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Erin Burnett Outfront

Trump Pauses Tariffs, Pulls Troops, Braces For More Epstein Docs; Minnesota: Day Cares Accused Of Wrongdoing Were Operating As Expected; Sparklers In Champagne Bottles Likely Started Inferno That Killed 40. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired January 02, 2026 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[19:00:29]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:

President Trump facing mounting headwinds on some of his biggest priorities as he begins the second year of his presidency. And tonight, some of his allies are raising concerns he's lost focus.

Plus, the president insisting he is in perfect health after a bombshell new report from the "Wall Street Journal" raises serious questions. And one top Democrat calls for an investigation.

And backlash is growing against the Trump Kennedy Center as "Wicked" composer Stephen Schwartz, who helped launch the Kennedy Center more than 50 years ago, says tonight he won't even appear there.

Let's go OUTFRONT.

Good evening. I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Erin Burnett.

OUTFRONT tonight, Trump's setbacks. President Trump facing numerous headwinds on some of his key issues as he starts the second year of his presidency tonight -- tariffs, sending the National Guard into major U.S. cities and health care as he still faces the ongoing Epstein files story. Plus, growing questions about his health, which we'll have more on later in the show.

Today, Trump making a very public plea to the Supreme Court to keep his controversial tariffs in place, posting, quote, tariffs are an overwhelming benefit to our nation. Losing our ability to tariff other countries who treat us unfairly would be a terrible blow to the United States of America. That's despite Trump himself backing down yet again on tariffs, announcing at the very last minute that his self-imposed tariffs on furniture and kitchen cabinets would be delayed a year.

"The Wall Street Journal" hitting Trump with this editorial. Another Trump tariff retreat, which says rarely has a president worked so hard to cover the damage from his policies without admitting it.

Trump's tariff retreat coming right after he stood down on (VIDEO GAP) he is pulling National Guard troops out of the Democratic-led cities of Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles. He still plans to have troops in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Another thorny issue for Republicans tonight, health care. Democrats

are ready to hammer Trump and the GOP for allowing health care subsidies to expire for more than 20 million Americans yesterday, more than doubling premiums on average and sending some significantly higher. And then there's the Epstein files. As "The New York Times" reported, the Justice Department at this moment is in the process of reviewing more than 5 million pages of Epstein documents, which is a lot more than we previously knew about.

Meanwhile, in Florida today, President Trump shopped for marble and onyx samples for his new white house ballroom, and he went to his golf club.

Kevin Liptak is OUTFRONT in West Palm Beach.

Kevin, behind the scenes, just how concerned are Trump or White House officials about what lies ahead for them?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah, that there's a recognition by the president's team that this coming year is going to pose some tests for the president's policies, for his popularity. You know, I don't think there's anyone who works in any second term White House who doesn't recognize that every passing day is another day closer to becoming a lame duck, which every president kind of recoils at. And so, you know, they recognize the challenges here.

But at the same time, what you haven't really seen is any kind of corrective action to some of these concerns that some of the president's top allies have been raising, that his attention is just misplaced, that he's lost focus on some of the issues that got him to the White House in the first place.

And I think his time down here in Palm Beach, you know, the two weeks that he's been down here, really kind of encapsulates some of those concerns. And it's not just the shopping excursion for marble and onyx for the ballroom. It's also, you know, the string of foreign leaders that he's had over at Mar-a-Lago. He had Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had Benjamin Netanyahu.

He's meeting right now with the U.S. ambassador to China. He's talking about strikes on Iran. He ordered strikes on Nigeria. He's continued strikes on Venezuela. He announced a new Trump class battleship.

All of it I think contributing to the concerns among the president's own orbit that he's been overly focused on foreign policy and overly focused on putting his name on things.

Now, what the president has said is that his foreign policy agenda is his domestic agenda, that this will all contribute to the America first policies. But certainly, plenty of concerns from the presidents, you know, orbit and allies that he's just not focused on the main issue that's at front of mind for Americans, which is the economy and affordability. And the White House says he will be out in the coming year talking about that.

[19:05:02] Although his mixed -- his efforts on this have been mixed so far. He's done two economic rallies and they have tended to stray in all different directions -- Brianna.

KEILAR: They sure have.

Kevin Liptak, thank you so much for that report.

OUTFRONT now, former Congressman Max Rose, Gretchen Carlson and Molly Ball.

Gretchen, how concerned do you think President Trump should be about what 2026 may have in store for him?

GRETCHEN CARLSON, FORMER FOX NEWS HOST: Well, for sure, I don't think he's used to the amount of failure that has been happening for him over the last few months. Look, his policies are very popular with Americans getting rid of crime, tamping down on immigration. It's the implementation which has been so subpar.

And I think if you look at the economy specifically now, it may be great for the top 1 percent, but the average American is feeling the pain. Trump promised he was going to fix this on day one, and now he's calling affordability a hoax. That's a problem.

Number two, his retribution campaign has not been something that's popular with the people who voted him into office for the second time. They don't care about that. And the Supreme Court has given him some big victories, but they have also given him some stinging defeats, the National Guard and soon to be potentially a complete smack down of his tariff program.

So, I don't think that this president is used to this kind of defeat, and I do not believe that his make America great again slogan is going to be big enough to be able to get to voters.

KEILAR: Yeah, Max, what do you think? He's entering the year standing down on tariffs and also use of the National Guard?

MAX ROSE (D), FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: Sure. You know, my friend Gretchen misses the mark a little bit here. You know, people do not support Donald Trump's core policies. Certainly, everyone loves the idea of lowering crime. But that's not Donald Trump's policy. His policy is to invade American cities with the United States military.

Certainly, everyone supports highfalutin notions of lowering costs, but Donald Trump does exactly the opposite by raising costs via tariffs. So certainly, maybe on one day here or there, Donald Trump might come to the realization that his entire policy platform is failing. But the interesting thing about elections is that they are lagging indicators.

So, November is right around the corner, and peoples vote come November is being shaped exactly right now. It's not shaped by what goes on in September or October. And this is being seared in the American people's memories. The turbulence of deployments to American cities, the turbulence of tariffs, the turbulence of veterans getting fired during the DOGE debacle. And I think most people are coming to the realization that there's no recovering for this administration.

KEILAR: Molly, what are you seeing?

MOLLY BALL, POLITICAL REPORTER AND AUTHOR: I think that that's the important point, is that time has sort of run out from that initial runway of honeymoon, that every new president gets. Look, I've been hearing from swing voters since very early in this administration that they wished the president was more focused on the issues he campaigned on.

But it's around the one year mark, I think when those voters' patience starts running out, when they stop sort of giving the benefit of the doubt and start to say, okay, I gave you a chance. I heard you when you said this all just needs time to play out and get implemented and whatever. And it's the same for Republican officeholders. Who the ones I speak to are increasingly. The reality is increasingly setting in because the administration, you know, spent the past year telling them, don't worry, next year is when we're going to get the campaign up and running. Next year is when we're going to turn this around.

Well, now, it's next year. And they've started to realize that instead of getting better, things might actually get worse for them. The cavalry isn't coming. There's not too much they can do to turn around. A lot of these macro level indicators and public opinion in the economy that are looking so terrible for Trump and his party. And so, I think there's a real sense of concern that's starting to set in.

KEILAR: Gretchen, I also mentioned that, according to "The New York Times", DOJ is going through these 5 million plus pages of Epstein docs, and this review is expected to go through at least January 20th. What's the impact for Trump there?

CARLSON: Look, I think the minute that the Epstein story went into the public stratosphere and went outside of the beltway of Washington, D.C., and the majority of Americans have heard about it and have an opinion about it, that that that was a losing battle for Trump. And he's 100 percent responsible for keeping this horrible story for him alive.

He could have ripped the band-aid off on this story a long time ago. He has not. And the irony is, is that the survivors that have had the courage to come forward are the ones who have been victorious here. And the majority of Americans believe them.

So, the longer that this drip and drop and dribble continues, the worse this is for President Trump. I think the time has passed for him to be able to get rid of this story quickly. This story will only continue to generate more conspiracy theories unless they start releasing all those documents soon.

[19:10:06]

KEILAR: Max, I know Democrats will listen to what we've talked about, and they will say politically excellent, right? But they should not celebrate too soon because they have a lot that voters do not like about them. And former Democratic senator turned independent Joe Manchin had this warning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIIP)

JOE MANCHIN, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: American people are saying, who do we like least? We don't like (VIDEO GAP) that's what they've said. And Republicans are better. They like the Democrats least they do the Republicans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I mean, whether you fully agree with him or not, do Democrats need to have a serious think about what voters really want from them right now, Max?

ROSE: Listen, Joe -- Joe has left the reservation. If you look at these special elections throughout this year, Democrats have outperformed. Mikie Sherrill, 15-point margin. Abigail Spanberger in a -- in the state of Virginia, where a Republican had won four years prior, wins by 15 points, both of them winning multiple Trump won counties.

That doesn't seem like a political party that people have left. Now, we should never underestimate the capacity of Democrats to screw it all up. It is virtually built into their DNA at this point.

But with that being said, the party is ending this year on a phenomenal note of bold unity. And that is a testament, I have to say to one particular person, and that is Hakeem Jeffries leadership. In a house with a broad based ideological tent, he has somehow managed to unify the party around issues of affordability and sanity, and that all we can hope for, at least I say this as a Democrat, is that will continue into 2026.

KEILAR: Molly, what do you think?

BALL: I think Joe Manchin is absolutely right that voters will choose the party they dislike least given what many voters believe are two bad options. The problem for the Republicans is we have increasing evidence that as much as voters are still very down on the ow are not under any illusions about that fact it is starting to become clear that they are starting to like the Republicans even less than they dislike the Democrats.

We now have multiple polls showing various sizes of advantage for the Democrats on the generic congressional ballot in November. So, while I do think that it would behoove the Democrats to campaign on something instead of nothing and not just be the alternative, we are starting to see evidence that that voters see them as a better alternative to a Republican Party, that they are souring on.

KEILAR: Molly Ball, Gretchen Carlson, Max Rose, thank you so much to all of you.

ROSE: Thanks. CARLSON: Thank you.

BALL: Thanks.

KEILAR: OUTFRONT next, some breaking news and update on the Minnesota child care facilities at the center of widespread fraud allegations. We now have the results of a new state report.

Plus, we're on the ground in Switzerland as we're learning some new details about what caused that devastating fire that killed at least 40 people and injured more than 100 at a ski resort.

And new video tonight of a deadly new strike in Ukraine, as Ukraine is now claiming the kremlin is preparing a false flag attack. So where does that leave peace negotiations?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:17:52]

KEILAR: Breaking news, the Minnesota child care facilities at the center of widespread fraud allegations were operating as expected when visited by investigators, according to a new state report. The Minnesota department of children, youth and families just released a statement that says, in part, children were present at a sites except for one. That site was not yet open for families for the day when inspectors arrived.

The fraud allegations, fueled by a viral video viewed 3 million times.

Whitney Wild is OUTFRONT with the latest.

Whitney, what are you learning?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: The agency investigated and continued to gather evidence and has now initiated further review. Four of those daycares are going to be subject of ongoing investigation. One of the daycares that he visited had actually been closed since 2022, according to the state investigators.

These allegations had real world implications. They resulted in stepped up immigration enforcement. They resulted in frozen funds, the Minnesota Department of Children, youth and families is saying this, Brianna, distribution of unvetted or deceptive claims and misuse of tip lines can interfere with investigations, create safety risks for families, providers and employers, and has contributed to harmful discourse about Minnesota's immigrant communities.

Brianna, they also said how much money these daycares received, because that was the big part of the video, right? Was how much money Nick Shirley, that viral Youtuber, believed they were receiving. And the state says that those nine daycares that were operating received in total $17 million in 2025 -- Brianna.

KEILAR: All right. Important information. Whitney Wild, thank you. Also tonight, Hakeem Jeffries calling for an investigation into

President Trump's health after Trump's candid interview with "The Wall Street Journal".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): We work for the American people and Congress in its role as a separate and co-equal branch of government, should make sure that the administration comes clean as it relates to the president's ability to continue to do the job at the level that the American people deserve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[19:20:04]

KEILAR: Trump today, posting on his social media site saying the White House doctors have just reported that I am in perfect health and that I aced meaning, was correct on 100 percent of the questions asked for the third straight time, my cognitive examination.

The post follows the 79-year-old commander in chief's lengthy interview with "The Wall Street Journal" OUTFRONT.

Now, Dr. Jonathan Reiner, CNN medical analyst and former longtime cardiologist to Vice President Dick Cheney.

Dr. Reiner, the president says that he takes 325 milligrams of aspirin a day, rather than the 81 milligram baby aspirin, and that he's taking this against his doctors wishes.

How are you hearing that news?

DR. JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, I think first of all, I don't love the fact that he's taking it against his doctors wishes.

So, I have two questions. The first is, why is the president taking aspirin? He's -- he has never disclosed a history of heart disease. He's never disclosed a history of stroke or peripheral vascular disease that would warrant aspirin therapy and current guidelines, specifically state that for primary prevention, which appears at the present state, that's the reason he's taking the medicine. It's not indicated for people over 70 because the risks outweigh the benefits.

As for the dose, the standard dose of aspirin used in a preventative way in the United States is 81 milligrams. It's about 100 milligrams outside the United States. But still, he's taking four times the recommended dose of aspirin, which makes a very little sense.

KEILAR: He blames the aspirin as the White House is blaming frequent hand shaking for those visible bruises that we have seen at times on his hands, bruising, which he attempts to conceal with heavy makeup or with bandages. Does that explanation make sense to you?

REINER: Well, the handshaking explanation never made any sense. I see that kind of bruising almost every week in my clinic in folks on stronger anticoagulants than aspirin. Could 325 milligrams of aspirin a day cause bruising? Possibly.

You know, the president is almost 80 and older people do develop more fragile skin. So maybe the 325 milligrams of aspirin alone is causing that, but it's unusual. I don't typically see that.

I will say, though, that if that was the conclusion of the White House medical team, that he's bruising severely because he's taking too much aspirin, then why hasn't he decreased the dose of aspirin? The indication for the present, taking aspirin seems to be pretty thin. So, if he was taking just to make him feel better, why wouldn't he then take a dose more in keeping with the standard recommendation that is likely to cause less bleeding.

So, the whole story just doesn't make -- doesn't make any sense to me.

KEILAR: He's also clarifying in the interview that he had a CT scan in October, which he initially inaccurately described as an MRI. His doctor says this was done, to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues. Is that standard operating procedure?

REINER: No. And well, why did they feel like they needed to definitively rule out any cardiovascular problem? What clinical symptom, what clinical concern in October prompted that?

And furthermore, when they when the presidents medical team disclosed the results of that testing soon after he underwent the scans, why didn't they tell the public that the president had a heart CT? All that the president's physician stated then was that he underwent, quote, advanced imaging.

So why the euphemism? Why not tell the public that the president had a heart CT and what the results were? Then when the president mistakenly told the press on air force one that he had undergone an MRI, why didn't the White House correct that? Why didn't the president's doctors say, no, no, it wasn't an MRI. It was a heart scan.

So, the lack of candor, makes this -- you know, makes me really wonder what the true story is here.

KEILAR: Yeah. A lot of questions raised by this report, even as he said a lot about his health.

Dr. Jonathan Reiner, thank you so much for being with us.

And OUTFRONT next, some new images just in revealing what likely sparked that deadly fire inside a ski resort bar on New Year's Eve in Switzerland.

And backlash to the Trump Kennedy Center growing. One performer who's canceling, calling the decision financially devastating but morally exhilarating. He's my guest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:29:18] KEILAR: Tonight, authorities say sparklers in champagne bottles likely caused that fast spreading fire that killed at least 40 people and injured at least 119 more in a bar at a Swiss ski resort. Families now enduring an agonizing wait for any news of their loved ones as more than a dozen people remain unaccounted for tonight.

Nic Robertson is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Grief in this upscale Swiss ski resort is touching many inconsolable. A father searching for his son, missing since the fire broke out early New Year's Day at Le Constellation bar.

[19:30:01]

Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, too, searching for her 16-year-old son Arthur.

LAETITIA BRODARD-SITRE, MOTHER: If you have seen him in hospitals, if you have seen him in the morgue, whether he's alive or deceased, please contact me. I don't know how severe his burns are. I don't know if he's recognizable. All I want is to find my child. All I want is to find my son.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Prosecutors zeroing in on these images of sparklers held high in champagne bottles, likely triggering the inferno.

BEATRICE PILLOUD, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE VALAIS CANTON: Everything points to the fire starting from sparklers or flares placed in champagne bottles that came too close to the ceiling, which very rapidly led to a flashover fire.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The basement bar, packed with people celebrating, only had one main exit, leading to chaos and fear, as the fire quickly spread.

AXEL, EYEWITNESS: We were trying to get out. I turned a table onto the floor and hid by the table to avoid getting burnt. We were trying to get out. It was chaos.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): At least 40 people are dead and 119 injured. Eyewitness accounts of the aftermath, underscoring the challenge. Police still have identifying those dead and injured.

EDMUND COQUETTE, EYEWITNESS: You saw the young people who were totally burned in the face, who missed some fingers here laying on the streets, and the first the first aid was given to these people. And then you have to -- what was the worst is the screaming of these young people, the screaming of pain.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Seventeen-year-old Leonor Marquez had planned to go to the bar with friends, but last minute dropped out, now struggles to get news about five of them. Two in hospital. The other three unknown. LEONOR MARQUEZ: I don't know if they're alive or dead, doing well or

badly. I can't do anything. I can do absolutely nothing.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Adding to her pain and confusion, she says, we see videos of the fire that are going around. They're horrible. I can't imagine what my friends went through.

MARQUEZ: This will scar lots of people, teenagers. They were there just to have fun.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (on camera): Brianna, and the pain spreading way beyond Crans-Montana here and Switzerland in general. Officials say that of those 119 injured, more than 40 from other European countries, France, Italy, Serbia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland. But it does feel that even though there are some answers now, the pain, the suffering really is only just beginning -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Nic Robertson, thank you for that report.

And also tonight, Russia striking a residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, killing a three 3-year-old boy and injuring at least 30 people in an attack. The Ukraine's President Zelensky calls heinous. Ukraine is now claiming the kremlin is preparing a false flag attack inside Russia, or on the territory that it occupies in Ukraine, in an attempt to derail peace talks.

Ukraine's intelligence service warning that the attack, which they say is planned for the coming days, could result in, quote, significant human casualties. So where does this leave peace negotiations?

Melissa Bell is OUTFRONT with the latest -- Melissa.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, we understand that Ukrainian peace talks are to pick up again over the course of the weekend. On Saturday, through American and Ukrainian negotiators, and then again next week here in Paris in a meeting of the coalition of the willing, hosted by president macron, as all sides to try and make progress towards that elusive peace deal.

You'll remember that earlier this week, President Trump had spoken of the thorny issues that remain. President Zelenskyy and his New Year's address. Picking up on that. Speaking to the fact that the 10 percent remained to be found of agreement, that is speaking also with some optimism, but also speaking to the fact that there could be no concessions on the Ukrainian part in terms of the Donbas giving up that territory, he suggested, would be equivalent to losing the war.

So little to suggest that there's been any movement of the two sides on those thorny issues and on the ground, of course, continued attacks on civilians in Kharkiv, at least 30 wounded, according to Ukraine, and from the Russian side, claims of Ukrainian attack on New Year's Eve in occupied Kherson on a hotel and bar that Russians say killed 27. For its part, Kyiv has stuck to its position on not commenting on what happens in the occupied territories but reminding journalists of its position that it continues to stick to military targets.

There have also been these claims and counterclaims about an alleged attack on Putin's residence in northern Russia. We've now heard that the CIA has briefed President Trump, that it does not believe that the Russian claims of this drone attack targeting the private residence of Vladimir Putin are correct, appearing to suggest through a number of posts that President Trump may be more skeptical than he had been after his phone call with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, as those accusations of that drone attack emerged on the military front, it is on the Zaporizhzhia front that we understand that Ukrainian forces are under the greatest pressure, they say, as Russian forces try and take as much land ahead of a potential peace deal.

[19:35:37]

Were also hearing from the Ukrainian Secret Services of their fears that there might be preparations underway in Russia for a so-called false flag operation that might be blamed on Ukraine, and that could take place around a religiously important symbol or date over the coming days. So, trust at fairly low levels and hopes of any significant progress, of course, must be cautioned by dint of that. Still, the talks will continue over the next few days with a great deal of hope, specifically on the side of Europeans, that some progress will be made -- Brianna.

KEILAR: All right. Melissa Bell, thank you so much.

And OUTFRONT now, Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania. She is on the foreign affairs committee.

Congresswoman, as were looking at this new video of Russia striking a residential building in Kharkiv, it's just a horrific attack that killed a 3-year-old. Ukraine's intel service is also warning that there's a high probability that Russia is preparing this false flag attack they're talking about, either in Russia or in territory that it controls in Ukraine.

How are you receiving this warning?

REP. MADELEINE DEAN (D-PA): Well, I thank you for this reporting, Brianna. In this New Year, we hope for peace and we have to fight for peace. And so, as a member of both appropriations and foreign affairs, that's what I'll be fighting for.

If you take a look at the numbers, I hope the world recognizes that more civilians have been killed. To your recent report just now, more civilians have been killed in 2025, in this horrific war in Ukraine than in 2024 and 2023. So, it is time for the president of the United States, his diplomatic leaders. And I've talked with Marco Rubio, Secretary Rubio, it is time for diplomatic results to end this war in Ukraine and to remember exactly who is the invader and the aggressor.

For whatever reason, the president, our president for some reason, likes to side with Mr. Putin. But of course, the intelligence the CIA has told him otherwise. So, I'm just grievously worried about the continuing of this war, the loss of more civilian life, the loss of any life, frankly, and that I am very hopeful that these conversations, these peace talks continue and that cooler heads prevail and that this administration, the president of the United States, who wants to win a Nobel peace prize, make it a win based on Ukraine, make it a win based on Gaza and peace there.

You have these things right before your eyes if only you would focus on them, Mr. President.

KEILAR: Are your Republican colleagues sharing in your concern? You said you spoke with Secretary Rubio. Is he sharing in your concern? And do you have confidence that they have the president's ear?

DEAN: Well, you know, when I spoke to the secretary was during a classified briefing, bipartisan classified briefing around the Venezuelan strikes, and so I let my thoughts be known to the secretary at the end of that briefing.

Sadly, that briefing around the Venezuelan strikes now, I think were up to at least 35 votes strikes, more than 100 people dead. People who have not been identified, threats that they have brought have not been identified. Evidence not been brought forward.

And so, I talked to the secretary about my concerns around that as well.

KEILAR: Sources tell CNN, you mentioned Venezuela here that Russia has filed a formal diplomatic request to the State Department asking the U.S. to stop pursuing an oil tanker that was headed to Venezuela, but turned around to avoid being seized by the U.S. Russia is now claiming protection of the ship. What do you make of this?

DEAN: Oh, my goodness. Watch your friends, watch your foes. And this is what the president, our president, has gotten mixed up in.

This is not about what the president claims it is about, which is the interdiction of drugs. Brianna, I think you know a little bit about me. There's nobody greater than I am on absolute no forgiveness for folks who are trying to bring drugs to the United States or to any community, frankly.

But the president has revealed that he's not interested, really, in interdicting drugs. This is about oil. This is about money.

This is strangely I fear about regime change. When the president pardons two of the greatest drug criminals that we have seen sentenced recently, Mr. Hernandez, the president who was sentenced to 45 years and President Trump pardoned him in December. And then back early in the year, our president pardoned Ross Ulbricht, who was the Silk Road drug dealer of hundreds of millions of dollars through the use of bitcoin.

So, what is very troubling is that the president is not talking about what he really cares about, which is about other resources, possibly about regime change. I wish he would focus on fentanyl, which is poisoning folks in our country. That's not what he's doing here.

KEILAR: Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, thank you so much for being with us on this day. We appreciate it.

DEAN: Thank you. Bye, Brianna.

KEILAR: OUTFRONT next, the backlash is spreading. More Trump Kennedy center performers pulling out tonight after the name change, adding President Trump's to the center. My next guest is one of them. And he will tell me about the response he's gotten from around the world.

And Al Gore with some strong words for President Trump sitting down with our Bill Weir.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GORE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: It is one of the dumbest strategic economic decisions in the whole history of our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:46:06]

KEILAR: Tonight, growing backlash against the Trump Kennedy Center. "Wicked" composer Stephen Schwartz, who helped launch the Kennedy Center in 1971, is now refusing to set foot in the venue, according (VIDEO GAP) last year about participating in a gala in May, but assumed it wasn't moving forward.

Earlier today, though, his appearance was advertised on the website and tonight he's leaving no doubt, telling CNN, quote, it is no longer a political and ideological statement, as long as that remains (VIDEO GAP) there.

Trump appointed director Richard Grenell asserted that Schwartz was never confirmed for the event, posting, quote, "The Stephen Schwartz reports are totally bogus. Shame on the woke high school reporters repeating it." Schwartz's representative did say to the best of their knowledge, he did not sign any contract or formal agreement.

Schwartz is just the latest artist distancing himself from the Trump Kennedy Center.

My next guest also refusing to perform there. He canceled two performances scheduled for April at a personal cost of $40,000.

OUTFRONT now, Doug Varone. He is the choreographer and director of Doug Varone and Dancers.

Doug, first off, just your reaction to Schwartz's refusal to go to what is now the Trump Kennedy Center?

DOUG VARONE, NYC DANCE COMPANY DIRECTOR WHO CANCELED KENNEDY CENTER PERFORMANCE: Well, I've always been a big fan of Stephen Schwartz, and I am even more so now. The fact that he has such a long relationship with the Kennedy (VIDEO GAP) us even more impactful.

KEILAR: You say that the renaming of the center pushed you off a cliff. Explain that to us.

VARONE: Well, as I think you probably know, the Kennedy center was created in 1964 by an act of congress, and it was named after a president who believed that the arts were at the center of this nation, that art and artists and culture were to be revered. And, the Kennedy Center itself has lived by those principles for the past 50 years. I've performed there many times. And when you step on that campus as an artist, you feel important. And that what you do matters.

We have a president right now who claims he loves art, but is actively seeking to eliminate the national endowment for the arts. This is the only federally funded agency for artists in our country. I can't imagine any artist wanting to step through those doors right now with his name on that building.

KEILAR: There's a financial reality here for you. I mean, roughly $40,000 lost so far, affecting you. It affects your dancers, too. It affects the technicians. It affects the others who are on payroll.

How big of a hit is that financially for you and others?

VARONE: Well, we are a modest nonprofit dance company based here in New York city. $40,000 is a chunk of change for us. It will definitely have an impact. When we put a budget together, we are looking, you know, at pennies to make our budgets. This is going to have a great effect if we can't figure out a way to, that everyone in our organization, from our board to our dancers to our staff all supported this decision.

KEILAR: Grenell is arguing that cancellations like yours show some artists were never willing to perform for politically diverse audiences. How do you respond to what he's saying?

VARONE: Well, I think that Ric Grenell needs to do his homework. You know, I've spent the last 40 years, touring all around this country, to -- from urban areas to rural areas.

[19:50:05]

And the amazing thing about it is that the art speaks truth. Very often, we are playing audiences that have radically different ideas about how to run this country than we do, but sharing what we do was artists and allowing that to speak with the audience allows us to understand how much more similar we are than different. And that is the beautiful thing about art, as far as I'm concerned. And getting it out to the public is paramount.

So, for me, art is about community. It's about humanity. And when politics kind of intervenes, everyone loses. And I feel like that's what's happening right now at the Kennedy Center.

KEILAR: Grenell says the center is planning to file $1 million lawsuit after the holidays against jazz musician Chuck Redd for pulling out of a planned performance. Are you afraid of that?

VARONE: I think it could certainly be a possibility. I feel as if the contract that we put together includes a clause that protects us from that. So, I'm not too concerned. I think if they went back and read what they actually signed, I think they might have a different tact.

KEILAR: Thank you so much. We really appreciate you being with us.

VARONE: Fantastic. Thanks so much for asking.

KEILAR: OUTFRONT next, Al Gore sitting down with our Bill Weir tonight sounding the alarm about President Trump's climate policies.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:56:05]

KEILAR: Tonight, Al Gore sounding off on President Trump's policies on climate change, calling them, quote, "dumb". The former vice president, who has made climate change his passion project for more than two decades, sat down recently with our Bill Weir. They talked about Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, and gore has some strong words about Trump's rhetoric and rollbacks on major environmental protections.

Bill Weir is OUTFORNT with his fascinating interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL GORE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Dumbest strategic economic decisions in the whole --

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If anyone deserves to be depressed these days, it is Al Gore.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Withdrawal from the Paris climate treaty.

WEIR (voice-over): As the second Trump administration proudly destroys everything he's ever worked for, from climate science and diplomacy to the exploding popularity of renewable energy.

TRUMP: Wind is the worst. It's a big -- it's a big -- that's a scam.

WEIR (voice-over): And yet --

GORE: I think we have crossed peak Trump. He is well and truly in lame duck status. He even dismissed the wackadoodle theory of how he might be able to get a third term in office. So, the race to replace him as the Republican nominee next time is already underway.

WEIR (voice-over): Gore hangs his optimism on two things -- sun and wind power are now cheaper than the planet cooking alternatives. And Democrats who run on this fact --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Clean, affordable, energy to power Georgia --

WEIR (voice-over): -- swept recent elections.

GORE: Look at the election in Georgia that was a surprise to many people. There were two seats on the public service commission, which regulates electricity prices, and two progressive candidates took on the fossil fuel friendly incumbents and just beat them like a drum, because people know that they can get cheaper electricity from solar and wind. But he is forcing taxpayers to subsidize fossil fuels and putting up policy obstacles to renewable energy.

WEIR (voice-over): Meanwhile, planet earth is still overheating at a staggering rate, with the cost of disaster mounting and climate diplomacy failing. If Paris 2015 was the high point of world agreement on the crisis, Brazil 2025 goes down as a low with actual fire and floods serving as metaphorical backdrops and with no American delegation for the first time ever.

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D), CALIFORNIA: And we're here in the absence of leadership from Donald Trump.

WEIR (voice-over): Democrats like Gavin Newsom and Gore tried to convince the world of American commitment despite Trump. But in the end, the 80-plus nations most eager to fight the crisis were outgunned by petro states, and nearly 2,000 lobbyists.

GORE: Saudi Arabia, which is by all odds the single most damaging and reckless player in this whole drama from the very beginning, they have been emboldened by Trump to be even more aggressive than in the past. It's easy to let your disappointment turn into a conclusion. Well, I'm done with this. But actually, the broader view is when the entire world convenes for two weeks every year to focus intensely on how to solve the climate crisis, even if the petro states and the fossil fuel companies can veto diplomatic language, they cannot veto real world action.

WEIR (voice-over): Bill Weir, CNN, New York

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Our thanks to Bill Weir for that.

And before we go, some incredible new video, a heroic rescue caught on camera after a golden retriever fell through thin ice on a frozen Rhode Island pond. According to authorities. He slipped and immediately became trapped. Well, firefighters quickly jumped into that frigid water. Don't worry, they had on those ice suits and the dog, aptly named Phoenix, was pulled to safety. Phoenix was reportedly calm and unharmed throughout the entire ordeal.

Thank you so much for joining us.

"AC360" starts now.