Major Garrett opened The Takeout with coverage of FIFA’s 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., where FIFA President Gianni Infantino publicly praised President Trump and presented him with a FIFA Peace Prize. The U.S., Mexico and Canada will co-host the expanded 48-team tournament in 2026. Garrett described the event as a huge cultural and economic spectacle expected to generate billions for the U.S. economy and attract massive global audiences. Reporters from the White House noted pop performances, the president’s embrace of calling the sport “football,” and the presence of Canadian and Mexican leaders—an occasion that mixed celebration with underlying trade and USMCA tensions. Garrett and Weijia Jiang observed that while the draw was celebratory, questions about FIFA’s reputation and the absence of tough scrutiny were conspicuous.
Back in Washington, a judge ordered that Brian Cole Jr., accused in the 2021 pipe-bomb incidents at the Democratic and Republican National Committee offices, remain jailed pending further proceedings. Federal charges reported by CBS include attempted malicious destruction by fire and explosives. Investigators say Cole is a Trump supporter; charging documents do not allege a motive or direct ties to January 6. Cole has been speaking with investigators and has obtained counsel.
CBS also reported that federal prosecutors recently presented evidence about New York Attorney General Letitia James to a grand jury, which declined to return an indictment. Legal correspondent Scott MacFarlane explained that it is relatively unusual for a prosecutor-presented case to be rejected by a grand jury and that the Department of Justice might pursue the matter again.
A major public-health reversal was announced by the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel: after more than 30 years of recommending a hepatitis B vaccine dose within 24 hours of birth for all newborns, the panel voted to allow delaying the first dose until two months for infants whose mothers tested negative for the virus. CBS medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook warned of hepatitis B’s severe risks, including liver failure and cancer, and emphasized the vaccine’s historic impact on reducing chronic infection. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, a liver specialist, criticized the change as potentially increasing preventable disease, highlighting how contentious public-health guidance can be.
The Pentagon confirmed a U.S. military strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific that killed four people and released video of the attack. Charlie D’Agata reported this as the first strike after a surge in early September; U.S. Southern Command indicated drone strikes—often Reaper drones using Hellfire missiles—are the typical platform for these counter-narcotics operations. Officials say the carrier Gerald R. Ford and additional assets are operating in the region to support maritime security, though many specifics about the targeted boats remain limited.
Garrett previewed coming coverage, including Senate debate over extending Obamacare premium tax credits and further reporting on the World Cup draw and Team USA’s path. He interviewed IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler, co-author of The Whistleblowers Versus the Big Guy, about internal handling of the Hunter Biden tax investigation. Ziegler said federal prosecutors had drafted memoranda recommending felony and misdemeanor charges for prior tax years that were not pursued; he and colleague Gary alleged the probe was curtailed, later reaching settlements with DOJ and the IRS. They now work on IRS reform and argue for equal enforcement safeguards to prevent political influence.
On the ACA subsidies, Garrett outlined the Senate fight over extending premium tax credits that expire at year’s end. Senate Democrats planned a three-year extension; Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of leaving a “cliff” that could sharply raise premiums. Political strategists Mariel Suárez and Matt Gorman debated prospects: Gorman called a multiyear extension a nonstarter for GOP leaders and suggested only a top-down compromise might yield a one-year fix, while Suárez stressed the real-world premium hikes consumers would face and urged Republican votes to avert them. The segment also touched on redistricting and recent Supreme Court rulings affecting maps and potential future Voting Rights Act implications.
Breaking items covered included Netflix’s proposed $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., a major consolidation that would require regulatory and corporate approvals and restructuring; a Florida judge’s order to release 2006 grand jury transcripts related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell under new state law; and DOJ requests to unseal materials in several Epstein-related matters.
The Supreme Court agreed to decide whether a president can limit birthright citizenship by executive order. CBS legal analyst Jessica Levinson reviewed the longstanding interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment granting citizenship to almost everyone born on U.S. soil, noted rare exceptions such as children of accredited foreign diplomats, and predicted the Court is likely to reject an executive attempt to overturn birthright citizenship. She also warned of the chaotic administrative and legal consequences that would follow if a president could unilaterally alter citizenship rules.
Garrett returned to World Cup analysis: the U.S. was drawn with Paraguay, Australia, and a European play-off winner (the victor from Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo). Soccer analyst Jamie Watson called it a favorable draw for Team USA and urged optimism, noting the U.S. opens in Los Angeles and then plays in Seattle, with logistics to manage across 16 U.S. host cities as the tournament expands from 32 to 48 teams. Host advantages, MLS stars like Lionel Messi’s presence in U.S. soccer, and the geographic scale of the event were cited as reasons for heightened domestic interest.
The Takeout closed with a roundup of the night’s top legal and media headlines and a preview of ongoing coverage: the Supreme Court birthright citizenship case, the Senate vote on ACA subsidies, continuing reporting on the pipe-bomb suspect, the CDC vaccine recommendation change, and the build-up to the 2026 World Cup.