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Democrats Say They're Disturbed by Video of Follow-Up Boat Strike; U.S. Launches New Strike on Alleged Drug Boat Amid Growing Scrutiny; D.C. Pipe Bomb Suspect Brian Cole Jr. to Appear in Court This Afternoon. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired December 05, 2025 - 07:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[07:00:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking this morning, a new U.S. strike overnight on a suspected drug boat in the Pacific kills four people as there are new questions about that deadly double-tap strike that some are calling a possible war crime. CNN now learning new details that contradict what defense officials have said earlier.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, the man suspected of planting pipe bombs across Washington, D.C., on the eve of the January 6th riots heads to federal courts.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And a seal walks into a bar. Happy Friday, everyone. What was he doing there?

I'm Kate Bolduan with Sara Sidner and John Berman. This is CNN News Central.

SIDNER: This morning, the U.S. military says it has launched a new strike on an alleged drug boat this time in the Pacific, killing four people. It comes as we're getting new details about the earlier controversial double-tap strike in the Caribbean that some lawmakers have called a potential war crime, and our reporting contradicts the version of the story defense officials have been telling for months.

CNN has learned that Admiral Frank Mitch Bradley, who oversaw that follow-up strike in September, told lawmakers during classified briefings yesterday that the survivors did not radio for backup, as some defense officials have maintained before they were killed in that second strike. Sources say Bradley and other military officials debated what to do for 41 minutes. And in the end, we're told Bradley said he ordered the second strike because part of the boat was still afloat with cocaine, and the survivors could have, in theory, made it to safe to continue their operations.

Lawmakers who saw the unreleased video of that strike emerged from those briefings split along party lines. In just a moment, we'll be speaking to one of the top Republicans who was in the room, but our top Democrat saying the video is unambiguous and shows the vote was completely disabled. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. ADAM SMITH (D-WA): It's very, very clear in this video, which, by the way, should be made public. You had two shipwreck people on the top of the tiny little bit of the boat that was left, that was capsized the bow. They weren't signaling to anybody and that the idea that these two were going to be able to return to the fight, even if you accept all of the questionable legal premises around this mission, around these strikes, it's still very hard to imagine how these two were returning to any sort of fight in that condition.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: The White House and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth maintains a double-tap strike was lawful and necessary. John?

BERMAN: All right. With us now as Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas. He's chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also sits in Armed Services. You were in the middle of many of these briefings yesterday, Senator, so it's great to get your insight here.

The reporting this morning is that these drug runners did not appear to have a radio at the time they were killed, and Admiral Bradley said they were not in a position to call for help at the time. So, what threat did they post?

SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR): Well, John, the threat they pose is the threat that the boat that was destroyed yesterday posed and all these other boats pose, they're running drugs in high volumes into the United States that have killed hundreds of Arkansans in recent years and hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans. It's not exactly what Admiral Bradley said. He said that they didn't have any intercepts of these two drug traffickers trying to radio or call for assistance.

That doesn't mean they weren't doing so. It doesn't mean they weren't trying to access communications equipment on the boat or that they didn't have any of their or drug trafficking pals trying to come pick them up because they were just off the waters or just off the coast of Venezuela, and that's a known area for drug cartels.

BERMAN: Did you see any evidence of them trying to use a radio in the video you saw?

COTTON: Well, I saw lots of evidence of them standing on the boat that had been capsized.

BERMAN: That wasn't my question. Did you see any evidence of them trying to --

COTTON: Trying to get it back up, trying to flip it over.

BERMAN: Did you see any evidence of them trying to use a radio?

COTTON: No. I didn't, John. No, John, but they were clearly not incapacitated. They were not distressed. One guy took his T-shirt off like he was sunbathing. They were trying to get the boat back up and to continue their mission of spreading these drugs all across America. BERMAN: Did they get the boat back up?

COTTON: That's what they were doing. And that's why Admiral Bradley ordered the second strike. Well, no they didn't because we killed them and we were right to kill them. And Admiral Bradley was totally justified in a decision he made, a decision, by the way, that was broadcast on multiple secure screens at the Pentagon and Fort Bragg, and that hundreds of people watched in real time with probably dozens of JAG lawyers.

[07:05:10]

So, what The Washington Post said last week was a complete lie. They owe an apology to Pete Hegseth, and especially they own apology to Admiral Mitch Bradley. He's a highly decorated career Navy SEAL.

BERMAN: Well, The Washington Post reported there was a second strike, which at first the administration seemed to deny.

Let me ask you this specific question. Would it be legal for police in Arkansas to kill suspected drug dealers in a boat in overturn lake?

COTTON: Well, John, let me go back to the premise of your question. The Washington Post reported that Pete Hegseth had given an unlawful order of no quarter or no one left alive or killed them all. Pete Hegseth denied that last week, and it didn't deny that there was a second strike. Mitch Bradley and Dan Caine both flatly denied that yesterday as well, which some of the Democrats who watched that video and got those briefings confirmed. So, that's what The Washington Post reported. That is a total and complete lie.

I just respectfully disagree with my Democratic friends here. I think the problem they have is not with the second strike. It's with the first strike and every other strike on these boats. They think the entire operation is not well founded. I just disagree with them.

I think what the analogy I would draw is not Arkansas police officers dealing with American citizens. If those boats were loaded with bombs or missiles headed for the United States, I don't think anyone would dispute that we had every right and indeed a duty to intercept them. But those drugs detonate like a bomb all across Arkansas and all across America, killing hundreds of Arkansans and hundreds of thousands of Americans. Our government has a duty to protect our communities from those drugs. That's exactly what we're trying to do.

BERMAN: Can I just take this in pieces and we first answer my question? Would it be legal for police in Arkansas to kill suspected drug dealers in an overturn boat in a lake in Arkansas? Just answer that and then I will address your question on the other thing.

COTTON: John, the premise of your question is not well-founded. Criminals in Arkansas are not foreign nationals who are affiliates of a foreign terrorist designated organization.

BERMAN: The answer is no. It would not be legal.

COTTON: It's like saying like --

BERMAN: Hang on, Senator. The answer is no. It would not be legal to kill them.

Let me ask a follow-up question. If they are terrorists, when did Congress pass the authorized use of force to attack them?

COTTON: John, the reason why your question is not well-founded, it's like saying, would Barack Obama be okay droning in American citizen when he was president like he did to Anwar al-Awlaki over in the Middle East. These are totally different categories.

BERMAN: Senator. That's why I asked --

COTTON: The president has the inherent authority under our Constitution as our commander-in-chief.

BERMAN: That's why I asked when, Congress passed the authorized use of military force. There was an authorized use of military force against terrorists. I'm not saying what he was legal or not, but that's what they base it on. In this case, one was the authorized use of military force to attract -- to attack suspected drug dealers off the coast of Venezuela.

COTTON: John, the president has inherent authority as the commander- in-chief under the Constitution to protect America using our armed forces against a foreign terrorist organization. Congress has passed laws that allows the president to designate foreign terrorist organizations. That's what he's done with these cartels in Venezuela who are deeply intertwined with the illegitimate Maduro regime.

The president is -- we finally have a president --

BERMAN: They called non-state actors. I will say the latest explanation -- excuse me, Senator. You know the latest explanation from the administration is they are non-state actors in this case. That is important for them to designate. They're non-state actors here. They are not for purposes of attacking them off the coast of Venezuela, connected to the Maduro regime. They're non-state actors there.

And Andrew McCarthy and other conservative writers will say that they don't qualify by the statutory definition of what a terrorist is in U.S. Code.

COTTON: Well, John, I disagree that all of these cartels in Latin America do qualify as foreign terrorists. And, frankly, their activities have killed many more Americans than Al-Qaeda or ISIS has killed. And it's a threat that we should take seriously in our own backyard, just as seriously as we take the threat of Al-Qaeda and ISIS around the world.

I think most Americans, especially those Arkansans who have lost loved ones to drugs would agree that we need to take this threat seriously.

BERMAN: Then when will you vote on unauthorized use of military force, if it's as big of a threat as foreign terrorists?

COTTON: John, I think the president has every legal authority he needs as the commander-in-chief. If my Democratic colleagues disagree, then they're perfectly entitled to offer an amendment when we start debating the defense spending bill to prohibit him from doing so. Congress has done that throughout our history. But until they get the votes for that, the president has the authority that he needs to protect our country from these drug traffickers.

[07:10:00]

BERMAN: Quickly, there was an inspector general report on so-called Signal Gate yesterday, which found that Secretary Hegseth created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots. That has to do with the attack last March in Yemen.

You are chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. You are an incredibly careful and meticulous senator here. Do you send sensitive information over Signal?

COTTON: Well, John, I read the Signal report from the I.G. I read the classified version as well. I think this is a mountain out of molehill. By the time much of this conversation was happening on Signal with senior administration officials, they were already calling their foreign counterparts, foreign ministers, defense ministers, national security advisers around the world. They were doing that on unsecured lines. I don't see the risk here. I understand the administration needs the ability to coordinate action outside of secure information facilities and I simply think it's a mountain out of molehill, John.

BERMAN: Do you use Signal to transmit sensitive information like this?

COTTON: John, I think I'll refrain from telling the bad guys which apps or communication devices I use.

BERMAN: All right. Okay. But, Senator, you do know that the inspector general did find that sensitive information was transmitted that could put troops at risk, correct?

COTTON: No, I read the report, John. I just disagree with some of its findings and I think it blows it all out of proportion. And, frankly, inspector general reports across the government often do just that.

BERMAN: All right. Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas, we appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Important conversation, John.

Today, the man, federal investigators say planted pipe bombs in D.C. on the eve of January 6th makes the first appearance in court, the new detail on what led investigators to this man after so many years and what happens now. And a big win for Republicans in Texas and, quite frankly, far beyond Texas. The Supreme Court giving green light to the newly drawn Congressional maps there, boosting Republican chances to gain more seats in Congress. So, what happens now?

And a crack in the case, police have recovered a valuable Faberge egg after six long days of closely watching the man accused of swallowing it.

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[07:15:00]

BOLDUAN: The man facing charges for allegedly planting pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic National Committees nearly five years ago now will be in a federal courtroom for the first time today. This man that you see right here, Brian Cole Jr., he is the one who is now charged with the crime.

The 30-year-old is from Virginia, faces two charges now related to transporting and attempting to use explosives on the eve of the January 6th Capitol Riot, a long, long, huge mystery that has also fueled many a conspiracy theory up until this point.

CNN's Evan Perez tracking all of this. And you had this news and you followed all of this, Evan, and you have a lot of great detail on what led investigators here, but what new are we learning this morning?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kate. Well, what we know is that the cell phone data was certainly one of the key things that got investigators to this place. Look, over the last five years, they've gone all over the country. They have come up with different persons of interest. I remember talking to investigators who went down to South Carolina, because they thought they might have found this person only to come up with a dead end. But, finally, in the last few weeks, I'm told investigators narrowed their search and arrived at this suspect.

And part of the story here is that cell phone data. They had all of this information about some of the components of the bombs, things sold at Home Depot. They have gone to the ends of the Earth, at least according to officials, but the cell phone data is what places this suspect near the scene unlike other people who they had looked at.

Dan Bongino, the deputy attorney -- sorry, the deputy FBI director, who has really been focused on this case since he arrived at the FBI earlier this year, describes a little bit about it and said that the suspect has offered some statements. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN BONGINO, FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR: Now, I want to be very clear with the public. This is chapter one of a 10-20 chapter book. This investigation is not over at all. The investigation has just begun. We've interviewed the subject at length. We are still going through an enormous amount of process, accounts. So, it would be very early for me to get out ahead of that on motive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREZ: Kate, we're expecting to learn a lot more today when he appears in court, and, certainly, the news there that he has interviewed with investigators is certainly very significant.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Evan, thank you so much for this. Much more to come today. Sara?

SIDNER: All right, thank you, Kate.

Ahead, protesters crowd city hall in New Orleans as an immigration crackdown leads to dozens of new arrests there.

And the stage is set for one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world. Details on today's FIFA World Cup draw happening right here in America.

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[07:20:00]

SIDNER: As they say in Detroit, Detroit versus everybody, don't count out the Detroit Lions because they got a much needed win, roaring past the Cowboys and putting Dallas' playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Let's go to CNN's Andy Scholes. There are a lot of folks upset this morning about this one.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. You know, Cowboys fans shaking their heads once again, but, you know, this wasn't a must-win for the Lions and Cowboys, Sara, but I mean, it was pretty close, both of them needing this game to have a realistic shot at getting into the playoffs.

The Cowboys, they never led in this one. They were battling back the entire time. Fourth quarter, Dak Prescott finds a wide open Ryan Flournoy for this touchdown. That made it 30-27 Lions at that point. Detroit, though, they come right back from Jahmyr Gibbs' ten-yard touchdown run. Cowboys would get another field goal to keep it at a seven-point game. And Gibbs put the game away with his third touchdown. Gibbs, single handedly winning people Fantasy Football matchups these days. Lions, they'd get to win 44-30 to improve to 8-5. Cowboys dropping to 6-6-1.

All right, coming into last night, LeBron had one of the most ridiculous streaks in sports history going. He had scored at least ten points in 1,297 straight games. It's a streak that dates all the way back to 2007. But in the closing seconds against the raptors, LeBron had just eight points. The Lakers have the ball with the game tied at 120. LeBron's going to get the ball here from Austin Reeves, but he's not going to shoot it, swings it over to Rui Hachimura in the corner who knocks down the three at the buzzer to win it for the Lakers.

[07:25:02] LeBron, the game-winning assist, but after 18 years, that streak is over.

Here was LeBron after.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: What feelings did you have, if any? What about (INAUDIBLE)?

LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS FORWARD: None. We won.

You know, I've always -- I'll just make the right play. That's all matters. Win, lose or draw, you make the right play, the game. God's always giving back to me no matter if it was a win or loss or whatever. That's just how I was raised and that's how I always play the game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: All right, and finally, we're just hours away from the world to come draw on D.C. today at the Kennedy Center. We will find out who is playing who in the largest World Cup ever. For the first time, there are 48 teams instead of the traditional 32.

Now, for the draws today, all the nations have been placed into pods based on rankings. The U.S. is in pod one as one of the host. They'll then draw from pod two, then pod three, then pod four to form the group. It's going to be a big party. President Trump's going to be there with the Village People playing YMCA. Tom Brady, Shaq, Aaron Judge, all going to be a part of the draw, Sara, starts at noon Eastern and then the schedule is going to come out tomorrow. Draw today, find out the groups, full schedule coming out tomorrow.

SIDNER: And I just want to quickly go back to LeBron, like when asked like, what were your feelings? He was like, great, we won. That is a real team player. He's like, I don't need my streak. I can just hand it over to -- as long as we win, that's what matters.

SCHOLES: And I think at this point, Sara, he's kind of relieved that it's finally over. Because there had been a lot of pressure to just get to that ten points over and over again.

SIDNER: All right. Andy Scholes, I appreciate it. All right, over to you John.

BERMAN: You score ten points every show, at least, Sara.

SIDNER: I try.

BERMAN: That streak is not broken.

All right, the critical vaccine vote today for. From Health Secretary Robert Kennedy's handpicked advisers, what it means for your access to vaccines.

And the wait is over. Pantone has named its 2026 Color of the Year. That color is Cloud Dancer. It looks like white. Pantone says Cloud Dancer represents a calming influence in a frenetic society, rediscovering the value of measure, consideration, and quiet reflection. That color does an awful lot.

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