Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Key Elections Taking Place Today in New York and Virginia; U.S. Defense Secretary is in South Korea for Talks with South Korean Counterpart and its President; Trump to Fund Half of SNAP Benefits. Aired 3-3:45a ET

Aired November 04, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead.

It is election day in the United States and while Donald Trump and many Democrats are not on the ballot, their records are.

The voting comes as the government shutdown enters day 35 with rumors that an end to the standoff may be near.

And U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth talks military cooperation with his South Korean counterpart.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us.

Well voters are heading to the polls today across the United States with some major races on the ballot seen as a key test of President Donald Trump's popularity. The voting coincides with what is now day 35 of the U.S. government shutdown, tying the record for the longest in U.S. history.

Let's take a look at some of the most high-profile contests. California is voting on Prop 50, a controversial redistricting plan backed by Governor Gavin Newsom meant to benefit Democrats. New York City is electing a mayor, New Jersey and Virginia are picking governors, with Democrats leading the polls in both states.

President Trump may not be on the ballot, but his policies are. A new CNN poll shows 63 percent disapprove of the way he is handling his job, that's the highest number in either of his terms as President, 37 percent approve, the lowest number of his second term so far.

Well New York City's race for mayor is getting a lot of attention as Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani leads in the polls. The 34-year- old state lawmaker has come under fire for his lack of experience and far-left campaign promises.

President Trump is now urging New Yorkers to vote for former Governor Andrew Cuomo, he lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary and is now running as an independent. Mamdani tells CNN Cuomo would be the President's puppet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL CANDIDATE: 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 was built 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)

CHURCH: President Trump is urging voters in Virginia to vote Republican. But in a telly 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 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.

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.

[03:05:05]

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)

CHURCH: Joining us now is CNN senior political analyst and Bloomberg Opinion columnist Ron Brownstein. Good to have you with us.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST, AND BLOOMBERG OPINION COLUMNIST: Hi, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So a year after Donald Trump was voted in as U.S. president, polls are set to open in just a few hours for key races across the country, putting the popularity of Donald Trump and indeed the Democrats to the test.

So let's start with New York City's mayoral race, where President Trump is now endorsing Andrew Cuomo and threatening to cut funding to that city if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins. So how will all this likely play out, do you think?

BROWNSTEIN: Well look, Trump is very unpopular in New York City, much more than he was a year ago, even on Election Day. And a lot of vote has already been cast.

If this had happened a month ago, maybe Cuomo would have a better chance. Mamdani has had trouble getting over 50 percent. So if you consolidate the vote for Cuomo and the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, maybe he'd had a chance.

But with all of that early vote that's already happened, Mamdani's lead is probably too big for even a consolidation to stop him at this point. And if anything, this could motivate some Democrats to come out and vote against Cuomo tomorrow or later today.

CHURCH: Right, indeed. And Ron, another key race is the one for governor in New Jersey, that's expected to be one of Tuesday's tightest races. So where do you see this going?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, look, I mean, I think in all of these races, what we're really looking at, whether it's the New Jersey governor, the Virginia governor, the California redistricting, to some extent, the New York City mayor, is the Trump effect, Rosemary.

Often, you know, in the U.S., off-year elections and even the off-year elections, like we're having this year, are a referendum on the President in power. And the President's approval rating is often the critical factor. I mean, if you go back four years ago in Virginia, when Glenn Youngkin won the governor's race there, surprising the Republican winning in Virginia, 90 percent of the people who disapproved of Joe Biden voted for the Republican. I think the question in Virginia and New Jersey both is going to be,

can either of these Republican nominees for governor escape the undertow of Trump's declining popularity in their state? I think in no question that he's in a weaker position today than he was a year ago. And the question is whether they can swim upstream against that. They have a better chance in Jersey than in Virginia, but in both cases, they are swimming against the current.

CHURCH: So as you say, these key races may essentially become a referendum for President Trump. What about how he may fare in the midterms?

I mean, this must be a signal for this because with his approval rating at its lowest level yet during his second term, it's at 37 percent, according to a new CNN poll. What do you think all of this could potentially mean for the midterms next year?

BROWNSTEIN: Look, I think the evidence is very clear that at least since the 1990s, the most single, most important factor in off-year elections, including the midterm, is the approval rating of the incumbent President.

In 2018, 55 percent, roughly, of voters said they disapproved of Donald Trump in that midterm where Democrats gained 40 seats, 90 percent of those disapprovers in the exit polls said they voted Democratic. In 2022, 86 percent of the people who disapproved of Biden voted Republican.

Republicans are trying to build a firewall in this election by engaging in this really unprecedented mid-decade redistricting to try to squeeze out as many seats as they can in Republican-controlled states. But if Donald Trump's disapproval rating is anywhere near what the polls have recorded this weekend, not only the CNN poll, but NBC and CBS as well, Republicans are going to face a very long night.

CHURCH: And Ron -- and meantime, of course, the government shutdown has now reached the previous shutdown record of 35 days. How likely is it that a deal will be made this week to open up the government, as some rumors suggest?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, it kind of feels, Rosemary, like this is going to end the last one ended, which is frustration among air traffic controllers, leading to kind of rolling sick outs, leading to long delays and safety concerns about airline traffic. I mean, that really does seem to be the last real pressure point in these government shutdowns.

You know, you can understand why Democrats did not want to end the shutdown before the election, I think, which would frustrate elements of their base and disappoint them. But ultimately, all shutdowns do have to end.

[03:10:06]

And I would not be surprised to see, I don't know if it'll be this week, but it's hard to see how much longer this goes. There's a logical way out, which is a vote on extending these Affordable Care Act subsidies, which is the core of the dispute, which even some Republicans understand they need to extend because it mostly benefits their own voters and their own states. But I do think it's going to be the pressure of airline travel, above all, that brings us to a close.

CHURCH: We'll see what happens with that. Ron Brownstein, thank you so much for joining us, I appreciate it.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: The U.S. Defense Secretary is in South Korea. Pete Hegseth and the South Korean Defense Minister visited the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Hegseth is also set to sit down for a conversation with South Korea's President.

Earlier, the Defense Secretary joined an annual meeting where the two countries discussed their military alliance after President Donald Trump announced an agreement in which South Korea would build a nuclear submarine in the United States. Hegseth had this to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: 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)

CHURCH: President Trump is sticking by his claims of a Christian massacre in Nigeria.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: They're killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria, they're killing the Christians. I'm killing them in very large numbers. I'm not going to allow that to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The President has warned he might send U.S. troops into the West African country, quote, "guns a-blazing" to protect the country's Christian population. But Nigeria says both Christians and Muslims have come under attack by radical Islamists, arguing this is not a case of religious persecution.

CNN's Victoria Rubadiri reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VICTORIA RUBADIRI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Trump's comments painting Nigeria as anti-Christian has been met with reactions from the country's president, Bola Tinubu, who says that simply is not a reflection of his country. Also adding that his government has made concerted efforts in protecting the freedom of religion.

We also heard earlier today from the WTO chief and former finance minister in Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. This is what she had to say on the situation.

NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: This is an incredibly complex question. Let me say this.

Nigeria is a very complex country, the situation is very difficult and needs careful thought. It has religious issues involved in it.

It has resource issues involved in it.

It has different complexities. So I just think we need careful thinking through.

RUBADIRI: Now, complex is certainly the word to describe the issue of insecurity and insurgency in the country. And even though religion is a very important fault line in Nigeria, it's not the main driver of the violence. In fact, according to reports from individuals that have been monitoring the violence over the last few years, they say more Muslims are killed in these attacks.

And the reason for this is because groups like Boko Haram or other ISIS-affiliated groups carry out their attacks primarily in the northeastern part of the country. Northern Nigeria is occupied primarily by Muslims and the south is predominantly Christian. And so this is a very multi-layered and complex issue, as was said by the WTO chief.

And it brings other issues such as conflicts over resources like land and livestock between herders and farmers. And so it definitely points to this issue of geography being a bigger determinant as to who is a victim than it is religion or faith.

Victoria Rubadiri, CNN, Nairobi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Still to come, we are learning new details in that daring daylight heist at the Louvre. What investigators are saying about the suspects they describe as petty criminals.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: A worker who had been trapped under a partially collapsed medieval tower in Rome has died, that's according to Italy's ANSA news agency. Firefighters spent hours trying to free the man from beneath the rubble on Monday. Another injured worker was hospitalized in critical condition.

There were two separate collapses of the tower, which has been closed since 2007 and is undergoing renovations. Prosecutors are reportedly weighing charges over the tragedy.

When thieves broke into the Louvre and stole some of the French crown jewels, it sounded like the script of a Hollywood movie. But as the investigation progresses, prosecutors say the reality is not so glamorous. Isa Soares has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Petty criminals with no association to organized crime. That is how the Paris prosecutor has described suspects currently in police custody in connection with the Louvre heist.

[03:20:04]

Prosecutor Laure Beccuau provided a lot of interesting details in an interview she gave to French radio station France Info over the weekend. The latest suspects to be placed under investigation are all, quote, "local people from the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis with no strong ties to organized crime."

There are now currently four people under formal investigation in relation to the daring daylight robbery on October 19th. And over the weekend, a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman were both placed under formal investigation.

The pair are in a long-term relationship. The man has 11 previous convictions, 10 of which are for robbery. The 37-year-old man participated in a robbery in Paris in 2015 with a third suspect, a 39- year-old man who also has two convictions for aggravated robbery.

Both were convicted by authorities for this crime a decade ago. A final and fourth suspect, a 34-year-old man was the first person to be placed under formal investigation.

Now investigators aren't necessarily surprised that the suspects lack strong ties to organized crime units. A Paris prosecutor said it's becoming more common for criminals with no links to organized crime to progress, quote, "relatively quickly to committing extremely serious crimes."

This latest round of developments led to further searches and the seizure of new items which police are now actively examining. This is according to their call.

As for the stolen jewels themselves, you ask, which are estimated at a value of $102 million, investigators are probing all places on the black market where they could possibly be sold and that is again according to the prosecutor.

Last week, she appealed to anyone considering selling the jewels saying there was still time to return them. So she said this.

LAURE BECCUAU, PARIS PROSECUTOR (through translator): As I speak to you, the jewelry is not yet in our possession. I'd like to keep the hope that it will be found and can be returned to the Louvre museum and more broadly to the nation.

These jewels are now unsellable, anyone who buys them would be guilty of the offense of handling stolen goods. There is still time to return them.

SOARES: For now, it seems investigators have more than enough to keep themselves occupied as they keep trying to solve this most brazen of heists.

Isa Soares, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: U.S. families dependent on food stamps will get a temporary reprieve. More on how the shutdown is affecting everyday Americans just a bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Hello and welcome to "CNN Newsroom," I'm Rosemary Church. Let's check today's top stories for you.

Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm ever to hit Jamaica, has left a trail of devastation across the island. The category five storm killed dozens and has cut off entire communities from food, power and clean drinking water. According to the U.N., over five million people are now in need of aid as crews struggle to reach the hardest hit areas.

The U.S. Defense Secretary is in South Korea. Pete Hegseth had talks with his military counterpart on the two countries' alliance and will be meeting with the South Korean President. Hegseth says the core of the alliance with Seoul will remain focused on deterring North Korea.

It's election day in the U.S. with voters choosing governors in New Jersey and Virginia. In New York City, state lawmaker Zoran Mamdani leads former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race polls. California voters will decide on a controversial redistricting plan proposed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.

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 giving food assistance to low-income families. The Trump administration says they will fund only half of this month's benefits after it looked like families would receive none.

Officials say they are 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 they decided against pulling other funds to provide full benefits, all the while lawmakers continue to point fingers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), U.S. HOUSE MINORITY 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.

[03:30:07]

How else can you explain the fact that they are weaponizing hunger?

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), U.S. 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.

So what the President said logically was, okay, 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.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Nearly 42 million people receive food stamps that amount to just over $350 a month, that's according to recent data.

The U.S. is nearing its busiest travel season of the year amid the airport delays are getting worse. Houston's airport 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 are resulting in massive flight delays totaling in the thousands every day.

Well, it's already looking a lot like many popular retailers. Coming up, we will look at ways to avoid breaking the bank this holiday shopping season. Back with that in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back to CNN, this is your Business Breakout.

Let's take a quick look at the Asia markets, which have already closed for trading on Tuesday. You can see Japan's Nikkei lost 1.74 percent, the KOSPI down more than 2 percent there.

And these are the business headlines.

The World Trade Organization is praising the outcome of the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week. The group's head says they are happy the conversation was able to de-escalate rising economic tensions. While the leaders announced they had agreed on an economic deal, the full details have not been revealed.

China says it will allow the export of chips critical to automotive production, avoiding widespread shutdowns that would have disrupted the global auto industry. Beijing retaliated after the Dutch government took action on Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker based in the Netherlands. China softened its stance after that meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.

Kimberly Clark and Kenvue, the companies behind Huggies and Tylenol, are merging in a massive $50 billion deal, the deal comes with some considerable risks. The acquisition comes a few weeks after President Donald Trump made unfounded claims linking autism to Tylenol use during pregnancy. Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, has staunchly pushed back against the accusations.

Well with Christmas right around the corner, holiday shoppers will be faced with higher prices on many popular items, making it tough to stay on budget. CNN's Michael Yoshida spoke with financial experts on ways you can be savvy and strategic this holiday season.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): 'Tis the season when gift- giving can take over our lives, but with many Americans still worried about rising costs, resale or secondhand shopping is becoming a more popular way for finding value and meaning in gifts.

ALON ROTEM, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, THREDUP: What we're finding is that consumers are ready to spend nearly 40 percent of their holiday budgets on secondhand, which is up significantly from last year.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): Alon Rotem of ThredUp, an online thrift store, says the stigma around buying secondhand is starting to disappear, with it becoming more mainstream.

ROTEM: Because value is king with consumers, this is a great way for them to extend their dollar and get more for their money. Secondhand is also a way to sort of cut through the noise of the ordinary and find more unique items, items that tell a story, items that are more personal.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): Other ways to save.

Start early to take advantage of end-of-summer clearance sales, don't wait until Black Friday, use reward credit cards, taking advantage of cashback or points.

And to keep your holiday shopping from turning into a financial horror show, remember, for your debit card, know your balance, don't overdraft and suffer fees. For your credit card, even if you have a high limit, don't spend beyond your budget. And with buy now, pay later options, try not to use them for discretionary spending that can quickly add up.

CYNTHIA CHEN, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, KIKOFF: Very easy to forget, say, two out of the 20 small purchases with different payment duties that you made from a few months ago. And once you have missed payments, they may get reported to the credit bureaus.

YOSHIDA: And one of the experts we spoke with recommended to use a budgeting app to lay out a clear picture of just how much money you have coming in and how much you're using on expenses. Then you'll know just how much money may be left over for items and gifts for your friends and family.

In Washington, Michael Yoshida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Prince William is on the first leg of his visit to Brazil to highlight environmental causes. Right now, he's in Rio de Janeiro, the host city for this year's Earthshot Prize ceremony. The award, which the Prince of Wales launched, rewards innovative and groundbreaking ideas that address environmental issues.

[03:40:06]

Prince William also kicked around a soccer ball with children at Brazil's famous stadium. On Thursday, he will travel to the Amazon rainforest, where he will deliver a speech at the U.N.'s annual climate meeting.

I want to thank you so much for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "World Sport" is coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WORLD SPORT)

[03:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)