In part, Senator Cotton said:
“It's about protecting vital American interests. I've heard from too many Arkansan families who have been devastated by illegal drugs flowing into this country, who's lost a loved one, who've struggled with addiction. Those stories have been repeated thousands of times across the country. President Trump has been clear all along that he wants the flow of drugs from Venezuela to stop. Venezuela is really unique in Latin America. They weren't just tolerating drug traffickers on their territory or lack of control of their territory where drug traffickers had taken control. They were in league with drug traffickers. Also, Venezuela is in league with America's adversaries, Cuba and Iran and Hezbollah and other Islamic radicals. President Trump made clear yesterday in his remarks that he gave Nicolas Maduro multiple chances to change his ways, and ultimately, to leave and go into exile elsewhere. And Maduro refused to do that. And our military executed an amazing operation that I highly commend President Trump for authorizing Secretary Hegseth and General Caine and all of our frontline warriors for executing. It's hard to overstate just how complex it was. The United States military is the only one that could have pulled off this operation.”
Senator Cotton’s full interview may be found here and below.
Gillian Turner: Joining me now is Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton. Sir, thank you for being with us on this Sunday. Everybody has been asking now for weeks about the Venezuela campaign. Is this about oil? Is it about drugs? Is it about illegal immigration? Is it about ousting Maduro? Based on the administration's press conference yesterday, we now know the answer was really all of the above.
Senator Cotton: Well, it's about protecting vital American interests. I've heard from too many Arkansan families who have been devastated by illegal drugs flowing into this country, who's lost a loved one, who've struggled with addiction. Those stories have been repeated thousands of times across the country. President Trump has been clear all along that he wants the flow of drugs from Venezuela to stop. Venezuela is really unique in Latin America. They weren't just tolerating drug traffickers on their territory or lack of control of their territory where drug traffickers had taken control. They were in league with drug traffickers. Also, Venezuela is in league with America's adversaries, Cuba and Iran and Hezbollah and other Islamic radicals. President Trump made clear yesterday in his remarks that he gave Nicolas Maduro multiple chances to change his ways, and ultimately, to leave and go into exile elsewhere. And Maduro refused to do that. And our military executed an amazing operation that I highly commend President Trump for authorizing Secretary Hegseth and General Caine and all of our frontline warriors for executing. It's hard to overstate just how complex it was. The United States military is the only one that could have pulled off this operation.
Gillian Turner: Sir, now that we know how the military campaign ends with Maduro out of power, how do you view and how should the American people view the military campaign targeting these alleged drug boats? You know well that they have killed more than 114 people so far. Are these warning shots that will now cease? Or is this just the beginning?
Senator Cotton: Well, I hope they cease because the drug boats cease. Again, the Venezuela regime led by Nicolas Maduro was in league with these drug traffickers. Nicolas Maduro himself is an indicted drug trafficker and head of a drug cartel, Cartel de la Soles in Venezuela. And I hope that whatever is next in Venezuela breaks ties with those drug traffickers. That we stop seeing Venezuela in league working with drug traffickers, sending these drugs to our nation shores. If not, though, I expect the strikes will continue. All of our naval ships are still in place as the President, Secretary Hegseth made clear, they're not going anywhere until we see whether or not Venezuela changes its ways.
Gillian Turner: Here's what President Trump said yesterday, when asked about his plans for the future governance in of Venezuela. Take a listen.
President Trump Clip: So, we're going to stay until such time as -- we're going to run it essentially until such time as a proper transition can take place. This partnership of Venezuela with the United States of America, a country that everybody wants to be involved with because of what we were able to do and accomplish.
Gillian Turner: Whatever form that governance takes in the future, is it really, sir, in Americans' best interest to have our president, our executive branch taking on the running of a sovereign independent nation, especially considering the challenges we face at home?
Senator Cotton: Well, ultimately, the future of Venezuela is going to be in the hands of Venezuelans. President Trump's made clear what our demands are, what our policy goals are. They are the same today as they were before Maduro left. Stop the drug trafficking, stop the weapon and human trafficking, kick out the Cubans, the Iranians, Hezbollah, other Islamic radicals, and work with the United States and our partners in Latin America to restore stability and order, prosperity, not just inside Venezuela itself, but in our hemisphere writ large. And Venezuela does have a long history of prosperity. It's got the world's largest proven oil reserves. Many of our refineries were designed specifically for it, kind of Venezuelan heavy crude. We helped create the Venezuelan oil industry. They were a close partner of the United States for many decades until Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro ruined that country. The Venezuelan people now have a chance to return to the prosperity and stability of the past, and we hope that we can help them.
Gillian Turner: I mean, there is a lot of hope, sir, but you know, on the flip side, the United States does not have an illustrious history when it comes to intervening and instituting regime change in Latin American countries. What gives you confidence that this time it will work in our interest?
Senator Cotton: Well, I look at history a little bit differently. Frequently, we've intervened in Latin America to support pro-American governments or movement or oppose anti-American governments or movements. The times we've failed have been when Democratic presidents were too weak and timid like John F. Kennedy meddling with the operation that was planned at the Bay of Pigs, or Jimmy Carter abandoning a pro-American government in Nicaragua. The most on point precedent I would cite though is what happened in Panama in 1989. Manuel Noriega was an indicted drug trafficker just like Nicolas Maduro was. Maduro is actually worse. Manuel Noriega wasn't close to Soviet Russia at the time. But George Bush sent in more than 40,000 troops. We overthrew the government. We seized Noriega, brought him back to face justice here in the United States. And Panama has been a pro-American friendly government ever since. That's the future we hope to see in Venezuela. The past of Venezuela suggests that we can have that future.
Gillian Turner: Real quick, Senator, before I let you go, Maduro met with an envoy from the Chinese Communist Party just hours before he was captured. We know the U.S. intelligence community tracks Chinese officials very closely. What are the odds that this meeting was what gave U.S. intel sort of the lead, the opening that they needed to finally zero in on Maduro?
Senator Cotton: Well, as President Trump and Secretary Rubio and General Caine said yesterday, it was only a matter of tactical decision-making based on weather and light conditions in Venezuela and knowledge of the whereabouts of Nicolas Maduro. I do think though the meeting of those Chinese envoys highlights that communist China was trying to prop up and support Nicolas Maduro facing this U.S. pressure campaign. And where were they when the United States came to get Maduro? Nowhere. So was Russia. So was Cuba. In fact, Cuba was on the ground there. They've had Cuban intelligence operatives in Venezuela for years. None of them could do anything to help their illegitimate dictator friend. The same thing you saw in Iran in June. China, Russia, other American enemies all sent strongly worded statements when we're destroying Iran's nuclear program. It's a reminder of who the strong nation is in the world. And I think all of our friends around the world are happy about that. All of our enemies are worried about it.
Gillian Turner: Senator Tom Cotton, a hugely important voice on this. Thank you so much for taking time with us this morning.
Senator Cotton: Thanks, Gillian.
Gillian Turner: Happy New Year, sir.
Senator Cotton: Happy New Year to you.