speculating about something he hopes comes true? [10:00] Margaret, anybody who has dealt with the Iranians [10:03] will tell you it is often two steps forward, [10:07] three steps back. [10:08] They're incredibly slippery. [10:11] They can't be trusted. [10:12] They've cheated over the years, [10:14] which is one of the reasons [10:15] that President Trump withdrew us from the JCPOA. [10:19] They were hiding sites. [10:21] They were hiding capabilities. [10:23] And this is why he made the bold decision last year [10:25] in Operation Midnight Hammer [10:27] to just end it once and for all. [10:30] And again, we have to take the perspective [10:32] that we're not waiting. [10:34] We're not trusting. [10:35] We are reducing their capabilities. [10:38] Their military is in shambles. [10:39] Their missile program is in shambles. [10:41] And now, hopefully, diplomatically, [10:44] they will do it the easy way [10:45] rather than the hard way [10:47] of finally giving up on this illegal ambition. [10:50] The Defense Intelligence Agency [10:51] told Congress this past week [10:53] Iran has thousands of missiles [10:54] and one-way attack drones [10:55] that can still threaten the United States. [10:57] So there's still a threat in certain ways. [11:00] General Cain said on Thursday [11:02] the U.S. is going to pursue Iranian-flagged vessels [11:04] or any vessel providing support, [11:07] including those carrying Iranian oil. [11:09] Beijing's the top customer. [11:10] Are you going to start boarding vessels [11:12] headed to China? [11:14] When do these operations begin? [11:18] Well, I'm not going to get into operational timelines, [11:21] but I'll tell you, all options are on the table. [11:24] The president's prepared to escalate, to de-escalate. [11:27] He means it when he said nothing that benefits Iran [11:31] is coming out of the straits. [11:33] And then on top of that, [11:34] Secretary Besant announced Operation Economic Fury, [11:38] where we are prepared to put secondary sanctions [11:41] on banks who are transacting [11:43] in illegal Iranian oil dollars. [11:47] So we are truly putting maximum pressure [11:50] on every aspect of the Iranian economy. [11:53] And at some point, [11:54] they are going to see some level of common sense [11:57] and pragmatism [11:58] and say enough is enough with this nuclear obsession. [12:01] Is that the first step before you go back to combat? [12:04] Because President Trump was talking [12:05] about bombing power plants. [12:07] Are the sanctions and the seizing of vessels [12:08] step one? [12:11] Well, we've taken, you know, again, [12:13] I'm not going to publicly sequence the steps, [12:15] but the blockade was a tremendous step. [12:19] It has been tremendously effective [12:20] with dozens of ships turned around. [12:23] Others that are already out on the water, [12:25] our Pacific Command is prepared to interdict. [12:29] We're going after the banks. [12:30] We're going after this shadow fleet, [12:33] one of which was run by a relative of Khamenei. [12:38] So we are taking a number of steps. [12:40] We're even looking, [12:42] our acting attorney general has made it very clear. [12:45] He is going to start aggressively prosecuting. [12:47] Our threat finance unit is going after [12:49] their illegal dollars. [12:51] So this is a whole of government, full-on press. [12:54] I hope we don't have to go back to a military option, [12:57] but President Trump's made it very clear. [12:58] And by the way, bridges, power plants [13:01] that are run by the IRGC, [13:03] which runs the entire military, [13:05] are absolute legitimate military targets, [13:08] not only now, but have been historically. [13:10] That is a false, fake, and ridiculous notion [13:12] that this is some type of war crime. [13:14] Well, we'll talk about that [13:16] and we'll see if that happens. [13:17] But Germany and other allies have said [13:19] they will help the United States [13:20] with that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz [13:22] eventually, once combat ends. [13:25] But they said they need cover. [13:27] They need an international mandate at the United Nations. [13:29] Will Russia and China get on board? [13:31] Are you trying to do that at the UN? [13:33] Well, as our Gulf Arab allies [13:37] made it very clear at the UN, [13:40] I guess that would be nice to have after the conflict, [13:44] but they need help and are ready to take action now, [13:47] particularly Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, [13:50] Saudi Arabia. [13:52] We had a historic resolution at the UN [13:54] with 135 nations condemning Iran [13:57] for its attacks on civilian infrastructure, [14:00] on resorts, civilian airports, ports, shipping. [14:04] That was truly tremendous. [14:06] It's disappointing. [14:07] The Russians and Chinese chose to side with Iran [14:10] rather than our Gulf Arab allies. [14:12] And you still lifted sanctions on Russia. [14:14] But you're going to see, yeah, [14:16] you're going to see continued action this coming week. [14:20] The entire world is united, [14:21] that a country cannot hold an international waterway [14:26] and cannot hold the world's economies hostage [14:29] because it has a conflict with another country. [14:32] You don't see that in the Straits of Gibraltar, [14:34] the Bering Strait, the Straits of Malacca, [14:36] or any other international waterway. [14:38] Iran is absolutely in the wrong here [14:40] from a legal, diplomatic, and economic standpoint. [14:43] Let me ask you about Lebanon. [14:45] President Trump posted Friday that, quote, [14:47] Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. [14:50] They are prohibited from doing so by the USA. [14:54] Enough is enough. [14:55] How is the U.S. prohibiting ally Israel [14:58] from bombing in Lebanon? [15:00] And what is the United States doing [15:02] to confiscate weapons from Hezbollah? [15:04] Like, how are you helping the Lebanese military do that? [15:06] Well, to answer your last question first, [15:10] the U.S. contributed over $250 million [15:14] to the Lebanese Armed Forces. [15:17] This is a tremendous historic opportunity [15:19] for Lebanon, the Lebanese government, [15:23] led by President Aoun, a former general, [15:26] the head of the Lebanese Armed Forces, [15:28] to take their country back. [15:30] Finally, with Iran on its back foot [15:33] and militarily devastated, [15:34] with Syria in a much better place [15:36] with the fall of the Assad regime [15:38] and the effective diplomacy that we've had there, [15:41] and from the pager and beeper operation to now, [15:45] Hezbollah has never been in a worse place. [15:48] This is a true moment, [15:49] and it was a real honor for me [15:51] to be at the opening of the first Israel-Lebanon talks, [15:57] first ever. [15:57] How are you going to prohibit Israel from bombing? [15:59] In modern history. [16:00] So we have, look, [16:02] but we have diplomacy on the march [16:04] in a number of places, [16:07] backed, of course, by military strength, [16:10] but we have to take a moment [16:11] to understand the magnitude of what's going on. [16:14] Ambassador Waltz will be watching [16:15] to see what happens in the coming days. [16:17] Thank you for your time this morning. [16:19] Face the Nation will be back in a minute. [16:20] Stay with us. [16:25] And we're joined now by Amos Hochstein. [16:26] He was a former Biden White House [16:28] senior energy advisor and Middle East negotiator, [16:31] and he's now managing partner. [16:33] At the investment firm, TWG Global. [16:36] Good to have you back here. [16:37] It's great to be here. [16:39] So, President Trump said, [16:40] current gas prices are not very high, [16:42] but regular gas costs are averaged like $4.05 a gallon. [16:47] Last time we saw that was under the Biden administration [16:50] when Russia invaded Ukraine. [16:52] So, if you were advising President Trump today, [16:55] how do you make sure this spike isn't long-lasting? [16:59] Well, we're at over $4 now [17:01] because we have a real disruption. [17:05] In the Russian invasion of Ukraine, [17:07] we had a concern of a disruption [17:09] that never actually happened, [17:10] and it went all the way up to $5. [17:12] For the president right now, [17:14] any continued duration of closure [17:17] of the Straits of Hormuz [17:18] will have to have a spike in prices. [17:22] When you have an energy crisis [17:25] like the Straits of Hormuz, [17:26] it's very slow moving, [17:28] and then it's like falling off a cliff [17:29] because when you close the Straits, [17:32] the world still has all the tankers [17:33] that were on the water before, [17:35] and that could take 25, 30 days [17:37] to get to their destination. [17:39] But right now, there are no tankers [17:41] on the road, on the seas to Asia and to Europe. [17:45] So, we're getting to the point now [17:46] where certain countries no longer have any fuel, [17:49] no longer have jet fuel. [17:50] Now, those are poor countries [17:52] and now middle-income countries, [17:53] but that eventually comes to the U.S. [17:55] So, he's got a couple of weeks [17:57] before this can go much higher. [18:00] But he's got to get a deal quickly. [18:02] He's got to get a deal quickly. [18:03] So, because we are seeing [18:05] all these economies get hit, [18:07] I mean, in Europe, they're saying [18:08] jet fuel is only a few weeks, [18:11] there's only six weeks left or so. [18:14] Secretary Besant said he expects a price drop [18:16] sometime between June and September. [18:19] Is that realistic? [18:21] I think right now what they're doing [18:23] in the administration is saying things further out [18:25] to say, okay, we'll deal with that in June. [18:27] If we get to June and prices are high, [18:29] we'll say it's August to November. [18:30] They're trying to talk the markets down. [18:31] They're talking the markets down. [18:33] If the Straits are closed, [18:34] you talked about Europe. [18:35] Certain Asian countries [18:36] are already canceling flights. [18:38] They don't have any jet fuel. [18:39] They're running out [18:40] and probably two to three weeks [18:41] at most before large parts of Asia. [18:44] But remember, Margaret, [18:45] when a plane leaves the United States, [18:47] they can't take jet fuel with them. [18:49] The administration's been saying, [18:51] we have plenty in the U.S. [18:52] Great, but if you leave the U.S. [18:54] and there's no jet fuel on the other side. [18:56] So, what happens is the fuel surcharges [18:58] that Americans are going to see [18:59] that are already starting to see [19:00] and ahead of Memorial Day in the summer, [19:03] tickets are going to be very expensive. [19:04] When jet fuel is expensive [19:05] in the rest of the world, [19:06] it is also expensive here. [19:08] And we saw Spirit Airlines [19:10] really struggling under that, [19:11] with the bankruptcy issue. [19:13] Let me ask you about [19:14] your Mideast experience here. [19:16] In July 2024, [19:19] Secretary Blinken claimed [19:20] Iran was one or two weeks away [19:22] from having enough fissile material, [19:24] breakout capacity, [19:25] to eventually make a weapon [19:26] if Iran had decided to do so. [19:29] There were indirect negotiations [19:31] that the Biden administration did, [19:33] but it went nowhere. [19:35] So, when President Trump argues [19:37] that he did when no other president would, [19:39] is it just simply that [19:41] the bill was coming due [19:42] and it fell on his watch? [19:44] I do think there's a certain element to that. [19:47] And that's why I was supportive [19:50] of President Trump joining in in June [19:52] to take the strikes [19:54] that we had thought internally [19:56] in the Biden administration [19:57] we may have to take, [19:58] if there was a second term, [20:00] we thought that this spring, [20:01] summer of 2025 was probably, [20:03] we may have to be there in the same place. [20:05] And we did, we did war games, [20:06] we did some practice runs [20:08] on what it would look like [20:09] to look into it. [20:10] And because that may have had to happen [20:12] under our watch as well. [20:14] But we, he said, [20:15] we obliterated their nuclear program. [20:18] The question then is not [20:19] about what he did in June. [20:20] This war we were in now [20:22] did not attack [20:23] the nuclear facilities again. [20:25] This was not about the nuclear. [20:26] So the question now becomes, [20:28] can you do a deal [20:29] with the Iranians [20:31] and the maximalist positions [20:33] that both sides have [20:34] are right now very far apart, [20:36] despite all the rhetoric [20:37] that we're, we're almost there [20:39] or we are there. [20:40] But if we're not there, [20:42] we'll bomb the hell out of them. [20:43] Right. [20:43] Or who knows who's going to show up [20:45] or not show up [20:45] from the Iranian side [20:46] to negotiate with. [20:48] I thought that was interesting [20:48] that the ambassador acknowledged that. [20:50] Well, look, Margaret, [20:51] when you have a negotiation [20:53] that's being done loosely, [20:55] right, phone calls [20:56] and no real paper, [20:58] you get to a point [20:59] where Iran says Lebanon was included. [21:01] The U.S. says no, it wasn't. [21:04] The Iranians say [21:06] we're opening the straits [21:07] because it's completely open. [21:09] And the Americans say, [21:10] no, the blockade is staying. [21:11] There's no, [21:12] if there's no paper, [21:12] no serious negotiation on this [21:14] and we're trying to do it [21:15] really quickly [21:15] to assuage markets, [21:17] then you get [21:17] to these misunderstandings [21:19] and now we're [21:20] in a worse position. [21:20] This is a very serious issue. [21:22] And I think it shouldn't take [21:24] just three days [21:24] to do a nuclear deal. [21:25] It's really, really critical. [21:27] Right. [21:27] But if the straits [21:28] are not opened soon, [21:30] the leverage that they have, [21:31] and my concern is, [21:32] no matter how the war ends, [21:34] the Iranians now have a card [21:36] they never had before [21:37] in practice. [21:38] In theory, [21:39] we knew they can close the straits, [21:40] but they never did. [21:42] And now for the foreseeable future, [21:44] they have this card against us [21:45] and against their neighbors. [21:47] Why do you think [21:49] President Trump [21:50] isn't deploying [21:50] his top diplomat [21:52] and his national security advisor? [21:54] Why aren't we seeing [21:55] Secretary of State Rubio [21:56] leading on this? [21:57] I mean, [21:57] that's a mystery [21:58] that I think many in the region [22:00] and around the United States [22:01] are asking. [22:02] Why is this not being run [22:03] by the Secretary of State, [22:04] who's also a national security advisor? [22:06] Maybe the Secretary of State [22:07] doesn't believe [22:07] that this is the right approach. [22:09] I don't know. [22:10] You have to ask him [22:11] if you can get him [22:11] to answer that question. [22:13] We would love for him [22:14] to join us. [22:15] I'm sure you would. [22:16] But that's a real mystery. [22:18] Look, [22:18] Vice President of the United States [22:19] is a... [22:19] But does it show, [22:21] you know, [22:22] when you're going [22:22] to the negotiating table, [22:24] the Vice President going [22:25] is important [22:26] because the last two times [22:27] Wyckoff and Kushner [22:28] showed up [22:29] with the Iranian delegation, [22:31] the talks fell apart. [22:32] In fact, [22:33] they ended in bombing. [22:34] So you need someone [22:35] who wasn't there [22:35] the last two times [22:36] it failed, right? [22:37] And you need someone [22:38] who is senior enough [22:39] that the Iranians believe [22:40] speaks for the president. [22:41] So I think that it's important [22:43] that the Vice President [22:43] or someone go. [22:45] I think it would have been great [22:46] if we can get to a point [22:46] where you have preparatory talks [22:48] and you send the Vice President [22:49] at the end of the process [22:50] in order to break the logjam. [22:53] Stay with us, [22:53] if you would. [22:54] I do have to take a break, [22:56] but I have more to finish [22:57] on this topic with you, Amos. [22:59] We'll be right back [23:00] with a lot more [23:01] Face the Nation. [23:01] Stay with us. [23:10] Welcome back [23:10] to Face the Nation. [23:11] We return to our conversation [23:12] with former Biden advisor, [23:14] Amos Hochstein. [23:14] I want to pick up on Lebanon. [23:16] You brokered that 2024 [23:17] ceasefire in Lebanon. [23:19] On Friday of this past week, [23:22] we saw the president [23:23] announce 10 days of pause. [23:26] to halt the fighting [23:27] between Hezbollah and Israel, [23:29] which is basically linked [23:30] to the big deal [23:31] he really wants to get to [23:33] with Iran. [23:34] What do you make of this truce? [23:36] So a few things. [23:38] One, I'm glad to see [23:39] that the fire is halted, [23:40] even if it's a pause. [23:41] The worrisome part [23:43] is that it was seen [23:44] as a ceasefire [23:45] that was brokered by Iran [23:46] by insisting [23:48] on a Lebanese ceasefire [23:49] before they would show up [23:50] to talks in Pakistan. [23:52] That's a disaster [23:53] because the one thing [23:55] we have always been emphasizing. [23:58] Iran does not control Lebanon. [24:00] It is none of their business [24:01] what happens in Lebanon. [24:02] Hezbollah has been unmasked [24:04] in this conflict [24:04] over the last couple of years [24:06] as not really [24:07] a Lebanese fighting organization [24:09] or terrorist organization [24:10] as they claim, [24:11] but rather they said [24:12] we are doing this [24:13] at the behest of the Iranians. [24:15] And so allowing the Iranians [24:16] to dictate terms [24:17] is not a good thing. [24:18] However, direct talks [24:20] between Israel, [24:21] even at the lower level, [24:22] at the ambassador level [24:23] is a good development. [24:25] Most of the Lebanese people [24:26] want to see [24:27] a lasting ceasefire. [24:28] Even if they don't want [24:29] to see a peace agreement, [24:30] they want to see [24:30] end of conflict. [24:32] But we have to have [24:33] a serious effort here. [24:34] There's such a great [24:35] moment of opportunity. [24:37] It will not be [24:38] a moment of opportunity [24:39] if Israel is occupying [24:40] a significant part of Lebanon [24:42] to reestablish [24:44] a buffer zone. [24:44] That won't work [24:45] because ultimately [24:46] that will help Hezbollah [24:47] reestablish [24:48] its political footing [24:50] and their narrative. [24:51] So we have to get [24:52] to the table, [24:52] make sure Israel [24:54] withdraws from Lebanon, [24:55] stop the fighting, [24:56] and give the actual [24:58] help to Lebanon [24:59] to disarm Hezbollah. [25:01] They cannot do it [25:02] on their own. [25:02] Which is what I asked [25:03] Ambassador Waltz [25:03] on that. [25:04] Can they do that? [25:05] And to be clear, [25:06] the Israelis have said [25:07] not only that they're [25:08] going to stay [25:09] in southern Lebanon, [25:09] but also take [25:10] some of the territory [25:11] that they had seized [25:12] after Assad fell [25:13] in Syria. [25:14] So it's a serious [25:17] negotiation that has to take place. [25:18] This is a tactical victory [25:19] for Israel [25:19] that will lead once again [25:21] an overreach [25:22] that will lead them [25:22] to lose more ground. [25:24] I want to ask you, [25:25] as a Democrat, [25:27] there was this [25:28] extraordinary vote [25:29] this past week [25:29] in the Senate. [25:30] 40 Senate Democrats [25:31] tried to block [25:32] a U.S. weapons sale [25:33] to Israel. [25:34] And that adds [25:35] to this growing rift [25:37] we have seen [25:38] between your party [25:39] and Benjamin Netanyahu. [25:41] Do you think Democrats [25:42] are going to come [25:43] to regret this break [25:44] in the alliance? [25:45] So I hope that [25:46] it's not a break [25:47] in the alliance. [25:47] I think this, [25:48] what it really demonstrates [25:50] is for the last several years, [25:52] Prime Minister Netanyahu [25:53] has sacrificed [25:54] Israel's interest [25:56] in the United States. [25:57] The most important asset [25:59] that Israel has [26:00] is not its military [26:01] or its intelligence, [26:02] it's the special relationship [26:04] with the United States [26:05] that has been bipartisan [26:06] for so many decades. [26:07] He has destroyed that [26:09] because he has decided [26:10] to become [26:11] not just part [26:11] of the Republican Party, [26:13] but he's decided [26:14] to become just [26:15] an appendage [26:16] of Donald Trump. [26:18] And so every Democrat [26:19] now sees [26:19] if you want to be Trump, [26:20] great. [26:21] If we're anti-Trump, [26:22] then by de facto [26:24] we are against you. [26:25] I think this is a lot [26:26] to do with [26:27] Bibi Netanyahu [26:28] and his extremist [26:29] right-wing government [26:30] and not to do with Israel. [26:33] Look, you have [26:33] half of Israel [26:34] is voting against Bibi. [26:35] Yeah. [26:36] So I think [26:37] this Democrat [26:38] should be aligning [26:38] with Israel, [26:39] not with Bibi. [26:40] But I think [26:41] this is a very big [26:42] wake-up call this week, [26:43] that vote. [26:44] Significant vote. [26:45] Amos, thank you [26:45] for your insights. [26:47] And we're going [26:47] to turn now [26:48] to Pope Leo XIV, [26:49] who has spent [26:50] the last week [26:51] traveling through Africa. [26:53] This morning, [26:54] he praised [26:54] the temporary ceasefire [26:55] in Lebanon [26:56] as a reason for hope, [26:58] encouraging leaders [26:59] to seek [26:59] a more permanent peace. [27:01] But much of his tour [27:02] has been marred [27:02] by these tense exchanges [27:04] with President Trump. [27:05] And now the Pope says [27:06] some of his remarks [27:07] have been misinterpreted. [27:09] CBS foreign correspondent [27:11] Chris Livesay [27:11] has more. [27:14] Its nickname [27:14] is Shepard One. [27:16] But this week, [27:17] the papal plane [27:18] has been ground zero [27:20] of a clash [27:21] with the Trump administration [27:22] that's overshadowed [27:24] a papal trip. [27:25] The Pope is now clarifying [27:26] his primary mission [27:27] is to preach peace [27:28] to the people of Africa, [27:30] not the President [27:31] of the United States. [27:33] There's been a certain narrative [27:35] that has not been accurate [27:37] in all of its aspects, [27:39] but because of the [27:40] political situation [27:41] created when on the [27:43] first day of the trip, [27:45] the President of the United States [27:46] made some comments [27:47] about myself. [27:49] Instead, [27:49] he's trying to keep [27:50] the focus on the people [27:51] he came to see. [27:53] In Cameroon, [27:54] where a separatist conflict [27:55] has killed thousands [27:56] and displaced [27:57] more than half a million, [27:59] the pontiff proclaimed, [28:00] The world is being ravaged [28:02] by a handful of tyrants. [28:05] Woe to those [28:05] who manipulate religion [28:07] in the very name of God [28:09] for their own military, [28:11] economic, [28:11] or political gain, [28:14] dragging that which is sacred [28:15] into darkness and filth. [28:18] The Pope now tells us [28:19] that the speech [28:20] was written two weeks ago, [28:21] before President Trump [28:23] first lashed out [28:24] on Truth Social [28:25] over their differences [28:26] on the Iran war. [28:28] And yet, as it happens, [28:30] it was looked at [28:30] as if I was trying [28:31] to debate again [28:33] the President, [28:34] which is not [28:35] in my interest at all. [28:36] The Pope's first stop [28:37] in Africa was Algeria, [28:39] once home to St. Augustine, [28:41] a key architect [28:42] of Catholic doctrine [28:43] for determining [28:44] if a war is just. [28:46] Hours after the Pope's [28:47] visit there, [28:48] Vice President Vance [28:49] challenged the leader [28:50] of the Catholic Church [28:52] over his anti-war statements [28:53] and questioned his grasp [28:55] of the doctrine itself. [28:57] I think it's very, [28:58] very important [28:59] for the Pope [29:00] to be careful [29:01] when he talks about [29:01] matters of theology. [29:03] Last night, [29:04] the Vice President [29:04] thanked the pontiff [29:05] for saying he did not [29:06] want to debate [29:07] the President [29:07] while acknowledging [29:08] real disagreements. [29:11] Today, the Pope [29:11] is celebrating [29:12] his first Mass in Angola. [29:14] Later today, [29:15] he'll travel to a church [29:16] where Catholic priests [29:17] once baptized slaves [29:19] before they were shipped [29:20] off to the Americas. [29:24] That was our Chris Livesay [29:25] reporting from Angola. [29:27] And we'll be right back. [29:32] We turn now [29:32] to former U.S. Surgeon General [29:33] Dr. Jerome Adams [29:34] who joins us this morning [29:36] from Indianapolis. [29:37] Good to have you back, Doctor. [29:39] The country has been [29:40] without a Senate [29:41] confirmed CDC director [29:43] since Secretary Kennedy [29:46] fired Dr. Menara [29:47] just a month into her term. [29:49] But this past week, [29:50] the President nominated [29:51] Dr. Erica Schwartz [29:52] to lead the CDC. [29:54] I know she worked [29:54] as your Deputy Surgeon General. [29:57] Do you see this [29:58] as a deliberate choice [30:00] by the White House [30:01] to pick someone [30:02] who actually does [30:03] support vaccines? [30:05] Well, absolutely. [30:07] And, again, [30:08] we've talked in the past [30:09] about the fact [30:10] that the Fabrizio [30:12] and Ward poll [30:13] showed that Republicans [30:15] were going to pay [30:15] in the midterm elections [30:16] if they continued [30:17] on an anti-vaccine push. [30:21] But I want to say [30:22] Dr. Schwartz [30:23] is a home-run pick. [30:24] She has an M.D., [30:25] a J.D. [30:26] and an M.P.H. [30:27] in more than two decades [30:28] of public service [30:29] in the Coast Guard, [30:30] where she was [30:31] chief medical officer [30:31] and in the public health service, [30:33] as you mentioned, [30:34] which she retired from [30:35] as a rear admiral. [30:36] And it's why [30:37] I personally selected her [30:38] to be my Deputy Surgeon General. [30:41] Do you have concerns [30:43] that she will be able [30:45] to, you know, [30:46] conduct herself [30:47] without political interference? [30:50] Well, it's a great [30:51] and it's a fair question, Margaret. [30:52] I'd say she is objectively [30:54] the most qualified health nominee [30:56] we've seen [30:56] from this administration so far. [30:58] And I want to give [30:59] the president [30:59] and senior HHS advisor, [31:01] Chris Klomp, [31:02] credit for tapping her. [31:03] But that said, [31:04] my optimism, as yours, [31:06] comes with a healthy dose [31:07] of caution [31:07] about the environment [31:09] around Dr. Swartz. [31:10] We've seen this before, [31:11] as you mentioned, [31:12] with Susan Menares. [31:13] And just last week, [31:14] the acting CDC director [31:16] held back an MMWR report [31:18] showing COVID vaccines [31:19] reduced ER visits [31:21] in healthy adults [31:22] this winter. [31:23] Further, Dr. Swartz [31:24] still has to get [31:24] through Senate confirmation [31:25] where she will clearly [31:27] be pitted against RFK [31:28] on vaccines. [31:30] And recent history tells us [31:31] if she's confirmed, [31:32] she will be under real threat [31:34] to follow ideology [31:35] over evidence [31:36] in what is a vaccine-skeptical HHS [31:38] while also confronting [31:40] a growing measles outbreak, [31:42] low CDC morale, [31:43] and ongoing doge-cut impacts. [31:46] Well, the secretary [31:47] will be before Congress [31:48] again this week. [31:50] You mentioned measles. [31:52] The U.S. is already [31:52] at over 1,700 measles infections [31:55] in the first four months [31:57] of this year. [31:58] We did note that [32:01] when Secretary Kennedy [32:02] was under oath [32:03] this past week, [32:05] he seemed to change [32:06] his rhetoric [32:07] around the MMR vaccine. [32:09] That's the vaccine [32:10] that prevents measles infections. [32:12] Take a listen. [32:14] Can you tell me, [32:16] can you tell all of us, [32:17] is the MMR vaccine [32:18] safe and effective? [32:19] Yes or no? [32:21] The MMR vaccine... [32:22] Yes or no? [32:23] Yes. [32:24] Thank you. [32:25] It's safe for most people. [32:27] Can you agree [32:28] that getting the vaccine [32:29] is a lot safer [32:29] than getting measles? [32:31] Yes. [32:32] So that was a qualified response, [32:36] but it was still [32:37] an endorsement, it seemed. [32:39] Is he persuaded [32:41] by the evidence, [32:41] do you think? [32:43] Well, he also acknowledged [32:44] under oath [32:45] it was possible vaccination [32:46] could have saved [32:47] the life of a child [32:48] who died [32:49] in the recent Texas outbreak. [32:50] So these statements [32:51] represent his strongest [32:52] public endorsement [32:53] of the measles vaccine to date. [32:55] Not coincidentally, [32:56] as you mentioned, [32:58] this tepid support [32:59] comes after reports [33:00] the White House [33:00] has instructed him [33:01] to stop talking negatively [33:03] about vaccines [33:04] ahead of midterms. [33:06] But the qualified [33:07] and temperate answer [33:08] he gave, [33:09] it still risks Margaret [33:10] sending mixed messages [33:11] at a time [33:12] when we're facing [33:13] our worst measles resurgence [33:14] in decades, [33:15] falling vaccination rates, [33:16] preventable outbreaks, [33:18] incurring millions [33:19] in state and local costs [33:20] and thousands of days [33:21] of school missed. [33:23] Yeah. [33:23] And I know that CDC data [33:25] shows that the vaccine rate, [33:28] the vaccination rate [33:29] has been sliding. [33:30] I did note [33:32] this one exchange [33:33] that I also want [33:34] to play for you here [33:35] because the secretary [33:36] was asked a few times [33:38] about past statements [33:39] both he and the president [33:40] of the United States [33:41] have made linking [33:43] Tylenol use [33:45] in pregnant women [33:45] to autism [33:47] in their children. [33:48] A Republican lawmaker, [33:50] Blake Moore of Utah, [33:52] told Kennedy [33:53] that his own [33:54] 10-year-old son, [33:55] Winnie, [33:56] is neurodivergent [33:57] and he said [33:58] that Kennedy's remarks [33:59] were hurtful. [34:00] Listen to this. [34:02] I was underwhelmed [34:03] with what we ultimately [34:04] put out. [34:06] My wife was hurt [34:07] and she felt [34:08] for a split second [34:09] until she came to her senses [34:11] and we talked about this, [34:13] that there was any way [34:13] she was responsible. [34:15] We don't even know [34:16] if she took Tylenol [34:17] during her pregnancy, [34:18] but that was a hurtful [34:19] moment for her. [34:20] But on this, [34:21] Kennedy did not give ground. [34:23] He is still saying [34:24] that studies showing [34:26] there is no linkage [34:27] are, quote, [34:28] garbage. [34:29] What is the reality? [34:32] Well, the reality is [34:33] that for pregnant women [34:34] dealing with fever [34:35] or significant pain, [34:37] Tylenol remains [34:38] one of the safest [34:39] and most studied options [34:40] we have. [34:41] And suggesting otherwise [34:42] without evidence [34:42] is dangerous. [34:44] It's irresponsible. [34:45] And as you heard [34:46] the congressman say, [34:47] it is extremely stigmatizing [34:49] towards parents [34:50] and risked real harm [34:51] to moms and babies. [34:53] The science moves forward [34:54] with data, [34:55] not with dogma [34:56] and with dismissal. [34:57] And the garbage [34:58] he was referring to [34:59] was a Danish study [35:01] of 1.5 million children [35:03] that came out. [35:04] And it presents [35:04] clear, high-quality evidence [35:07] that pregnant women [35:09] who use Tylenol [35:11] do not have an increased [35:12] risk of autism. [35:13] In fact, in that study, [35:14] they had a lower risk [35:15] of autism. [35:17] I want to ask you [35:18] about what the president [35:19] announced yesterday [35:19] in the Oval Office. [35:21] He was surrounded [35:21] by podcaster Joe Rogan, [35:23] a number of Navy SEALs. [35:25] And he said [35:26] he wants to boost [35:27] federal research [35:28] into psychedelic drugs [35:29] and make them [35:30] more available. [35:31] Specifically, [35:32] they were touting [35:33] this one drug, [35:34] Ibogaine, [35:35] I believe is how [35:36] you say it. [35:37] Correct. [35:37] What do Americans [35:39] need to know [35:39] about this particular drug [35:41] and the uses of it? [35:44] Well, first of all, [35:45] almost 15 million Americans [35:46] experience serious mental illness [35:48] every year. [35:49] And among veterans, [35:50] that burden [35:51] is about one in four. [35:52] So it's clear [35:53] we do have to accelerate [35:54] rigorous evidence-based research [35:56] into promising treatments. [35:58] Early studies [35:59] of psychedelics [36:00] such as Ibogaine [36:01] and psilocybin [36:02] have shown potential [36:03] for rapid improvements [36:04] in symptoms [36:05] and functioning [36:05] in treatment-resistant cases. [36:08] So yesterday's [36:09] executive order, [36:10] it directs 50 million [36:11] in research funding, [36:12] instructs the FDA [36:13] to prioritize reviews [36:15] for vouchers [36:16] for breakthrough therapy [36:18] and directs the FDA [36:20] and DEA [36:20] to ease barriers [36:22] under right to try. [36:24] Also importantly, [36:25] it maintains full FDA [36:26] and DEA oversight [36:27] so it's not legalization [36:29] or reclassification [36:30] of psychedelics. [36:31] But the content, [36:33] while reasonable, [36:35] what was overshadowed [36:36] by the rollout, [36:37] as you mentioned, [36:37] with Joe Rogan, [36:38] it was a spectacle [36:39] resembling a WWE promotion. [36:41] And people such as Kevin Sabat [36:44] actually have said, [36:45] well, this actually [36:47] overshadows the substance [36:49] that we've seen [36:50] in what I think [36:51] could be a productive EO. [36:53] Okay. [36:54] Executive order. [36:55] All right. [36:55] Thank you there, Dr. Adams. [36:57] Always good to get your insights. [36:58] We'll be right back. [37:02] We're joined now [37:03] by Eric Holder [37:04] who served as Attorney General [37:05] under former President Obama. [37:07] Good to have you here. [37:08] Good to be here. [37:09] So you've been working [37:10] on redistricting. [37:12] You're chairman [37:13] of the National Democratic [37:14] Redistricting Committee. [37:16] Voters out in Virginia [37:17] are set to make this decision [37:19] about redrawing districts [37:20] in a way that would [37:21] advantage Democrats. [37:23] As I understand it, [37:25] it's not just you. [37:26] It's former President Obama. [37:27] It's the governor of Virginia [37:28] all pushing for this, [37:30] saying that this gerrymandering [37:32] will restore fairness. [37:33] But how is drawing a map [37:36] along partisan lines? [37:39] How is that not just stacking the deck? [37:41] How is that about fairness? [37:43] Well, you have to look at this [37:44] in its totality. [37:45] This is really a national fight. [37:46] It's not a fight only about Virginia. [37:48] And when the president [37:49] told Governor Abbott in Texas, [37:51] I needed five additional seats [37:53] in the House of Representatives, [37:54] there had to be a response to that. [37:56] And the governor in California [37:58] decided, all right, [37:59] we'll put, [37:59] we'll ask the people of California, [38:00] do you want to respond [38:01] to what has happened in Texas? [38:03] We're asking the people of Virginia, [38:04] do you want to respond [38:05] to what's happened [38:06] not only in Texas, [38:07] but in Missouri as well [38:08] and in North Carolina as well. [38:10] And what we're trying to do [38:12] is come up with a system [38:13] whereby the people [38:14] actually decide [38:15] what's the composition [38:16] of the House of Representatives [38:17] so that it can be [38:18] an effective check [38:19] on this president. [38:21] So what Virginia is doing, [38:23] what California did, [38:26] is only in response [38:27] to that which Republicans [38:28] started in Texas. [38:30] But in Virginia, [38:30] there already was [38:31] a bipartisan commission [38:32] that was set up [38:33] to do these things. [38:34] I mean, that sounds fair, [38:35] bipartisan commission. [38:36] So by holding this referendum [38:38] and changing the maps, [38:40] I know you said [38:41] that this is just [38:42] a temporary measure. [38:44] How do you guarantee [38:44] that this is temporary [38:46] and that this doesn't [38:47] keep happening? [38:49] Right. [38:49] Well, the measure itself [38:50] says that it is, [38:52] it is time limited. [38:53] It is only for this cycle, [38:55] an additional cycle. [38:56] And after the census... [38:57] So that could be changed again. [38:58] No, well, no, [38:59] that's nothing [38:59] that we would be pushing. [39:00] We need to deal [39:01] with the crisis [39:02] that we have right now, [39:03] come up with a way [39:04] in which we deal [39:05] with that crisis, [39:05] and then get back [39:06] to the redistricting commissions [39:08] in California [39:09] and in Virginia. [39:10] And one thing [39:11] I think is really important [39:12] to understand [39:12] is that the people [39:13] have the ability [39:14] to make this decision [39:15] in Virginia [39:16] as they did in California [39:17] as opposed to... [39:17] Because they have a referendum. [39:19] As opposed to it being imposed [39:20] upon them in Texas [39:22] and in Missouri [39:23] and in North Carolina, [39:24] which proved to be [39:24] wildly unpopular, [39:26] but Republican politicians [39:27] ignored the will [39:28] of the people [39:28] in those states [39:29] and put in place [39:30] these mechanisms. [39:32] But if we put this [39:33] another way, [39:33] I mean, look at all [39:34] the headwinds [39:35] the president's party [39:36] is facing right now. [39:37] We've been talking [39:37] about the war [39:38] and the energy costs [39:39] that go along with it. [39:40] Historically, [39:41] the president's party [39:41] doesn't usually do well [39:43] in the midterm races. [39:44] So why do Democrats [39:45] need to do this? [39:46] I mean, it sounds like [39:47] it's acknowledging [39:48] that the Democratic Party [39:50] can't win on its own, [39:52] that it has to go [39:52] through these measures. [39:53] The Democrats [39:54] can certainly win [39:55] if it's a fair fight. [39:56] And the question I have... [39:57] It wasn't going [39:58] to be a fair fight [39:58] in Virginia? [39:59] No, it wasn't [40:00] going to be a fair fight [40:01] nationally [40:01] if you try to steal seats [40:03] in Texas, [40:04] in North Carolina, [40:06] and in Missouri. [40:07] And so the question [40:08] I have for people [40:08] who are critical [40:09] of that which we're doing [40:10] is what were we supposed [40:11] to do? [40:12] Nothing? [40:12] Just allow them [40:13] to try to stack the deck [40:15] to try to steal seats? [40:16] And all we're trying [40:17] to do is meet them [40:18] and try to make the system [40:19] as fair as it possibly can be. [40:21] And that's all [40:22] that this is about. [40:23] And it's temporary [40:24] and it is also something [40:25] that the citizens [40:26] have the ability [40:26] to say yes or no to. [40:28] Well, I don't have [40:30] to explain to you [40:31] the negative parts [40:31] of gerrymandering [40:32] because you have talked [40:33] about it for years [40:34] and years. [40:35] I mean, we looked back [40:36] at some of your quotes. [40:37] You said it puts [40:38] in place governments [40:39] that don't reflect [40:39] the policy desires [40:40] of the American people. [40:42] In 2019, you said [40:43] it leads to gridlock. [40:44] It leads to lack [40:45] of compromise [40:46] because it caters [40:47] to the extremes [40:48] of the party. [40:49] You said, [40:50] I don't stand [40:51] for gerrymandering [40:52] for Democrats. [40:53] So practically speaking, [40:56] aren't you endorsing [40:57] all these things now? [40:59] I mean, how does [41:00] the situation get better? [41:01] How do people lead [41:02] to compromise now? [41:04] Well, we have to deal [41:04] with this crisis [41:05] that is in front of us [41:06] and that the Republicans [41:07] put before the nation. [41:09] Once we get past [41:10] this crisis, [41:11] we can get back [41:11] to that which I've been [41:12] fighting for since 2017, [41:14] which is fairness. [41:15] But we have to, [41:17] if we want to, [41:18] get to that fairness fight, [41:19] we have to save [41:20] our democracy now. [41:21] And I'm not being [41:21] hyperbolic or alarmist. [41:23] If we don't respond [41:25] to that which they [41:25] are trying to do, [41:26] we could lose [41:27] our democracy [41:28] and not have the ability [41:29] to get back [41:29] to that fairness fight. [41:31] The Supreme Court [41:32] upheld the actions [41:34] in Texas. [41:35] Right. [41:36] Supreme Court [41:36] upheld the actions [41:37] in Texas as well [41:38] as in California. [41:39] But you still think [41:40] it's illegal basically? [41:43] I think it's inappropriate. [41:44] And hopefully [41:44] the next time [41:45] we have a new [41:46] Democratic president [41:47] and control both [41:48] the House and the Senate, [41:49] I hope we'll pass [41:50] federal legislation [41:51] that will ban [41:51] partisan gerrymandering [41:52] just outright [41:53] and get away, [41:54] just do away [41:55] with this altogether. [41:56] So even if this [41:57] is a short-term measure, [41:58] there are some [41:59] specifically in the [42:00] state of Virginia [42:00] who have concerns [42:01] about what happens [42:03] near-term. [42:04] There was an op-ed [42:05] written by Philip Thompson. [42:06] I'm not sure if you saw it. [42:07] He's the executive director [42:08] of the National Black [42:08] Nonpartisan Redistricting [42:10] Organization. [42:11] And he said that [42:11] specific to Virginia, [42:13] the redrawn map [42:14] fails to consolidate [42:15] black political influence [42:16] despite the fact [42:17] that black voters [42:18] form a critical component [42:20] of the Democratic [42:20] leadership and voting [42:21] bloc in Virginia. [42:23] And he raises [42:23] this question, [42:25] what's in this for us? [42:27] If you need to get people [42:28] out there excited [42:29] and voting, [42:29] how do you respond [42:30] to something like that? [42:31] That's simply untrue. [42:32] That is simply untrue. [42:33] And what I would ask [42:34] whoever that gentleman is, [42:36] do you think that [42:37] another two years [42:38] of unchecked Trump power [42:40] is in the best interest [42:41] of African Americans [42:42] in this nation? [42:43] No. [42:44] The answer to that [42:44] is clearly, clearly no. [42:46] And so we have to look [42:47] at this not, again, [42:48] only on a Virginia scale, [42:50] but what is going on nationally. [42:52] And the impact [42:53] of having a positive vote [42:55] in Virginia [42:55] will be to put in place, [42:57] help put in place [42:57] a check on that [42:59] which the Trump administration [43:01] has been doing. [43:02] Mr. Holder, [43:02] thank you so much [43:03] for your time. [43:03] Thanks for having me. [43:04] We'll be back in a moment. [43:09] Americans are accustomed [43:10] to hearing biblical terms [43:12] from the pulpit on Sunday, [43:13] but these days [43:14] they're frequently invoked [43:16] from the Pentagon podium. [43:17] Pray with me, please. [43:19] This past week, [43:20] Secretary of War Pete Hegseth [43:21] said he's frustrated [43:23] by journalists [43:24] scrutinizing America's [43:25] Middle East war [43:26] and invoked scripture, [43:29] comparing journalists [43:30] to the ancient Jewish scholars [43:32] who opposed Jesus. [43:34] You see, the Pharisees, [43:37] the so-called [43:38] and self-appointed elites [43:40] of their time, [43:41] they were there to witness, [43:42] to write everything down, [43:45] to report, [43:47] but their hearts were hardened. [43:49] Even though they witnessed [43:51] a literal miracle, [43:52] it didn't matter, [43:54] they were only there [43:55] to explain away the goodness [43:57] in pursuit of their agenda. [43:59] As the passage ends, [44:01] the Pharisees went out [44:02] and immediately held [44:03] counsel against him, [44:04] how to destroy him. [44:07] I sat there in church [44:09] and I thought, [44:10] our press are just like [44:11] these Pharisees. [44:13] Not all of you, [44:15] not all of you, [44:17] but the legacy [44:18] Trump-hating press. [44:21] Your politically motivated [44:22] animus for President Trump [44:24] nearly completely blinds you [44:26] from the brilliance [44:28] of our American warriors. [44:30] The Pharisees scrutinized [44:32] every good act [44:33] in order to find a violation, [44:37] only looking for the negative. [44:39] Hegseth called it unpatriotic [44:41] and said it's hard to figure out [44:43] what side some of the press are on. [44:46] But what side are journalists [44:48] supposed to be on? [44:49] Recently, [44:50] federal judge Paul Friedman [44:52] invoked a Supreme Court opinion [44:54] that the press is meant to, [44:56] serve the governed, [44:58] not the governors. [44:59] When he twice ruled, [45:00] Hegseth's new Pentagon press restrictions [45:03] to be unconstitutional. [45:05] As he put it, [45:06] quote, [45:07] the curtailment of First Amendment rights [45:09] is dangerous at any time, [45:11] and even more so [45:12] in a time of war. [45:14] He cited the First Amendment. [45:16] Congress shall make no law [45:17] respecting an establishment [45:19] of religion, [45:20] nor abridging freedom of speech [45:22] or of the press. [45:25] That's it for us today. [45:26] Thank you all for watching. [45:27] Until next week, [45:29] for Face the Nation, [45:30] I'm Margaret Brennan.