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Connect the World
WH Border Czar Arriving in Minneapolis, CBP Chief Sidelined; Hearing Held in Lawsuit Over Evidence in Alex Pretti Shooting; U.S. Border Patrol Chief Bovino Filmed Countering Protesters Last Week; Iran-U.S. Tensions High as Trump Sends Military Assets to Middle East; Russia Lauches Massive Attack on Ukraine's Odesa Region; French Assembly Votes in Favor of Underage Social Media Ban. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired January 27, 2026 - 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 possible retreat by a White House under pressure. President Trump replaces the face of
Minnesota's immigration crackdown as outrage grows over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. It's 09:00 a.m. there in Washington.
Here it is 06:00 p.m. We are in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters. This is "Connect the World". Also
coming up this hour. The U.S. President says Iran, quote, genuinely wants to cut a deal with Washington amid a growing U.S. military buildup in the
Middle East.
And the CIA is plotting its next move in a post Maduro, Venezuela. Stock market opens in New York about 30 minutes from now, and the futures
indicating a mixed start to this trading day. More on that at half past the hour. Well, we start with what appears to be a retreat by Donald Trump over
his administration's hard line immigration policies in Minnesota.
The U.S. President sending his Border Czar Tom Homan to oversee I.C.E. operations in Minneapolis. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino seen here
throwing tear gas at protesters and some of his agents are expected to leave the city. This happening in the wake of the killing of Alex Pretti by
I.C.E. agents and the inaccurate narratives over the shooting offered by Bovino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
"New York Times" reports President Trump met with Noem at the White House for two hours on Monday night. The president also holding what he described
as very good phone calls with Minnesota's Governor and the Mayor of Minneapolis on Monday. Two politicians that he has repeatedly criticized
during this I.C.E. crack down in the city.
My colleague CNN's Whitney Wild is in Minneapolis. A little earlier, she spoke to CNN, and she spoke about reaction to the change in immigration
leadership in the city and the latest court activity involving the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: This is a new day here. We spoke with one woman last night who said that the fact that Greg Bovino was
leaving was the best news she'd heard all week. As we move through the day, we are going to try to find out more from people living here if they think
that if this is a real shift, if this is going to alleviate their concerns about how these immigration agents have been reacting on the ground, but it
is very much an open question here, Kate.
I think what we saw yesterday in a court hearing was real suspicion among local law enforcement here over federal official's actions, specifically
with regard to the Alex Pretti shooting. Yesterday, we saw a pretty extraordinary court hearing where the Minnesota BCA and the Hennepin County
Attorney's Office had filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice, concerned that the Alex Pretti evidence is not going to be preserved to
their standard.
That they may never have a chance to actually review it for themselves, which they say is absolutely critical, because they say they are absolutely
committed to conducting their own independent investigation. And the reason it was so extraordinary, Kate, is it was just in June when we saw BCA work
with federal officials to bring justice for the shooting death of a state lawmaker and her husband and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife.
And so, it was a really extraordinary moment to see people who are normally on the same team and work together now on opposite sides of the courtroom
in a court battle over this extremely high-profile shooting. There are major questions today about the impact of Tom Homan President Trump's
border czar.
We expect that he is probably on the ground now. If not, he will be here very soon, and he says that he's going to meet with local leaders here. So,
we will continue to ask about that and find out if he being on the ground here as this long time I.C.E. agent with a different -- certainly a higher
rank than commander Greg Bovino, if he brings a new tone here, and if the tactics here will shift under someone who is generally very well respected
within DHS with a long history of law enforcement.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Whitney Wild reporting there for you from Minneapolis. I want to bring in CNN Politics Senior Reporter and friend of this show,
Stephen Collinson. Stephen, it's good to have you in your latest analysis online, you write, and I quote here, public fury over another horrific
killing of a protestor by federal agents in Minnesota on Monday prompted the White House to soften the tone of its federal immigration crackdown.
[09:05:00]
But you also write, it's too early to say if the administration's underlying deportation policies will change. Let's just start with
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and how he described his call with Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN): Whether it was morality or bad optics and poll numbers. Whatever has happened here, there is a definite change of tone.
There is a definitely a more collaborative tone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can you read between the lines for us on Trump's shift, and let's call it a shift, and whether Tom Homan, who a source described to CNN as a
grown up, can actually diffuse what are the tensions on the ground. Let's start there.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, I think it's clear that the administration realizes has a political problem over this. There
was increasing pressure, not just from people in Minnesota, but Republicans in Washington. President Trump has managed to turn immigration, which was
one of the few positive aspects of his polling and helped him win back the White House in 2024 into a political liability.
So, yes, there has been clearly a damage control exercise here. The White House understands, I think, that this can't go on. And as has sometimes
happened, President Trump seems to lose confidence in some of his subordinates who are doing what he wants when the results are politically
unsustainable.
That said Tom Homan. He might be a grown up, but he's no shrinking violet. He has been long a proponent of aggressive deportations, and I think the
question now becomes, will the Trump Administration's immigration purges become what they say they are, which is simply an attempt to deport
undocumented migrants who are violent criminals, or what they actually are, which is an attempt to deport undocumented migrants wherever they may be
found.
I think the fault line in public opinion here is that Americans want stronger borders. They are in favor of deporting criminals if they're not
in the United States illegally, but they don't want people who live on their streets, who are undocumented but are part of American society now,
or who have perhaps been living here for many years to be kicked out of the country.
That is something the administration has not so far recognized, and I think we need to watch very carefully to see if those changes. My suspicion is
that there are people inside the White House, Stephen Miller, for example, the deputy chief of staff will work very hard to make sure that the
aggressive enforcement continues.
ANDERSON: Yeah, let's take a moment to talk more about Greg Bovino here in the coat in the middle. He's the border patrol commander leaving
Minneapolis today has become the face of I.C.E.'s heavy handed tactics. He's so controversial, Stephen, that protesters were banging pots and pans
outside his hotel late last night.
Here's that moment when he threw tear gas at protesters. This is about a week ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREGORY BOVINO, COMMANDER-AT-LARGE OF THE U.S. BORDER PATROL: I'm going to gas. Get back. Gas is coming. Gas is coming. Second warning. Second
warning. Third warning --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And he stood out as the only officer who actually doesn't cover his face as his team goes into everyday establishments like the Target
store and a gas station you see there. He took a hard line after the killing of Alex Pretti telling our Dana Bash, this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOVINO: The victims are the Border Patrol agents. I'm not blaming the Border Patrol agents. The victim are the Border Patrol agents. The suspect
put himself in that situation, the victims are the Border Patrol agents there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can you get as a perspective about Bovino within Trump's immigration crackdown. Is he still the emblem of it? Or do you believe he's
now sidelined somewhat, if not fully at this point?
COLLINSON: Well, that was the problem. He did become the emblem of it. A lot of people were talking about a far-right extremist government crackdown
by federal agents from out of state in Minnesota, and he played directly into that stereotype. And in fact, he seemed to embrace it.
I think we need to remember that people like Gregory Bovino and Kristi Noem the Department of Homeland Security Secretary.
[09:10:00]
They were not acting in a vacuum, their extreme comments, their reinvention of what people saw on that video that was well in line with the long-term
behavior and rhetoric of the president himself. He picked people for his Cabinet who would do exactly as he wanted and who would follow his
instincts.
So, I don't think this is a case of officials going rogue. In many ways, they were performing for the president in the way he wanted them to
perform. The problem is, I think, is that this has gone sideways politically. It's a political misjudgment by the White House and the
president himself.
And that is why people like Bovino now look like they have been sidelined. There are increasing questions over whether Kristi Noem will have to pay a
political price for this as well, although Trump has been loath in his second term to offload officials who end up displeasing him.
But the thing is, is this a policy correction, or is it a political correction? And I think that is going to be a question throughout the rest
of this year, when this situation in Minnesota dies down. Will the administration return to aggressive tactics, perhaps less visible,
aggressive tactics elsewhere.
ANDERSON: Should we expect a policy pivot or a pivot on personnel, says Stephen, that is -- it's good question, not one that we have an answer for
as of yet, it's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. Stephen Collinson, in the house for you folks.
Well, TikTok users are complaining they've had trouble uploading videos that are critical of I.C.E. or anything. In fact, about the crackdown in
Minneapolis this month. Some are claiming it's censorship and blaming the new group that now runs TikTok's American business, which includes Trump's
ally Larry Ellison.
The company blames a power outage at a data center, calls to delete the app are spreading. One influencer says she spoke in code to get her video
online. TikTok blames technical issues. And we've got an in depth look at this on CNN Digital. You can read about the changes at the company its
algorithm and why it would be nearly impossible to prove any targeted censorship.
Well, Iran may be trying to negotiate a deal with Washington amid a growing U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, according to President Trump.
This as the U.S. carrier strike group entered the Indian Ocean on Monday, amid soaring tensions between Washington and Tehran.
CNN's Paula Hancocks joining me with more on this story. What do we know about this White House positioning?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Becky, what we've heard is from the top. We've heard from the U.S. President. He did an interview with Axios,
and he has been very clear that Tehran has made it clear to him that they want to talk. He has said he hasn't decided what he will do yet, but that
he has said, Tehran is reaching out.
I'll read you the exact quote they want to make a deal. I know so they called on numerous occasions. They want to talk. Now, it's similar to what
we heard from a U.S. official telling CNN on Monday that we are open for business, saying that if Tehran understands the terms under which we will
talk, then we are ready to talk.
Last week, we did hear from the Iranian President Pezeshkian, saying, potentially we will talk. That's pretty much all we've heard about that,
though, we're hearing much more fiery statements from the military over the weekend saying that their missile capabilities are back to where they were,
in fact, better than they were back in June with that 12-day war, something that Israel has been concerned about.
We also heard from the spokesperson from the foreign ministry saying that Tehran is more than capable of responding with regretful response. So, at
this point, it does appear as though all options are still on the table for the U.S., as that Carrier Strike Group is in the Indian Ocean, but
President Trump saying they want to talk.
ANDERSON: President Trump directly tying the demonstrations and protests and the deadly crack down on those protests by the regime in Tehran,
directly tying that to his attitude and consideration of options about what he does next. Obviously, one option is a military strike and we see the
assets at least building in place for that.
Another option would be a diplomatic offer, and perhaps the squeeze on Tehran, Washington, hoping will force them back to the table. The third is
we've been discussing on this show, and there is analysis or what certainly will be on CNN and about this third one, which is the potential for these
assets to be in place, creating an opportunity for Washington to provide a blockade on Iranian oil assets that drive the economy.
[09:15:00]
Is it clear at this point, you know where the strategy lies and what Donald Trump's options are today?
HANCOCKS: One of the other options, in fact. I mean, it isn't clear you've laid them out very well there. The other option is these Carrier Strike
Groups, quite often, aren't moved into position in order to be able to strike. Quite often, they are the sign of deterrence. They are a sign of
strength.
They are obviously very visible. And this has been used often by the United States by other countries.
ANDERSON: -- by the way.
HANCOCKS: Of course, but it's an expensive but it's a very powerful message to whoever you are trying to show deterrence to. But it's not clear which
option he is going to go to. It is clear that the countries in this region do not want the military option. We have been hearing from regional
diplomats and officials that there is lobbying to Trump to say, please do not go ahead with the military option, as Tehran has said, that they will
consider any American interest in this region to be a target.
They will consider U.S. allies to be a target. So, you are seeing these U.S. allies trying to temper the option of the military strike, knowing
that it could, the retaliation could come to them. You consider Saudi, Qatar, UAE, all have U.S. interests, U.S. military personnel and basis in
their countries.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Story continues, we will continue to monitor exactly what is going on with regard U.S. assets in this region, and you
know where this thread may go next. It's good to have you. Thank you. Well, Russia has launched a massive attack on Ukraine's Odesa region.
At least two people were killed and dozens injured in the overnight drone strikes. That's according to local officials as rescue operations continue
there. This comes just days after talks that Ukraine's President described as, quote constructive. Meanwhile, Russia doubling down yet again on its
stance that Ukraine withdrawing from its Eastern Donbas region is crucial to ending the war.
President Vladimir Putin's Special Envoy tweeting this earlier today, quote, Donbas is the path to peace for Ukraine. CNN's Clare Sebastian,
covering the very latest joining us from London. Clare.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Becky, look, I know that we hear a lot about these overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, but
certainly President Zelenskyy, who has been very active today posting about this on X, does not want their regularity to deflect from the brutality of
this and the fact that it is going on during an intensive period of diplomacy where they are trying to reach a deal to end the war.
So, Odesa hit very hard. Zelenskyy says 52 drones were fired at that southern port city, mostly at the center of the city. Many of them were
intercepted, but not all. Five apartment buildings, he says, were affected, and we're now hearing about three people who have died, confirmed by local
officials there.
And you know, rescuers seem to be still combing through the wreckage of those residential buildings that were hit. It wasn't just Odesa. Kharkiv
was also hit. 80 percent of that region, not just the city, but the region. According to the governor, they're said to be without power this morning.
Kyiv is still in a very difficult situation energy wise. We're hearing about almost 1000 buildings still without heating their own emergency power
cuts after last night's attack. This is happening at a rate that makes it really difficult for rescuers to and repair workers to repair in time to
restore things before the next attack.
So, what we're seeing again is this attrition strategy from Russia dialing up the pain on Ukrainian civilians, trying to put pressure on them to
capitulate to Russia's demands in talks. And we're hearing Zelenskyy again this repeated refrain calling on allies today to get tougher on Moscow,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Clare. With Nicolas Maduro gone, the U.S. is carving out a foothold in Venezuela. We are now learning that the world's premier
foreign intelligence agency is heavily involved. Details in a CNN exclusive is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:20:00]
ANDERSON: Well after the United States captured Venezuela's strong man, Nicolas Maduro, President Trump claimed that the U.S. would run Venezuela.
Well, that has not happened, but we are getting some insight now. The Trump Administration is working to exert its influence there.
In a CNN exclusive, sources reveal that the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA, is leading the charge to build a robust U.S. presence in Venezuela
and to coach the new government it installed. CNN's Zachary Cohen joining us from Washington with what is exclusive reporting, Zachary.
What have we learned about what's happening on the ground in Venezuela and what the Trump Administration is trying to accomplish there at this point?
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, Becky, multiple sources making clear to me that the CIA is working to establish a foothold
on the ground inside Venezuela and is preparing to take a significant role in shaping what happens next inside that country.
Now this is something that, in some ways, was expected. The CIA was heavily involved in the planning and execution of that operation about three weeks
ago to capture Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. We've also reported that the CIA offered analysis that was very much influential in
the Trump Administration's decision to back acting Venezuelan President now Delcy Rodriguez.
But postmodern, post that operation, we're learning that the CIA is turning its attention now to the long term and working with the State Department to
establish a permanent U.S. presence inside the country, with the goal of exerting that new found influence over the new Venezuelan leadership, as
well as other factions inside the country as well.
Now sources described ongoing planning discussions between the CIA and State Departments focus on both the short- and long-term objectives here
for both agencies involved, as far as the CIA is concerned, in the short term, it will have to likely do the heavy lifting, given the unstable
security situation and ongoing political transition inside Venezuela.
That likely includes setting up a CIA annex where U.S. officials in the near term can use as a staging area of sort, starting to make connections
with various parties inside the country, as well as identifying third parties who may be a threat to U.S. interests there. I'm also told the CIA
will likely be responsible for briefing relevant Venezuelan officials on concerns related to foreign adversaries like Iran, China, Russia.
All countries that have ongoing activities inside Venezuela itself, but one that CIA Director John Ratcliffe made clear to Delcy Rodriguez during his
recent trip, that those would no longer be tolerated by the U.S. He said the message to Delcy Rodriguez was that Venezuela would no longer be a safe
haven for U.S. adversaries.
It will now fall to the CIA officers on the ground to reinforce that message going forward. And all of this though, coming as I'm told by
sources that neither the CIA nor State Department has received really detailed, explicit direction from the Trump White House as far as what its
overall objectives, as far as Venezuela is concerned are.
That's something that will those officials hope will come at some point in the near future, but in the meantime, working to really establish this
physical presence on the ground and working toward long term diplomacy going forward.
ANDERSON: Good to have you sir, thank you. All right. Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And
smiles all around as India and the European Union finalize was being billed as the mother of all deals.
[09:25:00]
It will pave the way for India to open up its vast and guarded market to free trade with the 27 Nation EU, its biggest trading partner, New Delhi
and Brussels, seeking to hedge against shifting ties with the United States. EU Chief has been speaking about the landmark deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT: Prime Minister, distinguished friend, we did it. We delivered the mother of all deals. We
are creating a market of 2 billion people, and this is the tale of two giants, the world's second and fourth largest economies, two giants who
choose partnership in a true win-win fashion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Right, President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. is increasing tariffs on South Korea by 10 percentage points, riding on his
social media. Mr. Trump says that the Korean legislature has not been living up to their trade agreement. And France's National Assembly has
backed a bill that seeks to ban social media access for kids under 15.
The bill requires final approval from the French Senate, but if it is passed, it will see restrictions placed on social networks. The U.S. Stock
Market opens just a few minutes from now. Futures are mixed, driven by technology shares as we move into what is a busy earnings week, but
geopolitical risks very much still present.
Gold prices remain near record highs above $5,000 on the ounce slipping a little bit today, but that is a big number. Let's also check in on oil
prices. That is the state of play, Brent crude at 64.5, WTI at 61 and change a move higher, but not significantly so. In the United States,
production and refining was hit hard by the winter storm over the weekend.
Analysts estimating a temporary loss of up to 2 million barrels a day, or roughly 15 percent of national production, keeping those numbers slightly
higher. Well, that is it for this half hour of news today. But do stay with us for what is a special conversation as Rory McIlroy returned to a
tournament that helped shape both his career and legacy.
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic, I caught up with him there. And our wide- ranging conversation is next in what is the "Connect the World" special Rory's Return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): If golf was a movie, Rory McIlroy would be among the cast of Hollywood A listers. By winning the 2025 masters, he finally
completed the men's Career Grand Slam, joining an elite club of just five other golfing legends. While he hails from Hollywood, Northern Ireland,
there's a second city across the globe that also claims him as its golden boy. And it's not LA.
RORY MCILROY, GRAND SLAM-WINNING GOLFER: It's a dream come true. It's something I've always wanted to do since I was a little boy, and, you know,
I've sort of realized the stream today, and you know, hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rory McIlroy.
ANDERSON (voice-over): 20 years ago, Rory McIlroy nervously strode up to the first tee here at Emirates golf club. As a 16-year-old amateur, he was
thrilled to be playing the Dubai Desert classic on the same grass as his idol, Tiger Woods. Tiger won the tournament that day, but three years
later, the trophy was in Rory's hands.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, thanks very much. Rory McIlroy, 19 years old, your first pro win. How does that feel?
ANDERSON (voice-over): 20 years after his debut here, he's won the coffee pot shaped dollar trophy a record four times, and he is thirsty for more.
In 2026, Rory has returned to the course where it all began, fresh off the back of an epic season. In an exclusive interview, he considers past
pleasures and future treasures, investing in sport and why Dubai will always be a second home, and he shares his tips for putting under pressure.
MCILROY: And then just rock your shoulders back and through you.
ANDERSON: If that goes in -- Thank you. Good to see you.
MCILROY: -- Good to see you.
ANDERSON: How are you?
MCILROY: I'm great. Thank you. Good to be back in Dubai.
ANDERSON: Well, Rory, you once said that golf wasn't about the money, it was about place in history for you. And so, I just wonder, given that
career defining year of 2025, whether you feel like you've nailed that place, or whether that destination is still sort of on the journey as it
were -- Where are you at?
MCILROY: I would have said before I won the masters. If I were to do it and I were to join that Grand Slam club. I would have said I could walk away
the day after and be completely satisfied with what I've done in the game. But then you do it, and you're like, well, I wouldn't want to stop and the
goal posts do keep moving.
You know, that's life anyone -- you don't have to be a sports person, but anyone that has goals and achieves them, you're always going to have to
reframe and think, like, OK, what is next? So, for me, it took me a while to reframe because it was such -- it was this massive moment in my life,
but I think I've now come to terms with it, and I do think that there are other things that I still want to achieve in the game.
ANDERSON: Which begs the question, how does a year like 2025 influence you in terms of preparation, in terms of motivation, in terms of equipment, for
example, you changed your clubs?
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: Just walk me through that.
MCILROY: I always look at my game and I always think, OK, where can I improve? What can I get a little bit better at? And also, 36 going to be 37
this year. I'm not that 25-year-old anymore. I don't mind saying that, OK, maybe I do need a little bit more help with my long irons, or I need to do
some things, because it's not just golf, it's sponsorships, its business, it's, you know, family life, there's a lot of different things that I'm
being pulled in many different directions.
And as I said, I'm not that 25-year-old that can stand and hit balls on the range for eight hours a day like I used to. So, you know, I think time
management for me is a big thing going forward as well.
ANDERSON: Listen, you have a really quite unique relationship, I think, with Dubai as a place, but particularly with this tournament. You played
here as an amateur. You won here three years later in 2009 for the first time. Can you take me back to that first trip as a teenager?
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: You arriving here? How did you feel? What do you remember?
[09:35:00]
MCILROY: I very kindly got an invite from the European tour at the time to come and play as an amateur in 2006 and I'd always loved this tournament
watching it on TV. You know, it's the middle of the winter back home, you see. And obviously back then, Dubai is not what it is today, but it's still
this, you know, desert golf course buildings going up.
Obviously, I was so excited to have the opportunity to play, playing a tournament with Tiger Woods in the field. He was like, truly my hero
growing up. I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall, you know. So, to be able to get up close and play in the same tournament as him, that was
obviously, at that point, a moment of a lifetime as well.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Through various visits, Rory fell in love with Dubai, and lived here for a number of years. His first major sponsor was
the Dubai based luxury hotel and property company Jumeirah. He won his first two majors, U.S. Open and the PGA wearing Jumeirah branding, which
helped globalize both the name and the destination.
ANDERSON: What is it about this part of the world, this place, the Emirates, Emiratis?
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: That you find so compelling.
MCILROY: I think, to me, the vision that they have had to turn what was once a little fishing village into, you know, it's the hub of the world,
you know, it's just, it's absolutely incredible, even, since I've been coming here for 20 years, just the change and the speed in which things get
done, you know.
So, you've got, you know, amazing visionaries, but you've also got a community of people that buy into that vision. And then you also see, you
see, so how many people are moving here to the UAE, and the opportunities that they have, and the -- you know, just the different businesses that are
here.
And it is absolutely incredible or but just that entrepreneurial spirit and the fact that people can come here make something of themselves be
successful and feel like there's not a lot of obstacles in their way to getting to doing that. That's how I feel when I come here. It truly is. It
is a second home to me.
ANDERSON: Dubai is known for its relentless entrepreneurialism, and I just wonder how much you think that has rubbed off on you, as you have begun to
consider what happens off the course?
MCILROY: Yeah, I would say a part of it is seeing everything that's happened here, but it's also meeting the right people. You know, golf is
the sport of business you're playing in pro-am's every Wednesday and meeting the CEOs of some of the top companies in the world and being able
to pick their brains and just ask them about their journey and what they did.
Would they do anything differently? And if you had asked me when I was 21, did I enjoy pro-am's, I would have said absolutely not. But now it's a
wonderful opportunity for me to learn.
ANDERSON: Is there anybody specific that you will now say I loved playing with ex in a pro-am?
MCILROY: I would say the most important pro-am that I ever played was with a man named Jeff Rhodes, who is a partner at TPG, and that was back in 2019
out of absolutely nothing. And you fast forward seven years later, and TPG and I have launched a sports fund together out of one game of golf, and
then obviously building on that relationship.
So, I would say that, you know, that's the first one that springs to mind, that that's been incredibly important and just what, again, the
opportunities. And this is why I try to tell a lot of the young guys on the range like the opportunities that we all have every Wednesday, not a lot of
other sports people get this, so you have to take advantage of it.
ANDERSON: Let's talk about the TPG Sports Investment Fund launched last year. What's the vision? What's the goal? Is there one sort of avenue that
you guys have said, look, this is ours.
MCILROY: Look, I think there's very like attractive sports investments, where you can invest in teams or leagues, or, you know, some of the stuff
that you hear about in the news. But if you think about the world of sport, the number of businesses that have to enable sport to run globally, like
those are the sorts of things that we're interested in.
Because, you know, whether it's, you know, tech enable businesses, or ticketing businesses, or, you know, things like this that --
ANDERSON: The picks and shovels.
MCILROY: The picks and shovels. Is it the sexiest thing? Probably not. But I think there's a massive opportunity there, because as the sports world is
expanding, you know, we're going to need these picks and shovels companies more and more and more.
ANDERSON: TGL is a team based, tech focused tournament that you set up with Tiger Woods.
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: What's he like to work with?
MCILROY: He's great. He's amazing.
[09:40:00]
Yeah, he's very passionate about what he does. I think anyone can see that from his career. And he's very he's single minded. And then when he puts
his focus on something, it's all in and that's what he's been like with TGL, which has been amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, Rory versus Tiger is going to give us a --
ANDERSON: -- pinch me moment -- Tiger.
MCILROY: Yeah, I remember seeing him for the first time in 2002. I went to watch a World Golf Championship event in Ireland, and to think, you know,
20 years later, we built this business together, an incredibly successful business. You know, it's only, you know, it's in its second year, but it's
already, it's been amazing, and it's definitely got a lot of traction in the States.
And the players are bought in, and they love it. And yeah, to do something like this with your hero, and I say, you know, I wasn't able to go to his
birthday party last week, but I got to record a video for him.
Tiger, it's your old buddy, Rory here. Just want to wish you the very happiest of birthdays.
And the one thing I said is, you hear a lot of people say, never meet your heroes, but with him like it couldn't be further from the truth, you know.
So that's a really cool thing.
ANDERSON: Right. You and I chatted in 2016.
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: 10 years ago.
It is the Olympics this year, 2016 if you had one win, would it be the masters or a gold at the Olympics in Rio.
MCILROY: The masters. I definitely wait four years for another chance at the Olympics, if I could win the masters this year.
Yeah.
ANDERSON: That was 2016.
MCILROY: Yes.
ANDERSON: Given that you won the masters 2025 how important is an Olympic gold to you now.
MCILROY: Yeah. So, I think when we had that conversation, I had never played in an Olympics. And golf is -- it's not new in the Olympics. It's
just it was, there way back in the day, and then obviously it's been, you, it's back in the games. I've played Japan, and I've played Paris.
I lost in a seven-way playoff for a for a bronze medal in in Tokyo, and I finished fifth in Paris. So, I've been really close to the medal. And the
one thing I said in Tokyo was I've never tried so hard to finish in third place. It is, I think when you go to the games, you just get -- you get
caught up in the in the spirit of everything, and just this unbelievable melting pot of athletes.
And you know different cultures, and you know people that have just been working so hard for four years for this one opportunity. And I think as
time goes on. The Olympics will become more and more important in the game. Whether it gets to the level of the majors, we will see.
But I would, you know, I said last year I had three remaining goals in my career. I wanted to win the masters, I wanted to win another away rider
cup, and I wanted to win an Olympic gold. I achieved two of those last year. So obviously I have to wait until LA to try and get the third but I
would -- that would be, you know, yeah, it would be amazing.
It would be absolutely incredible. And something like, I never dreamed of doing it, because it wasn't a dream that I felt like was available to me.
But after playing into Olympics, it's an amazing experience. And I'd love to have the opportunity.
ANDERSON (voice-over): After the break, when the going gets tough, how does Rory shut out the noise?
ANDERSON: There he goes.
ANDERSON (voice-over): And his -- battle to fill his trophy cabinet.
MCILROY: So, they sent someone down to one of the sooks and just got a random coffee pot, put it on a platform, and said, there you go. There's
your replica trophy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:45:00]
ANDERSON (voice-over): The European teams, 2025 Ryder Cup victory in New York followed an epic battle of skill, determination and perhaps even more
resilience. Rory came in for a particularly torrid time as supporters of Team USA hurled abuse and squeaked their rubber ducks.
So, as we headed to the practice green, I was keen to find out how he stays focused under pressure.
ANDERSON: I don't embarrass you. So, you might just want to show me how you and then --
MCILROY: -- I'll do that.
ANDERSON: And I will show you how it's really done.
MCILROY: OK, all right. So, this whole not a lot of breaks on it pretty flat. So, what I concentrate on my right arm. So, I try to get the putter
in behind the ball with my right arm. And I always try to get my -- the inside of my right arm touching my torso so tucked in.
And then when I get set, I take my stance, I gently put my left my left hand on and then all I do from there is I just feel like I rock my
shoulders.
ANDERSON: Ah, so it's not me.
MCILROY: I'm not kind of cools in.
ANDERSON: I was going to show you how to do it, but clearly done this before. Talk to me about how important both physical and mental resilience
are in golf.
MCILROY: I think the physical resilience is maybe not as high in importance as some other sports. Obviously, it's not as physically demanding as some
other sports, but I would say it's, I think there's a higher demand mentally. You're out here for five hours a day, you know, there's so many
ebbs and flows.
And even in just one round of golf, let alone a week-long tournament, and then you multiply that by 25 times a year, and then, you know, so it's a --
it cannot up quick. So, the mental resilience is much more important.
ANDERSON: And what sort of strategies do you use to manage your stress? And I'm thinking about the crowds at the Ryder Cup in 2025.
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: I mean, how do you deal with that and stay focused?
MCILROY: Focus on my breathing. I'm -- and we -- I've done research like on myself into this with my team. I'm quite a like a mouth breather, and that
can trigger, like a stress response. So, when I'm on the course and I feel like I'm in pressure situations, all I think to myself is, keep your mouth
closed.
Just keep your mouth closed. And you then breathe through your nose, and you start to breath better, lower through your diaphragm. And
automatically, your nervous system comes down a little bit, and you know, you start to feel a little bit better. And it's just that one little
trigger, keep your mouth closed.
ANDERSON: Let me have a go at this while I am -- while we talk --
MCILROY: -- there. Do you want to stand in and then just rock your shoulders back and through.
ANDERSON: If that goes in --
MCILROY: Good try.
ANDERSON: -- By the way, I'm never going to get anywhere like that close if you're not with me. So, you are now going to have to come with me and play
golf every single time I do go on.
MCILROY: OK.
ANDERSON: -- Give me a give me another demonstration.
MCILROY: OK. One more go. That was very good in those really intense moments.
ANDERSON: Do you have flashbacks to success and failure?
MCILROY: No, no, not like not in those moments. In between shots, I'll maybe think of something will pop into my head. I've been in this position
before. I've -- you know, and you draw on that experience.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
MCILROY: Hopefully good stuff, good experience, not bad. But, yeah, you're always trying to, you're always trying to look at, I think I get this from
my dad whenever people talk about resilience, and my resilience over my career, my dad is like the eternal optimist.
ANDERSON: Right.
MCILROY: You know, he'll find something good to say at a funeral. You know, whatever it is, and I get that from him. So, I always -- I've always, just
kept believing.
ANDERSON: He must love Dubai then.
MCILROY: Loves Dubai.
ANDERSON: Because this is internally optimistic place.
MCILROY: My parents love, Dubai.
[09:50:00]
ANDERSON: Oh, wow. If we were playing, yes. I might even have taken this whole from you. Let's have another go.
MCILROY: OK, one more. OK.
ANDERSON: If you can do it.
MCILROY: OK -- no pressure. All right. Goes a little right at the hole. There we go.
ANDERSON: There he goes. On this before, and as I understand it, you don't watch an awful lot of the events that you've played a lot of --
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: It's all about memories, right?
MCILROY: Yeah, I learned the hard way. I won my first major in 2011 the U.S. Open, and I watched so much of it back that I started to forget what
it looked like through my own eyes. I can only remember from watching through the TV so and I never want to feel that way again.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
MCILROY: I want to remember how I felt, what I was thinking, what I was feeling. Because, again, if you need to draw on those moments, then you
then you can.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
MCILROY: And then it's, you know, it's not what everyone else sees. It's what you've seen.
ANDERSON: 2006 you were an amateur here. I assume that you would have stood and watched some of the pros, as well as practicing yourself on here. Do
you remember being on here --
MCILROY: I do remember being on here the first time. You know, the whole thing, it's changed a lot. I mean, it's gotten a lot bigger, and top golf
wasn't here, and whatever. But yeah, and I remember one of the camera men giving me his camera so that I could follow Tiger inside the ropes.
So, I played on Thursday morning, and then I went and I ran around the 18 holes again Thursday afternoon, following Tiger. So good, good memory.
ANDERSON: You didn't make the cut, of course.
MCILROY: No.
ANDERSON: But that meant that you could follow Tiger Woods around, right?
MCILROY: Yeah, for the weekend, absolutely. Yeah, yeah. Silver lining.
ANDERSON: -- So, you were pretending to be a photographer with accreditation. I love that idea.
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: I love that right? Let's go and have a look at the 18th, because that, of course, is a really important green to you.
MCILROY: Yeah. It is.
ANDERSON: -- won your first tournament as a --
MCILROY: First tournament.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
MCILROY: I've had many, many great moments on that green.
ANDERSON: Yeah. Come on, let's do that.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Emirates golf club made history with the first grass course in the Middle East when it opened in 1988. Beyond the green oasis
with its Arabian designed clubhouse, the city skyline has transformed from desert to Metropolis. The 18th green of the Majlis course has witnessed
victories by an impressive cast of Dubai Desert Classic Champions.
But none more so than Rory McIlroy. He's determined to convert his four fingered celebration into a fist full of trophies.
SIMON CORKILL, TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR OF HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC: Rory likes this tournament because he's got lots of friends in Dubai, which is great
start, and he really enjoys his time here. But the golf course is set up really well for him. It's tight. He can hit the ball long and straight, and
the course is set up like a major.
So, the top players always come to the top. The -- rises to the top. You look at the winners of this tournament. We've got Tiger Woods, Seve
Ballesteros, Ernie Els, multiple winner, and also Rory, four-time winner.
CHRISTOPHER MAY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT DUBAI GOLF: I think Rory feels very at home here. So, wherever he is in Dubai, he's very relaxed. Everyone
welcomes him, but also gives him his space as well. So, I think he really enjoys being here. He can be himself, and loves playing golf, loves the
whole experience of being in Dubai.
ANDERSON: So, I'm just going to start us off by doing this. Have a look at this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rory McIlroy, 19 years old, your first pro win. How does that feel?
MCILROY: Yeah, it feels absolutely fantastic. You know, I was a great day today. I battled well and, you know, Justin, you know, he fought well down
the stretch, and I was able to come in and, you know, get a great up and down on the last which, you know, it's just, I can't put it in the words of
the minute. It's just been such a good day.
ANDERSON: You couldn't put it into words.
MCILROY: No.
ANDERSON: Now, could you put it into words now?
MCILROY: Yes, I can. I think I'm a little better at that. I think I've touched more media training --
ANDERSON: -- mean so much to you. This 18th, of course, it's where you won your first pros tournament. Just reflect it.
MCILROY: Yeah. It was hard as well. I'd had two chance. I think I had two pretty good chances to win in previous months, and wasn't able to get it
done. I got beaten into playoffs, one in Switzerland, one in Hong Kong, and then I went on a tear in the middle of the round, and I think I was five
ahead with five to play.
And then I started to make some boogies on the way in and get nervous and all that, and yeah, I was one ahead, laid up into a good spot on 18, and
then I overshot my wedge, shot into the back bunker. There's before the joy. There's just relief, relief that you're that it's over and you've got
it done and you haven't messed up, and everything's fine.
So, there was that. But it's also, you know, I was thinking last year at the masters, I beat Justin Rose. And in the playoff and my first win, it
was Justin and I battling down the stretch.
ANDERSON: Were you thinking about that last year?
[09:55:00]
MCILROY: No, I mean, I thought about it after to the masters. I was just like, this is incredible. Like, I just, you know, even you know, we think
about that, you know, the threads that run through your career. And for me, it's like, OK, Dubai, Justin Rose, you know, there's, you know, there's a
lot of different things.
ANDERSON: Amazing.
MCILROY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: So, this is familiar to you. This is the very familiar in fact.
MCILROY: This is the big coffee pot. Yeah. So, I've got one of these at home. So --
ANDERSON: What you got one at home?
MCILROY: Yeah, yeah. So, the story behind that is I won in 2009 and my mother just like -- I got a rep. I think the replica back then was actually
of the club house. I think that was the trophy. And my mother was on to the tournament committee and executives for years saying, my son should have
got a replica he should have got a call, he should have got a trophy.
So, I think they were sick and tired of hearing of this. So, they sent someone down to one of the -- and just got a random coffee pot, put it on a
platform, and said, there you go. There's your replica trophy. It's one of the most iconic trophies in our sport, you know, you think about, you know,
just its uniqueness and where it is and, but --
And, yeah, this has been -- it's been an incredible tournament with many, you know, I've been part of great finishes here that when I haven't won as
well, but obviously, the four times that I have one have been really nice.
ANDERSON: It's been an absolute joy and a delight. We wish you the very, very best.
MCILROY: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Honestly, 20 years.
MCILROY: Incredible, hopefully 20 more.
ANDERSON (voice-over): The global golfing calendar constantly offers opportunities for future success or setbacks, both on and off the course.
And for Rory McIlroy and Dubai, it's a shared journey on which the sun seems reluctant to set.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
