Face The Nation

Transcript: Rep. Jim Himes on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 4, 2026 The following is the transcript of the interview with Rep. Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Jan. 4, 2026.

Read Margaret Brennan's interview with Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee: www.cbsnews.com/news/jim-him...

Transcript: Sen. Chris Van Hollen on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 4, 2026 The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Jan. 4, 2026.

The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Jan. 4, 2026: www.cbsnews.com/news/chris-v...

Transcript: Sen. Tom Cotton on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 4, 2026 The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Jan. 4, 2026.

Read Margaret Brennan's full interview with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR): www.cbsnews.com/news/tom-cot...

Sec. Rubio responds to an op-ed from Elliott Abrams, Pres. Trump’s last envoy to Venezuela, writing publicly that “Venezuelan plutocrats, or U.S. oil executives seem to be coming to Mar-a-Lago and whispering about how easy life would be if we just made a deal with the regime once Maduro was gone.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells Margaret Brennan this morning the Trump administration’s objectives “when it comes to how Venezuela impacts the national interest of the United States have not changed.”

When asked if the U.S. is planning for a transition to have elected leader Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado run Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says: “This is not the Middle East. And our mission here is very different. This is the Western Hemisphere.”

NEW this morning: When asked by Margaret Brennan if the U.S. plans to occupy Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says “the president always retains optionality on anything, and on all these matters.”

Transcript: Secretary of State Marco Rubio on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 4, 2026 The following is the transcript of the interview with Secretary of State Marco Rubio that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Jan. 4, 2026.

NEW: Read Margaret Brennan's full interview with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this morning: www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-r...

Concern about effects of the government shutdown has risen

Americans w/ lower incomes are more concerned about being personally affected by it (have gone from 33% very concerned to 49% over last month)

And Congress is NOT seen as working to end the shutdown

More: www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-new...

NEW

Trump sees his lowest approval ratings of term on handling:
Overall job (41%)
Economy (38%)
Inflation (34%)

Economy/inflation policies most important to people in judging administration

More *strongly* disapprove of his job handling (46%) than approve somewhat/strongly — true since July

1/2

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova says that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is "ready to be anywhere" as President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin plan to meet in Alaska without him to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as U.S. Surgeon General during President Trump’s first term, says “people are going to die” because of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s cuts to mRNA vaccine research. www.cbsnews.com/news/ex-trum...

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on "Face The Nation" that President Trump “will test" Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Alaska this Friday.

NATO secretary general says Trump will be "testing Putin" in Friday meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said President Trump will be "testing" Russian President Vladimir Putin in their meeting set for Friday as world leaders push for a ceasefire deal in Russia's war with Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told "Face The Nation" that President Trump will be "testing" Russian President Vladimir Putin in their landmark face-to-face meeting set for Friday, as world leaders push for a ceasefire deal in Russia's war with Ukraine. cbsn.ws/45HYaMa

Former Trump surgeon general says "people are going to die" after RFK Jr. halts some mRNA vaccine research Adams, who served as surgeon general during the first Trump administration, said Kennedy's assertions about the efficacy of mRNA vaccines are "simply not true."

Former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams — who served during the first Trump administration — argued Sunday that "people are going to die" if the U.S. backs away from mRNA vaccine development, after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. halted around $500 million in research funding. cbsn.ws/4ou6qXF

Jamieson Greer, the U.S. trade representative, said in an interview on August 1 that tariff rates are "pretty much set" on more than 60 trading partners after President Trump's executive order last week. www.cbsnews.com/news/tariff-...

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said that applications for a fund for rural hospitals will go out in "early September" in the wake of Medicaid cuts in President Trump's signature piece of legislation passed by Congress last month.
www.cbsnews.com/news/dr-oz-c...

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan says the bank's economists still expect no movement on interest rates or a recession this year, even after a weak jobs report last week. He said they expect that the U.S. economy "continues to grow," but at "a slow rate."

Dr. Mehmet Oz says applications for $50 billion rural hospital fund will go out "in early September" Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the applications for a rural hospitals fund will go out in "early September" in the wake of Medicaid cuts.

Dr. Mehmet Oz told "Face The Nation" that applications for a fund for rural hospitals will go out in "early September" in the wake of Medicaid cuts in President Trump's signature piece of legislation passed by Congress last month. cbsn.ws/3H7jvFA

Trade adviser says Trump has "real concerns" about jobs data after president fires labor statistics chief U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended President Trump's decision to fire a key official responsible for jobs reports in a CBS News interview.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended President Trump's decision to fire a key official responsible for employment reports, telling CBS News on Friday that Trump has "real concerns" about the accuracy of federal economic data. cbsn.ws/4l6Uic3

Canadian trade minister says "we're prepared to stick around and do the work needed" after U.S. imposed 35% tariff on goods Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said"we're prepared to stick around and do the work needed" after leaving Washington without a trade deal in recent days.

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc told "Face The Nation" that "we're prepared to stick around and do the work needed" despite having left Washington without a new trade deal amid increased tariffs from President Trump. cbsn.ws/4l6Sn7l

Senate Democrats urge U.S. to stop funding GHF, resume support for U.N. food distribution in Gaza as more starve Senate Democrats told the secretary of state they have "grave concerns" about the U.S. role in financing GHF, the main group distributing aid in Gaza.

A group of Democratic senators led by Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland is urging the Trump administration to suspend American financial support for the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Vought won't rule out more rescissions funding cuts before September Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen said rescissions—the bills to cut funding Congress already approved—are "just a Washington name for double cross."

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said his office is considering more options to claw back funding approved by Congress and isn't ruling out sending more bills to lawmakers with further cuts before September.

President Trump is "absolutely" going to renegotiate the USMCA, a trade deal he secured with Canada and Mexico in his first term, says Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons tells CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez that the agency is "100 percent" planning to hold employers accountable for hiring undocumented immigrants. www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-hea...

Commerce Secretary Lutnick says next two weeks will be "for the record books" as Trump presses for tariff deals Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed confidence Sunday that the Trump administration will cut trade deals with key U.S. trading partners in the coming weeks — before steep tariffs kick in for dozens of countries.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed confidence on "Face The Nation" that the Trump administration will cut trade deals with key U.S. trading partners in the coming weeks — before steep tariffs kick in for dozens of countries. cbsn.ws/3GTuXo2

ICE head says agents will arrest anyone found in the U.S. illegally, crack down on employers of unauthorized workers Immigration agents will arrest anyone they find in the country illegally, even if they lack a criminal record, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said in an exclusive CBS News interview.

In an exclusive interview with CBS News, the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said his agents will arrest anyone they find in the country illegally, even if they lack a criminal record, while also cracking down on companies hiring unauthorized workers. cbsn.ws/3GRQ36j

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says he and a Democratic senator, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, are leading 85 cosponsors on a sanctions bill that he said would make a "sledgehammer available to President Trump to go after Putin's economy and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine."

One year after the attempted assassination of President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) says "I think we aren’t going to know the motive" of the shooter.

Investigators “have tried their best,” Paul says.

“I don't think there's a secret answer that they’re not revealing to us.”

Sen. Maria Cantwell says improving weather warnings after Texas floods is a "national responsibility" "It's not community to community. It's a national system," Sen. Maria Cantwell said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) told "Face The Nation" that the federal government must take responsibility for investigating the breakdown in flood warnings during the recent deadly storms in Texas, calling it a "national responsibility" to improve forecasting systems. https://cbsn.ws/44rnENq