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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Trump Condemns D.C. Shooting As "Act Of Terror"; Pope Leo XIV Brings Message Of Peace To The Middle East; CNN Takes A Look At Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Prep. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired November 27, 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: Clare Sebastian for us in London. Clare, thank you.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump says South Africa is not invited to next year's G20 summit near Miami, adding that the longtime ally, in his words, is not worthy of membership anywhere. Johannesburg hosted this year's summit last weekend, but the U.S. boycotted the event amid unfounded accusations by the White House that South Africa is committing genocide against its white citizens. South Africa called the decision regrettable, saying the punitive measure was based on misinformation.

After Black Friday comes Small Business Saturday. Why it's especially important to shop local this year. That's ahead.

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[05:35:22]

ABEL: Welcome back to EARLY START. This is your business breakout when we -- where we check some of today's business headlines.

Pledges of financial aid are pouring in for those affected by the Hong Kong apartment fire. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is allocating two million yuan or about $280,000 to the Red Cross. Corporate donations are adding up into the tens of millions as well. Tech giant TenCent, for example, is among those helping displaced residents find new housing and to get essential supplies.

A newly unsealed legal filing is providing insight into a massive lawsuit brought against four social media giants. The plaintiffs, a group of school districts, allege the companies knew their platforms could cause harm to teen mental health but continued to target teen users anyway. Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube parent Google have sought to dismiss the case.

An increasing number of people are choosing to eat out for Thanksgiving this year. Restaurant reservations for the holiday climbed 13 percent from last year, according to booking platform OpenTable. This comes at time when both the cost of groceries and dining out are climbing. Well, tomorrow is Black Friday, considered the start of the holiday shopping season, with sales from big-box retailers, but on Small Business Saturday the deals center and mom and pop shops.

Jen Sullivan explains why this year it's particularly important to shop local.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENN SULLIVAN, CNN REPORTER, PRODUCER (voiceover): During the day, Ashten O'Malley works in tech, but at night and on weekends she's working out of this shed in her backyard fulfilling her dream of being a small business owner. She's the founder of Circle Time Stories.

ASHTEN O'MALLEY, FOUNDER, CIRCLE TIME STORIES: Circle Time Stories is a brand of children's books and supportive tools that put life -- big life lessons into tangible concepts for kids.

SULLIVAN (voiceover): Between juggling two jobs she's also a mom to a 5- and 2-year-old. Her children, her inspiration behind the idea to first write and self-publish a children's book about bravery called "The Very Brave Day."

O'MALLEY: Bravery isn't, you know, facing the monster in your closest. It's trying a new food.

SULLIVAN (voiceover): This book, the launching pad to a much bigger idea about kids talking about and tackling their big emotions. She now sells stickers, clothing, and stuffed animals, all tied to stories about being brave. She says her biggest challenge is finances.

O'MALLEY: My margins are razor-thin. I feel like I'm just incurring more costs and it's so expensive.

SULLIVAN (voiceover): O'Malley lives in Ventura, California where the cost of living is already high. Supplies to even make things like stickers now cost her more. And those added costs hit small businesses particularly hard, according to industry experts.

KATHERINE CULLEN, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: Business owners who are facing tighter margins, facing more difficult time, and really show up for them they way they show up for their own communities as well.

SULLIVAN (voiceover): Katherine Cullen, with the National Retail Federation, says events like Small Business Saturday are so important. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates there are more than 33 million small businesses with fewer than 500 employees and less than $7.5 million in annual receipts. They make up 99.9 percent of total businesses in the U.S.

Back in her shed, O'Malley has big dreams for her company but knows the reality is she's likely years away from making this her full-time job.

O'MALLEY: This is my chance to show my kids what bravery looks like.

Out the door today.

SULLIVAN: For consumer watch, I'm Jenn Sullivan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: Still ahead, it will be a windy day for New Yorkers waiting for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We'll show you some of the new balloons making their debut in the annual holiday event.

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[05:43:40]

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

U.S. officials say two National Guardsmen who were shot near the White House are still in critical condition. The Department of Homeland Security has now identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who was granted asylum earlier this year.

A criminal investigation is underway in Hong Kong after a fire at a high-rise apartment block killed at least 55 people. Nearly 300 others are still unaccounted for. Firefighters are working to rescue survivors who may be trapped in the upper floors of the buildings.

The Dominican Republic will let the U.S. military use one of its air bases to fight drug trafficking. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with the country's president in Santo Domingo on Wednesday. The U.S. has amassed a fleet of warships in the Caribbean as part of an operation to disrupt the flow of drugs through the region.

And returning to our top story, President Donald Trump is condemning the shooting in D.C. and says it was "an act of hatred and an act of terror." He also slammed Joe Biden since the suspect appears to have entered the U.S. in 2021 as part of the former president's program to protect Afghans after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. That's according to the Department of Homeland Security.

[05:45:10]

CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig has more on the possible charges the suspect could face.

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ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: I'd expect to see charges of attempted murder under Washington, D.C. local law -- the equivalent of state law if it happened anywhere else. Now those charges carry sentences of anywhere from two to 15 years. And I would expect to see two counts against this shooter -- one for each of the two victims who he shot.

Separately, in addition to that, we could see federal charges for attempted murder of a federal official. That law does cover uniform members of the military. A slightly higher potential penalty there -- up to 20 years. Again, I'd expect to see two counts there.

Important to note if one of these victims, God forbid, should take a turn for the worse, should pass away, we hope that doesn't happen. If that were to happen that would upgrade these charges then to murder and that's significant because that would then raise it to a life sentence -- and even on the federal side, a potential death sentence.

Depending on the specifics of this individual's citizenship status and other specifics about the gun itself, there could be illegal firearms charges here, which could add to the penalties.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: All right, Elie Honig there.

Pope Leo is in the Middle East on his first foreign trip as leader of the Catholic Church. The pope is visiting a historic site in Ankara, Turkey and he is expected to meet with the Turkish president next hour. The pontiff will also address the local Catholic community and focus attention on key regional issues. He travels to Lebanon on Sunday.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is live for us in Turkey. And Salma, this is his first overseas trip. What is Pope Leo hoping to accomplish?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is going to be a trip with deep meaning, historical significance, and really key moments. As you said, it's his first overseas trip.

And you might ask the question well, why is Pope Leo's first overseas trips to two Muslim-majority countries? And the first thing you need to know about that is that both Turkey and Lebanon have ancient Christian communities that play a pivotal role in Catholicism, and he is here to acknowledge that particularly here in Turkey.

As you mentioned, we just saw him land just a short time ago at Ataturk International Airport where he had this huge welcoming ceremony. He then went to the mausoleum to honor Ataturk. He's leaving there now and should be heading to the presidential palace shortly.

And this overseas trip is his opportunity to really set himself on the world stage, Brian, and carry out that message with force. His first words when he was elected to the papacy was "peace be with you all" and that is the message he says he wants to carry during this trip. A message of peace, a message of diplomacy, a message of interfaith dialogue.

So what's on the agenda? Well, I mentioned that today he is meeting with President Erdogan of Turkey. You have to remember, of course, that Turkey plays a pivotal role in the conflicts of the Middle East but also it was only a few days ago that President Zelenskyy was here in Ankara also discussing Ukraine's conflict with President Erdogan.

So he's at a critical juncture. Pope Leo is in his opportunity to yet again push for that peace and that diplomacy. He is expected to address the president and senior officials and call for interfaith dialogue.

Tomorrow he will be heading to the ancient city of Nicaea to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of something that's very important in Catholicism -- that is the Council of Nicaea. That's going to be a very critical moment because the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church is based here in Turkey.

On Saturday he's doing to hold this massive mass in the Volkswagen Arena, rather, in Istanbul. Four thousand people are expected to attend that mass before he signs a joint declaration here as well, again promising to promote interfaith dialogue.

He's also going to make his first visit to a mosque of his papacy.

So some really significant moments. And all of this is, of course, us getting to see Pope Leo on the world stage carrying that message of hope and really spreading his wings six months into his papacy, Brian.

ABEL: All right. Salma Abdelaziz for us in Ankara, Turkey. Salma, thank you.

Family, food, and football. Those are the big three during America's Thanksgiving. Ahead, why the same two NFL teams play on this holiday every single year.

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[05:54:00]

ABEL: The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade gets underway in the coming hours, and the strong winds forecast is expected to be one of the biggest challenges for the organizers.

CNN's Sara Sidner hit the streets of New York for a sneak peek at some of the balloons flying the parade this year.

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SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR, SENIOR U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Look, it is not snow, it is not rain, it is always the wind that they are concerned about. And it will be windy but not windy enough to stop this thing from going off without a hitch. That's what we're hearing at this point.

And, so far, I'm taking you behind the scenes here where they are blowing up or -- they don't like me saying that. They like to say inflating the enormous balloons for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This is called the balloon inflation celebration and that is exactly what you're seeing.

All right. So one of the brand-new balloons happening here -- you are seeing -- in the Pacman balloon, which I know for Gen Xers will warm their heart. That's the first time they've had that balloon. And, of course, there's Snoopy, beloved by everyone.

[05:55:07] I want to give you some quick, really interesting facts about this. These are hand-painted. They don't just find these and then blow them up by ordering them. They make every single one of these. And you can see the brushstrokes there on the balloons. It takes a long time -- about five months -- for them to actually create these wonderful characters here.

That, by the way, Smokey the Bear. But you're also seeing Dora the Explorer -- huge there -- soy Dora. I know you've heard that many times in your life.

But it is an incredible view because this has also become a tradition for folks in New York. And you can see the families that are lining up watching the inflation of these massive balloons happen here. And it really is an incredible time for people to get really close to the balloons without the huge crowds that show up for the actual parade itself.

And there are about 50 people that work full-time on these balloons and the floats. And you know this is very much a New York City tradition, but all of these balloons are made and created in New Jersey. They've got to bring them through the tunnel to get them here. They're deflated at first.

And we're just now seeing -- I want to take you down to the big old Spiderman. They're just not seeing this finally come to life. All of the other balloons, including Sponge Bob and Super Mario -- those have been blown up. But they are doing it right now and you're getting a real look at just how many people it takes just to inflate these massive balloons that will be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Yep, that's a lot of helium, folks, going in that balloon section by section.

But these will be out here even though it's going to be a little bit windy during the Macy's Day parade, and so will I, as well as John Berman and Erica Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: All right, Sara. Thank you.

Today, Americans will be gathering with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. And for many, aside from the parade, watching some NFL games is just as important at the turkey.

World Sports' Andy Scholes has a look at this time-honored tradition and this year's matchups.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR (voiceover): Family, food, and football. That's what Thanksgiving is all about.

Do you ever wonder why the Lions and Cowboys play every Thanksgiving? Well, it all started back in 1934. The Detroit Lions were a brand new team struggling to fill their stadium. So owner George Richards came up with a brilliant idea. Host a game on Thanksgiving Day and broadcast it nationwide on his radio network. Now, the Lions sold out that first game and the tradition stuck.

Fast-forward to 1966. Dallas wanted in. The Cowboys were still building their fanbase and general manager Tex Schramm figured a Thanksgiving game would put the Cowboys on the map, and he was right. The ratings soared and outside of a couple of years in the 70s, Dallas has been a Thanksgiving mainstay ever since.

So now every year Detroit kicks things off early. Dallas takes the late-afternoon spot. And since 2006, the NFL has added a primetime game to make it a full day of football feasting from sun up to lights out.

Now this year's slate has two great divisional matchups. The Lions hosting the Packers in an NFC North Division showdown. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens host the Bengals in the nightcap. And Patrick Mahomes will make his Thanksgiving Day debut as he returns home to Texas to take on the Cowboys.

PATRICK MAHOMES, QUARTERBACK, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: It's about rebounding fast and trying to be better -- even better this next week going into a big environment, a big game and trying to get that win, you know? It's going to be -- it's going to be a lot of fun going to Dallas and getting to play on Thanksgiving.

SCHOLES (voiceover): For my entire childhood John Madden and Pat Summerall were the voices of Thanksgiving.

JOHN MADDEN, SPORTS COMMENTATOR: It's fun. We're here. It's football. Turkey and football -- you can't beat that.

SCHOLES (voiceover): And starting in 1981 they began a run of calling Thanksgiving games together for two decades. And in 1997 they helped introduce the world to the turducken.

MADDEN: What a turducken is, is a deboned duck stuffed in a deboned chicken, stuffed in a deboned turkey. There's stuffing. Now you're talking.

SCHOLES (voiceover): Even Tom Brady loves him some turducken.

TOM BRADY, NFL COMMENTATOR, FOX SPORTS: How did a duck and chicken get roped into this. They thought --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know.

BRADY: -- turkey was a Thanksgiving (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, that was good.

SCHOLES (voiceover): Madden introduced the players of the game, celebrating with a turkey leg back in 1989 and it's a tradition that is still going today.

From the Lions and Cowboys to the turkey legs and turducken, Thanksgiving football is more than a game. It's a holiday tradition.

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[06:00:00]

ABEL: And go Lions.

Those bells you're hearing are marking the holiday season in Strasbourg. The eastern French city lit up the Christmas tree in its famed Christmas Market on Wednesday. With more than 300 vendor stalls the market is one of the most visited in Europe. Last year Strasbourg saw a record 3.4 million people visiting its Christmas market.

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