This week on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan: coverage of two deadly U.S. and international attacks, an exclusive interview with Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado, and conversations with Sens. Mark Warner and Bill Cassidy and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett on foreign policy, health care and the economy.
Breaking news: Bondi Beach and Brown University
– Bondi Beach, Sydney: On the first day of Hanukkah a shooting at a Jewish holiday gathering near Bondi Beach left at least 11 people dead and 29 injured. Video circulated showing multiple shooters; police confirmed two suspects — one deceased, one hospitalized — and said they were investigating possible additional accomplices. Australian officials characterized the attack as anti-Semitic terrorism and investigations remain active.
– Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island: A campus shooting during a final exam review session in an engineering and physics building left nine people shot, most reported in stable condition. A 24-year-old person of interest who was not affiliated with the university was detained as investigators sought motive and evidence. Finals were postponed while authorities continued their work.
Exclusive interview: María Corina Machado
– Machado, speaking from Oslo after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, declined to describe the clandestine trip that brought her there, citing the safety of those who helped her. She said she plans to return to Venezuela and intends to dedicate the prize to the Venezuelan people.
– She urged stronger U.S. pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government, advocating sanctions, seizures and interdiction to cut off illicit revenue streams — black-market oil, drug trafficking and gold smuggling — that she argues finance corruption, repression and criminal alliances rather than public services.
– On military involvement, Machado said she welcomes measures that increase pressure on the regime and argued Venezuela functions as a criminal structure intertwined with cartels and foreign actors rather than a conventional dictatorship. She said she would not request arms but maintained that strength is needed to force a negotiated transition once it becomes too costly for the regime to remain in power.
– Machado also described divisions and private sympathy for the opposition within Venezuela’s security forces amid economic collapse and suffering. She outlined priorities for a transition — security, restoration of power, food distribution, financial order and investment — and said the Venezuelan diaspora is eager to return when democracy is restored. She called for legal, multilateral coordination to block illicit regime activity and press for a negotiated transition.
Senators Warner and Cassidy on foreign policy and health care
– Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, lauded Machado’s courage and Nobel recognition but criticized past U.S. pressure on Maduro as insufficient. Warner warned against unclear signals from the administration about military objectives and legal authority for strikes or troop deployment, insisting Congress should have clear written orders, legal opinions and after-action reports before labeling actions as war crimes. He specifically noted concerns about September “double-tap” strikes on suspected drug traffickers at sea and called for full documentation.
– Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) outlined a plan to improve health care affordability that would create tax-free accounts (he proposed up to $1,500) to help with out-of-pocket costs and urged a short-term extension of premium subsidies to avoid sudden year-end spikes in premiums. Cassidy argued direct cash-like assistance would help people facing large deductibles and said he is willing to negotiate with Democrats to find common ground by March. He also urged the FDA to prioritize and complete a safety study on the abortion drug mifepristone.
Kevin Hassett on the economy
– National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett highlighted signs of easing price pressures: prescription drug prices and gasoline have fallen from previous highs. He cited lower deficits, a reduced trade gap, 4% GDP growth and rising real household income as structural and cyclical factors that could lead voters to perceive economic improvement.
– Hassett downplayed concerns that enforcement against Venezuela’s black-market oil would significantly raise global oil prices, arguing those flows are already limited and further interdiction would not materially affect broad markets. He said tariff effects on food prices have been mixed.
– On the Federal Reserve, Hassett emphasized the importance of Fed independence while noting that as an economic adviser he regularly discusses policy with the president and believes the president’s views should be heard. He acknowledged some CEO surveys showing hiring caution but said upcoming government employment data will provide a clearer picture.
Additional coverage and closing
– The program also reviewed U.S. and allied responses to the deaths of U.S. troops in Syria, the broader counterterrorism posture in the region, and the legal and diplomatic aspects of U.S. strikes on suspected drug vessels, stressing the need for congressional briefings and public transparency.
– Domestic concerns examined included holiday-season price pressures and rising health insurance costs for some Americans, with discussion of policy options to help with premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.
Full interviews and extended segments with Machado, Senators Warner and Cassidy, and Kevin Hassett were made available on CBS News’ digital platforms and the show’s podcast. Face the Nation encouraged viewers to follow ongoing reporting for updates on the Bondi Beach attack, the Brown University investigation, and developments in Venezuela.