The next is a transcript of an interview with Sen. Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Sept. 29, 2024.
ROBERT COSTA: We’re joined now by Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican. He sits on the Senate Armed Companies and Intelligence committees. Good morning, Senator. We admire you being right here. What’s subsequent? Senator Cotton, do you imagine there will probably be an expanded struggle between Israel and Iran on the horizon?
SEN. TOM COTTON: Nicely Bob, I am undecided that Israel is increasing the struggle a lot as it’s making an attempt to finish the struggle, I feel it is vital to emphasize simply kind of large blow the final two weeks have been in opposition to Hezbollah. Iran is behind all of those terror networks, however Hezbollah is its most potent weapon. Hezbollah has over 100,000 rockets and missiles and mortars geared toward Israel. Iran has used that menace to discourage Israel for years, going again in all probability 20 years or so, and now that Israel has completely devastated all the management construction of Hezbollah, whether or not it is on the assaults that got here simply late final week, killing not solely Hassan Nasrallah and all the opposite leaders, or a few of their different actions, or hitting their weapons depots and manufacturing websites in Syria. Now isn’t the time for a ceasefire or to de-escalate, as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris need. Hezbollah is on its knees. America ought to assist Israel drive Hezbollah to the mat and choke it out and end it off as soon as and for all. Meaning for the primary time in a long time, Iran can be uncovered on its flanks with no terror proxy capable- able to devastating Israel or our troops and our mates within the area. That is what we should always do. Not demand that we’ve got a stop hearth. De-escalate at a time when Israel is making an attempt to win. We must always let Israel win.
ROBERT COSTA: Senator Cotton, while you say, drive Hezbollah to the mat, would that imply a floor invasion of Lebanon by Israel? And would you help that form of incursion?
SEN. COTTON: If that is what Israel must do to eradicate the remnants of Hezbollah’s management and its arsenal, then sure, in fact. Once more, Hezbollah had over 100,00 missiles and rockets and mortars. Now a number of these have in all probability already been destroyed. Israel must destroy all of them. A variety of Hezbollah’s management has been destroyed as effectively. This man that y’all simply cited there, perhaps he is the chief, I do not know who’s in control of Hezbollah. I am undecided anybody else does both. It is in all probability somebody who wasn’t vital sufficient to have a beeper or a walkie talkie as not too long ago as two weeks in the past. However all of Hezbollah’s management must be eradicated, identical to all of its arsenal must be eradicated, identical to america must be way more forceful in attacking Iran’s terror military in Yemen, the place Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have had our sailors resting like sitting geese within the Crimson Sea for months. Once we end mopping up all of those terrorist proxies, meaning Iran, as soon as once more, is completely uncovered. It not can threaten Israel and america and our mates all through the area. That is why we have to again Israel to the hilt and let Israel win, slightly than proceed to make these feckless calls for for ceasefires and de-escalation that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have been doing for a 12 months now.
ROBERT COSTA: You sit on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Is there an alarm sounding in your ranks about any potential threats to Individuals within the Center East or to US targets at this level?
SEN. COTTON: Nicely, from the minute Joe Biden and Kamala Harris obtained to the White Home, there’ve been threats to Individuals. Iran and its proxies have attacked our troops over 100 times–
ROBERT COSTA: – however within the wake of this newest information–-
SEN. COTTON: — and we barely ever struck again. There’s been continued assaults on us once more, identical to we should always help Israel in placing again in opposition to these terrorists, we ought to be placing again tougher once more. However that is not Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s coverage. From the very starting, they’ve appeased and conciliated the Ayatollahs. Kamala Harris, as an illustration, opposed Donald Trump’s strike that killed Iran’s terrorist mastermind in 2020. During the last 4 years, they’ve given away tens of billions of {dollars} in sanctions aid. They’ve appeared the opposite manner as Iran violates sanctions. They’ve regularly put extra strain on Israel than they placed on Iran’s terrorist proxy. That is why Kamala Harris is the Ayatollah’s handpicked candidate, and whereas the ayatollahs are hacking into Donald Trump’s marketing campaign and making an attempt to kill him.
ROBERT COSTA: Turning to Ukraine, former President Donald Trump- you are a giant supporter of his. He met with President Zelensky in latest days in New York. He talked a couple of potential deal to finish the struggle. What sort of deal would that be? How would it not precisely look? You are near Trump and this course of.
SEN. COTTON: Nicely, he hasn’t been particular, and I feel that is for a motive. One, he does not know what the world goes to appear like in one other three months when he takes workplace. He does not know the way way more Joe Biden Kamala Harris may screw issues up. However this is what we do know, this by no means would have occurred on Donald Trump’s watch as a result of it did not occur on Donald Trump’s watch. Vladimir Putin has invaded Ukraine twice, each instances with Joe Biden within the White Home. First as Barack Obama’s understudy, second with Kamala Harris within the White Home with him. That got here only a few months after the disastrous collapse in Afghanistan. These issues will not be unrelated. While you challenge weak spot, as Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have, and also you counsel to your enemies that they’ll push you round and stroll throughout you, you get the form of conflicts we see in Europe and that we see in Israel, and also you get the chaos we see at our southern border. Bob- the administration- Bob the administration, simply acknowledged–
ROBERT COSTA: I do know- I do know- on Ukraine for a second. Simply pause on this for a second, Senator. Senator Vance, who’s going to be on the vice presidential debate on Tuesday, hosted by CBS Information. He is talked about on a latest podcast a demilitarized zone as part of a possible peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. He mentioned it may appear like one thing like the present line of demarcation between Russia and Ukraine that turns into a demilitarized zone, closely fortified so the Russians do not invade once more. The small print matter right here. Would a demilitarized zone be one thing as a part of a peace deal that you’d be snug with as a Republican senator?
SEN. COTTON: The small print do matter. However Donald Trump has mentioned he is not going to barter in opposition to himself or in opposition to Ukraine prematurely. As soon as he takes workplace, that is the time to start out hammering out the small print in personal and to ensure that one thing like this will’t occur once more, which did not occur when he was president after the primary invasion of Ukraine. However once more, I simply need to say the chaos that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have unleashed throughout this world, is not restricted to the opposite facet of the world. It occurs proper right here. The administration simply acknowledged that they launched greater than 13,000 convicted murderers who illegally entered this nation. Greater than 15,000 convicted intercourse offenders. That is 28,000 rapists and murderers who illegally entered our nation who Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have let roam our streets. That is the form of chaos that they’ve unleashed for the final 4 years, and that Donald Trump will put an finish to.
ROBERT COSTA: You are confronting the Democrats right here on this present. You are citing your entire completely different arguments. Former President Trump, although there are only a few weeks left within the marketing campaign, has to this point mentioned he doesn’t need to take part in one other debate with Vice President Harris. Is {that a} mistake? Do the American individuals deserve to listen to extra from former President Trump and the Vice President about their views?
SEN. COTTON: Nicely, I feel they deserve to listen to much more from Kamala Harris, as a result of she’s been mendacity to them for the final three months. Should you take a look at her record–
ROBERT COSTA: — So why not debate once more? —
SEN. COTTON: — she’s been making an attempt to run. She’s been making an attempt to run away from it from the very second she took the nomination from Joe Biden. She needs to ban gasoline powered vehicles. She needs to offer reparations primarily based on race. She needs to ban fracking. She needs to remove personal medical health insurance on the job. These will not be positions that she took as a young person in highschool. These are positions she took as a 54 12 months previous girl operating for president in her personal proper. That is the true Kamala Harris, a weak, harmful San Francisco liberal. Kamala Harris is the one who owes the American individuals much more solutions. Donald Trump can merely level at his document and say, for 4 years after I was president, we had peace, prosperity, a safe border, and we have been revered world wide. That is what the American individuals bear in mind. That is what they’ll get once they elect him once more to the White Home.
ROBERT COSTA: However ought to Trump debate once more?
COTTON: There is no- he is already debated twice, and JD goes to debate Tim, and he’ll do an awesome job telling his story and stating what a radical document Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Have the American individuals know what Donald Trump will do in workplace. Kamala Harris continues to be making an attempt to idiot them.
ROBERT COSTA: Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, thanks for being right here on Face the Nation. We admire it, and we will probably be again in a single minute. Stick with us.
