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Trump's First Year Marked by Tensions; Leaders Speak out at Davos; Gordon Sondland is Interviewed about Tariff Threats; Cold Snap Freezes Millions in U.S.. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired January 20, 2026 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN CHIEF SUPREME COURT ANALYST: And, you know, just what remedies exist when states have drawn maps, congressional district maps, that dilute the power of minority voters. Dilute the chances for blacks and Hispanics to elect a candidate of their own. Can states then be forced to draw districts that are majority/minority districts, that give Latinos or blacks a chance, a greater chance, at political power? For decades the 1965 Voting Rights Act has been read that way to, you know, enhance, voting protections after there's been proven discrimination. But that's been challenged as a potential violation of the Equal Protection Act of the Constitution. And the justices are going to decide just how far the 1965 law extends.

And what's important, John, one last thing is that we've got electoral deadlines coming up for the 2026 election cycle. So, states are looking to see, can they redistrict, can they eliminate some of these majority black districts, or will they have to live with them for now? So, we'll see. And I'll be in the courtroom right at 10:00, John, and we'll see what the justices do today.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: It's a short walk. We'll let you get to it.

Joan Biskupic, thank you so much for being with us. We will hear from you again shortly.

A brand-new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Markets on edge today. Opening bell on Wall Street just 30 minutes away. What is scaring them? President Trump's tariff threats now over Greenland. We are watching this very closely.

Plus, a 100-car pileup on a Michigan interstate. Such a powerful winter storm still sweeping across the country. Where this weather is now headed.

And the rags to riches story coming out of Indiana. It was a perfect ending to a literally perfect football season. We'll take you to Miami, where the Hoosiers won their first ever college football national title.

I'm Kate Bolduan, with John Berman and Sara Sidner. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. BERMAN: All right, I want to take a live look at futures. There we go.

A live look at futures right now ahead of the opening bell. All the major indexes down sharply. This is investors saying they are rattled over what the president said and wrote overnight about Greenland. The president shared a screenshot of a private text message from Emmanuel Macron of France. In it Macron says, quote, "I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland."

And just in, a NATO official confirmed that a text the president shared from Secretary General Mark Rutte is real. Rutte said, quote, "I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland," which is controlled by NATO member Denmark.

Of course, the president also texted with Norway's leader, tying his desire to acquire Greenland to losing out on the Nobel Peace Prize. He talks a lot about the Nobel Peace Prize. And he was the one who linked it with Greenland, though now maybe he seems to be trying to back off that a bit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, I don't care about the Nobel prize.

They have a board, but it's controlled by Norway. And I don't care what Norway says. But I really don't care about that. What I care about is saving lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: With us now, heavy hitters, CNN's Dana Bash and John King.

Great to have you both here this morning.

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John.

BERMAN: I am struck by what the president did overnight after leaving the football game. All kinds of social media posts about Greenland, putting up text messages, putting up these memes, these A.I.-generated memes of him planting an American flag over Greenland. All that activity overlaid, Dana, with this, you know, new CNN poll that came out last week, which asked, does Trump have the right priorities? Thirty-six percent said, yes, 64 percent said no.

So, overlay what we've seen over the last 12 hours with what this CNN poll has said.

BASH: Well, you have to overlay one other thing, which is the way that this president approaches his job and has for the last almost exactly a year. In three hours it will be exactly a year since he became president again. And that is not only not to back down, but the more people tell him, don't do x, y, or z, the more he wants to do it.

And this has been certainly the sort of hallmark of his approach, even -- and I actually should say one other sort of aspect of what's going on here. There have been a lot of things that people privately, over the last year, have said, don't do, but they have been afraid to speak out publicly. And that's one of the reasons why the president has been able to just kind of go and go forward and do what he wants no matter what.

This is a situation where you have some Republicans who almost never speak out and say, Mr. President, put the brakes on it, who are saying that.

[09:05:08]

And he's not used to that. He's not listening. And he is determined to go forward because he doesn't take no for an answer, because he hasn't had the word no in his face much over the last year.

BERMAN: You know, in the same poll, John, you know, we asked voters, which is the most important issue facing the country. And if you put the list up, you don't see Greenland anywhere on that list.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No.

BERMAN: You see the economy number one there to be sure. You've been out most recently to Iowa, we ran the piece a little bit earlier, talking to voters. Did they see their priorities being the subject of focus here?

KING: You have a lot of even Trump voters saying, Mr. President, come back to why we elected you, which was, you promised you would cut prices and the cost of living would go down fast and quickly. You actually said it would be easy. Our lives don't represent that one year into the new Trump term. Most Trump voters are happy that illegal immigration is way, way down. Some raise questions about the tone and what the pictures we're seeing, and the images we're seeing and the violence we're seeing.

Look, the through line of one year of Trump back in the White House is power. Whether it's exercising power on immigration, exercising power on American streets using the National Guard or using ICE, now trying to exercise power in the world. But, John, I think I'm the oldest person in this conversation. Here's a sentence I never thought I would speak as a journalist. Western European democracies are sending troops to Greenland for military exercises designed to deter the United States of America.

And so, you have this through line of power in the first term. I think the problem for Trump and the problem for Republicans, Dana just noted some are starting to speak up now, is another word is coming back that are -- quite familiar from the first term, which is, chaos and unpredictability. And that is a recipe for political trouble, if not disaster, for Republicans. We're marking one year of Trump. We're also raising the curtain in a midterm election year in which Republicans, if you ask them today, they think the House is gone and we're nervous about a whole lot of other things.

BERMAN: Yes, he's walking in territory that voters seem to be saying, almost shouting, they don't want him to be in there. He's focusing on the wrong priorities, they say. And the things he is focused on, just take the Greenland issue for one second, again, you know, should the U.S. take control of Greenland, 25 percent favor it, 75 percent oppose it. So, they don't even like the issue that he's focused on here.

And, Dana, to John's point there about where the president may be going too far, I had Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis on just a few minutes ago, and I was surprised -- she was critical about the president's focus on Greenland, but also in some cases on immigration as well, specifically saying, yes, she's thrilled about the numbers at the border, but that it's going too far in some cases in her district. I was surprised to hear a Republican speaking so openly about that.

BASH: Yes, it really is very telling. She's seeing the same numbers that we are. She is likely hearing from it -- from her constituents. I mean she represents Staten Island. It's not exactly a bastion of liberalism. So, it's understandable why you're surprised.

And, you know, just think about what the president is going to do tonight. He's going to Davos. And what the White House had said was that he's going to go to Davos, and he's going to talk about affordability. I mean you can, first of all, just question that. You're going to spend time with the richest people on the planet, and you're going to talk to them about the issue that people can't afford food on their table in his home country.

But putting that aside, let's just say he was going to talk about housing, which might be something that people could relate to. The conversation in Davos is going to be all about Greenland, because that's what people want to know. Yes, it's an economic forum, but this is a crisis moment when it comes to the alliance that has held western democracies together since after World War II.

So, even in this trip, which is, you know, raises some eyebrows among some, the focus isn't going to be on the issue that people in America want him to focus on more than anything else. And that's the kind of thing you're hearing from Malliotakis.

BERMAN: Affordability in Davos is an Austin Martin instead of a Ferrari.

John, you know, I'm old enough to remember, you know, the "Vanity Fair" piece on Susie Wiles, where Susie Wiles clearly, specifically, like, shouting from the rafters, we're going to be laser focused on the economy and affordability. There's a map here for the president. He just doesn't seem willing to look at it.

KING: There's a long line of people who have said that we're going to get Donald Trump more focused. We're going to keep Donald Trump focused. Donald Trump is Donald Trump. He beat -- marches to his own drum here. He's the leader of the Republican Party, but he seems to forget that most of the time heading into an election year, right?

And so, look, he is who he is. That's the -- he's the most consistent and transparent president in my lifetime, in the sense that this has been a -- this -- since coming down the escalator, you know, I'll get him more focused, I'll keep him disciplined.

[09:10:01]

It never happens. He does what he wants to do.

And back to the Greenland and Dana's point, it's about -- Davos is now about more than Greenland. And why does the American president want to take control of a, you know, Dutch territory in which already the United States can pretty much do what it wants militarily? You can have security. They keep saying they want to work with us. You now have the president of the United States releasing private texts from international leaders. Now they know that risk is there, which is why they're careful in those texts. But can we trust you? You have the president of United States saying, I'll put Vladimir Putin on my new Gaza peace board. Really? How do you think that's going over in Europe, where Vladimir Putin is still trying to take Ukraine and, as we speak, overnight launching drones on residential buildings.

And so, this is a remaking of the world. In one year of Donald Trump, a remaking of, can we trust him, and, more broadly, can we trust the United States of America as we try to go forward? So, internationally, Trump has flipped the world literally upside down in terms of what do we do here.

And then I'll come back to the point here, because it's what I do for a living. We are in an election year where I can tell you anecdotally from being on the road and all the data you just went through and keep reading through that poll, underwater on the economy, underwater on immigration, underwater on healthcare, underwater on commander in chief and foreign affairs. The president is in a ditch. And much of that ditch, John, is of his own making.

BERMAN: You guys are both so right to point out the many layers to what's happening right now and the many layers to what we'll see on stage at Davos.

Dana Bash, John King, great to see you both this morning. Thank you so much for coming on. And go Patriots.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Let's talk more about what is going down in Davos right now. Just minutes ago, France's president, Emmanuel Macron, speaking out from Davos, from the World Economic Forum, and speaking out against Trump's new tariff threat over Greenland.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON, FRANCE: We do believe that we need more growth. We need more stability in this world. But we do prefer respect to bullies. We do prefer science to politicism, and we do prefer rule of law to brutality.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: The EU chief, Ursula von der Leyen, also speaking out today, saying Greenland's sovereignty and integrity are, quote, "non- negotiable."

CNN's Nic Robertson joining us from Greenland with some important perspective from there.

They are the talk of Davos. What are you hearing there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, we've heard -- yes, we've heard from the Greenland prime minister today speaking at a press conference. He said they wouldn't be sending a delegation to Davos. He said that he was very grateful for the support that he's getting from the European Union, from people like Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen. He said that Greenland was a friend of the United States and a friend of NATO.

But it's very clear from the perspective here, they are incredibly worried. We've heard that the Greenland government requested that Danish authorities send emergency responders here to Greenland. That has happened. They've arrived. Their job while they're here is to secure communication points, secure critical infrastructure, prepare for an early warning system and generally give communicate -- crisis communications advice. Those emergency teams that have come in from -- come in from Denmark are in addition to the increase in troop numbers that Denmark sent in yesterday. We're down here by the Danish navy. They've just sent another warship out on a patrol into the -- into the Arctic waters here.

This country is watching Davos probably closer than any other country in the world right now. They know what they're going to hear there is going to be critically important. And they heard from Ursula von der Leyen before talking about a new independence for Europe, which they think they'd be part of.

This is what Ursula von der Leyen said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT: In business, a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something.

Plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape. So, our response will be unflinching

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: So, you've had the Danish prime minister as well today echoing on those themes that if there are tariffs put on Europe by the United States, there would be a response. Danish prime minister saying, if that's going to happen, absolutely there will be a tariff- type response. That really echoes what Ursula von der Leyen was saying.

We've also heard from an opposition member of parliament here in Greenland saying, look, if the United States invades, then Greenlanders will fight back. That's feisty rhetoric. But it's a change in tone that we're -- that we're hearing here in Greenland at the moment.

BOLDUAN: Nick, so thankful you're there. Thank you for your continued reporting.

Sara.

[09:15:01]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, joining us now is the former U.S. ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland.

Thank you for being here.

Look, Europe, as we are hearing, their leadership appears to be fighting back. They are speaking strongly against Trump's rhetoric on Greenland. They are sending troops to Greenland for a joint operation. What is the president's point of taking Greenland, which has been an ally where we have had, the United States has had its troops there for a very, very long time. In fact, they lessened the number of troops that were there.

GORDON SONDLAND, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE EUROPEAN UNION: Well, good morning, Sara.

Let's clear up a couple of things. First of all, the United States is not going to take Greenland by force. This is an issue that President Trump brought up in his first term through his ambassador to Greenland. And it is becoming a more critical piece of real estate given our future reliance on Golden Dome and our future reliance on rare earths.

What President Trump is trying to do is to focus the EU on its importance and preemptively box out Russia and China. If we did nothing, if we just held the status quo, he's absolutely correct, there's virtually no defense of the island. And very, very insidiously, all of a sudden you could wake up one day and someone has built a weather station or a dock or an outpost, and then you have to engage one of our adversaries directly to kick them off. What he's trying to do is foreclose all of that and immediately focus the Europeans on this issue as we start investing billions and billions of dollars in a very novel and effective defense system.

SIDNER: So -- so --

SONDLAND: He's not doing a great job of explaining what he's doing. Go ahead.

SIDNER: Yes. I mean, he's saying that military action is not off the table. And everyone that has been speaking around him is saying, no, no, no, he's not going to do that. But he is saying it's not off the table and he is threatening. And so, I guess the question is, if it's so important, why not just put bases back there, have more of the bases that were closed down, instead of making these threats? Wouldn't that work?

SONDLAND: Well, that's the Trump style and I'm not going to try to explain or apologize. But let me tell you something, there are going to be numerous meetings in Davos between Trump and our allies. And I predict something will come out of Davos, or shortly thereafter, that will more greatly solidify our position in Greenland, make it clear that Russia and China have no place in Greenland of any kind in the future, not even the teeny tiniest bit of claim on that island. And that's what Trump is trying to do. He's looking at ten or 20 or 30 years from now. He's not looking at tomorrow. And, no, we're not going to fight NATO. We're not going to fight the EU, and we're not pulling out of NATO either. The Europeans are always offended by everything. And, you know, if I had to count how many times I've spoke --

SIDNER: You don't think that anything -- Ambassador, wait, Ambassador, you don't think that anything that Trump has said has been offensive? You don't think that if it was reversed, that the United States, that he would be offended if he used -- some of that language was used on him? I mean you don't think that making these threats that he is going to take it and that it should be part of the United States is something that should alarm Europe or Denmark?

SONDLAND: Of course it's offensive. That's his playbook. And you've been watching this, Sara, for years. That's how he gets these people focused. They have a long and treasured history of playing rope a dope on every issue and on every subject, save two issues and two subjects. One is regulation. They can move rapidly to pass additional regulations, and they can move rapidly to increase their taxes. Other than that, they move glacially on every other issue. And what Trump is trying to do is he's checking his watch, not his calendar.

But yes, you're correct, of course they're offended. But in that offense comes a meeting and comes an outcome. And that's what he wants. And he wants the outcome in days and weeks, not in decades.

SIDNER: When you look at what's happening here, you do not see any chance that there will be a breakup of NATO, for example. That this one key issue, that Greenland would be sort of the impetus for NATO to say the United States no longer belongs here with us?

SONDLAND: Zero chance. Zero.

SIDNER: You heard it here. Ambassador Sondland, thank you so much. I do appreciate it.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: A blast of bone-chilling cold across the country, leading to dangerous snow hitting the Midwest and causing this massive pileup.

[09:20:06]

And this winter weather, not yet over. We've got the latest forecast for you ahead and what we're watching very closely.

Also this, four shark attacks in 48 hours. Australia now shutting down multiple beaches after a sudden spike in shark encounters. We've got new details on what they're dealing with this morning.

And how one 95-year-old man is smashing world records with his Rubik's cube.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SIDNER: Right now, it is frigid. Millions are getting hit with the coldest air of the season. Freezing temperatures, subzero highs. And look at those wind chills that feel downright brutal. They cut through you. And this arctic surge is setting up a powerful winter storm that's expected to sweep across multiple states, even reaching the south by the weekend.

[09:25:00]

Let's go to meteorologist Chris Warren tracking it all.

We have seen the scenes that are disturbing. There's one in Michigan. But this isn't just going to stop there, right?

CHRIS WARREN, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right. This is a reminder, absolutely, in western Michigan, of what can happen. The dangers of winter weather. This likely the result -- or this can happen as the result of snow, slippery conditions, and low visibility. It just kind of sneaks up on you and you don't really see it until it's too late and you just can't stop.

What we do see, and what we are looking at going forward, is the potential for a significant ice storm. Get to that in a moment.

First the snow. This is what is still to come because of the lake- enhanced or lake-effect snow and pockets, still a foot, maybe a couple of feet when it's all said and done, could have snow that's measurable in a yardstick -- with a yardstick around the Great Lakes.

Here's a look at the temperatures. Another one of the dangers of winter weather. Dangerously cold conditions and exposed skin getting frostbite and just being downright uncomfortable. Going to get a brief warm up. That's the green and the light blue. And then much colder air is going to move in by the end of the week and into the weekend.

This sets the stage, which could end up being a high impact event here. Now, what we're talking about, green, rain, the purple is snow and the pink, this middle color right here, that's ice. That's when the rain falls, hits something, freezes on contact. Roads, sidewalks, trees, power lines. So, this is when power outages can end up being a huge deal, possibly lasting for days.

This is still several days away, but the forecast models are giving us more confidence that something is going to happen. Exactly who gets the worst of it, how bad it's going to be, remains to be seen. But the hints, the signals that we're looking at, at the moment do show that this could end up being a high-impact and widespread, dangerous and long lasting ice and snow event.

SIDNER: Yes, people really need to pay attention to what's happening in their area because this could be a really big, bad one.

Thank you so much, Chris Warren. I do appreciate it. And I have to say, I hate ice. I love snow, but I hate ice. I'm always slipping and falling and it is so, so dangerous.

BERMAN: Stay up north then the next few days because it's going to be bad.

SIDNER: I'm going to stay home. You can do the show.

BERMAN: All right, a driver -- a driver smashes their car through the front doors of a police department. This happened in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, just outside Worcester. Why investigators believe the crash could be intentional.

And we are just minutes away from the opening bell. It has been a tense morning and night on Wall Street. Futures pointing down sharply this morning. This is all about being on edge over the president's latest tariff threats over Greenland, on all the social media posts overnight. It didn't seem to help matters either. The president heads today to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Leaders there are bracing for some tense moments.

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