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The Source with Kaitlan Collins
U.S. Embassy In Saudi Arabia Hit By Suspected Iranian Drones; Netanyahu Vows "Decisive" Action In Iran, Not Endless War; Deposition Video Shows Heated Moments Of Clintons' Testimony. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired March 02, 2026 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360: Essentially they're not going to make the same mistakes?
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN, NEW YORK TIMES FOREIGN AFFAIRS COLUMNIST: Yes, I don't believe that at all, because I don't think this was run through any serious strategic internal vetting process. I think this was a war that's a product, as my newspaper has reported, very influenced by the private discussions between Netanyahu and Trump.
COOPER: Yes.
L. FRIEDMAN: And I think that at this stage, if I were Trump -- he said in an interview that he was -- he was ready to talk to the Iranians. I'd get on the phone sooner rather than later with Iran.
COOPER: We're out of time.
Tom Friedman, thank you. Fareed Zakaria.
Our special coverage, the war with Iran, continues with Kaitlan Collins.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN HOST, THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS: And we begin with breaking news tonight, as the United States is now urging U.S. citizens throughout the Middle East, to leave now, as Iran is unleashing new attacks in the region.
Moments ago, sources tell CNN that there were two suspected drone attacks at the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Right now, at this hour, we don't know of any injuries that have been reported. We are still checking to see what has happened. But this comes as the United States is asking Americans, across Saudi Arabia, to shelter in place.
President Trump has just responded to these reports, telling NewsNation that we will find out soon what that United States retaliation for that attempted attack is going to look like, and also for the deaths of six now U.S. service members.
Our colleague, Nic Robertson, joins me now from Riyadh.
CNN's Matthew Chance is on the ground in Beirut, where there have also been major explosions tonight. And Nic, obviously, as we've been watching to see how exactly Iran is retaliating across the region. What do we know so far about these drone strikes on the U.S. Embassy there?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, we've heard from the Ministry of Defense here in Riyadh, and they say, they can confirm that these two drone impacts did occur at the U.S. Embassy here in Riyadh. It's in the instance -- in a very large diplomatic compound area. We tried to get there. Security was very tight. We weren't able to get in. But what the Ministry of Defense here is saying is that there was a fire and some material damage at the U.S. Embassy.
What is really interesting here is that not long after that impact became public knowledge, then the United States issued a shelter in place for embassy staff here in Riyadh, for consular staff in the west of the country in Jeddah, and for consular staff in the east of the country in Dhahran. Of course, that's much closer to Iran.
And then subsequent to that shelter in place, there were reports that there have been additional drone impacts at the embassy here in Riyadh. We are unable to confirm those with local officials here at the moment. We're trying to run that information down. But it is, and I've been speaking with officials here, it is a point of concern that these drones have been able to get through to the U.S. Embassy here.
Look, the United States Embassy in Riyadh and other associated potential Iranian targets in Saudi Arabia are very high value, considered higher value, if you will, than those, let's say, in Bahrain or Abu Dhabi, because those are easier to hit, and also that Saudi Arabia is a much bigger, more powerful kingdom, and therefore striking Saudi Arabia carries with it more messaging, more weight.
So, this is a very key moment. A long night, is what one official here described to me what to expect.
COLLINS: Yes. OK. Well, Nic Robertson, keep us updated what you're hearing from officials there on the ground, as they're still trying to figure out clearly the aftermath of this.
And Matthew Chance. We've also seen major explosions happening in Beirut tonight. What's the latest where you are?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there was a big set of explosions a couple of hours ago in the south of the city, which is a sort of Hezbollah stronghold. There have been intensive attacks throughout the course of the past couple of days.
And in fact, within the past few moments, there's been another Israeli warning, which they -- which they sort of transmit over social media, that there will be more attacks in the course of the evening, again, in that southern part of Beirut, the Lebanese capital, which is known to be a Hezbollah stronghold.
It looks like, it feels like, in Lebanon, that this country is reluctantly, increasingly becoming another front in the U.S. and Israeli war in Iran. That's because Lebanon is home to Hezbollah, which was once a very powerful proxy of Tehran.
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It's an Iranian-backed militia. It had a vast arsenal in the past. That arsenal has been degraded somewhat over several years of very orchestrated and concerted efforts by the Israelis to do exactly that. But it's still a force, and it's still able to carry out attacks. And in fact, over the past couple of days, it did that, following the death and the killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
Hezbollah launched six missiles across the border into Israel, and also what it said was a swarm of drones. They didn't do much damage. They were intercepted. But nevertheless, it was enough for the Israelis to really step up the attacks that they have been carrying out, admittedly, over the past several years, anyway, but really stepping them up in southern Lebanon, and in the south of Beirut.
And that has led to numerous deaths and injuries, more than 50 deaths, according to the Lebanese authorities. More importantly, thousands of people fleeing their homes for the relative safety of other parts of the country.
COLLINS: Yes, we're seeing just how wide that this is growing from just Friday morning -- Friday night and Saturday morning.
Matthew Chance, keep us updated on what you're seeing on the ground. Stay safe, to you and Nic.
COLLINS: And I should note, that attack that we just were reporting, on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, where Nic is, comes as my colleague, Jim Sciutto, is reporting via sources tonight that the United States is actually preparing for a major uptick in attacks, on Iran, in the next 24 hours. A lot of that has to do with the President's plan, but also what we have seen happen since they first struck Iran.
We now know and have confirmed at least six U.S. service members have been killed. They died in a direct hit on a makeshift Operations Center at a civilian port in Kuwait. And a source tells us that the strike was so quick, there were no warnings or sirens for those troops to evacuate in time. Obviously, it's devastating news for their families.
And as this fighting is going on tonight, the Trump administration, as for why this is happening, has really been all over the map, when it comes to the objectives of this mission, and that really starts at the top with what we heard from President Trump himself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Our objectives are clear.
First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities.
Second, we're annihilating their navy. Third, we're ensuring that the world's number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon, never going to have a nuclear weapon.
And finally, we're ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Missiles. Naval power. Nukes. Funding terrorism. Those goals have shifted several times in just the last 72 hours alone.
Top members of the administration each seem focused on a different objective here. I mean, just listen to what the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States is conducting an operation to eliminate the threat of Iran's short-range ballistic missiles, and the threat posed by their navy, particularly to naval assets.
The objective of this mission is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities and of their naval capabilities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: That was Secretary Rubio today, saying it was missiles and naval capabilities.
At the Pentagon, this is what we heard from Secretary Hegseth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: For 47 long years, the expansionist and Islamist regime in Tehran has waged a savage, one- sided war against America. They didn't always declare it openly, except for their constant chants of Death to America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Iranian threats, cited there by the Defense Secretary.
Then today, we also heard, again from Secretary Rubio, and the Speaker, Mike Johnson, offering a justification. This was something new that we had not heard from them before. But they argued, Israel was going to attack Iran anyway.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUBIO: We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces. And we knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them, before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties, and perhaps even higher, those killed. REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Because Israel was determined to act, with or without the U.S., our Commander-in-Chief, and the administration, and the officials I just named, had a very difficult decision to make.
They determined, because of the exquisite intelligence that we had, that if Israel fired upon Iran, and took action against Iran, to take out the missiles, then they would have immediately retaliated against U.S. personnel and assets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: And in just the last hour, the Vice President offered this reason.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JD VANCE (R), U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: What the President determined is he didn't want to just keep the president -- or excuse me -- keep the country safe from an Iranian nuclear weapon for the first three, four years of his second term. He wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mindset from the Iranian regime.
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So, he saw that the Iranian regime was weakened, he knew that they were committed to getting on that brink of a nuclear weapon, and he decided to take action because he felt that was necessary in order to protect the nation's security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Back to nuclear weapons, according to what the Vice President just said there, about an hour ago tonight.
Iran's nuclear program started in 1957 before the Islamic Revolution took place. They had ballistic missiles in the 80s. And of course, their support of terror cells and their use of naval assets is something that dates back decades and has frustrated many U.S. presidents.
This is how Secretary Hegseth put it earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEGSETH: We didn't start this war. But under President Trump, we are finishing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Of course, many people would argue that they did start the war that is currently taking place, right now, between the United States and Iran.
And the President himself, in terms of what he wants to achieve here, has spent the day doing interviews, with almost a dozen different news outlets, on the phone, talking about a timeline for what this could look like.
And here's how Secretary Hegseth talked about what the timeline could exactly look like here, and what Americans should be prepared for.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEGSETH: I heard the question about -- about four weeks. It's the typical -- typical NBC sort of got-you type question.
President Trump has all the latitude in the world to talk about how long it may or may not take.
REPORTER: Are -- is there a concern of this spiraling into a longer war?
And then one for the Chairman when you're done.
HEGSETH: Did you not hear my remarks?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: If you listen to the Secretary's remarks, though, the timeline is still unclear as to what this could look like. And of course, the question still stands as to why this is happening.
As the President was in front of reporters today, during the first time -- for the first time in front of reporters, I should note, since he launched this attack and authorized it, over the weekend, from his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. He was hosting a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House today, where he gave that update on Iran that we just shared with you, what his objectives are.
And then at one point, he pivoted from the war in Iran to White House construction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We have a lot of great service members here with us too in this beautiful building.
Isn't it beautiful? We're adding on to the building a little bit. We're improving the building. See that nice drape? When that comes down -- right now, you see a very, very deep hole.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: But in about a year and a half from now, you're going to see a very, very beautiful building. And there's your entrance to it right there. In fact, it looks so nice I don't think I'll even -- I think I'll save money on the doors. Because you can't get more beautiful than that.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: I picked those drapes in my first term. I always liked gold. But I think we can save a lot of money. I just saved -- I just saved curtains. But -- and it will be, it'll be spectacular. It'd be the most beautiful ballroom -- I believe it's because I built many a ballroom. I believe it's going to be the most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: As we continue to monitor the latest out of the Middle East, tonight, I want to bring in the Democratic senator, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who is also a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.
And Senator, obviously, we're tracking what is happening on the ground tonight. But in terms of overall, for people who are sitting at home, and watching and wondering what is happening here. Is it clear to you, based on what we've heard from the administration, why the United States is at war with Iran right now?
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Of course, it's not clear. I mean, this is incompetent and ham-handed leadership. They all have different reasons for attacking Iran.
I guess, what I think is that it's just so disgusting to listen to the President of the United States be waxing and waning poetically about the drapes that he's buying.
Well, there are six Americans who are dead. There are six American families who are about to bury their children, because of a war of choice that no one in this country wanted, an illegal war.
I mean, you also played this clip of Secretary Hegseth saying that the President has all the latitude he needs, in order to carry out a conflict with no end. The disdain that these people have for the Constitution, for the idea that it's only the people that consent to war, is just absolutely shocking.
So, we've heard no coherent explanation. We've heard no goals for what Iran is supposed to look like at the end of this mission. And the region is spiraling out of control. American casualties are mounting. Billions of dollars in taxpayer money is being misspent. This is a growing crisis of incoherence and incompetence at the White House.
COLLINS: Both Secretary Hegseth and Vice President Vance have said, the President is not going to get entangled in some never-ending war, the last 20 years.
Do you trust those assurances that you've heard from them?
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MURPHY: No, absolutely not. I mean, listen, these guys don't know what they're doing. I mean, these are amateurs. Pete Hegseth is a talk show host, who is running the Department of Defense right now. He has no concept of how to carry out a targeted attack, never mind a complicated war, in the Middle East.
Here's the essential problem. There's only two options here. Either you are going to just do air strikes, or you're going to launch a ground invasion. There is zero experience, zero history of a air strike campaign alone, toppling a dictatorship and transitioning a country to democracy.
We know that air strikes do not knock out Iran's nuclear capability. Why? Because we did air strikes, last year. President Trump lied to the American public, said it obliterated Iran's nuclear program. And we come to find out, just two weeks ago that in fact, they're back to a week away from a nuclear program.
The other option is a ground invasion, which, of course, no one in this country wants. Would fail. Would cause not dozens of Americans to die, but thousands of Americans to die.
No option here gets the President what he is saying he wants, which is regime change, a democracy, the obliteration of their nuclear program and their missiles. This is going to be a disaster. None of those goals, even as they change, are going to be accomplished here. All that's going to happen is lots of Americans are going to die and billions of our dollars are going to be wasted.
COLLINS: Well, and I should note Vance and Hegseth, they're obviously both veterans.
But you're saying you don't think all the -- if the objectives are just the ones the President himself laid out today, not minding all the other ones that we've heard from, from others who have highlighted different ones. You're saying that you don't think the President -- that that can be achieved in four to five weeks, which is the timeline he gave today.
MURPHY: The objectives that they have laid out, which primarily, have been regime change and getting rid of their weapons systems, cannot be achieved in four days, four months, or four years.
And then, as you noted, we heard this shocking new explanation, out of the blue today, that in fact, our objectives were simply to defend America, that this wasn't an offensive war, it was a purely defensive war. I mean, that's ridiculous. The idea that Benjamin Netanyahu could decide where America goes to war, that we would just follow an ally, into a war of choice that puts hundreds of Americans' lives, if not thousands of Americans' lives, at risk, should be bone-chilling to Americans.
So, none of these explanations make sense. None of them are achievable.
COLLINS: Well, and just to be clear, that was -- Secretary Rubio came out of that briefing, on Capitol Hill today, and said, basically, that it was absolutely an imminent threat, was the phrase that he used, because they believed Iran would strike at U.S. bases in the region if Israel struck Iran.
You're saying that doesn't meet your definition of the word, Imminent?
MURPHY: Well, of course, it doesn't.
And by the way, the War Powers Act doesn't allow the President to take action without authorization from Congress, even in the face of an imminent threat. But imminent doesn't mean there's a possibility that if another country launches attack against their neighbor, that we might be stuck in the crossfire. That is always a possibility, when two countries are going to war. That doesn't give the President the power to carry out a war, an open-ended war, without any authorization of Congress. That's absolutely clear.
COLLINS: The President said tonight that Democrats, of which you are one, are only complaining, he said, Because if I did it -- you're only complaining because he did it. And he said that if he didn't do it, Democrats would be screaming, Why didn't Trump attack Iran? He should have done it immediately.
What is your reaction to the President's argument there?
MURPHY: Well, there were no Democrats cheerleading for Joe Biden to attack Iran. I can speak for myself. I was openly and regularly critical of both President Obama and President Biden when I didn't think that they were coming to Congress for authorization. Many of us have been pretty consistent about this for a long time.
We thought that war with Iran would spill over very quickly into the region. Tonight, we're learning that we're evacuating Americans from 14 different countries in the region.
We believe that it would only result in even harder-line leadership running that country. That's exactly what seems to be happening right now.
And we thought it would end up in a lot of Americans being killed. And as we speak, there are half a dozen families burying their dead children, and there are likely going to be dozens more of these funerals coming up.
That's been the view of most Democrats, consistently, whether a Democrat or a Republican is in the White House.
COLLINS: Yes. And just everyone's got to feel for those families tonight, and obviously those brave service members.
Senator Chris Murphy, thank you for joining us to talk about this tonight.
MURPHY: Thank you.
COLLINS: And up next. I should note, the State Department is still urging Americans across the Middle East to leave immediately. But how are they supposed to leave? There are limited to basically no options for them to get out. So many flights have been canceled. More on that, ahead.
Plus, regime change, nuclear weapons, terrorism. We're going to speak to Republicans on how they believe what the administration's goals in Iran are, and what is going to happen next here.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: President Trump says a big wave of U.S. strikes on Iran is yet to come, as the U.S. State Department is urging all Americans to leave now, from countries throughout the Middle East, because of serious safety risk. On X, the Department said that Americans should evacuate from these 14 countries that you can see here. It includes Egypt, Iraq, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
But of course, that could prove to be quite complicated. Leaving now might be very near impossible for these Americans who are in the region. A wide corridor of Middle East airspace were made closed today as limited to no flights are leaving for many of the countries that you see on this list.
My colleague, Clarissa Ward, is on the ground in Erbil, Iraq.
And Clarissa, obviously, you're not far from where a lot of the U.S. troops have been stationed. What has it been like on the ground since you've been there reporting?
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CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there has been a steady stream of attacks. Just in the last hour, we heard a series of loud booms coming from that direction. That's the direction that we hear most of these attacks, many of them being intercepted, because that's where the Erbil airport is, and that's one of the few places in Iraq where you can still find U.S. troops.
We have definitely seen an uptick today, with Iran-backed Iraq -- Iraqi militias, firing a number of drones to various targets. They hit -- at least several drones hit Harir Air Base just outside of Erbil, a few hours ago. Unclear if there were any Americans there, unclear if there were any casualties as a result of that, although we did hear a lot of military helicopters in the air, right around that time.
And we actually saw for ourselves, earlier on, Kaitlan, at the border crossing, between Iran and Iraq, an Iranian Shahed drone, which literally flew right over our heads into Iraq. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(VIDEO - IRANIAN DRONE)
WARD: You can see that now, an Iranian drone literally just flew directly over our heads from Iran into Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WARD: And Kaitlan, I want to mention as well, to the south in Baghdad, there were violent scenes outside the green zone, that fortified area where the U.S. Embassy is based, large crowds trying to fight their way into the green zone. There were flashbangs. There was smoke at the scene. And it appears that those protesters were ultimately disbanded.
But this is the second night in a row we have seen angry crowds, in Baghdad, trying to make their way or force their way into the U.S. Embassy, Kaitlan.
COLLINS: Wow. Clarissa Ward, obviously, please stay safe. We'll check back in with you as there are updates on the ground.
Joining me now is a retired Navy SEAL who served -- who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Republican senator, Tim Sheehy, is here.
And thank you.
I mean, when you see what's happening with what Clarissa is reporting. We saw the attacks on the embassy in Riyadh tonight. Are you worried about how much this is expanding throughout the Middle East, and what we're seeing, and how Iran is retaliating?
SEN. TIM SHEEHY (R-MT): Well, of course, we're always going to be worried about the safety of our allies and our servicemen in the region, and of course, all Americans there.
The reality, though, is what this illustrates is just the tentacles of the Iranian influence that have been throughout the region, really, for thousands of years. I mean, this is Persia, at the end of the day. And the history of this region shows that Persia has historically been the fulcrum of this entire region. And in the last 46 years, unfortunately, that's turned into a theocratic, oppressive terrorist regime that has been murdering Americans for 46 years.
So, I think the fact that this conflict that has been going on for a half century is spreading into every neighboring country is pretty much what everyone expected. Most of the Gulf state allies and our allies in the region, like Jordan, like Saudi Arabia, quite frankly, have long wanted this regime to finally be taken off the map. And I think it's high time it's happened. It's going to be a hard fight. No one thought this was going to be a three-day campaign. But it's about time we take this threat off the table.
COLLINS: Is that why you think the war in Iran is happening right now? Is it because of regime change?
SHEEHY: I think that's pretty clear. There's no question that what's happening in Iran today is a result of decades, decades, of exporting terror and evil all over the world.
Let's not forget, this regime started by taking our embassy hostage. And subsequently over the -- subsequent decades, bipartisan -- this isn't Republican, Democrat issue, Kaitlan. This is an American issue. This is a Western, free world issue. Whether it's the Iranian Embassy in London that they took in 1980 after they took ours, or the 1983 barracks bombing, the Khobar Towers, the USS Cole, being the primary provider of cheap oil to China to allow China--
COLLINS: Yes, no one is saying Iran has been doing good things. I mean, the Iranian leadership. But if this is about--
SHEEHY: Well, there's actually quite a few Democrats and folks who were defending the Ayatollah's right to continue to rule and defending his existence. So, I think in fairness--
COLLINS: Who is defending the Ayatollah?
SHEEHY: Well, let's see. We've had Elizabeth Warren's former campaign manager, out there, literally chanting, Death to America, on stage yesterday--
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: I don't know who that is. But Elizabeth Warren is not defending the Ayatollah. But the reason I ask you--
SHEEHY: Well, we've got Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib who are saying that this is wrong actually -- with The New York Times publishing an obituary, describing him as an avuncular cleric--
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: I think that was The Washington Post. But again, that's not a lawmaker, that's not a Democrat who is saying that this is what they did.
But the reason I ask why this is happening is because we hear a bunch of different reasons from the administration. It doesn't seem like there is anyone settled on one reason. I mean, you just said, regime change.
SHEEHY: Yes.
COLLINS: Secretary Hegseth said this morning, it's not a regime-change war.
[21:30:00]
SHEEHY: I think the reason you're hearing so many varied reasons is the varied threats this regime presents.
You heard about taking out their navy. Their Navy has been used to shut down the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal.
The Houthi rebels, which are an extension of the militant group of Iran. You've got Hezbollah, which has been using its northern border with Israel to constantly pressure Israel, and frankly, any Western presence in the Middle East. Hamas, of course, is an attack arm of Iran. You've got their medium-range ballistic missiles, their ICBMs, their nuclear arsenal, their international money laundering campaign for any terrorist organization and even drug dealing groups.
So, I think the reason you're hearing different reasons is not because no one's decided what reason it should be, Kaitlan. It's because Iran has so many different threat vectors that attack the Western world, to include the U.S., that to effectively restrain their ability to continue to cause chaos, we have to attack all those vectors.
COLLINS: So, does that mean the war doesn't end until every single one of those things is eliminated?
SHEEHY: Well, you've got the tentacles of the octopus coming out.
COLLINS: No, but is that -- that's kind of a yes or no question.
SHEEHY: In order to actually eliminate them, then--
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: Is it--
SHEEHY: --got to let it go.
COLLINS: Is it once the regime is gone, and their naval capability, and all of their missiles, and any nuclear desires?
SHEEHY: Well, I think it's -- I think the likelihood of each one of those tentacles continuing to carry out the policies of this terrorist regime is pretty unlikely, if the regime is gone, or if the regime has chosen, Hey, we're going to change direction.
But I think that's pretty unlikely. For 46 years, obviously, we only really had two major leaders of this theocracy over the past half century. But this theocracy has been very clear that, Death to America, Death to Israel, We will export terror in the most brutal way possible, torturing our victims to death, whatever it takes. Torturing their own people, killing tens of thousands of their own people. So, I think negotiating--
COLLINS: Again, no one is defending Iran's leadership. But I think the question is, if you can't clearly articulate why this started, how do you tell people how it's ending?
SHEEHY: How do you not clearly articulate how it started? 1983. 1989. 1980.
COLLINS: I didn't--
SHEEHY: Our entire--
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: I don't remember hearing any Republicans say, We should vote for Donald Trump because he's going to go to war with Iran, for those reasons.
I mean, the President actually ran on not going to war with Iran.
SHEEHY: So, every single policy decision a president makes has to be -- has to be the centerpiece of a campaign speech? I think, the reality is--
(CROSSTALK) COLLINS: Well, I think if you say you're not going to do something, and then you do it. I mean, a lot of the President's big allies are saying they're pretty worried about what's actually happening in Iran right now.
SHEEHY: Well, I think the reality is America First foreign policy means we're going to stop sending tens and hundreds of billions of dollars to countries that want to kill us. We're going to stop letting a country that murders our people all the time keep doing it.
So, at what point is, Enough is enough? At what point are we going to say, You are no longer allowed to fire on our ships? You're no longer allowed to start wars in Israel, slaughter 1,200 people in a day? You can no longer launder money for terrorist groups?
I mean, the policy towards Iran, for the last 46 years, essentially has been, We're going to keep giving you money, just please be nice to us and stop killing people. And it hasn't worked very well. So, I think it's pretty clear, at this point, a change in tack is needed.
COLLINS: Do you support boots on the ground if the President decides that's necessary?
SHEEHY: I don't think it's wise. I don't think that's what anyone's planning. I think the reality is decapitating the regime is the number one objective that, as I said, will have a number of threat vectors, whether it's the fleet, whether it's nuclear, ICBMs, medium-range, or taking out proxy groups, whether it's Yemen -- Hezbollah in Lebanon, or the remnants of Hamas in Gaza. But weakening all those different vectors makes it harder for that regime to stay in place.
And what we are seeing is a lot of organic support inside Iran. Unfortunately, so many of them have been killed over the last couple of months. But hopefully, that organic support reaches the point where they can topple their own government and then place their own, hopefully, self-governing system, to succeed this theocracy.
COLLINS: Do you think the President should help them?
SHEEHY: Absolutely.
COLLINS: How -- what would that look like?
SHEEHY: Well, there's a number of different ways to do it. I mean, there's a lot of unconventional warfare tactics we have, to help support an organic uprising within Iran. That's been going on for the last several months. That, this isn't something we have to start from scratch.
The Iranian people have made clear, a large portion of them, that they're ready for the theocracy to go, and we can support that in a lot of different ways, from communications, to funding, to weapons, should they need it.
COLLINS: Senator Tim Sheehy, thank you for joining us tonight.
SHEEHY: Thanks for having me.
COLLINS: And up next here, what the Israeli Prime Minister just said about how long he thinks this war with Iran is going to last, as his military is launching new strikes in Lebanon tonight.
[21:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: We're now hearing from the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, about his expectations for this war against Iran. As both the United States and Israeli officials have been warning about more strikes to come against Iran in just the coming hours.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL: I hear the people are saying, Well you're going to have an endless war here.
You're not going to have an endless war. Because we -- weakest point that -- we've been and Iran -- this terror regime in Iran is at the weakest point that it's been here since it hijacked Iran from the brave Iranian people 47 years ago.
So, we're -- this is going to be a quick and decisive action, and we're going to create the conditions, first, for the Iranian people to get control of their destiny, to form their own democratically-elected government, which will make Iran a different Iran altogether.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: For more on what we are hearing from the Israeli Prime Minister. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in Northern Israel.
And Nick, obviously, we're hearing from him. This matters, because he launched these strikes with the United States. We're now hearing that it was because Israel was doing this that the United States joined in. What else stood out to you about what he said?
[21:40:00]
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I think it's a much greater scope of exactly what Israel wants to achieve inside of Iran. And one, ultimately, I think that most military experts will tell you is unlikely, frankly, without some kind of boots on the ground from any force trying to physically oust decades of authoritarian control there by the IRGC and the theocracy. So, a much wider scope, certainly.
And that is also part, I think, what we occasionally hear creeping into President Trump's aspirational rhetoric, importantly, though less what we heard in his last previous speech as well. And I'm sure there are many Iranians who, in January, said -- heard President Trump say, Stand up, Rise up, Help is on its way. Well, it took until March, ultimately, for that to happen, and a brutal suppression by the theocracy. Kaitlan, where I am now, we heard in the last hours, significant salvos of Iranian rockets coming in. Over here, there were interceptions. No sign of casualties from that recent barrage. But a clear sign, A, that Israel seems to be able to intercept what is fired at it, and B, that Iran is still capable of firing.
What is also interesting too is despite the fact that we have had Hezbollah to the north of where I'm standing here, now say that they are going to continue to try and hit Israel back. We've not seen successful salvos from that at all.
And instead, what we are seeing now is a continued and persistent Israeli campaign, on the northern side of the border here, in southern Lebanon, where in the last hours, they've told 30 settlements to evacuate, adding to a previous list as well, causing a significant exodus of Lebanese from the South who fleeing terrified, frankly, knowing what happened in late 2024, when the Israelis began their first assault against Hezbollah, that left that militant group so weak that I think many observers are wondering quite why they chose to pick the fight of avenging the death of their sponsor, Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
So, many questions as to the extent of the Israeli operation going on in the northern border behind me, Beirut being hit again and again there. But clearly from President -- Prime Minister Netanyahu there, a much broader scope of ambition about the effects they feel they can achieve inside Iran.
COLLINS: Yes, and we'll see what this looks like and what the end date is.
Nick Paton Walsh on the ground in Israel. Thank you for that report.
I'm also joined now here in Washington by a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Republican congressman, Warren Davidson.
And thank you, sir, for being here.
Because when you hear what Nick is reporting there, what we're seeing playing out in the Middle East. Do you believe the administration has done a good enough job, explaining why this war in Iran is happening.
REP. WARREN DAVIDSON (R-OH): I don't. I had asked for a classified briefing, last week, before the war began, to explain what is the mission. Define the mission in Iran. And we're seeing that today with multiple definitions, even as you interviewed Tim Sheehy, so.
And that's why you want to do this with full congressional authorization, so that you have the debate. Even when that's been done, you know, I think back to the start of the war in Iraq, which I opposed personally, but the country decided to go to. There was a vote. Congress authorized it. It was supposed to be a limited war with a limited objective, to get the weapons of mass destruction. You saw very quickly, that pivoted to a regime-change war where the end state was supposed to be this Democratic Republic of Iraq. And you already see that vision for a democratic future for Iran, and Prime Minister Netanyahu somehow thinks that that can magically happen with some air power. We couldn't even make regime change happen with air power in Serbia and Kosovo in the 90s. It does take boots on the ground, historically, to do that. If it's not done very aggressively by the people, that usually doesn't work, because the people in power have all the weapons and all the power.
COLLINS: Do you support U.S. boots on the ground in Iran?
DAVIDSON: I don't personally support regime-change war, that way. And even if there were to be such an action, it would require a vote by Congress, according to our Constitution.
So, I -- look, President Trump has historically been reluctant to use force. He campaigned, as you pointed out, against starting a war in Iran. And so, I do look forward to getting back into D.C., we're supposed to be in session tomorrow, and get briefings. And I want to see the intelligence that President Trump found persuasive. And persuade us. I'm open to being persuaded. But I've been asking for the briefing. I hope we get it.
COLLINS: Yes, and I assume you probably think that should have happened before this.
But when you mentioned regime change there. I want you to listen to what we heard from Secretary Hegseth, this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEGSETH: This is not a so-called regime-change war, but the regime sure did change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Some people might hear that and be confused, how this is not a regime-change war if the United States just took out 40 or so members of the Iranian regime, including the Supreme Leader.
[21:45:00]
DAVIDSON: Yes, I like the way Pete Hegseth phrased that. I mean, look, in his version, the end state isn't, We're going to install some form of different government in Iran. We're not going to be responsible for that.
You can see in some of the statements by Secretary Hegseth, and President Trump, that it's up to the Iranian people to get their government. They're going to have a window where they could act.
But look, no one outside of a handful of radical Shiites, in Iran, is mourning the loss of the Ayatollah. I mean, he's an evil man. So, even if the path to doing that wasn't optimal, or, frankly, even constitutional? Good riddance. I think the world's a better place without the Ayatollah. But the regime that was surrounding the Ayatollah is still in control of the country of Iran. And I think that's the distinction he's making is, you know, the regime did change. You no longer have an Ayatollah.
In some ways, though, that tends to radicalize others. And you could appreciate that that would certainly radicalize the United States, if someone took a similar action--
COLLINS: Yes, it doesn't--
DAVIDSON: --to our leadership.
COLLINS: It doesn't always promise a more democratic or a leader that they might be happier with.
You talked about you wanted to be persuaded by the administration, that you could be persuaded.
Secretary Rubio said today that the United States struck, because Israel was planning to attack, and they were -- he was arguing that if Israel did, Iran would go after U.S. bases in the region, so this was more of a preemptive strike.
Is that a sufficient reason for what is happening right now, what the United States just did, in your view?
DAVIDSON: Well, that was a very disappointing explanation by Secretary Rubio. I mean, he's had very few misses. I think he's been a phenomenal Secretary of State, and I have a great deal of confidence in him. And I think that was just a poor answer. I hope there's better intel on that.
I mean, look, America is a republic, not an empire. And if we are going to be continue to behave as an empire, where we go to all the wars, and all the places, as the neoconservatives have wanted? I mean, that's a big part of why President Trump ran. It's a big part of -- the whole logic behind America First is to reject this whole globalist mindset. But if you are even going to embrace the globalism, at least let our Emperor be the ruler of the empire, not somebody else.
I think that's a very troubling phrase, and explanation by Secretary Rubio. So, I hope he clarifies that when he comes to speak with us.
COLLINS: Republican congressman, Warren Davidson, thank you for joining us tonight.
DAVIDSON: Thank you.
COLLINS: And we are staying on top of the breaking news in the Middle East.
And also, remember when we were talking about those heated moments we had heard about behind closed doors during Hillary Clinton's testimony, Bill Clinton's, before Congress? Well, now we have the video, and you can see it, right after this.
[21:50:00]
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COLLINS: Tonight, you can now watch the video of Bill and Hillary Clinton's testimony before the House Oversight Committee in its Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
This is the first time we're actually able to hear the questions that were posed by the lawmakers, and see the, sometimes, incredibly heated moments that followed behind closed doors, including when Hillary Clinton found out that Congresswoman Lauren Boebert had taken a photo of her during that hearing that they insisted be behind closed doors, and then gave it to a right-wing podcaster who posted it on X.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me, can I interrupt?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have another--
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are photos that are being released of the Secretary as she is testifying from inside this room. Can you please advise me as to whether or not that's permissible and consistent with the rules?
Particularly given that we have asked for a public hearing, if there are photos that are being released of the Secretary as she is testifying, can please explain how that can occur?
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: I'm done with this. If you guys are doing that, I am done. You can hold me in contempt from now until the cows come home. This is just typical behavior.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will go off the record.
REP. LAUREN BOEBERT (R-CO): I did -- I did post one.
H. CLINTON: Oh for heaven's sakes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, I would like to understand how that's permissible.
BOEBERT: It was before the hearing was--
H. CLINTON: It doesn't matter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me.
H. CLINTON: We all are abiding by the same rules.
BOEBERT: I will take that down.
H. CLINTON: Yes, well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, I would like to take a break at this moment. H. CLINTON: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we'd like to have the deposition--
H. CLINTON: I'm done for now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go off the record.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go off the record.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The questioning did start. And when it was Lauren Boebert's time to question Secretary Clinton, she turned, at times, to conspiracy theories.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOEBERT: Have you reviewed any 2025, 2026 Epstein files that were released that you believe reference or relate to those specific 2016 claims regarding the Podesta emails, Comet Ping Pong pizza used as code possibly?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry. Does this relate--
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're asking her about whether she's reviewed emails--
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me--
BOEBERT: In the Epstein files.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: --in the Epstein files, which relate to the wacky Pizzagate scandal?
BOEBERT: You can characterize it however you want. I just would like to know if she's familiar with any of them. She's commenting--
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, excuse me, your question is about whether or not she has reviewed any emails in the Epstein release files about Pizzagate?
BOEBERT: Correct.
H. CLINTON: Pizzagate was totally made-up. It was an outrageous allegation that ended up hurting a number of people, that caused a deranged young man to show up with his assault rifle and shoot up a local pizzeria. I can't believe you're even referencing it. You should be--
BOEBERT: There are connections to the language. We're not talking about--
H. CLINTON: Well, the QAnon people believe there are. So have at it.
BOEBERT: I don't know what QAnon people believe. H. CLINTON: Have at it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: That was during Hillary Clinton's testimony.
The next day, during Bill Clinton's deposition, the former President was asked about this picture that was released of him. He's included in a hot tub here with someone whose face is redacted in the Epstein documents.
[21:55:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were there other people in that pool or hot tub with you as well?
BILL CLINTON, 42ND U.S. PRESIDENT: I don't think there's anybody in the hot tub. But I don't even -- I had even forgotten that there was anybody in the hot tub, but it was big, that it was about--
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well there's a--
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's asking you in the pool area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It appears there's a--
B. CLINTON: Well--
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This photo, there's a girl over here. There's someone--
B. CLINTON: Yes, I don't know who that is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But he's also asking in the pool area. Were there other individuals?
B. CLINTON: Well there's -- I don't know who that is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, so, you don't know who that is?
B. CLINTON: No. And then -- then there were other people in the pool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So, do you remember who -- were they under 18? Would you know?
B. CLINTON: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were they part of your traveling party? He's asking you.
B. CLINTON: Yes, they were, I think. I think everybody there was part of our party. It was late at night and I should -- I also believe that there was a Secret Service agent there at the other end of the pool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. And was this in public?
B. CLINTON: No, it was a hotel room, and it -- the Sultan wanted us to stay there and the whole -- the water, this big pool was on the same floor that there were several suites and I -- so we went out. I swam around. I sat in the hot tub for five minutes, I think, or whatever it was, and I got up and went to bed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then -- I have to ask asked this -- did you engage in any sexual activities with this person?
B. CLINTON: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Of course, we'll continue to follow the latest out of Congress' investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Up next. Back to our breaking news. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia now says it was hit by suspected Iranian drones. We're continuing to monitor all the activity in the region. We have more, right after this.
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COLLINS: And on our breaking news tonight. We're hearing from a source who tells CNN that there were additional two suspected Iranian drones that struck at or near the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Defense Ministry confirmed earlier that two drones had hit the embassy. So far, no initial reports of injuries. But we're tracking it all.
Thanks for joining us.
"CNN NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP" starts now.
