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CNN International: Elon Musk's Initial Email Deadline For Federal Workers Expires; Some Economists Say Mass Federal Layoffs Could Impact Families & Local Economies But Not Dent Overall U.S. Economy; Missouri GOP Lawmaker Jeered After Defending Elon Musk At Town Hall. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 25, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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PAULA NEWTON, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Hello, and a very warm welcome to our viewers from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton in New York.
Ahead right here on CNN Newsroom, Elon Musk's email ultimatum leaves federal employees in limbo, and now they're getting a second chance to respond or, apparently, face termination. What he says? Plus, the UK Prime Minister announces an increase in defense spending as a rift opens between President Trump and Europe over the future of war in Ukraine. We will have the very latest from Kyiv. And Pope Francis still in critical condition despite the Vatican's optimism.
Chaos, confusion and contradictory messages, millions of U.S. federal workers are in limbo right now after an ultimatum deadline set by Elon Musk has come and gone. Now, in a post on X on Saturday, Musk told government workers to explain what they did last week or risk losing their jobs. Now, the Office of Personnel Management then followed up with a directive in an official email. And on Monday, President Donald Trump said those who don't respond will be, quote, "semi-fired or fired." But, just a short time later, Trump's own administration directly contradicted him when the Office of Personnel Management changed course, notifying workers they, in fact, could ignore the tech billionaire's DOGE directive.
Now, as one Department of Veterans Affairs staff are put it, no one knows who is in charge and who to listen to. Here is what one federal employee told CNN's Erin Burnett.
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LATISHA THOMPSON, DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEE: Yet another scare tactic meant to humiliate, dehumanize, demoralize the federal workforce. We want to go to work every day. We are accountable to the American public and not to a billionaire.
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NEWTON: Now, in case you were wondering, Musk, in fact, remains undeterred. Monday night, he said, workers will be given another chance, but added, failure to respond a second time will result in termination.
CNN's Stephen Collinson joins me now live in Washington, and he has been following it all, not enviable work, I would say. Do we have any clarity on these very contradictory statements and how the White House will handle this going forward? I mean, I note on Monday, President Trump called this move by Elon Musk "genius".
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: I don't think there was any clarity to be had, Paula. Elon Musk is at loggerheads with some of the most MAGA-friendly cabinet secretaries that Trump has appointed and who actually agree with the need to cut the numbers of the workers in their departments. As you said, the White House personnel office is in conflict with Trump's own statements. I think the thing to watch for here is whether the political impact of this, both inside Washington with Trump and Republican lawmakers who are feeling the heat from parts of their own constituencies and outside the country, does that get to a point where Trump decides it's time to rein Elon Musk in a little bit?
To this point, the political incentive for treating federal workers badly has been quite high for Trump with his base. What I think the White House perhaps didn't remember is that it's not just a bunch of Washington elites that work for the federal government. There are plenty of people, thousands, in fact, that work throughout the country, keeping services going and including in very red Republican states. So, there is a potential for political backlash to grow. The question is whether we're at that point yet.
NEWTON: Yeah, and we are going to put some numbers and some insight to that shortly.
But, Stephen, you've been following this in its first iteration, but now in Trump 2.0, behind the scenes, are there people saying, look, this could possibly go too far and jeopardize what is a very ambitious legislative agenda, given the fact that Elon Musk, his popularity is not very high, and most people admit, look, he was not elected to anything?
COLLINSON: I think some of the pushback you're seeing from cabinet secretaries, Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, Kristi Noem at the Department of Homeland Security, these are people who are very invested in the Trump agenda, cracking down on immigration, transforming the Pentagon, but they are now also people who have the responsibility of running government departments, who have to deliver that agenda in the executive branch of the government. That's the conflict that we're seeing opening up here.
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So, I think there are people that are worried about the impact, but one difference between the first term and the second term, and this is by design by the Trump people, is that a lot of the people that might have counseled the President that perhaps this is not necessarily a good idea. It's good to cut the government, perhaps you do it in a slightly different way, not just get Elon Musk to come in with a chainsaw. They're not there anymore. There is no one in President Trump's ear who will restrain him or who will restrain Elon Musk.
So, until, I think, you get people coming out on conservative media and Fox News and warning about the political impact of this, because that's where the President gets a lot of his information, I don't think it's going to make a great deal of difference just yet.
NEWTON: There has been a little bit of that, given how many veterans are also government employees, but we will continue to watch it.
Stephen Collinson for us, as always. Thanks so much.
We do want to take a look at the impact of these mass federal layoffs, though, and the impact it could actually have on the American economy.
CNN's Matt Egan has been following this. And there are two things at work here, Matt, that you always remind us of, right? There is the larger U.S. economy, but also the fact that, as Stephen Collinson was just saying as well, the local economies matter a lot, especially considering which congressional or senate districts they're in.
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Yeah. That's right, Paula. I mean, we are talking about mass layoffs in what is the largest employer in the United States, right, the federal government. There is just over three million civilians that work in the federal government. Some context. That is basically equal to the U.S. workforces of Amazon, Walmart and UPS combined. Now, that workforce is very much under siege as Elon Musk and the Trump administration, they try to cut costs. There is estimates that we could see 2000,000 to 300,000 federal layoffs out of this effort. There is some uncertainty about that number.
But, look, the economist that I talked to, they're not overly concerned about a big spike in the unemployment rate or an imminent recession from these layoffs, because even though the federal workforce is big, the overall economy is even bigger, right? The federal workforce amounts to just under two percent of the total civilian labor force, and there is hope that a lot of the laid off workers in the federal government are going to be able to find work in the private sector.
But, to your point, I mean, first of all, this is going to cause real damage to families that depend on government paychecks to get by, and to communities that rely on federal workers. Of course, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, that is most exposed here, right, because almost a quarter of the workforce is in that Beltway area. But, because that map shows, it's not just about the Beltway, right? There is federal workers play a big role in a number of different states in the U.S., including Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio and Georgia, and there is a ripple effect here, right, because if there are layoffs, then some people could perhaps be forced to sell their homes, that could depress home values. Some people are going to be spending less money at their local stores. That could hurt those companies as well.
And Paula, as you know. I mean, we are talking about real people here, right, with real families and real dreams. I talked to a 24-year-old woman in Iowa who told me that she was shocked that she got laid off from the U.S. Geological Service on Valentine's Day, and she said that she feels like a lot of this is going to waste, because the government spent time and money training her. Now they're going to have to fill her position with someone else. And meanwhile, she is trying to pay off a mountain of student debt, and now she has got to go on unemployment, which, of course, is also funded by the government. Paula.
NEWTON: It is such a good point, and many saying that, look, there is a lot of expertise that's walking out the door as well. In the meantime, though, just all of this unsettling news for federal employees, plus the threat of tariffs still hanging in the balance here and consumer confidence continues to take a hit.
EGAN: Yeah. We did just get another disappointing report on how consumers are feeling. That suggests that Americans are getting more worried about the economy. Consumer confidence falling for the third month in a row. This was the biggest one-month drop since August of 2021. And I was digging through this report, there is almost no positives here, right? Not only is confidence down again, but expectations are down as well, especially around employment, which we were just talking about. Consumers have also marked down their purchasing plans, especially for big ticket items like electronics and TVs. Those are two things that are potentially going to get more expensive due to tariffs that are in the works.
One of the only things that went up here was consumers' expectations for prices, which, of course, is not good. Consumers are now expecting that prices are going to be up over the next 12 months by six percent.
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That is a big surge from just what people were saying in January. I think that's a number that's going to concern Jerome Powell and his colleagues at the Fed. We know they watch that very closely. And the Conference Board, they said there is two reasons why they think that people are getting more worried about inflation, one is egg prices, which we know have gotten sharply higher due to bird flu, but the other is, yes, tariffs. And look, we're going to have to pay very close attention to how this plays out, because consumer spending is the biggest driver of the U.S. economy, and if people stop spending as much money, that could have a real economic impact. That's a big if, because sometimes what people tell pollsters is different from what they actually do.
But, look, confidence, as you know, Paula, is a very fragile thing, and I think we can see in the market a little bit less confidence in the last few days. You see the NASDAQ is down almost two percent, another significant drop there. So, there are some more worries about how all of this is going to play out in terms of federal layoffs, tariffs, and yes, ongoing concerns about inflation.
NEWTON: Yeah. Those effects already being felt in the real economy.
Matt Egan, thanks for breaking it all down.
EGAN: Thanks, Paula.
NEWTON: Appreciate it.
Now, the often chaotic actions of Elon Musk that we were just talking about, as he tries to shrink the federal workforce. They, of course, have raised a myriad of legal questions.
To help us understand what government workers can do about all this, we welcome David Weinstein. He is a former State and Federal Prosecutor. And yes, we want to talk to you about the legal guardrails. Why does there seem to be no recourse, at least anything that effective in the short term for federal employees legally, because there are legal protections in place? Why are they not working?
DAVID WEINSTEIN, FORMER STATE AND FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, & PARTNER, JONES WALKER LLP: Well, Paula, I think you hit it right on the head in the short term. Look, a federal employee, a federal worker, they're protected with the same rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that private employees are, and that protects any employee against arbitrary decision-making with regard to hiring and to firing. The problem is their recourse is to go through an administrative process, through the EEOC, and that takes time, and it's not something that happens quickly and in the short term. And we're not really even hearing about any of these former federal employees taking advantage of that process and trying to address what, in many situations, might be an arbitrary and capricious firing.
NEWTON: A lot of them are leaving it up to their unions. Is there any indication that that is working at this time? And I said, they've already instilling a lot of fear and a lot of real economic damage in a lot of these families.
WEINSTEIN: Well, not every federal employee belongs to a union. Not all are required to belong to a union. And again, a union effort is one that, behind the scenes, helps support its members by providing assistance to them and then assist them in guiding them through that same process. It's going to be the same process, whether you're a union worker or not a union worker. And the other thing that you have to take into account is that some of these employees were still in their probationary period. And if you're a federal employee and you're in a probationary period, they can fire you, no cause, no reason, because you're in that probationary period.
NEWTON: Yeah. And important to keep in mind, some people had been working for the federal government for years, but were in that probationary period because they had either changed jobs at the federal government or had been promoted.
I do want to get to what's happening at the grassroots here now. Mark Alford, who was a Congressman from Missouri, ran into a wall of anger yesterday morning. I want you to listen to what some angry voters said to him. Listen.
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REP. MARK ALFORD (R-MO): Elon Musk has contracts with the federal government. But, he is also, I think, doing an effective job. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Conflict of interest. Show me. Show me.
ALFORD: I think there are a lot of people who don't want to see waste, abuse and fraud, weeded out, some of them here today have seen that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't want (inaudible).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: You can see Mark Alford doing his best to try and explain his role, but really it's unexplainable at this point, because it seems omnipotent, all powerful. Elon Musk is not anyone's boss. How are the courts treating his moves right now, given Congress does not seem willing to curb him in any way?
WEINSTEIN: Well, in those cases that have wound up in front of a federal district court judge, they're looking at what is the immediate short-term effect, what is -- and we're starting to hear this all the time now, what is the irreparable harm that is being shown in order to issue a temporary injunction preventing him from moving forward? And we've seen some of those issued in instances where they're looking at records, they're looking at business details, and potentially acting in a way that's contrary to the law. So, some of it is being addressed.
On the other hand, there are cases where the people who are bringing these lawsuits haven't shown what their irreparable harm is right now. And so, that's where the rubber really is hitting the road. So, some cases we've seen pushback.
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Others, they haven't shown enough to give a judge a reason short term to do pushback. Long term, they're going to have full-blown hearings on protective orders. They're going to be allowed to present their evidence, and it may change. But, unfortunately, just like the EEOC cases, the legal system doesn't always move at lightning speed. Sometimes it's very slow, and that's because everybody has a due process, right, whether you're on the plaintiff side or the defendant side. And so, that's what these judges are trying to balance.
NEWTON: Yeah. And to be clear, though, depending on how these cases move forward, remedy again would take quite a bit of time and be quite complicated.
Former U.S. Attorney for us, David Weinstein, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
Now, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson says he is ready to face the first major test of the new Congress. However, in just the last few minutes, we did hear from Johnson. He said, it's unclear, I want you to listen to this, when there will be a vote on a massive budget resolution that delivers on much of Donald Trump's agenda. Now, with a historically small majority, Johnson admits there is still work to be done to get enough votes to pass it. The budget blueprint, so-called, would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts to the tune of $4.5 trillion and slash $2 trillion in federal spending, something even some Republicans worry will hurt their constituents. It also provides $300 billion for defense and border security. Senate Republicans have already passed their own scale back budget measure.
CNN's Lauren Fox was in that news conference. And you heard from Speaker Johnson just a few minutes ago. I mean, what is his update? So, there will not be a vote today. Is he really putting that on the table?
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, he is really noncommittal at this point, because the bottom line is he is still trying to coalesce the votes that he needs to get this budget passed on the House floor. He said that lawmakers were going to have to stick around and find out whether or not there was going to be a vote tonight. He joked with reporters in the room. This is why you all get paid. You get to understand and stick around late tonight to see whether or not this comes to the floor.
On a more serious note, though, behind the scenes, Johnson's task is really difficult, because he is confronting sort of two opposing and polarized realities. One, conservatives in his party want to see much steeper cuts than what are in this bill, this budget bill, and what is outlined in it. Meanwhile, you have swing district Republicans who are looking at the kind of steep cuts in this budget proposal. In our questioning how Republicans are going to get there without touching programs that are really important to constituents in their districts, like Medicaid, a point that you heard over and over again in this press conference is that Medicaid won't be affected, that Medicaid isn't even in this budget.
But, the underlying reality is that this budget does call for almost a trillion dollars in cuts in one of the committees that oversees Medicaid. You don't get to that kind of level of cuts without reforming the program and potentially really eating into whether or not constituents feel the same level of coverage on that program that they might have previously. So, that is one of the challenges that Johnson is facing, because if he gives swing district Republicans what they want, he potentially risks alienating some of those conservative votes. And we should remind people, he can only lose a slim number of House Republican votes and still get this across the finish line, which means he has to find a way to make all those parties happy, and in short order, they are supposed to be voting on this in the six o'clock hour tonight.
But again, that remains extremely fluid, as Johnson continues to meet with members, as leadership continues to meet with members, and as a group of members is headed to the White House later this afternoon to see whether or not President Donald Trump can help Johnson close out this deal.
NEWTON: Yeah. In fact, Jeff Zeleny is reporting that he will -- President Trump will meet with those GOP lawmakers. Does he have sway there, especially given what you just said, that the majority is so slim, so slim that Elise Stefanik, who is supposed to have a seat at the UN right now, not in Congress, has been told to just kind of stay put? We need your vote. FOX: Yeah. I mean, I think that it's going to be really interesting to
see whether or not Donald Trump can really move the needle here, because there are some members, like Representative Thomas Massie, a conservative, who said he is not voting for this budget, who has never really seemed to be moved by someone like Donald Trump. I don't think Donald Trump can change his mind. Can he have more of an impact on some of those swing district Republicans? Perhaps. But, it's really interesting.
I talked to Representative Van Drew. He is a Republican from the state of New Jersey. He actually called Donald Trump last night to make it clear that he was leaning against voting for this budget. And when I asked him, what was Trump's message to you, he said, Trump understands why I might be opposed to this. He understands and he also doesn't want to cut Medicaid. So, it's going to be really interesting to see whether or not Donald Trump can be the closer here, or whether he is more sympathetic to some of these swing district Republicans than maybe the Speaker and. Republican leadership would want him to be, given the fact they are trying to get this across the finish line.
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End of the day, one of the questions will be, would there ever be a situation where Johnson would put this on the floor, show Donald Trump, who is voting for his budget plan and who is against it, as a way to perhaps increase the pressure on those members moving forward? I think that that also remains something that we could see in the day.
NEWTON: But, Lauren, fascinating insights into that conversation, right? Already members of commerce -- Congress preempting that. And when we just saw Mark Alford and see certainly the pushback that he is getting in a place like Missouri, you start to understand what they're up against here.
Lauren Fox, thanks so much for the update on a fast-paced day there on Capitol Hill.
OK. Still ahead for us, the British Prime Minister announces the largest increase in defense spending since the end of the Cold War, stepping up support for Ukraine ahead of his meeting with the U.S. President. A live report from Kyiv ahead. And we'll also talk about the politics and different views on how to end Russia's war with Ukraine with a security expert. She joins us live from Kyiv right after the break.
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NEWTON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is announcing an increase in defense spending. That's ahead of a crucial meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday. His visit will come just days after the French President's trip to Washington, highlighting the high stakes and the contrasting approach to ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Meantime, mineral wealth could be at the center of negotiations. Washington is pressuring Kyiv to sign a deal as payment for any U.S. military support. The European Union is also trying to boost access to Ukraine's minerals by expanding on a 2021 memorandum with Ukraine. Now, the bloc is downplaying any potential conflict with the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is also open to exploring its rare earth deposits with U.S. companies. Listen.
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VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (Interpreted): We would be to offer cooperation to our American partners as well. When I say partners, I mean not only administrative and governmental structures, but also companies, if they showed interest in working together. I want to stress that we certainly have much more of such resources than Ukraine. Russia is one of the leading countries when it comes to rare metal reserves.
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NEWTON: Meanwhile, on Monday, in a stunning shift from decades of foreign policy on the third anniversary of the war, the U.S. joined Russia to vote against a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia's war against Ukraine. The U.S. pushed through its own resolution instead.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in Kyiv and joins us now. And just to underscore how really things are shifting under our feet, things that we wouldn't expect to happen in decades, let alone in days, can you put the pieces of this puzzle together for us, especially when it comes to what any of us would hope to see in a peace agreement or security guarantees for Ukraine?
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. I mean, quickly dealing with the UN resolution, it's, I think, a stark reminder of how the Trump administration is less wedded to the narrative of truth about how this happened, and was happy to be a sponsor of a resolution that didn't directly condemn Russian aggression or have specific guarantees or references to Ukrainian sovereignty. So, that is startling. But, I think it's an adjunct of the revisionism we've heard from President Trump in the past week.
But, things have moved exceptionally fast since then, and the deteriorating relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy, which had made the idea of Trump administration continued aid over certainly the months, if not years here, significantly in doubt. Well, that has found itself remedy, to some degree. We'll have to wait and see in this ever changing world exactly what stakes by the intervention of French President Emmanuel Macron. Now, he appeared alongside Donald Trump during a G7 video call yesterday. On the other side was J.D. Vance, who recently declared many Western Democratic allies of the United States to be sort of tyrannical, afraid of their own voters.
But, Macron appeared to win the day out in terms of influence, and then Trump and Zelenskyy spoke, Zelenskyy down the line from a video call. That seems to be the beginning of a healing process that Macron expedited when he spoke to Trump, and then, lo and behold, we have Trump saying that the deal is very close to being signed, the rare earth minerals deal, and inviting Zelenskyy to Washington to sign that deal.
Where does this leave a peace process? Well, key to all of this would be in the idea that the United States and Ukraine maintained a good relationship and maintained aid. The Europeans say that the process they're imagining, that they envision, step by step, as it seems to be, that may at some point involve European troops as peacekeepers on the ground, but it can't happen without U.S. assistance to some degree, not necessarily U.S. troops on the ground, but what Keir Starmer, the UK Prime Minister, calls a backstop, and that's essentially the largest military in the world, the United States giving logistical assistance to those European troops, maybe not necessarily putting their own personnel in there as well.
Now, Macron referred to this as not putting European troops in danger, but making them credible. And I think the hope is that if we did see what Macron referred to as verifiable steps taken by Russia in a peace process, then if there was a sustained peace, Europe might be able to step in and provide sort of monitoring or security assistance for the Ukrainians. That's a European process, but it does echo what we heard from Trump's envoy to Ukraine and Russia way back in April last year as a private citizen, Keith Kellogg, suggested this specific idea.
So, what they don't know at this point is what the negotiations between the United States and Russia, fast track as they have been, successful, as the Trump administration say they have been. What they have basically suggested is a viable peace deal for the Russians and for the Americans. We know the Europeans have their own ideas, and most likely, those ideas are more something Trump might be thinking about after meeting Macron.
But, he has got to meet Zelenskyy. They've got to get on well. They've got to sign this rare earth deal, and then we have to see quite what steps the U.S. thinks the Russians can sign along to. Trump suggested, we don't know where necessarily he got this idea from, the European peacekeepers would be something the Russians could accept. That's something a matter of days earlier the Russians have categorically ruled out. All this could be just negotiating and people putting a posturing to get where they want to be.
But, I do think it's fair to say that after Macron's intervention yesterday, we've seen the idea of Europe being a little on their own reduced and possibly now the idea that Europe -- United States' involvement as a deterrent, that is the phrase Macron used, might push the Russians closer towards a deal. We simply don't know. And there are many who say, why would Russia want a ceasefire now if it's winning on the frontlines?
NEWTON: Yeah, given everything you said, the fact that President Trump is still saying he can end this in weeks or months, even not. Many are still skeptical.
Nick Paton Walsh us live from Kyiv. Appreciate that.
Now, a lot of the developments that we need to talk about now with Maria Avdeeva. She is a security expert and Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, and she joins us now live from Kyiv. I want to get your reaction upfront. What do you make of Europe's latest pleasures, especially Keir Starmer saying that, look, we will spend more on defense? We may likely put UK troops on the ground, but also this scramble for Europe to also divide any spoils of war from Ukraine.
MARIA AVDEEVA, SR. FELLOW, FOREIGN POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE: Well, what we have heard recently from the European leaders, it looks like they have heard a wake-up call from Trump administration, and now we realize that the era when international relations were based on norms, ideas and principle, is over, and we are going to the next stage where this will be no more based on international law, but on the power of -- and strengths.
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And this is the new reality we will be facing, and this is why the European countries realize that they will need to spend more on their defense, because they feel the threat that is coming out of Russia, and this threat is real, because we, here in Ukraine, know that Putin is not going to stop. And he came here. He invaded Ukraine, not for territories that Russia currently controls. He invaded Ukraine because he wants Russians' sphere of influence to be big and to become even larger, and this is what he is aiming at. So, this is how Russia sees this future in Europe, and this is why Europe is awakening again.
NEWTON: And to be clear, some European leaders have suggested, look, this is not just a threat to Ukraine. This is a very real threat to Europe, which is why Europe needs to step up now.
I want to talk to you about the territory and what kind of territory -- territorial integrity Kyiv could expect now. You say it's non- negotiable. You say it would reward Putin for his aggression and set a dangerous precedent. But, isn't that where this is headed in terms of compromise for Ukraine?
AVDEEVA: Well, what we have to talk first and foremost, we have to talk about security guarantees for Ukraine, because this is the most important thing, because even if there is some kind of truce or deal, no one will guarantee that Putin will not again attack and attack very soon. So, for any kind of negotiations, we need to have security guarantees first. But, if to talk about territorial integrity, this is really something that is not negotiable for Ukraine. And this is -- this means that Ukraine has already made a huge step because Ukraine had held two peace (inaudible) here and Ukraine wants peace more than ever. But, we want peace that will be long-lasting and justice. And this peace must be guaranteed by strict security measures.
If we don't have that in place, Russia will attack again after they have developed their military capabilities and be more prepared, and they have learned their lessons. And also, it's very important to know that Ukrainian had already made a huge step, because Ukraine says we are ready for diplomatic resolution of the war, which was not the case, say several years ago when Ukraine, for example, started the counteroffensive. Now, we are ready to speak and we are ready for diplomatically end the war, but we will -- we don't see yet any guarantees, especially from the United States, because even with European troops on the ground, without the U.S. support, this just will not be feasible.
We have seen so many times how Russia have not following any kind of deals, and how they broke their road and how Putin constantly lies in the face of other international leaders. Why wouldn't he do it the same this time?
NEWTON: Yeah, and you make -- you raise an interesting point that the President Trump does believe that those security guarantees perhaps could be handled only by Europe. And as you've just pointed out, that is close to impossible.
Maria Avdeeva, I'm sorry that we have to leave it there for now, but we'll continue to check in with you. Thanks so much.
Now, the U.S. Defense Secretary gets his first look at Guantanamo Bay, where he'll be checking operations to temporarily house migrants there. Details after the break. Plus, a restful night for Pope Francis, who remains in the hospital fighting pneumonia. An update on his condition when we come back.
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NEWTON: And welcome back. You are watching CNN Newsroom. I'm Paula Newton in New York. Here are some of the international headlines we are watching.
The UN General Assembly approved a resolution condemning Russia's war on Ukraine, with the U.S. and Russia voting against it. Later in the Security Council, the U.S. pushed through its own resolution that failed to mention Russian aggression on Ukraine's territorial integrity. This as Washington pressures Kyiv to sign a deal for access to Ukraine's mineral wealth as payment for any U.S. military support. The European Union is also trying to boost its access to Ukraine's minerals.
Last weekend, Israel deployed tanks to the West Bank for the first time in two decades. It comes amid Operation Iron Wall, which was launched by the IDF in the northern West Bank last month, just two days after the Gaza ceasefire began. Now, under the operation, some 40,000 Palestinians in the West Bank have now been displaced. That's according to the UN. Israel says it's rooting out terrorists and their infrastructure.
The fate of South Korea's embattled President is now in the hands of the country's constitutional court. Yoon Suk Yeol gave a closing statement at his impeachment trial earlier today. The court must now decide whether or not to remove him from office permanently. It all stems from his declaration of martial law in December. He faces separate insurrection charges related to his martial law decree.
Pope Francis rested well overnight, but his condition remains critical. That's according to the Vatican. A source says the pontiff is not bedridden and can still stand up. Pope Francis has been battling pneumonia in both lungs, along with mild kidney issues for nearly two weeks at a hospital in Rome. A prayer service for the 88- year-old pontiff is set to take place tonight at St. Peter's Basilica.
And joining me now from Rome is CNN's Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb. And Christopher, I know there is obviously a great deal of caution around the Pope's condition. But, has the Vatican said a lot about whether or not there is a long-term prognosis here, and the fact that he does seem to be showing some marginal improvements?
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. There have been some improvements in recent hours of the Pope's condition, but the prognosis remains reserved, or it's too soon to tell. The Pope remains in a critical condition. He has pneumonia in both lungs. He is being treated at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, where he has been since February the 14th. There is obviously a lot of concern for the Pope, and there has been prayers being said around the world, and including at the Vatican tonight, there will be a prayer service led by Cardinal Tagle of the Philippines, a senior Vatican official. Last night, there was a prayer service attended by hundreds, perhaps more, in St. Peter's Square.
Today, the message from the Vatican and from the Pope was that Francis is still very much running the church. We were told he met with two senior Vatican officials in the hospital. On Monday, he appointed a number of bishops. He also signed off decrees for sainthood causes and sent messages. It was a sort of day to say that there are things going on in the future for the church that the Pope wants to be involved with. He is signaling a message that he is improving. But, of course, it is too soon to tell. According to the doctors, his condition remains critical. We're expecting a further update from the Vatican this evening.
NEWTON: And we will wait for that update. Christopher Lamb for us in Rome. Appreciate it.
Now, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is heading to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Pentagon says he'll be briefed on the ongoing operation to transfer migrants to the base.
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Under the Trump administration, the U.S. is temporarily housing migrants there, though it is largely empty after some 170 migrants at the naval base were sent to Venezuela last week.
Patrick Oppmann joins us now from Havana. Patrick, good to see you, and I know how closely you follow this. So, please enlighten me, because I'm kind of confused as to where this operation actually stands at GITMO.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You have all the excuses in the world, because I think the administration is somewhat confused after saying that thousands of migrants would be housed in Guantanamo. We had seen the construction happening nearly overnight of tent cities. It turns out that that migrant operation center is simply not ready. It does not meet the standards from the Department of Homeland Security. And so, the migrants, 170 migrants that would have been sent to Guantanamo initially, they have been removed. The 17 migrants that you mentioned, they are in a different part of the Guantanamo Navy base that has been used in the past to house terror detainees.
And so, there is simply not enough room for thousands of migrants at this point. And you're talking about feeding people, putting them in an area, because Cuba is hot year-round, particularly in the summer, where there would be some sort of air conditioning, shade, those kinds of facilities, and most importantly, where they would have access to lawyers, something that the Trump administration is required to give these migrants.
So, the Guantanamo navy base is one of the most isolated places that you can imagine, and providing those services, as we've seen in the past, when you just had hundreds of terror detainees, was a tall order, and to do that for thousands of migrants, to fly them in on these military planes, which is very, very expensive, and then to have adequate housing for them, that is something that is simply not ready, despite what the Trump administration has said up until now. So, there has been something a reverse, of course, and yet the fact that the Secretary of Defense is going to be on the ground today in Cuba at the Guantanamo navy base just goes to show that the administration is not necessarily backing down. They're trying to figure out how to make this happen.
And really, more than anything, Paula, it looks like a case of deterrence. They're trying to advertise to migrants that if they come to the United States and that they're essentially arrested at the border that they could be sent to one of the most inhospitable places, one of the most isolated places that the U.S. government controls.
NEWTON: Yeah. We'll see if we get more line of sight on what the plan is after his visit.
Patrick Oppmann, appreciate the update.
Now, still to come for us, an upsetting story out of Paris where an American teenager and tourist was arrested after her newborn baby was allegedly thrown out of a hotel room window. The latest on the investigation when we get back.
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NEWTON: Disturbing news out of Paris, prosecutors say an American teenager has been arrested after her newborn baby was allegedly thrown out of a hotel room window.
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The baby was transported to emergency care, but did not survive. The young mother was taken to hospital to undergo an operation after giving birth, and afterwards, she was placed in police custody.
CNN's Saskya Vandoorne has more now from Paris.
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SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: An American teenager was arrested Monday after she allegedly threw her newborn baby out of the second floor window of this hotel here. According to local officials, the baby was then taken and placed in a trash can nearby, before being found by authorities. The baby was rushed to an emergency room at the Children's Hospital for paternity care, but died shortly after being admitted. Now, the young mother was taken to a different hospital where she underwent surgery after giving birth. Now, we know that an investigation for homicide has been opened by the Paris Prosecutor's Office, who told us this morning that they believe the young woman may have been in denial about her pregnancy.
Now, what do we know about the young woman? Not much. We know, of course, that she is American, that she is 18-years-old, and that apparently she had been staying at this hotel for roughly a week with a group of young friends, and they were traveling in Europe. We spoke to neighbors here in this area. We're 20th arrondissement. It's in east of Paris. It's not a very touristy area, and the neighbors were telling us this morning that they awoke Monday to the sound of sirens of police cars, and that when they discovered what had happened, they were deeply shocked. The U.S. Embassy released a statement a few hours ago, saying that they were saddened by the loss of this young life.
Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.
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NEWTON: And we will be right back with more news in a moment.
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NEWTON: Donald Trump kicked off a tumultuous second term just over a month ago. He has made radical changes in both foreign and domestic policy, and we've seen chaotic moves from Elon Musk, as he attempts to slash the size of the federal government. And Trump voters, yep, you can bet they're paying attention to all of us.
CNN's John King traveled to Colorado to speak with some of them.
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JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This farmer ranch spans more than 100 acres, home to 60 horses and one last bison.
DAVID HAYES, COLORADO VOTER: This little guy down here, his name is Trouble.
KING (voice-over): A bit ornery at times. Yes, Trouble.
HAYES: It's like Trump. I really don't like him as a person. I think he is arrogant, kind of a jerk. But --
KING (voice-over): David Hayes is a funny man.
HAYES: I tried farming for a while, and I would rather get run over by a bison.
KING (voice-over): The northern Colorado ranch has been in his family since the 1880s. The White House and Washington are far away,
HAYES: We don't like hot dogs.
KING (voice-over): Yes. Hayes wants the government shrunk, but he doesn't see a coherent plan, and he doesn't trust Elon Musk. He doesn't believe what he says. He doesn't want Trump letting Musk poke around Social Security or tax files.
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HAYES: I don't know how many people he has fired. And Musk keeps saying, well, I found a billion dollars of waste here, and Social Security, there is hundreds and hundreds of people that are collecting it that are between 100-years-old and 150. Can you believe any of that crap? You can't substantiate him. You can't believe it. So, that's a trust issue.
KING (on camera): A blue collar rural guy in one of the nation's most competitive congressional districts, a three-time Trump voter who calls the President unfocused and arrogant, but Democrats should hold the celebration.
KING (on camera): But, if you had to do vote (ph) tomorrow, and you had to pick again between Trump and Harris, what would you do?
HAYES: I would still do Trump.
KING (on camera): So, conservative independent. Is that fair?
ESMERALDA RAMIREZ-RAY, COLORADO VOTER: Very conservative independent. Yes.
KING (voice-over): So with Esmeralda Ramirez-Ray. She smiles when asked about Trump's frenetic first month.
RAMIREZ-RAY: I voted for that. I love it.
KING (on camera): What did you vote for?
RAMIREZ-RAY: I voted for a President that was going to put America first. I voted for a President that was going to secure our borders, and I voted for a President that was going to make sure that we were respected throughout the world, and I believe I'm getting that.
KING (voice-over): Greeley is the northern edge of Colorado's 8th, a congressional district that is 40 percent Hispanic and has a significant undocumented population. Ramirez-Ray is a court interpreter for defendants who don't speak English. She agrees with Trump that some who crossed the border illegally are violent criminals, but she wishes, she would add, that the overwhelming majority are good people.
RAMIREZ-RAY: I was raised as a migrant worker working in the field. Those are the people that are out there picking their crops. So, even though I support Trump, I don't believe that he is the end-all, be-all savior of humanity. Nobody is.
KING (on camera): Now this one, we've had Canadian hoser (ph) for a long time before all this stuff came up.
TODD WAUFLE, COLORADO VOTER: Right.
KING (on camera): Well, the fight to the American and Canadian hockey players and everything.
KING (voice-over): Like Hayes, Todd Waufle says Trump can be arrogant and pompous, but like Ramirez-Ray, he is a fan of the early pace.
WAUFLE: I like him going full speed. Let's get things done. Let's find out if the policies work. They don't work. But, yeah, this is the baby brewing system. Boil it up there.
KING (voice-over): Waufle started Satire Brewing seven years ago. Business is good, and he constantly debates expanding, but a plan to boost sales by adding canning machines is on hold because of Trump tariffs on aluminum.
WAUFLE: When you fly enough, you understand, buck your seat belt. Turbulence ahead.
KING (voice-over): Waufle's approach is a trademark of many Trump voters, except the things that make you cringe to get the things you want, like a better economy and a stronger border,
WAUFLE: Trump is going to say what he is going to say, and yeah, someone is going to be exaggerated. Some are not going to be true. But, at the end of the day, I think you got to sift through all that. Is he going to get things done? Is he going to get the country moving the right way?
AUSTIN JENKINS, COLORADO VOTER: Let go right in front of your eyes, just like that.
KING (voice-over): Austin Jenkins voted for lower taxes and less regulation that would help his small businesses, including this cocktail bar and the Greeley Hatchet House.
JENKINS: You seem like the lesser of two evils.
KING (voice-over): But, Jenkins finds the first month unsettling, not a fan of tariffs or executive orders by the dozens or Musk popping from agency to agency.
JENKINS: I thought there was supposed to be checks and balances somewhere.
KING (on camera): So, where do I want to let go? Shoulder height?
JENKINS: Right in front of your eyes. So --
KING (voice-over): Plus, he sees fear in the Latino community, wishes Trump would find a more compassionate way to improve border security.
JENKINS: I think there is a better way to go about it. I don't know if it's necessarily just force him out.
KING (voice-over): Trump, of course, won't be on the ballot next election, but this district will help decide whether Republicans keep their tiny House majority.
JENKINS: The cost of living is getting crazy here in Colorado, and I hope that they would have some kind of an impact on helping that.
KING (voice-over): The Republican Congressman won by just 2,000 votes. His 2026 reelection prospects will likely hint on Trump's performance on whether swing voters here see the President that's focused on the big issues or veering too far off target.
John King, CNN, Greeley, Colorado.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: And our thanks to John King. We'll continue to check in with those American voters.
Now, police in Columbia say a man was hiding more than just a bolt spot under his toupee. In fact, 19 capsules of cocaine, more than 220 grams worth, in fact. They say he was trying to board a flight from Cartagena to Amsterdam, where he was stopped and searched. Police had to cut through the hair piece to find the hidden stash. This video is unbelievable. They say the drugs are worth more than $10,000 on the international market.
And I want you to take a look at this, the Moon, as you've never seen it before. Look at those pictures. They were taken by the Blue Ghost lunar lander. It's a private U.S. spacecraft that's orbiting the Moon at this hour, in fact. It will attempt to land on the lunar surface this weekend.
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The new footage features close-ups of the Moon's far side, an area that is not visible from Earth. Wow. Those are just spectacular pictures. I can't believe we've been getting things like that for space right now.
And finally, for us, since Donald Trump came into office, relations with Canada, you'll know, have taken a major downturn. A growing number of Canadians say their country should, in fact, cut ties with Trump's right hand man, Elon Musk. A petition calling for parliament to strip Musk of his Canadian citizenship has garnered well over 239,000 signatures. That's at last glance. It probably has more since we last looked. Musk responded yesterday on his social media platform X, posting, Canada is not a real country. Now, a reminder that the world's richest man also holds South African and U.S. citizenship, and it is not clear whether or not Elon Musk has actually ever held a Canadian passport. I want to thank you for spending part of your day with me. I'm Paula
Newton in New York. Stick with CNN. We will have more news with One World, which is up next.
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