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Trump: Feds Won't Step Into Protests In Democratic-Led Cities Until They "Ask For Help"; Federal Judge Orders Release Of 5-Year-Old Liam Ramos; Jeffries To GOP: Dems Won't Vote For Spending Bill; Bomb- Cyclone Brings Most Snow In Decades To The Southeast; Massive Epstein File Dump Reveals New Details On Key Figures; Over 200 Dead After Landslide Collapses Mines In Eastern DRC; Gaza's Health Ministry: Israel Strikes This Weekend Killed 30 Plus; House Homeland Security Committee Dems Says Noem Will Be Impeached If She Doesn't Step Down Or Get Fired. Noem Impeached if She Doesn't Step Down or Get Fired; DOJ Opens Civil Rights Investigation into Death of Alex Pretti; Journalist Don Lemon and Georgia Fort Arrested; Political Division Over Response to "Melania" Documentary. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired February 01, 2026 - 07:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:00:35]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Let's call it fresh start February. You got a brand new month. It's the first. Welcome to CNN This Morning. I'm Victor Blackwell.

And here's what we're watching for you this morning. Anti-ICE protests continue across the country. And President Trump says the federal government will not intervene, at least not unless states ask really nicely. We'll explain.

A federal judge has ordered a 5-year-old boy and his father detained by ICE be released. But the judge wants to hear from DHS this week about that case. Also a powerful storm lashing the East Coast, dumping more snow than some cities have seen in decades. But when you step outside, you're going to feel that cold first.

And rapper Nicki Minaj, she's become a MAGA darling seemingly overnight. Her evolution from Trump critic to self-described Trump number one fan.

And Valentine's Day coming up in a couple of weeks. Nothing says I love you like a medium-rare steak on your finger. We'll explain in the roundup.

But we're starting with the immigration crackdown. President Trump says that he'll take a more hands-off approach after the heavy-handed ICE operations in Minneapolis. He says federal agents will no longer intervene in protests in cities led by Democrats unless they are asked. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If they want help, they have to ask for it. Because if we go in, all they do is complain. But if they want, they're going to ask for it if they're going to need help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Meanwhile, ICE protests, the ICE out protests across the country are spreading throughout the U.S. for a second day. We get more now from CNN's Julia Benbrook.

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, in a very lengthy Truth Social post on Saturday, President Donald Trump appeared to command his Department of Homeland Security to not engage with protesters. I want to pull up part of that post for you now.

In it, he said, quote, "I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat cities with regard to their protests and or riots unless and until they ask for help. We will, however, guard and very powerfully so any and all federal buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid lunatics, agitators and insurrectionists. Please be aware that I have instructed ICE and or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of federal government property."

Now, he went on to say that it is the responsibility of local and state officials to protect federal property, buildings and parks, and that federal officials would be serving as a backup stepping in if needed. He also shared a message specifically with local officials, mayors and governors.

He wrote, quote, "Let us know when you're ready and we will be there." Adding that they would need to say please. Now, this post is still a little unclear. He does not specifically say that he is looking to slow down immigration enforcement, but he does direct this message to the agency that does do that type of work.

Now, he framed this as pulling out help that Democrat-led cities would want. But it is possible that some of them would be grateful or relieved to hear that federal officials do not intend to handle demonstrations. We are seeking clarification on this post and have reached out to the White House and DHS for more.

Victor?

BLACKWELL: Julia, thank you.

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release Liam Ramos and his father. The five-year-old boy's detention triggered severe backlash to ICE operations in Minnesota. The agents took Liam and his dad, Adrian, from their driveway and sent them to a Texas detention facility. They've been detained there for more than a week. And Liam is said to be depressed, not eating. The order specifies Liam and his father must be released as soon as practicable and no later than Tuesday. In a scathing ruling, the judge admonished the administration for its, as she says, ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence."

The partial federal government shutdown will likely continue until at least Tuesday. The House is in recess until tomorrow. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is warning Speaker Mike Johnson not to rely on Democrats to fast track a Senate approved funding bill. It's not clear Johnson has enough GOP support for the measure that funds the government through September, but only includes two weeks of funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

[07:05:04]

Democrats are demanding reforms to ICE and threatening to prolong the shutdown without them. President Trump appears to be listening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We'll talk about it. It's not appropriate yet. We have to let a little time go by, but we'll talk about it/ But, you know, we want -- I got elected for law enforcement for the border, for the economy. Things I've done a great job with. I mean, when you have the lowest crime rate in the history of our country recorded in 125 years, to be exact. So I've fulfilled so much. We'll have to talk about that over the next three or four days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: House Democrats are expected to vote against the spending bill. Speaker Johnson can't afford to lose more than a handful of GOP votes if he wants to get it to the president's desk.

Let's talk about this powerful bomb cyclone. It's churning off the southeast coast. The storm is whipping up hurricane force winds and burying some communities under the most snow they've seen in 20 years. More than 150,000 customers across the south are without power this morning. So far, there have been hundreds of car accidents on icy roads

The snow is not the only thing causing dangerous conditions. Those temperatures are causing some problems in the south, too. Dangerously cold wind chills are making the temperatures feel like they're below zero in some areas, stretching as far south as South Florida.

CNN's Derek Van Dam joins us now from Virginia Beach, the actual beach this time. How are the conditions there?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. OK, so just let's get the elephant out of the room here and talk about function versus form. No one said TV news was glamorous, OK? Got to put these on for a reason because the wind is howling on the beach here in Virginia Beach.

It's picking up some of the sand particles as well. That's being mixed in with snow. Here's something you don't see every single day. And, yes, a lot of people are going to be waking up to snowfall on the beaches of North Carolina, even here in Virginia Beach.

But I wanted to bring you down here for a specific reason, because check my watch right about now is high tide. So the National Weather Service had put up a coastal flood advisory for this moment in time because this storm's passage, like the most intense part of this storm, which is just off the Atlantic coastline here, is coinciding with the high tide.

So we were worried about the push of the Atlantic Ocean. It's kind of a storm surge or a coastal flood inundation. And the water is definitely a lot more tumultuous than it was yesterday at this time. And it's pushed up significantly further onto the shore. But I don't see anything encroaching on the businesses.

I don't know what the Chesapeake Bay looks like. But they do have these flood advisories for 1 to 2 feet of inundation in some of those vulnerable low-lying areas as well. So there's one of those powerful wind gusts. It takes you a moment to kind of re-stabilize yourself because it comes out of nowhere.

There's just nothing to stop that northerly wind coming right off of the Atlantic Ocean. Because the bomb cyclone, which it officially got classified as last night, is literally right over my right shoulder here. And it continues to strengthen and deepen.

And it's produced some significant snowfall totals as well. You can see it's still snowing here in Virginia Beach. But look at Morehead City, 10 inches, Pigeon Forge, 13.5 inches. Parts of North Carolina even saw near a foot and a half of snowfall.

That I-85 corridor between the Greensboro and Charlotte area, that was a disaster yesterday. We've been talking about how the cold air is going to impact over 200 million Americans. Believe me, I'm feeling it. I'm feeling it along the coastline all the way down south into Florida. That's where they're feeling it as well.

In fact, National Weather Service out of Tampa just tweeted snow flurries from their office. Snow in Tampa Bay. Let that sink in. Largely, the snow is coming to an end from this storm. But because of these incessant winds that we're getting behind this system, it'll get kicked up and blown around.

So blowing and drifting will be a concern this morning, especially in the coastal areas of the North Carolina region. And look at those gusts. Victor, 40 to 50 miles per hour last night, 51 here in Virginia Beach. That dropped our windchill value to a big, fat goose egg.

BLACKWELL: All right, Derek out there with your photographer. Never forget the photographer battling those elements with you. Thank you both.

VAN DAM: Effie (ph), he's amazing.

BLACKWELL: Indeed he is. VAN DAM: Yes.

BLACKWELL: All right, thank you so much.

For the fall -- let's go now to the fallout from the release of the millions of new files related to Jeffrey Epstein. That continues. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is calling on former Prince Andrew to testify before Congress about his dealings with Epstein.

The new documents include these images. They appear to show the former prince on all fours over a female on the floor. He continues to deny any wrongdoing. The president said that files clear him of allegations about his own connections to Epstein.

[07:10:00]

He also claims he plans to sue author Michael Wolff, accusing him of trying to damage his political career.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Not only does it absolve me, it's the opposite of what people were hoping. You know, the radical left, that Wolff was a third rate writer, was conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to hurt me politically or otherwise. And that came through loud and clear. So we'll probably sue Wolff on that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sir, did you speak -- or did you have any knowledge (ph) --

TRUMP: And maybe the Epstein estate, I guess. I don't know. But we're going to certainly sue Wolff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: CNN's Marshall Cohen has more on what we're learning from these new documents. Marshall?

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Hey, good morning, Victor. This was by far the biggest drop that we have seen. 3.5 million pages of material. There were also more than 182,000 images and videos.

The Justice Department says this is the final batch and that they have now fully complied with the transparency law that Congress passed last year with nearly unanimous support. Which, of course, is why we're here in the first place. That's what forced all of these disclosures.

So what did we learn? Well, according to CNN's review, President Trump was mentioned more than 1,000 times in the new files. Remember, we've known for years that Trump was close personal friends with Jeffrey Epstein in the 80s and 90s before Epstein's conviction on state sex crime charges in 2008. But these documents added a ton of new details.

We saw notes from an FBI interview in 2021 where one of Epstein's victims said that Epstein's longtime accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, brought her to a party in New York and, quote, "presented" her to Donald Trump. And that Maxwell later made clear that she was, quote, "available." That woman told the FBI that nothing ever happened between her and Trump.

There was also a spreadsheet, a very interesting spreadsheet that we saw when it came out on Friday that the FBI apparently put together just last year. And it was containing uncorroborated and unverified sexual assault allegations that were levied against Trump.

I want to be totally clear, Trump says he cut ties with Epstein in the mid-2000s. He denies wrongdoing. And he has never been accused by law enforcement of any involvement in any of Epstein's crimes. It wasn't just Trump in these documents, Victor, there were also many other prominent figures whose names were all over this.

Emails showed that the tech billionaire Elon Musk tried coordinating with Epstein to visit him in the Virgin Islands. Other messages showed that Howard Lutnick, who is now the Commerce Secretary, planned meetings with Epstein long after he claimed that they had cut ties. And there were new pictures, strange pictures of the former Prince Andrew. One of them showed him on all fours leaning over a woman who herself was lying on the floor.

Now, all of these men deny wrongdoing and none of them have been accused by authorities of any crimes.

Marshall Cohen, CNN, Washington.

BLACKWELL: In other headlines we're following this morning, at least 200 people are dead after a massive landslide collapsed several mines in eastern Congo. The collapse happened Wednesday at a large mining site controlled by rebel forces after days of heavy rain. Rescue crews say many bodies are still buried in the mud.

Officials have stopped all mining and ordered residents to leave the area. The site produces minerals used in smartphones and aircraft engines.

A jury in Virginia will return tomorrow to try to decide if they believe that Brendan Banfield planned the murders of his wife and another man. Prosecutors say he was having an affair with the family's au pair and worked with her to kill both victims in a staged attack.

The au pair testified against him after taking a deal. She said it's not self-defense and that Banfield planned to kill his wife. Banfield admitted having the affair, but denies any plan to kill his wife.

Democrats have flipped the Texas state Senate seat in a special election held yesterday. CNN projects that Taylor Rehmet will defeat the Trump-backed Republican candidate in the Fort Worth area district. Trump won that district by 17 points in 2024. Democrats have also flipped more than 20 state legislative seats in special or regularly scheduled elections since last year.

Coming up, the Rafah crossing linking Gaza to Egypt partially reopened this morning. What this means for the U.S. brokered peace process. Plus, President Trump fiercely defending Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem despite widespread condemnation. Why he says Democrats are targeting her.

And it's the music industry's biggest night. We have a peek at the new faces hoping to win big at the Grammys tonight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:19:38]

BLACKWELL: This morning, the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is now partially open. It was closed for nearly two years during the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli officials say a limited number of residents will be allowed to leave Gaza with the reopening, but they didn't say when.

This is part of the first phase of the U.S. brokered ceasefire plan. The partial reopening as Gaza -- is happening, rather, as Gaza's health minister reported Israeli strikes killed at least 30 people this weekend.

[07:20:09]

Let's go to CNN's Jerusalem Bureau Chief Oren Liebermann. Oren, let's talk about the significance of the reopening.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Victor, this is really the last part of the first phase of the U.S. brokered 20-point ceasefire plan that went into effect some three months ago. This was required after the return of all the living and deceased hostages. The last deceased hostage, Ran Gvili, was returned just last week.

Israel had delayed and refused to open the crossing until then. But now we are at the point where today we are seeing what Israeli and Palestinian officials are calling the trial phase. That is where the European Union, Egypt and other representatives are working through the processes of opening the Rafah border crossing for it to begin.

But Israel has made clear this will just be a limited opening. There will be no humanitarian aid or commercial goods that will flow through here as they did for years before the war. This will just be for a limited number of pedestrians. So after the trial phase has concluded, Israel has said pedestrians will be able to go through.

An Israeli security official says 150 Palestinians will be allowed out of Gaza, but only 50 will be allowed back in on a daily basis. Israel not saying when the trial phase will conclude. But Ali Shaath, who heads the Palestinian Technocratic Committee that's supposed to run Gaza under the Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement, says it will begin opening for pedestrian traffic as early as tomorrow.

So we're watching this very closely. Remember, it was the U.S. and envoy Steve Witkoff that announced that the second phase of the ceasefire plan had gone into effect a couple of weeks ago. But this is really the last element of the first phase that had not been carried out.

Meanwhile, as we're waiting for that Rafah crossing to open, the Palestinian Ministry of Health says more than 30 Palestinians were killed in Gaza in Israeli strikes on Saturday. According to Gaza's civil defense, that includes mostly women and children who were killed in the strikes. That now pushes the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the ceasefire went into effect to more than 500, according to ministry data.

Israel says those strikes targeted Hamas and Islamic Jihad. After they say it was eight Hamas terrorists in their words that exited a tunnel in Rafah on Friday. Victor?

BLACKWELL: Oren Liebermann reporting. Thank you very much.

Still ahead, from empty theaters to, well, some packed houses. How reaction to the new Melania movie reflects America's political divide.

And Valentine's Day coming up. Is your love more well done? Maybe a little more medium rare. Well, this morning's roundup will get to the heart of Longhorn's new Valentine's Day promotion.

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[07:27:19]

BLACKWELL: So while rumors swirl around DHS Secretary Kristi Noem standing with President Trump, Democrats are clear where they stand. House Homeland Security Committee Democrats say they'll impeach her if she does not leave the job.

With me now for the morning roundup, former U.S. Attorney Michael Moore, Journalist and Professor Nicole Carr, and Comedian Rachel LaForce. Welcome to you all.

I'm going to get to that question in just a moment. But first, the president overnight posted on social media this, I guess, promise now that he's not going into Democratic-led cities to deal with protests unless they ask and say please. But there will be strong force by ICE and Border Patrol to protect federal buildings. First, what does ICE and Border Patrol have to do with protecting federal courthouses?

MICHAEL MOORE, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Yes, well, I'm glad to be with you. They have no role in it. I mean, remember that these aren't standard law enforcement folks, federal -- they have a very limited role to protect the border. And that's why we typically see them there.

And that's what's made some of the problems. That's why we've had some conflict is they're not trained in urban law enforcement. And, again, they're used to patrolling the border.

There are some provisions where he can bring folks in to protect federal buildings. We saw some of that when he brought in the National Guard and activated them in some places to protect --

BLACKWELL: In Los Angeles.

MOORE: That's right --

BLACKWELL: Yes.

MOORE: -- to protect federal structures. But this is just a ruse. He's just wanting to have them present but not say that they're really present and claim that they're there for some legitimate purpose.

BLACKWELL: Yes. The future of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in which Democrats say -- and I had one on with me yesterday, Bennie Thompson, who said that she has to go either be fired, resigned or impeached. Is that what voters heading into the next election want Democrats to focus on? I mean, they're in the minority but they can force a resolution vote. Is that what Democrats want -- or voters want them to focus on considering the economy has been at the list of priorities?

NICOLE CARR, JOURNALIST & PROFESSOR: Well, all you have is chaos all the time. What do we focus on? And is this any more or less important than the next thing? I think it's all important, right?

People are being terrorized in their home cities. They are. And not to take us back to our last topic but you're saying this is not the role of this agency. These folks went into a consulate a few days ago in Minneapolis. The Ecuadorian consulate -- that's not your role. You can't do that. That's not legal.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

CARR: Since when do the rules apply? So I do think Americans, voters want to see people held accountable for the chaos that's ensuing across the country right now. I do think that's fair to say all while we're trying to hold on and survive and go day-to-day. The groceries, the gas, the economy is trash. Yes. But it's OK to care about all of these things because it's a part of a chaos that we can't continue to function under.

RACHEL LAFORCE, MEDIA ENTREPRENEUR AND COMEDIAN: Yes, I think there's just an alignment, because what you're talking about is the chaos. I'm really glad to not be in a position, you know, just to tell jokes because the idea of really -- I mean, not to make light of it, but, yes. It's like what do they do? What do you go after?

And so, I think what really voters want and what people are focused on is like, tell us that you have a plan. Like, what -- where is the alignment? What are we doing? Because they've done a great job at causing chaos. And so, we need to do a better job at aligning and making a plan of action and executing that plan. I think that's really what people want to see.

MICHAEL MOORE, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: We don't need period victories anymore. I mean, I think that doesn't carry the day. What they need to -- I think what people expect from their representatives now is to become true obstructionists in the sense of using the power that they have. So, for instance, make people read -- make the -- every senate bill be read in full length. Quit voting -- a grin to vote things simply without having a voice vote and of everybody present. I mean, do some things to slow it down until we can get to a place where hopefully we see in the 2026 midterms that there's a shift and then you can control things like the budget. Otherwise block the budget.

You know, we're all wanting to be agreeable to look like this is the norm. And I think people in the Capitol are maybe starting to realize that, you know, do I need to hang onto my seat or do I need to do something that actually protects and affects the public?

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Let me add that the ICE agents say that they didn't know that it was a consulate. That's the statement from DHS. But on the question of Alex Pretti specifically, which his killing last weekend in addition to Renee Good's killing and the detention of Liam Ramos, as I talked about this morning, they've really been flashpoints and we heard from the Deputy AG Todd Blanche that there is a civil rights investigation, but then he kind of backed off of it a little bit. Let's play what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you saying that the Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into his death?

TODD BLANCHE, U.S. DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: Yes. I don't want to overstate what's happening. There's -- I don't want the takeaway to be that there's some massive civil rights investigation that's happening. This is a -- what I would describe as a standard investigation by the FBI when there are circumstances, like what we saw last Saturday and that investigation, to the extent it needs to involve lawyers at the Civil Rights Division, it will involve those.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Michael, what do you hear there?

MOORE: I hear somebody wanting to say I'm a little bit in and a little bit out. I mean, you can't have a little bit of a civil rights investigation any more than you can be a little bit pregnant. You know, it's sort of like this is -- you either are in or you're out. And so, you expect to see the Civil Rights Division come in and do a normal investigation, and that is to put the investigative resources, the full force of the department behind it to do those things necessary to decide and determine in a transparent way whether or not there's -- you know, something happened, but you can't say, we're launching a civil rights investigation, but it's really not that we're just going to kind of do the -- a little bit on the side as if that's going to pacify and quell down some of the arguments.

Again, I really think this is something that should have been done hand in hand with the state. You can't have a federal agency investigating itself. That's just not the way things are done because nobody then has any confidence in the outcome. BLACKWELL: And, Nicole, I know one of the stories that you've been focused on this week and we've all been focused on is the arrest of Don Lemon and Georgia Ford, both now independent journalists who went into the church to cover the protest anti-ICE protest at the city's church in St. Paul. I think we have sound from the president last night and he was asked if he knew about the arrest of Don Lemon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Oh, I don't know anything about the Don Lemon thing, but he's a sleazebag. Everyone's known that he's a washup. Probably from his standpoint, the best thing that could happen to him, he's getting -- you know, he had no viewers. He had -- he was a failure. He was a failed host. And now, he's in the news. I didn't know anything about it though.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Actually, he has a pretty big audience on YouTube and all the social media as well. But this year, big story of the week. Why?

CARR: You know about it. The White House is posting little memes and smart takes about --

BLACKWELL: Oh, when life gives you lemons.

CARR: When life gives you lemons, it's like, cut the crap on that. We've been in a danger zone for a long time, and the ways that I've related this moment both in my own Substack community, in teaching a history of the black press is that we've seen what happens when the federal government goes after journalists, when they criminalize journalists. The historic black press has faced this in ways when we're fighting for democracy overseas, and you had black journalists here in the newspapers saying, hey we have inhumane conditions here, we're under Jim Crow rule and Hoover's FBI says, hey, this is espionage. You can't print this stuff. This is anti-American.

[07:35:00]

This is -- you know, you're violating -- you're going against your country. These are cooked up charges. It is very scary to see a judge determine that this has no weight. And then for -- not just Don and Georgia, but we had two other journalists, two black journalists, we have four black journalists detained, you're telling me they're the only ones out there covering anything, bearing witness? This isn't a dog whistle anymore. The administration is sending a very clear sign that we will get any one of you and we don't care about rules.

BLACKWELL: And some of the journalist advocate organizations have said that the point is not so much the charges themselves, but it's to chill the journalism about the administration.

Michael, Nicole, Rachel, stay with me, we've got more coming up after this break. Still ahead, Nicki Minaj fully embracing her role as president Trump's self-proclaimed number one fan. We'll dig into Minaj's foray into MAGA world, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICKI MINAJ, RAPPER: Hello, guys. I'm with my favorite president, the best president of all time.

TRUMP: And I'm with the queen of rap.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Yes. Welcome back to the Morning Roundup. Michael Moore, Nicole Carr, and Rachel LaForce. Let's talk about the rebrand of Nicki Minaj. Once Trump critic, now Trump's number one fan. Why? What's going on here?

LAFORCE: I have no idea, but I know I cannot wait for the album. I mean, could you imagine? And, you know, it's like if him -- if she and Trump, like, make a song together.

BLACKWELL: Oh, boy.

LAFORCE: You know? Because yes, you say, like, oh, that sounds outrageous. Does it?

BLACKWELL: Yes, that's true.

LAFORCE: Does it, America?

BLACKWELL: I wouldn't say that it couldn't happen. She does have an album coming out in late March. So, we'll see if there's something there. But really what's interesting here is that, and I was talking with my team about this, I don't know that there's any star as big as Nicki Minaj who is coming out as forcefully for the president. There are obviously a lot of stars who support him, but she was also at the "Melania" premiere this week. And a lot of questions of that gold card that she posted, if she's getting citizenship with her residency through that, fast-tracking immigration papers.

MOORE: It sounds like that he would like for everybody to believe that that's just a little token gift he's given as a memento for visiting, but she makes it sound like, frankly, in some of the statements that she made, that it's for real.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

MOORE: And so, the question is, is he pawning out or handing out, you know, immigration access, basically, if you'll come out and do a publicity stunt for him and try to drive his numbers up in a particular demographic, I think. And that's -- we're back in the days where, you know, the king gives you a little wax seal and you can wander the kingdom freely, and that's what I'm -- it feels like that.

BLACKWELL: Yes. LAFORCE: Yes.

CARR: That card's going to be declined.

BLACKWELL: OK. So, I did say she was at the "Melania" premiere this week. We just heard from our Brian Stelter that we're going to get a report later this morning that $8 million for the opening weekend for the film. It's a bit of a political Rorschach test. You have some people who absolutely loved it and some states where it did really well, some states where there was empty theaters, but it had a big budget, $75 million across the rights and promotion, $8 million at the start. "Melania," the movie, thoughts?

MOORE: It sounds like the crowd probably could have fit in the new ballroom nationwide and it just wasn't.

BLACKWELL: You've been saving that one up?

MOORE: No, I just thought about it. But I really do think that that's -- it's telling that you had this many people put this much money into it. I mean, you saw some of the richest people in the country, in the world, dump money into this thing and it just flopped. I mean, again, it looks like a buying favor, buying access and making sure that you don't have a cross --

BLACKWELL: It has an 11 rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but you say $8 million is a flop. Yes. And overall, you know, when you compare it to a big budget, I don't know, Marvel movie, but for a documentary, reportedly it's the best opening for a documentary in 10 years. So, for some, it does well.

LAFORCE: Yes.

BLACKWELL: So, let's talk about what we teased a bit earlier, Valentine's day coming up. I know you love this story, Rachel. Longhorn has a promotion where you can buy a ring that has a stone made -- including their steak and seasoning in the stone. And you can get it the color of your favorite temperature. They say, if you're the type of person who's married to their steak temp, it's almost time to show off that commitment. $50 for a steak temperature ring. Rachel?

LAFORCE: Great price. That's what I feel. Pretty good deal.

BLACKWELL: I mean, you know, is it cheaper than the steak? I didn't know. I don't know if you're giving me jewelry, I don't want meat and seasoning in it.

LAFORCE: Yes, that's fair. But I don't know. I feel like I -- listen, I'm a ride or die for Longhorn. OK.

BLACKWELL: OK.

LAFORCE: That is the suburban night thing you need to know about me. If you love me, you need to accept that about me. So, I'm like, hey, I'm all about merch. You know, I'm there for it. I'm here for it.

[07:45:00]

BLACKWELL: And here's the last story that we got to get to that happened at Madison Square Garden last night. Big Baby Miller, Jarrell Miller, he won the fight, but lost his hair. Oh, my goodness. His competitor Kingsley Ibeh, I believe you pronounce his name, punched his toupee off of his hair during the fights. He says that he went to his mother's house a couple of days ago, washed his hair, thought it was shampoo turned out to be ammonia bleach and it washed, apparently just that section of his hair off his head. What? I don't know where you go with this.

MOORE: He won by a hair. That was the -- I've taken the comedian.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

CARR: There you go.

BLACKWELL: I don't know. I feel like, you know, don't tell us the ammonia bleach story.

LAFORCE: Tell us. Don't tell -- you already had a victory.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

LAFORCE: You won.

BLACKWELL: You won.

LAFORCE: It was unfortunate, but like, just leave it at that, you know.

BLACKWELL: Laugh it off. You know, the bleach didn't get this line, right around.

MOORE: It's a pretty good circle wash.

BLACKWELL: Yes. The bleach left just that section. All right. Well, listen, he won the fight. He lost his toupee. Congratulations to Big Baby Miller. All right. Michael, Nicole, Rachel, thank you all.

LAFORCE: Thank you for having me.

BLACKWELL: Still ahead in sports, the men's final at the Australian Open is a wrap with both finals looking to make history. Coy Wire has the highlights next in sports.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL:

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[07:50:00]

BLACKWELL: All right. The number one pick in the NBA draft. He's certainly shown his youth, but he's now putting up historic numbers, still not without scrutiny. Coy Wire is here now with more.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Good to see you, Victor. You look lovely in your turtleneck.

BLACKWELL: As do you, sir. Yes, as do you.

WIRE: Cooper Flagg is just 19 years old. A few days ago, he broke the NBA record for most points in a game by a teenager. He had 49 of them. Last night against the Rockets, he put up 34 points, had 12 rebounds, joining LeBron and Luka Doncic as the only teens with consecutive 25- point double-doubles. 83 points over his last two games with Dallas 0- 2 in those games. They lost 111-107 to Houston. Some are criticizing Hall of Famer Jason Kidd's decision to play Flagg at point guard. And that didn't sit well with Coach. Look out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of national criticism for playing Flagg at point guard over the last two games.

JASON KIDD, DALLAS MAVERICKS HEAD COACH: I don't give a -- about the criticism. The criticism, that's your opinion. You guys write that -- That's not -- I've done this. I've played this game. I've played it at a very high level, and I know what the -- I'm doing. But I don't give a -- what you guys write, because you guys have never played the game. And so, I've built players. So, I know what the -- I'm doing. So, to take criticism, it only makes me better. Because if I wasn't doing it right, you guys wouldn't be poking holes at what I've done. That's it. Thanks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Note to self, don't ever ask Coach about that. In college hoops, look out for the number one Arizona Wildcats. They just set a school record, 22 straight wins to start the season. Ties the Big 12 conference record as well, set by Kansas 30 years ago. Freshman Koa Pete scored 21 in a win over their rival Arizona State, 87-74. Arizona and Miami of Ohio now the only two unbeaten teams remaining in the nation.

Just moments ago, in the men's final of the Australian Open, 22-year- old Carlos Alcaraz took down 38-year-old legend Novak Djokovic to become the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam. The Aussie, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. It's his seventh major overall, a long way to go for Djokovic's 24. The last time these two met in the final, Djokovic won at the Paris Olympics. Now, speaking of the Olympics, the Winter Olympic Games, the opening ceremony just five days away. Team USA is receiving their warm weather gear, and they are literally getting pumped up. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you pumped up?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I'm pumped up. You can also do it without using your hands, which is kind of sick. This is insane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chest bump? Should we?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Nike's Therma Fit Air Milano jacket. You pump it up, it keeps you warmer, you deflate it, and it's cooler.

BLACKWELL: I'm into it.

WIRE: Yes, I'm into it, too.

BLACKWELL: Yes, yes.

WIRE: Also, I'm into your segment about that boxer losing some hair. I think I found it.

BLACKWELL: Oh, my gosh.

WIRE: I think I found it in the makeup room. If you wanted to give it a shot.

BLACKWELL: A few hairs left. A few hairs left. Listen, I think you and I, we need some cognac, maybe some leather-bound books to go with these.

WIRE: Yes, a bit of corncob pipe.

BLACKWELL: Yes. All right.

WIRE: Happy Sunday, you all.

BLACKWELL: Thanks, Coy. All right. Biggest names in music will gather tonight for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. Stephanie Elam has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From Sabrina Carpenter --

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ELAM (voice-over): -- to Pharrell Williams this year, the Grammys is known to be one big concert. It's also known for artists speaking their minds. In the wake of the ice shootings in Minneapolis, nominee Billie Eilish has called for celebs to speak out against the agency, getting into a war of words with the Department of Homeland Security. Recording Academy chief Harvey Mason Jr. says artists are, by definition, vocal.

HARVY MASON JR., RECORDING ACADEMY CEO: Musicians, we're communicators, we're storytellers. Maybe some people will choose to speak out about it, but you're definitely going to feel it in the music.

ELAM (voice-over): Guiding the show will be comedian Trevor Noah, who almost didn't return for his sixth year.

BEN WINSTON, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, GRAMMY AWARDS: I sent him a video just before Christmas, and I was on my knees, literally. I sort of begged him, and I said, look at this lineup, come and do one last one. And luckily, he texted back going, fine, I'm in, can't wait.

ELAM (voice-over): Winston expects 25 artists on stage for around a dozen performances, all intricately choreographed by a small army backstage.

[07:55:00]

WINSTON: Doing the Grammy Awards is like running towards the edge of a cliff, and then you just hope and pray that you've worked hard enough in the run that the parachute opens. But you also know there's that risk that you could also just run off the cliff and smash your face.

ELAM (voice-over): Going for Grammy gold are nominees like Bad Bunny, a week before he headlines a Super Bowl halftime show, as well as Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Chappelle Roane.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM (voice-over): Kendrick Lamar, however, showing that this world just might be his, as he leads them all with nine nominations. The Grammy is also working to shed criticism that they are out of touch.

MASON JR.: I was a musician, as you know, and a member of the Grammy organization, so I had a unique vantage point to understand what needed to change.

ELAM (voice-over): Of nearly 4,000 new members added this year to its voting body, half are under 40, and more than half are people of color.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the Grammys, baby. Welcome, everybody. Welcome.

ELAM (voice-over): This will be the final year for the Grammys on CBS. After 50 years, the ceremony moves to ABC.

MASON JR.: ABC Disney is going to give us some different opportunities, different reach, of course, the streaming, the global. Thankful for CBS, but also very excited for our next deal.

ELAM (voice-over): Stephanie Elam, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Thanks so much for watching this morning. Inside Politics Sunday with Manu Raju is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:00:00]