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Connect the World
CNN International: Russia: Ukraine Fires U.S.-Made Long-Range Missiles; U.S. Envoy: Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire "Within our Gasp"; Hong Kong Sentences 45 Democracy Leaders to Prison; Trump's Pick of Treasury Secretary seen as Crucial for Wall Street; Some UFC Fans Tell CNN why they Support Trump; FEMA Director to Testify Before House Committees. Aired 9- 10a ET
Aired November 19, 2024 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, this is New York, where we are expecting a key update in the Trump hush money case. The U.S.
President-Elect was due to be sentenced a week from now, following his conviction on 34 felony counts earlier this year, but all proceedings were
put on hold.
It's 09:00 a.m. in New York City, it's 06:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson, you are watching "Connect the World". Also coming up in the
next two hours, a cease fire in Lebanon is within our grasp, that from the U.S. Envoy Amos Hochstein, who is now in Beirut for talks.
And 1000 days of war in Ukraine. The Grim milestone comes as Ukraine fires newly approved and delivered U.S. made longer range missiles into Russia.
And then stock market in New York will open about 30 minutes from now, and if the futures markets are any indication that open looks to be weaker back
there at 09:30 New York time.
We start with Ukraine marking a dark milestone. Today, 1000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Bringing years of chaos and war,
the Ukrainian President telling the European Parliament, 1000 days on, he needs them to push harder than ever for peace, as he expects the North
Korean troops in Russia's ranks to multiply tenfold.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Now Putin has brought 11,000 North Korean troops to Ukraine's borders. This contingent may grow to
100,000 while some European leaders think about, you know, some elections or something like this at Ukraine's expense. Putin is focused on winning
this war. He will not stop on his own.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the stakes climbing, then on multiple fronts. Russian state media now reporting that Ukraine has fired U.S. made longer range missiles
into Russia's Bryansk region. That is after President Joe Biden, of course, gave Kyiv the go ahead to use American missiles inside Russia.
Well, it's a decision, Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned could drag the United States directly into conflict. And in a timely and ominous
development, Putin has updated Russia's nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for a nuclear strike and widening the definition of a joint
attack.
For more on this, I want to bring in our Former Moscow Bureau Chief, Nathan Hodge, who is live for us from London today. And let's start with what we
have heard from Moscow today. Your analysis?
NATHAN HODGE, CNN FORMER MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Becky, I think we can flip today's headline on its head and say that Russia is also observing 1000
days of what was supposed to be a swift regime change operation aimed at Ukraine, one that was supposed to only last a few days, that's now dragged
on going on three full years.
And today now we're seeing a similar sort of saber rattling that we've seen ever since, well, let's say, even before the beginning of Russia's full-
scale invasion in February of 2022 when Russia was delivering sort of maximalist ultimatums to the west over Ukraine, prior to the full-scale
invasion.
And Russia has continued this pattern, basically, of delivering these warnings to the west for providing every turn along the way, continued
assistance, military assistance to Ukraine.
[09:05:00]
Saying that it would cross essentially red lines, whether that's delivering anti-tank weapons or delivering tanks, delivering F-16 fighter jets,
delivering patriot missile systems to protect Ukrainian skies. And back in September, we saw sort of similar nuclear saber rattling from Russia, when
they basically pushed forward the same sort of proposed revisions to their nuclear posture.
That basically said that they were sort of cracking the door open a little bit wider, potentially for nuclear first use. And the whole idea of this,
of course, is to send a signal to Western policymakers at every turn that they should think twice before providing sort of that next level of
assistance to Ukraine, Becky.
ANDERSON: Right. What's new today is that we are learning that Ukraine has fired these newly approved and delivered U.S. made longer range missiles
into Russia. On a day when the Ukrainian President has urged Europe to push harder for peace. And there may be some of our viewers who hear those two
lines and say they sound from Ukraine rather contradictory. Can you explain what we are hearing and seeing here?
HODGE: Well, Becky, all of this is happening against the background of one very important thing, and that is the incoming administration of President-
Elect Donald Trump, who has basically said that he will bring this war to an end. And the question for the Ukrainians, number one is, OK, if people
are going to be brought around the table sort of by hook or by crook to talk peace, do they want to be in a position of strength?
The other thing that's work here, I think, is the Biden Administration, after many, many months of this kind of careful policy of managed
escalation, of being careful not to give Ukrainians anything that in the Russian viewpoint would be seen as too provocative crossing that red line.
Well, you know that door is now open, and the Americans have given the green light for the use of a system to strike inside of Russian territory.
Now, striking inside of Russian territory is something the Ukrainians have already shown that they are capable of doing with their own homegrown
capabilities, with, for instance, long distance drones.
So, you know, this is a pretty complex picture that it's emerging, but a lot of the discussion about the use of the ATACM system has focused on, as
we understand it that they would be designated for use in the Kursk region or along sort of the border with Ukraine, where Ukraine has had an
incursion in the past couple of months.
Very unexpectedly, that has sort of shifted a little bit of the narrative about Ukraine being entirely on the back foot, which it very much has been
in the east of the country, Becky.
ANDERSON: It's been this sense of building Ukrainian forces and positions at a time when Ukraine is clearly, you know, looking for a solution here,
but wanting to come at it from a position of strength, if indeed this peace summit, peace talks are in the offing anytime soon.
It's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. It is an important day. Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen is reporting from inside
Russia this week. He brings us the view on what are these fast-moving developments now from Moscow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After Russia launched massive missile strikes against Ukraine this weekend,
killing and wounding dozens and what the Russians call targeted strikes against infrastructure supporting Ukraine's war effort, Moscow is now up in
arms over the Biden Administration's decision, to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles capable of striking deep into Russia.
State TV and breaking news mode, blasting the White House. The Biden Administration has decided to continue the war which Trump promised to end
the host says. The Kremlin spokesman accusing Washington of, quote, pouring oil on the fire of the Ukraine war.
And Russian President Vladimir Putin for weeks warning allowing Ukraine to hit deep inside Russia with Western weapons would be a massive escalation.
This will mean that NATO countries, the United States and European countries are at war with Russia, Putin said in September.
Sources within the Biden Administration tell CNN the decision was made to help Ukraine hold on to territory in Russia's Kursk region where Kyiv says
it up against nearly 50,000 Russians, but also troops from North Korea.
[09:10:00]
Ukraine's President bullish. Hits are not made with words, he said. Such things don't need announcements. Missiles will speak for themselves, but
Kyiv's forces are rapidly losing ground on most front lines, especially in the eastern Pokrovsk region. Volodymyr Zelenskyy visiting the key
battleground on Monday to try and shore up morale amongst his forces, which remain badly outmanned and outgunned.
This weekend, even Zelenskyy saying the war must end soon, and he believes the incoming Trump Administration will try and get it done quickly. The war
will end faster with the policies of this team that will now lead the White House, he said. This is their approach, their promise to their society,
music to the ears of the Kremlin, while Russia has even changed its nuclear doctrine.
Now allowing Moscow to use nukes if a country like Ukraine attacks with long distance weapons, with the help of a nuclear power like the U.S.
Moscow's hope for better relations with the incoming Trump Administration could cause the Kremlin to refrain from a strong response. Russian
Political Analyst Alexey Naumov tells me.
ALEXEY NAUMOV, POLITICAL ANALYST: I think the Kremlin will give Donald Trump some time to maybe reevaluate this policy, readjust it. We've seen
some good signs about this. Elon Musk, who plays an outsized role in the incoming administration, criticized the decision. Donald Trump Jr. has
criticized the decision.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): The Kremlin has not yet said what its response might look like, only that it would be quote appropriate. Fred Pleitgen, CNN,
Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, to the region where I am now banned signs of progress towards a cease fire in Lebanon, U.S. Middle East Envoy Amos Hochstein
returned to Beirut today to try and finalize details of a plan endorsed by Lebanon's government. Hochstein says a cease fire is quote within our
grasp. Well, here's more of what he told reporters a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMOS HOCHSTEIN, FORMER UNITED STATES ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENERGY RESOURCES: We've had very good discussions to narrow the gaps over
the last several days and weeks, and that trend continued today in the meeting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, while negotiations do continue, so does the fighting, at least five people are reported killed and dozens more injured in what are
the latest Israeli air strikes to hit inside Beirut. And the war in Gaza rages on. The local health ministry there reporting 50 people killed in
Israeli strikes on Monday, including 17 members of a single family.
It says the overall death toll during the war is nearly 44,000. Well, let's get you to the Pentagon, where Natasha Bertrand is standing by, Nic
Robertson is in Jerusalem for us. Natasha, I want to start with Lebanon and Amos Hochstein's arrival and his comments today. Just how significant is
this trip and what we are hearing from the U.S. envoy to Lebanon?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, I think there's a lot of optimism in the U.S. and the Biden Administration that a
deal can be secured. They -- on election night, they were unsure about whether they were going to be able to move forward with a deal broker
between Israel and Hezbollah, because of all of the political pressures right of an incoming administration.
But we are told that the Israelis signal to Biden officials, including Amos Hochstein there, that they wanted to continue trying to get the cease fire
deal with Hezbollah. And so, given that kind of green light from the Israelis, Amos Hochstein was dispatched to Lebanon to try to secure the
final, you know, really sticking points of this deal, which, for right now, we are told, is that enforcement mechanism.
How do you enforce Hezbollah being pushed back further north into Lebanon from that very key southern border area there? And so that is really kind
of where they're at right now. We are told that Donald Trump is not prepared at this point, or is not going to or is not indicating to Biden
Administration officials that he is going to throw a wrench into this.
In fact, we're told that Trump has indicated to Biden Administration officials that he is willing to allow this to go forward, even if the
Israelis behind the scenes are kind of giving mixed signals to Donald Trump's team that perhaps they want to give a cease fire deal to them as a
kind of political gift once he enters office.
We're told that as of right now, the administration is full steam ahead on trying to broker this deal, and they do believe that one is possible in the
very near future.
ANDERSON: It's fascinating. Let's bring in Nic Robertson. Let's just remind ourselves caveat.
[09:15:00]
We have certainly been here before both on Lebanon and numerous times we have reported that the U.S. feels that they are on the cusp -- very close
to a deal in Gaza. So that's just the caveat here, be that as it may, certainly from sources I talked to. Nic there does seem to be some real
optimism that a cease fire, albeit temporary. At this point, a 60 day cease fire between Lebanon and sorry, Israel and Hezbollah, is possible.
Originally, Hezbollah had said that they would not stop their attacks on Israel until the Gaza war stopped, if indeed they sign up to a cease fire
deal that clearly is something they have stepped back from because, of course, the war in Gaza does continue and continues to be deadly and
devastating for those who are surviving it, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, 50 people killed in the past 24 hours, according Palestinian health authority officials
inside of Gaza, 110 people injured. As you mentioned before, 17 of those from one family. And I was just looking at video from the latest strike,
where we know at least one person was killed.
A young girl literally being rushed to hospital on the back of a hand card as somebody is trying to stem the flow of blood from her neck. This is a
young girl must have been, perhaps two years old, lying on that rough -- So, it absolutely goes on in Gaza. And any respite that that can be had in
Gaza, obviously, will be welcomed by people there.
The reality, though, of that war that's going on in Lebanon also biting for the Israelis. They announced today, the IDF announcing that one of their
soldiers was killed in southern Lebanon, three other soldiers severely injured, and that came, that announcement has come sort of 12 hours or so
following what were a couple of significant it appeared impacts in Israel from by weapons fired by Hezbollah into Israel.
There was an intercept over one of the suburbs of Tel Aviv last night that spewed a big fire on the outside of a shopping mall. One person there was
badly injured, a couple of others moderately injured. And further north, Hezbollah missile landed in a town there, killing a woman and quite a few
other people there, injured dozens of people there, injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
So, the war in Lebanon still continues to pace, the IDF claims that it yesterday killed a significant Hezbollah commander in charge of medium
range missiles. He said that it fired 300 missiles into Lebanon. But as we both know, and to Israel rather, but as we both know, these Hezbollah
commanders are readily replaced by other Hezbollah fighters on the ground.
But I think the sort of, if we try to sort of gage where the tempo of talks is around this potential Hezbollah Israel cease fire, you can maybe get a
sense of it by the number of strikes and the center of Beirut. Only six strikes by Israeli forces on the center of Beirut since 2006.
Three of those have come since the weekend, and one of those particular strikes killed a senior Hezbollah official, not military but political, but
nevertheless a senior official. So that tempo of pressure taking the fight into the heart of Beirut. I think you have to look at that in the context
of the talks being significant and perhaps indicating that the sides are getting closer, but it's very hard to judge.
But absolutely, as you say, the benefit will fall on the people of Gaza if there's a cease fire with Hezbollah as well.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Nic. Thank you to both of you. Still ahead, countries around the world condemning the sentence handed down to dozens of
pro-democracy leaders in Hong Kong, their story is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:20:00]
ANDERSON: Well, in the next hour, a key update is expected in the Donald Trump hush money case. The U.S. President-Elect was, of course, due to be
sentenced a week from now, following his conviction on 34 felony counts earlier this year, but a judge last week put all proceedings on hold after
the election.
And we expect to learn more about what comes next very soon. Let's bring in CNN's Kara Scannell, who is in New York. This is truly unprecedented, as
far as the circumstances are concerned, at least in terms, in legal terms. Kara, what sort of update can or should we expect at this point?
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The one thing we know for certain today is that the district attorney's office who brought this case is going to
tell the judge how they think this should move forward. The judge paused everything last week to give them a week to look at the law and figure out
what their options are.
From there on, everything else is really up in the air of what's going to happen and how things will proceed. The district attorney's office could
say that they don't think there's a legal way forward. Trump's team has said they've already teed up some legal issues here. Trump is in the
transition.
Should a state judge have anything to influence a future president? Kind of the separation of powers issue in the U.S. also looking at other issues
related to immunity, and whether you know that is something that they should continue to litigate while Trump is heading into office as well.
So, it will be up to the DAs to say what they think the best course is. They could say they want to proceed. They could say that they don't think
there is a way to proceed. Or they could say to the judge, put this on hold for four years until Trump is out of office. But everyone that I've spoken
to suggests that there's a range of potential options here.
And really it will be in the letter of the words and what they say they want to do. And then ultimately it will be up for the judge to figure out
what the next course is. Trump's team has made it clear that they want to stop the sentencing, as you said, scheduled for next week, from happening.
They also don't want the judge to issue his ruling on immunity and whether to dismiss the case on those grounds that was due last week too. So, the
ball will be back in the judge's court once the DA says what they think the best course of action is. But we do expect this to assuming the DA wants to
proceed, to continue to be litigated, but it really is, as you said, unprecedented.
We've never been in this position before as a country for these legal questions here and the decisions that are made could then perhaps influence
proceedings in the future, if we are ever do find ourselves back in the situation again, Becky.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Thank you. Well, Hong Kong court has sentenced 45 pro-democracy figures to prison terms of up to 10 years on
subversion charges. Now this comes as after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security crackdown four years ago.
The U.S., Australia and Amnesty International among those who have condemned the sentences. Beijing has hit back at the international
criticism accusing some Western countries of interfering in China's internal affairs. CNN's Ivan Watson is in Hong Kong, and he joins me now
live. Ivan, what were these activists accused of reminders from what has been the response?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. They were accused and actually convicted of the crime of conspiracy to commit
subversion. And they received today a combined sentence these 45 defendants of more than 200 years in prison.
[09:25:00]
Actually 245 years, if you add it all up, these 45 defendants, the judges ruled that if the defendant's scheme had worked out, it could have
basically overthrown the Hong Kong government. What was this scheme? Well, back in 2020, these defendants, they participated in an unofficial primary
election.
They were trying to get candidates to compete in what was supposed to be a city-wide election for the city legislature, and that the authorities have
argued was subverting the stability, the security of Hong Kong itself, among the people who were sentenced today.
Some of our viewers might recognize the name and the face Joshua Wong, who was kind of a poster boy for subsequent protest movements in Hong Kong
against the Hong Kong authorities and the national authorities. He received more than four years in prison, and as he was led out of the courtroom, was
overheard yelling, I love Hong Kong.
Other defendants included former city legislators, of course, pro-democracy activists, journalists, members of civic society as well. This has been
part of critics argue, a much broader crackdown on democratic freedoms in the city over the past four to five years, this city used to have
opposition politicians elected to the city legislature.
There used to be demonstrations through the streets of political groups, civic groups, religious groups, unions that were organized, independent
newspapers, all of that has disappeared in the last three to four years. In fact, there was one woman outside the courthouse who tried to hold up a
sign, and she was quickly grabbed by police and put into a police van, which I think, symbolizes how much the political culture here has been
transformed in the last four to five years.
The Hong Kong authorities, the Chinese national government argues that this was necessary, these prosecutions to return stability to a city that faced
a year of anti-government protests in 2019 protests that got increasingly violent as the year progressed. The critics, well, they will argue that
this is simply political persecution.
For example, the U.S. Consulate here in Hong Kong put out a statement condemning the sentencing and calling on China and the Hong Kong
authorities to, quote, cease politically motivated prosecutions of Hong Kong citizens and to immediately release all political prisoners.
Beijing and the Hong Kong government, they argue that this kind of criticism is meddling in Hong Kong's internal affairs, Becky.
ANDERSON: Ivan Watson is in Hong Kong. Ivan, thank you. Well still to come folks. Could a $50 trillion bumper stock market serve as a guardrail for
Donald Trump to rethink tariffs, tax cuts and mass deportations? A live report on that is straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:30:00]
ANDERSON: Right. Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. Time here is just after half past 6 in the evening. It is just after half past 9 in
the morning in New York. The markets have opened. The indications were that they would open lower, and indeed, the futures markets correcting their
indications, we have got a lower opening.
And we're going to talk about why. With Matt Egan coming up even before the election, the U.S. stock market had been in a Trump bump. How might this
bumper market, despite the fact that it's slightly lower today serve as a guardrail to deter him from implementing some of his more radical policies
that could be inflationary.
Well, this is what I want to discuss with Matt Egan, who joins me to discuss how he might do that. And I guess the big question, these were big
promises. They were controversial promises on taxes and tariffs at a time when, of course, the Trump campaign was saying, the U.S. economy is in a
mess.
It isn't in a mess. It's very robust. The cost of living is painful for many people, and will continue to be so for some time. But there is a
school of thought out there isn't there about how Trump is going to make good on his economic promises without killing off, as it were, the golden
goose. Just explain where you are at, with all of this.
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Becky, listen the President-Elect. He made a lot of promises on the campaign trail to make some significant, sweeping
changes to the economy, right? Mass deportations, really high tariffs, he talked about potentially trying to influence Federal Reserve policy.
And it's easy to see how some of those moves could rattle the stock market. And it's been said that Trump doesn't have as many guardrails this time
around in the White House, some of those never Trump Republicans are no longer around, and the Supreme Court has granted the president vast new
immunities.
And yet, some of the analysts that have been talking to they say that there is a guardrail here, right? And it's the stock market, because during his
first term in the White House, Trump, he looked at the stock market as kind of a real time barometer of his success. And he would not love to see a
market drop that was triggered by some of his own policies.
I talked to Isaac Boltansky over at BTIG, and he told me, I don't see Congress or the courts limiting the president's authority. Ultimately, the
only entity that has real power over the president's thinking about his agenda is the stock market. So, it's not hard to envision a scenario,
Becky, where, say, a Trump policy proposal has been floated around really big tariffs on China or Mexico or another country. And the market goes
down, and that could force Trump to sort of moderate some of his stances on tariffs.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
EGAN: Similar story to play out on the Federal Reserve. So that's something to watch closely is, this is a president who really pays a very close
attention to what the stock market is doing.
ANDERSON: Yeah, confusing this slightly, of course, is the fact that this market is high. And if you talk to the experts, as you do all the time,
many of them will tell you that this market is due a correction, whatever happens with policy going forward. So, let's sort of keep that up our
sleeve as well.
I just want to play some sound from Howard Lutnick, the Head of Cantor Fitzgerald, who is in the running, and as we understand it, backed by Elon
Musk for the job of treasury secretary. Both tax cuts and tariffs, of course, are on the horizon for Trump's second term. And here's Howard
Lutnick arguing in favor of these tariffs on behalf of the now President- Elect last month during the campaign. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD LUTNICK, TRUMP TRANSITION CO-CHAIR: Tariffs are an amazing tool by the president to use. They're an amazing tool, but he understands, don't
tariff stuff. We don't make, right?
[09:35:00]
If we don't make it and you want to buy it, I don't want to put the price up there. It's pointless. But use tariffs to build in America. If we want
to make it in America, tariff it, or if we're competing with a tariff it. But you got to remember, we need to protect the American worker. Finally,
someone is going to protect the American worker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yeah. He also argues that tariffs, however high, Trump suggests they might go ultimately, are a tool of negotiation. Let me talk to you
about Howard Lutnick, because how important do you think it will be to Trump to pick a Treasury Secretary that Wall Street feels comfortable with,
given the conversation that we've just had about how Wall Street may end up being the guardrail here, you know, how do you see this pick playing out?
EGAN: Yeah, Becky. Listen, treasury secretary is always an absolutely crucial cabinet pick, but arguably it's even more important during a Trump
Administration, because of all these concerns we've heard from the business community, from investors, from mainstream economists, that elements of his
agenda could be inflationary, including, of course, those same tariffs that Lutnick was just talking about.
And so, it is really important that Trump picks someone who investors are comfortable with. I mean, this is sort of the quarterback of his economic
policy, and this person is going to be looked upon to sell lawmakers, the public, investors, CEOs, on Trump's agenda.
And the treasury secretary is also someone who's got to plan out the borrowing that needs to get done to make the president's agenda a reality.
And that's especially critical now, because we know the national debt is really high. We know there's a lot of concerns about high deficits and how
they could go even higher if Trump gets his 2017 tax cuts fully extended.
So, all of those are going to fall to the treasury secretary, also during times of market stress. That's something that the treasury secretary has
looked upon to try to reassure investors. Now if we could just touch on what's happening in the market this morning, we see the DOW down about 300
points, not a massive retreat, but a noteworthy one.
You see down about three quarters of a percent. I've been in touch with a number of different analysts this morning who say that this selling is
directly related to concerns about the Russia, Ukraine conflict heating up again. It's been a bit, Becky, since we've heard investors really voice
concern about that matter, but we've seen stocks take a hit.
Gold prices go up, and investors are piling into U.S. government debt as there's a little bit of nervousness creeping into the market this morning.
ANDERSON: Yeah, fascinating. Well, it's good to have you, sir.
EGAN: Thank you, Becky.
ANDERSON: And you've covered off an awful lot of space for us. Thank you. Young male voters in the United States proved to be a key demographic,
didn't they? For Donald Trump in his quest to retake the White House, some of his supporters spoke to CNN outside a UFC event at New York City's
Madison Square Garden that was also attended by the President-Elect and our colleague CNN's Donie O'Sullivan, was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Are you guys excited for tonight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh -- Chandler knocking out Oliveira in the second-round -- forward --
O'SULLIVAN: We are here at Madison Square Garden for the UFC with special guest President-Elect Donald J. Trump. And we are speaking to some of the
young men who helped get Trump elected.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Saving our country I don't got no taxes on my tips now. So, thank you, Donald Trump. Love you, pookie.
O'SULLIVAN: You guys both vote for Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course. Yeah, I've been working at the same restaurant for four years. I've been a waiter. I've been a buster. I've
been a bar back you know, I just don't all the taxes, that kind of curtain, no -- you up, man.
O'SULLIVAN: Well, I mean, where'd you get most your news and information?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of it through --
O'SULLIVAN: I know it's not CNN?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN: That's why I'm here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, most of the information I got was from Joe Rogan.
O'SULLIVAN: Joe Rogan?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Rogan.
O'SULLIVAN: A legend man, yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. But mostly like social media. If you want to -- it's social media.
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Usually that's what everything spreads around man.
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everywhere man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't watch a lot of mainstream stuff.
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah. Where'd you get your news?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like, Reddit.
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lot of podcasting.
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah, like, who?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Rogan.
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Joe Rogan experience.
O'SULLIVAN: Would you think it was a mistake for Harris not to go on Joe Rogan or --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably, honestly. I think, like a long conversational talk is better than a debate.
O'SULLIVAN: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Honestly, you see how a person actually interacts.
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Trump's good at interacting -- He doesn't need a script.
O'SULLIVAN: You're a New Yorker?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, born and raised.
O'SULLIVAN: Nice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brooklyn, New York.
O'SULLIVAN: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From the hood.
O'SULLIVAN: Did you ever consider voting for Harris?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I actually voted for Obama.
O'SULLIVAN: You did?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. That was the last time I ever voted for somebody that's not Trump.
[09:40:00]
O'SULLIVAN: Yeah, so what changed?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My level of thinking, me not thinking that the police are above me and white men are above me. And I'm all good about like, yeah,
we can learn about history and all that stuff, but don't tell me, or don't try to put it in a way that it's like our country is racist.
Our kids are important guys, you know, and if we're not teaching them, well, if we're not teaching them about credit, we're not teaching them
about how to get a home eventually. And we're all we're talking about is racism and, you know, trans and gays, which, like I said, I'm all good,
like, you do what you do, just don't force it on -- people. And that's where we're about. Like, as long as long as you're not forcing it, we're
good.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): The power of the alliance between Trump and the UFC was on full display here in Madison Square Garden. Trump was flanked by
Elon Musk, Kid Rock, House Speaker Mike Johnson and some of his new cabinet picks, including RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard.
As he made his way into the arena, Trump embraced UFC commentator in the world's most famous podcaster, Joe Rogan, who'd endorsed him after Trump
appeared on his podcast.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Donie O'Sullivan, reporting there. And "Connect the World", we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Indonesia is home to some of the most expansive mangrove forests on Earth, but these vital ecosystems are under threat. This week for our
"Going Green" series, we are taking a look at ways to revive, what are degraded ecosystems. Like the one in Kubu Raya in Indonesia, community led
nature-based restoration efforts there are helping bring back what is this critical habitat. My colleague, Julia Chatterley with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ADAM MILLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PLANET INDONESIA: Indonesia really is an amazing country. Indonesia has a lot of oceans and has a lot of coastlines,
and most of that coastline is covered by an amazing tropical forest called mangroves.
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR, FIRST MOVE (voice-over): Recognized by their intricate root systems, seemingly floating above the water. Mangroves can
be found in equatorial areas around the world. These trees provide coastal protection, sequester carbon and serve as a nursery habitat for many
aquatic species.
MILLER: Mangroves are one of the most special ecosystems on our planet. These are really nature's gift to coastal communities. They are also one of
the most at risk and heavily degraded ecosystems on our planet. Places in Indonesia have experienced these massive levels of coastal development.
We've also seen a boom in shrimp and other aquaculture industries. These industries often replace mangrove forests with fish and shrimp ponds.
[09:45:00]
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): Planet Indonesia was formed in 2014 to support frontline communities in their efforts to protect and restore tropical
ecosystems like mangroves.
MILLER: When we're thinking about mangrove restoration, there's a number of steps that we need to take. The first thing is mapping out mangrove
ecosystems, where are the areas that can be conserved, and also where are areas that are degraded and can be restored?
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): Planet Indonesia uses a restoration method called assisted natural regeneration. This helps create the right conditions for
mangroves to grow back naturally.
MILLER: It's a fairly straightforward process. Generally, it requires some level of tree planting, some level of hydrological restoration, and then
monitoring that over time. Mangroves are quite unique, because they actually grow very quickly and regenerate naturally very quickly. As long
as the hydrological flows are correct --
OKA PRANSISKA, ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COORDINATOR OF PLANET INDONESIA: It is important to restore the mangrove forest condition as an effort to
holistically restore the ecosystem. This is all to benefit the communities as well as wildlife living in the mangrove areas.
MILLER: We've been working in mangroves in the district of Kubu Raya for much of the past decade. These communities deeply recognize that you can
have no fish, you can have no crabs without a properly functioning mangrove forest.
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): Adam says they've seen regeneration rates outpacing deforestation rates in the past seven years.
MILLER: My long-term vision is self-reliant, self-organized communities that are managing such a way that protects livelihoods, protects
biodiversity and also preserves these critical ecosystem services to these communities.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: For more stories from this series, you can visit cnn.com/goinggreen. Right, ahead on the show controversy over hurricane aid
relief in the United States, a federal emergency worker was fired for skipping some homes belonging to Trump's porters. The heated testimony
expected today on Capitol Hill. More on that, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:50:00]
ANDERSON: 49 minutes past 6 here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson, you're watching "Connect the World". Well, the single greatest existential threat
to humanity. That is how U.S. President Joe Biden described climate change on the last day of the G20 Summit. Take a listen to what he told other
members a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: History is watching us. History is watching I urge us to keep faith and keep going. This is the
single greatest existential threat to humanity, if we do not deal with climate change. Our children, our great grandchildren, our great, great
grandchildren, their future is going to determine by what we do in the next four to six years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the event in Rio de Janeiro is Mr. Biden's final G20 Summit as U.S. President. Interestingly missed the what's known as family photo,
but he did urge fellow leaders to continue making progress on a range of other issues, including in Ukraine and Gaza.
We are moments away from politically charged testimony on Capitol Hill. The Director of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will speak to
lawmakers after a controversy in its ranks in the aftermath of hurricane Milton in Florida, recently.
A federal employee responsible for providing relief was accused of skipping homes belonging to Donald Trump supporters. The employee Marn'i Washington
has since been fired, and she spoke to CNN claiming that she was following FEMA policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARN'I WASHINGTON, FIRED FROM FEMA AFTER HURRICANE MILTON CONTROVERSY: Before I was even deployed to Florida, there are accounts of Trump
supporters being very passionate about their political stance, and unfortunately, that led to them saying they would either do bodily harm to
FEMA workers or they would do threatening, take threatening actions towards FEMA workers, and that was the trend.
There are plenty of reports that discuss hostile encounters, is how FEMA describes it, and our method is avoidance. I don't understand why we're
hiding there from the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Gabe Cohen joining me now from Washington, D.C., where, as I understand it, Gabe, the hearing is going to take place, what
clarity are the House committees expecting to get today. And tell us about these threats against FEMA workers in the aftermath of that hurricane?
GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, well, Becky, you can expect at least the Republicans are really going to be pushing FEMA's administrator to
explain what FEMA policy Marn'i Washington was talking about to our team at CNN. FEMA fired her after this all came to light, saying they put out a
statement saying this was a violation of their values and their principles.
It would not be tolerated. But having talked to Marn'i Washington, that FEMA supervisor myself, she says she's really being scapegoated right now
that she was taking orders from superiors, and at that particular time, they said they should avoid homes that were advertising Trump with things
like signs and flags.
And so, lawmakers are going to be demanding to know if that is true. And we have already seen Republican lawmakers who are out there publicly saying
that this shows a deeper culture problem at FEMA. And I'm really curious to see how Criswell defends herself and the agency.
But as you mentioned, Becky, there is a really important context here, and that is the threats that FEMA workers have been receiving. If you remember,
after hurricane Helene hit in September, Donald Trump was out on the campaign trail really quickly, and he was spreading a lot of these at the
time, really baseless rumors about FEMA.
A lot of different rumors, but one of them was that the agency was not helping Republican victims. And after that, what we started to see were
incidents where FEMA workers were being harassed in and threatened in these hardest hit areas. And FEMA officials started to quietly raise red flags,
saying that their teams were feeling unsafe.
And it was just after that that Marn'i Washington says she received guidance from her superiors and then sent it to her team, a very small
team, just about 11 people in one particular part of Florida, but she sent that note saying, today, you should be avoiding homes that advertise Trump.
She says it was not political. It was not about Trump. It was about the harassment that they were dealing with and facing from these supporters.
She told me, Becky, that she would do it again, but now what we're seeing is the state of Florida suing her, and the FEMA Administrator claiming that
this is a conspiracy top to bottom in this agency.
That's what we're hearing a lot of Republicans say. So that's what the FEMA administrator is really going to have to address today. Was this a top-down
conspiracy? Where did this all come from?
ANDERSON: Yeah, and this is obviously not doing FEMA any favors in the light, in the eyes of it's detracted, of course.
[09:55:00]
And it will, I'm sure the conversation will be had as to whether this was FEMA policy and how policy could possibly be pegged to campaign signs,
correct?
COHEN: Yeah, absolutely. And one of the big wrinkles here is right now the Biden Administration is asking for about $100 billion in additional relief
funding for these hard-hit areas, a lot of that would go to FEMA. Republicans in Congress have the ability to stop it, and this is going to
be a big talking point that comes into play as they're discussing this funding.
ANDERSON: Understood. Good to have you, sir. Thank you, and that is it, folks for this hour of "Connect the World". But we will be right back after
this short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:00]
END
