Click here to view Senator Cotton’s interview. 

In case you missed it — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) joined Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” today to discuss the Biden-Harris administration’s role in the death of six hostages, including an American, found executed in Rafah, and the 2024 presidential election.

On the murdered hostages in Rafah: “Well, it's terribly sad news that Hamas murdered, executed these six hostages in cold blood, apparently shot them ahead shortly before they might have been rescued by Israeli Defense Forces. My heart goes out to all the families, especially Herschel Burke Poland's family, or fellow American. There are other fellow Americans still to be accounted for, but I think we should note that these hostages were discovered in the tunnels under Rafah that's where Joe Biden and Kamala Harris put pressure on Israel not to enter for months, used an arms embargo to try to keep them from entering. Kamala Harris even said that Israel shouldn't enter Rafah because she had studied the maps. What the Biden Harris administration should have done from the beginning is not pressure Israel to restrain its response, but let Israel win from the very outset. For 11 months, Joe Biden Kamala Harris, have put more pressure on Israel than they put on Hamas and Iran and Iran's other terror proxies.”

In part, Senator Cotton said: “I believe Hamas bears responsibility for not turning these hostages back over to their families and surrendering at every turn, Benjamin Netanyahu has tried, tried to meet the Biden administration halfway. They continue to move the goal post. They continue to encourage and embolden Hamas consider what happened just a few weeks ago when the Prime Minister was here to speak at the Capitol. Kamala Harris didn't even sit behind him in a joint session of her Congress, one of her few duties as vice president. Then she came out after a private meeting with him and stressed that we need a cease fire now, which is the de facto Hamas position. What did you have two days later, you had Israeli children being blown up on playgrounds, because every time Joe Biden and Kamala Harris put more pressure on Israel, it simply emboldens Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran.”

Senator Cotton’s full interview may be found here and below.

KRISTEN WELKER: And joining me now is Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Senator Cotton, welcome back to Meet the Press.

SEN. TOM COTTON: Thank you, Kristen for having me on.

KRISTEN WELKER: Thank you so much for being here. Let's start with this devastating news, the discovery of six bodies hostages, including Israeli American Hirsch Goldberg, Poland, everyone I think, feels heartbroken this morning, the entire nation and frankly, world morning these deaths. What is your reaction, Senator, and what do you think this will mean for hostage negotiations?

SEN. TOM COTTON: Well, it's terribly sad news that Hamas murdered, executed these six hostages in cold blood, apparently shot them ahead shortly before they might have been rescued by Israeli Defense Forces. My heart goes out to all the families, especially Herschel Burke Poland's family, or fellow American. There are other fellow Americans still to be accounted for, but I think we should note that these hostages were discovered in the tunnels under Rafah that's where Joe Biden and Kamala Harris put pressure on Israel not to enter for months, used an arms embargo to try to keep them from entering. Kamala Harris even said that Israel shouldn't enter Rafah because she had studied the maps. What the Biden Harris administration should have done from the beginning is not pressure Israel to restrain its response, but let Israel win from the very outset. For 11 months, Joe Biden Kamala Harris, have put more pressure on Israel than they put on Hamas and Iran and Iran's other terror proxies.

KRISTEN WELKER: And Senator, just to be clear, there, of course, is no arms embargo. It is true that the Biden administration did halt one shipment of arms out of concern. It is correct.

SEN. COTTON: There is no- for weeks. For weeks, the Biden Harris administration put an embargo, not just on large 2000-pound bombs, which of course, are needed to penetrate these deep and buried tunnels, but on things like tank rounds and artillery shells.

KRISTEN WELKER: And it was just one shipment.

SEN. COTTON: Kristen it was a large category, but they have now moved forward with that. It's not an arms embargo, just to be very clear, it was in place, and it's not it was in place. It was in place for many weeks, specifically to try to prevent Israel from entering Rafah, where these hostages were discovered. If we had simply backed Israel to the hilt from October 7, this war would probably be over, we probably would have found many more hostages alive, and there would have been fewer civilian casualties caused by Hamas' infliction of those civilian casualties on its own people. But at every turn, Joe Biden Kamala Harris have put more pressure on Israel than they have on Iran and Hamas.

KRISTEN WELKER: And of course, they have also argued that the US stands firmly behind Israel. Was one armed shipment. Let's talk about Prime Minister

SEN. COTTON: It was more than it was many more. You can do your fact check thing all you want. I'm going to tell you the real facts. It was a large category of weapons, far beyond just 2000-pound bombs.

KRISTEN WELKER: But it wasn't an arms embargo. That's my only point. It wasn't specifically in arms embargo. Let's just move forward, though, in terms of what Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing right now, because he's been facing pressure in the wake of this. He's been resistant to accepting this hostage deal. Axios Barak Ravid reports that a senior Israeli official said, quote, we warned Netanyahu and the Cabinet ministers about this exact scenario, but they wouldn't listen. Do you believe Prime Minister Netanyahu bears any responsibility for not getting a deal sooner?

SEN. COTTON: No, I believe Hamas bears responsibility for not turning these hostages back over to their families and surrendering at every turn, Benjamin Netanyahu has tried, tried to meet the Biden administration halfway. They continue to move the goal post. They continue to encourage and embolden Hamas consider what happened just a few weeks ago when the Prime Minister was here to speak at the Capitol. Kamala Harris didn't even sit behind him in a joint session of her Congress, one of her few duties as vice president. Then she came out after a private meeting with him and stressed that we need a cease fire now, which is the de facto Hamas position. What did you have two days later, you had Israeli children being blown up on playgrounds, because every time Joe Biden and Kamala Harris put more pressure on Israel, it simply emboldens Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran.

KRISTEN WELKER: Just to be very clear, though, there is pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu. You have people protesting in the streets. He is, of course, the leader of Israel, and that's who I'm asking you about. Do you think, and would you urge him, in this moment, Senator, to get a deal, given these casualties,

SEN. COTTON: I would urge him to finish the job against Hamas, which is exactly what Kamala Harris and Joe Biden should have done from the very beginning. Again, if we had backed Israel to the hilt, if we hadn't continually put pressure on Israel to slow and to moderate its response, Hamas would have been broken, and we would have gotten more of these hatches down alive. The only time Hamas has even come close. Close to releasing hostages is when they are on the ropes.

KRISTEN WELKER: And of course, the US has given more aid, both military and monetary, to Israel than any other country.

SEN. COTTON: Let's be exact, they've given, we've given hundreds of billions of dollars in relief to Iran.

KRISTEN WELKER: Let, well, let some of that money, of course, is frozen. But let's, let's move on to some domestic issues. If we could the issue of abortion front and center this week. Donald Trump has gone from calling himself throughout the arc of time, very pro-choice at one point, he's more recently, bragged about overturning Roe v Wade. He now says he's going to vote to keep Florida's six-week abortion ban in place the law he once described as terrible. How can people trust Trump on this issue when he keeps shifting his position?

SEN. COTTON: Well, the President has been very clear he does not support a nationwide abortion law. In fact, there's only one candidate in this race who supports a nationwide abortion law. It's Kamala Harris, and we know what it is because the Senate posed it and we voted on it. It is radical and extreme. It would require taxpayer funding of abortion up to the moment of birth. That's what she stands for. She's the only one in this race calling for a nationwide abortion law, something that is wildly unpopular.

KRISTEN WELKER: Just to be clear, the bill you're talking to requires that there be exceptions for health through the end of pregnancy, not that all abortions be legal in all cases.

SEN. COTTON: But President Trump has said he supports exceptions when a woman's health is at risk when she's been raped or been the victim of incest. Vast majority of Americans support those as well. But this law is radical. It would overturn 50 years of precedent require taxpayer funding for abortion, even in these cases.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, taxpayer funding for abortion is currently, of course, illegal under the Hyde Amendment. And just to be clear, abortions later in pregnancy, 21 weeks and after, are extremely rare, so rare in the case of a health emergency.

SEN. COTTON: If they're so rare, why won't Kamala Harris say, then, fine, we shouldn't allow them with those exceptions for health emergency. But if you have those exception, if you have those exceptions, it will account for those rare health emergencies. What so why won't you say it...

KRISTEN WELKER: That is what it says with it only to the time of viability with except, allowed to have exceptions if their health emergency.

SEN. COTTON: Kamala Harris voted. Kamala Harris voted against the born alive Victims Protection Act.

KRISTEN WELKER: She did not.

SEN. COTTON: Yes, she did.

KRISTEN WELKER: Senator, I was there, I was there, she voted against it.

SEN. COTTON: Kristen, if these cases are so rare in the late term if she voted, if she if these cases are so rare in late term pregnancy, Then why won't she say, You know what, we should prohibit these with exceptions for the mother's life. Why won't she say that? Because she is a radical on abortion.

KRISTEN WELKER: Just to be clear, she voted against advancing the bill twice when she was Senator. She's called it extreme. Let me ask you about something else. I interviewed JD Vance last week. He told me Donald Trump would veto a federal abortion ban if it came to his desk. Now, Trump is not committing to that. Do you think he would sign that veto if it came to his desk?

SEN. COTTON: Well, Kristen, I think it's a hypothetical. First off, we both know there's not going to be 60 votes in the Senate anytime soon for either party's preferred or centrist position on abortion, whether it's the radical position that Democrats have or the pro-life position that most Republicans have. So I think it's a hypothetical question, but President Trump has been consistent, is that there's not going to be a nationwide abortion law while he's president, he appointed three justices who reverse Roe v Wade, which was wrongly decided even liberal scholars acknowledged was poorly reasoned, and returned this question to where had it rested 470 years, which is the American people making choices through their elected representatives At their states. States are going to have different kinds of laws. Donald Trump has acknowledged that.

KRISTEN WELKER: I hear you're saying that former President Trump has been consistent, but as we showed, he's actually pivoted quite a bit on this issue. But JD Vance was very clear. He said that Donald Trump would veto a nationwide ban. And I guess the question is, why can't Trump be clear with people about what he stands are. He's clear. I know you're saying it's a hypothetical.

SEN. COTTON: Kristen, He has been clear that there will not be a nationwide abortion law when he's president. He has been he has been perfectly consistent on that. Now, Kamala Harris, to her credit, she's been consistent and not tried to hide her radical position on abortion. It's the only position she hasn't tried to hide over the last six weeks, like her position on decriminalizing illegal immigration or banning gas powered cars or banning fracking abortion is the one issue on which she hasn't tried to hide her position from the American people.

KRISTEN WELKER: I want to talk to Congressman Rohn about all of that coming up, but let's stick with Donald Trump his big announcement on IVF this week. He said Thursday, he wants the government to pay for or force insurance companies to cover IVF. Is that something you would support? Senator?

SEN. COTTON: Well, all Republicans, to my knowledge, support IVF in the Congress, and there's no state that prohibits or regulates IVF in a way that makes it unaccessible. It is expensive for many couples. I understand that, so it's something I'm open. To that most Republicans be open to, I think we have to evaluate the fiscal impact, whether the taxpayer can afford to pay for this, what impact it would have on premiums. But in principle, supporting couples who are trying to use IVF or other fertility treatments, I don't think is something that's controversial at all.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, two months ago, you voted against a Senate bill that would have protected and expand IVF access, and it would have mandated that some coverage was covered by health insurance plans. If that bill came back to the floor, would you now support it? Is that what you're saying?

SEN. COTTON: You mean Chuck Schumer's ridiculous messaging bill, no that requires fertility treatment for men who think they're women. But this was slapped together in the summer,

KRISTEN WELKER: Bill that also would have protected and expanded IVF.

SEN. COTTON: Chuck Schumer has been all summer. Chuck Schumer spent all summer long slapping together ridiculous bills that he thinks are going to help his liberal incumbent senators face off in their reelections.

KRISTEN WELKER: very quickly. Do you know where this money would come from to cover IVF? Because in 2022, some $8 billion were paid by

SEN. COTTON: again, that's why I say we'd have to, we'd have to evaluate any specific legislation. I'd have to evaluate any specific legislation as I would on any legislation.

KRISTEN WELKER: So, you're still undecided on where you stand on this government funded IVF plan.

SEN. COTTON: I certainly support couples having access to IVF, and it's not even a controversial issue in any of the 50 states.

KRISTEN WELKER: All right, let me ask you about another one of the big headlines this week, Donald Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery. You've been talking about this. He attended a wreath laying ceremony, obviously for the 13 service members who were killed during the U S withdraw from Afghanistan. He was invited by those family members. Important to say that he also had campaign staffers with him. Photos, videos were posted on a campaign site. Taking campaign photos and videos at grave sites is forbidden under federal law. You, of course, served at Arlington Cemetery in the Old Guard, so I know that this is a sacred place for you. Bottom line, though, I guess Senator, is it ever appropriate to make campaign content at military grave sites.

SEN. COTTON: He didn't take campaign photos. There these families, Gold Star families, whose children died because of Joe Biden Kamala Harris's incompetence, invited him to the cemetery, and they asked him to take those photos because, as they told me yesterday when I spoke to Kelly Barnett and Darren Hoover, the parents of Taylor Hoover, who has Arkansas ties. They don't get to go to the beach on Labor Day. They don't get to have barbecues. This is their one chance to have a memory of their children to commemorate their service and honor their sacrifice. They wanted President Trump there. They wanted to take those photos. You know who the families also invited Joe Biden, Kamala Harris. Where were they? Joe Biden was sitting at a beach. Kamala Harris was sitting at her mansion in Washington, DC. She was four miles away 10 minutes. She could have gone to the cemetery and honored the sacrifice of those young men and women, but she hasn't. She never has spoken to them or taken a meeting with them.

KRISTEN WELKER: They did meet with them during the dignified transfer. They were with them at the dignified transfer.

SEN. COTTON: Her and her and Joe Biden's incompetence, those 13 Americans were killed in Afghanistan.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, not everyone, obviously was pleased with this visit. Again, just the law says memorial services and ceremonies at army national military cemeteries will not include partisan political activity.

SEN. COTTON: It didn't Kristen President Trump was he wasn't wearing a red Maga hat, just like Joe Biden, just like Joe Biden has posted content of himself in the cemetery or in other cemetery dignified transfer. They're all American citizens. They have a right to go there and to honor the sacrifice of those 13 Americans who Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, sent to their death.

KRISTEN WELKER: Let me ask you about what we're hearing from another family, the family of Master Sergeant Andrew marcasano. He was a Green Beret. His family was concerned that his grave was actually shown in a photo that was posted on social media. A statement from the Marcos Sister Michelle said, quote, we hope that those visiting this sacred site understand that these were real people who sacrificed our freedom and that they are honored and respected accordingly. Did the Trump campaign fail to honor her wishes, their wishes.

SEN. COTTON: Kristen, they honored the wishes of the 13 families whose children died at Abbey gate. Those families wanted the photos. They told me yesterday, they specifically asked President Trump for the photos. Obviously, headstones at Arlington are close to each other, and when you take, when you take a photo of your loved one and other headstones are going to be present as well. Frankly, I think it's pretty disappointing that the New York Times went and found a family whose headstone was featured in that in that photograph of another Gold Star family, and then went to them to try to embarrass the Gold Star families who wanted President Trump.

KRISTEN WELKER: Very quickly. Have you had any conversations with former President Trump about joining his administration? Should he win?

SEN. COTTON: All we're talking about is making sure that he does win, and that we elect Republican majorities in the Congress, that we can begin to reverse some of the damage that Joe Biden, Kamala Harris have caused.

KRISTEN WELKER: all right. Senator Tom Cotton, thank you so much for being here this morning on this Labor Day. Hope you get some time with family. Really appreciate it.