Margaret Brennan

Face the Nation Moderator, CBS Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Boy Mom & USMC wife, UVA alum, retired 🇮🇪 dancer, contact: [email protected]

[Margaret Brennan @margbrennan]

There are six Americans detained in Iran and KNOWN to the US government according to my sources. You can listen to one of them - journalist Reza Valizadeh - plead for help from behind bars in Evin prison. An exclusive recording obtained by CBS is linked below. Kamran Hekmati is another US citizen stuck in Iran.

https://t.co/rTUwEUq0Rt

It is possible that the President has not been briefed by his staff since he told NBC: "Nobody really has an accurate list of who they are, what they are, or if they're being held."

[CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil @CBSEveningNews]

As Iran partially lifted its nationwide internet blackout, CBS News' @MargBrennan heard an American journalist's plea for help. Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh, who the U.S. says is wrongfully detained inside a notorious prison, is one of six Americans being held by Iran.

[Margaret Brennan @margbrennan]

Chinese Embassy spox shares statement in advance of POTUS saying that "China has all along adhered to the principle of non-interference in other's internal affairs....China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S."
No response from State yet on whether a head's up was given to China about the accusations just made by POTUS.

[Senator Thom Tillis @SenThomTillis]

I commend Todd Blanche for doing what all his predecessors over the last two decades never did: meet with the victims of Jeffery Epstein’s horrific crimes. I appreciate his willingness to directly engage and listen to them.

[John Bresnahan @bresreports]

🚨

[Ed O'Keefe @edokeefe]

News from the White House press briefing:
- About 6.5 million kids signed up for @TrumpAccounts 💵 so far.
- The teleprompter operator who’s under investigation by @CFTC for allegedly placing @Kalshi bets on Trump speeches in on “unpaid administrative leave.”
- @PressSec won’t say if the president plans to accept the results of November’s elections - instead urging people to watch his remarks tonight on “election integrity.” 🗳️
- In response to GOP lawmakers who want Trump focused on the economy, Karoline Leavitt says, “I would digress with the criticism” until the speech is delivered. White House can tackle multiple issues at once, she says.
- “Iran very much continues to want to make a deal with us,” she says. But adds later Trump “won’t sit by” amid ongoing Iranian attacks.
- Over half of all @ICEgov offices nationwide have body cameras amid growing cover about how personnel conduct immigration enforcement operations.
- No word yet on whether Trump is rooting for 🇪🇸 or 🇦🇷 in Sunday’s World Cup ⚽️.

[Capital Weather @capitalweather]

Important: Thick plume of smoke is expected to reach DC area late tonight into Friday, with probable CODE RED, unhealthy air quality.

Folks vulnerable to particle pollution should limit time outside and/or wear N95 mask outdoors. Best bet stay inside with windows closed and AC running.

Details: https://t.co/bAC4aalvDg

[TravelGov @TravelGov]

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Due to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Department of Homeland Security has implemented new restrictions under Title 49 of the U.S. Code which prevent U.S. citizens and nationals who have been in the DRC within a 21-day period from entering the United States via commercial aviation. Travelers who have been in the DRC within 21 days of their flight will not be allowed to board flights with U.S. destinations. All U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals who have been in the DRC should plan to remain outside the DRC for 21 days before entering the United States. Visit the CDC’s page on Information for Travelers Returning from Ebola-Affected Areas for more information. Read the full alert: https://t.co/BtUhvpPLK1

[Barak Ravid @BarakRavid]

🇺🇸🇮🇶🇮🇷Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attended the funeral procession of Iran's supreme leader. This week, he shook hands in the Oval Office and had lunch with the man who had him killed. My story on @axios
https://t.co/qeUOQwCqCK

[Nicholas Burns @RNicholasBurns]

When I was Ambassador in Beijing, we implemented Trump’s first term tariffs. I thanked Ambassador Jameson Greer for maintaining the Biden tariffs on China. A strong bipartisan message to Chinese leaders. @AspenSecurity

[Jim LaPorta @JimLaPorta]

Greg Williams from @POGOwatchdog called the Pentagon's proposal "a significant concern" in an interview with CBS News. He said it would make receiving information through the Freedom of Information Act "a lot more difficult."
https://t.co/KBozb4Q1PL

[Michael M. Grynbaum @grynbaum]

Lawyers for @nytimes have filed a motion to quash the subpoenas issued to its journalists by the Trump administration last week.

“They violate the constitutional rights of The Times and its journalists," the paper said. "We are going to court to defend our journalists’ rights."

[Margaret Brennan @margbrennan]

Two sources tell me that Dena Kariri recently suffered a heart attack while trapped in Iran under an effective exit ban. She is now being allowed to leave. She had been accused of espionage but never charged under Iranian law or imprisoned. I'm told her name was on a list of Americans that USG put together to request release. CBS is tracking 5 other Americans, two have been legally designated by State as wrongfully detained: Kamran Hekmati and journalist Reza Valizadeh.

[Jared Genser @JaredGenser]

I am delighted and excited to report that my client U.S. citizen #DenaKarari, who had been trapped in #Iran since December 2024 on bogus charges is now free. This would not have happened but for the extraordinary and relentless efforts of President @realDonaldTrump. Dena is now safe and traveling back to the United States.

[Dave Brown @dave_brown24]

Hegseth announcing a new screening program for "testosterone deficiency" among troops, ensuring they "have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best"

[Jim LaPorta @JimLaPorta]

"Hegseth Ordered a New Study of Women in Combat. Critics Say It’s Built to Reach One Conclusion - The researcher leading the assessment also led a controversial 2015 Marine Corps study that the defense secretary has used to argue women should not serve in combat roles." https://t.co/v9lzdHsk74

[U.S. Central Command @CENTCOM]

At 6 a.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching a wave of strikes against Iran. The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

[Jennifer Jacobs @JenniferJJacobs]

NEWS via @CBSNews: Why were flights halted at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) for several hours, leading to over a hundred canceled flights and cascading delays? Security measures meant to protect the Iraqi prime minister during his visit, during the war with Iran, per sources. 
Commercial flights were postponed from taking off or landing at the D.C.-area airport from 11 a.m. ET until 3 p.m. Over 300 flights were delayed, at least 126 canceled.
Trump extended the meeting with the Iraqi leader by inviting him to lunch. “It wasn't scheduled, but we are going to do it on the fly because we have a tremendous chemistry together,” Trump said Tuesday morning.
Al-Zaidi’s motorcade left the White House for the Pentagon at 1:30 p.m., later than expected, with a security helicopter overhead, traveling through the DCA flight path.
https://t.co/jWpLCyrpTd

[Ajit Pai @AjitPai]

It's hard to describe for those who've never gone through it the toll that public service can take on a family due to security threats. Threats to shoot one's children, unmarked packages, unwanted visitors, and much more—the burdens are real and awful. https://t.co/8lDYWQWuKH

[Jennifer Jacobs @JenniferJJacobs]

On the temporary paused of most vehicle stops nationwide after two fatal ICE shootings, @RealTomHoman told us: "I think what they're doing is taking a pause and make sure that number one, ICE officers have everything they need to stay safe because vehicle attacks are up 3,400 percent.
"And they're going to make sure: is the training sufficient? Did anything go wrong? I'm confident they're going to get back to their policy of vehicle stops, but they're doing you know what they believe is a necessary short-term pause just to look at it and make sure everything's good."

[Fox News @FoxNews]

NEW: Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett details the chilling threats her family has faced, revealing the terrifying moment her 12-year-old son discovered a bulletproof vest in her bedroom during the fallout of the Dobbs leak.

Barrett also recounted a recent "swatting" incident at her home and receiving threatening anonymous deliveries, warning that while federal judges continue to do their jobs without fear or favor, the current threat level is "really high."

"I didn't expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was, and why I had to wear one."

[Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent @SecScottBessent]

.@USTreasury is committed to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its abuse of digital assets.  Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned multiple wallets tied to the Central Bank of Iran, resulting in the freeze of over $130 million.

We will continue to aggressively follow the money and deny the Iranian regime access to the proceeds of its illicit revenue schemes.

[nxthompson @nxthompson]

This is an amazing quote from Lindsey Graham about when he realized how politics works. https://t.co/sh04ahQOFq