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More Than 1.4 Million Vote Early In Virginia Governor's Race; Settler Attacks Surge During Palestinian Olive Harvest; U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth In South Korea For Talks; Hurricane Leaves Widespread Devastation In Jamaica; Hurricane Melissa Leaves Widespread Devastation in Jamaica; U.S. Justice Department Says Trump Doesn't Need Congressional Approval to Continue Striking Alleged Drug Traffickers; Broad Language in War Powers Act Sparks Capitol Hill Debate; Trump Administration to Fund Half of November's Snap Benefits; Iowa Food Pantry Struggling to Meet Demand Amid Shutdown; Staffing Shortages and Flight Delays Increasing; at Least Three Killed in Avalanche in Nepal, Four Still Missing; Antarctic Glacier Shrunk by Almost Half in Two Months. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired November 04, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:42]

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey everybody, I'm Polo Sandoval live in New York. This is CNN NEWSROOM, and here's what's ahead.

Americans are headed to the polls shortly for elections with big national implications, just as the government shutdown nears the longest in history.

And the U.S. Defense Secretary is in Seoul at this hour, looking to strengthen military alliances.

And --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are no words to describe it. I said to you, apocalyptic, that's the only thing I can use.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: CNN is on the ground in Jamaica, witnessing the utter devastation from Hurricane Melissa where many communities are still isolated and desperate for help.

ANNOUNCER: Live from New York, This is CNN NEWSROOM with Polo Sandoval.

SANDOVAL: All right, it's here. It's Election Day here in the United States, with some major races on the ballot seen as a key test of President Donald Trump's popularity, perhaps some more than others. And the voting coincides with what is now date 35 of the U.S. government shutdown now tying the record for the longest in U.S. history.

So, let's take a look at some of the most high-profile contests. Let's start in California, which is voting on Prop 50. It's a controversial redistricting plan that's backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, and it's meant to benefit Democrats.

And then here in New York, we are electing a mayor, New Jersey and Virginia, they are each picking governors with Democrats leading the polls in both states. President Trump may not be on the ballot, but his policy certainly are.

Just look at some of these numbers here, a new CNN poll now showing 63 percent disapproving of the way he's currently handling his job. That's the highest disapproval of either Trump presidential term, and 37 percent approving. That's the lowest number of his second term so far.

But let's get you back to New York City's race for mayor, which is getting a lot of attention really around the world, as democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani leading in the polls.

The 34-year-old state lawmaker making his last-ditch effort there, he's already come under some fire for his lack of experience and far left campaign promises.

President Trump now urging New Yorkers to vote for one of his opponents, former Governor Andrew Cuomo. He lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary this past summer, and he's now running as an independent. Mamdani telling CNN, Cuomo would be the president's puppet, as he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), MAYORAL NOMINEE OF NEW YORK: Even just until these final days, he denied that he was Donald Trump's preferred candidate, but now it's written out for the entire world to see. This is the man that Donald Trump wants to be the next mayor of New York City.

And not because he'll feel good for New Yorkers, but because he'll be good for Donald Trump and New Yorkers are exhausted of this agenda in Washington. They don't want to see a mimic of it come here to City Hall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And President Trump is currently urging voters in Virginia to vote Republican. You know, that's certainly not surprising.

However, what is interesting here is that in a tele rally late Monday, he stopped short of endorsing Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears for governor. CNN's Jeff Zeleny is in Virginia, reporting from the capital city of Richmond.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Even before polls open on Election Day here in Virginia, more than 1.4 million voters have already cast early ballots. That could be about half of the total number of voters that turn out on election day. In a history making moment for Virginia, poised to elect its first woman governor, Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger, a former member of Congress, is running against Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, the winner will certainly become again, the first female governor of Virginia.

Neither candidate has talked about that at all in the race, but voters certainly have as they watch both of the candidates.

Now, Democrats believe they are in strong command of this race. They are viewing it as a referendum on the Trump administration, the policies, the actions of the first nine months or so of the White House. Spanberger said, on the eve of the election, she hopes to send a message.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D), VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I'm excited because I plan on sending an extraordinary message to the rest of the country. I plan on ensuring that we don't just win tomorrow, but that we crush it.

[02:05:02]

ZELENY: Spanberger went on to say, as Virginia goes, so goes the nation. She's looking ahead to the midterm elections next year when, of course, voters across the country determine who controls Congress.

But for now, at least, Democrats in Virginia are confident of the governor's race, but also competitive races down the line for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General as well. There's no question this is one of the first big referendums for President Trump one year after taking office.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Richmond, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Gaza's health ministry says that Israel has returned the bodies of 45 Palestinians, bringing the total number of remains released now to 270, it's unclear how they were killed. The health ministry says that only 78 remains have been identified so far, although the cease fire deal has calmed most fighting in the Enclave, displaced Palestinians in Gaza currently facing the winter that's projected to at least -- well, the situation there that continues to worsen.

And although more aid is being allowed into the enclave, Palestinians are still struggling to find the most basic of necessities.

And meanwhile, on the West Bank, the United Nations is warning that violence by Israeli settlers and security forces is rising in that territory, the U.N. is highlighting attacks on Palestinian olive groves, saying that they have been torched and destroyed, causing millions of dollars in losses for olive farmers.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond visited one community under threat.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (through translator): Umm Shukry hasn't walked through these olive groves in two years. Now, weaving her way from tree to tree, she assesses the damage, broken branches, trees dried out, and no olives to be harvested.

I am suffocated, she says, suffocated from seeing my hard work turn out like this. I used to spend so much time here under the scorching heat tending to the trees.

Her son explains that the Israeli settlers living on this illegal outpost are to blame. He says they have assaulted him and threatened his community, making it dangerous to access these groves for two years, all while using their cattle to wreak havoc.

DIAMOND: He's explaining that the cows came here to graze on these olive trees, basically, and this one of the ways in which settlers have come to try and disrupt the livelihood of Palestinians in this area and to ultimately try and force them out from their lands.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The evidence is all over these fields, but it is just one part of a disturbing picture playing out across the occupied West Bank.

DIAMOND: For generations of Palestinians, the annual olive harvest has been associated with tradition and a deep connection to the land. But this year, more than ever, it's been synonymous with settler violence.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Palestinian olive pickers have been attacked at least 259 times since the harvest season began last month, according to the Palestinian Authority, outpacing the violence of recent years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, come on, don't -- he hit her. Hey.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Israeli settlers have carried out the overwhelming majority of attacks, assaulting the Palestinians attempting to harvest their olives. More than 4,000 trees and saplings have been damaged so far, according to the U.N. The Israeli military has often played a supporting role to the settlers, forcing Palestinians off their land and restricting access to the olive groves.

DIAMOND: So, this where you were attacked?

DIAMOND (voice-over): After getting a call that his mother-in-law had been detained while picking olives, Ahmad Shakarna grabbed her heart medication and rushed to reach her. He didn't expect what unfolded next. An Israeli settler grabs and then hits him, before two Israeli soldiers push him down to the ground. One soldier hits him with the barrel of his rifle, before the settler comes in to land several more blows.

Shakarna and his mother-in-law were released without charge. He says he suffered a mild concussion. We experience these attacks every season, a season that has become bloody. We will not abandon it, he says. The olive trees existed before the occupation. It is valuable and dear to us.

DIAMOND: The Israeli military now says that they're actually going to investigate this incident. What do you think would have happened had this not been caught on video?

DIAMOND (voice-over): Nothing at all. Even if I was killed, they wouldn't care. The incident would have come and gone.

For now, Shakarna doesn't dare approach his family's groves.

DIAMOND: So, this as far as you're comfortable going, because of what the military or the settlers might do to you?

DIAMOND (voice-over): Yes, of course, Shakarna says. I don't want to put myself in danger.

At Umm Shukry's farm, a group of Israeli and Jewish activists have come to offer the Palestinian farmers their support, using their very presence to deter attacks from settlers and the military. It has given Umm Shukry the chance to sit beneath her olive trees.

[02:10:14]

10 years, 10 years of me spending time on this land, refusing to leave, watering and tending to the olives with our bare hands. She says she won't be driven away by this violence. She will see this grove flourish once again.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Hamra the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: A note to Jeremy's story, the Israeli military told CNN it, "Recognizes the importance of the olive harvest in maintaining the fabric of life in the region," but acknowledged that it has restricted entry to certain areas in order to, as they put it, prevent friction.

Now, the military also added the IDF firmly condemns all forms of violence which divert the attention of commanders and soldiers from their primary mission of defense and counter terrorism.

Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, the U.S. Defense Secretary in South Korea at this hour, we'll take you live to Asia to learn what this trip could mean for the U.S. South Korean Alliance.

And Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica, causing widespread destruction. Ahead, we're going to take you to the hardest hit areas where survivors are desperately still waiting for aid.

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[02:15:57] SANDOVAL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he will be meeting with the South Korean president in Seoul this coming hour.

Earlier, he joined the South Korean defense minister to visit the demilitarized zone and also discussed the two countries military alliance, as well as the potential regional threats.

CNN's Hanako Montgomery Gomery, following developments live from Tokyo. Hanako, it's great to see you again. What is the U.S.'s head of the military hoping to accomplish during this trip? We saw his South Korean counterpart basically rolled out the welcome wagon, but I guess now it's time to work.

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're exactly right. I mean, this meeting takes place every year between the U.S. Secretary of Defense and his South Korean counterpart, and this meeting is really meant to emphasize the strength of the U.S.-South Korean Alliance, and also a moment to reflect on what can be improved when it comes to defense and security.

So, again, it is an annual meeting that takes place between South Korea and the United States. But what's interesting about this specific meeting is that it comes immediately after the U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Asia, where he also met with his counterparts to discuss the role of the United States in the region to also emphasize the strength of the United States with his Asian allies.

Now, during his two-day visit, Hegseth, of course, met with the South Korean -- his South Korean counterpart, also the South Korean President Lee, meeting is supposed to take place later on Tuesday.

What's also important about this meeting, Polo, is that it also comes after the U.S. president tweeted and posted on Truth Social about how South Korea has been given permission to build nuclear powered submarines in the United States.

Now, this is a move not seen in decades, and it is a drastic new move to the U.S.-South Korean alliance.

Now, when Hegseth was asked about this at a joint press conference earlier on Tuesday, he emphasized just the importance of this change and also what role South Korea will be playing in this. Give this a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. SECRETARY OF WAR: I think it's a reflection of something I said, that the president wants allies to be strong. He wants our allies to have the best capabilities, and because Korea has been a model ally. He's open to opportunities like that that ensure they have the best capabilities in their own defense and alongside us as allies.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MONTGOMERY: Now, when Trump posted about this news Polo, on Truth Social, he mentioned that, again, this nuclear-powered submarine was going to be built in the good old USA and the Philadelphia shipyard.

But it's really important for South Korea and the United States, because for the U.S., it really does help alleviate some concerns that it's having with its ship building capabilities. The U.S. is infamously behind when it comes to building these ships. And being able to lean on that South Korean intelligence and also that South Korean aid would be hugely, hugely helpful.

Now, on the South Korean part, you know, it's been purchasing U.S. defense and security for decades, but to be integrated in the U.S. ship building capabilities and to be offering its intelligence and its defense services to the United States would bring the U.S.-South Korean alliance to a new height, to a level really comparable to, for instance, Australia and the United States.

Famously, they have the AUKUS agreement. So, again, this is a huge moment for South Korea and the United States, and it does build on that preexisting relationship between the two countries, as they do work together to really deter increasing military threats from North Korea, but also China.

Of course, that is a huge concern for not only the United States, but in South Korea as well, given that we are seeing an increased military buildup from China, especially in the South China Sea.

So, again, Polo, this annual meeting between these two allies hugely important, and also working to build further on their alliance, Polo.

SANDOVAL: Hanako Montgomery out of Tokyo with that live report, come back to us if there's anything major that comes out of that next meeting. Thank you.

The North Korea says that its longtime ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, has died. State media reporting that he died of multiple organ failure on Monday at the age of 97, a loyalist to all three generations of the Kim dynasty. He served as North Korea's Head of State for more than two decades, and he became a symbol of continuity and stability within the regime.

[02:20:14]

The strongest hurricane to ever hit Jamaica has left entire towns in ruins. Coming up next here on CNN NEWSROOM, we'll be taking you to some of the areas that were absolutely devastated by Melissa to talk to survivors as they really share their story and they wait for help now a week after the storm's landfall.

Plus, the Justice Department in the US telling Congress President Trump does not need its approval to continue striking alleged drug traffickers. A closer look at the department's rationale after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [02:25:59]

SANDOVAL: From the air and on the ground, the scale of destruction in Jamaica, it is absolutely staggering. Just look at all of these pictures after Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane, left entire communities in ruins. It is now the strongest storm to ever hit the island and has already claimed dozens of lives.

Forecaster AccuWeather estimating that a total damage could exceed $50 billion across the Western Caribbean, much of that in Jamaica.

And aid is arriving, but it's arriving slowly. See some pictures here, where France has flown in humanitarian supplies, which includes tents, food, water, treatment equipment. But the World Food Programme says that some five million people are in desperate need of help.

CNN's David Culver has more on how people are struggling to survive already a week after the storm.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALANDREA BROWN, DISPLACED BY HURRICANE MELISSA: We are catching some water because that's the only way we can get water. We are damaged here in Jamaica. Real bad.

DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Across much of western Jamaica, the storm has passed, but you feel it everywhere. Survival mode has kicked in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In here in Belmont, we are very distraught and we really need some help because you have persons who are very homeless and we don't really have any food supplies.

CULVER: This is where you live here?

BROWN: Yes.

CULVER (voice-over): Now they're coming to terms with what's left, and for many here, it's not much.

GIRL: My bed.

CULVER: This was your bed?

GIRL: Yes. I have another bed. Look how the bed mashed up.

CULVER: It's all mashed up. You're right. You're right.

BROWN: Everyone here, this is one of our neighbor's house also. Her house destroyed also. Everybody who's in this community is very distraught. You don't see nobody, and that I keep on wondering. We have suffered here and nobody comes to assist. You know how we -- we even get some things like these? It's persons who are going around in vehicle and giving out a little portion of tokens.

CULVER: As one resident pointed out, even if a house is still standing because of concrete, most likely the windows were shattered and water got in, sand got in, furniture closed, all their belongings destroyed. I mean, it just continues. It's endless. I mean, you look up there and it just goes all the way up.

CULVER (voice-over): As we're heading out, a man points to a nearby house.

CULVER: He just told us that there's somebody in this house up here still, that his body hasn't been recovered yet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

CULVER: Right there?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

CULVER: Did you know this gentleman?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His mom supposed to be here. His mom live at White House.

CULVER: But no -- nobody has come to collect his -- collect his body?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, not yet. Not everybody know that he died.

CULVER: Just lying lifeless in there. I mean, it's absolutely horrible just by himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And nobody's not sure when he's dead. They're not sure when he died.

CULVER: They're not sure when he died.

I mean, seeing that is obviously very, very difficult. And it's worth pointing out, I mean, the neighbors there, it's not neglect on their part. They simply don't have cell service or any sort of connectivity to be able to report that. And they say that they were trying to tell passersby, but nobody came in to actually inspect. So for them, we were the only ones who they could tell. And we ultimately, once we had connectivity here, our colleague Omar here made the call to report that that body was in fact still in the house.

CULVER (voice-over): Night brings relief from the day's heat and humidity.

CULVER: You get around with the flashlight on your phone, huh?

ANDREZ ANDERSON, BLACK RIVER RESIDENT: Yes, yes, man. So this -- this is --

CULVER (voice-over): But there's no water.

ANDERSON: This is only water we have here, see.

CULVER (voice-over): And no power.

ANDERSON: We have no roof there, you know, partially just this alone. So, the rain actually coming now so you feel it inside.

CULVER: I feel the rain, yes.

[02:30:00]

ANDERSON: You know, so it'll be more damages, you know, as the rain comes by. So we just keep deteriorating until we can get some --

CULVER: Andrez, how do you live in this?

ANDERSON: Right. It is really rough. It is very hard. It is hard to cope. We just have to try to keep the kids mentally stable and try to tough it out, you know? So, we are just grateful here right now to know that we are alive.

CULVER (voice-over): Mornings bring no rest, just long lines. People here waiting for hours for gas.

CULVER: You've been out here four this morning? Which is seven hours.

CULVER (voice-over): And if water's not running in your home, you go to the source. Nearby along the river bed, dozens gather.

CULVER: They're saying that nobody has come to help at all.

SIMONE GARDON, MONTEGO BAY RESIDENT: I guess, it doesn't really hit as yet because after two weeks, when it's all settled down and we are all like, wow -- the hunger kick in, (inaudible).

DR. SHERIFF IMORU, SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER, BLACK RIVER HOSPITAL: You have to understand that even up to this point in time, we don't even know what our death toll is.

CULVER: Do you think you're going to find more bodies?

IMORU: Yeah, I would think so. I hope not, but I would think so.

CULVER: The reality?

IMORU: Yeah, man. The reality is there. The reality is there.

CULVER (voice-over): At the hospital in Black River --

CULVER: No power?

IMORU: No power, no water.

CULVER: No water? But the emergency room is still operating?

IMORU: Yeah.

CULVER (voice-over): Dr. Sheriff Imoru walks us through what's left.

CULVER: I mean, this is your hospital?

IMORU: Yes. CULVER: And when you look out now, I mean, I know you are focused on patients day to day as well.

IMORU: Yeah, yeah.

CULVER: But like, have you been able to process this moment?

IMORU: No. The one thing I can tell is that I'm very heartbroken, extremely heartbroken when I see this. I can tell it's very difficult for me to even to come through the gates in the mornings and leave in the evenings. My house is close, fairly close to here, and my house was destroyed. I mean, the roof is gone.

CULVER (voice-over): And still his staff shows up.

IMORU: Every single person you see (ph).

CULVER (voice-over): Even though like him, many have lost their own homes.

IMORU: There are no words to describe it. I said to you, apocalyptic. That's the only thing I can use.

SHANIEL TOMLIN, SON INJURED IN THE STORM: No, everything is gone. Everything in the house is gone. I need help towards my kids, my house and everything.

CULVER (voice-over): Shaniel Tomlin's baby Jamar, just a year old, fell after the storm.

TOMLIN: Yeah, they're going to look up the stitch, but they give me a prescription to fill.

CULVER: But where do you fill a prescription around here?

TOMLIN: I don't even know.

CULVER (voice-over): It's tough to find the words to describe the level of devastation, destruction, and loss that we're seeing here. And perhaps it's best to just look at the visuals, which yes, are overwhelming, but really tell the story of several communities, not just towns like this one, Black River where we are, but we go mile after mile after mile along the southwest coast of this country and you see communities that are simply wiped away.

CULVER: You see people also trying to continue on with some sense of normality. And for them, that might be trying to continue on with business.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Scaling some red snapper to feed the nation. So got to get them scaled and get them fried, and we can make a little money.

CULVER (voice-over): It's the sound of defiance, of life pushing back. LISA HANNA, FORMER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, JAMAICA: We are resilient people. Already, there is almost an empathetic solidarity across the island and across the world to get things here. We're not going to make our people starve. And anyone that comes here and visits us are not going to starve.

CULVER: Officials are here trying, but it's a lot. And when you're desperate, help can't come soon enough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are the strongest people in our world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is ground zero. This is terrible.

CULVER (voice-over): Aid from abroad here too, setting up for the long haul. But first, it's Jamaicans helping Jamaicans.

David Culver, CNN, Montego Bay, Jamaica.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWSROOM": The U.S. Justice Department says that President Trump does not need congressional approval to continue lethal military strikes against alleged drug traffickers. The announcement coming just two months after his administration notified Congress of the first strike in early September. You see, under the 1973 U.S. War Powers Resolution, a 60- day clock began granting the president temporary use of military force, as we've seen play out in the Pacific and also in the Caribbean.

Well, that clock expired on Monday and a senior justice department official told Congress it didn't need to be extended because the resolution doesn't apply in this case.

[02:35:00]

The departments arguing that the U.S. is not at war and that the strikes in the Caribbean do not meet the law's definition of hostilities. So to date, the U.S. has carried out at least 15 strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats, killing 64 people. David Schultz is a Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Political Science, Environmental Studies and Legal Studies at Hamline University. He's also an expert on constitutional law. David, thank you very much for taking the time.

DAVID SCHULTZ, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, HAMLINE UNIVERSITY: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: There is a lot to go through here to try to help our viewers and myself really better understand the War Powers Act and how that 60-day statutory framework is supposed to essentially keep the president from taking the country to war without Congress. So, just give me the essence of what that exactly, you know how that works.

SCHULTZ: OK. So we need to step back just a little bit here and think about what the U.S. Constitution does. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress broad power to declare war, to arm and finance the military, but it also gives the president broad authority as commander-in-chief to be able to oversee the military. And the reason why this is important is that it's never been clear where the power to declare war versus commander-in-chief kicks in. And over time, presidents have continuously sort of pushed that commander-in-chief authority to be able to deploy troops short term or to commit the United States short term, or maybe longer term to wars.

This really comes to a head with the Vietnam War, where it's not a formally declared war. We've got at one point, a half a million troops deployed over in Vietnam. And after Nixon is out, one of the big post- Watergate reforms is called the War Powers Act or the War Powers Resolution. And it's supposed to be a resolution that brings power back to Congress in terms of controlling the military.

So what it's supposed to do, the Act, is to say that the president has some limited authority to commit troops overseas or for combat purposes. But once the act has been initiated, he has only 60 days. And at any time within the 60 days, Congress can vote and say, bring them back. And if he wants to keep them longer than 60 days, he has to get Congressional authority.

CHURCH: And as I understand it, David, there's still sort of a broad component here that I want to get your opinion on here. Per sources speaking to CNN --

SCHULTZ: Sure.

CHURCH: Currently, the Department of Justice is arguing that the strikes that we've seen since early September in the Caribbean and the Pacific, that they did not trigger the law's requirement because they don't meet the definition of hostilities. And that also, that those actions do not require a declaration of war from Congress. Do you see any flaws in the Trump administration interpretation of hostilities?

SCHULTZ: I do, there's no question. Absolutely no question that the whole purpose of this act or resolution was to limit presidential power so that it couldn't sort of start by saying, well, we're just doing a limited hostility here or a limited action here, and those limited actions didn't drag the U.S. into a major conflict. So the very intent, the very intent of this resolution goes against what the Trump administration has been arguing as well as, I will say, previous presidential administrations, all of which have tried to say, well, hostilities only means if it's actual and imminent use of troops, or it only means longer-term commitments.

If you allow what Trump is doing to sort of say it doesn't invoke the War Powers Resolution, you've let the president sneak in lots of small military action, lots of small commitments, and it can escalate.

CHURCH: So, I mean, because it's essentially open to own (ph) interpretation, I mean, how effective is it if it keeps being used by administrations and continue -- likely going to be used by this administration to continue with these strikes?

SCHULTZ: Yeah, that has been the problem. Since the resolution went into effect back in the '70s, it's been largely ineffective in trying to limit presidents. And this has been bipartisan; it's been Republicans and Democrats. What Trump is saying is something very similar to what other presidents have said is that, yeah, we're notifying you of us committing troops, but we're not doing it because of the act. We're not doing it because we have to. We're just doing it as a courtesy.

So largely, the act, More Powers Act has largely failed in its purpose, failed in its ability to be able to limit presidential power. And over time, what it has allowed presidents to do is to commit troops or bombings in Libya, Kosovo.

[02:40:00]

It's allowed, for example, drone attacks across the world. It's really not been an effective tool and Congress really needs to come back and rethink this.

CHURCH: Do you expect to continue to see these kinds of strikes taking place in the Pacific and the Caribbean?

SCHULTZ: I do at this point, because so long as Congress really can't, in a bipartisan way, perform its duties in terms of the checks and balances and basically adopt, let's say, even just legislation short-term that says you can't do this, presidents are going to continue to push it and they're going to continue and argue to say that as commander-in-chief under Article 2 of the Constitution, I get to do this.

Even though, again, going back to it, the whole point of giving the president powers, commander-in-chief, was not to allow the president to take us into an offensive situation, but to be able to react in case the United States is attacked. Clearly, what presidents have done over time is really twist the very notion of their constitutional powers, and again, pointed out -- as pointed out before, to really commit the United States to a lot of military action without any kind of congressional approval.

CHURCH: David Schultz, really appreciate all that legal analysis. Thank you.

SCHULTZ: My pleasure. Thank you.

CHURCH: A temporary reprieve for American families depending on food stamps from the U.S. government. Ahead here on "CNN Newsroom", my conversation with a member of a food assistance organization, who says that their volunteers are nearing a breaking point.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:46:25]

CHURCH: The U.S. government shutdown could become the longest in the country's history. And the longer it goes on, the more it impacts SNAP benefits and other federal programs that offer food assistance to low- income families. The Trump administration says that they will fund only half of the program this month -- at least half of this month's benefits after it looked like families would possibly receive none.

Officials say that they're now using more than $4 billion from the program's contingency fund after being ordered to do so by a federal judge. The administration said in court papers that they decided against pulling other funds to provide full benefits. All the while, lawmakers continue to point fingers.

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REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES, (D) U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER: All Republicans care about is the opinion of one man, the puppet master of the Republican Party, Donald J. Trump. They don't care about anything else. How else can you explain the fact that they are weaponizing hunger?

REP. MIKE JOHNSON, (R-LA) HOUSE SPEAKER: The president is desperate for SNAP benefits to flow to the American citizens who desperately rely upon it. He has bent over backwards, as you know, to get the troops paid, to keep WIC funding going. He's found creative solutions to what the president said logically was, OK, your Honor, if you're saying we can do it, I'll go for that because I want SNAP to go to the people. It's the Democrats that stopped it, not us. So tell me how to do it.

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CHURCH: And this will give you a sense of how many people are affected, nearly 42 million people, that's about one in eight Americans receive food stamp assistance. Households receive just over $350 a month on average according to recent data. Andrea Cook is the Executive Director of the Johnston Partnership For A Healthy Community. Her organization runs a food pantry, among other things, providing critical food supplies in the great state of Iowa. Andrea, thank you so much for taking some time to speak to us.

ANDREA COOK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JOHNSTON PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHY COMMUNITY: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: According to the numbers, there's well over 250,000 people in Iowa who are receiving SNAP benefits. How is your food pantry currently filling this gap that has really been worsened by the shutdown, even with the announcement on Monday that the Trump administration will be providing at least half of the assistance? I mean, I'm sure that won't be enough.

COOK: No, it won't be. We have as a network, we've struggled to keep up for years now. We've, since April of 2022, have seen steady increase every month. We've seen more people come into our door. The need has continued to rise. It's not going to go in the other direction anytime soon. We were already kind of trying to game plan what was going to happen when changes around the Big Beautiful Bill come out at some point in 2026. And then we had this thrown into the mix.

So, not expected and not at a time of year that's great for us or for a lot of people. CHURCH: Yeah.

COOK: It's a busy season already. We typically see a lot of people and it just is leading to more stress and anxiety to those come into our door.

CHURCH: I'm sure the holidays around the corner will mean an increase in demand. I mean, what a time to, I mean, the timing of that is just awful. As you've shared with us, your organization as a food pantry, so you help people directly. Just give us a sense of the numbers. How dependent are you and other organizations such as yourself, on the government to make that mission happen?

COOK: The charitable food system does one meal for every nine that SNAP does. So we're never going to be able to meet that.

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We've had incredible response from the community. A lot of people who are reaching out, finding ways that they can donate and help, and bring in supplies and everything, and that's great. But we're not built to do this. SNAP dollars benefit the overall economy. It's so much -- it does so much in so many ways. It gives people the dignity, the ability to choose their food. We're doing the best we can to have what people need, to be culturally sensitive, to have enough supplies on hand, but it's going to be tough.

We're -- there's many non-profits across our community that are struggling to keep up already and this is not going to help. And we're not meant to be anything more than an emergency system. This is not meant to be the thing that meets all the needs. We can't do it without the government. We just can't.

CHURCH: You've given us a sense of what you're hearing from the people you worked alongside with, those who want to donate their time and other resources. But what about the people that you help, right? I mean, just give us, share one or two anecdotes. What are people telling you when they go to your center? I can't imagine looking into their eyes and seeing that uncertainty. I mean, what questions do they have for you? And I assume sometimes you don't have the answers.

COOK: A hundred percent. We do want to make sure people know that if they need us to come, we don't want people to feel that they shouldn't show up. They have to have little patience, the lines might be a little longer, but if people need it, there's -- our organizations are here to help as much as we can. But, the stress is real, the strain is there, the anxiety. I've been doing this work for 15 years and last week felt really different, just a whole other level of stress.

People who are coming who just wanted to make sure we were here and that we were going to be available, and they maybe haven't visited us for a while, but they're looking down the road going, they know it's necessary. We've had an increase in families who have never had to look for this kind of help before. It hasn't been a great year already. So there's people who are losing wages, they are struggling to keep up. And then it just takes the one thing, had a family who called who, I mean, all it is, is a tire on their car and that has completely made it so they cannot get to work. They cannot function and they're trying to figure out how to make up for that.

People with medical expenses, people who are helping out elderly relatives, it's everything. And it just -- it takes one very small thing to push somebody over the precipice. And a lot of people have been standing in front of me and I hear often, I cannot believe that I'm here and this is what I'm doing. But they're grateful for the help that they get. It's just hard when you need that help.

CHURCH: And as you can imagine, I have to close on the politics here. I mean, what is your message to party leaders in Washington and a message for both Democrats and Republicans as this shutdown continues?

COOK: We can't keep doing this and we need elected officials to do their job. I don't care what it is. I don't care what side you're on. We need the government to step up and do their job. And I just can't stress it enough. There's going to be a breaking point. Our volunteers, our board, our staff are all begging our government to do what needs to be done because we cannot continue to do it on our own.

CHURCH: There's going to be a breaking point, a final word there from Andrea Cook in Iowa. Thank you so much for your time. We wish you the best and we'll keep checking back.

COOK: Thank you very much.

CHURCH: The U.S. is nearing the busiest travel season of the year, and that's in the middle of a shutdown. Airport delays seem to be getting worse in much of the country. Houston's airport, for example, they warned passengers that security wait times could hit three hours due to staffing shortages. And there were at least 17 reports of air traffic controller shortages across the U.S. on Monday.

These issues, they are resulting in massive flight delays totaling in thousands every day. Still ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," it's the fastest glacial retreat ever recorded and scientists are warning that it could spell trouble for the planet's sea levels.

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CHURCH: At least three people are dead and four are missing after an avalanche on the Himalayas, a French national and two Nepali guides were killed when the avalanche crashed through a base camp on a mountain in Eastern Nepal. Four climbers were rescued and five others managed to hike to safety on their own. Rescuers were forced to turn back due to snow and low visibility. The missing include climbers from France, Canada, and Italy.

Now to a new study that finds an Antarctic Glacier has actually shrunk by nearly 50 percent and get this, in just two months. And that's making it now the fastest glacial retreat ever recorded. The Hektoria Glacier about the size of Philadelphia, it sits on the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest warming regions on the planet. Because Hektoria actually rests on an ice plane, a process called calving actually pushes water underneath it, causing large slabs to break off, which then exposes the glacier behind it to the same pressures.

Researchers are warning -- in the warning that if this effect does continue and larger glaciers retreat at similar rates, that it could have catastrophic effects on global sea levels.

We want to thank you so much for joining us here on "CNN Newsroom." I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. My colleague, Rosemary Church, continues our coverage from Atlanta. Coming up next.

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