A thrill records of “Today with George Stephanopoulos” broadcasting on Sunday, January 5, 2025 on ABC Information is listed below. This duplicate might not remain in its last kind, might be upgraded and might have small transcription mistakes. For previous program records, check out the “Today” records archive.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Allow’s speak even more concerning this currently with the Homeland Safety Assistant Alejandro Mayorkas.
Assistant Mayorkas, thanks for joining us today.
We simply listened to Pierre Thomas defined this as a witch’s mixture minute. Do you concur?
ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, HOMELAND PROTECTION ASSISTANT: It’s something that we have actually been reviewing openly for fairly a long time, George. We have actually an increased hazard setting as Supervisor Wray and the chief law officer both verbalized, and we have actually been claiming this for fairly a variety of months.
We have not just the consistent hazard of international terrorism that, certainly, produced the Division of Homeland Safety, however we have unfavorable country states, and for the previous one decade, we have actually seen a substantial rise in what we describe domestic terrible extremism.
It is a really tough hazard landscape and it is why that we as a– as an area, not simply the federal government, however state and neighborhood authorities and homeowners, require to be sharp to it and take the preventative measures required to stay clear of physical violence from happening.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So what preventative measures are being taken in advance of the collection of occasions that I’ve laid out and talked about with Pierre?
MAYORKAS: I assume the effective final thought of the Sugar Dish is an effective instance of a reaction to a catastrophe and preventive actions absorbed its wake. We released added workers. We function extremely carefully with public authorities and police in New Orleans to make certain the Sugar Dish continued as necessary. We took added sweeping actions and evaluating actions.
So we took a host of activities to replace– forgive me, to supplement of that which currently remained in location and we are continuing as necessary relative to tomorrow, the accreditation of the political election, the state funeral service of previous Head of state Jimmy Carter, the commencement of President-elect Trump and proceeding thereon.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Are you seeing any type of certain hazards or is it simply a general problem?
MAYORKAS: It is a general problem and when we recognize a particular hazard, we in police react extremely rapidly to it.
Because respect, as we remain to regret for the targets of the terrorist assault in New Orleans, we likewise need to analyze a short minute of video that we saw when police on the scene were alerted of the assault, just how they ran in the direction of risk. That is an effective instance of what our frontline workers and police and the initial -responder neighborhood do every single day throughout this nation.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, among the important things we saw following the New Orleans assault, previous Head of state Trump quickly took place Reality Social and spoke about open boundary– open boundary plan leading somehow, recommended it led somehow to this occasion, resembled by something that the brand-new Audio speaker of your house Mike Johnson likewise stated on Thursday of this week.
I wish to play that.
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REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), AUDIO SPEAKER OF YOUR HOUSE: The Biden management has actually been totally derelict in its task that the legislative Republicans, we right here in your house and the Us senate, have actually repetitively asked the DHS under the Biden management concerning the relationship– the evident problem concerning terrorism and the large open boundary. The concept that unsafe individuals were coming right here in droves and establishing possibly terrorist cells around the nation, we have actually been sounding the alarm systems.
( END VIDEO)
STEPHANOPOULOS: Certainly, the wrongdoer is an American person elevated in Texas.
However just how do you react to that total debate?
MAYORKAS: George, allow me duplicate what you stated. The assaulter that committed the terrorist assault in New Orleans was birthed in the USA, elevated in USA, and offered in our Army. It is not a concern of the boundary.
Relative to the boundary, our highest possible obligation and one that we function to accomplish every single day throughout the Division of Homeland Safety, throughout the federal government, is the safety and security and safety of the American individuals. That is what we have unbelievably skilled and specialized people doing daily in their jobs.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You pointed out the opportunity of international stars also. What effect is the autumn of the Assad routine in Syria carried the hazard setting right here in your home?
MAYORKAS: We’re extremely worried concerning the instability that has actually arised from that and whether, actually, it develops some area for the re-emergence of ISIS in Syria. And ISIS remains to look for to radicalize people beyond the Center East and throughout the globe. Which is something that we are, certainly, likewise extremely concentrated on. And John Cohen, the specialist you had previously, with whom I have actually functioned extremely carefully for years, appropriately mentioned.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Allow me likewise ask you concerning this– this concern of extremism inside the armed forces, radicalization of solution participants and previous solution participants. The head of state– previous Head of state Trump’s candidate for Protection assistant, Pete Hegseth, has actually called this concern of extremism in the armed forces a sham, recommending that maybe a few of the initiatives to finish– to deal with extremism are mosting likely to finish. What’s your action?
MAYORKAS: I would certainly state this, George, the sensation of radicalization of people is not restricted to the armed force. It is something that we are extremely concentrated upon in culture writ big. The armed force is not unsusceptible to it, neither is the government labor force, however this is something that we need to deal with as an area, not politicize, however instead be unified in challenging and dealing with.
STEPHANOPOULOS: There’s constantly a problem that criminals are mosting likely to attempt to make use of times of change in order to assault. What type of control have you had with Guv Kristi Noem, that’s been chosen to be your follower as Homeland Protection assistant, especially as we concentrate on the commencement?
MAYORKAS: I have actually talked to Guv Noem a variety of times, consisting of on New Year’s Day, and quickly after that, relative to the dreadful terrorist assault. And we have actually talked substantively concerning the actions that we take. And I am unbelievably dedicated to a smooth and effective change, to the success of Guv Noem must she be validated as the assistant of Homeland Protection. And I significantly valued her concentrate on the substantive concerns that we were reviewing.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Assistant Mayorkas, many thanks for your time today.
MAYORKAS: Thanks.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Allow’s obtain a Republican action currently from Congressman Mike McCaul, the previous chairman of the Homeland Safety Board. Additionally the previous chairman of your house international Matters Board.
Congressman McCaul, thanks for joining us today.
REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL, (R) TEXAS & &( R) INTERNATIONAL EVENTS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN EMERITUS & & (R) HOMELAND PROTECTION BOARD CHAIRMAN EMERITUS: Yes, many thanks for having me.
STEPHANOPOULOS: What are the huge inquiries you have concerning the hazard setting now?
MCCAUL: I assume it’s an increasing hazard. When I chaired the Homeland Protection Board, we had a great deal of outside procedures like, you recognize, dynamites on aircrafts. After that it changed right into radicalization online. I assume you asked that inquiry previously concerning the advancement of the hazard. Therefore especially the– I would certainly state the New Orleans situation was radicalization online.
However what we’re fretted about, because situation, is his journeys to Egypt and what was taking place there. He was entailed with an uncommon bombmaking product that was not offered in the USA.
So, I recognize that they’re claiming this is a, you recognize, type of a single wolf kind of circumstance, however there are some– appear to be some genuine ISIS links her that require to be complied with up.
And I recognize the FBI and Homeland are functioning extremely vigilantly rubbing via the disk drives, laptop computers and mobile phone to learn what took place. However likewise, what was he carrying out in Egypt for a month? He returns. It advises me a lot, George, of the Boston bombing plane, that took a trip to Dagestan, returned, and after that developed this stress stove bomb that resulted in the fatalities of many individuals because marathon.
STEPHANOPOULOS: What’s your suggestions to the inbound Trump management on what their leading concern should be right currently to resolve this hazard?
MCCAUL: It’s genuine. I assume there’s an uptick in it. I assume the Xmas market car assault, it’s a simple method– it’s a– it’s a– like a brand-new an awesome maker, an automobile, that can be conveniently made use of. And I assume they have actually reached be extremely concentrated on this.
The various other point, George, I’m– I’m extremely stressed concerning is, with the autumn of Afghanistan and– and the fiasco, and with what took place there, we are seeing a revival of ISIS and ISIS-k in the Khorasan area in between Afghanistan and Pakistan that worries me considerably. Currently we have actually seen– we understand that 8 ISIS people have actually focused the USA via that.
So, you actually have 2 kinds of hazards. One is functional. The various other one is influenced strikes, radicalized online. They’re both similarly deadly. And they require to be concentrated on to quit it.
There are normally cautioning indications though, you recognize, in these situations. I do not actually see a lot of indication a minimum of until now aside from right prior to the strikes. We need to take notice of the social media sites and attach the dots prior to these occasions occur.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Prior to you go, I likewise wish to ask you concerning Ukraine. You have actually been a solid fan of help to Ukraine as chair of Residence Foreign Matters Board.
Do you think that previous Head of state Trump shares your feeling of seriousness there?
MCCAUL: Well, I do think Keith Kellogg, the unique agent, I have actually spoken to him lot of times. He thinks that we can not manage to shed Ukraine to Russia. That would certainly be an awful diplomacy choice that would certainly place us in the setting of shedding to Russia, and Ukraine, and harmful Eastern Europe.
And the reality is, George, I can not exaggerate, as I need to my associates, it’s not simply Putin. Putin is straightened with Chairman Xi in China, that intimidates the Indo-Pacific. He’s likewise straightened with the Ayatollah between East that we have actually seen endangered Israel. And they’re done in this with each other. And Kim Jong-un sent out 10,000 soldiers of his very own to eliminate Ukraine’s.
I simply assume that they’re done in this with each other. We have actually reached take it seriously. If we can bargain a tranquil negotiation, terrific, however I assume the Ukrainians require even more utilize that the existing management has actually not provided and when they have that utilize mosting likely to the table they’ll have a lot more I assume power.
STEPHANOPOULOS: However I presume I’m mosting likely to return to the inquiry. Do you assume that Head of state Trump has shared, has made use of that utilize properly in the past? Is he prepared to utilize it in the future?
MCCAUL: The what currently?
STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you assume that head of state– previous Head of state Trump has made use of that utilize that you reviewed in the past, is he prepared to utilize it in the future?
MCCAUL: Well, I do not assume the Biden management has actually provided the utilize. I assume Head of state Trump does wish to finish the battle, have a tranquil arrangement. We recommend that, however it’s reached get on terms that do not toss Ukraine under the bus. They were tossed under the bus in the Budapest contracts where they quit all their nuclear tools in guarantee for safety, and presume what took place? There was none.
And if there is an offer cut, we need to have teeth because enforcement arrangement such that if Russia ever before gets into once again, there will certainly be effects since they quit all their nuclear tools, Ukraine did, and there was no action after the Budapest arrangement on that particular.
I assume NATO is more powerful currently, and I wish the head of state identifies that. They’re a vital ally. And equally as I mosted likely to Fight of the Lump and recognized those soldiers, 1939, background does duplicate itself, and we’re seeing it endanger the Indo-Pacific and in Europe, extremely comparable to what we saw in 1939.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Congressman McCaul, many thanks for your time today.
MCCAUL: Many Thanks, George.
