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Macron & Trump Meet Amid Differing Views on Ending War; Israel Trying to Extend First Phase of Gaza Deal; American in French Custody after Death of Baby in Paris; Tesla Shares Plummet as Total Market Sales Rise in Europe; How the DOGE Job Cuts May Affect U.S. Economy. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired February 25, 2025 - 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, a live look at the White House this hour, where the French President was forced to walk a diplomatic
tight rope on Monday, Washington and the world still reacting to the awkward scene between Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump as we enter a new
era of the Trans-Atlantic relationship. It is 09:00 a.m. in Washington, D.C., it is 06:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. This is
"Connect the World".
Also coming up this hour, Israel pushing to extend the first stage of the ceasefire with Hamas as the Saturday expiration looms. In Paris, an
American teenager is under arrest after her newborn baby died after being thrown out of a window. And Pope Francis showing slight improvement, but
still in critical condition.
Stock market in New York opens in about 30 minutes from now. The new U.S. Administration moving the markets today, it looks like that movement is
down. Mr. Trump on Monday renewing his tariff threat on neighbors, Mexico and Canada and New Treasury Department sanctions on Iran are impacting oil
markets. All of that in about 30 minutes time when these markets open for their trading day in New York.
Well, their goal is common, a quick end to Russia's war on Ukraine, the stark differences in how to achieve that on full display at the White House
during the French President's meeting with his U.S. counterpart. Emmanuel Macron, saying any truce must be negotiated from a position of strength and
include security guarantees for Ukraine.
Donald Trump making no such mention of that, focusing instead on his deal making abilities, and again, refusing to blame Russia for starting the war.
Well, President Macron walking this diplomatic tight rope at the White House, calling the talks a turning point towards finding a unified approach
for a peace deal.
But he also fact checked Mr. Trump in real time, correcting his claim that all of the billions of dollars Europe has given to Ukraine are in the form
of loans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They get their money back.
EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: No, in fact, to be -- to be frank, we paid. We paid 60 percent of the total effort. And it was true, like the
U.S. loans guarantee grants and we provided real money to be clear.
TRUMP: -- it's okay with me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Nick Paton Walsh is connecting us this hour from Kyiv, and it's good to get your perspective there on the ground Nick. Emmanuel Macron
trying his best to break down some of the animosity directed at Europe since Donald Trump's return to office. He's even had this positive spin
with Fox News that I want you just to hear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MACRON: I think the arrival of President Trump is a game changer, and I think he has the deterrence capacity of the U.S. to re-engage with Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Nick, he called these talks a turning point towards finding a unified approach for a peace deal. From your perspective, is that where
these talks have landed?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, look, I mean, say over the past week, one thing we've learned is that we
have no idea what next week will bring. What it does appear to have happened in Macron and Trump's meeting there yesterday is everyone suddenly
friends again.
And I think that in the transactional, often very personal world of Donald Trump is exceptionally important, whether it lasts isn't clear. And Macron
spent a lot of that meeting talking, it seemed, for the pair of them, in French. We heard Mr. Trump putting his ideas forwards. But a lot of the
detail was listed from the French President, and some of it was particularly interesting.
He did talk about peace keeping force from France. We know the U.K. is talking about contributing that as well, suggesting that the U.S. would be
there in solidarity. That is a careful choice of word to suggest that they might support but not committing them to actual logistics, even or
certainly not boots on the ground so they won't do that at all.
[09:05:00]
And a bid to try and cast that continued U.S. security relationship with Europe as a way of providing a deterrence that would get Donald Trump the
peace deal, he wants from Russia, because Macron has clearly sold on the idea that a Russia, without facing deterrence, simply won't sign up to
anything.
It was important, I think, after the acrimonious appearance of J.D. Vance, the Vice President in Munich, the comments made by Secretary of Defense
Hegseth in Brussels before that, and how that, frankly, torpedo 80 years of Trans-Atlantic security alliances to see this moment where you saw that
remarkable moment when Trump grabbed Macron's arm and said, he's a smart customer.
There is clearly a personal relationship there that Macron used to get the U.S. back, it seems to some degree towards European and Ukrainian. Maybe
security, another big win from -- as we went from a rare earth mineral deal here that looked like, frankly, it was going to leave the Ukrainians in a
place where they either had to accept it or see a freeze, maybe an American aid.
Now we're looking at potentially a document that may be reduced in the complex issues it tries to deal with, but get both nations over the hurdle
of the fact that the Ukrainians are going to pay the Americans back for something at some point in the future, the Ukrainians don't get the
security guarantees in this document.
We understand from the Ukrainian source familiar with the negotiations, but that was potentially for a meeting between the two presidents and Macron
got Trump to sit there very openly and say that he would meet Zelenskyy in Washington and they would sign a document in the Oval Office that week or
the next. Does this hold?
We simply don't know, because any observer, I think, could look at the Trump Administration's policy over the past week or two and see many
changes and many different directions, but I do think it's fair to say, many here in Ukraine will have seen the way the U.S. voted at the United
Nations and being downcast, if not outright, horrified, at them siding with Russia in that key body.
Will have seen the comments over the past week or so about their president been dictator, about Ukraine having started the war, and be shocked. But I
think that moment with Macron may have restored an element of hope. We just don't know if it will last. And we don't know if the visit of U.K. Prime
Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday is going to add to that sense of rapprochement between Europe and the United States.
Can't believe saying that, to be honest, Starmer saying that indeed, the U.K. defense spending will rise 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027 that's a trail
to say to Trump Administration, we're going to try and meet the goals you want of Europe taking more of its own defense seriously. But it is still
unclear where Trump feels he wants to land in a deal with Russia.
What does that mean for Ukraine? And what does that mean for the U.S. support without which they're most understanding, I have is there won't be
a European peace keeping force if there's a ceasefire here.
ANDERSON: Good to have you on the ground. Nick, thank you very much indeed. Well, in his latest analysis at CNN Digital, Stephen Collinson, my
colleague, writes, and I quote, European concerns were only exacerbated in Monday's joint news conference with Macron when Trump displayed his
apparently limited interest and understanding of how a peace deal without security guarantees could reward Putin's land grab and lay the groundwork
for future wars.
Stephen joins us now. The concern clearly there as Europe deals with Trump's pivot to Vladimir Putin displayed again on Monday, when the U.S.
sided with Russia in opposing that U.N. resolution condemning Russia's war on Ukraine, siding with others, including sort of North Korea and others
who were in the past.
I some weeks ago, the U.S. would have seen, as you know, outright enemies. This video from the UNSC is really something that seemed unthinkable until
now, correct?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah. I mean, the whole Western mantra throughout this war with Ukraine after the Russian invasion,
was nothing on Ukraine without Ukraine, what President Trump has done the last few weeks is completely reverse that, putting himself on the side of
the invader rather than the invaded country.
And that's what happened in the U.N. Security Council and U.N. General Assembly yesterday. I think unusually, I'm slightly more pessimistic than
Nick about this. Trump, he was solid as this towards Macron, but historically, although he's a very brisk character, he doesn't necessarily
like open confrontation with others in front of the cameras.
[09:10:00]
So, I think perhaps we should continue to look at U.S. actions rather than words, there was -- there's a sense with Trump that the deal is the end and
not the means to a sustainable peace and European security. I'm not sure that he really cares that much about what happens in 10-years-time when
he's no longer on the scene for him, the political win is a deal, and he wants to get that summit with Putin.
So, everything else seems to take a back seat. The French, as Nick said, mentioned that word solidarity in terms of perhaps the U.S. being willing
to stand back behind as a back stop, as Keir Starmer says to any European peace keeping force, Trump didn't give any public indication that he'd be
willing to do that.
Perhaps that's something he wants to hold in reserve until after a Putin meeting, the French are doing what the French do very well diplomatically,
which is fudging differences, highlighting common ground, trying to find some kind of messy diplomatic solution in the greys, whereas Trump talks in
blacks and whites.
So, Lemon today said it was a dialog of the death between Trump and Macron. Maybe that's a little harsh. Maybe there's some room going forward, but
doesn't seem like Europe and the U.S. are any closer on this issue today than they were yesterday.
ANDERSON: Yeah, it's fascinating, isn't it? We've heard our -- heard and seen how the French Leader performed in Washington. This is what Germany's
Chancellor in waiting had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRIEDRICH MERZ, CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION LEADOR: My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible, so that step by step,
we can really achieve independence from the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: At points during the campaign, Germany's new leader, or soon to be leader, even expressing surprise Stephen that he was having to say this
kind of thing, Europe seems to be accepting the fact that they can no longer rely on the United States. And to that end, what would that look
like going forward?
COLLINSON: That's a very good point. I mean, it's extraordinary here a comment like that coming from a German Leader, given the fact that Germans
have always looked to Washington as their protector throughout the years, since the Second World War and during the Cold War and even since then.
I guess the question is A, is this success for Trump already because he came to power the second time, saying the Europeans need to do far more,
and Europeans are now talking about doing far more in terms of defense and looking after themselves. Macron has been talking about this kind of thing
since 2017.
The problem is, is that there isn't really anything called Europe. There are all these different governments. There are some governments like the
French and now the Germans, apparently, who want to do more defensively and geopolitically. Is that possible given their own policy, political
situations and budgets?
You've got the British that are interested, but they're outside the EU. And then you've got an increasing number of states that are leaning towards
Trump, politically Hungary, even the Prime Minister of Italy, Maloney, has been fairly quiet in the last few days, even though she has historically
been very firm on helping Ukraine.
So, the problem with Europe is always getting the unity and the common purpose together to actually do this. I mean, I think if you take an
optimistic view, you could argue that this is a real turning point for Europe, a moment of opportunity for this very well off, prosperous
continent, to actually stand on its own two feet.
And perhaps, if there's an upside to the Trump Administration for Europeans, that could be -- this could be where it is, but talking about it
in Germany or anywhere else, and actually getting to that point is much more complicated.
ANDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. And more of Stephen's analysis on CNN Digital and on your CNN App. Stephen, thank you. Well, Israeli source tells CNN
that Israel is trying to prolong the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas due to expire this coming Saturday, and that is,
they say, in the hope of getting more hostages out of Gaza.
Israeli and Arab media reporting that Hamas could release the remains of four hostages to Egypt over the next two days. That would be in exchange
for the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisons who have still not been freed by Israel, even though they were meant to be released as part of
the deal three days ago.
[09:15:00]
Meantime more than 360 Palestinians have been arrested in the Northern West Bank since the start of Israel's operation iron wall last month. As CNN's
Jeremy Diamond explains this weekend marked a new escalation in Israel's operations there.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: For the first time in more than two decades, the Israeli military deploying tanks into the occupied
West Bank. This video taken from Jenin in the West Bank shows several of those tanks that entered that refugee camp, which has been the focus of a
major Israeli military operation over the course of the last month and a half.
But now the Israeli military is further expanding those military operations in the West Bank, which have already resulted in the displacement of some
40,000 Palestinians, not only from Jenin Refugee Camp, but also from Tulkarem and Nur Shams. The expansion of Israeli military activity in the
West Bank comes following those three bombs that exploded on busses in the suburbs of Tel Aviv.
While no one was aboard those busses, they were parked at depots in the suburbs of Tel Aviv. It certainly jolted the Israeli public, taking them
back to the bus bombings of the Second Intifada, and prompting calls, including from the Israeli Prime Minister, for an expansion of military
operations in the West Bank.
And now Israel Katz, the Defense Minister of Israel, saying that Israeli troops should be preparing for a, quote, prolonged presence in those
Palestinian refugee camps for the coming year, and saying that those 40,000 Palestinians who have been displaced from those very same areas will not be
allowed to return until the conclusion of those military operations.
We know, of course, that the Israeli military says they are going after Palestinian militants in these three refugee camps and the surrounding
area, but already we know that at least 27 people have been killed in Jenin. 70 across the West Bank, many of whom are not militants, but rather
civilians.
As all of this is happening, still questions over whether or not the ceasefire in Gaza will be extended. Israel has been delaying the release of
some 620 prisoners who were set to be released on Saturday, following the last release of living hostages from Gaza. Four bodies of hostages are
scheduled to be released on Thursday.
But Hamas, for now, says that it will not engage in negotiations over the second phase, nor release those bodies until Israel releases those 620
prisoners, calling it a violation of the deal, so far. We know that Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East.
He is set to arrive in Israel on Wednesday and travel throughout the region to see whether or not a deal can be reached to extend phase one and get
into phase two of this fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.
ANDERSON: Well, Pope Francis is showing a slight improvement, according to the Vatican as he continues to battle serious health issues. The pope is
still said to be in a critical condition, and has now spent 12 days in a hospital in Rome for chronic respiratory issues. Now that is his longest
hospital state since becoming pope. Doctors are treating the 88-year-old for pneumonia in both lungs as well as mild kidney issues.
Well, Catholics filled St. Peter's Square on Monday as the Vatican held its first nightly prayer service for Pope Francis. CNN's Senior International
Correspondent, Ben Wedeman, joining me now from Rome. And Ben, let's start with the very latest word that you are getting on how the pope is doing?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: -- the pope's condition is pretty much stable since yesterday. We got a one-line
statement from the Vatican Press Office this morning, saying that the pope rested well all night. Yesterday afternoon, of course, they came out with
that statement saying that even though he continues to be in critical condition with double pneumonia, that he is experiencing what they
described as a slight improvement.
And what we saw today, for instance, is that he seems to be coming a little more active. He met with two senior members of the Catholic Church here in
Rome, part of the Vatican bureaucracy in which he sort of moves forward on the issue of naming certain saints.
In addition to that, yesterday, he resumed his -- what he has been doing since basically October of 2023 is, he was back on the phone with the
parish priest in Gaza, something he has tried to do every night, but was interrupted because of his illness recently, but Monday night, he was once
more on the phone with Gaza.
[09:20:00]
He clearly has a continuing concern about the humanitarian situation there. So, he does seem to be resuming some of his work, but obviously the Vatican
is being very cautious. They don't want to create the impression that he is getting better quickly. He is 88 years old. He has a history of respiratory
problems, mobility problems as well.
And therefore, they are being very cautious in terms of trying not to raise hope too much. And what we saw is that, as you mentioned last night, there
was a prayer service for the pope in St. Peter's Square. There's going to be another one tonight, and the following night. After that, we understand
they're going to keep this up until hopefully the pope's health situation improves going forward, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Ben. Ben is in Rome. Next up, police try to piece together a tragic string of events in Paris where a baby was
allegedly thrown from a window and an American teenager is under arrest. More on that is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: An American teenager is being held by French police after a heart-breaking incident in Paris. Prosecutors say the young woman's newborn
baby was thrown from a hotel window and did not survive. The teenage mother was taken to a hospital and then arrested.
CNN's Saskya Vandoorne is outside the hotel where that incident happened. This apparently happened in the early hours of Monday morning. What do we
know at this point Saskya about the young woman and what happened there?
SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: That's right, Becky. So, the young woman was arrested Monday after she allegedly threw her newborn baby from
the second-floor window of this hotel here. And Becky, just been getting harrowing details from local officials, who say that the baby was then
taken and placed in a trash can before being discovered by the authorities.
Now, the baby was then rushed to an emergency room at -- that's the children's hospital here, but the baby died shortly after being admitted.
Now, meanwhile, the young mother, she was taken to a different hospital, where she underwent surgery after giving birth, and then she was put in
police custody.
Now the Paris Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation for homicide, and we know, because we were speaking to the spokeswoman this morning, that
they believe the woman may have been in denial about her pregnancy.
[09:25:00]
Now, what else do we know about the woman? Very little, Becky. We know that, of course, she's American, that she's 18 years old, and that,
apparently, she had been staying at this hotel for about a week with a group of young friends. They were traveling throughout Europe.
Now Becky, we are in the 20th -- here, it's east of Paris. It's not a very touristy neighborhood, and when we were speaking to the neighbors this
morning, they said they were woken up very early Monday morning, at around 06:30 a.m. by the sound of sirens, police vans, ambulances, and when they
discovered what had happened, they were deeply shocked.
Now, a few hours ago, the U.S. Embassy released a statement saying that they were very saddened by the loss of this young life, Becky.
ANDERSON: Saskya, thank you. Still to come. How the Trump Administration strategy to slash thousands of federal jobs could impact the U.S. economy?
More on that is offer this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. Time here is just before half past 6 in the evening. You are watching "Connect the World".
These are your headlines. French President Emmanuel Macron said any deal to end Russia's war on Ukraine must come with security guarantees for Ukraine,
during his meeting, White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mr. Trump glossed over security guarantees. An Israeli source tells CNN that Israel is trying to prolong the first phase of the ceasefire and a
hostage release deal, which expires on Saturday, in the hope of getting more hostages released. Vatican officials say Pope Francis is showing a
quote, slight improvement, though his condition, they say, remains critical.
The 88-year-old is managing, at times, to get out of his hospital bed. He's eating well and is said to be in good humor. The opening bell on Wall
Streets. Markets out of the gates and traders are digesting this.
[09:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're on time with the tariffs, and it seems like that's moving along very rapidly. We've been mistreated very badly by many countries, not
just Canada and Mexico.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's right. Tariffs against Canada and Mexico are still on track to start a week from today, despite those countries best efforts to
address Donald Trump's concerns over fentanyl and illegal immigration. And as a result, well, investors do appear to be trading quite cautiously
stocks beginning this Tuesday in a sort of mixed state.
Let's have a look at how oil is trading. And the numbers here follow a rise on Monday, spark by events which particularly impact this region. The
latest round of U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's ability to ship its crew. The U.S. Treasury Department has honed in on banks and shipping companies
in the United Arab Emirates in India, Hong Kong and China that have had a hand in transporting Iranian oil.
And with no increase, output on the rise and from OPEC + supply will remain constrained. That, though not necessarily pushing the markets much higher.
They do seem to be stuck in what is this window with $75 a barrel on Brent crude? It seems the top of that level, at least for now, markets a little
lower on this trading day.
Well, in Europe, consumers are moving away from petrol powered cars and towards electric vehicles, but one of the biggest players is not cashing
in. Tesla, sales are down 45 percent compared to this time last year across the continent, while sales in the broader electric vehicle market are up 37
percent.
Dan Ives is the Managing Director of Equity Research at Wedbush Securities. He is here to help us break down those numbers. What do you make of them?
What do you put those numbers down to Tesla's decline and other European EV manufacturers on the rise?
DAN IVES, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF EQUITY RESEARCH AT WEDBUSH SECURITIES: Yeah, look not pretty, right? I mean, Tesla, they've had challenges in Europe,
and this is nothing new. They also have some refreshes and some inventory issues. But we've said, I mean, some of the brand issues with Musk those
related to Trump Administration. It is having an impact.
I think about 10 to 15 percent of this decline is probably related to why I've used maybe some of the brand issues are related to Musk.
ANDERSON: That's fascinating, because, of course, he's sparked a lot of controversy in Europe, not least by backing Germany's far right, AFD Party,
which came second in the recent elections just at the weekend. So, you see Musk's politics, at least in part impacting sales, correct?
IVES: Yeah. Look, I mean, I think in the U.S., it's probably a little more contained, you know, in terms of some of the issues there. In Europe, it's
definitely more pronounced. I think we've definitely seen that throughout the content. Now look in our view, we've seen this before with Musk, right?
And these are ebbs and flows, and I continue to view him in the Trump Administration, that's the bet for the ages, because autonomous is
ultimately probably the most important thing in the Tesla story. But look, there's head one, and I think Musk, you know, he sees the downside.
He's not going to really, you know, change but clearly in Europe, that's definitely impacting sales.
ANDERSON: And the EV market is clearly heating up. The loser in that, it seems, is Tesla. Who are the biggest competitors in Europe, outperforming
Musk's company at this point?
IVES: Yeah, when you look like VW Polestar, I mean, there's a lot of players, look -- if you look at like some of the Chinese players, like you
might get BYD and some of the others that are going to try to go after Europe. I mean, that's going to be a battle for market. I continue to view
Tesla as the top of the mount.
[09:35:00]
Tesla from a brand perspective, they continue to alter we dominate globally, but competitions increasing, and it's a changing environment. But
I think for Musk and Tesla, it's keeping the eye on the ball, autonomous that continues to be the focus. But no doubt these brand issues, it's
weight on the stock.
ANDERSON: And you're speaking to us from Malaysia. I just finally want to get your view on the market for EV vehicles in Asia, in China and around
the region. Is it a similar story to that which we are seeing in Europe? Which brands are you seeing as winning in those markets?
IVES: Yeah, I think similar, but even more pronounced with Chinese EV. I mean, Chinese EVs are flooding the market here in the Indonesia, you know,
I think throughout, you know, many parts of Asia. And look, that's going to continue BYD, Nio, you know, many of the Chinese players, you know, this is
an arms race playing out.
And look Tesla's are hands full. I never going to navigate the head winds here, but they're definitely going through a rough patch. And I think some
of the brand issues with Musk is clearly not helping there.
ANDERSON: I'm seeing a significantly higher number of BYD vehicles on the road here in the in the UAE as well.
IVES: Yeah.
ANDERSON: Clearly, there is a -- you know, there is demand, but also a significant uptick in supply if those cars in certain regions. Good to have
you sir. Thank you. Well, some economists say the Trump Administration's massive purge of federal workers probably won't harm the U.S. economy or
topple the strong U.S. jobs market.
That is in part because the number of civilian federal workers represents less than 2 percent of the total labor force across the country, but
economists say the DOGE led layoffs will have a profound impact on families and local economies where federal employment is concentrated.
And that includes states highlighted in red that President Trump won in 2024. CNN's Matt Egan joining us now from New York. Let's talk about the
economic impact of these DOGE job cuts, very specifically in those areas that we've just highlighted, Matt.
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Becky, we are talking about mass layoffs in what is the nation's largest employer, the federal government. The federal
government employs just over 3 million civilians. Just to put some context around that. That is basically equal to the entire U.S. workforce of
Amazon, Walmart and UPS combined.
And that workforce is now, of course, under siege because Elon Musk and the Trump Administration. They're trying to cut costs. They're trying to make
the government more efficient. There are some estimates out there that perhaps 200 to 300,000 federal workers could ultimately get laid off.
And yes, this is very painful to. All the families out there who rely on government paychecks. But the economist that I'm talking to, they're not
overly concerned here about the impact on the national economy, right? They're not projecting a big spike in the unemployment rate. They're not
worried about an imminent recession.
And I think that's because of two things, right? One, it's the point you just made that, yes, even though the federal work force is large, the
overall economy is even bigger. And the other thing here is, of course, that there are more job openings right now than there are workers to fill
those jobs.
So, there is a lot of hope out there that the unemployed federal workers are going to find work in the private sector. Of course, there's a lot of
uncertainty here, right? There's still a lot of unknowns about just how many people are going to be unemployed. This is not getting clearly
defined, and it's coming out in drips and drabs and leaks, and there's court filings, and of course, this is just one uncertainty, right?
It's not happening in a vacuum. There's also the immigration crack down, the on again, off again, trade war. So, it's all coming together at the
same time. But the impact on local economies, I mean, that could be much more significant, of course, in the D.C., Virginia, Maryland area, where
the federal work force where accounts for 23 percent of the jobs, right?
23 percent of the federal civilian workers are in those areas. But it's not just the beltway, as you can see on that map. There's a lot of states that
have a large federal work force, including Texas and Ohio and Alabama and Georgia. And there's a ripple effect here, because each unemployed worker
is going to probably spend less money.
That could hurt some of the stores locally in those communities, some people are going to have to sell their homes, possibly at lower values.
[09:40:00]
So that could hurt a home price in those regions. And I do just think we need to stress that we are talking about real people, right with real
families. I talked to a 24-year-old woman yesterday from Iowa who said that she was shocked to find out on Valentine's Day that she was getting laid
off from her job at the U.S. geological service.
She said that she thinks a lot of this is really waste, because the government put in time and money to train her. Now they're going to have to
find someone else to fill that position. And meanwhile, she's got $25,000 of student debt. And Becky, she's going to have to go on unemployment,
which, of course, is funded by the government.
ANDERSON: Yeah. Thank you, Matt. Good insight. Well, after a trade that sent shock waves through the NBA, Luka Doncic gets set to face his former
team in his new home for the first time. More on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Los Angeles, no stranger, of course, the glitz glamor and big sporting events. Tuesday gets set to be another one of those nights as Luka
Doncic welcomes his former team to L.A. Amanda Davies has that in "World Sport" after this short break. I'll be back in 15 minutes time for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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(WORLD SPORT)
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