Interviews with Republican Sen. Tom Cotton; Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy; Republican Rep. Jim Jordan; Democratic Rep. Jim Himes

State of the Union

CNN

News

3.4 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2026

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On CNN’s State of the Union, Dana Bash presses Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton about President Trump saying the U-S is now “running” Venezuela. Next, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy tells Dana that the Trump administration “lied to our face” about pursuing regime change in Venezuela. Then, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan tells Dana that he “trust[s] the president to make decisions that are in the best interest of Americans” in Venezuela. After, House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Jim Himes tells Dana that Jordan “gave the game away” and that “America can see the fact that they no longer have a Congress.” Finally, Dana talks with former NATO Supreme Commander Adm. James Stavridis and former Deputy DNI Beth Sanner about what comes next after Maduro’s ouster in Venezuela. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Takeover. A stunning U.S. attack leaves Venezuela's leader in custody and the region on edge.
0:13.7	We're going to run the country until such time as the proper transition can take place.
0:18.7	Who's in charge? What comes next? And will American troops be deployed again?
0:23.6	Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton is ahead.
0:26.6	Plus, in the dark, the Trump administration bypasses Capitol Hill.
0:30.6	This is insane. What the hell are we doing?
0:33.6	Did the president cross a line by sending U.S. troops to Venezuela without buy-in from Congress?
0:39.3	Democratic Senator Chris Murphy and Democratic Congressman Jim Himes joined me.
0:44.3	And America first?
0:46.3	Trump promised MAGA voters he'd end foreign wars.
0:49.3	I'm not going to start a war.
0:50.3	I'm going to stop wars.
0:51.3	I'm the president of peace.
0:52.3	Did he break that promise? Republican
0:54.4	Congressman Jim Jordan will be here.
1:03.3	Hello, I'm Dan Abbas in Washington, where the state of our union might now include Venezuela.
1:09.1	It has been a dizzying 24 hours after the U.S. launched a major military operation inside Venezuela, toppling the country's longtime dictator, Nicholas Maduro. Maduro is now in custody on U.S. soil, where last night he was treated to a perp walk.
1:43.2	It is a stunning culmination of President Trump's months-long pressure campaign against
1:45.6	Maduro, all the more so with this announcement from the president.
1:51.0	We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious
1:57.8	transitions. It's largely going to be for a period of time,
2:01.6	the people that are standing right behind me.
	...

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