15:24
THIS IS "BALANCE OF POWER" LIVE FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. KAILEY: TONIGHT, FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE, NVIDIA UNDER PRESSURE AFTER CEO JENSEN HUANG ADMITTED TO AN AFFAIR WITH A FOR CHINA. THE COMPANY HAS LAUNCHED AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION RAISING FRESH QUESTIONS ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY AND JENSEN HUANG'S LEADERSHIP OF THE COMPANY. PLUS, IMPEACHMENT PUSH, A LAME-DUCK SESSION BEGINS WITH PETE HEGSETH IN THE HOT SEAT. THOMAS MASSIE INTRODUCED EIGHT ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST THE DEFENSE SECRETARY ACCUSING HIM OF WAGING A WAR WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION AMONG OTHER CHARGES.
THE MILLER ERA. STEPHEN MILLER BEGINS HIS FIRST DAY AS WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF AS PRESIDENT SUGGESTS HIS DEPORTATION PUSH MAY HAVE GONE TOO FAR. ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN TAKES THE REINS. FORMER MIKE HOUSE -- MIKE PENCE CHIEF OF STAFF MARK SHORT WILL BE WITH US THIS HOUR. FROM BLOOMBERG WASHINGTON, D.C. STUDIOS TO OUR AUDIENCES WORLDWIDE, WELCOME TO BALANCE. I'M KAILEY LEINZ. JOE MATHIEU HAS THE NIGHT OFF. WE BEGIN LIVE ON CAPITOL HILL AS CONGRESS RETURNS TO WASHINGTON. JOINING US IS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN CARLOS GIMENEZ OF FLORIDA.
CONGRESSMAN GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK NOW THAT THE LAME-DUCK SESSION HAS BEGUN AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR REELECTION LAST WEEK. THERE'S A LOT I WANT TO GET TO REGARDING THE LAME-DUCK SESSION, BUT GIVEN YOUR SEAT ON THE CHINA SELECT COMMITTEE WITH THIS NEWS ON NVIDIA AND JENSEN HUANG, WHAT QUESTIONS TO YOU AND THE COMMITTEE NEED ANSWERED AND WHEN WE YOU GET THEM? REP. GIMENEZ: WELL, OUR COMMITTEE NEEDS ANSWERS IN LOOKING AT EXACTLY WHAT THAT RELATIONSHIP WAS. HE SAID HE HAD AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH A CHINESE SPY AND WHAT TRANSPIRED. IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY CONCERNING TO US.
NVIDIA PRODUCES SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED CHIPS AND THEY ARE CRITICAL TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. SO THIS IS A BREACH OF NATIONAL SECURITY AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL. KAILEY: I HEARD FROM ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMITTEE, DEMOCRAT GREG STANTON, EARLIER TODAY WHO SUGGESTED THAT UNDERSCORES THAT ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IN THE NEW CONGRESS NEEDS TO BE ENFORCING EXPORT CONTROLS AROUND SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS NVIDIA CHIPS. I WONDER IF YOU AGREE BROADLY WITH THAT SENTIMENT? REP. GIMENEZ: ABSOLUTELY. WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING OUR ADVERSARIES. I UNDERSTAND THE THREAT THAT THEY POSE. ANYTHING THAT WE GIVE TO THEM THAT THEY DON'T HAVE, WE SHOULDN'T.
AND SO WE SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP OUR BEST TECHNOLOGY TO OURSELVES. I WANT TO ASK YOU AS WELL GIVEN YOUR SEAT ONE OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE ABOUT THE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT. THE EXPECTATION IS A VOTE COULD HAPPEN AS SOON AS WEDNESDAY. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO VOTE ON THIS? REP. GIMENEZ: I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT, BUT I'M A LITTLE BIT HESITANT AND SOMEWHAT SKEPTICAL BECAUSE HIS SECRETARY OF WAR, THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE CARRIES OUT THE ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT SO I'M KIND OF SKEPTICAL ABOUT THESE ARTICLES AND HOW FAST THIS IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR.
USUALLY WHEN YOU HAVE AN IMPEACHMENT PROCESS THAT IS GIVEN TO COMMITTEES, THEY HAVE AN INVESTIGATION, THEY GIVE OUT A REPORT, THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT QUICKER, I WOULD THINK I'M PROBABLY A NO ON THAT IMPEACHMENT UNLESS SOMETHING COMES TO LIGHT. AT THIS POINT, NO, THE IMPEACHMENT OF PETE HEGSETH. KAILEY: OF THE EIGHT ARTICLES IN UNDERSTANDING A HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO LOOK THROUGH THEM. AN UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN, VIOLATING THE WAR POWERS DEADLINE OF 60 DAYS WHEN IT COMES TO IRAN, DO ANY OF THOSE IMMEDIATELY RING WITH YOU POTENTIALLY VIOLATIONS THAT PETE HEGSETH COMMITTED EVEN IF IT WAS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE
PRESIDENT? REP. GIMENEZ: NO, NOT REALLY, IT'S ALL UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDENT IS CHARGED WITH THOSE THINGS THAT THOMAS MASSIE SAID. SO AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO IMPEACH SOMEBODY I'M NOT SAYING TO, BUT I DON'T THINK PETE HEGSETH IS THE RIGHT TARGET ON THIS. HE ACTED ON ORDERS FROM THE PRESIDENT AND I'M SURE THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE OR WAR FELT THAT THOSE WERE LAWFUL ORDERS. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT A CABINET SECRETARY IS SUPPOSED TO DO UNLESS THE ORDERS ARE CLEARLY ILLEGAL AND THESE ORDERS CLEARLY ARE NOT ILLEGAL AND THEREFORE I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY BASIS FOR THIS IMPEACHMENT. KAILEY: WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS ABOUT TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY. THERE'S A LOT IN OF THE ON. WE HAVE TO SORT GOVERNMENT
FUNDING. THERE IS TALK OF A RECONCILIATION EFFORT. CONSIDERING PERMITTING REFORM BEING BROUGHT UP IN THE SENATE. WHAT REALISTICALLY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET DONE BECAUSE THAT IS A LONG LIST AND YOU HAVE 20 LEGISLATIVE DAYS I BELIEVE. REP. GIMENEZ: I WOULD HOPE LEADERSHIP WOULD BRING ALL THESE ISSUES UP SO WE CAN GET IT DONE AND WE NEED TO GET IT DONE. WE CAN'T HAVE A GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT. AGAIN, WE ARE FACING THE GREATEST EXISTENTIAL THREAT IN MY LIFETIME WHICH IS THE RAPID RISE OF CHINA AND THE MILITARY AND 2020 SEVEN IS SUPPOSEDLY THE YEAR XI JINPING HAS TOLD HIS ARMY AND HIS ARMED FORCES TO GET READY FOR AN INVASION OF TAIWAN, SO WE ARE FACING ALL THESE
CHALLENGES. WE NEED TO HAVE OUR DEFENSE BUDGET DONE SO WE CAN FACE THESE CHALLENGES. ONE OTHER THING I WOULD HOPE WE COULD BRING UP IS PRESIDENT TRUMP OPENED THE DOOR ON IMMIGRATION REFORM, ESPECIALLY THE REFORM, YES, HE DID. I WAS HOPING HE WOULD DO THAT A LOT SOONER. I'VE SAID I THINK WE'VE GONE A LITTLE TOO FAR ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND THERE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT WE HAVE, THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS TO GET THAT MOVING. WE'VE HAD ISSUES INSIDE OUR OWN CONFERENCE BUT NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS OPENED THAT DOOR, MAYBE NOW IS THE TIME TO PASS COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM WE CAN GET BEHIND AND FINALLY PUT THIS ISSUE BEHIND US, BEHIND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, BUT ALSO THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE
THAT MAY BE ARE IN THE SHADOWS. WE NEED TO BRING THEM OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND RESOLVE THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL. KAILEY: AS YOU SAY, THE PRESIDENT OPENED THAT DOOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN THAT THE NEW WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF, STEPHEN MILLER, THE ARCHITECT OF SOME OF THE POLICIES YOU JUST SUGGESTED WENT TOO FAR MIGHT JUST AS SWIFTLY SHUT THE DOOR? REP. GIMENEZ: YOU KNOW, LAST I HEARD, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS DONALD J. TRUMP AND NOT STEPHEN MILLER. 'S ONLY ONE THAT CAN SHUT THAT DOOR IS DONALD J. TRUMP. SO IF THIS CONGRESS DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND PUT
SOMETHING ON HIS DESK, IT WILL BE DONALD J. TRUMP'AS SIGNATURE ON IT, NOT STEPHEN MILLER'S. YOU CAN TELL THAT I'VE HAD DIFFERENCES OF OPINION WITH MR. MILLER AND I HAVEN'T BEEN SHY ADMINISTRATION. WE NEED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL. PART OF THE ISSUE WE HAD IN THIS ELECTION IS WE LOST THE HISPANIC VOTE. IT'S 129 POINTS AGAINST US AND MANY OF THE RACES, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES LOST BECAUSE OF THAT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN GET THAT HISPANIC VOTE BACK AND I THINK THIS WILL BE A GOOD FIRST STEP. I THINK THE PRESIDENT RECOGNIZE THAT AND IN THAT 60 MINUTES INTERVIEW HE ARTICULATED IT BACK AND IF HE ACTUALLY MEANT IT MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT SOMETHING ON
HIS TABLE OR HIS DESK SO HE CAN SIGN BEFORE THE LAME-DUCK IS OVER. KAILEY: I GUESS WE WILL SEE IF THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE LAME-DUCK OR IF IT IS AN EFFORT FOR THE NEW CONGRESS, WHICH YOU WILL BE A MEMBER OF THE MINORITY AND YOU WILL BE CHARGED TOMORROW AND LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS WITH CHOOSING WHO YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAD YOU IN THE MINORITY. HAVE YOU MADE A DECISION YET AS TO WHETHER YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING STEVE SCALISE OR JIM JORDAN? LEADER. I WILL BE SUPPORTING TOM EMMER FOR WET AND LISA MCCAIN FOR CONFERENCE CHAIR. THAT IS WHO I WILL BE SUPPORTING WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR THESE LEADERSHIP RACES. I'M NOT AFRAID TO SAY WHO I WILL VOTE FOR AND THEY KNOW WHO I WILL VOTE FOR.
THAT IS WHO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR. EVERYONE YOU JUST MENTIONED WERE MEMBERS OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH THE MIDTERM LOSSES THAT YOUR PARTY JUST EXPERIENCED TUESDAY. WHY IS IT IN YOUR MIND THAT THEY DESERVE ANOTHER SHOT RATHER THAN GOING WITH THE " NEW BLOOD" ARGUMENT. REP. GIMENEZ: IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, THE LEADER OF, REMEMBER I SET I WANTED TO REACH OUT TO HISPANICS BECAUSE WE LOST 29 ADDITIONAL PERCENT. I THINK STEVE SCALISE IS BETTER POSITIONED FOR THAT. I THINK HE IS IN A POSITION FOR FUNDRAISING. HE HAS A NETWORK AND RAISED OVER $70 MILLION.
I'M NOT SURE JIM JORDAN HAS THAT KIND OF NETWORK OR ABILITY TO RAISE THOSE FUNDS AND WE WILL NEED EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR WE CAN RAISE SO WE CAN START TO CHIP AWAY IF NOT REGAIN THE MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE IN 2028. THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT. HOW WE CAN MESSAGE BETTER, HOW WE CAN REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, HOW WE CAN REACH OUT TO THE MPA'S, THE INDEPENDENT'S. MOST ELECTIONS ARE BASED AROUND FORTH. WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF THINKING SOMEHOW THEY VOTED FOR US IN 2024 AND THEREFORE THEY HAD TURNED RED. NOT REALLY. THEY VOTED RED AND WENT BACK TO PURPLE.
NOW THEY VOTED BLUE. WE CAN STILL GET THEM AND GET THEM TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND VOTE RED IN 2020 EIGHT AND HOPEFULLY WIN THE PRESIDENCY AND IF NOT WIN CONTROL OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OUTRIGHT, AT LEAST DIG INTO THIS MAJORITY THAT THE DEMOCRATS WILL BE HOLDING COME JANUARY. KAILEY: ALL RIGHT, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN CARLOS GIMENEZ OF FLORIDA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TURNING BACK TO NVIDIA, THE STORY DID IMPACT SHARES TODAY. THE WORLD'S LARGEST COMPANY IS LAUNCHING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THOSE REPORTS AROUND JENSEN HUANG'S AFFAIR. THE STOCK HAS LOST A QUARTER OF ITS VALUE SINCE ITS RECORD HIGH LAST MONTH.
THE WIDER STOCK MARKET LARGELY LOOKING PAST THE SITUATION. THE S&P 500 AND THE NASDAQ 100 POSTING THEIR BIGGEST RALLIES IN MORE THAN SEVEN MONTHS. COMING UP, THE SENATE IS SPEEDING UP THE ENERGY BUILDOUT. ALAN ARMSTRONG WILL JOIN US NEXT ON BALANCE OF POWER ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. KAILEY: THIS IS "BALANCE OF POWER BUT FIRST WE TAKE YOUR LIFE TO THE WHITE HOUSE WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BRIEFING WITH THE PRESS THAT WAS CALLED ON SHORT NOTICE TALKING ABOUT CUBA RIGHT NOW.
LET'S LISTEN IN. AND I TAKE THAT BACK AS THE PRESIDENT IS NOW WALKING AWAY FROM THE PODIUM HAVING ANSWERED QUESTIONS AROUND CUBA AND THE ALLEGATION SURROUNDING JENSEN HUANG'S AFFAIR AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT HIS NEW WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF STEPHEN MILLER WHO HAD HIS FIRST DAY ON THE JOB TODAY. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING STEPHEN MILLER IS DOING A GREAT JOB. AS CHIEF OF STAFF, MILLER WILL BE MANAGING THE WHITE HOUSE BUT ALSO THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CAPITOL HILL AND AS PROMISED WE GO TO THE SENATE TAKING UP OVERHAUL OF HOW AMERICA APPROVES NEW ENERGY PROJECTS WITH SUPPORTERS ARGUING FASTER CONSTRUCTION COULD MEAN LOWER POWER BILLS.
THE BIPARTISAN PERMITTING BILL WOULD SPEED UP COSTS -- SPEED UP APPROVAL. JOINING US NOW IS REPUBLICAN SENATOR ALAN ARMSTRONG. HE HAS MADE PERMITTING REFORM A MAJOR PART OF HIS TIME IN THE SENATE. A BIG WEEK FOR YOU AND WELCOME BACK TO BLOOMBERG. IS THIS GOING TO ADVANCE THE PROCEDURAL VOTE COMING SHORTLY? SEN. ARMSTRONG: WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT, 10 MINUTES OR SO AWAY FROM A CLOSER VOTE. -- CLOTURE VOTE. IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE WHERE WE JUST HEARD VERY LOUD FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HOW IMPORTANT AFFORDABILITY IS IN THEIR MIND AND THERE JUST ARE NOT VERY MANY SIMPLE WAYS OF TAKING THIS ON. BUT GETTING BACK TO BEING ABLE TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
CONNECTS LOW-COST RESOURCES TO PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND DAILY DEMANDS IS EXACTLY WHAT WILL GET THAT DONE. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THE MESSAGE THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THIS PASSED. KAILEY: TALK TO US ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THAT TRANSMISSION HAPPENS. IT IS ONE THING FOR PERMITTING TO GET EASIER AND ANOTHER THING FOR EVERYTHING TO BE BUILT, WHAT IS THE REALISTIC TIME HORIZON AND AMERICAN CAN EXPECT TO SEE THE REALITY OF IT IN THEIR OWN POCKETBOOKS DUE TO THIS LEGISLATION? SEN. ARMSTRONG: YOU ARE RIGHT, THIS IS NOT A SHORT-TERM FIX, THIS IS A LONG-TERM, DURABLE FIXED TO THE PROBLEM. LIKE A LOT OF SHORT-TERM THINGS, THEY WON'T LAST AND THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A SHORT-TERM FIX, BUT IT IS A POWERFUL FIX.
THINGS LIKE SAYING IF YOU ARE BUILDING A HIGHWAY OR A TRANSMISSION LINE OR A PIPELINE AND YOU ARE STAYING WITHIN YOUR EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY OR EXPANDING THE RIGHT OF WAY BY A SMALL AMOUNT THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO FOR A MAJOR PERMIT, VERY PRACTICAL COMMON SENSE THAT MOST AMERICANS WOULD SAY WHY WOULD YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MAJOR PERMIT IN THE FIRST PLACE FOR THAT? IT IS A PRETTY COMPLEX BILL. I THINK THAT THE DATA CENTER PROTECTION ACT IS SUCH A POWERFUL WAY OF DEMONSTRATING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HEARD AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT BURYING THE COSTS OF DATA CENTERS. THAT OVER TIME AND NOT IMMEDIATELY COULD MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE THERE IS SOME IMMEDIATE SHORT-TERM FIX TO THIS. KAILEY: HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH ANYONE ON THE HOUSE SIDE INCLUDING THE HOUSE PRESUMPTIVE SPEAKER, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, OR WHO COULD BE SPEAKER COME JANUARY, BECAUSE HE HAS SUGGESTED HE HAS CONCERNS AROUND THE DEAL NEGOTIATED IN THE SENATE. EVEN IF YOU CAN GET IT THROUGH YOUR CHAMBER, WHAT CHANCES MIGHT WE EXPECT BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE HEARD? SEN. ARMSTRONG: THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THAT IS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE. IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS IN GREAT DETAIL YOU WOULD REALIZE A LOT OF THE GREAT WORK IS ACTUALLY ADOPTED FROM WORK
AND A BUNCH OF SMALLER BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED TOGETHER INTO ONE BIG ACT. THAT ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS SO I DON'T THINK IT'S A FAIR REPRESENTATION THAT THE HOUSE HASN'T HAD THEIR INPUT AND I THINK TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE IN THE LAME-DUCK TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS PUSHED THROUGH QUICKLY. THIS IS A POWERFUL BILL THAT AGAIN TAKES A LOT OF BIPARTISAN INPUT THAT HAS BEEN HEAVILY NEGOTIATED AND IT IS TIME TO QUIT THE DEBATE ON THIS HAS BEEN A DEBATE IN TERMS OF 10 YEARS NOW. IT IS TIME TO GET TO YES. KAILEY: THE TIME MAY SOON BE COMING TO AN END SENATOR AS KEVIN HEARD WON ON TUESDAY AND GIVEN THE SPECIAL NATURE OF THE SEAT YOU HOLD HE COULD BECOME A
SENATOR WELL BEFORE JANUARY. DO YOU HAVE YET A TIMELINE AS TO WHEN HE WILL BE SWORN IN AND YOU WILL SEE YOURSELF OUT? SEN. ARMSTRONG: WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SENATOR ELECT TURN ON THAT AND THE GOVERNOR. AND THE GOAL IS TO GET SENATOR ERNST AS MUCH SENIORITY ADVANTAGE AS POSSIBLE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE STATE AND FOLLOW THE STATE LAW AND MAKE SURE WE THE SAME TIME. MORE TO, IN OF THAT HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY WE HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THAT. KAILEY: ALL RIGHT, WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO NEWS ON THAT. I APOLOGIZE FOR BREAKING NEWS THAT HAPPENED, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP JUST HELD A PRESS BRIEFING IN WHICH HE SAID HE WON'T SIGN A PERMITTING BILL IF IT HAS WIND TURBINE COMPONENTS TO IT.
KEEPING IN MIND OF COURSE THAT THIS PRESIDENT HAS A TRACK RECORD IN NOT SO DISTANT HISTORY OF ALLOWING BILLS TO BECOME LAW EVEN WITHOUT SIGNING IT, DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY CONCERN THAT EVEN IF YOU CAN GET THIS THROUGH BOTH CHAMBERS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MIGHT NOT BE WILLING TO SIGN IT INTO LAW? SEN. ARMSTRONG: ACTUALLY, THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THE BAIL AND IT IS ONE OF THE HALLMARKS THAT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED PUSHING THIS WE REALLY THOUGHT WAS SUPER IMPORTANT. WE ARE NOT DICTATING WHERE THE ENERGY SOURCE IS DICTATING FROM. WE ARE NOT DICTATING WIND OR SOLAR OR GAS, WE ARE SAYING THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IT TAKES TO CONNECT THOSE ENERGY SOURCES INTO THE GRID, WE WANT THAT TO
BE NEUTRAL AND THAT IS WHAT THE BILL DOES. AND STAYS AWAY FROM WINNERS AND LOSERS BUT IT IS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. IF WIND IS THE LOWEST COST ALTERNATIVE, GREAT. IT REALLY DOES LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AND GETS TO WHAT AMERICANS WANT WHICH IS ACCESS TO THE LOWEST COST ENERGY. AND LET THOSE RESOURCES COMPETE. IT DOESN'T WIND -- DICTATE WIND PROJECTS. IT SIMPLY DEALS WITH THE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE DEMAND CENTERS. KAILEY: ALL RIGHT, WE WILL LEAVE IT THERE, SENATOR ALAN ARMSTRONG OF OKLAHOMA, THANK YOU SO MUCH. FOR MORE ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP WE TURN TO THE YOU WERE IN THE ROOM WITH THE PRESIDENT DURING THAT LAST MINUTE CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESS, HE WAS ASKED SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT NVIDIA CEO JENSEN HUANG'S AFFAIR WITH AN ALLEGED CHINESE FIVE. WHAT DID HE SAY? TYLER: THE PRESIDENT IS CONTINUING TO STAND BY NVIDIA CEO JENSEN HUANG BUILDING ONE OF THE COMMENTS WE HAD HEARD FROM HIM OVER THE WEEKEND DEFENDING THE CEO SAYING HE IS A GOOD GUY AND HE SHOULD REMAIN ON AT THE TOP OF THE COMPANY BUT AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR, HE CONFIRMED HE ALSO HAD A CALL WITH JENSEN HUANG EARLIER TODAY. I VIEW HIM AS A VERY HIGH-QUALITY PERSON. I'VE KNOWN HIM A LONG TIME. IT'S ACTUALLY THE LARGEST I THINK BY VALUE PROBABLY THE LARGEST OR ONE OF THE LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, HE DID THAT WITH A CHIP. HE HAS A CHIP THAT IS 10 YEARS
ADVANCED BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY, THE BLACK WELL, IT CAN'T EVEN BE COPIED, HE'S AN AMAZING GUY. I JUST HOPE THERE IS NO PROBLEM. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WE WILL LET YOU KNOW ABOUT IT BUT I HOPE THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I BELIEVE HE IS SUFFERING GREATLY. I READ HIS STATEMENT AND I BELIEVE HE IS SUFFERING GREATLY. EXACTLY HE LEARNED ABOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JENSEN HUANG AND AN ALLEGED CHINESE FIVE. HE SAID A SHORT TIME AGO BUT WOULDN'T CONFIRM THE TIMELINE INCLUDING WHEN ASKED SPECIFICALLY IF HE WAS AWARE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP WHEN JENSEN HUANG ACCOMPANIED HIM TO BEIJING LAST YEAR. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID HE DID NOT
BELIEVE HE WOULD BE BRINGING THIS UP IN HIS FACE-TO-FACE MEETING WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING WHEN HE TRAVELS TO CHINA NEXT WEEK. KAILEY: IT SEEMS THE PRESIDENT STILL STANDING BY JENSEN HUANG AND ALSO STANDING BY DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH EVEN AFTER IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES WERE INTRODUCED. TYLER: THERE WAS NO HESITATION FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP. HE SAID HE DOES STANDBY'S DEFENSE SECRETARY AS THESE IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE HOUSE. THE TWO DAY CLOCK IS TICKING FOR THE HOUSE TO TAKE ACTION ON A FLOOR VOTE OR MOTION TO MOVE THOSE ARTICLES ALONG. THE PRESIDENT SAID HE DEFENDS HIS DEFENSE SECRETARY AND THAT HE IS PROUD OF THE WORK HE HAS
DONE WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONFLICT IN IRAN. HE MADE SURE TO REALLY HIT ON CONGRESSMAN THOMAS MASSIE, OF COURSE A REPUBLICAN FROM KENTUCKY LEAVING OFFICE, AND OFTEN A THORN IN THE SIDE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION SAYING THAT THOMAS MASSIE IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED, BUT THOMAS MASSIE HAS OUTLINED EIGHT POTENTIAL ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT ALLEGING PETE HEGSETH WAGED WAR ILLEGALLY AS NOT JUST IN IRAN, BUT MULTIPLE CONFLICTS. KAILEY: ALL RIGHT, TYLER KENDALL LIVE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. STILL AHEAD, DAY ONE OF STEPHEN MILLER'S TENURE AS WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF, MORE ON WHAT WE CAN EXPECT WITH THE FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE.
MARK SHORT IS UP NEXT ON BLOOMBERG. STEPHEN MILLER IS A STONE COLD RACIST. HIS TRACK RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND I'VE GOT ZERO INTEREST IN WORKING WITH THAT KIND OF INDIVIDUAL. KAILEY: THIS IS BALANCE ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. THAT WAS HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES EARLIER TODAY MAKING CLEAR WHAT HE THINKS OF STAFF. MILLER IS KNOWN FOR BEING THE ARCHITECT OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S HARD-LINE ADMINISTRATION POLICIES, WHICH PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF SUGGESTED IN AN INTERVIEW WAS TOO TOUGH.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY ON? I WOULD LOVE TO DO SOMETHING ON IMMIGRATION. YOU THINK YOUR DEPORTATION -- I THINK IT MIGHT BE TOO TOUGH. THERE'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT I WOULD SAY ON THE PRETTY FAR RIGHT THAT WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TAKEN OUT. DO ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WORK IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION? YES. ARE THEY IN THE BUILDING WITH US? THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE THAT ARE MORE MODIFIED. IN OTHERWISE, GET THE KILLERS OUT. GET THE ROUGH ONES OUT, THE DRUG DEALERS OUT, BUT LET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE -- AND IN SOME CASES FOR 10, 15 YEARS, WORK A DEAL FOR THEM.
KAILEY: THAT INTERVIEW WAS TAPED ABOUT ONE HOUR BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED MILLER AS HIS NEW CHIEF OF STAFF. A NOTABLE SHIFT ON MILLER'S SIGNATURE ISSUE JUST AS HE TAKES THE JOB. FOR MORE ON WHAT COMES NEXT AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND UNDER DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, WE BRING IN MARK SHORT, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE. GREAT TO SEE YOU BACK IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. STUDIO. YOUR TAKE ON THE SELECTION OF STEPHEN MILLER AND WHAT HE SIGNALS FOR THE TWO YEARS WE HAVE AHEAD OF US? MARK: I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS TERRIFIC AT CHANGING HEADLINES. EVER SINCE HE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO STEPHEN, WE STOP TALK ABOUT WHAT A DEBACLE
TUESDAY WAS. HE HAS EFFECTIVELY TURNED THE PAGE ON THAT. I THINK WHEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES MAKES ALLEGATIONS UNFOUNDED ABOUT STEPHEN BEING RACIST, THAT BASICALLY FEEDS INTO THE NOTION WITH THE PRESIDENT WANTS WHICH IS THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH VERSUS THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. WE WILL RALLY BACK AROUND WHEN IT IS HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND CHUCK SCHUMER CALLING THE AGENDA. I COULD SAY I REMEMBER IN 2016 WHEN MIKE PENCE WAS CHOSEN TO BE ON THE TICKET, WE TOOK OUR FIRST TRIP UP TO TRUMP TOWER TO VISIT THE TEAM. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THE TEAM WAS BASICALLY STEPHEN MILLER AND HOPE HICKS, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL WHEN YOU CONSIDER HE MADE IT THROUGH THAT PRIMARY AND VANQUISHED A LOT OF TOUGH CANDIDATES. STEPHEN HAS BEEN THERE FROM THE
VERY BEGINNING. HE HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE PRESIDENT FOR A LONG TIME. STEPHEN HAS NOT REALLY MANAGED A TEAM YET, SO THAT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DOUBT THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS CREATING CONFLICT. KAILEY: THE PRESIDENT SIMULTANEOUSLY IS TALKING ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH HE HOPES TO WORK WITH THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. YOU DON'T SEEM LIKE YOU BUY IT. MARC: THE ISSUES YOU TALK ABOUT, YES, THE PRESIDENT HAS ARTICULATED THAT BEFORE., THE HE -- THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION, HE OFFERED THE DEMOCRATS DACA FOR THE WALL.
THE REALITY IS I DON'T THINK THE DEMOCRAT BASE WANT TO SEE THEIR LEADERS STRIKE A DEAL WITH THE PRESIDENT ON THIS AND I DON'T THINK THE REPUBLICAN BASE WANT TO SEE THE PRESIDENT STRIKE A DEAL GIVEN THE WAY DACA IS. THE POLITICS WILL MAKE IT HARD FOR THEM TO ACHIEVE A DEAL. KAILEY: I WANTED TO ASK YOU HOW MAGA FOLKS WOULD INTERPRET THE PRESIDENT'S LANGUAGE. IS HE NOT TALK ABOUT AMNESTY? MARC: HE IS. I DON'T THINK THE BASE WOULD LIKE IT. HE ARTICULATED THAT THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION, THE BASE GOT VERY UPSET AND THEN HE PIVOTED. I THINK IT WOULD BE A SIMILAR DYNAMIC. KAILEY: IS THERE AN AREA IN CONGRESS? MARC: YEAH.
I THINK THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THE ECONOMIC POLICY THIS PRESIDENT HAS EMBRACED IS MORE SIMILAR TO BERNIE SANDERS AND ELIZABETH WARREN THAN TRADITIONAL REPUBLICANS. YOU WANT TO HAVE A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE. 41 COMPANIES, THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN A STAKE IN, WHICH IS SHOCKING. YEAH, THERE ARE PLACES THEY COULD WORK. HE ALSO WANTS PRICE CONTROLS ON PHARMACEUTICALS. THERE ARE PLACES BUT I THINK THE POLITICS WILL NOT MAKE THAT POSSIBLE BECAUSE I THINK BOTH BASES WOULD BE UPSET AT SEEING THAT THING HAPPEN. KAILEY: GOOD POINT TO SOME OF
THE THINGS ELIZABETH WARREN IS TALKING ABOUT AS HE BRACES TO BECOME CHAIR OF THE BANKING COMMITTEE. HE IS LOOKING AT CAPPING INTEREST RATES. MARC: JD VANCE HAS GOT ALONG WITH THAT. AGAIN, YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MUCH MORE COMFORT IN GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN THE ECONOMY BUT I THINK WHAT YOU WILL ALSO SEE IS DEMOCRATS WILL PUT POISON PILLS IN TO MAKE SURE DOES NOT BECOME LAW. IT BECOMES A POLITICAL RALLYING POINT. KAILEY: JUST BECAUSE YOU RAISED JD VANCE, WHAT BECOMES OF HIM?
WE SAW WHAT HE POSTED AFTER THE RESULTS, BLAMING THE WAR IN IRAN FOR THE MIDTERM LOSSES. THEN HE SAW THAT AS HIM TRYING TO TRIAGE FOR 2028. MARC: HE IS STILL THE SITTING VICE PRESIDENT. HE STILL HAS A HUGE PLATFORM SO FOR PEOPLE TO SAY HE'S DONE HIS WAY PREMATURE. I THOUGHT IT WAS FOOLISH. DO YOU WANT THE VICE PRESIDENT TO BE ABUNDANT, AN ELECTION ANALYSIS PERSON OR DO YOU WANT THEM TO SAY WE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR? HERE'S WHAT WE DO TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY. HERE'S WHAT WE WILL DO TO ADDRESS CORRUPTION, THE WAR. I DON'T THINK THEY ARE LOOKING FOR HIM TO PUT OUT HIS LONG ESSAY ON WHAT HAPPENED ON ELECTION DAY.
I THINK IT DIMINISHES HIS ROLE IN WHAT HE SHOULD BE DOING. KAILEY: FOR SOME OF THE WORK WITH A FORMER VICE PRESIDENT WHO ENDED UP RUNNING AGAINST TRUMP AND THE PRIMARY THE LAST CYCLE, HOW HARD IT WOULD BE FOR VANS TO CREATE UNIQUE SEPARATION FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP? MARC: I THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE. IT IS THE BEST THING HE HAS GOING FOR HIM. I KNOW THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION WAS DIFFERENT BUT FOR VICE PRESIDENT PENCE, WHENEVER HE DISPUTED THE PRESIDENT, HE TOOK IT TO THE PRESIDENT AND HAD A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION. MONDALE SAID THAT WAS MY ADVICE. THE VICE PRESIDENT OWES TO THE PRESIDENT TO DISAGREE AND SHARE ONE TIME WHICH HER OPINION IS IF YOU DISAGREE. THAT IS THE WAY HE FOLLOWED IT. IT WOULD NOT BE A PUBLIC ESSAY
SAYING HERE IS WHERE I BREAK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION SO I THINK THAT'S A BIG CHANGE. KAILEY: A LOT OF ASK YOU SEPARATELY ABOUT SOME NEWS WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING. INTERSECTS WITH ONE OF THE BUSIEST BUSINESSES IN THE WORLD AND WITH NATIONAL SECURITY. JENSEN HUANG ADMITTING NOT ONLY HAD AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR, BUT SOMEONE THAT THE U.S. IS SUSPECTING BEING A CHINESE SPY. REPORTEDLY, THE U.S. HAD THESE CONCERNS LONG BEFORE THIS CAME TO LIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS REPEATEDLY AND WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE TIMELINE WHAT HE KNEW AND WENT.
THE VERY FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT IS SO CLOSE TO JENSEN HUANG HAS BROUGHT WITH HIM ON TRIPS TO CHINA, TAKEN DONATIONS FROM HIS COMPANY FOR THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, HIS INAUGURAL COMMITTEE. WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN NOT FOR JUST NVIDIA BUT THE WHITE HOUSE? MARC: THIS STORY IS SHOCKING. I'M SURPRISED THAT IS NOT GETTING MORE COVERAGE. IT IS HARD TO BREAK THROUGH ALL THE NEWS THE PRESIDENT MAKES. THE FACT THAT JENSEN WANTS WAS SEDUCED BY A CHINESE SPY, RUNNING ONE OF AMERICA'S BIGGEST COMPANIES IS SHOCKING ENOUGH. THE REALITY IS THEY WERE ALSO SUCCESSFUL. IN THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION, THE PRESIDENT WAS PRETTY CONSISTENT
ABOUT EXPORT CONTROLS. THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF HER ESPIONAGE WAS TO GET THE ADMINISTRATION TO CHANGE POSITION. BY HER ALLEGEDLY SLEEPING WITH HUANG AND HUANG LOBBING THE WHITE HOUSE THE LIFT EXPORT CONTROLS, IT IS SHOCKING THAT THE CHINESE WERE ACTUALLY SUCCESSFUL. I THINK YOU WILL SEE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS. THIS WILL BECOME A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION STORY TOO. KAILEY: WE HAVE HEARD THAT ALREADY FROM A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THAT THEY NEED MORE INFORMATION. MANY OF THEM HAVE SUGGESTED, BOTH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT, THAT THIS POINTS TO A NEED TO DO MORE DEMONSTRATION AROUND EXPORT
CONTROLS IN PARTICULAR. MARC: I DON'T THINK YOU WILL SEE THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THAT. I THINK THE PRESIDENT CHANGED POSITION. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY. WHY DID YOU CHANGE POSITION ON EXPORT CONTROLS TO CHINA AND TO WHAT EXTENT DID JENSEN HUANG HAVE AN IMPACT? MARC: WOULD IT BE A MISTAKE FOR THE PRESIDENT TO BRING JENSEN WITH HIM ON HIS TRIP TO CHINA? KAILEY: HE IS NOT RULED OUT. MARC: AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD BE A BIG MISTAKE AND A BIG MISTAKE FOR NVIDIA. AT THIS POINT, THEY WOULD SAY WE WILL PUT YOU ON THE SIDELINES FOR A WHILE.
KAILEY: SHOULD HE RAISE IT WITH PRESIDENT XI? MARC: ABSOLUTELY HE SHOULD. WE KNOW THAT CHINA HAS BEEN SPYING ON US, WE KNOW THAT BUT THIS IS A PRETTY STARK EXAMPLE. IT WAS NOT JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THEM TRYING. THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO CHANGE ITS POSITION ON ONE OF THE MOST SENSITIVE CHIPS. WE ARE IN THIS RACE FOR WHO CAN WIN AI. THIS IS AN AMAZING DISCOVERY AND STORY. THAT IT WAS NOT JUST AN ATTEMPTED EFFORT BUT A SUCCESSFUL ONE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES.
KAILEY: WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE DETAILS OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO HOW DIRECTLY THIS ALL TRANSLATED INTO THE EXPORT CONTROLS, KNOWING NVIDIA HAS FINANCIAL INCENTIVE REGARDLESS OF WHO JENSEN HUANG WAS AFFILIATED WITH OR NOT TO HAVE OTHER MARKETS TO SELL ITS PRODUCTS TO. MARC: YES, THEY DO BUT THIS IS CLEARLY IN CHINA'S INTEREST. KAILEY: BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, THERE WILL BE LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS TOMORROW IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE. WE PRESUME THERE IS PRESSURE ON JOHN THUNE TO PUNT THE LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS TO LATER. IS THERE ANY DOUBT THAT JOHNSON WILL BE MINORITY LEADER? MARC: AFTER A HORRIFIC ELECTION, THERE IS DOUBT BUT IT IS MORE LIKELY HE WILL BE ELECTED.
KAILEY: DO YOU HAVE A BET ON'S JIM JORDAN OR STEVE SCALISE? MARC: JORDAN HAS GONE THROUGH AS A FIGHTER. YOU WILL SAY WE WILL HAVE ALL THESE INVESTIGATIONS WITH SOMEONE WHO IS USED TO THAT OR A REPUBLICAN WILL SAY WE WILL TAKE A LESSON FROM WHAT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY AND TRY TO FIND A DIFFERENT PATH AND GO WITH STEVE SCALISE. I THINK STEVE HAS HAD BROADER RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE CONFERENCE BUT JIM HAS BEEN A VERY EFFECTIVE DEFENDER OF THE PRESIDENT AND I THINK THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO WATCH. KAILEY: MARC SHORT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. STILL AHEAD, MORE ON THAT AS CONGRESS PREPARES FOR TWO YEARS OF DIVIDED GOVERNMENT. FIRST, LEADERS, A LAME-DUCK SPRITS AND AN IMPEACHMENT FIGHT TAKING SHAPE.
WE WILL HAVE THE GROWING LIST CONFRONTING LAWMAKERS, UP NEXT ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING I THINK PETER HEGSETH IS EFFECTIVE, HE IS GOOD AT HIS JOB. I DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR THESE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT. THE REALITY IS WE ARE NOT INDICTING HIM FOR BEING BAD AT HIS JOB. IN FACT, HE WAS VERY EFFECTIVE AT KILLING SCHOOLCHILDREN IN IRAN, HE WAS VERY EFFECTIVE AT EXTRADITION WILL KILLINGS. W THERE'S NO ARGUMENT THAT HE IS
AN EFFECTIVE. THE ARGUMENT HERE IS THAT HE HAS BROKEN LAWS AND VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTION. KAILEY: WELCOME BACK TO BALANCE OF POWER ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. THAT WAS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN THOMAS MASSIE ANNOUNCING HE'S INTRODUCING ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST PETE HEGSETH, SETTING UP A VOTE THAT COULD TAKE PLACE AS SOON AS WEDNESDAY. TOP DEMOCRATS LIKE HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND OTHERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN ON THIS SHOW SAY THEY INTEND TO VOTE TO IMPEACH. WHETHER MASSEY CAN GET ENOUGH REPUBLICANS TO JOIN DEMOCRATS IS THE NEXT QUESTION. MASSEY IS ACCUSING HEGSETH OF EIGHT UNIMPEACHABLE ACTS. SECRETARY HEGSETH HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE IMPENDING ARTICLES.
A LOT OF POLITICALLY MOTIVATED PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE SUBSTANTIAL POLICY DISAGREEMENTS, BUT DISAGREEMENTS ARE WITH SUCCESS. I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF WHAT OUR PRESIDENT HAS DONE, THE DECISIONS THAT HE'S MADE, THE COURAGEOUS CALLS THAT HE IS MADE, THE BOLD NATURE OF ARMY LEADERSHIP, MILITARY LEADERSHIP, THE SKILL AND COURAGE OF THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND. KAILEY: THE PRESIDENT SAID HE STANDS BY HEGSETH, BUT THE IMPEACHMENT VOTE IS ONE OF MANY ISSUES THAT LAWMAKERS ARE DEALING WITH IS THE KICK OFF THEIR LAME-DUCK SESSION. FOR MORE ON CAPITOL HILL IS ERIK WASSON. IS THIS GOING TO PASS ON WEDNESDAY, THE IMPEACHMENT? ERIK: TALKING TO HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, THEY DO THINK IT HAS A STRONG CHANCE OF
PASSING. THE BIGGER ISSUE IS ABSENCES ON THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN SIDE. A LOT OF THE LAWMAKERS THAT LOST THE REELECTION FIGHT ARE NOT INTERESTED IN COMING BACK. MY HAVE BEEN TEXTING WITH DON BACON WHO IS A DOMINANT CRITIC OF PETE HEGSETH BUT HE'S WONDERING WHETHER HE CAN SUPPORT IT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T THINK IT MEANS THE DEFINITION OF A CRIME, MORE LIKE INCOMPETENCE. THE PRESIDENT IS CLEAR IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN ACTUAL CRIMINAL ACT. THERE IS A HISTORY OF MAYORKAS BEING IMPEACH HUNTER BIDEN. WHAT HAPPENS ON THE SENATE, SPEAKER JOHNSON COULD HOLD IT AT THE DESK ALLOW THE SAID ENOUGH TO TAKE IT UP UNTIL DEMOCRATS
GET IN CHARGE OR THE SENATE COULD HAVE THE VOTES TO DISMISS IT QUICKLY. WE WILL SEE. CHUCK SCHUMER IS OUT THERE CALLING FOR A FULL TRIAL IN THE SENATE TO EXAMINE HOW PETE HEGSETH CONDUCT THE WAR IN IRAN. KAILEY: ERIK WASSON LIVE ON CAPITOL HILL, THANK YOU. JOINING US NOW FOR MORE IS OUR POLITICAL PANEL, JEANNE SHEEHAN ZAINO AND RICK DAVIS, PARTNER AT STONECOURT CAPITAL. IT SEEMS DEMOCRATS ARE GETTING BEHIND THIS EFFORT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS PUBLIC AND TOM MASSEY WHO INTRODUCED THESE ARTICLES.
WHAT IS THE POINT KNOWING THAT TRIAL IN THE SENATE MAY VERY WELL GO NOWHERE? JEANNE: IT IS UNLIKELY, I SHOULD SAY, IT WILL GO VERY FAR IN THE SENATE AT LEAST IN THE LAME-DUCK. WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE IF WE SEE A RENEWAL OF THIS IN THE NEW CONGRESS. THAT SAID, I THINK THE POINT IS WHAT CONGRESSMAN MASSEY QUITE FRANKLY IS TALKING ABOUT. YOU HAVE A SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WHO HAS CONDUCTED WARS IN IRAN, VENEZUELA AND AROUND THE WORLD THAT BY ANY MEASURE ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, LEGAL AND -- ILLEGAL, AND VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. LET'S THINK ABOUT THE SHOOTING AND KILLING OF PEOPLE IN BOATS AROUND VENEZUELA. THAT WAS HAPPENING FOR MONTHS.
LET'S THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAVE YET TO GET CLEAR INFORMATION AS TO THE NUMBER OF KILLED AND WOUNDED IN IRAN. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. I THINK THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE HAVE ASKED THEIR GOVERNING OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON TO DO, TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS AND ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTIONS AND THAT IS WHAT WE WILL SEE, I AM SURE. KAILEY: IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR TOM MASSEY TODAY, RICK, TALKING ABOUT NOT ONLY HIS JUSTIFICATION FOR INTRODUCING THESE EIGHT ARTICLES IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT SAYING PETE HEGSETH BETTER HOPE IT WORKS THIS TIME RATHER THAN WAITING
FOR A NEW PROGRESS -- NEW CONGRESS IN WHICH DEMOCRATS WILL BE IN CONTROL AND REVEAL WAY MORE THAN MIGHT BE REVEALED NOW. DEMOCRATS WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS LINE OF INQUIRY? RICK: THIS IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET AN IMPEACHMENT IN THE SENATE BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR. THEY NEED TWO THIRDS OF THE VOTE AND THEY WILL NOT GET IT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT ALSO MEANS THEY WILL CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND PETE HEGSETH AND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. SO, ALL OF THAT IS TRUE AT THE
SAME TIME. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THAT THEY NOT BRING UP IMPEACHMENT AGAIN IN THE NEW CONGRESS, WHERE THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A LOT MORE VOTES OBVIOUSLY IN THE SENATE AND COULD POTENTIALLY, IF THERE ARE OTHER TRANSGRESSORS, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN REAL TIME, COULD PAINT A PICTURE TO WHERE SOME OF THESE REPUBLICANS MAY ACTUALLY MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT'S WORTH TAKING A VOTE ON PETE HEGSETH. SO, I DON'T THINK THERE'S THAT MUCH DISCIPLINE RIGHT NOW IN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS, EITHER HOUSE OR SENATE, AS DESCRIBED EARLIER. A LOT OF THE GUYS WHO WILL NOT EVEN COME BACK FOR THIS SESSION OF CONGRESS. SO NEXT YEAR, IT IS KIND OF DEMORALIZING. YOU HAVE NO INFLUENCE IN EITHER
THESE CHAMBERS, OTHER THAN IN THE SENATE WHERE YOU CAN DENY A FILIBUSTER. EVEN THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BEING OVERRIDDEN BY THE DEMOCRATS. KAILEY: IF THIS IS SOMETHING THE NEW CONGRESS PURSUES, IF IT GOES TO A POINT WHERE THE PRESIDENT DECIDES PETE HEGSETH IS NOT THE JEWS WORTH THE SQUEEZE. IS HE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET -- JUICE IS NOT WORTH THE SQUEEZE. IS HE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET UP TO 56 DEMOCRATIC SEATS? RICK: THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR THE PRESIDENT GOING INTO THE NEXT TWO YEARS. HE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET EASILY CONFIRMATION OF ANY OF THE APPOINTEES THAT ARE SENATE CONFIRMATION APPOINTEES WHICH
ARE OBVIOUSLY ALL OF HIS AGENCIES AND CABINET HEADS. BUT ALSO, GETTING ANY OF THE JUDGESHIPS WHICH HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE FIRST OR, VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE VERY FIRST TWO YEARS OF THIS TERM WITH BACKING COURTS OF CONSERVATIVES. THOSE DAYS ARE DONE. UNLESS THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO DEAL AWAY A CONFIRMATION, IN OTHER WORDS YOU GIVE US WHAT WE WANT ON SPENDING AND POLICY AND WE WILL GIVE YOU SOME YOUR APPOINTEES TO BE CONFIRMED, I CANNOT SEE WHAT THE RATIONALE WOULD BE FOR A DEMOCRATIC SENT IT TO APPOINT ANYONE AT THIS STAGE WHICH MEANS WE ARE KIND OF STUCK WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. KAILEY: AND THAT IT RAISES THE QUESTION OF OTHER LEVERS DEMOCRATS MIGHT BE LOOKING TO
PULL, INCLUDING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE PENTAGON. THAT WILL BE A LIVE QUESTION IN THIS LAME-DUCK SESSION. FUNDING EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 11. DO YOU THINK DEMOCRATS WOULD BE WILLING TO FORCE A SHUTDOWN OVER HEGSETH, THE WAR IN IRAN, THE UNWILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE ANY MONEY FOR THE DOD? JEANNE: I THINK IT IS VERY POSSIBLE. I THINK FOR MANY DEMOCRATS -- THIS IS TRUE OF THE MORE MODERATES AND THE PROGRESSIVES -- THEY RAN, NUMBER ONE, ON ENDING THE WAR IN IRAN, IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF IT'S TIED TO THE ENERGY COST INCREASE BUT ALSO BECAUSE MANY OF THEM DON'T SUPPORT IT. I DO THINK WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL WILLINGNESS TO SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT.
I WOULD NOT PUT THAT PASS THEM. IT WAS SUSIE WILES, LET'S REMEMBER, WHO WARNED MEMBERS OF THE CABINET THAT IF THEY WERE GOING TO LEAVE, THEY SHOULD DO SO NOW BEFORE THE ELECTION SO THAT THE PRESIDENT COULD MAKE THESE APPOINTMENTS. OF COURSE, WHETHER THEY WANT TO LEAVE OR NOT, YOU WONDER IF PETE HEGSETH IS GOING TO BE SHOWN THE DOOR IN THE LAME-DUCK SO THE PRESIDENT CAN TRY TO PUSH SOMEBODY THROUGH BEFORE THE DEMOCRATS COME IN BECAUSE THAT WILL REALLY TIE HIM IN A KNOT IF HE CAN'T. THIS WILL HANG OVER PETE HEGSETH FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. KAILEY: THE PRESIDENT IS STANDING BEHIND PETE HEGSETH AND STANDING BEHIND JENSEN HUANG.
WE JUST TALKED TO MARC SHOT, CARLOS GIMENEZ ABOUT THIS. THE WAY IN WHICH THIS REFLECTS ON THE WHITE HOUSE AND ON ISSUES OF NATIONAL SECURITY. THE FACT THAT THE CEO OF ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC COMPANIES IN THE WORLD CAN HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH THAT ALLEGED CHINESE SPY. THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MIGHT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT, AND YET WE ARE ALL LEARNING ABOUT IT TODAY. WHAT IS THE POLITICAL BLOWBACK, LET ALONE THE MARKET BLOWBACK? RICK: THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL PULL CUP -- BECOME A POLITICAL ISSUE PRETTY QUICKLY. IT IS ACTUALLY AMAZING IT DID NOT BURST OUT RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTIONS.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING OCTOBER SURPRISE. LOOK, IF THIS ADMINISTRATION IS CAST AS BEING SOFT ON CHINA, SOFT ON CHINA'S PENETRATION OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGICALLY COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN TURNING HUANG INTO AN ADVOCATE FOR CHINA WITH THE PRESIDENT, AND A SOURCE OF HIGHLY DESIRABLE AND HARD TO GET CHIPS, THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IS GOING TO SAY WHERE WAS THE INVESTIGATION, WHERE WAS THE PROSECUTION? NONE OF THIS WAS LEGAL. AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN ABOUT IT? IT IS NOT A MORAL TALE, ALTHOUGH THERE IS THAT ASPECT OF IT.
THIS IS A VIOLATION OF U.S. EXPORT LAWS AND A REAL CONCERN THE HIGHEST LEVEL. KAILEY: TO RICKS POINT, HE TALKS ABOUT THIS BEING A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE, NOT JUST A MORAL ONE. YET, IT APPEARS TO BE THE MORAL SIDE OF THINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT SPOKE ABOUT WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE SITUATION. HE SUGGESTED THAT HE FEELS JENSEN HUANG IS SUFFERING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT THIS HAS ON HIS FAMILY. IS HE GOING TO HAVE TO SHIFT HIS WAY OF TALKING ABOUT THIS? JEANNE: HE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD. THE REAL QUESTION HERE IS THE ONE THAT WE HAVE ASKED CONTINUALLY, WHICH IS WHY DID THE PRESIDENT CHANGE HIS MIND ON LIFTING THE EXPORT CONTROLS? PARTICULARLY WHEN HE KEPT AFTER
THAT FOR A LONG TIME, EVEN UP TO THIS MOMENT, TALKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGE THAT CHINA PRESENTS TO US AND WE CANNOT REGULATE AI AND DO ALL THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COMPETE. YET, HE LIFTED THESE EXPORT CONTROLS. NOW THIS COMES OUT AND YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHAT ROLE DID JENSEN HUANG POTENTIALLY PLATE? -- PLAY? THIS PUTS THIS NOT ONLY AS A MORAL QUESTION WHICH IS NONE OF OUR BUSINESS, BUT AS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE OF ENORMOUS CONCERN AND THE PRESIDENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT. KAILEY: ALL RIGHT, JEANNE
SHEEHAN ZAINO AND RICK DAVIS, OUR POLITICAL PANEL ON THIS MONDAY, THANK YOU. NOW HERE IS WHAT'S AHEAD COMING UP ON TUESDAY IN WASHINGTON. FIRST, WE GET OCTOBER CPI TOMORROW MORNING. THE MONTH OVER MONTH INFLATION READING WILL COME THROUGH BUT SOME OF THE YEAR-OVER-YEAR COMPARISONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF A HISTORIC 43 DAY GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THAT PREVENTED THE RELEASE OF THAT DATA IN OCTOBER 2025. TOMORROW AFTERNOON, REPUBLICANS IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE SCHEDULED TO CHOOSE THEIR HOUSE AND SENATE. IN THE HOUSE, THERE'S A BATTLE BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVE STEVE SCALISE AND JIM JORDAN WHO ARE COMPETING TO BECOME HOUSE MINORITY LEADER, WHILE SENATE
REPUBLICANS ARE DEBATING WHETHER TO DELAY THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS. FOR MORE COVERAGE OF ALL OF THAT, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE WASHINGTON EDITION NEWSLETTER ON THE TERMINAL AND ONLINE. WE WILL BE BACK WITH MORE BALANCE OF POWER TOMORROW RIGHT HERE ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO.
