Iran thinks it could use as war. Senator Mitch Mcconnell says he doesnt care how long the case lasts. With each day, the case against President Trump grows. The killing of Qasem Soleimani has stunned the world. In fort brag, nearly 3,500 members prepare to deploy. President trump does not want regime change in iran and, quote, we did not take action to start a war. The United States has the best military by far anywhere in the world. We have the best intelligence if the world. If americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets fully identified. I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. That in particular refers to iran. In washington he claimed dozens of lives were at imminent risk. He did not provide specific notice that. House speaker spoke to mark es per only after the attack and said Chuck Schumer was not told of the upcoming action. The gang of eight claws the House Speaker and minority leader. The operation against solemai everyone n without authorization or any advanced consultation and transparency with wong res can lead to has tynd illconsidered decisions. When security is at stake, decisions should not be in a vacuum. For the precise reason forcing the two branches of government to consult when it came matters of war and the peace. A man some say is second only to the supreme leader. Wondering whether we are hurdling 2w0er hurdling towards war. Subjecting that so this will be seen as a reable. Producing heavy sanctions and trump has launched a major response. Writing, given its past comments it is yet tiff. If they dont fear you, they wont respect you. The flip side that have the provokation. Where there is is anyones guess. That said, we have news of another escalation fwa the bits a report of another u. S. Air strike targeting shia malitia leaders that killed six people. Former deputy advisor to president obama and he served in Senior National security positions under busch, obama and trump. Lets begin with you and the situation in tehran. Well it is a very, very sensitive situation here. There is a feeling of shock because soleimani was killed. He was a central figure. He was the second most powerfulman in the country behind ayatollah. Qasem soleimani had this powerful network. He was a cultish figure to these guys. Ive seen videos of the front lin lines. He sort of walked around with impugnity. When he would meet the troops there and either kiss them or touch them. They would be ina of him. Which was a legendary figure. Even in iran, among people maybe not huge fans of the regime. There was a sort of underlying effe effect. This is a big blow to iran. Thats not to say he is not row the general has promised to expel the u. S. Forces from this area. If satan, which is what the revolutionary guard refers to. If the great sat ant doesnt leave this area, theyve be sent back in body bags. Im sure iran is planning its retribution right now. They dont want to look back. Iran has a lot of options available to it. It is not probably wanting to get involved in some sort of conventional war with the United States. Those malitias can spark a war that can be very difficult for america. They have multiple targets to hit in this area. There are u. S. Bases all around them. Theyve said if they are threatened or hit, they can strike u. S. Bases almost immediately with an affair of i weapons. Theyve use the it against america in the past and is probably something they are considering now. There was a meeting yesterday of the National Security council. A very high level meeting. For the first time, ayatollah a a tipped that meeting. Or one of his very Senior Deputy tirs but hes no longer here to represent him. It is interesting. If there was an assassination in iran other than him, at a very high level, it would be soleimani planning. The revolutionary guard want to show even though they havent lost their potential are 1458 sto strike back. You talk about a sem i war. Saying we should be asking two questions. Why now and what now. Iran escalated its war with the United States. The other worrying answer is that the president is impulsive and wages war without much thought. President trump may have had a reason to do this. If you had a chance to take him out, you should. But what on earth happens next . Thats the key question. Ive been making my point. Anyone who served there says this is justice served. The question now is what happens next. There is an underlying issue that the administration and congress has to comply with. With maximum pressure on iran, they will come to the table. I dont remember anyone briefing when this policy was rolled out that two years later, we have troops sent to the middle east, wed have tanker assaults. We have not seen attacks since 2011. So they started two months ago, you have to ask why. Tragically, an American Contractor was killed. That has to have a response. We have to presume we are in a state of war with iran. We can hope this goes well. We need to plan and prepare for the worse. The question is when they do respond, what do we do . This is not vee nam but at a strategic matter, it was called graduated pressure. Air strikes, covert action. We went to escalating pressure where we put twrups in. We had the assumption wrong. If that assumption is wrong with respect to iran, than this is not going to stop. We have no channels that are open as far as we are aware. The question is what did we do . It could be a matter of weeks or months. It could be six months from now. That can be coming. How do you counter the sickle then . Also writing in the atlantic said the United States is in a hot war with iran after waging war the past several decades. We do know in giving the order to kill soleimani, you hope one has a plan for what happens next. There is no reason to believe that President Trump and the people around him have is that. We had a Nuclear Agreement that had rolled back the Nuclear Program we had a lot of tensions. Then President Trump pulled out of that agreement saying it would allow him to that we already pull the out of the military people. To unleash proxy a tarks around the world. We should be watching in the days and weeks to come. So President Trump are has never demonstrated over the course of the last two attacks. When he had the opportunity to take a lot incise. I wonder if he understands that killing Qasem Soleimani in iran is the same as taking a twriek at eye ranl. They said they will respond. St they always do. Theyve been fighting for 15 years. Theyve been taking casualties in iraq and syria. They were still undertaking these rocket attacks. The concept is not new to them. President trump needs to layout what are the objectives here. They are going to respond. What do we do next. We have no clarity from President Trump where hes taking us. Thank you for joining us. Form National Security an vieszor. Served as Senior National s director. Youve moved from london to tehran. Thank you. It is an Early Morning for you. Thank you for joining us. Coming up, the Senate Leaders have spoken much mcconnell delivered a blow with a reality check. Thats next. Check. Thats next [ applause ] its an honor to tell you that Liberty Mutual customizes your Car Insurance so you only pay for what you need. And now we need to get back to work. [ applause and band playing ] only pay for what you need. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition. For strength and energy whoohoo greattasting ensure. With nine grams of protein and twentyseven vitamins and minerals. Ensure, for strength and energy. 1 in 5 people you meet wear yeah. That many but right now, is not the time to talk about it. So when youre ready, search my denture care. Poligrip and polident. Fixed. Fresh. And just between us. This fantasy that the speaker of the house will get to hand design the trial in the senate that is a nonstarter are. Speaking on the floor today 16 days after the house impeached donald trump. He did attempt to deflect criticize including from some republican senators. Everything i do during this, im coordinating with white House Counsel. There is no difference between the president s position and our position as to how to handle this. Here is how mcconnell addressed that today. Weve heard claims. There is a problem i discussed trial mechanics with the wout. Openly coordinating with the speaker who some call the prosecution. First, mcconnell appeared to quash an idea that has been perk lating about the senate launching a trial on its own. It is the senates turn now to render sober judgement as the framers envisioned. But we cant hold a trial without the articles. The senate is all rules. Dont provide for that. Chuck schumer noted that the fate of the trial could rest with any republican senator willing to join the democrats. There has never, never in the history of our country been impeachment chiel in which the senate didnt hear from the witnesses. The rules will be determined by the majority of the senators in this chamber, not by the plib leader alone. Schumer emphasize how much evidence in the case and against the president has come out just in the 16 days he was impeached. Five days after, we learned a political appointee emailed the defense about the military aid, 90 minutes after Donald Trumps call with the president of ukraine. Kwoek, please hold off on any additional d observe d operation of funds due to the nature of the question. I president bush you keeping the information closely held. 12 days after, december 30, New York Times published a story on what was happening inside the white house during the 84 days the aid was held up with the sub headline documents showed trump push to hold funding despite intense option. The times also reported in midaugust, and National Security advisor tried to stage an intervention with President Trump in the oval office with no avail. Just yesterday, a reporter claims to have seen new unredacted females that came directly from donald trump. Nbc news has not seen these emails and we cannot verify them. Telling the pentagon not to release the aid. Clear direction for the potus to hold. Today, a federal judge ruled that one of Rudy Giulianis indicted associates can share information with veinvestigator. Tonight, released there were 20 emails discussing the freeze of a congressionally mandated military package to ukraine. Omb said it would not turnover any of the 40 pages of emails not even with redactions. The times said it will challenge the blanket holdings of the documents. Today, in court fighting for muellerrelated testimony and evidence. And pelosi had authorized had imto say that on the report in court. The house legal fight also led to an unbelievable exchange with a trump appointed judge about the sergent of the arms in the house. You dont want to miss that. It is next. Next see in you, is a spark. We see your kindness and humanity. The strength of each community. The more we look the more we find the sparks that make america shine. You have power over pain, so the whole world looks different. The unbeatable strength of advil. What pain . My agerelated macular dso today i made a plan with my doctor, which includes preservision. Because he said a multi vitamin alone may not be enough. And its my vision, my morning walk. My sunday drive, my grandsons beautiful face. Only preservision areds2 contains the exact nutrient formula recommended by the National Eye Institute to help reduce the risk of moderate to advanced amd progression. Its how i see my life. Because its my vision. Preservision. Ed to in a federal appeals court, the top lawyers argued for the house to get grand jury material and testimony from former white House Counsel don mcgahn. The case could have implications for the impeachment proceedings. It is possible the house will bring more articles against trump. Todays arguments took a very trump era turn when the judge asked the counsel if the court said yes, the house should get the material. Would the Justice Department be compelled to comply. The question shocked the house lawyer and opened the question that the administration will only act at gun point. Listen to this. Thats stunning. Just stunning. For this courtrooms that the house is enstietled to this material. The attorney general is going to say no . Im asking a hypothetical. I guess we use the main remedy the house has had from the beginning. Well send the sergent in arms over to the Justice Department. I cannot imagine anyone is going to interfere with him. Hell pick up the grand jury material and bring it to the house. So you do have selfhelp. Absolutely. So why not avail yourself of that remedy . The reason is obvious. Why is it obvious. Thats why, again, this was discussed in the first case. Thats why we dont do that anymore. We dont have the sergent in arms arrest people and have a gun battle. Instead, we go to court. Joining me now, former federal prosecutor in the courtroom today for that legal exchange. And former republican who submitted a brief to the house in that case. Welcome boe welcome both of you. You heard this, was it meant to be funny . Explaining that unless you do get the sergent of arms go in with guns. You dont often describe gun play between two branches of government as light hearted. I dont think it was intended to be serious. If the court decided these materials from the mueller case can be sort of unsealed and available. Thats different. From the court ordering this emto turn them over. There are different things. I do they he was surprised by the question. You have to believe if the Appellate Court orders that, yes, the house is enstititled materials, they would simply turn them over. Given what the department of justice has said, i wasnt so sure it was a question with some consequences. The last three years have told us when that distinction is. There are things you are supposed to do and things that wont happen. Thats what this house and many outlets are up against with this administration. The idea that they are supposed to do splg or provide transparency or disclose your doesnt happen. It is like holding the basketball at the end of the game to make sure time runs out. I think another part of this is when the judge like that creates a confusion and also races issues like this almost in a joking manner, what they are trying to do is reduce the important a importantance of what this is. What this is is a constitutional issue under the constitution has the authority and responsibility to impeach people if they have high crimes and misdemeanors. Here we are trying to get the evidence and mr. Mcgahn for one says he doesnt want to cooperate. Hes never going to turnover anything. That is just not true. We look in our brief that we filed, 15 members of the congress. We found a good quote would probably be from John Quincy Adams that said it would make a mockery to the power of congress if they didnt have the power and information and documents. It is pretty well settled law. Every congress, every strieb is going to want to preserve the constitutional right to do this. Much more ahead. First, a special message from lawrence. Over the holidays, you continued your generous support of the k. I. N. D. Fund without many reminders from me because of the impeach news not leaving us much room to show you more about the school that needs desks. 2,947,698. The second highest amount you have ever contributed in the nine years since ms 2346rnbc pad with unicef. Most of you did it on your own making it a perm nebt paanent p the holiday season. You can give any time of year. Can you do that at last word desks. Msnbc. Com. The total amount since we started nine years ago is now 24,640,903. I could never thank you enough especially this year when we spent less time than ever on this program. You didnt let our concentration on the news break your concentration and support of the kids in need of desks. Thank you. The partnership i created to deliver desks to schools where some kids have never seen desks and provides scholarship to girls where Public High School is not free. Your contributions really do change lives. See how you can help at last word desks. Msnbc. Com. Hut. Com. No one out pizzas the hut how will iran respond . That is one of the most pressing questions to answer as we consider the repercussions of the death of Qasem Soleimani. One says quote, tehran cant match washingtons fire you power. Hoping a war weary u. S. Public and the president cause america to stand down. That may seem like a huge ask and it is but experts believe the Islamic Republic has the capability, know how and will to pull off such an ambitious campaign. Iranians can escalate in a lot of different ways and places. Michael hanna said they had the capacity to do a lot of damage. Joining our discussion now, former fib special agent who spent years pursuing terrorists and have authored two books, he is the ceo of the group. The question people have is not that Qasem Soleimani was a remarkably potent man. The issue is what do you do next . Killing Osama Bin Laden did not have the same complexity that would follow in angering a state that doing this will have with iran. Sure. Osama bin laden was the leader of a nonstate actor. He was hiding in pakistan when we killed him. Qasem soleimani is the second most popular in iran and their