Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Virginia Democrats Push Plan to Flip Up to 4 GOP House Seats; New CNN Poll: 58 Percent Call Trump's First Year of Second Term a Failure; Opposition Leader Machado Thanks Trump for Venezuela Action; Trump Voices Reluctance to Nominate Hassett as Fed Chair. Aired 2:30- 3p ET

Aired January 16, 2026 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Virginia is now the latest state to escalate the nationwide redistricting battle ahead of November's midterm elections.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Yes, a lot of states up to this today. Democrats who control the Virginia State Senate moved forward on a constitutional amendment on redistricting. It is aimed at flipping as many as four GOP-held seats -- U.S. House seats.

CNN's Arlette Saenz joins us now. So, Arlette, how quickly might this work, and what's the betting on this right now? What does it look like it would follow in the footsteps, say, of California?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the latest efforts from Democrats to try to pick up some more House seats in this upcoming midterm election. This was a significant step from the state legislator as both chambers passed this constitutional amendment, but now it heads to voters to have a final say. They have not set a date yet for this referendum, but we are expecting that this could occur as soon as April.

So that's when Virginia voters would vote on whether or not they wanted to bypass a bipartisan commission on redistricting to allow these maps to go into effect for 2026. One thing worth noting is that Virginia Democrats have yet to release the maps that they want voters to vote on. That could come in the coming months, but they could pick up as many as 10 seats.

Right now, the --

[14:35:00]

SCIUTTO: 10 total.

SAENZ: Yes, 10 total. Right now, the breakdown is six Democratic seats from Virginia and the U.S. House, five Republican. There are state party leaders who have indicated they might try to change that to 10- 1, but we will see what they release. But really, this is just the latest in an ongoing battle and war over redistricting. The situation in Virginia is very similar to California. Remember there, the voters voted and moved ahead with redistricting. So Virginia Democrats are hoping that that will be the case in their state as well.

BROWN: All right, thank you.

SCIUTTO: Yes, it's a big deal. Thanks so much, Arlette Saenz.

Well, less than a year ago, President Trump was getting some of his most positive ratings of his political career.

BROWN: But new CNN polling shows public opinion on nearly every aspect of his first year back in the White House is negative, with most Americans, nearly 60 percent, calling the first year of his second term a failure, which could spell more trouble for Republicans in the midterms.

So let's get into the why of it all with Chuck Todd, host of the Chuck Toddcast. Hi there. Good to see you. So how worried should the Trump team and Republicans up for reelection in 2026 be by these numbers?

CHUCK TODD, HOST, THE CHUCK TODDCAST: Well, certainly the Republicans, the ones on the ballot are the folks that are should be the most worried because this is -- there's already a pattern, right, in the Trump era that when Trump's not on the ballot, overall Republican performance goes down. Now you throw in unpopularity of the president who's not on the ballot, which of course fires up the Democrats and the Democratic base. And we've seen this already in special elections, right, where and in you're referring to Virginia.

How about the Virginia elections, right, and New Jersey just a few months ago? So they should be quite worried. And you know, right now they do have the White House to blame.

It is you have a -- I think you have a country that doesn't like the state of this economy and it doesn't look like the president is focused on it, right? Whether it's Venezuela, whether it's Iran, whether it's a peace prize, whether it's the Kennedy Center, whether it's -- it is very easy to make the campaign argument, right?

You and I, we've all done this for a long time. We can already see the ads. He promised to bring down prices here and instead tariffs have actually increased prices.

But he's more worried about this. He's not focused on this. It's an easy campaign to run when you're the party out of power.

And frankly, we've seen this midterm. We've seen versions of this midterm election in various forms. Pretty much my entire adult life where you can essentially say, hey, the president and that party, they're focused on other stuff. They're not focused on you.

And whenever you can make that message credibly, it's usually a big winner in a midterm election. Because you're you don't have to propose new ideas. You just have to oppose.

That's what also gives the opposition almost an easier time making their case.

SCIUTTO: Trump does seem to be aware of this. Right. Given some of the moves and announcements he's made in recent days and weeks, you think of like limits, for instance, on credit card costs. Whether he can do that or not is another issue or, you know, talk about limiting banks ownership of single family homes.

Wanting to keep interest rates down is frankly part of this. Right. Are those things likely to make a difference, right? From a policy standpoint. I mean, if he's able to get them through.

TODD: Well, and look in Republicans that I've talked to, they're very hopeful that somehow the next three months are going to be a financial shot in the arm to some of these voters that are not happy with the direction of things now. Right. You're going to have the Big, Beautiful Bill.

These tax cuts are going to kick in. You're going to have people that are going to get some tax refunds thanks to no tax on tips. And obviously, he's hoping the lower interest rates then, of course, bring down the cost of buying a home and that all of this could and that, you know, three months from now, all of a sudden, the feelings that it looks like at least trajectory things are going well.

The problem is it's not clear that's going to happen. You have other headwinds coming the other way. Right. You have the rising cost of electric bills.

These data centers that's suddenly becoming a new problem on the affordability front. And there's no easy solution there. And you're right.

The president's taken note. But rhetoric is one thing. Policy is another.

Then you also have that, you know, the tariff inflation fear has been a bit delayed. But this is the year where companies are going to stop eating the tariff costs and start passing on the cost to consumers. So that's the problem I think he has.

He's got a few things they're hopeful about, that the tax cut kicks in and lower interest rates with a new Fed share will sort of create some -- create some stimulus. But there are still too many headwinds that probably mute that stimulus. And, you know, I will tell you this history says whatever the country -- whatever the economy is about four months before Election Day is what voters will feel the economy as come Election Day.

[14:40:00]

So why do I say that? If people still feel this negative about the economy Memorial Day, a blue wave is going to is probably on the rise.

BROWN: And how does the the immigration policy fit into this picture, Chuck? Because a majority of Americans believe Trump's deportation policies have gone too far. That's up 7 percent from last February, down three points from July.

TODD: Right.

BROWN: For those who approve of Trump's job so far as handling of immigration is their number one reason. How should the Trump team balance these two realities?

TODD: This is the I think this is a bit of a political trap that they're in, right, because the base loves what he's doing. And you just point out and it still is the issue that he pulls best on, even as all of his numbers have gone down. But the but the problem is there's this, you have the core mega base, which I think we now see is about 35 percent.

But, you know, think of -- if he's got to find another sort of 15 percent, right, that that those voters who voted for Trump, not because they want -- maybe they wanted less chaos at the border, but they don't like the tactics. And then there's also -- there is an economic piece to this, right, which is the the the fear that has hit immigrant communities has impacted the ability to for meatpackers, right, whether it's on chicken or beef.

And we've seen the cost of beef and chicken go up, which is actually directly correlated with this surge in immigration enforcement, because these are jobs that have been filled with a lot of folks that are either undocumented or are here legally, but also maybe they're in mixed households and they're afraid and they've been keeping a lower profile. All of that has contributed to a labor issue in those sectors, which does what? Increases the cost of chicken and beef at the grocery store. So there's some indirect impact on that in immigration.

Never mind that you have a majority of the country not liking the tactics that they're using.

SCIUTTO: And by the way, business leaders have been warning about exactly that effect for some time. Chuck, before we go, I think there's a football game on Monday between two, you know, media sized universities. Any predictions?

TODD: Who do you think I'm rooting for? I can't wait --

(CROSSTALK)

SCIUTTO: Come on, they're the underdog.

TODD: You can't quite see it. Do I just need to do this? Is that all that's necessary?

SCIUTTO: Is that with your heart or your head? Is your heart or your head?

TODD: Can you imagine being an underdog at home? I'm going to the game. We're very excited.

My daughter's a senior at the University of Miami. It's a family affair. My mother's a graduate from there.

It's a whole Todd family affair. So we're very excited.

BROWN: Wow! Hope you have a great time.

TODD: Good luck.

BROWN: Sounds like a lot of fun. All right. Chuck Todd.

TODD: And me too. OK. Thank you so much. Go Cades.

BROWN: Well, it is the first known visit by a U.S. official since Nicolas Maduro's capture. After the break, details on the meeting between the CIA director and Venezuela's acting president and what it could mean for the path forward.

[14:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Venezuela's opposition leaders still making the rounds here in Washington after talks with President Trump at a visit to Capitol Hill on Thursday. Maria Corina Machado spoke to reporters at the Heritage Foundation this afternoon, a day after gifting her own Nobel Peace Prize to President Trump. Which, by the way, the committee says you can't do, it's not transferable. She expressed praise for the U.S. raid that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA CORINA MACHADO, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER, NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE: As Venezuelans, we are absolutely grateful to President Trump, his team, his administration, and the people of the United States, because it took a lot of courage to do what he did. And he did it, yes, on behalf of the American people, but also because he cares for the people of Venezuela. And he told me that yesterday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: We are learning new details on exactly how many people were killed in that pre-dawn U.S. operation. The country's defense minister says 47 Venezuelan military personnel were killed. We're learning that CIA Director John Radcliffe traveled to Venezuela to meet with the acting President Delcy Rodriguez in Caracas.

On Thursday, a U.S. official says he told her that Venezuela can no longer be a safe haven for America's adversaries, particularly narco- traffickers. CNN's global affairs analyst Kim Dozier is here. I wonder what you think of this Radcliffe meeting there.

Is that him giving a seal of approval to Delcy Rodriguez or putting her on notice, or perhaps both?

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: I think both. I mean, he's the highest ranking Trump administration official who can safely travel there, take the temperature, and also lay down the law and say, you know, we're serious about these things and the pressure will stay on. We have to see progress in all of these areas.

The hard part this week has been watching Maria Corina Machado do this delicate and humiliating dance of trying to stay on Trump's good side so that he will eventually support elections and a transition of power inside Venezuela.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I mean, right up to and including giving her -- giving him her Nobel Peace Prize. But it seems that Delcy Rodriguez is doing the same sort of charm offensive to some degree. Because President Trump has praised her just as well, saying she's a great leader. Well, one thing that Trump has not said is that he's in any rush towards a democratic transition there or setting up elections.

It'll come in good time, in effect.

[14:50:00]

DOZIER: Trump has made clear that what he's looking for is enough stability in the existing government to stop the narco-traffickers, rob Russia and China of Venezuelan oil, and also cut off Venezuelan oil and support to Cuba, hoping that that will be the next domino to fall. And if that means keeping an authoritarian government in power, he's fine with that.

It makes a certain degree of sense in that Venezuela is this almost tribal system of interlocking factions that have been taking money from the oil and drug industry. And if you go after the people at the top, a massive civil war of people who will be cut off from this gravy train could ensue.

SCIUTTO: That's the point, is that the government is the narco- trafficker.

DOZIER: Yes.

SCIUTTO: I mean, it wasn't just Nicolas Maduro who was dealing in this stuff. They all had their fingers in the pot. So they have to suddenly find God or just say, well, if I stay in the business, I might get plucked by a U.S. special operations team as well.

DOZIER: Well, now you see this competition between Delcy, who is saying to the U.S. government, I can maintain stability, give you access to the resources, and sure, we'll cut off the narco- traffickers. The problem is some of the people below her are not going to be taking these orders. Some of the hinterlands outside of the urban areas in Venezuela are really run as little fiefdoms by generals who operate as de facto drug lords.

So in the short term, she's probably going to be able to keep the Trump administration happy, and Machado's just going to need to bide her time, wait for when the cracks start showing and the people start getting angry with the fact that resources, that the economy still isn't getting any better. And that's when Machado can step in and say, hey, there need to be elections now, and we've got a plan. SCIUTTO: In terms of Congress's role, it just swung and missed on a war powers resolution --

DOZIER: Yes.

SCIUTTO: -- as Josh Hawley flipped in the end. And now you have the president rattling the saber to attack Iran again. I mean, is Congress standing in the way at all of President Trump's quite expansive use of military powers, not just in Venezuela, Iran?

You named the next target, Greenland.

DOZIER: So far, it hasn't blown back on the White House. And unless Trump still might go ahead with some sort of strike on Iran, which could produce violence against U.S. bases in the region, U.S. targets in the region, ballistic missiles aimed at Israel. I think the reason they had to call off the attack right now, one of the main reasons, other than the Iranian regime saying, no, we're not going to execute anyone, is that they don't have a carrier strike group in the Gulf to protect Israel and those bases.

But if something causes a massive loss or even a fairly large loss of U.S. troops or U.S. life, then Congress is going to sit up and take notice.

SCIUTTO: Kim Dozier, always good to have you. Thanks so much.

Did President Trump just give us a hint about his plans for the Federal Reserve? That's next. You're watching CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

[14:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: New today, the president may have tipped his hand a bit when it comes to his plans for the Federal Reserve. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I see Kevin's in the audience, and I just want to thank you. You were fantastic on television today. I actually want to keep you where you are, if you want to know the truth.

Kevin Hassett is so good, I'm saying, wait a minute, if I move him, these Fed guys, certainly the one we have now, they don't talk much. I would lose you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: I wonder if that's a signal. Hassett is widely seen as a possibility, perhaps the leading one for the next Fed chair. But in the TV interview the president referred to there, Hassett called Powell a quote, good man and raised doubts about whether the investigation into Powell would uncover any wrongdoing. CNN's Matt Egan joins us now. Matt, I wonder, I mean, are we getting a hint there that the president did not like Hassett's comments on the air that might affect his decision for the Fed chair?

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Jim, it does seem like the president's comments inject a whole lot more drama into this race over who is going to succeed Jerome Powell at the Fed. And look, this decision is one of the most important nominations that any president has to make, but especially this one, given all of his scrutiny over the Fed and interest rates. And up until now, really, Kevin Hassett had been viewed as one of the frontrunners, if not the frontrunner.

But the odds of Hassett succeeding Powell got cut in half today on prediction market Kalshi. Now the market sees just a 16 percent chance. And now people think that the another Kevin, former Fed governor Kevin Warsh, is the odds on favorite to succeed Hassett. And an existing governor at the Fed, Christopher Waller, is also seen as one of the contenders here.

And Jim, look, whoever gets this job is going to have to figure out how to get interest rates back down without reigniting all of the inflation concerns that have upset voters so much over the past few years.

SCIUTTO: It'd be pretty remarkable if a comment on television changed the fundamental decision making on the chairman of the Fed. President Trump also expected to issue a plan next week to allow Americans use their retirement funds to purchase a home. That would be unusual.

Tell us what the intention is here.

EGAN: Yes, well, look, we don't know many of the details here. Hassett said that the president is likely to announce a plan next week at Davos. But the idea here is to allow people to tap their 401k to fund their down payments, right?

Median home prices are $400,000 right now. So you're talking about $80,000 ...

END