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Trump Threatens New Tariffs; Minnesota's Governor Calls Out National Guard; Blaming Trump. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired January 18, 2026 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[03:00:00]
BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in the CNN Newsroom with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me.
Coming up on a show, new tariff threats, the U.S. president makes new demands on European allies who won't go along with his plan to annex Greenland.
The governor of Minnesota calls out the National Guard as a law enforcement and anti-ICE protesters clash in Minneapolis.
And Iran's leader blames Donald Trump for his regime's brutal crackdown on protesters.
Welcome. U.S. President Donald Trump is escalating his push to take over Greenland, threatening new tariffs on European allies who are against his plan. Ambassadors from the European Union's 27 countries are now preparing to meet today to respond to Trump's threats. That's according to an E.U. diplomat.
President Trump has said he wants control of the self-governing Danish territory for national security reasons. He plans to impose a 10 percent tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. It would take effect on February 1st and would go up to 25 percent in June until a deal is reached to purchase Greenland.
European leaders are pushing back. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says, President Trump's threats are, quote, completely wrong, and French President Emmanuel Macron calls it unacceptable. E.U. lawmakers now want to halt a trade deal. The bloc had previously reached with the U.S and the European Council president says he is coordinating a joint response from E.U. member states.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO COSTA, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: If we want prosperity, we must open markets not close them. We must create zones of economic integration, not increase tariffs. What we can say is that the European Union will always be very firm in defending international law wherever it may be. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Thousands of people turned out across Denmark on Saturday to protest President Trump's demands, declaring that Greenland is not for sale. Many waved Greenland's flag and held signs of strong messages for the president, including, quote, hands off Greenland.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIE RADEMACHER, DANISH POLITICIAN: So, Donald, we don't want to be Americans. We are Greenlanders, and we want to be in a democratic world, and we hope Americans, they will support us.
ALEXANDER WALLACE, AMERICAN PROTESTER: I've never met an American who thinks anything other. Greenland should be free. And Greenland should be for the Greenlanders, not for the Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Well, thousands of protesters also took to the streets of Greenland's tiny capital. CNN's Nic Robertson filed this report from the town of Nuuk.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: The Prime Minister's front and center there of this protest.
It really feels like most of Nuuk is out here. They're all on the streets. They're all carrying the Greenland flag. People we've been talking to have been very clear. They're concerned about President Trump's rhetoric, and this is a protest meant to send a very clear message to him, hands off of Greenland. Greenland's Not for sale.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are here to demonstrate because of these threats of being annexed by the states and Trump administration, and we do not accept this kind of aggression.
ROBERTSON: What are you more worried this year than you were last year?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.
ROBERTSON: How real are those fears become of his language?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: More and more realistic since he said it for a year ago, where we were also out demonstrating, he keeps on. So, of course, it's increasingly a concern for all of us and we have seen what he does in Venezuela and Iran. He doesn't respect anything. He just takes what he thinks is his and what he wants to do.
ROBERTSON: And before the protesters moved off, there was music, there were poems, there was a minute of silence, much of it in the native Inuit language.
[03:05:03] But when you look at the families coming out here and the smiles on people's faces, it's very clear, this is a peaceful demonstration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not for sale.
We do not want to be Americans.
ROBERTSON: Did enough people come out to send that strong message?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I did not expect so many to be here, but it warms my heart to know that we are all united together to stand by and fight Trump.
ROBERTSON: You're the next generation. So --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ROBERTSON: -- what does that mean to be the next generation and face this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, I think as a generation, we're kind of scared for the future because it feels like we don't have enough power to make our own decisions fully.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's scary to think about it. And it's scary at night to try to sleep. And it's the talk of the day every day. A couple of days ago we talked about buying a rifle.
ROBERTSON: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For defense in here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ROBERTSON: Wow. That's serious.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it is serious.
ROBERTSON: It's beginning to wind down now, an hour and a half of marching, of protesting, of listening to their leaders. The sentiment I've got from so many people here is they hope their voices are being heard. They feel alone. They feel that this is their moment to speak up. They've done it today, and their leaders were with them.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Nuuk, Greenland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: Okay. Let's bring in Jeppe Kofod who served as Denmark's minister of foreign affairs from 2019 to 2022. Thank you so much for being with me this morning. How are you doing?
JEPPE KOFOD, FORMER DANISH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER: Fine, thank you, and good morning to you. HUNTE: Good morning to you. It's good to see you.
This began as pressure on Greenland and Denmark, but now it appears so much bigger than that. Is this now a direct conflict between the Trump administration and Europe as a whole?
KOFOD: Yes. I think the latest cohesion now with Europe with the tariffs announced 10 percent from February, 25 percent from June, it's, in a way, a declaration of a political war between Trump administration and Europe. And I would say, frankly speaking, well, because there are many, many countries, not only in Europe that are anxious, seeing that fundamental respect of people, nation, sovereignty and territorial integrity. These rule of law respects are gone in the rhetoric that the Trump administrating is now using. And it's heartening to see so many Greenlandic people, Danish people on the streets, people all around the world being you supportive of (INAUDIBLE).
HUNTE: Experts think that Europe won't accommodate President Trump and will actually push back in unity. But what does that actually mean in real terms, especially when the U.S. remains such a key security partner?
KOFOD: Well, unfortunately, and this is something Europe really regrets, but it's not on the fault of Europe because Europe wants to work with the United States, have done it. And, you know, Denmark has always fought for the strongest transatlantic alliance possible, whether it was in Afghanistan, in Iraq, fighting terrorism. And our diplomatic ties between the Kingdom of Denmark and United States is the longest, actually unbroken diplomatic ties that any -- within any country outside the U.S.
So, Europe will stand together and they would not let United States (INAUDIBLE) to region against them. So, what will happen is that, you know, that Trump will face a fierce resistance, and you already -- France, Germany, United Kingdom, and others, you know, supporting the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland and going against Trump.
So, listen, this is -- this will -- could mean the end of NATO. It could mean the end of a good transatlantic economic corporation. And also the tariffs deal that was made recently will be now buried if this continues for --
HUNTE: Even just hearing you say that is -- sounds quite crazy, doesn't it, that things have progressed to this point.
Can you just break down for me what is one issue that neither side is willing to compromise on right now?
KOFOD: Well, I mean, for Greenland and Europe and the rest of the world, the self-determination of the -- is fundamental.
[03:10:01]
It's how things are in the 21st century. It's a democratic country. It's a nation. It's a people. You cannot trade them. You cannot buy them. You cannot disrespect them the way Trump is doing. That is a red line and that, what you see now, rest of the world convening against Trump's idea of taking Greenland by force or cohesion. That is a -- so that is the one thing.
The other thing where we can work together where, you know, NATO countries has now sent a lot of military forces to the Arctic region, to Greenland is to protect security of North America and the Arctic, and that we could strengthen and that is what we are trying to do. But we haven't seen any response from the U.S. side. You know, United States was invited to this NATO, you know, military, bigger footprint, reassurance exercise in the Arctic, but they haven't joined. So, if Trump is really serious about national security and protecting United States, North America, then they find the rest of NATO and bring troops, more troops to Greenland.
HUNTE: While you were talking there, we saw protest images and we have seen protest numbers grow and we are expecting that to continue. How can you reassure people in Greenland that their right to decide their own future is genuinely being respected?
KOFOD: Well, it's being respected by us. We have legislation from 2009 that gives, you know, the sole right to the Greenlandic people to (INAUDIBLE) their own future, also independent and what relationship we want to have with the Kingdom of Denmark and so on. That right is fundamental.
And the only country that doesn't respect it now is Trump and United States (INAUDIBLE). And this is going against all the rules and values the world order that we build up together. So, in a way -- you know, joining hands against Trump's attempt to dismantle the world order that has made many, many countries safe, Eastern Europe, small, medium sized nations, that know that only rules internationally that -- is needed if we are going to live in peaceful time. So, you will have to fight back. I'm absolutely convinced and the European Parliament just announcing that, oh, now this tariff (INAUDIBLE) if Trump continues to threaten Europe.
HUNTE: Okay, we'll leave it there for now. Jeppe Kofod, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
KOFOD: You're welcome. Thank you. Have a good day.
HUNTE: Okay. More tense scenes in Minnesota on Saturday as federal law enforcement officers confront anti-ICE protesters. CNN crews witnessed several people being detained outside a federal building in Minneapolis but it's not clear why. Minnesotans are braving freezing temperatures, they denounced what they call the brutal tactics of federal agents, including the fatal shooting of Rene Good by an ICE officer on January 7th.
This video shows a crowd of federal officers in riot gear approaching peaceful protesters across the street. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz mobilized the state's National Guard to support local law enforcement and allow for peaceful demonstrations amid federal crackdowns. They have not yet been deployed. A former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection explains when he thinks it would be appropriate for Governor Walz to deploy Minnesota National Guard troops to support state patrol officers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GILL KERLIKOWSKE, FORMER COMMISSIONER, U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: Well, what you want to do is to have the Minneapolis Police Department control the crowd and manage the crowd. In Chicago, the Illinois State Police were used. They're well-trained, well- supervised. They wore campaign hats. They didn't wear masks. They had long batons, but they were focused and they were disciplined. And lo and behold, the crowd did exactly what they were told they could do. The Minneapolis Police Department, the State Patrol from Minnesota, can do those kinds of things. They're the experts. They're the ones that are experienced in crowd control, certainly not ICE and the Border Patrol.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Okay. Up next, the U.S. launches another retaliatory strike inside Syria, targeting those of ISIS connections. We have the latest on that, as well as the internal conflict within Syria next, these stories and more when we return.
Plus, Iran's supreme leader blames the U.S. president for the horrific death toll anti-regime protests. You'll hear what President Trump had to say in response straight ahead.
See you in a moment.
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HUNTE: Welcome back. The U.S. has carried out a lethal strike in Syria against an Al-Qaeda-affiliate leader. U.S. Central Command said the man they targeted had direct ties to an ISIS attacker who killed three Americans in an ambush back in December. Since then, the U.S. launched a series of retaliatory strikes on ISIS.
Meanwhile, Syrian troops have taken control of the country's largest dam and the northern city of Tabqa. That's according to Syrian state media. Both areas were previously held by Kurdish-led forces. However, the Kurdish-run Syrian Democratic Forces denies the city was overtaken. The U.S. has urged restraint on both sides.
Iran's supreme leader is trying to flip the script on U.S. President Donald Trump on the heels of a brutal crackdown on anti-regime protesters. Mr. Trump threatened military action over the crackdown, which activists say has left more than 3,000 people dead. On Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khameini admitted that thousands have been killed, but he claims that's Mr. Trump's fault because he encouraged the protest by promising military support. Khamenei also said the protests have been, in his words, extinguished.
But as Ben Wedeman reports, Mr. Trump was quick to respond to his accusation.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview published Saturday that, quote, it's time to look for new leadership in Iran.
[03:20:05]
The comment made to Politico signals a heating up of rhetoric echoed by Iran. Saturday, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the American president on his X account of being behind the recent wave of protests in Iran. Those protests appear to have been largely put down. Although with the internet and telecommunications blackout now almost ten days old, it's hard to get a clear picture of what is going on inside the country.
There's little indication, however, that many inside Iran were either able or willing to respond to the call by Reza Pahlavi, the son of the ousted shah of Iran, for people to take to the streets Saturday following a press conference he held in Washington Friday, in which he appealed to President Trump to ramp up military, economic and political pressure on the government in Tehran.
Earlier this week, President Trump vowed on social media to the protesters in Iran that help is on its way, but then backtracked, claiming he had been assured that detained protesters would not be executed. Yet the White House insists that when it comes to Iran, all options are still on the table.
The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is on its way to the Middle East, while other military assets are being deployed to the region. The carrier group is expected to be in place within a week to ten days.
I am Ben Wedeman, CNN, reporting from Erbil in Northern Iraq.
HUNTE: Thousands took to the streets in Serbia on Saturday to demand early elections and government reform. They're calling for people they see as being tied to a corrupt system to be removed from official positions. The student-led protest movement has led to nationwide demonstrations since 2024 after a roof collapsed at a railway station killing 16 people. The protesters blame the tragedy on corruption and a lack of accountability.
We are waiting for word on the latest U.S. Ukrainian peace talks aimed at ending Kyiv's war with Russia. Ukraine's delegation arrived in the U.S. on Saturday for talks in Miami on future security guarantees for Kyiv. A short while ago, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said two people were killed and dozens wounded, a massive Russian drone attack overnight.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's against the current plan for the Board of Peace in Gaza. It will include officials from Turkey and Qatar. But Israel has tried to prevent diplomats from those countries from serving, claiming they supported Hamas.
The White House announced some of the board members on Friday, including U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and Peace negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is also there. The board is a key piece of the puzzle in the U.S.-brokered peace plan for Gaza.
We are following a developing story in Uganda after Friday's national elections. Opposition Leader Bobi Wine says he's in hiding after escaping from an army raid on his home.
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KYAGULANYI SSENTAMU ROBERT, AKA BOBI WINE, UGANDAN OPPOSITION LEADER: (INAUDIBLE), I was able to use my skills and escaped my house. But I know they're looking for me. But even if they succeed and get me and do whatever, I want to say this to you, fellow Ugandans, first and foremost, we reject whatever is being declared by Mr. Byabakama because those so-called results that they're declaring are fake and they don't, in any, will reflect what happened at the polling stations or what is at the declaration false.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: President Yoweri Museveni was declared winner of the vote in a landslide with nearly 72 percent of the vote. Wine was said to have earned just 24 percent.
Europe and the common market of South American countries are celebrating an important free trade deal. If ratified by the European Parliament and the nations involved, the agreement would strengthen commercial ties between Europe and the so-called Mercosur Bloc.
CNN's Dario Klein reports,
DARIO KLEIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It took more than 25 years of negotiation to seal this historic agreement, creating one of the largest free trade areas in the world that represents a quarter of the whole global GDP and more than 700 million people. But this deal is not just about the economy. It also represents a strategic and geopolitical opportunity for both blocs at the time of global tension. And it comes as Donald Trump just announced plans to impose tariffs on several European Union countries.
[03:25:05]
In fact, the European Council president, Antonio Costa, said it clearly in his speech today. He said, and I quote, we want to send a very clear message to the world that today, what is needed is not conflict but peace and cooperation. And that is essential to defend the international law.
He said in Asuncion, nearly all the heavyweights from both blocs were there, were present in Asuncion with one major exception. Attending were the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, of Uruguay, Yamandu Orsi, of Paraguay, Santiago Pena, as well as the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Also present were the presidents of Bolivia and Panama, both seeking to join Mercosur.
The big absentee, however, was one of the agreement's strongest supporters, the Brazilian president, Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva.
The European Union is primarily looking to buy commodities, minerals, and food products while South America expects from disagreement to import technology, automobiles, chemicals and pharmaceutical products.
In addition to these indirect messages aimed to the United States and Donald Trump, there was also a direct message from Argentine President Javier Milei, who praised Donald Trump for the January 3rd intervention in Venezuela. Venezuela, it should be noted, was a member of Mercosur until 2017, when it was suspended.
But there is still a road ahead before the agreement can be entered into force. It must be still ratified by the Congresses of the former countries and especially by the European Parliament, where tough negotiations are expected.
Dario Klein, CNN, Montenegro.
HUNTE: All right. For our international viewers, Quest World of Wonder is next. And for those in the U.S. and Canada, I'll be right back with so much more CNN Newsroom.
See you in a bit.
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HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.
U.S. President Donald Trump is facing a mounting backlash over his campaign to buy Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory. Protesters gather in Denmark and Greenland on Saturday to reject the president's threats. In Greenland's capital, people waved banners saying, quote, Yankee, go home, and Greenland is already great.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has mobilized the state's National Guard to support local law enforcement, but troops have not yet been deployed. State officials are urging anti-ICE protesters to stay safe and peaceful as they demonstrate against federal immigration officers.
The U.S. carried out a lethal strike on an Al-Qaeda-affiliate leader in Syria. The U.S. Central Command claims the person they targeted had direct ties of an ISIS attacker. He killed three Americans in an ambush in December. Since then, the U.S. has launched a series of retaliatory strikes on ISIS in Syria.
Let's return now to our top story. President Trump is threatening to slap a new 10 percent tariff on Denmark and seven other European allies until a deal is reached to purchase Greenland. The levy would start at 10 percent on February 1st and increase to 25 percent in June. That move prompted the European Union to call an emergency meeting in Brussels later today.
Let's keep talking about it. Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow with the Observer Research Foundation Strategic Studies Program, is with me now. Thank you so much for being with me, Rachel. How are you doing?
RACHEL RIZZO, SENIOR FELLOW, STRATEGIC STUDIES PROGRAM, OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION: I am good. How are you?
HUNTE: I'm good at 3:31 A.M. It's good to be here. Good to see you too.
Let's get into it. This standoff has now dragged in Denmark, NATO, and wider Europe. Do you think there is still a potential off-ramp here, or are both sides now locked into positions that make compromise really difficult?
RIZZO: Well, I think that there potentially is an off-ramp, but what that off-ramp is, I think, is yet to be seen. You're completely right. I think that Donald Trump has kind of backed himself into a corner with these maximalist aims, saying anything less than U.S. ownership or U.S. having total control over Greenland is unacceptable. But as we know, Donald Trump has somewhat of a habit, you know, kind of making these outlandish claims and then settling for a deal that he can walk away with and claim as a win.
Now, again, with him, levying tariffs against seven European nations, starting at 10 percent now, potentially to 25 percent in June, that makes negotiations already pretty tough. So, it's something that I think we're all going to be watching pretty closely.
HUNTE: We are definitely watching it closely. President Trump has framed Greenland as a strategic and economic need for the United States. What would a realistic resolution actually look like at this point that avoids escalation and preserves those alliances?
RIZZO: So, I think what's important to note is that there's really nothing that the U.S. couldn't get from acquiring Greenland that we couldn't already get from the 1951 agreement that we already have with Greenland. So, I think that there could maybe be some way where the U.S. and Greenland come to the table together potentially to renegotiate that bilateral agreement that was made in 1951 that could maybe look at the U.S. expanding basing rights on the island.
There's probably something also to be said about the critical minerals that are present in Greenland. However, at the same time, those critical minerals are under a lot of ice. It's extremely expensive and U.S. chokepoints for critical minerals are in processing, not extraction.
So, I think that there is -- it's yet to be seen what exactly a negotiation would look like, but there's going to be probably some military aspect to it and probably some economic aspect to it as well.
HUNTE: As you said there, some experts are expecting a bit of a backpedal from the United States, but is there anything that, in your view, could actually satisfy both President Trump and Denmark at the same time now, or are their core interests just incompatible?
RIZZO: So, I think those -- both are possible. I think their core interests are right now incompatible. But I think what we should really watch closely is the Republican response to this in the United States. This is not popular in the U.S. It's also obviously not popular in Greenland or in Denmark.
[03:35:02]
But it's also increasingly not popular amongst Republicans specifically. Senator Mitch McConnell recently said that acquiring Greenland, especially by force, would be as disastrous for Donald Trump as the withdrawal, the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan was for Biden and his presidency. So, that's kind of, I think, a surprising thing to hear Mitch McConnell say, who's always, you know, been pretty much in line with President Trump.
So, there's a lot of daylight between the two sides now, but I do think that there could be a way that both sides could come to the table. Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, Donald Trump has really made this a core tenet of his presidency, and I don't know that he would be happy with anything less than having the U.S. fully acquire the island. So, I think we're in for a pretty difficult time between the U.S. and Europe at the moment.
HUNTE: What time it is. What a time it is. If Washington continues to apply pressure through tariffs and diplomatic muscle, does that strengthen U.S. leverage or does it push Denmark and Europe closer together and therefore against the United States?
RIZZO: I think it could actually push Europeans closer together. We've had European nations come out very strongly against this. Some have even sent small groups of military reinforcement to the island as recon, basically looking at or under the guise of looking at what's happening in the Arctic, especially with Russia and China. But at the same time, maybe that could bolster the military cooperation that could take place between the U.S. and Europe.
But I think what we're seeing is a real fraying between NATO allies at the moment. And what you could also see, I think, is something to remember, the European Union also has a mutual defense treaty that doesn't really come into play very much because most of Europe's security is foundationally based in NATO, of which the United States is a key member.
So, I could see a scenario where the E.U. starts to play a bigger role in this, although I'm not exactly quite sure what that role would be at the moment. But still a lot of daylight and the Europeans are holding strong on a pretty united front here.
HUNTE: Okay. I learned a lot from that. Thank you so much, Rachel Rizzo. I appreciate it.
RIZZO: Absolutely. Thanks.
HUNTE: And now to a historic moment in the State of Virginia.
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GOV. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-VA): As governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: According to the best of my ability.
SPANBERGER: According to the best of my ability.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, help me God.
SPANBERGER: So, help me God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations, Governor.
SPANBERGER: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Democrat Abigail Spanberger is making history as Virginia's first woman governor. Only men have held the top office there since 1776. At Saturday's swearing-in ceremony, Spanberger said she is honored to change that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPANBERGER: The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me. I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who work generation after generation to ensure women could be among those casting ballots but who could only -- but who could only dream of a day like today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: In keeping up with tradition, she will now be referred to as Madam Governor or Her Excellency.
Okay. It's going to be a very cold weekend for much of the United States, even in the Southeast, which may see some rare snow. But the winter system is forecast to come and go rather quickly.
CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar explains all.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, roughly 75 percent of the U.S. population is going to see temperatures at or below freezing at some point over the next several days, and that includes areas deep into some of the southern states. That means, as we start to get some moisture that builds back into these areas, it could change over into snow.
So, we're looking at the overnight hours tonight. You can see that next system from the Gulf starting to push a lot more moisture into states like Florida, Alabama, and into Georgia. Early on, it's really going to be focused as rain as those temperatures are on the warm side. But as we start to go into early tomorrow morning and those temperatures dip back, yes, you could even start to see some of that change over into some rain, snow mix, even at times, maybe perhaps all snow proportions of Georgia South and even North Carolina, granted it's not going to be for long. And this is a very fast-moving system. In fact, it exits entirely out of this area by the time we get to Sunday evening. So, not much in the way is inspected in terms of snowfall, accumulation, and any impacts it would likely cause, but those cold temperatures are here to stay. In fact, after that system moves through, temperatures will drop even more, even as places far south as Florida. Take a look at this, Orlando looking at a morning low temperature Monday of only 36 degrees, even Fort Myers going to see temperatures dropping down into the 30s early Monday morning. That is falling frozen iguana weather for some of these areas in South Florida.
[03:40:02]
But it's going to be even colder across areas of the north as we get the next round of cold air that moves through. So, you can see all that cold air in place Sunday into Monday, but then that next shot comes in as we head into the latter portion of the week.
So, it's going to be kind of a roller coaster for some of these areas. Take Nashville, for example. Look at this, highs in 30s the next few days. We do warm up a little bit before that next drop comes as we head into next weekend. And then looking at Cincinnati, again, the average high this time of year is 39 degrees. They will spend every single one of the next seven days at or below that high temperature.
HUNTE: Still to come, the Nobel Prize Committee is responding after Venezuela's opposition leader gifts her medal to President Trump. After the break, we speak to a journalist and historian about the impacts of that decision next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUNTE: Welcome back. The Nobel Prize Committee is responding after Venezuela's opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, gave her Nobel Peace Prize Medal to President Trump. In a statement, the committee says, the medal and the diploma are, quote, inseparably linked to the person who originally won the honor. Machado received the peace prize due to her campaign to ensure democracy in Venezuela. While she can give away the medal, the committee notes that the honor itself is non- transferrable.
President Trump has long coveted the Nobel Peace Prize and accepted the gift after meeting with her at the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I tell you, I had a great meeting yesterday by a person who I have a lot of respect for. And she has respect, obviously, for me and our country. And she gave me her Nobel Prize. But I'll tell you what, I get to know her. I never met her before and I was very, very impressed. She's a really -- this is a fine woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:45:00] HUNTE: Joining us now is Theo Zenou. He's a journalist and historian as well as a visiting fellow at Australian National University. Thank you so much for being with me, Theo. How are you doing this evening?
THEO ZENOU, JOURNALIST AND HISTORIAN: Very well.
HUNTE: Oh, London. You're in London. I thought you're in Australia. There we go. It's good to see you.
ZENOU: Oh, likewise.
HUNTE: In my hometown.
Laureate offering her medal to a sitting U.S. president seems unprecedented in the history of the Nobel Peace Prize. How extraordinary is this moment?
ZENOU: Well, it isn't unprecedented. And it is extraordinary. In previous laureates have, you know, sold off their medals because they needed the money or they wanted to donate to charity or they donated to a specific cause. But they've never given it up as a tribute to the U.S. president. This is totally new.
HUNTE: You have described this as Machado having very few options left with the Trump administration effectively cutting her out. Was this just a calculated move to force her way back into relevance?
ZENOU: Yes, and it was a smart move, in fact. It's easy to criticize her from the comfort of her living rooms and to say, why did you go to the White House and go to the emperor and donate him your Nobel Peace Prize? But the truth is she fought for years of freedom and democracy in our country a great personal risk, okay? Now that something is finally happening in Venezuela, it looks like the Chavez-Maduro regime will stay in place, so she has to make a move.
Her only play is to get back to the White House, is give Trump this price, which he has been craving for years. So, it's very shrewd on her call (ph), and it shows great humility. It's this code of Venezuela. I mean, it's much more to her than any medal, no matter how prestigious it might be.
HUNTE: On the U.S. side of things, how do you think this was received inside the Trump administration? Was it genuinely welcomed?
ZENOU: I mean, if Trump can get his medal, then he'll get his medal. Fundamentally, it's not going to make a huge difference in the calculus of the Trump administration. What they're looking for in Venezuela really is stability. So, the country doesn't descend into a civil war. American companies can roll back in, they can extract oil, and they can make deals with the regime.
Machado is not going to give them that in the short-term, but from her point of view, she was just looking to get a meeting and this was the only bargaining chip she had.
HUNTE: The Nobel Committee has now been very clear that the prize and the laureate can't be split up. How does Trump accepting a medal actually damage his ambition of maybe winning a Nobel Peace Prize in the future?
ZENOU: Well, never say never, but I'd say it's pretty much over for him in the Nobel Peace Prize. Because at this point, not only has he been profanely campaigning for this thing for years, which is from (INAUDIBLE), he has tried to pressure the Nobel Committee and said, you got to give it to me, you got to give it to me, and they also hate that. And now, although he didn't receive it, he's basically found a way to get it nonetheless.
So, at this point we can write him off. And the Norwegians are very mad at that. They feel disrespected. They feel that he's entitled. And no matter what achievement might lie in the future for him, whether that's a peace deal in Gaza, they will overlook it.
HUNTE: Do you think that this moment drastically changes anything for Venezuela or was the real win here simply securing a meeting and this huge media attention? I mean, we're talking about it now.
ZENOU: Yes. This is a real win, frankly, because -- and it's Machado's win. Trump here is simply taking advantage of the situation to get a photo-op. But Machado needed to make a move. She made her move. So, now, hopefully, for her, this has secured her further access into the administration. But this is really a long-term move. It's unlikely that anything will happen in the coming days weeks or even months, but perhaps it's allowed her back into the orbit. She can make connections, she can plead her case, and she can, when the time comes, be there for transition government back to a democracy in Venezuela.
HUNTE: Okay. I really enjoyed that. That was great.
Theo Zenou in my hometown of London, thank you so much for now. I appreciate it.
ZENOU: All right. Be well.
HUNTE: Thank you. Okay, let's have a look. Oh, these are some live pictures we're seeing there of NASA's Artemis II moon rocket. It's made its way to the launch pad. Still ahead, a closer look at the upcoming mission as the space agency makes its final preparation. It's very exciting.
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[03:50:00]
HUNTE: Welcome back. After a nearly 12-hour crawl, NASA's Artemis II rocket has finally arrived at Kennedy Space Center launch pad in Florida. The moon rocket weighing in 11 million pounds, or nearly 5,000 metric tons, traveled at less than one mile per hour on Saturday, so slow, it's hard to visibly track its progress in this NASA video.
Artemis II's mission aims to carry four astronauts around the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. The initial launch attempt is scheduled for February 6th. Earlier, former NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman explained why this particular mission won't feature an iconic moonwalk moment.
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CADY COLEMAN, RETIRED NASA ASTRONAUT AND PUBLIC SPEAKER: The big thing is we don't have a lander yet. And, of course, they've had ones for Apollo, but now we're talking about much heavier vehicles and it's really a big step up. And so we just don't have all the pieces. But one of the pieces is, how is it going to be for humans? What are the conditions for humans to be in deep space with different kinds of radiation? And they're bringing what they call the avatar experiment, where they're actually looking at organids, little -- I mean, these are cells that are growing, and to understand that difference in their growth in that kind of environment helps us understand what happens to people in deep space.
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[03:55:10]
HUNTE: The NFL playoffs are heating up after two major matchups on Saturday. In the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks buried the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks' dominant performance began on the very first play of the game with this 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Seattle leaned heavily on Running Back Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for three touchdowns. The 49ers never had a chance to close the gap, ultimately losing 41-6. The Seahawks now advanced to the NFC title game for a chance to reach this year's Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, in the AFC, the battle between the Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills stretched into overtime. It all came down to Broncos Kicker Will Lutz, who sailed this final field goal through the upper rights to win the game 33-30.
After the game, the Broncos announced some devastating news. During the last few plays of the game, Quarterback Bo Nix reportedly broke his ankle and will be out for the remainder of the season. This critical absence comes as Denver prepares to face the New England Patriots or the Houston Texans in next week's AFC title match.
It was, bring your pet to church day in Mexico City on Saturday. Catholic faithful gathered to watch their pets be blessed with holy water in honor of Saint Anthony Abbot. He was a fourth century Christian who lived a monastic life and is known for giving all his money to the poor. He's also said to have lived in the desert with only animals for company. Some say the blessing offers protection for the animal, or just simply a way of thanking God for them. Participating pets included dogs, cats, birds, and even a guinea pig. And that just made me miss my dog.
Thanks so much for joining me on the team. That's all I've got for you. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. I will see you tomorrow, but there's so much more CNN Newsroom just ahead. Kim, over to you. That's you.
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