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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Trump's "Christian Massacre" Claims: As Seen On TV?; Government Health Care Prices Set To Surge With No Deal; Prosecutors: Heist Suspects Are Local Petty Criminals. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired November 04, 2025 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:00]

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: She also declined to answer that on the grounds that there was a potential that it could prejudice the trial against him. And she urged anyone to refrain from speculation about the case.

Nic Robertson, CNN, London.

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BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: Nic, thank you.

The U.S. defense secretary is heading back to Washington after wrapping up his trip to South Korea. Pete Hegseth and a South Korean defense minister visited the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Hegseth was also set to sit down for a conversation with South Korea's president.

Earlier the defense secretary joined an annual meeting where the two countries discussed their military alliance after President Donald Trump announced an agreement in which Seoul would build a nuclear submarine in the U.S.

Hegseth had this to say.

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PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: I think it's a reflection of something I said that the president wants allies to be strong. He wants our allies to have the best capabilities. And because Korea has been a model ally, he's open to opportunities like that that ensure they have the best capabilities in their own defense and alongside us as allies.

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ABEL: And meanwhile, President Trump is sticking by his claims of a Christian massacre in Nigeria. He has warned he may send U.S. troops into the West African country "guns-a-blazing" to protect the country's Christian population. But as CNN's Alayna Treene reports the president's fixation on this issue may have actually been motivated by one of his favorite TV news channels.

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ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Donald Trump was headed to Florida on Friday. He was watching Fox News when a segment caught his attention. Essentially, it was a Fox News segment on the plight of Christians being targeted by Islamic groups into Nigeria.

Now, one of the sources who I spoke with told me that immediately angered the president. He had asked to be read in on and inquired really for more information about this. And less than an hour later after him viewing that segment he started posting about it on social media.

And then really throughout the rest of the weekend the president had spent a lot of time and attention talking about Nigeria. One of his posts said that he wanted to go in "guns-a-blazing" -- that's a quote from the president -- to Nigeria to deal with this.

Now I will say one of the sources that I spoke with said that a lot of this is Trump making threats to see how Nigeria responds. They called it an art of the deal-type strategy, and it gave me the sense that potentially there is no imminent military action to expect. However, we also know that the Pentagon has been making contingency plans around this.

All to say we have to see where it will lead and how long this may stay at the top of the president's mind.

Alayna Treene, CNN, the White House.

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ABEL: It is already looking a lot like Christmas at many popular retailers. And coming up we will look at ways to avoid breaking the bank this holiday shopping season.

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[05:37:38]

ABEL: Welcome back to EARLY START. This is your business breakout.

Trading gets underway in just a few hours on Wall Street as voters prepare to head to the polls, and here is where the U.S. futures stand at the moment. The Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq all starting the day down in the red.

Let's check some of today's business headlines now.

China says it will allow the export of chips critical to automative production, avoiding widespread shutdowns that would have disrupted the global auto industry. Beijing retaliated after the Dutch government took action on Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker based in the Netherlands. China softened its stance after a meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.

Starbucks selling control of its China operations to investment firm Boyu Capital in a deal worth $4 billion. That joint venture will see Boyu gain up to 60 percent ownership of Starbucks' retail operations across China. Under the agreement Starbucks will retain a 40 percent stake in the venture and will continue to own and license the brand to Boyu.

Kimberly-Clark and Kenvue, the companies behind Huggies and Tylenol, are merging in a massive $50 billion deal. And that deal -- it comes with some considerable risk. The acquisition is happening a few weeks after President Donald Trump make unfounded claims linking autism to Tylenol use during pregnancy. Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, has staunchly pushed back against those accusations.

With Christmas now right around the corner holiday shoppers will be faced with higher prices on many popular items, making it tough to stay on budget.

CNN's Michael Yoshida spoke with financial experts on ways you can be savvy and strategic this holiday season.

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MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN REPORTER (voiceover): Tis the season when gift- giving can take over our lives. But with many Americans still worried about rising costs, resale or secondhand shopping is becoming a more popular way for finding value and meaning in gifts.

ALON ROTEM, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, THREDUP: What we're finding is that consumers are ready to spend nearly 40 percent of their holiday budgets on secondhand, which is up significantly from last year.

YOSHIDA (voiceover): Alon Rotem of ThredUp, an online thrift store, says the stigma around buying secondhand is starting to disappear with it becoming more mainstream.

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ROTEM: Because value is king with consumers this is a great way for them to extend their dollar and get more for their money. Secondhand is also a way to sort of cut through the noise of the ordinary and find more unique items. Items that tell a story. Items that are more personal.

YOSHIDA (voiceover): Other ways to save. Start early to take advantage of end-of-summer clearance sales. Don't wait until Black Friday. Use reward credit cards taking advantage of cashback or points. And to keep your holiday shopping from turning into a financial horror show remember for your debit card, know your balance, don't overdraft and suffer fees. Even if you have a high limit don't spend beyond your budget. And with buy now-pay later options, try not to use them for discretionary spending that can quickly add up. CYNTHIA CHEN, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, KIKOFF: It's very easy to forget,

say, two out of the 20 small purchases with different payment due dates that you made from a few months ago and the ones you have missed payments, they may get reported to the credit bureaus.

YOSHIDA: And one of the experts we spoke with recommended to use a budgeting app to lay out a clear picture of just how much money you have coming in and how much you're using on expenses. Then you'll know just how much money may be left over for items and gifts for your friends and family.

In Washington, I'm Michael Yoshida.

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ABEL: And still to come, some Americans may have to pay a lot more for health care if the government doesn't reopen soon. We'll break down those numbers after the break.

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ABEL: Welcome back. I'm Brian Abel. Here are some stories we are watching today.

It is Election Day in the U.S. with major contests from New York to California. Polls show Democrat Zohran Mamdani leading Independent Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayor's race. President Trump is urging voters to choose Cuomo, saying Mamdani isn't capable of doing the job.

New Jersey will pick its next governor today. Democratic Congressmember Mikie Sherrill is leading Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the polls. She is a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot. He, a businessman and former state lawmaker endorsed by President Trump.

The U.S. has entered day 35 of the government shutdown, which means it is now tied for the longest shutdown in American history. Nearly 42 million Americans won't get their full amount of government assistance to buy food this month as a result, and officials say SNAP recipients in some states may not see their November benefits for weeks.

Democratic lawmakers continue to demand that Republicans extend health care subsidies as a requirement for making a deal to reopen the government. Without that consideration Americans using government insurance programs face a dramatic increase in the price of health care.

CNN's Tom Foreman has more details.

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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This year more than 24 million Americans signed up for Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act, and as they go into the new year, they could be facing an increase in their premiums of 26 percent. That's just because of increases to the cost of this program.

If they lose the enhanced subsidies, which were kicked in back around COVID time to help make it more affordable to more people -- if that goes away -- and it does go away unless Congress takes action -- it could be an even bigger jump. For example, the average family could watch their annual premium go from $888 to $1,904 -- some people even more, some people less. But it's a huge, whopping number out there.

What's making everything go up higher? Well, it's not just for Obamacare. It's insurance overall. Hospitals and staff, the cost of operating much higher. There's competition for labor out there. Basic resources they need much more expensive.

There are drugs on the market now. For example, weight loss drugs and some cancer drugs that are very expensive. The insurance companies say look; we can provide it but it's going to cost more in terms of premiums.

Tariffs and general market instability. Just like a lot of businesses aren't sure what's in front of them in this political environment, the medical business is the same. The insurance companies are the same. They want to plan ahead and try not to get caught holding the bag if something changes.

And usage. As more people have become insured, more people have used medical services. That drives up demand. That drives up the prices.

One hundred fifty-four million Americans are insured through their jobs. Employers, fearful of these costs, are asking many employees why don't you kick in a little bit more too to help us out.

All of it starts adding up to more and more and more costs, whether you're in Obamacare or out of Obamacare. And the bottom line of all of this is if it gets too expensive people start dropping out. And insurance works because people stay in, particularly healthy people who are the ones most likely to drop out. That's the knife's edge that this is sitting on right now as we try to figure out how much we're all going to pay for health care next year and who is going to be covered.

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ABEL: All right, Tom Foreman. Thank you.

It is a party in Los Angeles after the Dodgers claimed back-to-back World Series titles. Coming up a closer look at a boisterous citywide celebration.

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ABEL: American actress Diane Ladd has died at the age of 89 in her California home, according to her family. The three-time Oscar nominee was a Hollywood darling for six decades with a wide range of roles, including Martin Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and "Rambling Rose." That was one of two films in which she starred alongside her daughter Laura Dern. That role was one of the rare times in academy history where a mother and daughter were actually nominated for the same film.

And Comedy Central says Jon Stewart isn't going anywhere anytime soon. They are extending his "DAILY SHOW" contract through next year's midterms. Stewart returned to the satirical news program last year citing his need to "unload thoughts" heading into the presidential election -- and unload he has.

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JON STEWART, HOST, COMEDY CENTRAL "THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART": The truth is indications are very clear he's going to do it because you don't move into a house, knock down a wing, and build a 90,000 square foot ballroom for the next guy. Trump's not a house flipper. He's not Ellen. He's in it for the long haul.

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ABEL: That kind of edge has made Stewart both a lightning rod for political pushback and a reliable ratings draw. Paramount, which owns Comedy Central, has faced growing criticism for making concessions to the Trump administration, including canceling "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT." This time the company does seem willing to weather the political heat, at least while Stewart's rating hold.

And there is a new "Sexiest Man Alive" according to People magazine, and it's actor Jonathan Bailey known for his roles in "BRIDGERTON," "Wicked," and "Jurassic World Rebirth." He made the big reveal of the magazine cover on "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON."

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JIMMY FALLON, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON": How does it feel to be on the cover of People -- Sexiest Man Alive?

JONATHAN BAILEY, ACTOR, PEOPLE MAGAZINE'S SEXIEST MAN ALIVE: I mean, it's an honor of a lifetime.

FALLON: It really is.

BAILEY: And I want to say Jimmy, thank you so much for turning it down so that I could be it.

FALLON: Yeah, that's exactly right.

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ABEL: Yeah -- same, Jimmy -- same.

Bailey is the 40th man to receive the honor and the first publicly out gay man as well. And here's a little fun fact for you. People magazine's first "Sexiest Man Alive" was Mel Gibson back in 1985. A federal judge has thrown out actor Jason Baldoni's $400 million countersuit against actress Blake Lively after nearly a year in court. He had accused Lively of extortion and defamation after she sued him for misconduct on the set of their film "It Ends With Us," and for allegedly coordinating a retaliatory smear campaign against her.

Baldoni has denied those claims. His countersuit was dismissed after he failed to respond to an amended complaint. Lively's original lawsuit against Baldoni is still active.

When thieves broke into the Louvre and stole some of the French crown jewels it sounded like the script of a Hollywood movie, but as the investigation progresses prosecutors say the reality is not so glamorous.

Isa Soares has the details.

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ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Petty criminals with no association to organized crime. That is how the Paris prosecutor has described suspects currently in police custody in connection with the Louvre heist.

Prosecutor Laure Beccuau provided a lot of interesting in an interview she gave to French radio station FranceInfo over the weekend. The latest suspects to be placed under investigation are all "local people from the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis with no strong ties to organized crime."

There are now currently four people under formal investigation in relation to the daring, daylight robbery on October 19.

And over the weekend a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman were both placed under formal investigation. The pair are in a long-term relationship. The man has 11 previous convictions, 10 of which are for robbery. The 37-year-old man participated in a robbery in Paris in 2015, with a third suspect, a 39-year-old man, who also has two convictions for aggravated robbery. Both were convicted by authorities for this crime a decade ago. A final and fourth suspect, a 34-year-old man, was the first person to be placed under formal investigation.

But investigators aren't necessarily surprised that the suspects lack strong ties to organized crime units. The Paris prosecutor said it's becoming more common for criminals with no links to organized crime to progress "relatively quickly" to committing extremely serious crimes.

This latest round of developments led to further searches and the seizure of new items, which police are now actively examining. This is according to the court.

As for the stolen jewels themselves, you ask, which are estimated at a value of $102 million, investigators are probing all places on the black market where they could possibly be sold. And that is, again, according to the prosecutor. Last week she appealed to anyone considering selling the jewels, saying there was still time to return them. She said this.

LAURE BECCUAU, PARIS PROSECUTOR (through translator): As I speak to you, the jewelry is not yet in our possession. I'd like to keep the hope that it will be found and can be returned to the Louvre Museum and more broadly to the nation. These jewels are now unsaleable. Anyone who buys them would be guilty of the offense of handling stolen goods. There is still time to return them.

SOARES: So now it seems investigators have more than enough to keep themselves occupied as they keep trying to solve this most brazen of heists.

Isa Soares, CNN, London.

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ABEL: Tens of thousands of Dodgers fans lining the streets of Los Angeles to celebrate their back-to-back World Series champs. Following this weekend's thrilling game seven win over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers are now the MLB's first repeat champions in over two decades. The parade ended at Dodger Stadium where members of the team addressed a cheering crowd. Congratulations to them.

Thank you for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Brian Abel in Washington. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.