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U.S. And Ukrainian Presidents To Meet; U.N. Appoints Fact-Finding Mission On Iran Crackdown; U.S. Sending Patriot Missile Defense System To Ukraine; Sam Bankman-Fried May Be Extradited To U.S. Wednesday. Aired 10- 10:40a ET
Aired December 21, 2022 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the Ukrainian front lines to the White House, President Zelenskyy is on his way
to meet President Biden, his first foreign trip since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We'll go live to Washington.
Also, ratcheting up restrictions on the women of Afghanistan, the Taliban has suspended university education for women amid international
condemnation.
And would you like to be the new CEO of Twitter?
Elon Musk wants to find someone he calls foolish enough to take his place. His words, not mine.
Would you want the job?
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KINKADE: Hello, I'm Lynda Kinkade at the CNN Center. Welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. Good to have you with us.
We begin with a dramatic visit kept under wraps until the last minute. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is on his way to meet U.S.
President Joe Biden. A CNN affiliate says he sent a picture of Mr. Zelenskyy arriving in Poland by train a short time ago en route to
Washington.
His trip carries echoes of another U.S. Visit by wartime leader Winston Churchill during one of the darkest times during World War II. Later, when
the Ukrainian president arrives at the White House, he won't be empty- handed. He is bringing a flag for Mr. Biden and the U.S. Congress signed by Ukrainian troops on the front lines.
This will be Mr. Zelenskyy's first known trip outside his homeland since Russia invaded Ukraine back in February. And of course, he has faced many
challenges, as we hear from CNN's Will Ripley, who is in southern Ukraine.
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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: -- air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine yet again. That is pretty much like every day here
in this wartorn country. What makes today difference is it the first time Zelenskyy has not been physically present in the country since the start of
the full scale invasion on February 24th.
He faces quite a challenge when he goes to Washington for that triumphant announcement with President Biden of billions of dollars in additional
defense spending, including those highly coveted by Ukrainians Patriot missile defense systems, which they hope will be a game-changer in this
conflict that has been dragging on around 10 months now.
Zelenskyy has to convince U.S. lawmakers and also NATO that they need to support Ukraine for the long haul, even though there is growing pressure,
including from French president, Emmanuel Macron, for peace talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The Ukrainians here, while the conversation on the ground in Ukraine is supportive of Zelenskyy being in the United States, they are also
determined to finish this war that Russia started.
That means, from the Ukrainian perspective, reclaiming all territory taken by Russia pre 2014. That includes Crimea, which was illegally annexed by
Russia. That is what started this whole war from the Ukrainian perspective. They have been fighting Russia for almost nine years now.
The West may see it differently. They may feel Ukraine should try to make some concessions that Zelenskyy, not domestically, is under a tremendous
amount of pressure not to make.
But the big challenge for him is, as he continues to accept billions of dollars in weapons from foreign countries, yet, the lines have been
basically staying relatively the same, Ukraine has not been retaking a tremendous amount of territory.
They're not losing ground to the Russians but he has to convince them the challenge is urgent enough and the threat is big enough for the world that
they need to keep putting money and resources into Ukraine, especially with word of a potential Russian troop buildup on the Belarusian border to the
north of Ukraine, which could open up yet another front in this conflict.
It's already seen intense fighting to the east, to the south and of course, the regular bombardment and bombing of the civilian infrastructure here by
Russia -- Will Ripley, CNN, in southern Ukraine.
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KINKADE: Thanks to Will.
John Kirby is the U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications. He has been talking to CNN about why President Zelenskyy's
U.S. visit it's so significant. Take a listen.
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ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET.), COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: We are in a new phase, if you. This
winter is coming. Mr. Putin has stepped up his attacks on civilian infrastructure, civilian targets.
Air defense capabilities are now the most important capability that Ukraine needs and must have to help defend itself. So the president really believes
that, as we approach winter, as we enter, clearly have been in a sort of new phase in this war.
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Mr. Putin's aggression, that this was a good time for the two leaders to sit down face to face and talk about not only what the United States is
doing now and will continue to do going forward but how we eventually try to work toward what President Zelenskyy has called a just peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: We are covering this story from all angles. CNN's MJ Lee is live from the White House. Lauren Fox is at Capitol Hill and we have our Clare
Sebastian for us in London.
Good to have you all with us.
I want to go first to MJ. This, obviously, is Zelenskyy's --
We are having some difficulty getting through to MJ.
Lauren, I will come to you first. We know that the House Speaker invited Zelenskyy to make an address later tonight. And it comes just months after
we discussed that support was waning for Ukraine, especially amongst Republicans. Talk to us about the significance of this.
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It comes at a critical moment up here on Capitol Hill, because lawmakers are about to return home for the
holidays. They have to pass this massive spending bill first.
That bill includes $45 billion in support for Ukraine. And there's going to be a lot of Republicans, perhaps even in the audience tonight, listening
to this special meeting from Zelenskyy, who are probably going to vote against that money.
This is a significant moment for Zelenskyy to try to change minds and hearts up here on Capitol Hill. But really, this is a moment for House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She is going to be stepping down from her speakership.
This is probably the last opportunity she is going to have to invite a foreign dignitary to come and address Congress in this joint meeting, with
all this pomp and circumstance. We were told last night that Pelosi started reaching out to members, hoping to bring them back to Washington so they
could be a part of this address.
Remember, there's just not that many lawmakers up here right now and House members are allowed to vote remotely. So she really had to do some work to
try to shore up a crowd tonight. The expectation, of course, is this is going to be a very significant and important moment for both the Speaker
and Zelenskyy.
KINKADE: I do wonder whether any members left and are now returning. I want to come back to you soon.
Clare Sebastian, I will come to you in London for the Russian reaction. I understand the Russian president spoke not long ago in Moscow.
Did he have any reaction to Zelenskyy making his first trip outside of Ukraine since he invaded that country?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He did not specifically mention that, Lynda, but it was clear this trip was firmly in his sights. This was a
strident speech from Putin, frankly, in a series of strident speeches we have seen from him over the course of the past week or so.
He was addressing an expanded board of his defense ministry, really, a roomful of the military's top brass, quite a visual, all in military
uniform. He really presented Russia as under siege from the West and expansionary NATO, as he sees it. Take a listen to some of his opening
remarks.
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VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): It's well known that today the military potential (ph) and opportunities are virtually all
the main countries of NATO are being used against Russia. Nevertheless, our soldiers, officers and sergeants are fighting for Russia courageously and
staunchly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: That was one of the lines he took really significant as we see President Zelenskyy in the U.S., expecting to get another round of military
aid from the United States.
The other key takeaway from the speech from President Putin is he is now planning a significant expansion of the military to increase its size in
terms of personnel by about a third, improve the readiness of the nuclear arsenal.
He talked about accelerating a hypersonic missile program, among other things. Money, he said, not an option. Financing will not be limited for
the military, anything the army wants, he, says they will get, it but not at the expense of the rest of the economy.
They will learn from the mistakes of the past. The key thing to understand here, Lynda, is even as we see the potential in Washington for President
Zelenskyy to discuss what an endgame this war might look like, Russia is doubling down on its military posterior (ph).
KINKADE: All right, thank you, Clare Sebastian.
I do want to bring in that MJ Lee, who is outside the White House.
MJ, this is President Zelenskyy's first trip outside Ukraine since Russia invaded the country. A great deal of planning had to happen in order to
ensure this trip.
Can you take us through the details?
What do you know?
MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, it tells us so much that this visit was such a tightly held secret. Until really the last minute, we
were alerted that this event and visit was going to take place really overnight.
We know, as you said, that so much went into planning for the trip. And what we've been told is that all this came together in the last 10 days or
so.
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That there was a phone call between President Biden and President Zelenskyy on December 11th, when the idea of a potential visit was first raised.
Then, some days later, when Zelenskyy officially accepted that invitation, then the work really began between the two sides to make sure that there
were preparations made that met the security parameters, according to a U.S. official.
Zelenskyy believed those were necessary for him to make this trip safely. Of course, saying it goes without necessary that he is a wartime president,
as a war in his home country is still ongoing.
We reported this morning that a U.S. military aircraft was used to bring him to Washington and the U.S. was very much involved in the details
surrounding bringing Zelenskyy to the U.S. and eventually, of course, when he needs to go back to his home country.
That is to say, this is not going to be a long visit for the Ukrainian president. He will really be on U.S. soil for just a number of hours. He
will be here at the White House this afternoon, when they will participate in a lengthy bilateral meeting.
That's going to be followed by a press conference, so members of the press will presumably get an opportunity to throw questions at both leaders after
their long meeting.
I think one thing we are, of course, watching very closely, I think you were discussing this earlier in your show, too, it's just this question of
how this war could potentially come to an end.
Obviously, so many sides involved would like to see that happen as quickly as possible. And we've heard President Zelenskyy talk about this idea of a
just peace. But we don't know exactly what that looks like. And at least U.S. officials have made clear in recent days that they just don't see
Vladimir Putin as being interested in engaging in diplomacy.
And they don't see that as being on the table right now, at least for the short term.
You know, a lot of different things can happen and more discussions can happen in different ways when two leaders are meeting face to face, as
opposed to over Zoom or on the phone.
And U.S. officials have made clear at this time, at this moment in the war, the moment really felt right for the two leaders to get together face to
face, in person, and talk these things out.
KINKADE: MJ Lee at the White House. Now Lauren Fox at Capitol Hill and Clare Sebastian, in London. Thank you very much.
Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, they're made in Iran, used to fight Russia, to kill civilians and destroy homes in Ukraine.
How did U.S. and Western high tech components and up in Iranian drones like these?
The Biden administration wants answers. We'll have that exclusive report next.
Plus, another major blow for women's rights in Afghanistan. The Taliban strip away Afghan woman's ability to get a higher education. Stay with us.
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KINKADE: Welcome back. A CNN exclusive investigation uncovered what the Biden administration wants to know how U.S. and Western made components
ended up in Iranian drones that Russia has been firing into Ukraine, drones like this.
Officials tell CNN a task force overseen by the White House National Security Council has now been launched to investigate this. Components
found in some drones include processors made by a Texas-based company and an engine manufactured by a Canadian owned entity.
Both companies say they had no idea the technology was being used like this and they have condemned it. CNN's Natasha Bertrand joins us now.
This is an exclusive report you've got, Natasha. U.S. and Western built elements ending up in these Iranian drones that have been fired into
Ukraine.
What more can you tell us?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: This is a major problem. This is why the Biden administration has launched this task force across
the administration, from the Pentagon to the State Department, Treasury Department, Commerce, all in an effort to figure out how to stop this from
happening.
So many of these American companies, as you've said, really do not know their products are going into these Iranian drones that are being used to
devastating effect inside Ukraine.
Now part of the problem is, of, course many of these components that are being found in these Iranian drones, things like microchips, processors,
microelectronics writ large, are actually very easily accessible online.
And what's happening is these Iranian entities, many of which are sanctioned by the U.S., are actually using middlemen, companies, front
companies, to actually purchase these equipments so they can use it to put in these drones.
Of course, a lot of these American companies cannot keep track of every distributor and every middleman and every reseller that is selling their
drones or their microequipment overseas.
So part of what this task force has been doing over the last couple of months is basically notifying all of the companies in the U.S. whose parts
have been found in these Iranian drones and saying to them, look can you please go back and look at your supply chain?
Look to see whether you can identify any single points where your products may have been sold to bad actors and try to fix that?
Ultimately, about 82 percent of the components that were found in drones that were examined by an investigative firm in the U.K. were actually made
in the U.S. Just a really staggering number there.
KINKADE: Wow, 82 percent. That is staggering. They've asked these companies to check the supply chain line and ensure this doesn't happen.
Are there any other repercussions these companies will face?
BERTRAND: You know, it's a great question. Congress actually wants to force greater accountability for these companies. It is unclear how exactly
they would do that, because again, many of these companies are saying they basically do not know where all these products are going.
But Congress now wants the administration to provide them with a list of all these companies whose products are ending up in the Iranian drones so
they can then go to them and say, you need to better monitor your supply chain.
It is unclear, of course, whether there will be any financial penalties because, of course, the companies insist they are not breaking any laws.
They are not running afoul of any sanctions, because they are not selling directly to the sanctioned entities.
But there has to be a way, according to the administration, according to the sources we spoke to, to better monitor where a lot of this equipment is
going, especially more sophisticated equipment, like engines, for example, that are really at the heart of what are making these drones so
devastating.
KINKADE: Natasha Bertrand, great to have you on our program. With this exclusive report, thank you very much.
The United States and other Western nations are trying to reduce the growing military relationship between Iran and Russia. Iran's foreign
administration was in Jordan Tuesday, at a conference with European leaders and Middle Eastern diplomats.
You see him walking there with the French president, Emmanuel Macron. Europe's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, says he discussed the stalled
Iran nuclear talks with Iran's foreign minister.
Borrell also stressed the need to address the internal repression inside Iran. The protests in Iran show no sign of slowing down. The United Nations
says it will investigate the brutal crackdown on protesters and hold people accountable.
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As part of its fact finding mission the Human Rights Council appointed three women to look into rights violations.
President of the U.N. Human Rights Council, Ambassador Federico Villegas, joins us now from Geneva, Switzerland.
Good to have you on the program.
AMBASSADOR FEDERICO VILLEGAS, PRESIDENT, U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: Thank. You good to talk to you. Good afternoon.
KINKADE: Can we start with Iran and this fact finding mission?
Take us through the scope.
What do you expect to find and how do you hope that information could change behavior?
VILLEGAS: You know, the Iranian people have expressed inside Iran and outside of Iran has been heard by the council. We decided to have, for the
first time in history, a special session on Iran and approved, for the first time, an investigative independent expert body to investigate the
violations that started with the death of akma (ph), that tragic death, of akma (ph) Amini.
So this commission is the main independent body created by the international community to investigate the violations. So what I did
yesterday is to appoint the experts that will start working immediately with the staff that will support them.
Of course, the three experts are there but it's not only three people that will do the job. There's a support team of the office of the high
commissioner that will work with them. The idea is to document, bring testimonies, cover all the information in order to identify responsibility
and also help in their accountability for the violations, because the reports we have been hearing here in the council are very clear that they
be approved.
We heard a very difficult -- situation with over 150 cities protests, over 14,000 people that were detained and of, course Iran, the 460 deaths in the
context of the protests. And the idea for me to appoint women, of course, there are three women. And it's the first time in history in the Human
Rights Council that an investigative body like this is integrated only by women.
But I didn't choose them only because they were women. They were the best experts out of a list of over 50 people that were put forward to me. So
they are all very highly qualified people. They are specialized with a lot of -- if you look at their background, it's very impressive.
One is a (INAUDIBLE) of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh (ph), with a lot of experience in the U.N. and (INAUDIBLE) she investigated the occupied
protest in the occupied Palestinian Territories with the U.N.
And the second one from Pakistan, she was in the working group on the disappearance of persons. She's a business woman in Pakistan, one of the
first ministers of health and Latin America.
She is one of the main experts of Latin American women's issues, with a long history of investigating these types of violations in the Americas
before the courts. So I think I am finishing my presidency appointing (INAUDIBLE) for a very difficult situation, the right experts to follow up
on the mandate.
And they will have to prepare a report. And this will be the basis for any accountability.
KINKADE: These three women are charged with leading this fact finding mission, they are very qualified, experienced.
Will they actually go into Iran?
If so, is that risky and when can we expect a report?
VILLEGAS: The report will be by next year. First an oral reports and then, a written report later. Yes, always. The important thing is for any
mechanism, any experts, to be able to be granted access. The resolution, the mandate, is very clear.
They have to work with the government also and all stakeholders and victims and experts. So I wish and I hope that the Iranian authorities realize that
this is a great opportunity for them to use the international community as a way to help the Iranian people and authorities to find a new path on
their human rights situation.
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It's obvious that what's happening in Iran's the desire of the people to have some things changed in the human rights sphere. So we are the most
important chance the Iranian authorities have to be listened to their side of the story, to have not an NGO, not the unilateral assessment of a
Western government.
This is the U.N. This is the U.N. Human Rights Council. Iran, when we created the council, did not oppose to the creation of the council. It's a
member of the U.N. and it's an observer to the council and sits here. It sat here with a high level of delegation when we approved this commission.
So if there is a chance for the Iranian authorities to have an independent assessment, to listen to all views and to have the Iranian people in a new
path of human rights, this is the main chance.
And I decided to choose three people, which are not only very qualified but very independent. They do not have any political agenda of any government.
They just have a long history of human rights, with a special focus, of course, on women, children, which is exactly what the resolution said.
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KINKADE: I would love to spend more time with you but unfortunately, we have to leave it there for now. I would love to get you back on the program
soon. Ambassador Villegas, thank you for your time.
VILLEGAS: Thank you. Goodbye.
KINKADE: Outrage today over a decision by the Taliban to ban all Afghan woman from attending university. U.N. secretary general, Antonio Guterres,
says he is deeply alarmed by the decision, saying it violates equal rights and will have a devastating impact on Afghanistan's future.
U.S. envoy for Afghan woman says the Taliban were reverting to extreme policies back in the '90s. The Qatari government says it's deeply
disappointed and called on the Taliban to review the ban. I want to bring in CNN's Nada Bashir, following the developments, joins us now from London.
Good to have you with us.
Can we first start with the reaction inside the country?
I understand there are protests, not just by women but also by men.
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. There has been significant reaction within the country. We heard from some of those women who had been
told as of last night they would not be returning to university, describing the fact that their futures are buried, hopes lost.
And this comes after many young women taking part in this entrance exams with the hope of attending university. Now their dreams, their, hopes
completely crushed by this latest edict from the Taliban.
A huge concern, of, course we have seen the Taliban rolling back the rights of women and girls over the last few months since their takeover of
government in Afghanistan in March.
We saw schoolgirls being told they would not be able to return to secondary school after months of closure. This just as schools were due to reopen.
Young girls, in, fact we have seen those restrictions at universities themselves.
We've seen classes being segregated. Women and young girls being told they are not to be taught by young male professors. There has been effort by the
Taliban to crack down and clamp down on the rights of women and girls in education.
This may not come as a total surprise to those watching, observing the state of affairs in Afghanistan. But certainly, a devastating blow to the
rights of women and girls in the country.
KINKADE: Certainly winding back the clock. Nada Bashir, good to have you with us. Thank you very much.
Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD.
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KINKADE (voice-over): It's one of most sophisticated missile defense systems in the world. The most significance of a U.S. pledge to send
Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
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KINKADE (voice-over): Also ahead, calling on all job seekers.
Do you have what it takes to lead Twitter?
Elon Musk tweeting he is searching for a new CEO. One word to sniff up your resume could be the world "foolish."
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KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade at the CNN Center, great to have you with us.
I want to take a deeper dive into our top story. Volodymyr Zelenskyy's surprise visit to the U.S. We know this visit will coincide with a massive
new package of military aid from the United States, included in the $1.8 billion dollar package Patriot missile launchers.
Something Ukraine has long sought to help fight Russia's relentless aerial attacks. It is not clear how many Patriot missile launchers will be sent to
Ukraine. They are considered to be one of the best missile defense systems in the world.
I want to bring in CNN Pentagon correspondent, Oren Liebermann, to explain the importance of these missiles.
Good to see you, Oren. The U.S. has committed about $20 billion in security assistance in Ukraine.
This is a almost $2 billion to add on top. Explain the importance, the significance, of this missile launch system that will now be sent to
Ukraine.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The crucial part of Patriot missiles is, first, they are the most advanced U.S. air defense capability
and, second, they are long-range. Ukraine has done very well with the air defense capability that they have been provided with so far but none of
them are long-range.
This is like an extended dome over what Ukraine already has. We have seen them effectively use medium-range the U.S. has provided, as well as short
range Stinger missiles from the U.S. and other countries.
But none of them give the range and the options of Patriot missiles. That's why these are so significant. It will bolster Ukraine's air defense.
Will it change the war on its own?
Certainly, it will not. There is too much else going on for that. But it adds to Ukraine's already formidable, already capable capabilities.
Anything to slow down these Russian barrages on energy infrastructure, water infrastructure in Ukraine. Anything like that is valuable. Of course,
they are complex. Patriots are very expensive systems.
You wouldn't use these willy-nilly to fire to hit targets. The system is expensive, it takes dozens of soldiers to operate as well as training the
components of the system and training for maintenance of the systems.
All of that is folded into this decision but now we see and the Biden administration sees this war is going to extend, there is the time and the
necessity to give them and train them on Patriot missile batteries.
KINKADE: Talk to us about the timing of the visit by the Ukrainian president, the first since the war began, given in recent, months we have
been speaking about Republicans' waning support for the war in Ukraine.
How crucial is the timing right now?
LIEBERMANN: It's actually significant. The first time president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has left the country since 10 months ago. He comes to Washington,
he'll be seen with Biden, addressing a joint session of Congress.
That in itself will see what effect that has on bipartisan support.
Can he boost it?
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Can he make sure that the $45 billion or so in Ukraine aid gets through in the omnibus spending bill?
That alone would be incredibly significant. His visit is being compared to Winston Churchill's visit in December of 1941 to address Congress. The
Biden administration has made clear it is not entering the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Nevertheless, this symbolizes how much U.S. support there is for not only Zelenskyy but for Ukraine, the continued capabilities that U.S. keep
sending the training recently announced, to expand the training of Ukrainian soldiers.
So in that sense, it is an incredibly important visit for Zelenskyy. Besides a press conference and a signing ceremony there is time for
substantial discussion on how the battle is going, where it goes from here, the sanctions campaign against Russia and much more.
KINKADE: We will be following it closely this afternoon. Oren Liebermann, thank you for so much.
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KINKADE: Well, I want to get you up to speed on some other stories on our radar right now.
Incoming Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has a few more hours to form a new government. He's expected to partner with far-right parties,
creating one of the most hardline right-wing governments in Israel's history. he should take office by January 2nd.
Cities on the U.S.-Mexico border area preparing for a massive influx of migrants as legal challenges play out in court. The Biden administration
wants the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a bid by Republican states to keep the Trump era pandemic policy easing the expulsion of migrants in place.
But it wants the high court to wait until next Tuesday to end Title 42.
Former Russian president and current deputy security council chairman, Dmitry Medvedev held surprised talks with China's Xi Jinping. They met in
Beijing. They discussed Ukraine while Mr. Xi mentioned deepening relations between the two countries.
Still to come, Twitter has a new job opening. Elon Musk is looking for someone to replace him as the CEO.
One requirement?
He says he must be foolish enough to take the job. We'll have a live report on the latest twists at Twitter, when we come back.
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KINKADE: Former cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried could finally be extradited to the United States today. Reports say he signed papers
Tuesday, waiving his really good to fight extradition. He is due in a court there in the next hour.
We are told he is negotiating bail arrangements with prosecutors in New York to avoid detention once he is transferred to the U.S. Bankman-Fried
has been indicted on eight counts of fraud and conspiracy in the United States for his financial mismanagement in the bankrupt crypto exchange,
FTX.
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Elon Musk says he will call it quits as Twitter CEO but not just yet, Musk tweeted he would resign as soon as he found , quote, someone foolish enough
to take the job. Musk had promised to abide by the Twitter poll he created, in which 57 percent of respondents voted he needs to resign.
The eccentric billionaire's $44 billion takeover at Twitter back in October has been marked by chaos and controversy. Senior media reporter Oliver
Darcy has been following the turmoil and joins us now, in the New York.
Good to see, Oliver.
Is this a poisoned chalice?
Who is going to put their hand up for this job at Twitter?
OLIVER DARCY, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: I think that's the question, right?
Who would want this job?
It sounds like it would be impossible to recruit for it. For one, you have to report to Elon Musk, who is going to own Twitter and run its software
and engineering teams and that seems challenging, given how erratic he has proven to be over the past few months.
But also, broadly throughout his career, running other companies like SpaceX and Tesla. The other issue, I think, is the new CEO is going to be
really inheriting a company in absolute turmoil.
Musk obviously laid off a large portion of the staff. There was the additional staff exodus. And he has alienated all the advertisers, which
are its primary source of revenue. Musk has said himself that these company is on the fast-track toward bankruptcy.
Not only are you reporting to an erratic owner of the company, you are also inheriting an absolute mess. So really, unclear who would want to sign up
for this job, outside even the normal challenges of running a company like Twitter, which is dealing with a whole bunch of free speech issues, among
other things.
KINKADE: It really is a mess, isn't, it?
In a short time since Elon Musk has fought Twitter, he has led with mass layoffs. He announced plans to charge for verified accounts and he
backpedaled on that. It's a lot to do with very little stuff right now. I imagine morale is probably very low.
DARCY: There have been so many developments over at Twitter since Musk took over. It would be a page if we listed them on the screen. It will take
a while to go through, from reinstating the former president's account on there to remember what he tweeted that crazy Paul Pelosi conspiracy tweet,
to ruling out Twitter Blue and it being full of impersonation issues?
I mean, there are so many issues that have popped up over at Twitter, every day, there is a multitude of stories about the chaos at that company.
Again, you have to wonder, who is going to want to sign up for this?
Elon Musk himself has basically said there really isn't anyone. He was tweeting this the other day. There really isn't anyone who he thinks can
run this company. And he is saying he's not going to leave until he finds someone.
I guess it's unclear exactly when he is going to leave. He says he will resign. But if there's no one to run the company except, him he might be
heading Twitter for sometime.
KINKADE: All right, Oliver Darcy. Good to have you on the story yet again, for another twist at Twitter. We will speak again soon, no doubt. Thank
you.
DARCY: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, it is heading quickly toward 2023. New York's Times Square is gearing up to celebrate. The massive sign to welcome the new year is
there in place now. The seven-foot tall numerals will be on display until Friday.
And later, it will be moved to the top of 1 Times Square, where it will light up on midnight until January 1st. Of course, we will have a full day
of coverage on New Year's Eve here on CNN International.
And it will end with Anderson and Andy at Times Square at midnight.
Stick around, "WORLD SPORT" with Andy Scholes is up next. I'll be back in about 15 minutes with an hour of CONNECT THE WORLD.
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