President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general continued efforts to distance himself from the president Tuesday as he testified before Senators at his confirmation hearing.

Under questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee, William Barr said he would not "not carry out" any order to fire special counsel Robert Mueller without cause.

The comments were in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.

Mueller's team is examining potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Barr said repeatedly Tuesday he wants Mueller to finish the investigation.

Trump's nominee was also asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is a friend or a foe to the United States.

Barr said while Russia is a "potent rival" of the U.S. with foreign policy objectives "usually at direct contrary," he minimized the threat from Moscow and said China, not Russia is the "primary rival" of the United States.

Throughout his testimony, Barr acknowledged Russian attempts to meddle in the 2016 election but said Russia "is half the size it was was" during the Cold War with an economy nowhere near the size of China's.

And he said he's concerned "that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

On a separate topic, Barr told the committee he can't rule out jailing reporters for doing their jobs.

In  response to a question from Sen. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, Barr said that there are certain situations where a reporter could be held in contempt "as a last resort."

Barr said the situations he was envisioning would involve news organizations "putting out stuff that is hurting the country."

POOL

Washington, DC - 15 January 2019

1. Wide shot of William Barr sitting before the Senate Judiciary Committee as it returns from break

2. Wide cutaway of committee

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, Democrat, Delaware:

"So most famously when directed by President Nixon to fire the special counsel the prosecutor investigating Watergate, Richardson refused and resigned instead as we all well know. If the president directed you to change those regulations and then fire Mueller or simply directly fire Mueller, would you follow Richardson's example and resign instead?"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Assuming there was no good cause?

(Coons: Assuming no good cause.)

I would not carry out that instruction."

5. Cutaway of Coons

6. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"As I said, I'm going to carry out those regulations and I want him to finish this investigation."

7. Wide shot of hearing

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Well I don't hold myself out as a foreign policy expert but I think that he is, I think the Russians are a potent rival of our country and his foreign policy objectives are usually at directly contrary to our goals. I think he wants to weaken the American alliances in Europe and he also wants to become a player in the Middle East, more of a player in the Middle East. A lot of his foreign policy objectives are are at odds with ours. At the same time, I think the primary rival of the United States is China. I think, you know, Russia is half the size it was when we were facing them at the peak of the Cold War. Their economy is, long term prognosis, is nowhere near China's. But I'm concerned that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

9. Wide shot of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democrat, Minnesota:

"If you're confirmed, will the Justice Department jail reporters for doing their jobs?"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I think that, you know, there are guidelines in place and I can conceive of situations where you know, as a last resort and where a news organization has run through a red flag or something like that, knows that they're putting out stuff that will hurt the country, there might be, there could be a situation where someone would be held in contempt."

12. Wide shot of hearing

President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general continued efforts to distance himself from the president Tuesday as he testified before Senators at his confirmation hearing.

Under questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee, William Barr said he would not "not carry out" any order to fire special counsel Robert Mueller without cause.

The comments were in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.

Mueller's team is examining potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Barr said repeatedly Tuesday he wants Mueller to finish the investigation.

Trump's nominee was also asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is a friend or a foe to the United States.

Barr said while Russia is a "potent rival" of the U.S. with foreign policy objectives "usually at direct contrary," he minimized the threat from Moscow and said China, not Russia is the "primary rival" of the United States.

Throughout his testimony, Barr acknowledged Russian attempts to meddle in the 2016 election but said Russia "is half the size it was was" during the Cold War with an economy nowhere near the size of China's.

And he said he's concerned "that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

On a separate topic, Barr told the committee he can't rule out jailing reporters for doing their jobs.

In  response to a question from Sen. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, Barr said that there are certain situations where a reporter could be held in contempt "as a last resort."

Barr said the situations he was envisioning would involve news organizations "putting out stuff that is hurting the country."

POOL

Washington, DC - 15 January 2019

1. Wide shot of William Barr sitting before the Senate Judiciary Committee as it returns from break

2. Wide cutaway of committee

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, Democrat, Delaware:

"So most famously when directed by President Nixon to fire the special counsel the prosecutor investigating Watergate, Richardson refused and resigned instead as we all well know. If the president directed you to change those regulations and then fire Mueller or simply directly fire Mueller, would you follow Richardson's example and resign instead?"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Assuming there was no good cause?

(Coons: Assuming no good cause.)

I would not carry out that instruction."

5. Cutaway of Coons

6. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"As I said, I'm going to carry out those regulations and I want him to finish this investigation."

7. Wide shot of hearing

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Well I don't hold myself out as a foreign policy expert but I think that he is, I think the Russians are a potent rival of our country and his foreign policy objectives are usually at directly contrary to our goals. I think he wants to weaken the American alliances in Europe and he also wants to become a player in the Middle East, more of a player in the Middle East. A lot of his foreign policy objectives are are at odds with ours. At the same time, I think the primary rival of the United States is China. I think, you know, Russia is half the size it was when we were facing them at the peak of the Cold War. Their economy is, long term prognosis, is nowhere near China's. But I'm concerned that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

9. Wide shot of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democrat, Minnesota:

"If you're confirmed, will the Justice Department jail reporters for doing their jobs?"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I think that, you know, there are guidelines in place and I can conceive of situations where you know, as a last resort and where a news organization has run through a red flag or something like that, knows that they're putting out stuff that will hurt the country, there might be, there could be a situation where someone would be held in contempt."

12. Wide shot of hearing

Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo says that bolstering the Iran nuclear deal will be a priority if he's confirmed by the Senate.

There is one month to go until a May 12 deadline that President Donald Trump set to either address what he calls flaws in the 2015 agreement, or withdraw from it. Pompeo said Thursday that fixing the deal is in America's best interest.

Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that if the deal can't be fixed and Trump withdraws, he will still advocate for a tougher accord.

Pompeo also refused to answer questions about the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections.

Asked whether he agrees with President Donald Trump that the probe is a "witch hunt," Pompeo declined to offer his opinion.

POOL

Washington - 12 April 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"We're running very close to a deadline on certification. What is your view - is it better to pull out of an agreement that Iran is in compliance with if we can't fix it or is it better to stay in the agreement? Yes or No?"

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, it's not a yes or no question because it's a hypothetical. We're not at that point."

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"The president has to certify on May the 12th."

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Yes, sir, that's yet almost a month away. It depends - clearly, if we're close, imagine for them-just as a hypothetical matter, imagine we're close to achieving the fix that the president has asked the State Department to achieve. If we're close, if there is some opportunity -"

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"You pull out if we're close?"

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"In the event that we conclude that we can't fix this deal, that these serious shortcomings that you, Senator Cardin, yourself, have identified, then the president is going to be given best advice, including by me. And if there's no chance that we can fix it, I will recommend to the president that we do our level best to work with our allies to achieve a better outcome and a better deal."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"Are you in favor of regime change in North Korea?"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, I have never advocated for regime change. I have all along-"

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"It's a simple question. So you're not - you don't believe-"

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"I'm happy to answer today that I'm not advocating for regime change. Yes, senator."

5. UPSOUND (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"Do you think special counsel Mueller's investigation is a witch hunt?"

6. UPSOUND (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Ma'am, I'm going to not speak about any of the three investigations that I have been a participant in today."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"It's hard for me to understand how we can have a secretary of state who is able to go to Russia and come to Congress and talk about the challenges and the threats that Russia faces to our democracy, when we have this conflicting position from the president of the United States who you would work for."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware:

"I'm convinced that if the president were to fire the special counsel or to interfere with this investigation by firing Rod Rosenstein with an intention to then interfere with and shut down this investigation, that it would put the rule of law genuinely at risk. If that were the case and if that happened, would you resign your post as secretary of state in order to demonstrate that we are a nation of laws not of men?"

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, I haven't given that question any thought - my instincts tell me no. My instincts tell me that my obligation to continue to serve as America's senior diplomat will be more important at increased times of political domestic turmoil. We've seen this in America before, right? This wouldn't be the first time there's been enormous political turmoil. My recollection of the history is that previous secretaries of state stayed the course, continued to do their work, continued to do the requirements - statutory and constitutional that they had. Having not given it a great deal of thought, I'm confident that that's the path that I would take."

Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo says that bolstering the Iran nuclear deal will be a priority if he's confirmed by the Senate.

There is one month to go until a May 12 deadline that President Donald Trump set to either address what he calls flaws in the 2015 agreement, or withdraw from it. Pompeo said Thursday that fixing the deal is in America's best interest.

Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that if the deal can't be fixed and Trump withdraws, he will still advocate for a tougher accord.

Pompeo also refused to answer questions about the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections.

Asked whether he agrees with President Donald Trump that the probe is a "witch hunt," Pompeo declined to offer his opinion.

POOL

Washington - 12 April 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English): Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"What is your view as to whether America should withdraw unilaterally from the Iran nuclear agreement?"

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"I can't answer that question. Here's why. But let me tell you how I approach it, let me tell you how I think about it. Here's how- I want to tell- if you will, if you let me tell you how I think about it, then you can-- I want to fix this deal. That's the objective. I think that's in the best interest of the United States of America."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"But if the agreement cannot be changed - we're running very close to a deadline on certification. What is your view - is it better to pull out of an agreement that Iran is in compliance with if we can't fix it or is it better to stay in the agreement? Yes or No?"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, it's not a yes or no question because it's a hypothetical. We're not at that point."

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"The president has to certify on May the 12th."

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Yes, sir, that's yet almost a month away. It depends - clearly, if we're close, imagine for them-just as a hypothetical matter, imagine we're close to achieving the fix that the president has asked the State Department to achieve. If we're close, if there is some opportunity -"

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"You pull out if we're close?"

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"In the event that we conclude that we can't fix this deal, that these serious shortcomings that you, Senator Cardin, yourself, have identified, then the president is going to be given best advice, including by me. And if there's no chance that we can fix it, I will recommend to the president that we do our level best to work with our allies to achieve a better outcome and a better deal."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"Are you in favor of regime change in North Korea?"

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, I have never advocated for regime change. I have all along-"

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"It's a simple question. So you're not - you don't believe-"

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"I'm happy to answer today that I'm not advocating for regime change. Yes, senator."

7. UPSOUND (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"Do you think special counsel Mueller's investigation is a witch hunt?"

8. UPSOUND (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Ma'am, I'm going to not speak about any of the three investigations that I have been a participant in today."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"It's hard for me to understand how we can have a secretary of state who is able to go to Russia and come to Congress and talk about the challenges and the threats that Russia faces to our democracy, when we have this conflicting position from the president of the United States who you would work for."

10. Wide of hearing

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"During your tenure in Congress, you've made statements that have been described as anti-Muslim and anti-LGBT rights. So how would you, as secretary of state, reconcile those positions and statements that you've taken in Congress with the need to represent America's values and defend human rights."

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Look at my record. Not just these past 15 months, there were the same questions when I was to be confirmed as the CIA director. As the CIA director, I have honored and valued every single CIA officer, regardless of race, color, you pick it."

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware:

"I'm convinced that if the president were to fire the special counsel or to interfere with this investigation by firing Rod Rosenstein with an intention to then interfere with and shut down this investigation, that it would put the rule of law genuinely at risk. If that were the case and if that happened, would you resign your post as secretary of state in order to demonstrate that we are a nation of laws not of men?"

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, I haven't given that question any thought - my instincts tell me no. My instincts tell me that my obligation to continue to serve as America's senior diplomat will be more important at increased times of political domestic turmoil. We've seen this in America before, right? This wouldn't be the first time there's been enormous political turmoil. My recollection of the history is that previous secretaries of state stayed the course, continued to do their work, continued to do the requirements - statutory and constitutional that they had. Having not given it a great deal of thought, I'm confident that that's the path that I would take."

15. Wide of hearing

Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo says that bolstering the Iran nuclear deal will be a priority if he's confirmed by the Senate.

There is one month to go until a May 12 deadline that President Donald Trump set to either address what he calls flaws in the 2015 agreement, or withdraw from it. Pompeo said Thursday that fixing the deal is in America's best interest.

Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that if the deal can't be fixed and Trump withdraws, he will still advocate for a tougher accord.

Pompeo also refused to answer questions about the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections.

Asked whether he agrees with President Donald Trump that the probe is a "witch hunt," Pompeo declined to offer his opinion.

POOL

Washington - 12 April 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English): Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"What is your view as to whether America should withdraw unilaterally from the Iran nuclear agreement?"

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"I can't answer that question. Here's why. But let me tell you how I approach it, let me tell you how I think about it. Here's how- I want to tell- if you will, if you let me tell you how I think about it, then you can-- I want to fix this deal. That's the objective. I think that's in the best interest of the United States of America."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"But if the agreement cannot be changed - we're running very close to a deadline on certification. What is your view - is it better to pull out of an agreement that Iran is in compliance with if we can't fix it or is it better to stay in the agreement? Yes or No?"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, it's not a yes or no question because it's a hypothetical. We're not at that point."

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"The president has to certify on May the 12th."

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Yes, sir, that's yet almost a month away. It depends - clearly, if we're close, imagine for them-just as a hypothetical matter, imagine we're close to achieving the fix that the president has asked the State Department to achieve. If we're close, if there is some opportunity -"

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"You pull out if we're close?"

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"In the event that we conclude that we can't fix this deal, that these serious shortcomings that you, Senator Cardin, yourself, have identified, then the president is going to be given best advice, including by me. And if there's no chance that we can fix it, I will recommend to the president that we do our level best to work with our allies to achieve a better outcome and a better deal."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"Are you in favor of regime change in North Korea?"

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, I have never advocated for regime change. I have all along-"

UPSOUND (English) Sen. Ben Cardin, (D) Maryland:

"It's a simple question. So you're not - you don't believe-"

SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"I'm happy to answer today that I'm not advocating for regime change. Yes, senator."

7. UPSOUND (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"Do you think special counsel Mueller's investigation is a witch hunt?"

8. UPSOUND (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Ma'am, I'm going to not speak about any of the three investigations that I have been a participant in today."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"It's hard for me to understand how we can have a secretary of state who is able to go to Russia and come to Congress and talk about the challenges and the threats that Russia faces to our democracy, when we have this conflicting position from the president of the United States who you would work for."

10. Wide of hearing

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D) New Hampshire:

"During your tenure in Congress, you've made statements that have been described as anti-Muslim and anti-LGBT rights. So how would you, as secretary of state, reconcile those positions and statements that you've taken in Congress with the need to represent America's values and defend human rights."

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Look at my record. Not just these past 15 months, there were the same questions when I was to be confirmed as the CIA director. As the CIA director, I have honored and valued every single CIA officer, regardless of race, color, you pick it."

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware:

"I'm convinced that if the president were to fire the special counsel or to interfere with this investigation by firing Rod Rosenstein with an intention to then interfere with and shut down this investigation, that it would put the rule of law genuinely at risk. If that were the case and if that happened, would you resign your post as secretary of state in order to demonstrate that we are a nation of laws not of men?"

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State Nominee / CIA Director:

"Senator, I haven't given that question any thought - my instincts tell me no. My instincts tell me that my obligation to continue to serve as America's senior diplomat will be more important at increased times of political domestic turmoil. We've seen this in America before, right? This wouldn't be the first time there's been enormous political turmoil. My recollection of the history is that previous secretaries of state stayed the course, continued to do their work, continued to do the requirements - statutory and constitutional that they had. Having not given it a great deal of thought, I'm confident that that's the path that I would take."

15. Wide of hearing