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Travel Disruptions Through Next Week as Flight Cuts Begin; Suspicious Package Delivered to Joint Base Andrews; U.S. Strikes Another Boat in the Caribbean; Chuck Schumer to Present Democratic Offer to End Shutdown. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired November 07, 2025 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[14:00:00]

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Plus, the Chinese military is showing off its newest aircraft carrier with technology capable of launching larger airplanes. But how does it compare to the U.S. Naval fleet? And it is going to get cold, really cold this weekend. An Arctic blast (inaudible) temperatures to record levels for much of the U.S.

We're following all these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to "CNN News Central."

And we begin this hour with a major update for anyone catching a flight soon, as the government shutdown drags into a history making 38th day. Right now, the FAA is issuing mandatory cuts for four percent of flights at 40 major airports. That number set to rise to as much as 10 percent a week from today. But just moments ago, Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy revealed it may not stop there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN DUFFY, (R) UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: So if this shutdown doesn't end relatively soon, the consequence of that is going to be more controllers don't come to work. And then we're going to have to continue to assess the pressure in the airspace and make decisions that may again move us from 10 percent to 15 percent, maybe to 20. I don't want to see that. Or by the way, if controllers start coming to work and the pressure goes down, we can move those numbers in the other direction. Again, this is a moment by moment assessment, again, doing all we can to make sure travelers are safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: There is just so much uncertainty, and just weeks before the busy Thanksgiving travel season. Already today, seeing significant disruptions, leaving travelers scrambling to find alternative routes. CNN's Ed Lavandera is at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. And Ed, what are you hearing from travelers?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we've found here this morning and this afternoon is, people -- most people taking everything in stride so far. We're in the B Terminal of American Airlines. This is a big hub for American Airlines. There's about a 25-minute wait in one of these security check lines. We've been checking the board here. Phil, here, the flight board, and most everything's showing on time. This is an airport that usually has about 2,000 flights coming and going every day on average and about 60 of those were canceled ahead of today.

But what we're finding from the travelers that are coming, either landing here in Texas for the weekend or for an extended visit or people leaving is, they're really concerned about their return or their next flight as they're heading out and traveling into the country. They're kind of worried about what's going to happen while they're gone and what's going to happen on their next flight, either coming back home or trying to get back home. That's really the concern that we have.

We effectively (ph) talked to one woman who is a retired TSA agent herself, who's been hearing from her former colleagues that they desperately want this shutdown to end. But across the country, most -- a lot of people taking the daily flight chaos and frustrations in stride, but very concerned about what's going to happen in the days ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's absurd. I think it's a complete failure of government and the government is serving itself and not the people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I took Monday off just as a precaution. I know not everybody has that luxury, so it's going to be rough for some people if there are any delays. The other option might be taking a later flight, maybe the red eye, usually that's a little bit more accessible. So maybe just staying a little later and coming back Monday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I got here an hour earlier than I normally would, just to make sure that the lines weren't too long and that -- if my flight got canceled, I could take another one. But I will be, like as I'm coming home, looking at alternatives.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming back might be a little bit crazy. Might be a tad bit crazy, but got to get early. Hopefully I'm not stuck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These politicians need to get their act together, man. It's just crazy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, come on, people. What's wrong with you? You know, just get it together.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. I hope it doesn't happen again tonight for people. But, it was really sad. So many flights were just canceled and it was not the weather.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So Phil, we haven't really met a lot of people who've had flight disruptions today. A lot of those flight cancellations and notices went out before many of those folks made it here to the airport. But we have heard from a lot of people that given how much attention the situation is getting and the uncertainty of how it might unfold, not only today, but in the coming days. A lot of people showing up at the airport here early, hoping to avoid any flight disaster themselves as they try to make their ways across the country. Phil?

MATTINGLY: Yeah, no question about it. Ed Lavandera for us at DFW. Thanks so much. Erica?

ERICA HILL, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Taking a closer look at the impact and the fallout from these flight restrictions across the country. We're joined now by Michael McCormick, former Vice president of the FAA's Air Traffic Organization. Also a former air traffic control manager, and he was also in charge of Newark's air traffic control on 9/11. You're also currently an Associate Professor of Air Traffic Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Great to have you here with your expertise today.

Just, I mean, stepping back for a minute, we look at all the things that we've been told. So Secretary Duffy says, these cuts are being motivated by safety. He says there have been more close calls in the air during the shutdown.

[14:05:00]

Just saying a short time ago -- I'm just going back to my notes here. He said, if this continues, that more air traffic controllers won't come to work, that they could increase from four percent to 10 percent to perhaps 20 percent. It's going to be moment by moment. When you look at the reasoning being given in the calculations. Does all of this add up for you to this decision?

MICHAEL MCCORMICK, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT, FAA'S AIR TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION: Well, thank you for having me on today, Erica. And in a lot of ways, it does add up. If you recall, in the spring of 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration reduced the flights in New York metropolitan area by 10 percent for the same reason, controller staffing levels. And the airlines were able to rapidly adjust to that by up gauging their fleet. In other words, putting larger aircraft in the system, making more seats available.

Therefore, when the flights were cut, they still had near or similar passenger throughput than they had prior to the 10 percent reduction. So, it's natural for the FAA to turn once again to this tool to be able to put it in place across the country. And one of the things that it does, it does provide predictability. And once it settles down, it also provides stability. Because currently, up until this point, we're in the shutdown. These controller staffing shortages have been unpredictable. They happen all across the country. You never know which air traffic control facility is going to be impacted on any given day.

HILL: But to that point --

MCCORMICK: By dialing back the entire system --

HILL: Sorry, go ahead.

MCCORMICK: Yes.

HILL: I was going to say to that point, you were talking about the traffic. One of the things that struck me is, what we are hearing from and specifically from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, right? We don't know when or where or who may need to call out on any given day. So yes, you're reducing the traffic, but if you don't actually know where there's going to be a shortage, how does that then allow you to plan?

MCCORMICK: Because by dialing back the traffic by four, then up to 10 percent, that creates predictability. And that will mitigate the need for what the federal aviation has found itself doing since the shutdown. And that is putting in delays on a day by day basis based upon what is happening that day. So, it creates the need for the airlines to react. It creates a need for the FAA to react. Now, the airlines and the FAA can actually plan ahead for what the impact is going to be.

HILL: It is tough to ignore the politics here. We just heard it from a number of frustrated travelers, right, speaking with our colleagues across the country. They want politicians to figure this out. The president of the Air Traffic Controllers Union, Nick Daniels telling CNN that he does really feel like they are political pawns at this point. Would you agree?

MCCORMICK: I can understand why they would feel that way. It is the primary role in a democracy for government to govern and that requires compromise, compromise requires conversation. And I'm sure the controllers are feeling very frustrated that they see no movement to having that conversation, let alone a compromise that's going to bring this shutdown to an end.

HILL: There's a lot of focus, understandably, on the controllers. TSA agents are also being impacted heavily. But what does this do? What can you tell us about airport security and how they are dealing with this moment?

MCCORMICK: What we can expect when you go to the airport to catch a flight is there's going to be less lines but longer lines. So get to the airport with plenty of time, plenty of additional time to get through the screening. If you haven't already, sign up for things like Clear or TSA Pre, that will go a long way to smoothing that process over, going through security.

HILL: Yeah. Michael McCormick, appreciate your insight, your expertise this afternoon. Thank you.

MCCORMICK: Thank you.

HILL: Still to come this hour, multiple people at Joint Base Andrews falling ill after a suspicious package containing white powder was delivered. We have the latest on that investigation. Plus, the U.S. military strikes another alleged drug bode in the Caribbean, killing three people, meaning at least 70 people have now died since these strikes began in September. And three classic toys, there's a good chance you've spent a little time with, just inducted into the U.S. National Toy Hall of Fame.

[14:10:00]

The big reveal, still to come on "CNN News Central."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MATTINGLY: And the Breaking News, CNN has learned Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, will present a unified Democratic offer to end the shutdown on the Senate floor this afternoon. Now, this is according to a Democratic aide briefed on Schumer's plan. Schumer is expected to speak in about 15 minutes.

[14:15:00]

We will monitor his speech and let you know and bring you the latest as it happens.

HILL: We're looking for that. Meantime, the military is investigating a suspicious package sent to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. That package made seven people feel sick. They were actually treated at a hospital, then released. Sources telling CNN, the package contained an unknown white powder along with political propaganda.

MATTINGLY: Now, it's important to know Joint Base Andrews is home to Air Force one. It's the military base near Washington where the president and other foreign leaders frequently fly in and out of. Joining us now to discuss, CNN's Senior Law Enforcement Analyst, Charles Ramsey. Sir, appreciate your time. What was your first thought when you heard about this white powder in a suspicious package?

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, for me, it was a bit of a flashback. I was Chief in Washington, D.C. in 2001 when we had the anthrax murders take place. These are cases that you have to take very seriously. Normally, it's kind of a false alarm, but it's very possible that some kind of substance, you had seven people that took ill as a result of that. They don't yet know exactly what it was. But you have to take these things very, very seriously. But that's the first thing I thought when I first heard, especially when I learned that for people who actually were ill as a result of the exposure.

HILL: Yeah, I have to say, my mind went there too. And obviously, so much has learned from each investigation, you build on what you learn. So even that coming back, but the fact that this initial test from the hazmat team did not detect a hazardous material and yet seven people still felt sick, where do you go with that? What do you make of that?

RAMSEY: Well, they're going to have to continue to analyze the substance. I'm sure they -- one of the first things they did was test for anthrax for an example, and then probably fentanyl. I mean, so there were some things that they probably tested for right off the bat. That didn't result in a positive reading. So now, they're continuing to try to break it down to find out exactly what it is that caused people to get ill.

MATTINGLY: One of the things I was struck by, the package was actually opened inside the building at JBA. Does that surprise you? Given it's a military base used by the president. I just long assumed there were procedures in place for handling any type of suspicious package.

RAMSEY: Yeah, it does. A lot of facilities like that, and I would've thought that perhaps they had an offsite location where they process packages prior to it actually getting on the base. I know after the anthrax investigation in 2001, they created a system like that where packages coming in to Washington, to the Capitol, to the White House or wherever, there was an offsite screening location. And again, that minimizes the risk to the actual facility itself.

HILL: CNN sources also say that there was political propaganda in that suspicious package. How does that change, or in some ways, I guess, enhance the investigation here?

RAMSEY: Well, I mean, from an investigative standpoint, I mean, that's something that you're certainly going to take a deep dive and a look into. You don't want to draw any conclusions right away. I mean, you have to wait until you're able to put enough facts together to know the motive behind this. They're also tracing the origins of the package. I mean, did it come in through the post office? UPS? FedEx? But able to trace the path that it took in order to get there, so they're able to backtrack to a great extent, and hopefully they can find who it is that was responsible for mailing that particular package.

But the fact that it had that propaganda, obviously, that's something you have to look into. But you -- in any investigation, to draw conclusions too soon, it just calls you to create tunnel vision and you start going down a path that may turn out to be a dead end. You just don't know.

MATTINGLY: Charles Ramsey, always appreciate your expertise, sir. Thanks so much.

RAMSEY: Thank you.

MATTINGLY: Well, Day 38 of the government shutdown, lawmakers don't seem to be closer to reaching a deal to reopen the federal government. But, will a new offer from Senate Democrats actually move the needle? We're going to be live on Capitol Hill with the latest on the negotiations. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:23:53]

HILL: So minutes from now, Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer is set to unveil a unified democratic offer, he says, to end the shutdown. That's according to an aide who was briefed on the plans. Senate Democrats have been holding out for firm commitments from Republicans that they will address rising healthcare costs. CNN's Arlette Saenz is on Capitol Hill at this hour. So Arlette, what more we know about this unified front, apparently?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica, in just a few minutes, we expect Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer to take to the Senate floor to outline this counter offer from Democrats. Sources who have been briefed on the plan tell us that essentially this plan will lay out a one-year extension of those expiring Obamacare subsidies in addition, to voting to fund the government into January. Plus, they want to pass these full-year appropriations bills for three agencies, three areas. And then on top of that, they want to include some demands to ensure that Trump cannot overtake Congress' power of the purse. Now that one-year extension of the Obamacare subsidies is key here.

[14:25:00]

And it's unlikely that Republicans will get on board with that because they -- many have said that if there is an extension of these expiring Obamacare subsidies, they want to see some reforms to the program. But really this counter offer for Democrats offers them the ability to show that they are united around a plan, as Republicans have tried to craft a plan with some Democratic Senators to reopen the government in a similar fashion.

But the thing that's different is that Republicans have said that they would just offer a vote date certain on those expiring Obamacare subsidies. What Democrats have argued is they want commitments that this is actually going to pass, that it'll pass the Senate. That House Speaker Mike Johnson will put it up for a vote on the floor and that President Trump will sign it into law. And what the Republican proposal so far has been doesn't quite guarantee that. But Democrats are really feeling emboldened and a lot of momentum after the Tuesday elections where Democratic candidates swept in races across the country. That is something that Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin spoke to earlier today. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN, (D-WI): A lot changed this week. We had an election on Tuesday where voters resoundingly said, we can't afford to make ends meet. We can reopen government and bring down these healthcare costs at the same time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: So we will see what exactly Schumer details in just a few minutes and whether this will fall flat with Republicans or if there might be some room for negotiations in this offer.

HILL: In terms of Republicans, Senator Thune had said he was holding, planning to hold another vote later today, also said they might be working through the weekend. What more are we hearing from him?

SAENZ: Yeah, so there's a few items to consider when it comes to votes. Senate Majority Leader, John Thune has said that he plans to bring up a vote later today on a bill from Republican Senator Ron Johnson that would pay some federal workers during this shutdown. It's unclear whether Democrats would actually get on board with the plan, but then there's the next question about when they might be opening -- voting to reopen the government. Thune indicated that could come today, that could come tomorrow, but he is preparing Senators up here to work through the weekend as folks are eager to try to find an end to the shutdown. It just does not seem, or it does not appear evident immediately whether they actually will be able to come to an agreement to make that happen.

HILL: All right, we will be watching. Arlette, appreciate it, as always. Thank you. Well, as mentioned of course, we are keeping a close eye on the Senate floor at this hour. Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer set to present that unified Democratic offer to end the shutdown. We're going to speak with a Republican lawmaker about the standoff, next.