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Stampede at historic fortress Citadelle Henri in Haiti killed at least 25 people

April 12, 2026 / 4:20 PM EDT / CBS/AFP

A stampede at a popular historical fortress in Haiti killed at least 25 people and injured dozens of others, officials said, revising an earlier, higher number of fatalities.

The incident took place Saturday during an annual Easter gathering at the Citadelle Henri, also known as Citadelle Laferriere, a 19th-century fortress and tourist spot in the northern town of Milot.

“The injured are currently receiving the necessary medical care, and a rescue team is searching for any missing persons,” Culture Minister Emmanuel Menard told AFP on Sunday.

Jean Henri Petit, the head of civil protection for Haiti’s Nord department, warned the death toll could yet rise, CBS News partner BBC News reported.

The Citadelle Laferriere is a large mountaintop fortress in northern Haiti. John Seaton Callahan / Getty Images

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime said the incident happened during a “tourist activity bringing together many young people.” He said an investigation has been launched and “all relevant authorities” were mobilized to support those affected.

“The government sends its sincere condolences to the affected families,” Fils-Aimé said in a statement on Facebook.

“The Government is monitoring the situation with utmost attention and urges the population to be calm and cautious, awaiting the results of ongoing investigations to determine the exact circumstances of this tragedy,” the statement continued. “In this particularly troubling circumstance, the Prime Minister and the Government of the Republic reaffirm their solidarity with the victims and the entire affected community.”

The Haitian National Police, in a separate statement, said it had opened an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident. The investigation led authorities to update the death toll to 25 fatalities. Autopsies were underway on Sunday.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is closed to visitors “until further notice,” Menard said.

Several dozen people were also injured and taken to the hospital, local newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported.

Initial reports said visitors, mostly young people, were crammed against a single entrance and a scuffle broke out between those trying to leave and enter the site. Other local media reports said the gathering took place after being advertised on TikTok.

The government urged citizens to “be calm and cautious” while it investigates.

“All competent authorities are fully mobilized and placed on maximum alert to provide, without delay, the necessary assistance, care and support,” it added in its statement.

Some of the victims’ bodies remained at the site on Sunday, the Associated Press reported.

A young man told the AP his sister had traveled there after studying diligently to get the grades necessary to be part of a school field trip for the best students. He sobbed after carrying her body, which had been covered with a white tarp.

The fortress was built by revolutionary Henri Christophe shortly after Haiti gained independence from France. The site has become a symbol of Haitian independence.

Brian Hooker shared maps he says show where his wife went missing in the Bahamas

April 12, 2026 / 3:01 PM EDT / CBS News

Brian Hooker sent images of maps to his friends and other boaters, telling them the drawings purportedly showed where his wife, Lynette, went missing in the Bahamas last week. He allegedly also sent them to law enforcement.

Brian Hooker shared the images with friends, who gave them to CBS News, in the days following his wife’s disappearance and during the initial search and rescue. He told his friends that he drew on the maps to help the search and rescue team.

The images may provide the most detailed account of Brian Hooker’s version of events that night.

Lynette Hooker, who is from Michigan, has been missing since Sunday.

This screenshot, taken by Brian Hooker of Navionics, a GPS app that boaters use to navigate, and obtained by CBS News, purportedly shows the route his dinghy took the night his wife Lynette disappeared in the Bahamas.

The images appear to be screenshots from Navionics, a GPS app that boaters use to navigate, drawn over to mark areas such as the alleged dinghy route the night Lynette Hooker disappeared and where Brian Hooker claims she went overboard.

This screenshot, taken by Brian Hooker of Navionics and obtained by CBS News, purportedly shows the route his dinghy took the night his wife Lynette disappeared in the Bahamas.

Hope Town Fire and Rescue would not comment about the images, citing the ongoing investigation. The Royal Bahamas Police Force did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.

According to the screenshots, Brian Hooker traveled 4 miles west on his dinghy from the point where Lynette Hooker is alleged to have gone overboard.

His wife is alleged to have gone overboard around 7:30 p.m., and according to Brian Hooker’s account to investigators, he washed up on shore at 4 a.m. the next morning at the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard.

Bahamian officials arrested Brian Hooker on Wednesday night for questioning. He has not been charged with a crime, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler.

Transcript: Sen. Mark Warner on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” April 12, 2026

2026-04-12T12:02:58-0400 / CBS News

The following is the transcript of an interview with Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 12, 2026.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Senator Mark Warner. He’s the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, and he joins us from Charlottesville, Virginia. Good morning to you, Senator.

SEN. MARK WARNER: Good morning, Margaret.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to pick up where we just left off with the ambassador when he was talking about his country’s intelligence estimates versus ours. He said he was in that room that day when Prime Minister Netanyahu pitched President Trump on this war that the U.S. is now in. He said these press accounts were wrong. In your understanding of U.S. Intelligence. Is it true? The CIA disputed the Mossad’s assessment as farcical.

SEN. WARNER: Well, Margaret, I was not in that meeting. I know two things. One, having seen all the intelligence, there was no imminent threat from Iran against the United States. And two, I take my former colleague, and now Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at his word when he publicly said, well, we knew the Israelis were going to strike Iran, so we felt we needed to go ahead and strike first, since Iran would attack us. So we are where we are, but let’s- no American should forget this is a war of choice, chosen by the president, and if we just quickly look at the goals regime change, frankly, the new leadership is more radical getting the enriched uranium out would require 10,000 troops minimum, guarding a perimeter around a bunker where our troops would have to go in and get this very volatile uranium out. The Ukrainian- I’m sorry, the Iranians could bomb that. We- we’ve taken down a lot of their ballistic missiles whether to be seen. They still have many left shooting down our planes. Thank God our military is world class and got those pilots out, but they literally have thousands of drones left. And this question about what the president is going to do with closing the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians have hundreds of speed boats where they can still mine the strait or put- put bombs against tankers in closing the strait. How is that going to ever bring down gas prices?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, two things on that. Just to follow up, that 10,000 troop requirement, is that an official government estimate, and is that in the midst of combat, or is that with Iranian government permission to have boots on the ground?

SEN. WARNER: This has been- this has been known for. There is a reason, the Iranian regime is awful. I agree with the ambassador on that they’ve been awful for 47 years. But there was a reason why previous presidents, including President Trump in his first term, didn’t choose to go to war, because this is extraordinarily complicated, the fact that the president acts like he’s surprised the Iranians closed the strait or would attack our Gulf allies. Anybody would have read the intelligence would’ve known that was first. The ability to protect our soldiers would require every estimate, I’ve seen at least 10,000 troops guarding a perimeter, sending troops into these bunkers for days on end. Very vulnerable. The Iranians still have ability to bomb their own bunkers. That is again a reason why I think action like this has not been taken before.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So CNN is reporting that- and the New York Times, that China is set to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks. The Israeli ambassador previously has acknowledged that China was considering helping- helping Iran. How significant would you describe Beijing’s support at this point?

SEN. WARNER: I would describe it as significant, but they try to hide themselves. China says, well, this is their private sector. We all know there is no such thing as a true private sector in China. Every company in China has to have its first loyalty to the Communist Party. But what we have done, let me also point out Margaret, by the Trump administration releasing sanctions on Russian oil. That’s $10 billion to Putin. More crazy is by releasing sanctions on Iranian oil at sea, we have literally funded the Iranian government $14 billion that they’re using to buy from China and elsewhere weapons to attack our troops. That is insanity in my mind.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you’re talking there about President Trump’s efforts to try to, you know, lower oil prices through those measures. I want to ask you, though, on the broader point in our polling, we see broad dissatisfaction with how the administration is handling the war. But as for you know, the aspirations, Americans broadly support them. Eighty seven percent say strait of Hormuz needs to be reopened. Eighty one percent want to ensure freedom for the Iranian people. Seventy six percent want to permanently stop Iran’s nuclear program. Fifty five percent want the current leaders ousted before we end the war. Do you sort of want to see us finish what America has started here? Can you really just hit the brakes?

SEN. WARNER: Margaret, I agree with all of the goals of the American people. But when you take- ask the next question, are you willing to put your sons and daughters in a ground war in the Middle East to get that enriched uranium out? I’ve not found any volunteers on that. The Strait of Hormuz was open before this war started, gas in Virginia was $2.81 40 days ago, it is over $4 now. Even if president declares victory tomorrow, those high gas prices will be with us for months, and it’s natural gas, not just gasoline. Asian countries are shutting down their economies one day a week because the price of oil has skyrocketed so much. We buy a lot of stuff from Taiwan, South Korea and countries around Asia. All those prices are going up.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re going to talk about that with the IMF director later on. But just to put a fine point on it, does this mean you would not vote for a supplemental funding request if the president needs more money to finish what he started?

SEN. WARNER: I’ll take a look at anything. I want to make sure our troops, who’ve done magnificently, but this president should have come to the American people and Congress first and say, I’m going to choose to go to war. Here’s what I want to try to accomplish. Those four goals of regime change, uranium, missiles, and the Strait of Hormuz. We only got those goals about 10 days into the war, and on any honest assessment, I don’t think we’ve accomplished any of them so far.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you on another topic, and that is basically congressional inaction. We’re on day 58 of the shutdown of Homeland Security, in terms of this standoff in regard to funding. Republicans are preparing a plan to fund ice and to fund a CBP on a party line vote through a process known as reconciliation, Democrats had the standoff to demand policy changes that never happened here. What did Democrats actually get out of this?

SEN. WARNER: Well, Margaret, what we got out of it, at least in the Senate, is we got 100-0 vote saying, let’s fund all of the rest of DHS, except for ICE that should have- we assume you had every Republican senator vote for that, and then the Speaker of the House, who can’t seem to decide what he wants, rejected it. I am glad that the president has gone ahead and paying the salaries. But I think if you ask your same poll questions, do the American people want ICE running around cities, frankly, arresting not only undocumented, but Americans, and putting Americans’ lives in jeopardy, as we saw in Minneapolis. I don’t think they want that going on as well.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, Senator, I have a hard break I got to take care. Thank you very much for joining us. We’ll be right back.

Transcript: Rep. Mike Turner on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” April 12, 2026

2026-04-12T12:20:14-0400 / https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-turner-face-the-nation-transcript-04-12-2026/

The following is the transcript of the interview with GOP Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 12, 2026.

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MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re back now with Republican Congressman Mike Turner. Thank you for coming back to town early to talk to us in person.

REP. MIKE TURNER: Thank you.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Let’s start on our polling, because you, like many people right now, are running for re-election.

REP. TURNER: Right

MARGARET BRENNAN: You look at these- this poll, 64% of the American people disapprove of the war. 62% say the President has no clear plan. There are these negative perceptions of the president’s handling of the economy and inflation. Dayton isn’t immune. Gas prices up a buck from where they were same time last year. How are you explaining to people in your district that this war is worth it?

REP. TURNER: Well, first off, no- no conflict ever polls well. I mean, when there’s a conflict occurring, no one says it’s being handled well, because you have to go through the conflict. The president has articulated, I think, very well, that this is about ensuring that Iran does not become a nuclear state. And no one is willing to trade lower gas prices for Iran becoming a nuclear state. And when Vice President Vance stood at the podium and said that the negotiations had broken off because Iran was not willing to declare that they would not become a nuclear state. That should have sent a chill, both through Europe and around the world. And I think you know for everyone, because that truly is what this is- is about. That- that puts away what you know, what Senator Warner was trying to dismissively say, that this was not an imminent threat, and what everyone else has been saying in Europe and around the world–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Well the president says its an ambition.

REP. TURNER: But that- that- that this is a an immediate, the IAEA, Grossi the director, had said they were weeks away from having enough material to have a nuclear bomb–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –He said there was no evidence that they were pursuing a nuclear weapon, he couldn’t rule it out.

REP. TURNER: –he said- they were weeks- they were weeks away. And- and now you have it. No longer can people say that they did not- did not have the ambition. Here they are all the way at the table. They have been in this- this massive conflict, and they’re unwilling to say they’re not going to pursue–

(CROSSTALK STARTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, and the American people in our polling–

REP TURNER: –they’re unwilling to pursue the nuclear weapon–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –are for preventing that. However, the negotiation itself is proof of the fact that militarily, you cannot achieve destruction of nuclear ambition. Is it not?

REP. TURNER: No, it’s not, because they’re still ongoing, and- and the President has–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — What’s ongoing?

REP TURNER: That this- this- this conflict, this- this act, the negotiations.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The president said the war’s won.

REP. TURNER: This is- this is not over. And as it’s not over, Iran is going to have to come the realization as- as- remember the JCPOA, the original enrichment deal that Obama had negotiated, where he said, we’re not going to allow them to have a nuclear weapon, but we’re just going to watch–

MARGARET BRENNAN: And they didn’t have a nuclear weapon. And they don’t have a nuclear weapon now.

REP. TURNER: –and we’re gonna watch- and we’re going to watch them enrich until they get close enough, and then we’ll take military action. Europe- everyone was a party to this deal. This is not just–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But the president’s saying they still won’t agree to not get a nuclear weapon and he can’t stop them–

REP. TURNER: –this is not just a United States issue, as we saw during this conflict where Iran in their missile technology sent a missile all the way to Diego Garcia. This was a wake up call for Europe. They now have missile technology that can reach Europe. This is a regime, a terrorist regime, that we cannot allow to have a nuclear weapon

(CROSSTALK ENDS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: So you said the president has been very clear here in his goals and intent. Our polling shows the American people aren’t persuaded in the same way you are. Let me run through some of the things he said on the Hormuz Strait. At the outset of the war March 3, he said the Navy would begin escorting tankers no matter what, the US will ensure the free flow of energy to the world. March 9, he said he was still thinking about taking it over. March 15, he said it was someone else’s problem. Our allies would take care of it. Maybe we shouldn’t even be there. We don’t need it. We have a lot of oil. Six days later, he threatened online, the U.S. would attack Iran’s power plants if it didn’t open the strait within 48 hours. March 26 he went back to blaming allies, saying he’s disappointed in NATO–

REP. TURNER: – Margaret, in conflict- there’s–

MARGARET BRENNAN: And then he announced the two week cease fire saying Iran had agreed to open strait–

REP. TURNER: –a conflict is–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –I’m not done. Because yesterday, he said–

REP TURNER: –conflict is going to be fluid.

MARGARET BRENNAN: –that CENTCOM announced they’re sending two ships to set the conditions for clearing mines. This morning, he said the Navy is going to start blockading the strait and interdict ships. Is that the final answer? I mean, can you see here why the public doesn’t think the president has a clear strategy?

REP. TURNER: Your adversary- your adversary has a vote in this too, and they have a position in it too which there were just negotiations, just yesterday–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Pick a position? They changed within days–

REP. TURNER: Just yesterday, there were negotiations and- and literally, Iran had an opportunity just yesterday to say to the world, we’re not going to pursue a nuclear weapon. Can you imagine–

(START CROSSTALK)

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But on the Strait of Hormuz which is the that is causing your gas prices in Dayton to go up–

REP. TURNER: — the largest exporter of the terrorist– a terrorist regime–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — is what I’m asking you.

REP. TURNER: — Having a nuclear weapon. They have been enriching- they have been enriching uranium. They’ve been enriching to the point where the IAEA, the head of the IAEA, said they were weeks away from having enough to have a nuclear weapon.

MARGARET BRENNAN: There has not been a single congressional hearing on this issue. No one’s disagreeing it’s an important one. Since this war began–

REP. TURNER: — There have multiple hearings —

MARGARET BRENNAN: — you have been in session for 11 days, Congressman–

REP. TURNER: — there have been hearings on Iran’s nuclear ambitions for decades.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you think this is adequate oversight of this war?

(END CROSSTALK)

REP. TURNER: There have been this war decades of- well, actually, we have had classified briefings on this issue. Now this is, this is an ongoing conflict. There are going to be continued briefings. I think the administration certainly could, and the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee has chastised the department on needing to provide Congress with more information, but we’ve had classified briefings. But the issue that’s the crux of this, that Iran cannot be permitted to have a nuclear weapon, which is what the Vice President stood before the world and said that Iran is unwilling to declare, just yesterday, which was the breaking point of the negotiations, has been the subject of hearings.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you know what the president means when he says that the United States Navy is now going to be blockading the Strait of Hormuz that we are trying to open? Has that been briefed to Congress?

REP. TURNER: I think, well- of course not because it was just- it was just announced, as you were discussing this morning–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Well if it was a clear strategy all along and this was part of the plan–

REP. TURNER: — What is clear–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — you would get–

REP. TURNER: — What is clear in the strategy, as the President has said, is the straits are not just a United States issue. It is also a Europe issue. It is a worldwide issue, and Iran should not be permitted–

MARGARET BRENNAN:– and the President said today we have to reexamine NATO because of it–

REP. TURNER: — Iran should not be permitted to control the straits. And it’s not just a United States issue.

MARGARET BRENNAN:– Did they mine it?

REP. TURNER: And Iran shouldn’t be permitted to just decide who gets through, and Europe, our NATO allies, others who have certainly an interest in the straits, should be coming to the table. And it should not just be a U.S. issue. And the president, by saying we’re not just gonna let them decide who gets through, is certainly calling all of our allies and everyone to the table of this needs to be addressed.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Did they mine the Strait of Hormuz? Because in that tweet today, the president also said they might not have. Because he said–

REP. TURNER: — No, I think you’ll have to ask the president. It’s his tweet.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But that’s the point that Congress has not been–

REP. TURNER: — It’s his tweet.–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — briefed on that. As a member, Oversight and Armed Services. Do you feel like this has actually been adequately explained to you? Because the American public does not.

REP. TURNER: The president just tweeted this this morning, so you’ll have to ask the president.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We would love to ask the president or the secretary of state or the secretary of defense, but members of Congress from his party are the only ones sitting here today, and we do appreciate you answering questions on it.

REP. TURNER: Thank you, Margaret.

MARGARET BRENNAN: All right, we’ll be right back.

Transcript: Israeli Ambassador Michael Leiter on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” April 12, 2026

2026-04-12T13:10:00-0400 / CBS News

The following is the transcript of the interview with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 12, 2026.

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*
*

MARGARET BRENNAN: We are joined now by Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Dr. Michael Leiter. Good morning and welcome back to the program.

DR. MICHAEL LEITER: Good morning, Margaret, good to be with you.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Israel and the US have been lockstep in this war to date. You heard the vice president sort of leave the door open to diplomacy, but President Trump also said this morning, the US is locked and loaded for an appropriate moment. Is it your understanding that Israel and the US will hold fire until the end of this two week ceasefire?

MICHAEL LEITER: We have to remember that the President has been relentless in pursuing an end to this crisis through talks. That’s the talks preceded the June war, talks preceded epic fury, the talks are going on now, and I think that if we can conclude this crisis with Iran, with this regime, this tyrannical regime, that’s pursuing nuclear weapons without going back into kinetic activity, it would probably be best for everyone. The president continues to pursue that. But right now they saw face to face, the vice president sat opposite this fellow, Qalibaf, who is directly responsible for the murder of his own people just in January, this past January, and just saw how obdurate and obstinate they are in pursuit of nuclear weapons.

MARGARET BRENNAN: When you said the talks are still going on, are there – is there any level of US-Iran contact at this point?

MICHAEL LEITER: Well, you know, the President gave the issue two weeks, and we’re just into the end of the first week, so there is another week left for the potential for continued talks. We, we know the Iranians. We know this regime. We don’t think they’re going anywhere, but it’s important to give it a chance.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Vance said, we need to see Iran give affirmative commitment to not seek a nuclear weapon, or the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon. Is your understanding that the US position is zero enrichment or are they still leaving the door open that Iran could have a civil-civilian nuclear program for medical purposes?

MICHAEL LEITER: Civilian nuclear program doesn’t entail enrichment. There are 57 countries with a civilian nuclear program that don’t have enrichment.

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But they want a little bit, you know that.

MICHAEL LEITER: No, no, if they have a little bit then they can have a lot to move from 60% which they had, to 90%. Look, you don’t build these production plants deep underground if you’re doing it for medical purposes, you have nothing to hide. These people lie. We shouldn’t be surprised when people who murder their own also lie. This has been their pursuit. They’ve been chanting for 47 years, death to America, death to Israel. That’s their goal. Let’s not —

(CROSSTALK BEGINS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But we’re negotiating with that same regime, right now –

MICHAEL LEITER: — We’re trying at the same time to add we’re negotiating them –

MARGARET BRENNAN: — The very same people.

(CROSSTALK ENDS)

MICHAEL LEITER: — We’re negotiating them, after eliminating their navy, after eliminating their air force, after degrading their leadership. Hopefully they’ll come to their knees and say, we’re surrendering.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the President has said the war is won. Your Prime Minister said the work is not yet complete. Specifically, what part of Iran still poses a military threat to Israel? Do you still consider it an existential threat?

MICHAEL LEITER: Well, there are three things that we have to be concerned with from the beginning. Number one, the pursuit of a nuclear weapon, if they go back to that pursuit that concerns us —

MARGARET BRENNAN: — They say they aren’t —

MICHAEL LEITER: Number two, ballistic missiles. Okay, these ballistic missiles, they promised, by the way, that they don’t have a ballistic missile that could reach Europe. They lied. We saw that they do.

MARGARET BRENNAN: — You’re talking about firing on Diego Garcia?

MICHAEL LEITER: The firing on Diego Garcia. They said it was limited to 2000 kilometers. We see now they’ve got 4000 kilometers. It’s just a sprint to 8000 kilometers and to hit Chicago or 10 to fly to New Jersey. So that has

MARGARET BRENNAN: — US intel says nine years.

MICHAEL LEITER: — and proxy, well, our intel says less than nine years. Okay,

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yeah.

MICHAEL LEITER: And our Intel has been accurate on this from the very beginning. Okay? Now it was clear we said that they’re in a sprint to achieve nuclear weapons. And Mr. Witkoff came back from the talks beforehand and said they came in, they walked into negotiations, said, we’ve got 60% ready for 11 bombs. 11 bombs at 60% means that you got a week or two until you got 90% and weapon grade. And the last thing Margaret, are the proxies. Okay, this isn’t over until there is a complete de-linkage between Iran and its proxies which have spread death, mayhem and destruction around the Middle East.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to come back to that in regard to Hezbollah. But just to finish what you’re talking about with intelligence, there was this highly detailed New York Times report this past week, I know you read it, extraordinary journalism. That detailed this February 11 meeting where your prime minister pitched President Trump on bombing Iran. It said the Israeli plan was to kill the Ayatollah, done. Cripple Iran’s ability to threaten its neighbors, spur a popular uprising in Iran, and then conduct regime change, leaving in place a secular leader. Obviously, all those goals were not achieved. Can you declare an end to the war without achieving that checklist?

MICHAEL LEITER: First of all, all of those goals have not been achieved, yet. This is a process. This isn’t instant soup, number one. Number two, I was in the room at that meeting. The journalists who wrote that article were not and apparently they received the information second, third hand, there’s an awful lot in that article which simply isn’t true. Which is a narrative that’s being created, interesting narrative, but not accurate. So I’d be very careful about quoting from that particular article.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, specifically, what, what did they get wrong? Because they say your intelligence services, the Mossad argued the Iranian regime would be so weak it could not choke off the Strait of Hormuz. That was wrong. Iran wouldn’t have–

MICHAEL LEITER: No, no we didn’t argue that. We argued the potential that we’ve got to work towards that, nothing was presented as a fact, that if we do this, this will be the outcome. It’s not science, politics is not science, military operations are not science. We presented the case that this is what we think should be done. The president makes a decision. This whole thing about the prime minister coming in and dragging the president into this, it’s – all you know for publicity purposes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Did Mossad believe that there would be protests that would overthrow the regime and that Kurdish fighters would enter through the north?

MICHAEL LEITER: The Mossad thought that, as we saw in January, hundreds of thousands and millions of people rise up, the potential for that happening again is even greater now, and we still think it’s very great. We still think we could, that could materialize over the next couple of months but there’s no guarantee –

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Then why negotiate with the same regime that is suppressing those people?

MICHAEL LEITER: Well, you can negotiate

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Is Israel really really supportive of this diplomacy?

MICHAEL LEITER: You can negotiate – we’re supportive of the president and his efforts. Okay, we’ve been in lockstep from the beginning in the planning, in the implementation, and we’re going to end this thing together as well. So we’re completely supportive of the president’s efforts, both diplomatically and militarily.

MARGARET BRENNAN: On the proxies, the Jerusalem Post today is writing that Israel’s war in Lebanon is the price to pay for Iran reopening Hormuz. The Israeli offensive against Hezbollah, and for our viewers, they are a political party in Lebanon and they also are Iran’s strongest militia and proxy force. They’ve complicated things here. The Trump administration is holding talks Tuesday in Washington. You’ll be at the table with the ambassador from Lebanon. Hezbollah is not part of these talks. In that lead up, is Israel going to pause, reduce the strikes on Lebanon?

MICHAEL LEITER: If I can, a point of correction, Hezbollah is a terrorist organization

MARGARET BRENNAN: — It is.

MICHAEL LEITER: — which is also a political party. It’s not a political party which also has a terrorist wing. They are a terrorist organization. They’re a proxy of Iran,

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yes.

MICHAEL LEITER: — which has an agenda of destroying the state of Israel,

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yes.

MICHAEL LEITER: — And they fire missiles into our towns and villages

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yes.

MICHAEL LEITER: And we have to respond. Now, we want to negotiate with Lebanon. Lebanon and Israel can live in peace tomorrow. I believe, you know, we had this initial phone call on Friday. It was a conference call, myself –

MARGARET BRENNAN: — You and the Lebanese ambassador,

MICHAEL LEITER: The Lebanese ambassador, the US Ambassador to Beirut, all moderated by the State Department official Mike Needham. It was a great conversation. And the thing we all agreed upon, that, if there was, if we just put Hezbollah on the side and just Israel and Lebanon negotiate peace. Two months, three months, we’ve got a complete peace agreement.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me just follow up, you said Israel has to respond. That’s different when it comes to responding to a strike from Hezbollah versus the kind of bombing that we saw this past week, particularly on Wednesday. The air strikes killed more than 350 people that day, a third of them, women and children and the elderly according to the Lebanese health ministry. The vice president said Israel had agreed to check itself with these strikes. And the President said he spoke with Bibi, your prime minister, and he said he’s going to low-key it. Can you explain what low key bombing means? Is this a reduced cadence and volume of strikes from Wednesday. What exactly did the US and Israel agree to?

MICHAEL LEITER: Reduce cadence, up cadence. Operational issues aren’t discussed on Sunday morning on television.

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Well the president did

MICHAEL LEITER: — Well, what we, we discussed is that we’re going to be in tandem with the president’s efforts in the gulf, and we support the president’s efforts. Right now, we are pursuing those who are shooting missiles against our civilians, and the operation Wednesday was targeted against operation centers of Hezbollah. Now, what they do?

MARGARET BRENNAN: — You dispute those Lebanese Government figures?

MICHAEL LEITER: Absolutely. Oh, of course, it’s like Hamas releasing figures from Gaza, their health ministry,

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But you’re negotiating with the Lebanese government

MICHAEL LEITER: Absolutely, absolutely. But the, sometimes, there’s this attempt to paint us as, you know, going after civilians. We’re going after in a targeted fashion, the terrorist infrastructure. That’s what we focus on. Now what they do Margaret, is they put their operation centers, their terrorist centers, among civilians. Now we tell them to get out. They don’t always get out, but we do what we can. Hamas does this in Gaza by building their bases within civilian centers. Hezbollah does it, and we saw the other day where Tehran sent their civilians out to the bridges and the – energy plants so they wouldn’t be, this is a crime against humanity.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you have your own diplomacy on Tuesday, we will be watching for that and what happens. Thank you for your time this morning.

MICHAEL LEITER: Thank you

MARGARET BRENNAN: Be right back.

Sen. Mark Warner says he’ll “take a look” at Trump funding request for Iran war

April 12, 2026 / 1:32 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said on Sunday that he would “take a look at anything” when asked whether he would oppose additional funding for the war with Iran if the White House asks Congress for more money.

“But this president should have come to the American people and Congress first and said, ‘I’m going to choose to go to war, here’s what I want to try to accomplish,’” Warner said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”

Transcript: Sen. Mark Warner on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan”

With lawmakers set to return from a two-week recess this week, the forthcoming supplemental funding request from the White House could take center stage.

The price tag for the war remains unclear. Military officials told members of Congress that the first week of the war alone cost around $11.3 billion. And the Washington Post reported last week that the White House is expected to request between $80 billion and $100 billion in supplemental funding, scaling back the ask from the $200 billion the Pentagon had appeared to initially seek last month. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not deny the figure at a news conference last month, though he said at the time “that number could move.”

The request could prove contentious in Congress. Democrats have continued to rail against the president for his handling of the war, while some Republicans have said that their support could run out if the war doesn’t end before the 60-day mark — the cap on any unauthorized engagements under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.

Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the administration should have been clear about its goals in the war out of the gate, saying that “those four goals of regime change, uranium, missiles and the Strait of Hormuz, we only got those goals about 10 days into the war.”

“And on any honest assessment, I don’t think we’ve accomplished any of them so far,” Warner added.

Last year, the Defense Department received more than $150 billion in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Congress also approved $839 billion in annual spending for the Pentagon earlier this year. Mr. Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2027 asks Congress for $1.5 trillion in defense spending, which would be considered separately from a supplemental funding request.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/warner-says-hell-take-a-look-at-trump-funding-request-for-iran-war/

Fallout from Eric Swalwell scandal grows as lawmakers eye House expulsion votes

2026-04-12 1:48 PM EDT / CBS News

By Fin Daniel Gómez, Fin Daniel Gómez Political Director and Executive Director of Politics and White House, CBS News

Fin Daniel Gómez is CBS News’ political director and executive director, Politics and White House. In this role, Gómez oversees the daily White House and political coverage for CBS News and works closely with Washington bureau leadership to inform the Network’s political coverage.

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Fin Daniel Gómez, Caitlin Huey-Burns, Caitlin Huey-Burns Congressional Correspondent

Caitlin Huey-Burns is a congressional correspondent for CBS News and a fill-in anchor for the CBS News 24/7 politics show “America Decides.”

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Caitlin Huey-Burns, Zak Hudak

The political crisis surrounding Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California is rapidly escalating into a broader bipartisan showdown that could reshape the makeup of the House.

Swalwell, who is running for governor of California, is facing multiple sexual misconduct allegations, including from a former staffer who alleged he sexually assaulted her. He has denied the claims in an online video statement and threatened to take legal action against the woman.

But the political fallout from the allegations has been swift. All 21 Democratic members of Congress who endorsed his bid for governor have withdrawn their backing, and state party leaders are putting increasing pressure on him to exit the crowded race, sources said.

The effects are rippling across Capitol Hill, teeing up a fight that could directly impact the makeup of the House heading into the midterm elections. Multiple members now face serious allegations of misconduct, and meaningful action has been slow to follow. But lawmakers are returning to Washington on Monday from a two-week recess, and the Swalwell scandal is driving a new push for accountability.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, has announced plans to force a vote to expel Swalwell over the allegations. A vote could come as soon as midweek.

Democrats are expected to counter with a move to bring up a vote on expelling embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, turning the expulsion fight into a wider partisan standoff. In March, Gonzales admitted to having an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Gonzales dropped his reelection bid but has not resigned.

Republicans and Democrats are weighing additional expulsion votes targeting not only Swalwell and Gonzales but several other members, two lawmakers told CBS News on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.

GOP Rep. Corey Mills and Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, both of Florida, could see their fate put to a vote as part of the effort. Both are embroiled in unresolved ethics scandals, and frustration has been growing on both sides of the aisle.

Mills is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over alleged campaign finance violations, sexual misconduct and other potential wrongdoing. Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of stealing $5 million in federal pandemic relief funds and using some of the money to boost her congressional campaign. Both lawmakers have denied wrongdoing.

Axios first reported on the plans for additional expulsion votes.

Expelling a member of the House requires a two-thirds majority. The move is rare in U.S. history — only six House lawmakers have been expelled, most recently New York Rep. George Santos in 2023.

GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who is the front-runner in the race for Florida governor, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that he would support expelling both Swalwell and Gonzales.

“If those votes come to the floor, I will be voting yes on both measures,” Donalds said. “These allegations are despicable and they demean the integrity of Congress. These things are just completely unacceptable and, as far as I’m concerned, both gentlemen need to go home.”

A growing chorus of fellow California Democrats are pushing Swalwell to drop his gubernatorial bid and resign from Congress. Rep. Jared Huffman became the latest on Saturday evening, saying he would vote to expel both Swalwell and Gonzales.

“I’ve seen enough. With his nuanced statement aimed at defending likely criminal charges, Swalwell all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate. He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress,” Huffman wrote on X. “Rep. Tony Gonzales, who admitted to the same violation, should also resign. If they don’t, I will support voting to expel both of them.”

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Iran talks done in by Tehran’s delusions over leverage they don’t have, US official says

2026-04-12T13:47:00-04:00 / Fox News

Vance spent 21 hours in talks before leaving Islamabad without an agreement, saying the US made its red lines clear

By Preston Mizell , Stephen Sorace, Fox News

Published April 12, 2026 1:47pm EDT

VP Vance: Iran has chosen ‘not to accept our terms’

Vice President JD Vance says following 21 hours of negotiations, an agreement has not been reached with Iran.

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Peace negotiations with Iran fell apart after Tehran severely misjudged what kind of leverage the regime believed it held, a U.S. official told Fox News Digital on Sunday.

While Vice President JD Vance left Islamabad, Pakistan, without a deal between the U.S. and Iran, the official said Vance used the talks to measure the Iranians own assessment of their position in the negotiations.

Vance found that Tehran thought they held a strong hand going into negotiations, according to the official, who added that no deal can be achieved when one party deludes itself into believing they have leverage that, in reality, they do not have.

GEN JACK KEANE ‘SKEPTICAL’ THAT IRAN CEASEFIRE WILL HOLD, WARNS TEHRAN WILL ‘DELAY AND OBFUSCATE’

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026.(Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

The U.S. official described the talks to Fox News Digital as starting out tough, though developing into a more friendly and productive dialogue over the duration of the 21-hour-long negotiations.

The high-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran ended without a deal after Iranian officials refused to accept American terms, Vance said earlier Sunday during a press conference from the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 12, 2026.(Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

“So we go back to the United States, having not come to an agreement. We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on,” Vance said at the time. “And we’ve made that as clear as we possibly could, and they have chosen not to accept our terms.”

TRUMP REVEALS IRAN MADE ‘SIGNIFICANT PROPOSAL’ AFTER ULTIMATUM, BUT ‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’

The U.S. official said that over the course of the discussions, the Washington delegation determined it was clear that the Iranians did not comprehend that the core of any peace deal hinges on Iran never obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Vice President JD Vance spoke during a news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 12, 2026, after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran. Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, special envoy for peace missions, listened during the event.(Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

While that point remains the main objective of any potential peace deal, the U.S. has other red lines that it will not compromise on.

The official said the U.S. and Iran failed to reach an agreement on all of Washington’s red lines, which include: Iran ending all uranium enrichment; the dismantling of all Iran’s major nuclear enrichment facilities; the retrieval of highly enriched uranium; the acceptance of a broader peace, security and de-escalation framework that includes regional allies; an end to the funding of Iran’s terrorist proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis; and Iran fully opening the Strait of Hormuz with no tolls for passage.

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The official added that Vance has underscored that while a deal remains on the table, it is up to Tehran to accept the terms.

“And we leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer,” Vance said during the earlier press conference before departing Pakistan. “We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”

Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news.

Conservative group launches $5M ad blitz pressuring Senate on voter ID as GOP eyes SAVE America Act push

2026-04-12T12:01:59-04:00 / Fox News

The campaign includes a $3.1M national TV buy and digital ads targeting swing states ahead of reconciliation push

By Jasmine Baehr Fox News

Published April 12, 2026 12:01pm EDT | Updated April 12, 2026 1:37pm EDT

$5M SAVE America Act ad blitz targets Senate: ‘What are they waiting for?’

Restoration of America is launching a national ad urging Americans to call their senators, saying 83% support voter ID and slams both parties for inaction. (Restoration of America)

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FIRST ON FOX:A conservative nonprofit is launching a $5 million nationwide ad blitz pressuring the Senate to pass voter ID legislation as Republicans move to advance parts of the SAVE America Act through Congress in coming months.

Restoration of America (ROA) told Fox News Digital the campaign begins Monday, and includes a $3.1 million national television buy, with a digital push targeting selected swing states.

The group pointed to polling it says shows 83% of Americans support requiring a photo ID to vote, arguing the issue is “overwhelmingly supported by everyday Americans.”

The effort comes as Senate Republicans signal they are prepared to bypass Democrats and move key priorities through reconciliation.

OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE REVERSES COURSE, RULES VOTER ID LAW ISN’T DISCRIMINATORY IN GOP WIN

People attend an “Only Citizens Vote” rally on passing the SAVE America Act in Washington, D.C.(Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.S.C., has said Republicans plan to include elements of the SAVE America Act in a broader legislative package later this year, describing it as a “down payment” on the measure.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., has said Republicans are prepared to “go it alone” using reconciliation — a process that allows them to bypass Democrats — as lawmakers work under a tight timeline set by President Donald Trump, who has pushed for legislation to reach his desk by June 1.

The group said its campaign is aimed at forcing the Senate to act on voter ID legislation.

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER OVERHAULING MAIL-IN VOTING IN MAJOR ELECTION INTEGRITY PUSH

People rally at the “Only Citizens Vote” event in Washington, D.C.(Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

The centerpiece of the effort is a 30-second ad titled “Save America,” which is set to air on national news shows “both conservative and liberal,” according to the group.

“As Americans, we’re fair and logical,” the ad says. “83% of us favor requiring a photo ID to vote.”

The ad goes on to argue that voter ID is standard elsewhere.

TWO DOZEN HOUSE REPUBLICANS GO TO WAR WITH SENATE GOP OVER SAVE AMERICA ACT

The House of Representatives is set to vote on a federal voter ID bill ahead of the 2026 elections.(Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“In fact, most of the civilized world requires it, but not us,” the ad says. “We need to be able to trust that only eligible Americans are casting ballots.”

The spot also takes aim at both parties in Washington, not just Democrats, for the stall.

“Democrats oppose voter ID for no coherent reason. Republicans favor it, but haven’t acted. What are they waiting for?” the ad says.

It closes with a direct call to action: “Call your United States senators and tell them to pass the Save America Act today.”

Restoration of America founder and CEO Doug Truax said the campaign is meant to restore trust in elections.

A volunteer holds a “Require Voter ID” sign during a news conference at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters, March 2, in Riverside, Calif.(Anjali Sharif-Paul/MediaNews Group/The Sun)

“There’s nothing more important right now than restoring confidence in our elections,” Truax said. “We can’t have a country where people are dubious about the accuracy and fairness of our elections. The Senate needs to do whatever it takes to pass this law.”

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Restoration of America described itself as the umbrella for a network of conservative organizations focused on policy and voter-related issues, including the Voter Reference Foundation.

The ads go live Monday, coinciding with the end of a congressional recess that will bring senators back to Capitol Hill.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this reporting.

Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking News Writer for Fox News Digital, where she covers politics, the military, faith and culture.