WOW: Trump's AG pick PILES on Pirro as Trump mulls FIRING her

[0:02] Good morning. Today the Department of Justice in coordination with the Homeland Security Task Force [0:09] announced the unsealing of five separate indictments against high-ranking CJNG leaders. [0:17] We're also announcing today with the State Department more than 100 million dollars in [0:22] rewards for information leading to the arrest of not only the five that were just unsealed today, [0:29] but three indicted previously unsealed cases against additional CJNG leadership. [0:35] This again is a continuation of our efforts to eliminate cartels that have plagued this country [0:41] for far too long. Narco-terrorist organizations like the cartel Alisco Nueva generation are [0:51] responsible for countless deaths to Americans. These sophisticated organizations use violence and [0:57] fear to maintain control over the importation of deadly narcotics in the United States including [1:04] fentanyl, cocaine, meth, and other illegal drugs. Their actions spread violence and death to our [1:13] communities. As alleged in today's indictments and the previous indictments that were unsealed, [1:19] these cartel members have been charged with a range of crimes including running drug networks, [1:24] organizing highly trained hit men responsible for murders and attempted assassinations, procuring [1:30] weapons, money laundering, and deadly drug manufacturing and distribution. Three of the [1:37] alleged cartel members were also allegedly committing a sophisticated fraud targeting elderly Americans [1:44] in an alleged timeshare fraud scheme. Since January 20th, 2025, we have extradited, [1:54] transferred, and secured convictions against hundreds of the world's most dangerous drug traffickers in [2:01] federal courtrooms across the United States. Just last month, the co-founder of the notorious Sinaloa [2:08] cartel, El Mayo, Ismael Zambada Garcia, was sentenced to life in prison in federal court in this country. [2:18] The results speak for themselves. We've talked about it a lot lately, but it bears repeating here. [2:24] In addition to the historic decline of violent crime just last year, we saw a 22 percent decline in [2:32] fentanyl deaths in the United States over the year prior. Our efforts have saved thousands of lives [2:42] and bringing back law and order to our communities. This mission obviously requires brave men and women [2:50] in law enforcement, talented prosecutors, and steadfast partners at the state and local level, [2:56] and our international community. I want to thank the Homeland Security Task Force, DEA, FBI, HSI, CBP, [3:04] IRS CID, the State Department, the National Coordination Center, all of these partners working together [3:11] with the Department of Justice in an all-government approach to combating terrorism. With these charges [3:20] now made public and again these cases have been brought in two districts in the eastern of New York, [3:26] in Brooklyn, and here in Washington, DC, and more than 100 million dollars in rewards announced today [3:34] by the State Department, the U.S. government will use all tools to bring these defendants to justice [3:40] no matter where they are. We will never allow foreign terrorist organizations to take advantage of our [3:47] country. We have an important job to do and together we will finish it. We have several speakers that are [3:55] going to address you guys today starting with our DEA Administrator, Terry Cole. Good morning and thank you, [4:06] Mr. Attorney General. Since the inception nearly two decades ago, CGNG has grown into one of the world's [4:14] most dangerous and ruthless foreign terrorist organizations. CGNG was built on vast criminal network [4:22] that produces and distributes deadly drugs while sustaining its powerful influence via violence [4:30] and corruption in Mexico. This includes members within the Mexican government who shield CGNG leadership [4:39] from justice and facilitate drug trafficking, money laundering, and violence. CGNG's actions have [4:48] resulted in the deaths of thousands of Americans, Americans that were lost way too soon. They did this through [4:58] this production and distribution of fentanyl, a weapon of mass destruction. DEA is aggressively targeting [5:07] both the cartels and the corrupt government officials who are responsible for the deaths of our citizens. [5:15] Today's coordinated actions against CGNG leadership and infrastructure, including superseding indictments [5:22] and rewards totaling more than $100 million in arrest will not end. It sends a very clear message. This [5:33] is just the beginning. Under the President Trump and Attorney General Blanche, this administration will use [5:39] every resource, every tool to protect the American citizens. You see, this is about America first. This is [5:49] about Americans first. This is a fight against CGNG that we are just beginning and we will not back down. DEA [6:00] investigations have cases have generated more than 100 federal indictments against CGNG leaders and members and [6:06] associates. We are working with our international partners to arrest extradite and prosecute these defendants [6:15] in the United States. Earlier this year, we saw the leader, El Mencho, fall to his death during a Mexican military [6:26] operation for his capture. El Mencho's demise did not end CGNG. It underscores the organization's resilience and the [6:36] continued threat it poses. Based on DEA intelligence, the new leader, Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez, [6:43] El Mencho's stepson, has taken control of the cartel. In our world, El Pelion is the number one priority of DEA. [6:56] DEA is more focused than it's ever been on dismantling CGNG and bringing its leaders and members and [7:03] facilitators and corrupt enablers to justice. Let me be clear. If you traffic deadly drugs, profit from [7:13] the suffering of others or use public office to protect the cartels, this is your warning. DEA is [7:22] coming for you. No title, no position or political connection will shield you. This includes cartel [7:29] members like Jardinero, who was recently captured in Mexico. This includes Sapo, Hugo Mendez Gaetan, a [7:39] Sicario who runs Sicario training camps deep in Mexico. This includes Trajetas, Julio Montego Pinzon. [7:48] This is the same subject who attempted to kill the current security director, Omar Garcia Harfuch in 2020. [7:56] They are relentless, but so is DEA and so is this team standing here before you. These individuals [8:03] represent different parts of CGNG and their criminal enterprise, but together they demonstrate why [8:09] the U.S. response must be coordinated, must be comprehensive, and must be aggressive. Cartels [8:15] depend on leadership, money, logistics, corruption, coercion, and networks that cross borders. And DEA [8:22] and our partners here are targeting every such network. Our work is far from over. We will disrupt your [8:30] networks. We will cut off your financial lifelines. We will seize your illicit profits, and we will work [8:36] with our partners to save American lives. I want to stress this is about America first. This is about [8:44] Americans first. I want to thank the Attorney General. I want to thank the Homeland Security Task Force, [8:49] the NCC, and our partners that are standing here today because partnerships allow us to succeed. And [8:57] success is our goal to protect and defend the national security of our country and our citizens. DEA is on [9:05] the hunt with our partners. God bless us, and God bless the United States. I'd like to turn this over to [9:13] the FBI Director, Kash Patel. Thank you, Administrator. Thank you, Attorney General. The dynamic threat [9:23] landscape of the drug trafficking world, unfortunately, has permeated into not just deploying these lethal doses of [9:31] fentanyl and other narcotics that are killing Americans at a record rate. You've heard from the [9:35] Attorney General and the DEA Administrator, and you'll hear from our team, the record successes we've had [9:40] from getting the Chinese to delist the precursors that were dumping this poison to the Mexican cartels [9:45] and manufacturing it down south of the border and pumping it here. You've heard that there's been an [9:50] over 20% reduction in opiate overdose deaths, 22% specifically related to fentanyl. That is a monumental [9:57] achievement thanks to President Trump's initiative and direction and push to manhunt federal foreign [10:03] terrorist organizations wherever they exist and whatever umbrella they choose to operate under. [10:09] The FBI here is today is here today to announce three of individuals who are being elevated to [10:18] our most wanted perpetrators around the world, not for drug trafficking, but for fraud. You've seen [10:26] what the President and the Vice President have done under their anti-fraud task force. And thanks to the [10:30] great leadership of Attorney General Blanche, we are not just attacking healthcare fraud here in the [10:35] United States of America. Our adversaries are taking advantages of the loopholes and the lack of [10:39] enforcement by the prior administration to fleece our senior citizens of their valuable life savings. [10:46] And they are doing it in a sophisticated manner. And it takes a whole-of-government approach, [10:49] which you see here represented today, led by the Attorney General, to execute on that mission to [10:54] safeguard our senior citizens. These individuals, pursuant to the New York Field Office's investigation [11:00] that began a few years ago, started call centers down south and across the world. The funds they [11:08] utilized and they scammed out of these call centers from senior citizens from across America totaled over [11:15] $400 million. They duped our seniors using email, telephone, text messages, and phishing campaigns [11:24] into subscribing to a timeshare project that they falsely stood up and falsely delivered promises [11:33] that our seniors would be able to enjoy their lives and their vacations only to have that money seized [11:39] from them and that vacation and their retirements deprived from them. This FBI is laser focused with our [11:47] interagency partners, not just on these foreign terrorist organizations for dumping these illicit narcotics [11:52] into our country, but keeping up with the dynamic threat that they pose on the fraud that they have [11:57] now unleashed on our country. But thanks to this team and thanks to Attorney General Branch and thanks to [12:03] the President of the United States, we are now chasing them down around the world, as Administrator Cole [12:09] pointed out. This is truly remarkable work that is a partnership effort. It takes every single agency [12:16] you stay up here today. And most importantly, it takes a president who is willing to safeguard Americans [12:22] and put America first. And President Trump has done just that. One of the most important things [12:28] for these perpetrators to know is that there is no safe haven. We will give you no sanctuary. In the [12:34] month of July, the FBI executed almost 30 foreign transfers of custody in over 15 separate countries for [12:43] drug traffickers, terrorists, murderers and rapists. So what I'm here to tell you today for all these individuals [12:50] that are on the run right now, you will not be on the run for long. We will hunt you down in every corner of the [12:55] planet and we will return you here to face American justice. The numbers that we at the FBI and our partners [13:02] are returning to America to face justice from overseas is a record breaking number. It is a direct result of [13:09] President Trump's relationships with foreign governments that allow us to work in spaces we [13:14] were never permitted to work before. And that is why we are delivering these historic results, [13:19] returning these individuals to America for justice. And most importantly, once they are in our justice [13:26] system, we have seized these funds and we are going to get them back to the senior citizens that were [13:32] fleeced of their life savings and their retirements. That is the mission of law enforcement. That is the [13:38] collective mission of the interagency partnerships you see here today. I'm thankful to be able to [13:43] stand shoulder to shoulder with these agencies, our prosecutors, the Department of Justice and [13:47] this White House laser focused and primary importance on protecting our most vulnerable, [13:52] our kids and our elderly. And you're seeing that done here today. And this FBI along with our [13:58] interagency partners will not rest. If anyone in the world has information on these perpetrators, [14:02] 1-800-CALL-FBI. 1-800-CALL-FBI. Our best partners are those in law enforcement. But as I've always [14:08] said, our truly best partners are the American citizens around the world who've got eyes and ears [14:14] everywhere. We want to hear from you. Thank you. Thank you, Director Patel. My name is Tyson Duva. [14:25] I'm the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division here at Maine Justice. [14:30] And the Criminal Division is proud to announce with our law enforcement partners here with the leadership of [14:34] President Trump and our Acting Attorney General Blanche. Some new cases and rewards here based on [14:41] recent events. Under President Trump and Acting Attorney General Blanche's leadership, [14:46] the Department of Justice's main goal is to totally eliminate cartels like CJ and G. The Criminal Division [14:52] and our partners, those who you see here on this stage, carry out that fight every day. We have had [14:57] tremendous recent success against the two largest drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, the Sinaloa [15:03] Cartel and CJ and G. Since President Trump took office, high-value removals via extraditions [15:11] and expulsions have numbered over 200, putting some of the most dangerous cartel figures in U.S. [15:17] custody in American courtrooms. About two weeks ago, some of us on this stage, including Mr. Cole and I, [15:25] sat in the storied federal courthouse in Brooklyn and did some press after and watched our prosecutors [15:30] and agents secure a life sentence for El Mayo, the co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel and perhaps the most [15:37] heinous and violent narco-terrorist in the history of mankind. During President Trump's first term, our [15:43] prosecutors convicted his co-founder, El Chapo Guzman, and last year, we convicted Chapo's sons, Ovidio and [15:50] Joaquin Guzman Lopez, who also faced life in prison. We are dismantling the Sinaloa Cartel. The same pressure is now on [15:58] CJ and G. Last Friday, Antonio Aseguero Cervantes, brother of the late CJ and G boss, El Mencho, pleaded guilty. [16:07] And in April, the CJ and G co-founder, Eric Valencia Salazar, pleaded guilty. They both face life in prison. [16:15] We are pleased to announce the increased monetary awards are being offered for information leading to [16:20] the arrest or conviction of two CJ and G leaders charged by the criminal division. As Mr. Cole explained, [16:27] those are Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez, Pallon, and Adias Flores Silva, Jardinero. Mencho's stepson, [16:36] Pallon, is by all accounts the new CJ and G leader. Jardinero is the regional commander who runs a vast [16:43] logistics network for CJ and G. The criminal division charged both during President Trump's first term, [16:50] and in May of this year, we brought new drug trafficking, weapons, and money laundering charges [16:54] against Jardinero. There are new charges and rewards that we are announcing today. We are [17:00] announcing federal charges brought by the criminal division prosecutors against five senior members [17:05] of CJ and G in the District of Columbia, which were unsealed yesterday. All five are charged with [17:12] drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The five defendants are as follows. Julio Alberto Castillo [17:19] Rodriguez, or Chorro. This is Mencho's former son-in-law and a senior CJ and G leader who allegedly [17:25] trafficked tonnage quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in controlled territories by force and [17:31] violence. Hugo Gonzalo Mendoza-Gaiten, or Sapo, is Mencho's godson and senior CJ and G leader who, [17:39] in addition to trafficking meth and cocaine into the United States, procured most of CJ and G's weapons, [17:45] trained sicarios, or hitmen, and oversaw operations. Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, or Tripa, is a senior CJ and G [17:54] lieutenant who oversaw CJ and G's criminal activities in several Mexican territories. Tripa is charged with [18:01] conspiring to import heroin and fentanyl. Lastly, Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon, or Tarretas, and Carlos [18:08] Andres Rivera Varela Laferma founded and led CJ and G's Grupo Elite, a unit of heavily armed sicarios and [18:16] controlled communities and government officials alike with violence. They trafficked tonnage of [18:22] quantities of meth and cocaine into the United States. Tarretas and Laferma are also charged [18:28] as separate fraud indictments in the Eastern District of New York, and a word on the fraud [18:32] indictments. On October 27, 2025, the Criminal Division and the Eastern District of New York [18:39] prosecutors obtained a superseding indictment on Tarretas, Laferma, and Griselda Margarita Arredondo [18:46] Pinzon, Targeta's half-sister, and a CJ and G accountant, charging them for participating in [18:52] a timeshare fraud scheme. And here's how it worked. CJ and G targeted Americans who were aspiring to own [18:59] or already own timeshares in Mexico, many of them elderly, and promised them profits for selling or [19:05] renting them. But first, the victims had to pay taxes and advance fees. Of course, the profits never came. [19:12] Once someone paid, the fraudsters contacted them again, posing as lawyers or officials who could [19:18] recover the money for another fee. Of course, it was fake. The scheme morphed and continued with the [19:23] fraudsters even claiming that the victims actually paid a cartel and would be arrested if they did not [19:29] pay more, which they did. One particular victim, an 83-year-old individual, an American, who bought a [19:36] timeshare many years ago for $179,000, was duped at each level of this phase. He paid advance schemes [19:44] to begin with. He fell for fake real estate websites and title companies. He was victimized again by [19:50] attorneys who sent their bar information and fake websites who claimed that they could get his money [19:56] back. Of course, they were impersonators and they could not. Government agencies then contacted him for [20:01] additional fees on using government letterhead and spoofed government websites. And then again, [20:07] Mexican law enforcement contacted him and demanded he pay criminal and civil fines because he had [20:12] apparently paid a cartel. It went on and on. It victimized this man for hundreds of thousands of [20:19] dollars over eight years. Between 2019 and 2023, the scheme has defrauded over 6,000 Americans of over [20:27] 400 million dollars. And CJ and G, of course, used this money to fund its operation, traffic poison, [20:34] buying guns, and paying bribes with the life savings of America's. Together, the DOJ, the Department of [20:40] Homeland Security and the State Department are announcing millions of dollars in rewards for the arrest and [20:45] capture of those at large. You cannot hide from any of us. We will find you and we're coming for you. [20:52] And now I'd like to turn it over to Matt Milholland with HSI. Good morning. I'm Matthew Milholland, [21:03] the Deputy Executive Associate Director for Homeland Security Investigations. [21:07] Thank you to our partners across the Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, [21:12] FBI, the State Department, IRS, CBP, ATF, and many state, local, and international partners. [21:21] Today's announcement reflects the full force of the U.S. government being brought to bear against CJ and G, [21:28] one of the most prolific and dangerous criminal organizations in the world. As a designated forest [21:34] foreign terrorist organization, CJ and G, threatens the United States through drug trafficking, [21:38] weapons trafficking, money laundering, fraud, intimidation, and extreme violence. [21:44] Its leaders and facilitators operate across borders. They exploit our financial system, [21:49] they traffic deadly narcotics into American communities, and they use their violence to [21:54] protect their criminal enterprise. These cases are part of the Homeland Security Task Force [21:59] initiative, a whole-of-government approach focused on eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, [22:05] transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling and trafficking networks that are operating [22:10] in the United States and abroad. HSI is proud to play a central role in that effort. The cases [22:17] highlighted today demonstrate how HSI, working through the HSTF and with our law enforcement [22:21] partners, attacks those organizations at multiple points. Through their leadership, through their money, [22:28] we attack their weapons, their facilitators, and the infrastructure they rely on to operate. [22:33] One HSI-led initiative initiated by HSI Douglas, Arizona targeted a weapons trafficking network moving [22:39] firearms and ammunition from the United States to CJ and G members in Mexico. Through coordinated [22:45] efforts with CBP, ATF and HSI offices in Mexico and Mexican law enforcement partners, HSI helped to [22:52] identify and disrupt the network allegedly supporting Sapo. As alleged in court filings, Sapo procured weapons for [23:00] CJ and G trained sicarios at cartel training camps and he oversaw violent operations across multiple [23:06] strategic locations. A second HSI-led investigation conducted by HSI Carolina's Financial Crimes Task [23:13] Force targeted drug trafficking and money laundering operations linked to Diaz Flores Silva, an alleged [23:20] high-level CJ and J leader who was arrested by Mexican authorities in April of 2026. To date, [23:27] those efforts have resulted in the seizure of more than six million in bulk U.S. currency, [23:31] 1100 kilograms of cocaine, 94 kilograms of meth, aircraft, firearms, and the rest of 19 individuals. [23:38] Those seizures matter. Every dollar seized is money that cannot be used to buy weapons, [23:44] to corrupt officials, or to further criminal activity. Every firearm taken out of circulation is [23:50] one less tool for intimidation and violence. Every kilogram of narcotics intercepted represents poison [23:58] that will not reach American communities. Through the Homeland Security Task Force initiative and in [24:03] partnership with DOJ prosecutors, we are aligning our efforts against cartels and transnational [24:08] criminal organizations that threaten the American people. Our message to CJ and G leaders is clear. [24:15] If you target the United States, our communities, and our citizens, Homeland Security investigations [24:22] will pursue you. We will follow the evidence, we will follow the money, and we will work inside and [24:28] outside our borders to find you. I want to thank the investigators, the analysts, the prosecutors, [24:34] our international partners who contributed to these cases. Their work is difficult, it's complex, [24:41] it's often dangerous, but it's essential to protecting the American people. Thank you. Next up is my [24:51] colleague from the IRS. Good morning, everyone. My name is Gary Shapley. I'm the deputy chief of IRS [25:04] Criminal Investigation. Today marks a pivotal moment in our fight against the CJNG. The coordinated actions [25:13] announced today reflect the full force of the U.S. law enforcement, and I'm proud and honored to be on [25:18] the stage with these folks next to me. IRS Criminal Investigation has played a critical role in exposing [25:24] and disrupting CJNG's financial networks. Our expertise in tracing illicit proceeds, unraveling complex [25:34] fraud schemes, and targeting money laundering organizations is central to today's actions. Whether [25:41] laundering funds through intermediaries or legitimate financial institutions, attempting to conceal the [25:49] income earned through cryptocurrencies, IRS CI enhances the capabilities to ensure the proceeds of [25:56] these criminal conduct are not available to continue to promote their schemes or to enrich the leadership [26:04] of the targets that were indicted today, unsealed today. CJNG's fraud operations targeted Americans who own [26:13] timeshare properties in Mexico. Victims were cold-called, manipulated with fraudulent documents, and [26:19] pressured into sending money. Oftentimes, U.S. victims lost their entire life savings to these schemes. [26:27] After CJNG's designation as a foreign terrorist organization, it became even more important to pursue [26:34] prosecutions against these perpetrators, and IRCI's work resulted in obtaining direct evidence [26:39] critical for prosecution. Operation Borrowed Time was a cryptocurrency money laundering operation [26:48] led by IRS Criminal Investigation in close coordination with the FBI and DEA. Our New York team uncovered [26:55] direct communications with CJNG leaders, including those individuals indicted today. IRSCI, when we're on the [27:04] stage, you know that we're coming after everything. We're going to find your funds, we're going to find your money, [27:09] and there's going to be no border that we can't cross to find and to take that money back to make the [27:14] Americans whole that we're defrauded. Today's coordinated actions send a clear message. No criminal [27:22] organization is beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement, and we will use every tool at our disposal, whether [27:28] it's financial tracing, undercover operations, asset forfeiture, and prosecution to dismantle the CJNG and [27:36] defend our communities. I want to thank our New York team and all of our partners up here on stage, [27:42] and it just shows the resolve of this administration and the United States government to protect the [27:47] United States citizens. Thank you. Good morning. I'm Ambassador Michael Gonzalez, [27:59] Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement. I'd like to thank the [28:04] Department of Justice for hosting this unprecedented announcement today. As President Trump has said, [28:10] it's time for America to wage war on cartels. Well, CJNG, we're coming after you. Today, [28:17] in this historic action supporting President Trump's directive to eliminate narco-terrorist cartels, [28:23] the State Department is announcing more than $100 million in reward money for information leading [28:29] to the arrest and or convictions of eight leaders and associates of Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación. [28:36] This includes a $25 million reward offer for Juan Carlos Valencia González, also known as Pelón, [28:43] the leader of CJNG, who rose to power following the death of the cartel's former boss, El Mencho. [28:49] Pelón and his vicious organization are directly responsible for poisoning many American communities [28:55] with illicit fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and fueling massive violence. They are [29:03] responsible for the murders of hundreds of thousands, including countless American citizens. [29:08] Seven additional rewards today, ranging from $2 million to $15 million, each targets others among [29:16] the high-ranking officials of CJNG. These rewards are offered under the State Department's Narcotics [29:23] Rewards Program and our Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program. These have been proven highly [29:30] effective tools in assisting U.S. law enforcement in identifying and bringing to justice over 90 [29:37] major violators of U.S. laws, and they've paid more than $200 million in reward money to date. [29:44] We will use every tool at our disposal to hunt down, to dismantle, and to destroy these ruthless [29:52] foreign terrorist organizations, and to defend America and American citizens from the violence and [29:58] drugs that have torn apart our families, our communities. In addition to these rewards, [30:04] the State Department is imposing visa restrictions on 65 individuals who are family members or close [30:11] associates to persons linked to CJNG to prevent their entry into our country. 26 of those individuals [30:22] already had American visas. Those have now been revoked. Under the leadership of Secretary Rubio, [30:29] the Department of State, together with our U.S. law enforcement colleagues, will continue to protect [30:34] our nation, the American people, and our hemisphere from the violence and terror inflicted by CJNG. [30:41] But we need your help. If you have information, please contact DEA, FBI, or Homeland Security Investigations [30:50] at the respective tip lines. As we heard from Director Patel, if you're not sure how, 1-800-CALL-FBI. [30:58] Help us find and convict these criminals and protect the American people. Thank you. [31:03] Mr. de Blanche? All right. I want to thank everybody for being here today. [31:08] We'll take a couple of questions. The President has publicly criticized U.S. Attorney [31:14] Jeanine Pirro for her decision to drop the reflecting pool case. Do you agree with the move [31:19] to drop the – to dismiss the charges against David Hearn? So I – look, I think that U.S. Attorney Pirro, [31:27] over the past year and a half, year and a half that she's been there, year plus, has led an unprecedented [31:33] effort to – to literally over – just turn this city on its head to be a safe place for all of us to [31:42] to live and eat. And – and so I – I've watched the – the communication that President Trump, [31:49] who has every right to be extraordinarily frustrated with damage done to – to our national monuments [31:55] and – and in this city and elsewhere. But – but Judge Pirro is doing a – is doing a great job. And – and [32:01] our city, Washington, D.C., is a lot safer in no small part to – to her effort and the [32:07] prosecutor's efforts that she works with. To follow up on that question, were you aware [32:12] that U.S. Attorney Pirro was going to drop the charges, um, against David Hearn? And if so, [32:16] did you approve of that decision? So I – I'm not going to talk about [32:21] internal discussions. Um, I don't – I don't approve or disapprove, um, decisions that our U.S. [32:26] attorneys make, um, on – in a general matter. But I'm not going to talk about what, uh, what we knew [32:31] about the case or didn't know about the case. I mean, we – we have a great relationship. By we, [32:35] I mean, Maine Justice and – and – and a U.S. Attorney Pirro, um, in – in a lot of different [32:39] cases that we work on. So, again, I don't want the – the message to be, um, because President Trump [32:45] expects appropriate frustration, um, at – at the damage done to the reflecting pool, um, that – that [32:51] Judge Pirro is not – and not only Judge Pirro, her prosecutors – are not working, um, every day to – to [32:56] combat violent crime and – and to make this city safe. So, yep. [33:00] Go ahead. [33:02] One on-topic? One off-topic? Is that okay? [33:04] All of the top questions have been off-topic. [33:06] Okay. So, uh, I just want to ask about the current case that you – the current case you [33:11] guys are talking about. Uh, the DEA director briefly mentioned – I'm paraphrasing – uh, [33:15] something to the effect of, uh, politicians, elected leaders, uh, that – the U.S. will stop at [33:20] nothing, uh, to go after these suspects. Uh, you also mentioned elected leaders potentially [33:25] protecting, uh, people, uh, in the name of this – this indictment. Does the U.S. at this [33:30] point have any thoughts or considerations that there could be foreign governments, [33:34] foreign elected leaders who are protecting any of the named suspects that were just [33:38] brought up today, uh, potentially at all? And does the U.S., uh, believe that it would [33:43] be necessary potentially to charge any, uh, foreign elected leaders if that was happening [33:47] in this case? [33:49] So I think what's important here, you know, in my remarks – this is about Americans first [33:59] and America first – there are far too many Americans that are dying at the hands of the [34:05] cartels who have been designated a foreign terrorist. On a side note, you know, each day when I walk [34:11] into DEA headquarters, I walk past the faces of fentanyl. There are 7,000 kids. Their pictures [34:19] are on our wall. There's another 25,000 parents that are petitioned to have their kids on the wall [34:28] who have died at the hands of the cartels in fentanyl. They were poisoned. That's a fraction [34:36] of the damage that the cartels are doing. And we've all seen with the recent indictment that was [34:41] unsealed in the Southern District of New York, there is corruption. And we were going to pursue that [34:49] because we see the corruption as one. Cartel activity – corruption is cartel activity. [34:56] They are enablers. And we will pursue it to the ends to protect our citizens in our country. Thank you. [35:06] Yeah, I actually don't have any follow-up. I'll take one more. Alex. [35:09] Yeah, I mean, so you've declined to say whether you stand by [35:13] Jennifer's decision to drop that case. I'm just – what message does it send, though, [35:17] if President Trump fires a U.S. attorney because she determined there was not sufficient evidence [35:23] to charge four people with a crime? Did he fire her? [35:26] What message would it send, I said, if – [35:29] Hypothetically, if the president chose to fire a United States attorney, it turns out he's allowed [35:32] to do that because he's the president of the United States. So I don't – and by the way, he – if the [35:38] president wanted – if President Trump wanted to fire anybody, right, within his administration, [35:43] he very – he understands he has the power to do that. So when he makes a decision about whether [35:50] to fire a U.S. attorney or anybody else, that's his. As far as any message – what I said earlier, [35:56] Alex, is true, which is that when you look at the D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office's body of work [36:03] over the past year and a half and where we are in this city compared to where we were, [36:08] they are doing a phenomenal job. Now, does that mean that every case goes exactly the way that [36:14] President Trump or I want or U.S. Attorney Pirro wants? I mean, of course not. It doesn't. So I [36:19] think that what you've seen play out in the press with respect to President Trump and U.S. Attorney [36:25] Pirro is – it's all out there already. But I don't think that that changes the fact that [36:30] her prosecutors, her office, what they've done over the past year to transform this city into a place [36:37] that we can all now walk around in after sunset is something that's incredible. So I don't think [36:44] they're inconsistent with each other. All right, I'll take one more question. [36:47] Sir, as you step into the next phase, presuming you're confirmed in this job, [36:52] the President will certainly hold you accountable for moving forward with any of the cases that are in [36:57] his sort of collection of desired outcomes, whether it's Comey, whether it is anything related to the [37:04] reflecting pool. How do you advise the President on the difference between what he may want to see [37:10] and the rules of evidence and the confines of law that you have to adhere to? It sounds like you're [37:15] saying Judge Pirro got it right. And how would you advise the President on these matters going forward? [37:22] Well, a couple reactions to that. One, my current job is the same as what my job will be. So I – to the [37:30] extent that – and as the Deputy Attorney General, I was in charge of the U.S. Attorney. So it's not as [37:36] if I remain blissfully unaware of what will happen if I'm confirmed. President Trump is extraordinarily [37:42] focused on making this country safe. And does that mean he's going to publicly and privately make sure [37:47] that everybody in this government – not just DOJ – but everybody in this government is doing that? [37:52] Yes. And I don't have any issues with – I'm not going to talk ever about my communications with [37:58] President Trump. But President Trump, when he talks about what he expects this department to do to [38:04] make this country safe, I don't think the American people should look at that as some sort of threat [38:09] to me or warning to me. He wants this country to be safe. And so I – and I happen to agree with him on [38:15] that. So if we have discussions where we have to talk about a case and whether we're going to charge a [38:22] case or whether we have charged a case, that's okay. But no, I'm not concerned about anything new [38:28] with my responsibility, you know, if I'm confirmed in the next couple days compared to what my [38:34] responsibilities have been really since March of last year, but obviously since April of this year [38:39] as well. So, all right. Thanks a lot, guys. I appreciate it. [38:42] You said about your confirmation given Susan Collins came out yesterday and said that she's a no. [38:46] Are you worried about potentially other Republicans defecting in the next few days? And what's your [38:51] message to them if they do? [38:52] Well, my message – I've been talking to Republicans and Democrats for the past several months, and I'll [38:58] continue to do so. And my team has been as well. So, no, I'm not worried about what's going to happen over the [39:03] next couple days. I'm hopeful that the work, like what we're talking about today, the body work the department has done, [39:09] over the past year and a half, of which I'm a very small part of, is something that the Senate recognizes. [39:17] But look, I mean, I'm not going to do anything except continue to communicate with anybody who has [39:24] questions about anything involving the department that I can answer, or me personally that I can answer. [39:30] So, we'll see. But all right. Thanks, guys. Thank you. [39:32] Senator Durbin, real quick. Senator Goldson, real quick. [39:35] Senator Goldson, about today. [39:36] Senator Goldson, about today. [39:37] Senator Goldson, about today. [39:38] Senator Goldson, about today. [39:39] Senator Goldson, about today. [39:40] I just want to ask you, what is the relationship in the communication level with your counterparts [39:45] in the Mexican government? I know you have to be careful here, but is that improving? [39:49] Is it just kind of plateaued? You know, they could help out probably a little bit more, right? [39:55] Yeah. So, the communication is constant. And having worked in Mexico previously with Matt, [40:01] where's Matt, previously, we worked on the ground together. And we continue to work on the ground [40:07] together. Both countries working together. Do I still communicate with Omar Garcia or Fooch? I do. [40:15] We have a relationship. He wants the best for his country. I want the best for this country, [40:20] and the Americans, and our national security. And we stand firm, not only on the current cases, [40:27] the cases that have been unsealed, and what's about to happen. Good, David? [40:33] That's good. All right, sir. Thank you. [40:34] Thank you. Thank you, all. [40:36] Thank you, guys. I appreciate it.