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Polls: Many Americans Unhappy With Trump's Handling Of Economy; Sources: Bovino And Border Patrol Agents To Leave Chicago; Russian Forces Move Deeper Into Ukrainian City Of Pokrovsk. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired November 12, 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]
BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: Local authorities had closed the bridge on Monday after they spotted cracks on nearby roads and slopes. No deaths or injuries have been reported.
Donald Trump is downplaying concerns about affordability in the U.S. calling them a Democratic con job. How his distorted message is resonating with Americans next.
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[05:35:00]
ABEL: Welcome back to EARLY START. This is your business breakout.
Here is where the U.S. futures stand ahead of the opening bell on Wall Street. They're all up. The Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq starting the day in green.
All right. Let's check some of today's business headlines.
State law enforcers in the U.S. are teaming up with tech giants Microsoft and OpenAI to form a new AI task force. The attorneys general of North Carolina and Utah expect other state regulators and AI companies to join. With no overarching federal laws regulating artificial intelligence the group will aim to work to develop "basic safeguards."
Russian oil company Lukoil is struggling to hold on to its international assets amid the pressure of U.S. sanctions. Iraq's oil ministry says Lukoil cannot pay salaries of hundreds of employees operating in the country due to those sanctions. The company has a huge stake in Iraq's oilfields. Lukoil has told Iraq's state oil company that it is declaring force majeure, citing circumstances beyond its control for its inability to fulfill its contract.
New economic data suggests the U.S. job market continues to weaken. Payroll firm ADP says more than 11,000 jobs were lost per week on average in the four weeks ending October 25. That's compared to a gain of more than 14,000 jobs in the four weeks prior. ADP data has become essential for economists trying to keep track of the U.S. economy because of the lack of official government data to the government shutdown.
Donald Trump ran his re-election campaign based largely on improving the economy, pledging to make things more affordable for the average American, but with costs rising across the country many people are feeling a painful economic pinch. Yet, when President Trump sat down with Laura Ingraham of Fox News, he told a very different story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST, "THE INGRAHAM ANGLE": Is this a voter perception issue of the economy or is there more that needs to be done by Republicans on Capitol Hill, or done in terms of policy?
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: More than anything else it's a con job by the Democrats. It's a con job.
INGRAHAM: So you're saying their voters are misperceiving how they feel or --
TRUMP: So when I took over you remember I was --
INGRAHAM: Because you said Biden did that too because he was saying things were great and things weren't great.
TRUMP: Let's say it's synonymous -- Biden and Kamala, you know, because you didn't know who the hell was campaigning.
INGRAHAM: Why are people saying they're anxious about the economy? Why are they saying that?
TRUMP: I don't know that they are saying it. I think polls are fake. We have the greatest economy we've ever had.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABEL: CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten takes us through the decidedly real numbers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Donald Trump might be trying to downplay voters' concerns about affordability but I'm here to tell you that is a ginormous error. It may be an error that goes down in political infamy. Why do I say that? Well, the reason Donald Trump was elected to fix the problem of inflation.
Right back in October of 2024 who was more trust in inflation? It was Donald Trump by nine points over Kamala Harris. But look at where we are today. Donald Trump is underwater with the Titanic when it comes to inflation. His net approval rating is 26 underwater. My goodness gracious.
Now I know Donald Trump, when things aren't going his way, wants to pass the political buck. He might try and throw it back in Joe Biden's face, the former president. That, simply put, will not work. The American people don't buy it because get this -- more responsible
for the current economy, Trump or Biden? We're talking 54 percent. The clear majority of voters say Donald Trump is more responsible for the current economy than just 21 percent who say Joe Biden. I will note I've seen this in poll after poll after poll. More folks saying Trump is responsible than Biden.
Now, of course, it's one thing if voters don't like the state of economy, but it's another thing when they don't think that Donald Trump actually gives a hoot. And we see that in the polling because take a look here. Trump attention to lowering costs not enough. We're talking about three in four Americans -- 75 percent overall who say Trump's not paying enough attention to lowering costs.
And even among Republicans -- that solid Republican base who oftentimes approves of Trump's job by 85-90 percent -- 57 percent of them say that Trump's not paying enough attention to lowering costs.
Now, we're talking about Trump. He, of course, at least constitutionally, can't run for another term but his Republican Party is up in the midterm elections. They should be scared s-h-blank-blank- blank-less.
Why do I say that? Because we just had a test of this. We just had a test. The economy in the off-year elections in New Jersey, in Virginia. And get this -- how economy-first voters went in 2025. Mikie Sherrill, the Democrat in New Jersey -- get this -- she won them by 33 points. How about in Virginia? Abigail Spanberger, the Democrat -- she won economy-first voters by 27 points.
If these numbers hold and Donald Trump continues to try and ignore a problem that Americans very much thing we have in terms of cost of living affordability -- well, it might be adios amigos -- goodbye for the House Republican majority and I dare say the Republican Senate majority as well.
[05:40:10]
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABEL: Harry, thank you.
Two of China's most popular gay dating apps have disappeared from app stores in the country. Blued and Finka are no longer available to download on IOS or Android, but existing users can still use the apps. There has been no official announcement about their removal, but Chinese regulators frequently take down content without explanation. It's not illegal to be gay in China but the apps removal is raising fears of a crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community.
The Trump administration's top border patrol official might be leaving Chicago as early as this week. An update on the U.S. immigration crackdown still ahead.
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[05:45:15]
ABEL: Welcome back. I'm Brian Abel. Here are some stories we are watching today.
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote today on a bill to reopen the U.S. federal government after 42 days of being shut down. Earlier the House Rules Committee advanced the Senate-approved bill sending it to the House floor for votes in the coming hours. It faces fierce opposition from Democrats who wanted to provide enhanced health care subsidies to offset skyrocketing premiums.
U.S. airlines are expected to cut up to 10 percent of flights from 40 of the nation's busiest airports by Friday if the government shutdown doesn't end by then. The FAA ordered the move due to staffing shortages. It has caused thousands of flights to be delayed or canceled outright in the last few days, and it is expected to get worse.
The Trump administration's deadly strikes on alleged drug boats in Caribbean has prompted the U.K. to halt some of its intelligence sharing with the U.S. The strikes have killed at least 76 people since September. Sources tell CNN that British officials do not want to be complicit in a U.S. operation they believe violates international law.
As the Trump administration looks to expand its immigration crackdown across major U.S. cities reports are emerging that top border patrol official Gregory Bovino could be leaving Chicago in the coming days. U.S. officials familiar with the planning say Bovino and his agents are considering where else to ramp up arrests.
CNN's Priscilla Alvarez explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The top border patrol official who has been leading the charge of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in cities is expected to leave the city of Chicago as early as this week along with his agent.
Now, Gregory Bovino has been with the border patrol for nearly three decades. It was under the Trump administration that he was tapped to lead these aggressive immigration enforcement efforts in cities, including Los Angeles earlier this year and now in Chicago where he has been with some of his agents about 2,000 miles from the sector that he leads in -- or along the U.S. southern border.
Now, Gregory Bovino is expected to go to Charlotte, North Carolina as well as later, New Orleans, according to sources I've spoken with, though they stress that plans are influx.
But it speaks to the Trump administration's intention of continuing this immigration crackdown in multiple cities and more specifically embracing the approach that Bovina has taken in his heavy-handed tactics, some of which has been the subject of litigation, including last week when a federal judge found that plaintiffs in a case who accused federal judges -- federal agents, I should say, of aggressive behavior against peaceful protesters were "threatened and harmed" for exercising their constitutional rights.
Now local officials in Chicago and in Illinois have already weighed in with the mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, saying, "Greg Bovino's legacy in Chicago is chaos, criminality, and terror."
And the Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker saying, "This has never been about improving immigration enforcement or public safety. This is about normalizing military tanks and armed troops on American streets."
Now, when asked for comment about plans moving forward for Bovino the Department of Homeland Security said that they will continue immigration enforcement operations in the city of Chicago.
Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABEL: The U.N. Climate Change Conference is underway in Brazil's Amazon region. Indigenous protesters clashed with security guards there on Tuesday demanding climate action and forced protection.
This year's summit has representatives from nearly 200 countries, but the U.S. is noticeably absent from the conference. The Trump administration chose not to send a high-level delegation to the summit. Earlier this year U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.
And the White House officials are planning to open the California coast to offshore oil and gas drilling for the first time in decades. That is according to a draft map reviewed by The Washington Post. The Trump administration's plan proposes six offshore lease sales between 2027 and 2030 along the coast.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal critic of President Trump, shut down the idea of the plan, calling it "dead on arrival." CNN reached out to Newsom's office for more information and was told "No. The Trump administration tends to make policy by press release, not by collaboration."
Russia says its military forces are moving deeper into parts of eastern Ukraine. Moscow believes that taking one city in particular -- what it calls the gateway to Donetsk -- will give it the chance to push into two of the biggest cities in the region.
[05:50:00]
CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: What you're looking at here is a Russian soldier view riding into the heavily contested strategic city of Pokrovsk in the east of Ukraine. The checkpoint is blasted apart and then they get to the fork in the road in the south corner of the city. And you can see most of the troops seem to be riding motorcycles -- the vehicles battered, heavily laden.
It's taken them 10 months to get just three miles up the road. At the beginning of the year they were very close. The rail center at the center of the town is two miles from where they are right now and it could take many months before they get there. That rail hub hugely important for the Ukrainian government. It strategically gives value.
We were there a few years ago watching Ukrainians being evacuated -- even some returning -- and a town -- a city so important that President Zelenskyy visited last year.
Not clear when the Russians will -- if they're able to take control of all of it but getting a foothold in it for sure now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABEL: Nic Robertson there reporting. Nic, thank you.
Mega Millions and sports is up next. We'll be right back.
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[05:55:40]
ABEL: There were no big winners in the latest Mega Millions lottery drawing so now that jackpot is approaching a billion dollars. Three tickets won the game's second tier prize. So one ticket is worth $5 million and two tickets will pay $3 million each. The estimated prize for Friday's drawing is now $965 million and the odds of winning it -- the whole thing -- one in about 290 million.
In the NHL the Washington Capitals snapped a four-game winning streak for the Carolina Hurricanes but that was not the highlight of the night. In the first period, Washington's Nic Dowd lays out Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen with a big hit.
You might imagine what comes next. Here is it -- a brawl. It breaks out between both teams. You can see referees struggling to control the situation. There were 22 minutes of penalties dished out in just the first period.
Now once the game settled down Washington did run away with it winning the game 4-1.
For months, Dallas Mavericks fans chanted "Fire Nicco" and on Tuesday they got their wish. The Mavericks fired embattled general manager Nico Harrison months after he executed one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, dealing away superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
They are the world's top two men's singles tennis players, and they have split this year's four grand slam titles between them. Now they both want to the win the season ending ATP Finals and tour in Italy. And CNN's Amanda Davies sat down with Jannik Sinner and Carlos
Alcaraz.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Do you like the word rivalry?
CARLOS ALCARAZ, 6-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION: I think that the word rivalry is thick on the professional part. Yes, you know, in the -- in the tennis -- in the tennis side we try to find the weaknesses, you know, from each other on court. But then when we shake hands and we are off the court we are totally different. We sometimes forget about the rivalry we are getting, you know, on tour, and we became persons.
DAVIES: And so this week -- I mean, we have to talk about this trophy. How much for you, Carlos, is this week about winning the finals and how much about -- is it about ending the year with your hands on this trophy -- the world number one.
ALCARAZ: It comes -- it comes greater for me because obviously I got to do a really good result here if I want to end the number one. So for me the goals are quite the same right now.
DAVIES: Because Jannik, you've kind of been playing down talk of the year-end number one part of it.
JANNIK SINNER, 4-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION: Yeah. I mean, for me, you know, it has been a different kind of year having some very unusual situations. And there is for sure this extra motivation, extra pressure. It's also a privilege to be in a position. It's something great to finish the year with a win or with an incredibly big trophy.
But again, you know, you also don't have to forget how the season went and then everything we both have done again for now two years. And it has been, again, a great year.
DAVIES: How do you sum up your year in hair?
ALCARAZ: Just two changes -- or three changes actually. My team -- my team are scared about it next year. So, I mean, this year it has been really good with the changes. If something worked, would I -- would I say change?
DAVIES: Jannik, how do you sum up his year in hair?
SINNER: Amazing. Amazing, yeah. Unexpected but also --
DAVIES: Have you -- have you got any -
SINNER: -- but it's great.
DAVIES: -- inspiration, maybe, that you're taking?
SINNER: Honestly, I'm good with this messy hair. But again, you know, whatever. It's great, you know, and it suits you very well. I like it like this with the black and white. It's also good because we are in Turin and now I can cheer for Juventus. It's perfect.
ALCARAZ: (Laughing).
DAVIES: I can't ever see that happening.
ALCARAZ: I didn't think about it, actually.
DAVIES: Yeah.
[06:00:00]
Oh, it's been a real pleasure to speak to you, and thank you both.
ALCARAZ: Thank you.
DAVIES: Good luck, both of you, this week.
ALCARAZ: Thank you very much.
SINNER: Thank you.
ALCARAZ: I appreciate it. Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABEL: And thank you, Amanda.
All right. Take a look at this stunning sight in the skies across the U.S. -- an Aurora Borealis seen in Iowa and Virginia. A powerful burst of energy from the sun sent solar wind crashing into Earth's atmosphere. The severe geomagnetic storm means the Northern Lights could be seen as far south as Florida.
Thank you for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Brian Abel in Washington, D.C. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
