ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - Jan. 5, 2025

David Muir, ABC's World News Tonight, America's. most watched newscast. Now streaming same day with all the breaking news. of the day on Disney+. Most watched, most trusted. Now on Disney+ every night. Tonight the breaking news, the dramatic scene in federal court. Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. and his wife, Defiant. The world watching as Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and. his wife, Celia Flores, were brought to court together under.

heavy guard today by helicopter and by armored vehicle. Once in court, Maduro, when asked to identify himself. by the judge, saying, "I am the President of Venezuela,". Celia Flores referring to herself as "First Lady of. the Republic of Venezuela.". What the judge then told them, with both clearly. wanting to say more. Tonight both pleading not guilty. And what Maduro called himself as he left the courtroom. Eric Gatursky, live at the federal courthouse. Also tonight, we have new reporting, new images. of that daring U.S. military raid to capture and extract Nicolas.

Maduro and his wife. 200 U.S. forces taking part, a dozen special operations. helicopters in the air. And what we've now learned tonight about the operation. And President Trump saying several American. pilots were wounded, bleeding, but kept flying. And where the president says Maduro and his wife were. captured, that they didn't have time to close the steel. door to their safe room. And tonight, Secretary Pete Hegseth revealing. what Maduro's wife said as U.S. military helicopters were closing in.

Martha Raddatz standing by with what she's learned. Tonight, President Trump has declared, we are in charge. of Venezuela, saying the U.S. Is in charge and at this hour, America's top general, Secretary. Hegsett and Secretary Rubio, all briefing lawmakers. about the U.S. military operation in Venezuela. Some lawmakers demanding to know why Congress was not informed. And tonight, President Trump's new threat, a possible military. action involving Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and saying. the U.S.

wants Greenland. Inside Venezuela tonight, Maduro's son also. indicted by the U.S. Now warning no country is safe. James Longman on the Venezuelan border. The American tourists stranded in the Caribbean. The FAA shutting down airspace for a time because. of the military operation. Tonight the ripple effect still being felt. It could be days. Tonight in the U.S. the sweeping changes from. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The CDC now eliminating six. vaccinations from the list of recommendations for children.

For the first time, one of those new weight loss drugs. now available in pill form and the more affordable price tag. And Black Monday in the NFL, the list of NFL coaches. who've been fired tonight. From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World. News Tonight with David Muir. Good evening. It's great to be back with all of you at home in the new year. We do begin tonight with ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas.

Maduro and his wife, Venezuela's First Lady Celia Flores, both. arraigned in federal court here in New York City today. The couple determined to deliver their message as they face. the judge 48 hours after their capture by American forces and. their extraction to the U.S. Maduro and his wife under heavy guard today, driven from a. detention center in Brooklyn to a waiting helicopter, flown. over the East River to lower Manhattan, and then loaded. into an armored vehicle, taken to federal court. The couple standing before the judge pleading not guilty.

to charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy along with. cocaine and weapons charges. The judge is also facing charges of assaulting Nicholas. Maduro, referring to himself as the President of Venezuela. His wife calling herself the First Lady of the. Republic of Venezuela. In fact, Celia Flores' defense attorney saying she. was injured in the raid. And as Nicholas Maduro was being taken from court, he called. himself a prisoner of war. His defense attorney questioning the legality of. his "military abduction.". Our chief investigative correspondent Aaron. Kutersky was in the courtroom, and Aaron leads.

us off tonight. A little more than 48 hours ago, Nicholas Maduro ruled a. nation with 30 million people and the world's. largest oil reserves. Tonight, the deposed Venezuelan dictator is a shackled. criminal defendant, whisked from jail in Brooklyn, flown across. the East River by helicopter into Lower Manhattan with his. wife and co-defendant Celia Flores to face. federal drug charges. Escorted under heavy guard to an armored vehicle for the short. ride to federal court where canine dogs roamed the hall. and U.S. Marshals inspected the courtroom chair where Maduro.

would sit. Nicolas Maduro's presence inside Manhattan federal court. brought protesters here outside, some denouncing the U.S. military action that captured him, others. supporting what President Trump ordered. Inside Maduro greeted spectators in the courtroom. saying Buenos Dias. He put on headphones for Spanish translation and rose in his. seat as the judge asked, "Are you Nicolas Maduro?". "I am the President of the Republic of Venezuela," a. defiant Maduro responded. "I am here kidnapped. I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela.".

The judge cut him off. Maduro's wife declared, "I am the First Lady of the Republic. of Venezuela," before the judge interrupted her, "The purpose today is just to ask who you are.". Prosecutors say Maduro and his wife worked together. to traffic cocaine. What the government is alleging is they literally were handing. out passports to drug dealers. They were engaging in murder and kidnapping, using the. diplomacy, using the veil of the Venezuelan government to.

pursue this drug conspiracy. Asked how he pleaded to the charges, Maduro. said, "I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country.". Flores then stated her plea, "Not guilty. Completely innocent.". Maduro's wife appeared with a bruised and bandaged head. Her lawyer said she may have a fracture or severe. bruising on her ribs. Maduro's attorney called the U.S. raid a military abduction and said Maduro is the head of a. sovereign state, immune from prosecution.

As Maduro was led from the courtroom, someone. in the gallery stood and shouted in Spanish, "You will pay in the name of Venezuela.". Maduro stopped and turned to face the heckler, saying, "I am the elected president. I am a prisoner of war. I will be free.". So let's get right to Aaron Katerski, who was. in the courtroom today. Aaron, as all of this was playing out in that New York. City courtroom, Nicolas Maduro's son, also of course. indicted here, was addressing the National Assembly back in. Venezuela saying, "Dad, you created a strong family, that.

the nation is in good hands while we await your return.". But Aaron, it would appear that is unlikely to happen. any time soon, if at all. If at all, David, it could be a long time before. Maduro even stands trial. Here, as lawyers said today, David, this is going to be a. complicated case, and Maduro is going nowhere. He didn't even ask for bail today and return to. jail, where he is tonight. It could be March before we see him again. That's when he's next due here in court. David? Aaron Kutersky reporting with. me live on the air earlier today, as this was playing out.

Aaron, thank you. Tonight, our team with new reporting here at new images. of the daring U.S. military raid to capture and extract. Nicolas Maduro and his wife. President Trump saying several American pilots were wounded, bleeding, but kept flying. And where President Trump says Maduro and his wife were. captured, that they didn't have time to close the steel. door to their safe room. And tonight, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on what Maduro's. wife said as helicopters were closing in. Martha Raddatz in what she's learned tonight.

Tonight, dramatic new video of that dangerous mission to. seize Maduro that injured U.S. helicopter pilots. Explosions lighting up the hillside around Maduro's heavily. fortified compound in Caracas as US warplanes blasted. Venezuelan air defenses early Saturday morning. US forces knocking out power to parts of the city allowing. them to move in total darkness. A dozen US Special Operations helicopters flying just.

100 feet above the ground moving in over the compound. firing mini guns and rockets at multiple targets. You can see in the video what appears to be small. arms return fire or an RPG streaking wildly through. the sky. A US helicopter was struck during the. operation. President Trump saying pilots were injured. and bleeding but continued the mission.

Inside the compound the Army's elite. Delta Force team moving in. They had built an exact replica of Maduro's compound. and practiced the raid for months. A covert CIA team tracking Maduro's every. move right down to what he ate. Secretary Pete Hegseth today saying Maduro. and his wife unaware of what was happening until. minutes before. Nicholas Maduro got to meet some great. Americans where a night vision goggles three nights ago.

He didn't know they were coming till three minutes. before they arrived. In fact, his wife said, I think I hear aircraft. outside those special operations forces coming. under heavy gunfire by Maduro security, grabbing. Maduro and his wife as they headed for a safe room moments. before they could close a steel door behind them. The safe place is all steel and he wasn't able to make it. to the door because our guys were so fast. Cuba saying 32 Cubans were killed before US forces rushed.

Maduro and his wife into the helicopter, flying them. out to a ship at sea. Some 200 US forces took part in the operation, the extraction. team on the ground only a short time with no US lives lost. And David, we have learned several of the US wounded were. taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. None of their injuries life-threatening, but. these dramatic images and the return fire.

aiming at the U.S. helicopters are a reminder of just. how risky this mission was. David? - Martha Raddatz, remarkable. reporting all weekend long. Thank you. Tonight, President Trump has declared we're in charge of. Venezuela, that the U.S. is in charge. And at this hour, while we're on the air here, America's top. general, Secretary Hagseth and Secretary Rubio all briefing. lawmakers about the U.S. military operation in Venezuela. Some lawmakers demanding to know why Congress was not informed. And tonight, President Trump's new threat of possible military.

action involving Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and saying. the U.S. wants Greenland. Rachel Scott at the White House tonight. Tonight, the nation's top military official, who oversaw. that extraordinary operation in Venezuela. Sir, is the U.S. now occupying Venezuela? Arriving on Capitol Hill to brief lawmakers, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other top. administration officials. Are U.S. troops being deployed to Venezuela, yes or no? President Trump is adamant the U.S.

is in charge of the country, even as Venezuela swore. in Nicolas Maduro's vice president, Delce Rodriguez, as interim leader. We're dealing with the people. We're dealing with the people who just got sworn in. And don't ask me who's in charge because I'll give. you an answer and it'll be very controversial. What does that mean? It means we're in charge. Have you spoken with her? We're in charge. But hours earlier, his own Secretary of State attempted to. dial back the role the U.S. will play in Venezuela, saying the.

administration is trying to influence policy with a blockade. on oil leaving the country. With world leaders condemning the. U.S., the president is signaling he could pursue military action. beyond Venezuela, with 15,000 U.S. service members now in the region. "Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man who likes. making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and. he's not going to be doing it very long, let me tell you.". "What does that mean, he's not going to be doing it very long?". "He's not doing it very long. He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories. He's not going "He has cocaine mills. and cocaine factories.

He's not going to be doing it very long.". "So there will be an operation by the U.S. and the world?". "It sounds good to me.". Colombia's president's indicating he's. ready to take up arms. In addition to Colombia, President Trump says he. could target Cuba and Mexico and make Greenland part. of the United States. The Danish Prime Minister says with respect to Greenland, if the U.S. attacks a NATO ally, then everything stops. Tonight the State Department posting this image of President. Trump with the words, "This is our hemisphere.".

And David, tonight top lawmakers over on Capitol Hill are. receiving their first classified briefing about this military. operation, many demanding to know why they were not informed. ahead of time. But tonight the President is insisting that operation was. legal and that the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela, David. All right, Rachel Scott with late reporting. from the White House. Rachel, thank you. Meantime, inside Venezuela tonight, Nicolas Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, now the interim. president, and Maduro's son, also indicted by the U.S., now warning, quote, that no country is safe.

Our chief international correspondent, James Longman, on. the Venezuelan border tonight. As Nicolas Maduro insisted to a U.S. courtroom, he is still Venezuela's president, tonight. his son with the same defiant message from Caracas. If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, he said, no country is safe, vowing Maduro and his wife will. return to the country. He spoke in front of the National Assembly for this show. of continuity and was surrounded by those powerful lieutenants. of Maduro's autocracy.

Some of them, including his son, are facing the. same US narco-terrorism charges as Maduro. The White House says these same people will now work with. America to govern the country, but how is still very unclear. Days after Maduro's capture, there is still no clarity. about what is going to happen in Venezuela, and that is why Colombia is beefing up security. here at the border. about a security breakdown in Venezuela which could trigger. a massive migration crisis. This border where thousands of Venezuelans cross every day.

for cheaper goods. Gabriela is hopeful her young son. Josue can look forward to a different Venezuela. Do you think things are really going to change? Maduro is just one man. Hope is the last thing that you lose, she says. And Hel is emotional, talking about the state of his country. "It hurts my soul," he says. "I haven't seen my children in years, and I don't know if. I ever will.". And tonight, David, the Venezuelan government. has renewed its national call for anyone it.

believes helped the U.S. carry out that extraordinary raid. Outwardly, at least, this is not a change. of government. David? James Longman on the Venezuelan. border. James, thank you. We turn now to the thousands of. travelers, many of whom are American tourists, who remain stranded in the Caribbean tonight. Airlines trying to get back on track, adding flights to the. Caribbean after hundreds of flights were canceled. due to the U.S. military action in Venezuela. American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, United and JetBlue. are all adding flights and seats. Authorities still say it will likely take a few more days.

before everything is back to normal after the U.S. action in In the meantime, to the other. news tonight, the sweeping change from Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC tonight, eliminating six vaccinations. from the list of longstanding recommendations for children. Here's Rhiannon Alley now. Tonight, an unprecedented change in vaccine recommendations. from Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s federal health agency. The CDC announcing it's further reducing the number of vaccines. it previously recommended for children effective.

immediately from 17 to 11. That means the CDC will no longer recommend that. every child gets shots for rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, RSV and the flu. The CDC now advising the rotavirus and flu vaccines. should only be given to a child if a doctor recommends it. The changes were made without an independent review. Secretary Kennedy, who has long sought to reduce the number of. vaccines children get, writing, "This decision protects. children, respects families, and rebuilds.

trust in public health.". "This news is a fundamental shift in how the U.S. approaches childhood immunizations. It's really driven by ideology and not about science or data.". The major change comes amid a massive surge in the flu. Forty-five states now reporting high or very high activity, up from 30 a week ago. David, medical experts stress the best advice is to talk. to your child's doctor, and parents still have. the ultimate choice about which vaccines to. give their kids.

David? Rhiannon Alley tonight, Rhiannon, thank you. This evening, former vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, ending his bid for re-election. Instead, he says he'll focus on defending Minnesota from. allegations of fraud linked to Medicaid and child care funds. He's also on the wall saying his administration is. taking fast action to solve the crisis, adding quote, "The buck stops with me.". Senator Amy Klobuchar is reportedly considering entering. the race for governor. There's no word tonight from Klobuchar. When we come back tonight, the brave rescue of two. hikers, the mission to reach two women trapped on the. edge of a cliff, and you'll see the images right here.

Also tonight, for the first time, one of those. popular weight loss drugs now available in pill form. and a much more affordable price tag in a moment. And then they call it Black Monday in the NFL, the. list of NFL coaches who've already been fired tonight. We'll get on the list in a moment. Tonight, the daring rescue of two women trapped on. the edge of a steep cliff in California, the hikers. stuck on the seaside cliff just north of San Francisco. A paramedic helped move the women to a safer location. on the rocks and then onto that rescue helicopter.

None of those popular weight loss drugs tonight. For the first time, a GLP-1 medication. is now available in pill form. Novo Nordisk introducing its Wigovi pill. The company says the daily prescription pill is to be. taken 30 minutes before any other medicine, food or coffee. Some patients could see a copay of $25 per month. Without insurance, some could get the drug for $149 a month. When we come back here tonight, Black Monday, they call it for a reason. The NFL head coaches who've already been fired tonight. To the index, well, they call it Black Monday.

in the NFL for a reason. Four NFL head coaches already fired tonight. Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll, the Cardinals' Jonathan Gannon, the Browns firing. Kevin Stefanski, and the Falcons. dropping Raheem Morris, and more could follow. When we come back here tonight, one extraordinary. New Year's surprise, and we sure needed this tonight. Finally, tonight here, the knock at the door and then. another and then another. Tonight here, the family kicking off the new year. with an incredible surprise for their grandfather,

Grandpa David. Papa just turned 92. It's been bittersweet. The family just lost their grandmother, Grandma Sally. Nana and Papa, Mary just shy of 69 years. Look at this from their honeymoon in 1956. So for Papa's birthday, they had an idea. His granddaughter Emily was coming over for. dinner, but he had no idea. His granddaughter Julie surprising him. She was coming too. And then another knock. Papa opening the door again.

Oh my God, his granddaughter Carly. surprising him with the pizza. Watch the door. His granddaughter Marley walking in next. The door again. His grandson Ben. Finally, last but not least, his grandson Jake. All six grandchildren, one after the. other, surprising their Papa.

And right here tonight. - Hi David. - The grandchildren. - We couldn't imagine a more perfect way. of bringing in the new year by celebrating our Papa. - My Papa is one of the greatest people you'll ever meet. - To know our Papa is to love him unconditionally. - Our Papa is one of the kindest and purest souls on earth. - He's the warmest and funniest person I've ever known. - Papa, we love you so much. - Papa feeling in love tonight. We sure needed this. Good night. David Muir, the most watched newscast in America.

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