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Labor Groups Sue to Halt the Dismantling of USAID; The Dire Impact of USAID Funding Cuts in Africa; U.S. Sending Migrants to Guantanamo, Cuba; Trump Buyout Offer Paused; Environmental Justice on the Chopping Block; Benjamin Netanyahu Meets with Lawmakers on Capitol Hill; Chiefs and Eagles Prep for Sunday's Super Bowl LIX. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired February 07, 2025 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:26]
ERICA HILL, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill in New York.
Labor groups suing the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID. We'll have more on the response from federal employees.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arriving back on Capitol Hill this hour, where he'll meet with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson following
a very busy week for him in Washington.
And it is officially Super Bowl weekend at this point, whether you're watching the game for your team, the commercials, or maybe you're just
hoping to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift, we have you covered.
Well, as the clock ticks toward that, toward midnight, U.S. Eastern Time deadline, that could see the dismantling of USAID unless, of course, the
courts intervene. Two labor groups have now filed lawsuits seeking to stop the Trump administration from reducing the agency's global workforce of
about 10,000 employees to a crew of less than 300.
USAID is the most prominent early target of President Donald Trump's and Elon Musk's drive to cull large sections of the U.S. federal workforce. The
agency itself USAID provides billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance, often in the world's most vulnerable areas. The president
claims without evidence there is massive fraud within USAID.
CNN's senior White House reporter Kevin Liptak joins me now with more.
So at this hour, where do things stand, Kevin?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, these federal groups have filed a federal lawsuit trying to block the administration from
dismantling this agency. They've named as plaintiffs the president himself, the secretary of State and the secretary of Treasury, essentially saying
that President Trump is going outside the bounds of his presidential authority in his attempt to essentially shut down this agency.
And you have heard from President Trump repeatedly, calling the officials who work there radical lunatics, saying that it has been rife with
fraudulent expenses, including just this morning on Truth Social, saying, "Shut it down." What these officials are saying in their lawsuit is that
Congress would need to shut that agency down because it was created by statute, and so that will proceed through the courts.
And it was interesting, in this lawsuit, the plaintiffs did or the defendants did spell out sort of exactly what they thought would be the
repercussions of closing down USAID. They said that it could prevent children from dying of malaria. They said it could stop pharmaceutical
clinical trials in the developing world. They say it could threaten a global resurgence in HIV deaths, which it says in this lawsuit would be
inevitable if USAID were to go away.
What we've heard from the agency and from officials familiar with the matter is that the Trump administration wants to drastically cut the
workforce of that agency down from about 10,000 right now to perhaps as few or maybe even less than 300, which would be a dramatic culling of staffers
and federal workers within that agency.
Now, what the plan seems to be is to put USAID underneath the Department of State and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who I should note has been
favorable to USAID in the past, in his former life as a senator, praising some of the programs that they were able to do in the developing world.
What he's saying now is that because of what he calls insubordination at USAID, that it needs to fall under the State Department and that it needs
to be reformed quite dramatically.
But this lawsuit now joins, you know, more than a dozen other lawsuits against some of the executive actions that Trump has taken since he took
office. I don't think this is necessarily unexpected here at the White House. In fact, I think that was part of the plan all along, essentially to
flood the system with these executive orders. Eventually flood the courts with legal challenges potentially taking years and years before all of this
could be resolved.
HILL: Yes, absolutely. Kevin, really appreciate the reporting this morning. Thank you.
Well, USAID, as you likely know, provides critical humanitarian assistance to a number of vulnerable places in the world. My colleague Larry Madowo
joined Fredricka Whitfield a short time ago to talk about the potential impact of the Trump administration's decision to upend foreign aid,
specifically as it concerns Africa.
[10:05:01]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I've been hearing from USAID staff, local contractors across Africa, but also from beneficiaries of projects up and
down the continent. And this news has led to confusion, chaos, panic and anxiety about the future of these projects.
Now you got to understand about a third of USAID funding comes to the continent of Africa. For instance, Uganda is the third largest recipient of
just health funding. A lot of that money goes into humanitarian causes or to health care. And just in this region alone, there is so much happening.
We have the situation in Goma and the Eastern DRC, where a rebel group has taken over a major city of two million, and already hundreds of thousands
of people were displaced there. USAID funded the shelters, the food, the medicine for these people there.
Here in Uganda there is a lot of refugees that depend on USAID to eat or where to sleep. There are 1.4 million people in Uganda who are on
antiretroviral therapy. These are people living with HIV who depend on money from USAID for their regular treatment. That's what keeps them alive.
And all of them now are afraid that when they run out, some of them already have stockouts. They don't know if there's going to be more coming.
And all these things from USAID come in these boxes branded with USAID from the American people. And right now, so many of them on the continent are
telling me, surely, 1 percent of the U.S. budget, the American people can afford that. But there's a counterargument here. I spoke to Rwandan
President Paul Kagame, who says he's a beneficiary of U.S. funding and foreign aid, but he agrees with President Trump.
PAUL KAGAME, RWANDAN PRESIDENT: President Trump's unconventional ways of doing things, I completely agree with him on many things.
MADOWO: Even though it will hurt you, as Rwanda, which depends on some U.S. aid to fund your health care and development.
KAGAME: I think from being hurt, we might learn some lessons to not to do things we don't do that we should be doing. This is why I'm saying here,
this aid thing, which I've never been a friend of it much as I've been a beneficiary of it.
MADOWO: Its extraordinary to hear President Kagame say that. It's a thought that there are many on the continent that share. They say, for instance, so
much U.S. foreign aid is just stolen here, or it goes into administrative costs, buying people big cars and fancy lifestyles, not going to the people
that need it. But to, Fredricka, that African countries, those that depend on this funding, need to learn to be self-sufficient. They can't be relying
on the generosity of others forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: And our thanks to Larry for that reporting.
CNN also spoke with a former USAID administrator about the consequences of the Trump administration's decision to shrink the number of people working
for that aid agency to effectively almost zero. She warns the dire impact will have on poverty stricken nations around the world, and also went into
deeper detail about the critical role that public servants play when it comes to supporting vulnerable populations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMANTHA POWER, FORMER USAID ADMINISTRATOR: These are people who are making sure that kids who are on the brink of starvation get access to food that
is currently now stuck in ports, in Kenya, in the United States itself, food that American farmers have grown, food that families are desperate to
get their hands on. And even if a switch were flipped and someone were to reconsider and say, yes, let's go back to using American farmers' food to
reach people, there would be nobody to administer these programs.
This is devastating, and it is ceding the field as well to the People's Republic of China, to the Russian federation and other malign actors who
would like nothing more than to see the U.S. ground game in American foreign policy. The face of American values disappear like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is expected to travel to the U.S. military base at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay today to visit the migrant
operations center as the Trump administration moves forward with its plan to expand the number of migrants being held there. U.S. military flights to
the island, of course, have already begun.
Patrick Oppmann has a closer look now at the history of that base.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): It's the oldest overseas U.S. military base, and throughout the years, no stranger to
controversy. The U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or Gitmo, was first leased from Cuba in 1903, a year after the end of the U.S. occupation
of the island.
Following the 1959 revolution, which aligned Cuba's government with the Soviet Union, the U.S. base was no longer welcome. Then Cuban leader Fidel
Castro cut off water to the base, and tens of thousands of explosive mines were placed along the base's fence line by both the U.S. and Cuban
militaries.
The base became all but inaccessible except by boat or plane, which made Gitmo well-situated in the 1990s to house thousands of Cuban and Haitian
migrants trying to reach the U.S. by boat and to indefinitely imprison terror suspects following the September 11th attacks.
[10:10:15]
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: These people are being treated humanely. There's very few prison systems around the world that have seen
such scrutiny as this one.
OPPMANN: Despite those assurances, Guantanamo became synonymous with detainee abuse. Upon taking office, then-President Barack Obama vowed to
close the base's prison.
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and will seek swift and certain justice
for captured terrorists.
OPPMANN: Closing Guantanamo for Cubans has a different meaning. In 2018, CNN was given rare access to Caimanera, a usually off limits town just
across the bay from the Navy base. Residents here said they hear the gunfire and explosions of military maneuvers from the base and enjoy the
yearly July 4th fireworks show, but otherwise have no contact with the U.S. naval presence that their government says should not be here.
Each year, the U.S. government sends Cuba a check for just over $4,000 to lease the base, which Cuban officials say they don't actually cash. What
they want is for the U.S. to return the base to Cuba. But as under the original treaty, both governments have to agree to any changes to the base.
It is unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon.
(Voice-over): Ultimately, neither the Obama nor the Biden administrations were able to close the detention center for terror suspects. Instead
transferring most of them to other countries. Now, only 15 detainees remain.
For the U.S. Marines and civilian employees stationed here, Gitmo has the feel of a small town with a bowling alley for entertainment and Cuba's only
McDonald's and Starbucks, but under the Trump administration, the base may be busier than it has been in decades.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, I'm also signing an executive order to instruct the Departments of Defense and Homeland
Security to begin preparing the 30,000 person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay. Most people don't even know about it. We have 30,000 beds
in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens.
OPPMANN: It's not clear how long the migrants will remain or how they would be repatriated to their countries of origin. Despite those questions, the
migrants that the Trump administration calls the worst of the worst have begun to arrive at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for the foreseeable future, their
new home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: And Patrick Oppmann joins me now live this hour.
Patrick, good to see you. And I so appreciate a reminder of the background here. You mentioned some of the questions for those migrants. There are
still a lot of legal questions that have yet to be answered.
OPPMANN: Oh, absolutely. You know, these people are being brought to essentially a legal no man's land. That's why the 9/11 hijackers or 9/11
terrorists were taken there because while this is a territory, a piece of Cuba that's under U.S. control, of course it's not U.S. territory and the
legal ramifications are still unclear because, you know, in the 1990s, Cuban and Haitian migrants who were picked up at sea were brought to
Guantanamo. But I certainly never remember migrants being brought from the United States.
And one thing is to provide 9/11 terror suspects with legal representation, which is very, very difficult and very, very expensive. But we're only
talking about hundreds of those terror suspects. With the undocumented migrants, we're talking about tens of thousands potentially of them, people
who will be in tent camps indefinitely. And so allowing them the ability to see lawyers, figuring out how they could be repatriated, no one has really
worked that out. And that is why Kristi Noem is in Guantanamo today, is expected to be visiting Guantanamo, just to see where they'll be housed
because so many people that will be -- we expect arriving there in the weeks ahead.
And at this point, there really is not enough beds for them. There's not enough places to house them. And that is what officials in Guantanamo need
to get ready very, very soon.
HILL: Right. To assess those infrastructure needs, if you will, the services that are needed. But to your point, those questions about legal
services remain unanswered. And so we'll be waiting for those.
Do we have a better sense of the timeline at all? A couple of flights so far this week, but fairly small numbers. But to your point, if they in fact
want to bring that many people as the president has indicated, is there a better sense of the timeline? Could we get that from Kristi Noem today?
OPPMANN: Well, we're hoping to and like you said, you know, about 23 migrants have been brought in so far.
[10:15:05]
They're described as mainly Venezuelan alleged gang members. But if you're talking about 10 of flight, you know, these are very expensive military
flights. And that's not going to cut it. So there's this frustration on the Trump administration's, you know, outlook for getting as many of these
migrants out of the United States as quickly as they can. It's going to have to go a lot faster than it has. But we're told at this point they're
being housed in former facilities for the terror suspects that they really don't have these tent camps up and running to have thousands of people.
You need to, you know, have bathrooms for them. You need to be able to feed them. You need to be able to have some semblance of structures. And we're
talking about an area of the world where you have hurricanes, you have blazing hot summers. But I guess that is the point. The Trump
administration wants to put these people in one of the least hospitable installations the U.S. government maintains, and that certainly would be
the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo.
It is as isolated as it comes. And, of course, for the migrants going there, they'll have no idea when they'll be able to leave. If we're talking
about weeks, months or, as was the case of the terror suspects, years.
HILL: Yes. Be interesting to see, too, to your earlier point about what sort of communications they will be afforded in terms of legal
representation as we move forward on all of this. So many questions as we said.
Patrick, always good to see you. Thank you.
Just ahead here, how Donald Trump's latest push to gut now parts of the Environmental Protection Agency could impact communities across the United
States. Plus, these millions of federal workers who remain in limbo. Well, they've got a few more days, but what does that actually mean? A judge
pushing off President Trump's ultimatum deadline to accept his, quote, "buyout offer." They now have until Monday. But what happens next?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: U.S. president Donald Trump's plan to overhaul the federal workforce is on hold for the moment. A judge pausing the deadline for the Trump
administration's so-called buyout offer amid a fight over whether that offer itself is even legal. U.S. government employees initially had until
midnight on Thursday to accept that plan. They now have until at least Monday to decide because that is when the hearing is set to be held.
More than 65,000 employees have already accepted the offer. That is just a small percentage, about 3 percent perhaps, of the federal workforce.
Joining us now to discuss is Skye Perryman. She's CEO and president of Democracy Forward. It's a nonpartisan legal organization working on this
case.
So now on hold until Monday for this hearing Monday. Do you believe it could be extended beyond that?
SKYE PERRYMAN, CEO AND PRESIDENT, DEMOCRACY FORWARD: I do, because I believe what the administration has done is totally unlawful, which is what
our application for temporary restraining order provides. And so we will have to see how the judge wants to handle this when we get to the hearing
on Monday.
[10:20:03]
But we do anticipate that just a basic application of the law to the facts here would lead to a place where this would be blocked or extended for some
time while the agency comes into compliance with the law.
HILL: I know there have been a number of concerns. You know, you've brought them up, as I saw different employees have brought them up to my colleagues
here at CNN, about even the legality of this so-called buyout offer. So for the 65,000 or so people, that's the number we're getting from the White
House, who said that have already accepted this, there are concerns about whether they say yes. And then, in fact, the administration doesn't follow
through on its promise. Would they have any recourse? What's your understanding?
PERRYMAN: Well, you know, I think everyone needs to obviously consult with their own advisers, but there's a lot of really problematic things about
the so-called buyout. One is that Congress has not even appropriated the funds for the buyout. And so that's a huge problem from a legal
perspective, but is also a problem from a practical perspective. And that is an argument that we believe the judge will hear on Monday around the
legality of it.
In addition, these are one-sided terms. They are not fair to employees who have dedicated their lives and their careers to public service. And so, you
know, there's a number of concerns with these agreements. You've seen state AGs make that clear. You've seen unions make that clear. And we look
forward to the court hearing more about this on Monday.
HILL: And for the folks who did not accept this offer, who are perhaps still weighing it, you know, we heard some of the comments from the White
House and especially from the press secretary yesterday, sort of a pressure on whether they should -- on accepting it. Do you have concerns about those
folks?
PERRYMAN: Well, I have concerns about all federal workers right now because the administration is really seeking to undermine our civil service, our
nonpartisan civil service that works for the American people, and wants to install instead, people in the United States government that are just
merely loyal to a particular person or political ideology. So we are very concerned.
We filed more than three lawsuits so far to protect the civil service. This is one of them. That said, I think that this should also show federal
workers that the American people have their backs. We are going to fight in court every single day. We know that 90 percent, over 90 percent of people
in America believe that government workers should be promoted based on merit and not based on political loyalty.
And so this is a place where the American people, I believe, are with our federal workforce, want the government to be able to work for the people,
and we're going to do everything we can in court to ensure that that happens.
HILL: You raised the questions about the legality, about the role of Congress here. Do you believe that lawmakers are doing enough at this
point?
PERRYMAN: You know, I think I don't -- I certainly don't believe that the majorities in Congress are doing enough. I mean, these federal workers, by
the way, work in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, a very small percentage are actually in the Washington, D.C. area. And the services that
are going to be disrupted because of these disruptions to our federal service affect communities in red states.
They affect communities in blue states, they affect big cities. They affect small towns. And so this is really something that everyone, every lawmaker
in America, not just those on one side of the aisle, should be calling a five alarm fire and should be stepping in to check this unlawful
administration.
HILL: So is Congress essentially throwing up his hands, in your view? Have they abdicated their duty to the American people?
PERRYMAN: You know, I think that there is a real role right now to see who is going to stand up. And you see some members of Congress standing up that
are members that are not aligned with the president's political party. You see congressional Democrats really showing that they're here to fight for
people, but we're not seeing Republicans doing that. And these are issues that affect all Americans. And it is time to put partisanship aside and get
focused on the real issues.
The fact that you have an administration that is seeking to dismantle a federal workforce, that engaged in attempts to stop funding to essential
community programs like Meals on Wheels and programs that are really important, especially in red states and also in blue states. And so,
obviously, the lawyers were working around the clock to bring these cases to ensure that the American people are protected in the courts.
And it is time for members of Congress but that requires members of Congress that are also members of the Republican Party to stand up and
check this unlawful behavior on behalf of the people that they are supposed to be representing.
HILL: You mentioned Meals on Wheels. I know Democracy Forward also brought that suit. The coalition of nonprofits coming together to challenge that
freeze on federal funding.
PERRYMAN: Yes.
HILL: Of course.
PERRYMAN: Yes.
HILL: I also saw in a recent interview you noted that you had been preparing for a second Trump administration for some time.
PERRYMAN: Yes.
[10:25:05]
HILL: That said, did you envision that these would be the types of lawsuits that you would be filing, that these would be the legal questions you would
be confronting at this point, barely three weeks into this administration?
PERRYMAN: Well, look, I mean, President Trump did not level with the American people on the campaign trail. He said that he was not going to
implement Project 2025, and he has just installed the architect of the whole project in the federal government and has been accelerating the
implementation of Project 2025.
We were ready for that. We knew what they were going to do because we did not believe that he was leveling with the American people, and we have been
preparing to bring legal challenges to undermine these most extreme policies that, by the way, the majority of Americans do not accept,
conservatives, liberals and independents. That is why President Trump had to run away from these issues on the campaign trail.
What I think no one had on their bingo card was that he was going to essentially install Elon Musk, who is unelected, has no obligation, you
know, is unelected billionaire into position in the federal government to undermine Americans' privacy, their ability to receive essential services
and to run roughshod over the American people.
While we were not prepared and predicting that we have responded quickly within 24 hours, getting into court. Every judge that has looked at what
this administration is doing and by the way, judges, including judges that were appointed by Republican presidents, has said that they are operating
unlawfully. And so we are really supercharging those efforts to challenge what is really amounting to an unelected oligarchy that is seeking to run
roughshod over the American people.
HILL: Skye Perryman, appreciate your time. You got a busy weekend ahead of you. Appreciate it again. Thank you.
PERRYMAN: Thanks for having me.
HILL: The Environmental Protection Agency is among the organizations in the administration's crosshairs. More than 160 environmental justice employees
were placed on paid leave Thursday. That's about 80 percent of workers in that particular division. The division itself is tasked with ensuring
justice and equity across all of the EPA's programs.
CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir has been tracking these developments and joins me now.
So, walk me through. So this particular department, this part of the agency, what is the gutting of some 80 percent of the employees there, what
is the practical implication, not just for those employees, of course, but for communities across the country?
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, huge implications, mainly for communities of color, Erica. This goes back, you know, you can just
take an observant drive across America and realize that this country as it was built, the heavy polluting industries and the most toxic landfills were
put in the poorest communities. It was 1983 when the government study found that three out of four toxic landfills were in these poor communities.
They're Cancer Alley in Texas is where all the petrochemical plants are, and the people who live in these places have higher rates of these cancers
as well. So this office actually was called the Environmental Equity back in the '90s. They changed it to justice. A couple of years ago Michael
Regan became the first black EPA administrator, and they combined the External Civil Rights Department into this one here.
But this is essentially just laying waste to the entire thing. The Trump administration, every administration we've seen from Energy to NASA is
stripping root and branch anything related to diversity and equality and inclusion. And this is just the latest victim of that, you know, him
swinging that ax.
HILL: Yes. Sadly perhaps, not unexpected at this point. What about the broader EPA, which is also, quite frankly, in the crosshairs of this
administration?
WEIR: Yes, well, it's interesting, JD Vance and the new EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, went to Palestine, Ohio, in the first sort of public photo-op,
talking about that train derailment that captured so many headlines and the toxic waste that is left there. That is a very visual, visceral issue for
Republicans. You can look at the voting base in that part of the country and that. The question is what happens to all the other communities and all
the other similar situations where it's not as obvious the pollution that's in the air and in the water and these sorts of things?
And in the first administration, Trump just gutted the EPA, rolled back dozens of regulations. He promised oil executives famously during the
campaign, carte blanche, if they would help him get elected. So environmental activists and those are just bracing for worst-case scenarios
going forward.
HILL: Bill Weir, appreciate it as always, my friend. Thank you.
Let's get you caught up on some of the other stories on our radar right now.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is in Washington to meet with President Donald Trump in the coming hours. The two are expected to discuss
defense and economic agreements. Mr. Ishiba telling reporters he hopes to build trust with the U.S. president.
The United Nations Human Rights chief says he expects sexual violence to worsen in the Democratic Republic of Congo. That stark assessment coming
earlier today at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council.
[10:30:03]
The meeting was called by the DRC to investigate human rights violations, which it is blaming on Rwandan-backed M23 rebels.
Still ahead this hour, as a controversial week in Washington draws to an end, Israel's prime minister continues his meetings on Capitol Hill. What
one Republican says he has now encouraged senators to do.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill, joining you from New York. Here's a look at your headlines.
Two labor groups are now suing to try to stop the Trump administration from essentially shutting down USAID. The White House intends to cut all but
about 300 of the agency's 10,000 employees worldwide. President Donald Trump has said without evidence that -- has accused, rather, without
evidence, USAID of massive fraud. The lawsuit claims the looming purge violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
The head of Homeland Security is expected to visit the U.S. military base at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay. Kristi Noem is there, we're told, to assess the
migrant operations center and also plans to send, as you've learned, significant numbers of migrants into detention there. Two military flights
have brought migrants there this week. We're told those are migrants with criminal records.
In his bid to reshape the federal government, President Trump is now requesting the names of all federal employees who received less than,
quote, "fully successful performance reviews." In addition, agencies are expected to report whether they have taken an action against the employees
who fell short.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting the U.S. House speaker on Capitol Hill today, just days after Mike Johnson hailed Donald Trump's
proposal to take over Gaza, calling it bold and decisive. Mr. Netanyahu also met with a group of U.S. senators on Thursday. One Republican senator
says the Israeli leader encouraged them to not dismiss Trump's Gaza plan, as well as to sanction the International Criminal Court, which of course
has issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Netanyahu over the war in Gaza, which the U.S. does not recognize.
Let's stay on this. CNN political and global affairs analyst Barak Ravid. He joins me now. He's also, of course, a politics and foreign policy
reporter at Axios.
Barak, always good to talk to you. So in terms of what Prime Minister Netanyahu has been talking about with lawmakers, as I noted, we're waiting,
he's set to meet with House Speaker Johnson just a short time from now, but was also floating this plan, which you wrote about, that the war could end,
saying the war could end with Hamas if Hamas were to give up power and leadership, was to leave Gaza.
What are the chances of that happening? I mean, what are the realities there?
[10:35:01]
BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, first, we won't know until the negotiations on the second phase of the hostage deal
will seriously start. And that's not going to happen in the next few days. I think it's only going to happen towards next Monday. But Israeli
officials I speak to, including very senior ones that are involved in the negotiations, say that it is highly unlikely that at least at the moment
Hamas will agree to -- that its leadership goes to exile from Gaza, which could take us to some sort of a stalemate in the negotiations.
And we have to remember this ceasefire on phase one is 42 days. In 50 days, after 50 days, Israel needs to pull out of the Philadelphi Corridor and the
border between Egypt and Gaza. This means that in, you know, in reality, we have something like 30 days before the decision of whether to go for a deal
or resume the war.
HILL: The prime minister has also talked about perhaps extending phase one of the ceasefire, if it would mean that more hostages could be released.
What are the chances of that happening?
RAVID: So it's -- let's say, the chances of that happening are higher at the moment than the chances of Hamas leadership going into exile from Gaza.
But, and it's a big but, after phase one is finished, there will be 59 hostages remaining in Gaza. Out of them, 35 have already been confirmed
dead. So we're talking about something around, between something like 24 tops or hostages that could be alive.
How many will Hamas agree to release without going to phase two of the deal, which means a permanent ceasefire? I'm not sure. Israeli officials I
speak to talk about two hostages, three hostages. Not more than that. All it does is it buys you another week of ceasefire between the 42 days and
the 50 days. That's more or less it. So it can buy that. It's not insignificant, but it doesn't solve the big problem of what do you do
really with phase two of the deal.
HILL: Yes. Which is such an important question. How is all of this playing? As you're speaking with your sources in Israel, how is this, the last, it
feels like more than a few days, but the last few days in Washington, with the prime minister there meeting not just with President Trump but with
lawmakers? How is that playing in Israel in terms of, if it's being seen as a win?
Actually, you know what, Barak? I'm going to not let you answer that question only because we see the prime minister and the speaker coming out
now. So let's listen in.
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Good morning. I'm glad to see you all. We've been honored to host Prime Minister Netanyahu this week here on Capitol Hill to
celebrate the remarkable progress over the past year and to renew, of course, our steadfast commitment to the U.S.-Israeli partnership.
The prime minister and I have developed a strong bond since I became speaker. I consider him a close friend, and we've spoken often. The first
piece of legislation I passed after taking the gavel was a resolution reaffirming the U.S.'s commitment to the security of Israel, and that was a
very important gesture on our part. And of course, I was happy to pass the security assistance funding when Israel needed it the most.
He and I speak regularly. We were honored to host my friend, the prime minister, in July for his historic fourth Joint Address to Congress, which
tied for the record of all time, and that showed the world that Israel is not alone, and they won't be so long as we are governing here.
Today we discussed the special partnership that we have between these two countries, and I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his unrelenting
commitment to making the region and the world a safer place amid really extraordinary challenges. What Israel has done in the past seven months
really is a testament to what can be accomplished when we do not let the enemy set the rules.
As Prime Minister Netanyahu said Tuesday at the White House, when our enemies see daylight between Israel and the United States, they will
exploit it. And we all know that is true. And that's why strong, decisive leadership is so crucial in this time. President Trump and Prime Minister
Netanyahu both understand that peace is secured through strength, not appeasement, and not by turning our backs on our allies.
Before he even took office in January, President Trump and his team helped secure the ceasefire agreement and the return of American and Israeli
hostages. This week, he announced a plan to exert maximum pressure on Iran and its proxies, who terrorize the Israeli people and the world.
This is what decisive leadership looks like. And with President Trump back in the White House and Republican control of Congress, America will not
turn its back on our national security priorities. Our support for Israel remains ironclad.
[10:40:02]
We are truly grateful to Prime Minister Netanyahu for joining us today, and I'll turn it over to him for a few remarks.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Mr. Speaker, Mike, thank you. I have developed, as you say, a very warm personal bond with you. I think
you're an extraordinary leader. You have the job of running, passing historic legislation in zero time. So we exchange a few tips on how to do
that because we both know what coalitions are. But I have to say that I'm impressed with your leadership, with your initiative. And for me, most of
all, your friendship to the state of Israel, the Jewish people, the Jewish state.
The American-Israeli alliance has never been stronger. I am now completing a week which began with an extraordinary meeting with President Trump and
under his leadership, the critical decisions that show his commitment and the American people's commitment to Israel have come to the fore instantly.
First, he renewed immediately the supply of weapons that had been stopped, which we need as we're fighting for our future, for our existence, and for
the broader Middle East in a seven front war. He immediately released those weapons. He issued yesterday these sanctions on this scandalous and corrupt
organization, the ICC, that threatens the right of all democracies to defend themselves by themselves.
And he's done so many things in the interim, just in two weeks. But I was deeply moved by the reception that we got, the substantive things that we
discussed, making sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon, and also making sure that Hamas is destroyed. We're not going to have a future for
Gaza or for future for peace in our part of the world if Hamas remains there. And we agreed on many things. But I think it sets the tone for this
great strengthening of the American-Israeli alliance.
It's not only an alliance between governments. It's an alliance between peoples. This is the house of the people. And you, Mr. Speaker, represent
the American people that overwhelmingly, overwhelmingly support the state of Israel.
You know, I was driving through Washington. I look outside, there are people on the sidewalks. They see, you know, our -- the limousines pass and
they all go like this. They all go like this. They all support it. And I think, Mr. Speaker, that's the spirit that animates you and so many of your
colleagues here. And I want to thank you again. And I want to say, you're invited to Israel this year, in Jerusalem. I know you're busy, but find
space to do that.
JOHNSON: I can't wait.
NETANYAHU: You'll be welcome in a red carpet.
JOHNSON: Thank you so much.
NETANYAHU: Thank you, thank you.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Speaker, will Congress fund the U.S. construction of Gaza?
HILL: So you see the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson there, taking a few moments to address the cameras and
the microphones, not taking any questions, as you can see there, despite them being shouted at them as they left. Going on to just once again tout
the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, praising one another for working together, talking about this alliance between governments. The
prime minister saying it's also an alliance between people. And Mike Johnson.
I want to bring in Barak Ravid, who's still with us. Mike Johnson noting that it is his view -- the view of Donald Trump and Mr. Netanyahu that
peace will be achieved through strength, not through appeasement. We didn't get a ton of details on what they discussed there. Perhaps the comments
from both of them, though not surprising in the way that they're praising one another and this relationship, Barak.
RAVID: Yes, but there's one small problem. Both of them spoke about how there are no differences between Trump and Netanyahu, or at least not -- no
daylight, meaning no public differences. And that is accurate because the differences are in private. And the number one issue that right now there's
a difference between Trump and Netanyahu is about the way forward with Iran.
While both of them agree that Iran should never have a nuclear weapon, Donald Trump wants a new nuclear deal with Iran. Netanyahu wants a military
strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. This is quite a big difference between those two leaders.
HILL: In terms of that difference, how much will that daylight between them, even if it is just in private, how could that impact what we are
going to see moving forward in terms of agreements in Gaza?
[10:45:12]
RAVID: Well, I think it depends on what Donald Trump is going to do on his aspiration to get a deal with Iran. If he's going to send his special
envoy, Steve Witkoff, who's going to be leading the diplomacy with Iran, to Tehran or to other places to meet the Iranians, and if this thing will go
forward, I'm sure you will see much more public nervousness and concern being expressed by Netanyahu and people in his government.
If diplomacy with Iran will not move forward, will not make any progress, I guess Trump will take a much harder line on the Iranians, crack down more
on Iran, put more pressure. And then I'm sure you'll see Netanyahu agreeing with that. But if we're going to move for a deal with Iran, this honeymoon
we saw in the last week is not going to continue.
HILL: Yes. Barak Ravid, always appreciate your insight and your expertise. Thank you.
RAVID: Thank you.
HILL: Stay with us. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. We're back after this quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Well, the first U.S. jobs report of the new presidency is out. The U.S. labor market did continue to grow in January, although it didn't add
as many jobs as economists had been expecting. Employers adding 143,000 jobs in January. Economists, though, had been looking for 170,000 to be
added.
The unemployment rate, for its part, was expected to remain steady. It actually dipped from 4.1, went down to 4 percent. So we'll continue to
monitor that and its impact on the markets today. Meantime, there is a whole lot of focus on New Orleans in this country. Super Bowl Sunday of
course will be happening there in New Orleans. But the party has already started. We have a little preview for you on the other side of this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:51:45]
HILL: Well, Super Bowl weekend has finally arrived. The Kansas City Chiefs hoping for a three peat, something that's never been done. One Chiefs
player saying for him it's always more about the journey, though, than it is the destination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRAVIS KELCE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS TIGHT END: I used to want to be known as the greatest tight end ever, but I think it's just more so enjoying these
moments that I have with my teammates and trying to get these wins and create these memories. This entire year has been such a -- you know, it's
been such a battle for every single person that comes into that building every week, putting their body on the line, putting their lives aside
outside of football just for one common goal. And I think I want to be known as just one of the best teammates these guys have ever had.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: CNN's Andy Scholes is in New Orleans. And I understand Andy has a little bit more on a special guest who will be in attendance, and the
prospect of a special surprise halftime guest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Saquon Barkley needs just 30 yards on Sunday to end up with the most rushing yards ever for a player in
a season and playoffs. So, you know, the Chiefs are going to try to be gearing up that defense to stop him, which means Jalen Hurts is going to
need to have a good game for the Eagles if they want to be victorious in Super Bowl LIX.
And two years ago in the Super Bowl, Hurts was fantastic against the Chiefs. He threw for more than 300 yards, had four total touchdowns. But of
course the Eagles fell short in that one. Well, Hurts says he's used that loss to fuel him to be even better in the biggest moments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JALEN HURTS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES QUARTERBACK: My mentality and my approach is always to find ways to better myself, and it's always looking internal
first and then looking at my teammates and how I can better the guys around me as well. So, you know, I've always been focused on, you know, what I'm
asked to do and can I do it at a high level? And then also processing the way that I'm being taught to see the game and then how I already see the
game. And then obviously you have that burning desire to win. So all of those things are priority to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Now only two players have ever been able to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. That's Tom Brady and Joe Burrow. Hurts certainly hoping he
is the third come Sunday.
Now President Trump is coming to New Orleans on Sunday. He's going to be the first sitting president to ever attend the Super Bowl. And Patrick
Mahomes and Travis Kelce think that's pretty cool.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELCE: That's awesome. It's a great honor. I think, you know, no matter who the president is, I know I'm excited because it's the biggest game of my
life, you know, and having the president there, you know, it's the best country in the world. So it'd be pretty cool.
PATRICK MAHOMES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS QUARTERBACK: It's always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president, someone that is at the top
position in our country. And so I didn't see that clip, but obviously it's cool to hear that he's seen me play football and respects the game that I
play.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Now Thursday we had the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime press conference. It wasn't a traditional press conference like years past. No
questions came from the media. And Lamar said his performance on Sunday will be like his career and focus on storytelling. And he didn't give any
hints on any surprise guests that may show up. But Taylor Swift and Lamar, they did collaborate on that 2014 "Bad Blood" remix.
[10:55:01]
A lot of Swifties are certainly hoping that she shows up at halftime. We'll have to wait and see.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: We will all be watching, Andy. Appreciate it. Thank you.
Well, watching the commercial breaks during the Super Bowl is for many people the reason to watch the game. Bit of a sport unto itself. This year
prepare yourself for space themed ads, consumer mascots, Mr. Clean, perhaps you know him, and a number of ads for artificial intelligence. I'm also
told Seal is going to be making waves. Take a look at his ad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: And there you go. Seal as you've never seen him before. I'll let that sink in for you. Meantime, when it comes to eats, Uber Eats is whipping up
quite a cast, including none other than Martha Stewart and Kevin Bacon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we'll call this a pigskin. Make people crave bacon.
KEVIN BACON, ACTOR: And everybody loves bacon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love bacon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bacon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bacon. Ever ask yourself how Buffalo got a team?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Big ads, big celebrities, the big game. All of it coming with a very big price tag. For a 30-second spot, $8 million, that's all. Just $8
million. At least 10 Super Bowl slots sold for over $8 million each. That is a heck of a number.
Thanks so much for joining me today on CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill. Stay tuned. CNN NEWSROOM is up next. Enjoy the weekend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
