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Donald Trump Claims "Framework" Of Deal With NATO On Greenland; Examining Arctic Region's Rising Geopolitical Importance; Crews Search For Survivors Of Landslide In New Zealand; Palestinian Officials Say Israeli Strike Kills Three Journalists in Gaza; Trump to Host Signing Ceremony for Board of Peace, Board is Meant to Oversee Reconstruction of Gaza; Ex-special Counsel, Jack Smith to Testify Publicly Thursday; Adrian Gonzales Found Not Guilty of Child Endangerment or Abandonment Charges; Norway's PM on Text Exchange With Trump, Says It is Unacceptable to Take Land From Other Countries; Trump Claims Framework of Deal With NATO on Greenland; Emotional Prince Harry Testifies Against Daily Mail Publisher; Brilliant Display of the Aurora Borealis in Northern Europe. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired January 22, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:36]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, Donald Trump touts a framework on a future deal over Greenland, but it falls short on details.

Rescuers are searching for survivors at this hour after heavy rain causes a massive landslide in New Zealand.

And working to rebuild Gaza, the U.S. president is set to make an address about his so-called board of peace that's come under intense scrutiny.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. It is 8:00 a.m. in Davos, Switzerland, where U.S. President Donald Trump will host a signing ceremony in the coming hours for his so-called board of peace to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza.

Sources say he also plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

On Wednesday, he announced the framework of a deal, which he says would satisfy his demands on Greenland. The social media post came after talks with NATO's Secretary General in Davos. Details are still being worked out, but Trump says, if consummated, he will no longer impose tariffs on European countries set to take effect next month. Here's what he told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Does it still include the United States having ownership of Greenland, like you've said you wanted?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's a long-term deal. It's the ultimate long-term deal. And I think it puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and minerals and everything else.

COLLINS: How long would the deal be, Mr. President?

TRUMP: Infinite.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you speak to Denmark? Did you speak to Denmark?

TRUMP: There is no -- there is no time limit. It's forever.

COLLINS: And how would you ratify the deal?

TRUMP: It's signed forever.

COLLINS: But you haven't signed anything yet, right?

TRUMP: It's a deal that's forever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Sources say the prospective framework could include renegotiating the agreement that formalized the U.S. military presence in Greenland and Denmark, possibly granting sovereignty to the U.S. over parcels of land in Greenland for new military bases.

More now from CNN Senior White House Correspondent Kristen Holmes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It was somewhat of a roller coaster day for President Trump in Davos, starting out with his remarks to the World Economic Forum where he both promised or essentially noted that he would not be using U.S. force to take over Greenland, something that made a lot of our European allies breathe easier.

But he also spent a remainder of that speech attacking those same European allies, European leaders as well as NATO.

Then, he held a meeting with the Secretary General Mark Rutte, came out of that meeting and said that they had agreed to some sort of framework for a deal on Greenland, but that framework does appear to be very thin on details at this point. President Trump was asked in an interview what it entailed. Here's what he said:

TRUMP: Well, we have a concept of a deal. I think it's going to be very good deal for the United States, also for them.

JOE KERNEN, CNBC ANCHOR: A deal of ownership, a deal --

TRUMP: Well, it's a little bit complex, but we'll explain it down the line.

KERNEN: Are mineral rights involved? Is ownership involved? Did the Golden Dome sway people? Is that --

TRUMP: I don't want to say -- I don't want to say yet.

HOLMES: Now, CNN's Kaitlan Collins also asked him if this new framework of a deal would include the U.S. acquiring Greenland. That was something that President Trump had essentially said was a non- negotiable, that the United States didn't want to defend a place it didn't own or was just leasing. He danced around that question of acquiring Greenland, saying that it was a very good deal, a very long deal. When asked how long, he said infinite.

But again, still a lot of questions as to what this means. We should note that this comes as Republicans lawmakers, even some administration officials, had been looking for an off ramp for President Trump. We had seen a lot of pushback from those European officials at this conference in Davos towards President Trump and his stance on Greenland. He had at one point threatened an increase in an extra 35 percent in tariffs to countries who oppose the United States obtaining or acquiring Greenland.

[02:05:03]

He also announced, when he said talked about this framework, that he would be dropping the idea of those tariffs.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: U.S. stocks rallied on Wednesday after President Trump backed off his threat of tariffs, the Dow gained 589 points, the NASDAQ had its best day in just over a month, and the S&P 500 saw its strongest performance since November. The rebound comes after Wall Street suffered its worst day since October on Tuesday.

Well, NATO Chief Mark Rutte is speaking out about his conversation with President Trump on Wednesday. He says they did not discuss whether Greenland would remain with Denmark under the framework deal announced by Trump. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK RUTTE, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with Mr. President. He's very much focused on, what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese aggressions are more and more active, how we can protect it. That was really the focus of our discussions.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Meanwhile, Sweden's deputy prime minister was critical of President Trump for sending mixed signals to his European allies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EBBA BUSCH, SWEDISH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Today's progress might be tomorrow's headache. It's still too soon to tell what this deal really entails.

We're not out of the woods. And let's be very clear. The last few weeks, apart from a very turbulent first year, has been very damaging for the relationship between the European Union, Europe as a whole, and the U.S.

And my message to President Trump and to the Trump administration is, it's time to come to your senses and calm down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ngaire Woods is Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government and professor of Global Economic Governance at Oxford University. She joins me now from Davos. Appreciate you being with us.

NGAIRE WOODS, DEAN, BLAVATNIK SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT, OXFORD UNIVERSITY: Good morning.

CHURCH: So, President Trump says there's now this framework in place for a future deal with NATO on Greenland and the entire Arctic region. Now, we don't know the details yet, but what we do know is his threat of military force and tariffs are off the table now, and NATO Chief Mark Rutte, as we just heard, says that sovereignty was not discussed, which means Trump's not buying Greenland.

So, what all did the President achieve with all this high drama and then this massive back down?

WOODS: So, lots of noise always with President Trump, and we have to look beyond the noise and say, well, what's actually changing? What's changed? And it's been in the making, but this week, and here in Davos, it's crystallized as a change is that we have a United States offering a completely different world order to that which its allies are used to.

For 70 years, they've taken a security assurance and access to American markets, and that's been something that's enabled the United States to become such a powerful open economy, that deal is no longer on the table.

So, we -- for all other countries here in Davos, they now face three choices, three large revisionist powers, a Russia with its goals not very attractive to many, a United States that saying security -- the security we will offer you will be completely on our terms, and the trade access that we'll offer you will be subject to tariffs and threats, and we will use the very fact that we have this interdependence with you to threaten you in order to cajole you into what we want on the security agenda, very, very different to the rule based order they've had.

And China, which is offering something a little bit like what America offered after the Second World War, which is saying that there will be -- they will back a rule-based order. They will be predictable. They will be reliable, but it will be an order that they sit at the center of and control.

So, for other countries, the question is, which of those systems is going to give them the best control over their own destiny? Which system will give them some security, as well as access to markets in a predictable way, and that's turning into a really difficult choice for all other countries.

CHURCH: Right. Of course, the existing 1951 treaty between Denmark and the United States allows the U.S. full access to Greenland, and it now appears that this treaty may be renegotiated as part of this new framework that President Trump is talking about. The treaty remains in effect for as long as NATO exists. So, what changes might be made to that 1951 treaty to satisfy all parties here do you think?

WOODS: So, I think what the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, is a genius at is taking what's actually already the case and explaining it with such clarity and persuasion to President Trump that it brings President Trump around to it, and I think that is what we're seeing on Greenland.

[02:10:16]

So, you know, the United States already has a military base there. You know, we don't know the details, but it's going to be something like the status quo, but explained in a different way.

But that doesn't negate the damage that's been done this week because the damage that's been done this week is the clear message that any country that is depending on trade with the United States will find itself under constant coercive threat to do what the United States wants in any domain, whether it's about trade, whether it's about security, whether it's about land and sovereignty.

And that's very defining of the offer that the United States is making the rest of the world. And we're seeing this in the board of peace that President Trump is going to sign in an hours' time, or two hours' time here in Davos, the board of peace, which began as a committee to look into the reconstruction of Gaza, has become this huge proposal for peace and conflict all over the world, if you like, an alternative to the Security Council.

But what's very different about the board of peace is that it gives President Trump enormous powers to decide who's in, who's out, what decisions they make, a power to, you know, from the -- from the blueprints that we've seen, a power to kick members out at his will.

And so, the countries that have joined that board of peace, among which there's only three on G20 countries, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Hungary have been described, you know, variously. You know, one major newspaper was describing it today as a group of monarchs, ex-Soviet apparatchiks and, you know, coercive government leaders.

It's clearly not been immediately attractive to most of the world, and that's giving us a signal of what kind of world order is emerging. The U.S. offer is on the table. Other countries can take it. The Chinese offer is on the table.

Astonishingly, the prime minister of Canada, who here in Davos, set out a crystal clear vision of the choices that other countries have to make, including Canada, is pointing out that for all the problems that Canada's have with China, the offer China is making looks in many ways more reliable and predictable than the offer that the United States is making.

What to me is really, really interesting is that the order that's going to come out of all this is not going to depend on the three big revisionist powers. It's going to depend upon the decisions that every other country makes. And that's you know, this week in Davos, we've seen a lot of countries moving around, forming coalitions, talking about what their reactions will be.

CHURCH: Ngaire Woods in Davos, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate your analysis.

WOODS: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, President Trump has repeatedly claimed the U.S. needs to control Greenland out of national security concerns. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh examines the politics playing out in the region.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The race for Arctic Control has run through the Cold War and now the melting ice of the climate crisis. The Russians had long been ahead. It is really their biggest coastline in defense hub, these dots, their bases. They've expanded and developed some facilities, this likely a nuclear missile storage facility. They've added MIG-31s runways, often overshadowing NATO.

But Russia's development has, it seems, been challenged by its invasion of Ukraine. One estimate put in casualties from ground units from their Arctic ground forces at about 80 percent.

Now, remember, the capabilities of bases count more than their sheer number, but the U.S. has around eight in Alaska and is down to one in Greenland. NATO member Canada, an ally, is enhancing three, bringing it up to about nine. And Norway's coastline, also a NATO member, is peppered with military facilities.

Militaries, though, are also here partly for economic reasons. Their climate crisis and ice still has left vital shipping routes often open, like these, a shorter path that China is keen to exploit, and potentially there are rare earth minerals, other resources that are easy to get to if the ice sheet gives way.

But the Arctic's role in defense is vital to Russia and its enemies. What's important is the Kohler Peninsula here where Russia keeps its second-strike nuclear submarines. They need to get through the so- called Bear Gap and the GIUK Gap in order to move on towards the United States.

[02:15:05]

And so, an unlikely nuclear war would also be fought over Arctic skies with most missile paths over this area. And so, it's likely where most missile defenses would be best placed as well.

Look, a weakened Russia and ice melts possibly leading to more resources exposed and busier shipping lanes. This is all heightened competition up here in a series of vital races.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: President Vladimir Putin gave a cryptic answer about Russia's position on the potential U.S. acquisition of Greenland. First, he said that's a non-issue for Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): What is happening with Greenland does not concern us at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: But then Mr. Putin quickly moved to tacitly encourage the acquisition. He compared it to the U.S. Purchase of Alaska from Russia in the late 1800s and he claimed that Denmark had always treated Greenland harshly.

European leaders say an acquisition without the consent from Denmark and Greenland could potentially split NATO.

Still to come, a landslide in New Zealand decimates a campsite as heavy rains move across the region. We will bring you the latest as crews search for survivors.

Plus, Ukrainians find ways to deal with the bitter cold as Russian strikes knock out power and heat.

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[02:20:58]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Rescue crews are searching for survivors of a landslide in New Zealand. Several people, including children, remain missing. CNN's Angus Watson has more details on what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANGUS WATSON, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): Cars, buildings crushed in the aftermath of a huge landslide that slammed into a Holiday Park in New Zealand. Thursday morning, families trapped under the debris.

TIM ANDERSON, NEW ZEALAND POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: It is possible we could find someone alive. So, it can't be drawn on numbers other than to say it's single figures.

WATSON (voice-over): The landslide happened around 9:30 in the morning, local time at the foot of Mount Maunganui, a popular holiday destination on New Zealand's north island. Heavy bouts of rain had flooded roads and homes had been evacuated in the area.

Some, however, had remained at the Beachside Holiday Park, including Australian tourist Sonny Worrall.

SONNY WORRALL, AUSTRALIAN TOURIST: This huge tree crack and all this dirt come off like behind me, and then I looked behind me, and there's huge landslide coming down, and I'm still shaking from it now. And, yes, and then, I turn around, and I had to jump out from my seat as fast as I could and just run.

WATSON (voice-over): Worrall said, he jumped into a swimming pool as the landslide sent a caravan toward him at speed.

WORRALL: And then I dived across the other pool and looking behind me, and there was a caravan, caravan coming like right behind me, it was like the scariest thing I've ever experienced in my life.

WATSON (voice-over): Police describe the disaster as a once in a century event, as officers, fire crews and emergency responders searched for survivors.

Angus Watson, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Cold, embattled, but finding ways to cope. That's one way to describe many Ukrainians, following months of relentless attacks on their power grid. People across the country are without power and heat as the country faces a harsh winter. Emergency tents like this one have popped up in Kyiv, where people can charge their phones and warm up.

Some residents say, despite all the hardship, they're not leaving the capital city.

Well, the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders are reportedly expected to meet in the coming hours to resume their talks about ending that war. According to two sources familiar with the issue, President Donald Trump plans to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Ukraine said Wednesday night that Mr. Zelenskyy was still in Kyiv, but Ukrainian officials say he could go to Davos on short notice if major agreements are reached. President Trump said on Wednesday that Ukraine doesn't have to be a U.S. priority.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: They don't appreciate what we do. Talking about NATO and talking about Europe. They have to work on Ukraine. We don't. the United States is very far away. We have a big, beautiful ocean separating us. We have nothing to do with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Trump also accused NATO of treating the U.S. very unfairly.

A South Korean court has sentenced the country's former Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo to 23 years in prison. He is the first official from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration to be convicted of rebellion charges. Yoon was accused of masterminding an attempted self coup when he enacted Martial Law in December 2024.

This verdict is expected to set the stage for upcoming rulings involving Yoon and his other associates.

More countries accept Donald Trump's board of peace invitation. Ahead, we will hear from the U.S. president on why he invited Russia and Vladimir Putin to join.

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[02:29:26]

CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. The United Nations says most of Gaza City's water production has been disrupted. An official says 70 percent has been affected due to damage to infrastructure and difficulties repairing a key water supply line, which runs from Israel into Gaza.

A section of steel pipe needed for repairs is restricted from entry. All this as the health ministry in Gaza reports another death linked to the cold weather.

Meantime, Palestinian health officials say three journalists have been killed in an Israeli strike on a humanitarian vehicle.

[02:30:00]

The Egyptian Relief Committee says they had been on assignment in Central Gaza. Israel says troops targeted suspects operating a drone they claimed was affiliated with Hamas.

Well, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to host a signing ceremony for his so-called Board of Peace in Davos in the hours ahead. An administration official says about 35 countries are expected to attend.

The committee is set to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. Dozens of countries, including Russia, have been asked to join Trump's Board. So far at least 20 have accepted the invitation.

President Trump was asked why Vladimir Putin was invited if there's concern about Russia being a threat to Greenland and here's his response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Because we want everybody. We want all nations. We want all nations where people have control, people have power. That way we're never going to have a problem. Yeah, I have some controversial people on but these are people that get the job done. These are people that have tremendous influence. If I put all babies on the board, there wouldn't be very much. So he was invited. He's accepted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining us now from Cairo is H.A. Hellyer, Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies. Thanks so much for talking with us.

H.A. HELLYER, SENIOR ASSOCIATE FELLOW, ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE: My pleasure, Rosemary. Thank you for having me on again.

CHURCH: Of course. So, the U.S. president is set to make an address soon about his Board of Peace to rebuild Gaza. His proposed Board has been coming under intense scrutiny. What is your initial response to this Board and what threat might it potentially pose to the United Nations?

HELLYER: So just one thing when it relates to Gaza first. When it comes to the Board of Peace there's the Board of Peace. There's also the "executive board" and the Gaza executive board and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. These are all separate institutions, but they were all brought into existence as a result of the U.N. Security Council resolution that incorporated the 20-point plan.

So, it's very unclear as to what the mandate of this Board of Peace is going to be. You've seen the dimensions of the different world leaders that are supposed to be joining it, including Netanyahu who wreaked a genocidal war on Gaza, Vladimir Putin who has invaded and occupied Ukraine several times, Viktor Orban who's the darling of Europe's far right.

This really fuels a lot of doubt around how much peace promotion is going to be involved here. And it's because of this, yes, as your report mentioned, a couple of dozen or three dozen or so countries are going to attend. At least 20 have agreed to join. But the vast majority of the world's leaders are not interested in joining.

You've seen very high-profile rejections of joining the Board because they're quite concerned about the makeup of the Board. But also, is this a challenge to the United Nations and its own architecture in terms of building peace. And I think these are quite legitimate concerns.

But I think it also speaks to the present moment where to say no to Donald Trump carries risks within the international community. And I suspect that's why quite a few people have joined. CHURCH: You mentioned the fact that Russia, Vladimir Putin is joining has accepted. And we heard there from President Trump. He said we want all nations involved and represented here. But it does raise eyebrows doesn't it. I mean, why do you think, I mean, you mentioned Hungary as well. You mentioned other. It's quite questionable, isn't it? Why do you think Russia particularly though?

HELLYER: It is quite questionable. I'll say again, Netanyahu should not be on any Board of Peace, especially one that relates to Gaza after the last two years. He's -- both he and Putin have been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. And Israel is in the dock for genocide at the International Court of Justice. So, this is really quite extraordinary.

Why is Putin there? I think because Donald Trump frankly respects him. I think that Donald Trump sees Vladimir Putin as being -- as he puts it, somebody who gets things done. But he wants to try to bring Russia and the United States into some sort of modus Vivendi, but a fairly friendly one, while at the same time raising concerns around the positioning of Greenland vis-a-vis Russia and Russian influence.

[02:35:00]

So, I think that you've seen this quite a lot over the past year, especially over discussions relating to Ukraine where he speaks in quite respectful terms when it comes to Vladimir Putin. Did not speak in, I have to say in the same sort of terms with regards to American allies yesterday, referring to the Canadian prime minister in the way that he did, almost warning him for his speech that he gave yesterday where he's talking about the fragmentation of the rules based order and others over the past week, particularly around Greenland.

So, I think that this is this is not a very fruitful development, but I do think it's a very telling one. And I would I would think that more European, more Western, and more global leaders writ large ought to be taking note of what this means for the development of world order and what arrangements they ought to be making for themselves and for their countries and regions given the state of play as it is right now.

CHURCH: And what do you make of the billion dollar price tag associated with anyone who wants to be a permanent member on this Board.

HELLYER: So this is also somewhat unclear. To begin with, it seemed that this was going to be something that people had -- that leaders would have to pay upfront upon joining. Now, it seems at least for some countries that at least for three years, they wouldn't have to pay anything. I'm not really sure how this works, but also, I wouldn't necessarily take that at face value.

We've seen other indications in the past of, you know, where a certain amount has been stated or a certain number has been stated and it changes. But I do think that it represents again, you know, I was on another program recently where they described the pay for play. The amount of funds that are supposed to go into this without really explaining the mandates. I mean the mandate is supposed to be, the only international legal mandate for the Board of Peace is about Gaza.

But the way in which it's being talked about makes it seem very clear that it's not going to be simply about Gaza, that the ambition of President Trump is for it to deal with other crises as well. And that's why we still haven't actually seen any real progress on the ground in Gaza towards reconstruction and rebuilding. So, I'm not sure that anybody should be talking about other crises that they could possibly address, especially when again its legal basis as specified by the U.N. is about Gaza. It's not about anything else.

CHURCH: H.A. Hellyer, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate your analysis.

HELLYER: My pleasure. Thank you.

CHURCH: And we are expecting to hear from Donald Trump when he holds that signing ceremony in Davos. That's in about two hours from now. We'll take his remarks live when it happens. So, do stay with us for that.

Well, Jack Smith who brought two criminal indictments against Donald Trump that have since been dropped, has been pushing to speak publicly. And in the hours ahead, he'll get that opportunity. The former U.S. special counsel will testify before the House Judiciary Committee, which he's done before.

But this time, the cameras will be on. Lawmakers have previously grilled Smith over his criminal investigations into the U.S. president's mishandling of classified documents and his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election. President Trump has repeatedly called for Smith to be criminally prosecuted.

But, Smith's legal team says he's not afraid of him and they're prepared for plenty of grandstanding from members of Congress. His testimony is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Eastern Time and CNN will bring that to you live.

A jury has acquitted a former school police officer of all charges in the Uvalde Texas school massacre in 2022.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE SID HEARLE: In each of the 29 counts, we, the jury, find the defendant, Adrian Gonzales, not guilty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: As you just heard, Adrian Gonzales found not guilty, Wednesday, of child endangerment or abandonment charges. This was the first criminal case from the tragedy. Gonzales pleaded not guilty and did not testify. His attorney spoke to reporters after the verdict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICO LAHOOD, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: There's no real winners, I mean, because obviously there's so much tragedy and hurt behind this. We're blessed that the jury looked at all the evidence. We had a chance to speak with him. They considered everything and this is a long day coming for Adrian and his family. But we're humbled by the verdict, but we also know that there's families on the other side that are dealing with this new normal that they've had for three years and they're still in pain. And so, this was a disappointment for them. So we acknowledge that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:40:00]

CHURCH: Gonzales was the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the school while the 18-year-old gunman was still outside. Prosecutors alleged that he did not follow his active shooter training and they say, he did nothing to stop the gunman in the early moments of the shooting.

Hundreds of police rushed to the scene, but it took 77 minutes for them to confront and kill the shooter. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the massacre in May 2022 at Robb Elementary School. Bereaved family members cried silently when Gonzales was acquitted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSE RIZO, UNCLE OF NINE-YEAR-OLD VICTIM: What message does it send out there that if you're an officer, you can simply stand by, stand down, stand idle, and not do anything and wait for everybody to be executed, killed, slaughtered, massacred. Is that the message that you sent today?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The former police chief of the Uvalde School District is also facing criminal charges related to the delayed police response to the shooting. He has pleaded not guilty. A trial date has not been set.

When we come back, Norway's prime minister speaks to CNN about his text message exchange with Donald Trump and the president blaming Norway after he did not win the Nobel Peace Prize. We'll have that and more after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:55]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Let's get you up to date now on our top story. The White House says all parties are working to finalize the details of a framework deal on Greenland. President Trump announced the prospective agreement at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Sources say it will likely involve an expanded U.S. military presence on the island. President Trump says he will not have to take the territory by force.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: People thought I would use force. I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The president says if everyone agrees to the Greenland deal, he will not impose tariffs on European countries that opposed his plans. The Norwegian prime minister is opening up to CNN about his now infamous text message exchange with Donald Trump. In one of those messages, the U.S. president tied his goal of controlling Greenland to the fact that he did not win the Nobel Peace Prize and he blamed Norway for that decision.

CNN's Erin Burnett spoke with the prime minister. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR OF " ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT": We are talking, Mr. Prime Minister, about matters of war and peace and the future of what it means for Western civilization and for the world. And in that context, I have to ask you about something incredibly jarring that has come public, and that is a private text exchange with Trump that you had over the weekend. It started, I understand, with you and your colleague, the Finnish President, Alexander Stubb, who began the exchange.

I understand that you all texted President Trump saying, "Dear Mr. President, Dear Donald, on the contact across the Atlantic, on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine, and your tariff announcement yesterday. You know our position on these issues. But we believe we all should work to take this down and de-escalate. So much is happening around us where we need to stand together. We are proposing a call with you later today, with both of us or separately. Give us a hint of what you prefer. Best, Alex and Jonas."

And then, Mr. Prime Minister, of course, the response comes to you, "Dear Jonas, considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars plus, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway? There are no written documents. It's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there also. I have done more for NATO than any person since its founding, and now NATO should do something for the United States. The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland. Thank you. President DJT."

Mr. Prime Minister, I read that in full because it is a stunning statement. I guess, can I just start with when you see pop up on your device, "considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace," what sort of went through your mind? JONAS GAHR STORE, NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER: Well, I can verify those messages and you read the first one, which was on Sunday, President Stubb and I, who work closely together, we are neighbors in the north. We thought it would be a good start of this week, with Davos, to have a conversation with the President. We talked to him frequently and the tone is good, and this message you read came back to me after an hour, and he actually distributed that to all other NATO leaders as well.

Well, I mean, on Greenland, you heard my position. I don't need to repeat that. I find it unacceptable to take land from other countries. I believe that the big challenge we have in front of us now is Ukraine. It's a very dramatic war going on with huge ramifications. It's very bad for Ukraine, of course, but also dangerous for Europe, for the U.S., for world peace. That's really what we need to look into.

And this Peace Prize thing, you know, I have repeated -- I've told President Trump many times that the Nobel Committee is an independent committee. It is staunchly secretive about the way it works. I am informed about the Nobel Prize alongside the rest of the world at 11 o'clock on that day in October, and that's how it is.

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The one who won that Nobel Prize last year was actually nominated by Marco Rubio when he was a Senator. So, you know, this is how that prize is handled year after year. And I see bigger problems in the world than world leaders wanting to get the Peace Prize. But the way that Peace Prize is being delivered is the way I just explained, and that's how it is.

BURNETT: The President of the United States is obsessed with this Peace Prize. He brought it up yesterday when he was getting on the plane to go to Davos, and he brought you up again. Just what you just said, right, that you find out at 11 o'clock the night before of the Peace Prize. Here's what he said about you and your role in it yesterday, on his way to Davos.

TRUMP: Don't let anyone tell you that Norway doesn't control the shots, OK? It's in Norway. I lost a lot of respect for Norway, and I believe very strongly that Norway controls the Nobel Prize.

BURNETT: How do you have a relationship with, deal pragmatically and diplomatically with a person who talks like that?

STORE: Well, you know, I'm prime minister of my country. As I say, we may be a small country, but we are a proud country and we stand for our values, we stand for our procedures, we stand for our institutions. And President Trump is right. The Nobel Peace Prize is handed out from Norway, but it is done so by a committee which is selected to do that work. And I can repeat that over and over again.

I think the world knows. Alfred Nobel wrote in his will that he wanted the Norwegian Parliament to nominate that committee, and it has done so for more than a century. And that is how it is. But, I think, I have respect for world leaders. They are different. They have different temperaments, different priorities, different sensitivities.

BURNETT: Yeah.

STORE: And if you are prime minister, you have to be diplomatic in the sense that you talk straight, but you're able to deal with people. And the United States is a very important ally for Norway, strong cultural, political ties. And that's my point of departure, is for finding good solutions and be very clear in my messages when I need to.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A tearful Prince Harry takes the stand against a powerful publisher. What he told the court about "The Daily Mail" and the harmful impact of its articles. That's next on "CNN Newsroom."

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CHURCH: Prince Harry was visibly emotional as he took the stand against the publisher of "The Daily Mail" in London. He told the court on Wednesday, the tabloid has made his wife's life an absolute misery. Associated Newspapers Limited is accused of gathering information through illegal and deceptive means.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz tells us what happened in court.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Prince Harry got choked up and struggled to hold back his emotions while he testified in a London court. He arrived at London's High Court waving and smiling at people who had gathered outside. He is the first to testify in what is set to be a nine-week trial.

Seven of Britain's most famous faces, including Prince Harry, are suing the publishers of one of Britain's top tabloids, "The Daily Mail," accusing it of engaging in criminal activity to illegally obtain information about them to publish in these tabloids. Now, the publisher, Associated Newspapers Limited, has denied these accusations outright, calling them lurid, calling them preposterous.

Prince Harry, in his witness statement, says there was 14 articles in particular that caused him deep distress, that were published between 2001 to 2013. He was cross-examined by the lawyers for the publisher of "The Daily Mail," who asked him why he hadn't brought these complaints sooner. Prince Harry said, it was because of the institution I was in, a reference to the royal family.

Now, the exchange was extremely tense. And at one point, Prince Harry responds to a question by saying, this was part of an endless pursuit, a campaign, an obsession of having every aspect of my life under surveillance, so they could get the run on their competitors and drive me paranoid beyond belief, isolating me, and probably wanting to drive me to drugs and drinking to sell more of their papers.

Now, Prince Harry went on to say that taking the stand meant that there was more difficulty and more misery, particularly for his wife, Meghan Markle. He did go on to say that he felt that ANL, the publisher of The Daily Mail, should be held accountable. Now, there are many more weeks left in this trial, but it could very well shape the future of British media.

Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.

CHURCH: And we want to leave you with some brilliant images of the aurora borealis. These images are the northern lights shimmering off the French Coast in the northwestern Brittany region. The amazing display can also be seen in other parts of Europe. The aurora can be seen well beyond its usual range because of intense solar storms. Gorgeous.

I want to thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. I will be back with more "CNN Newsroom" in just a moment. Stay with us.

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