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Isa Soares Tonight
U.S. Government Shutdown Enters Day 34 With No End In Sight; President Trump Threatens Military Intervention As Tension Between The U.S. And Nigeria Grows; Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinian Farmers During Olive Harvest Season; Some Latino Trump Voters Say They're Not Happy With Trump; Trump Considering Military Action In Nigeria; Trump "Not Really considering " Tomahawks For Ukraine; Prince William Talks Climate In Brazil. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired November 03, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, it's day 34 of the U.S. government
shutdown with no end in sight, and voters are getting increasingly frustrated with the President's handling of it. We'll have the latest on a
pivotal week in U.S. politics.
Then growing tensions between Nigeria and the U.S., as President Trump threatens military intervention. We will, of course, explain why? Plus, a
report for you from the occupied West Bank as Israeli settlers attacked farmers during olive harvest season. We'll have that and much more ahead
for you.
But first, tonight, on the eve of election day in the United States, voters seem to be sending a strong message about how they believe President Donald
Trump's second term is going so far. In a new CNN poll, the President's approval rating, as you can see there, stands at just 37 percent. That is
the lowest of his second term, and 63 percent disapproval rating is actually worse than it was right after the January 6 insurrection.
And while the government shutdown drags on without an end in sight, we're now, by the way, on day 34. It doesn't appear Mr. Trump is willing to step
in and broker a deal. Here's what he told "60 Minutes" on "CBS".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have helped end these government shutdowns in the past --
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I did --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When they came about --
TRUMP: I did --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you did it by bringing --
TRUMP: I'm very good at it, but I'm not going to do it by --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You brought members of Congress in --
TRUMP: I'm not going to do it by extortion. I'm not going to do it by being extorted by the Democrats who have lost their way.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounds like it's not going to get solved, the shutdown.
TRUMP: It's going to get solved. Yes -- oh, it's going to get solved.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How?
TRUMP: We'll get it solved. Eventually they're going to have to vote.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're saying the Democrats will capitulate?
TRUMP: I think they have to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on this. Kevin Liptak is at the White House for us. Kevin, good to see you. Look, it seems -- just start with the polling
numbers. Americans are simply not impressed as approval ratings, the lowest -- it's seems this term, just 37 percent. What areas, first of all, let's
start with the polling. What areas Americans most concerned about? Is it the economy? Is it those ICE raids? Just talk us through the numbers here.
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, the economy remains the issue that's on the top of Americans' minds. And I think when you dig
into some of the numbers, it's clear that they aren't necessarily satisfied with how the President has been handling the economy or a whole host of
other issues that he has made central to his presidency.
You know, when you talk about current economic conditions, only 28 percent call them good, compared to 72 percent who say they're poor. The President
just generally underwater in that area. And similarly on immigration, you know, the issue that was probably the most important to the President when
he was running for President last year, 57 percent say that the President is going too far when it comes to some of these efforts to remove
undocumented immigrants from the country.
And what I think is so interesting is that the President has essentially shrugged all of this off. You know, he was talking last night to "60
Minutes"; you know, the premier news magazine program in the United States, and then he was asked about some of these tactics that you've seen him and
immigration officials use around the country, whether it's using tear gas in Chicago or breaking the windows of cars to pull people out that they're
trying to deport, or throwing women to the ground in some of these deportation proceedings.
The President actually saying that he doesn't think that they're going far enough. And so, even as you're looking at some of these numbers, which are
not good for the President, I think it's clear that he is looking more to his political base, his concerns are more with the people who he thinks
brought him to the White House in the first place, and delivering on the promises that he made to that subset of the American populace, rather than
looking at the numbers as a whole.
And certainly, the trend line has gone down for the President, more Americans now disapprove of the -- of how he is handling the job than when
his term began back in January. But no evidence, at least, so far, that he's backing off some of the approach that he's taken.
[14:05:00]
SOARES: Yes, and look, the shutdown now, on what? Day 34 tomorrow then reached the 30-day -- 35 of course, which was what we saw the first time
around. And it seems from what we've heard from both sides, neither really prepared to give in or to make compromise.
We heard him then, that clip from "60 Minutes" saying, you know, we're extorted by the Democrats. Just speak to the position here on both sides,
but also the risks of this dragging out even further. The real risks to the American people here.
LIPTAK: Yes, and it is another example of the President kind of entrenching in a tactic that isn't all that popular. You know, the polls show that
Republicans and the President are gaining most of the blame for this shutdown, but the President isn't backing off his position at all. He
didn't demonstrate any willingness to negotiate.
And in fact, he is calling on Republicans to take what he's calling and other people called the nuclear option, which is to get rid of the
filibuster in the Senate, which would essentially allow them to try and reopen the government without any buy-in from the Democrats. But this --
this week, I think will be fairly critical for the President and for Democrats as they look to find a way out of this.
Really, well, you have the off-year elections tomorrow and the government shutdown is going to play an outsized role in a place like Virginia, which
has a governor's race, a huge number of military families, federal workers live in that state, which is just outside of Washington. Then you have that
historic marker, the 35-day mark, which would bring this shutdown to the longest in history.
You also have this week, Americans beginning to see what their healthcare costs will look like next year. And remember, that is the argument that
Democrats are making, which is that they need to extend some of these healthcare subsidies. And the President so far is saying that he's not
willing to negotiate on those while the government is shut down.
And so, you do see the President very much sticking with his positions here as some of these poll numbers come in. And as it becomes clearer and
clearer, how this is affecting everyday Americans. We'll just have to see if that shifts.
SOARES: Kevin, good to see you. Thank you very much indeed. And as Kevin was saying right there, what U.S. voters decide on Tuesday cannot only
prove to be a bellwether for next year's critical midterms, but may very well redefine the Democratic Party. Self-described Democratic socialist,
Zohran Mamdani is looking to become New York City's first Muslim mayor as he faces former Governor Andrew Cuomo running as an independent and
Republican Curtis Sliwa.
It's all happening amid what is to become the longest U.S. government shutdown, as Kevin was saying in history, and that ongoing stalemate could
play a key role in the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKIE SHERRILL, NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I am fighting for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you are --
SHERRILL: I am fighting for affordability. I'm fighting to get your costs down. I'm declaring a state of emergency on day one, freezing utility rate
hikes.
(APPLAUSE)
JACK CIATTARELLI, NEW JERSEY REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Here's what my opponent will do for the next 72 hours. If you get a flat tire
today, it's President Trump's fault. There is nothing she won't blame on the President.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, thousands of miles away in California, voters will decide whether to redraw the state's congressional districts, a plan backed by
Governor Gavin Newsom. If the initiative passes, it will give Democrats a huge boost in next year's midterms, and will be the strongest pushback so
far to aggressive Republican redistricting moves in other states.
Well, in a piece on cnn.com, senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere writes about how Tuesday's elections could help Democrats find a new identity. He
joins us now from New York. Isaac, good to see you. Just talk us through then these two paths, these two identities being tested tomorrow in the two
races.
EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes, well, I think the key races to watch when it comes to that are, this race in New York City where, as
you laid out, Zohran Mamdani has become quite a global sensation, certainly a sensation in New York City with his Democratic socialist policies, is
hoping to be elected.
But then also in Virginia, a state which is bigger geographically, more diverse geographically, and more diverse in terms of its voters. A woman
named Abigail Spanberger, is Democrat. She's running ahead there, and is hoping to be elected governor. If those two people win, as most polls show
that they are likely too, that will present two very different pathways for the Democratic party, as they think about what 2025 has told them about
2026.
The party, as you know, has been in pretty much identity and existential crisis on top of crisis since Kamala Harris lost last year. And these two
people are different biographically, they are different in how they've been campaigning, and most importantly, they're different in ideology. As I
said, Mamdani; Democratic socialist Spanberger, I spent a bunch of time with her on Friday in Virginia, and she was talking to me about how so
important for her to talk about solutions that she knows can actually get passed in a state that is more diverse in all the ways that I laid out.
[14:10:00]
And for Democrats around the country, when they're looking at which one of those is more likely scalable and a model for other races, they are more
looking toward Virginia than they are towards New York City.
SOARES: Right, though, Mamdani, interestingly enough, has really -- from what we've seen, electrified voters, even on this side of the pond, he
seems to be making waves, being -- at least talked about. When you compare both, I mean, can those visions, both these visions co-exist because -- or
do you think that the divergence of views, do you think that hinders the Democratic Party as it looks for an identity?
DOVERE: Well, look, it's -- part of the issue here is that in America, there are really just two major parties. So, the Republican Party covers a
pretty broad spectrum of things, less broad, more and more under Donald Trump's leadership, as it becomes very much fashioned in his image. But the
Democratic Party also represents a broad spectrum of things.
The question is, when they're looking at how to run races next year, what kinds of candidates they want to propel and look towards? And then once
they get past those midterms in 2026, as they start to think about what's the way to think about who they want to be their presidential candidate,
and go through the process of picking a nominee.
That's where these races will be significant in the two different pathways that they're laying out here. Is the future of the party going to be this
more leftward swing? Are people going to be talking more about government getting involved in everything from making buses free to making -- there be
government-run grocery stores?
Both ideas that have been part of what Mamdani is talking about, among many others. Or are they going to be more talking about what Spanberger has been
saying, which is also focused on affordability, but focused on it in a way that says we've got to get solutions that can pass right away.
We're in an emergency situation. People are dealing with these things. And what she said to me when I talked to her was that she feels like the party
in the immediate and in the medium and long-term needs to think about if Democrats are promising things and making all these big ideas, saying that
they can get them done, and then saying we tried, we didn't get it.
She said to her, vulnerable people believed you. That was the quote that she said --
SOARES: Yes --
DOVERE: To me, and that ends up hitting voters in a way that she says will hurt Democrats' chances if they can't deliver.
SOARES: Isaac, really appreciate you laying it all out for us. Thanks very much --
DOVERE: Thank you --
SOARES: Indeed. Coming up next, right here on the show, three more hostage families finally receive closure after the bodies of their loved ones
return from Gaza. The latest on Israel's fragile ceasefire with Hamas, that's coming up. And then later, Donald Trump warns of military action in
Nigeria. Details ahead on how Nigeria's President is responding.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:15:00]
SOARES: Well, Turkey, a key mediator in the Gaza ceasefire is accusing Israel of repeated violations, warning the truce is at a critical stage.
Turkey hosted the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Muslim nations today, as you can see there in Istanbul. Turkey's Foreign Minister
suggested they could contribute to an international stabilization force for Gaza.
That's still in the works, but said they're waiting to see its final mandate as well as authority. Hakan Fidan said everyone at the talks agreed
that Palestinians must lead Gaza's future, saying there can be no new system of tutelage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAKAN FIDAN, FOREIGN MINISTER, TURKEY (through translator): Palestinians should govern Palestinians, and Palestinians should ensure the security of
Palestinians. The international community should provide support in order for this to be implemented in the best possible way, whether
diplomatically, institutionally or economically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Meantime, Gaza's civil defense says Israel is still carrying out airstrikes and drone attacks despite the ceasefire even in so-called safe
areas. Health authorities say at least 239 Palestinians have been killed, and that includes dozens of children since the U.S. brokered the truce last
month.
Israel is accusing Hamas of violations, including withholding the bodies of deceased hostages. Hamas turned over the remains of three more hostages on
Sunday through the International Red Cross. One was Israeli-American serving in the IDF, the other two were Israeli service members.
That leaves eight hostage families still waiting for the bodies of their loved ones to be returned. I want to bring in Jeremy Diamond who joins us
this hour from Israel. Jeremy, let me pick up really what we heard coming out of Turkey. Give us more details in terms of where we are on this
stabilization force. How close are we to a stabilization force that is needed, of course, to monitor this very fragile truce?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly seems like that was one of the focal points of the discussion between these foreign
ministers from a number of Arab and Muslim majority countries. I mean, you have, you know, several of the kind of heavy hitters of the region who are
also the same countries that may potentially contribute troops to this international stabilization force.
Countries like Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia and Pakistan were also included in this discussion. And one of
the key points that emerged is the fact that this is all going to require, in their view, a United Nations Security Council resolution in order to
enshrine the rules of the road for this International Stabilization Force.
And only once that happens can determinations be made about which countries would contribute troops, and how many troops they would contribute to all
of this. These countries also pointed out that Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, and they expressed concern about that.
And it's also important to note that many of these countries have been in discussion with the United States and top U.S. officials who have been
traveling around the region to drum up support for this International Stabilization Force and talk about the road ahead for the Gaza Strip.
But as all of that is happening, and as the ceasefire is in place in Gaza, we have been witnessing an increase in violence in the occupied West Bank,
specifically centered around what is happening right now in the West Bank. And that is olive harvest season, which has now become synonymous with
settler violence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): Umm Shukry hasn't walked through these olive groves in two years. Now, weaving her way from tree to tree, she assesses the
damage, broken branches, trees dried out and no olives to be harvested. "I'm suffocated", she says, "suffocated from seeing my hardwork turn out
like this.
I used to spend so much time here under the scorching heat, tending to the trees." Her son explains that the Israeli settlers living on this illegal
outpost are to blame. He says they have assaulted him and threatened his community, making it dangerous to access these groves for two years, all
while using their cattle to wreak havoc.
(on camera): He's explaining that the cows came here to graze on these olive trees, basically, and this is one of the ways in which settlers have
come to try and disrupt the livelihood of Palestinians in this area, and to ultimately try and force them out from their lands.
(voice-over): The evidence is all over these fields, but it is just one part of a disturbing picture playing out across the occupied West Bank.
(on camera): For generations of Palestinians, the annual olive harvest has been associated with tradition and a deep connection to the land. But this
year, more than ever, it's been synonymous with settler violence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
[14:20:00]
DIAMOND (voice-over): Palestinian olive pickers have been attacked at least 259 times since the harvest season began last month, according to the
Palestinian Authority, outpacing the violence of recent years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, come on, don't hit her! Hey!
DIAMOND: Israeli settlers have carried out the overwhelming majority of attacks assaulting the Palestinians, attempting to harvest their olives.
More than 4,000 trees and saplings have been damaged so far, according to the U.N. The Israeli military has often played a supporting role to the
settlers, forcing Palestinians off their land and restricting access to the olive groves.
(on camera): So, this is where you were attacked?
(voice-over): After getting a call that his mother-in-law had been detained while picking olives, Ahmed Chacana(ph) grabbed her heart medication and
rushed to reach her. He didn't expect what unfolded next. An Israeli settler grabs and then hits him before two Israeli soldiers push him down
to the ground.
One soldier hits him with the barrel of his rifle, before the settler comes in to land several more blows. Chacana(ph) and his mother-in-law were
released without charge. He says he suffered a mild concussion. "We experience these attacks every season, a season that has become bloody. We
will not abandon it", he says. "The olive trees existed before the occupation. It is valuable and dear to us."
(on camera): The Israeli military now says that they're actually going to investigate this incident. What do you think would have happened had this
not been caught on video? "Nothing at all. Even if I was killed, they wouldn't care. The incident would have come and gone." For now, Chacana(ph)
doesn't dare approach his family's groves.
So, this is as far as you're comfortable going, because of what the military or the settlers might do to you? "Yes, of course", Chacana(ph)
says. "I don't want to put myself in danger." At Umm Shukry's farm, a group of Israeli and Jewish activists have come to offer the Palestinian farmers
their support, using their very presence to deter attacks from settlers and the military.
It has given Umm Shukry the chance to sit beneath her olive trees. "Ten years, ten years of me spending time on this land, refusing to leave,
watering and tending to the olives with our bare hands", she says she won't be driven away by this violence. She will see this grove flourish once
again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND: And the Israeli military told CNN, it recognizes the importance of the olive harvest in maintaining the fabric of life in the region, but
acknowledged it has restricted entry to certain areas in order to, quote, "prevent friction". They also said that they firmly condemn all forms of
violence, which they say divert the attention of commanders and soldiers from their primary mission in the field. Isa?
SOARES: Jeremy Diamond for us this hour in Jerusalem. Thanks very much, Jeremy. Turning now to a deadly earthquake in northern Afghanistan. A
massive search and rescue operation is underway, and the U.S. Geological Survey says a 6.3 magnitude quake struck near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Afghan officials say at least 20 people are dead and hundreds injured. They fear the number could be much higher as people are pulled out of the
rubble. Also damaged in the quake, the Mazar-i-Sharif iconic Blue Mosque. The site is one of Afghanistan's architectural treasures and a major point
of pilgrimage.
Still to come tonight, we need careful thinking. The WTO chief looks to bring down tensions between Nigeria and the United States after President
Trump's alarming posts on social media. Plus, does Donald Trump still connect with Latino voters? Our Maria Santana looks into this question as
candidates prepare for Tuesday's major elections.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Less than 24 hours from now, voters in multiple U.S. states will head to the polls. This moment seen as a major test for how Americans feel
about President Donald Trump. New CNN polling shows the lowest approval rating of Mr. Trump's second term and his highest disapproval rating ever
as the President.
In a wide-ranging interview with "60 Minutes", the President defended harsh tactics used by ICE agents. Mr. Trump says he believes the controversial
enforcement efforts, quote, "haven't gone far enough". And Tuesday's election will also provide fresh insight on the President's appeal to the
Latino community. Some voters tell CNN, they are not happy with what they've seen in Mr. Trump's second term.
Reasons range from massive immigration crackdown to economic concerns. Our Maria Santana has the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA SANTANA, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Normally at this time, Ricardo Francisco's Dominican Restaurant is full, serving clients pica pollo,
pernil and the traditional tres golpes, mashed plantains with fried eggs, cheese and salami.
(on camera): (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
RICARDO FRANCISCO, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SANTANA: This is my favorite dish. The platanos --
(voice-over): But says business has dropped about 35 percent in the past year.
SANTANA (on camera): Do you think that Trump's immigration policies and the way he's cracking down on immigrants, that, that has something to do with
it?
FRANCISCO (through translator): Of course, that's had a lot to do with it. There are fewer people out on the streets, now they prefer delivery
instead.
SANTANA: When we first met Francisco last year, just after the election, he said he backed Donald Trump, trusting his economic plans while brushing off
his talk of mass deportations.
FRANCISCO: No, I don't agree with mass deportations because almost all of us here are immigrants. I think Trump should reconsider that. And I think
he will.
SANTANA: It hasn't even been a year since Trump has been in office, and you don't like what he's doing with immigration?
FRANCISCO: No, because many families have been separated. I think the government should refocus and pay more attention to the economy.
SANTANA (voice-over): That frustration seems to be growing across Allentown. Large crowds recently gathered throughout the region as part of
nationwide "no kings" protests, a once industrial hub in northeastern Pennsylvania, the city is now home to a majority Latino population that
swung sharply toward Trump in 2024.
[14:30:02]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The majority of us regret it very much.
SANTANA (voice-over): Johnny Herrera, a barber at a local shop, says that many here feel deceived by Trump.
HERRERA (through translator): Right now, I don't support him. He said he would go after the undocumented immigrants doing wrong and help those who
are working and doing the right thing. But that's not what's happening.
SANTANA (voice-over): Back at the restaurant, Francisco worries that if things don't change soon, he may have to close.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I don't have the resources to keep this place running long-term.
SANTANA (voice-over): But he's still not ready to completely give up on Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): He has time to recover, to regroup, and to govern well. I think so.
SANTANA (voice-over): He hopes he's right this time. And if he is, he says, next time, lunch is on me.
SANTANA: I'm going to come back.
SANTANA (voice-over): Maria Santana, CNN, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And our thanks to Maria Santana for that. Well, the U.S. president is warning of military intervention in Nigeria over attacks on Christians
there. Radical Islamist groups in Nigeria, like Boko Haram, have attacked both Christians and Muslims for years. But the violence isn't entirely
based on religion, as the country also struggles with banditry.
Nigeria's president responded by stressing his country believes in freedom of religion. And the head of the World Trade Organization is also weighing
in with calls for, quote, "careful thinking."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION CHIEF: This an incredibly complex question. Let me say this. Nigeria is a very complex country. The
situation is very difficult and needs careful thought. It has religious issues involved in it. It has resource issues involved in it. It has
different complexities. So, I just think we need careful thinking through.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on the story. International diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is tracking the story for us. So, Nic, let's take back what
President Trump said. He said radical Islamists are committing mass slaughter. And he said Christianity is facing an existential threat. I
mean, what, first of all, is the truth and the reality of these comments?
NIC ROBERTS, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: The data in the north of Nigeria, where Boko Haram and ISIS have been on the attack for, in the case
of Boko Haram, for a long, a decade and a half at least, is that Christians are being killed, but also Muslims are being killed. And perhaps the
greater number of people being killed are Muslims. And North of Nigeria is predominantly Muslim, and that's where these extremist groups are.
It's interesting listening to the director-general of the WTO there. Of course, she was the former foreign minister of Nigeria and the finance
minister as well. So, I think when you listen to her words, when she talks about there are -- it's complex and there are sort of, you know, resource
issues, you can think about it this way, the farmers there who farm the land and grow the crops are in tensions with the herders who follow the
herds of cattle. It's a resource issue over land.
The herders tend to be Muslims. Their farmers tend to be Christians. And then layer on that ethnic issues. And then layer on that this goes across
borders in that region. You can understand how just complex it is. And what Nigerians are basically saying is, President Trump, you're missing the mark
here.
SOARES: So, why is President Trump weighing in? Because this not the first time he's weighed in on this.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: He's weighing in, it appears, because there's something on his agenda about Nigeria. Somebody's
put this on his agenda, either it's part of his MAGA base, part of which is very Christian and sees the plight of Christians all over the world as an
issue that's key to them and that's been presented to the president, or there are other issues around here, which is sort of what was suggested by
one of the president -- Nigerian presidential advisers.
He said, look, we know the way Trump operates. When he says something, that's not quite what he means. There'll be something else. We may be in
conversations. And he said, look, you know, sovereignty, territorial integrity, they're key for Nigeria. We don't need troops on the ground. But
it would be good if the president wanted to support the country with the tools, the weapons to take on these Islamists.
And there's no doubt Islamists are a problem. I was there with the -- at that time, the British foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, soon to be prime
minister, about eight years ago. And we were visiting hospitals where villagers, both Christian and Muslim, have been hurt by these radical
Islamist groups. You know, their crops in some places devastated all of those issues. And the British military training the Nigerian military to go
after Boko Haram.
[14:35:00]
So, it's a much bigger issue than geographically and perhaps detail-wise than the president presents.
SOARES: And it is complex, but President Trump also threatened a need to stop all U.S. aid to Nigeria. What does Nigeria have to say on this?
Because I heard the little clip that you were talking about earlier. It didn't strike me as very tough from President Trump, clearly weighing their
words here. What has been the reaction?
ROBERTSON: You know, I think as all world leaders at the moment, they don't quite know what's coming from President Trump. And do they need the aid and
support? It's a country of 220 million people. It's a country where a lot of people are poor. And if you look in the north where there's perhaps a
wealth disparity with some parts of the south, I mean, that's a very rough approximation to make.
But in the north where people are faced with the threat of radical Islamist violence, potentially because they think that even there's splits between
Boko Haram and ISIS. So, you know, Boko Haram can attack people because they think they're siding with ISIS and vice versa, or they think that
they're siding with the national police or the Nigerian army.
But what it means for the people there is that if that aid that President Trump is talking about is withheld, they're already difficult plight. The
markets being -- with suicide bombers hitting their markets, their livelihoods being disrupted, the freedom, the lacking freedom of movement.
It just hurts the economy. Take out the international support and that hampers it, weakens it even more.
SOARES: And further deepening divisions critically within the country. Nic, thank you very much indeed. Well, U.S. President Donald Trump says he's not
seriously considering sending long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. The Pentagon has previously approved the White House providing those weapons,
saying the move would not impact U.S. stockpiles.
Aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Mr. Trump told reporters the conflict has been tough for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as for Ukraine. He
said, quote, "Sometimes you have to let it get thought out." His comments come as fighting intensifies around the key Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk in
the east.
Let's get more on this. Our Fred Pleitgen joins me now from Moscow. Fred, good to see you. The fighting around Pokrovsk has been intensifying. I
think you and I have spoken about this for some time now. But now we're hearing the Russian Defense Ministry claiming more success here. What more
can you tell us?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right. The Russians have been saying that they've been coming in
on that city for quite a long time now and have essentially encircled the Ukrainian forces that are inside there. It's sort of a cauldron that the
Ukrainian forces seem to be in. The Russians also say that they have fire control over any routes that go in and out of Pokrovsk.
But one of the key things that's happened over the weekend, and sort of has also intensified today, he says, that the Russians are saying that they are
increasingly inside the city of Pokrovsk. And when we're speaking about Pokrovsk, it's really two cities, essentially, that we're talking about,
which are right side by side. One is Pokrovsk itself, and one is called Myrnohrad or Myrnohrad by the Russians. Russians certainly saying that they
are intensifying the fighting there.
What we're seeing on our screen right now is the area around Pokrovsk, where the Russians have said, this Russian Defense Ministry video, that
they use some pretty heavy aerial bombs on the Ukrainians there. Those are 500-kilogram bombs, the Russians say. So, about 1,000-pound bombs the
Russians are dropping there.
But the Russians also are saying that they are making advances inside the City of Pokrovsk, that the Ukrainians there are on the back foot. The
Ukrainians certainly are having a lot of trouble resupplying their forces inside that city.
Now, the Ukrainians themselves have also spoken up today in the form of Ukraine's commanding general, Oleksandr Syrskyi, who's now in that area, he
says, to sort of try and manage that battlefield or help manage it. He says, and the Ukrainians say, that, yes, the situation is extremely
difficult for the Ukrainians. But he also says that any talk of encirclement and the Ukrainians being stuck there is something that is not
true.
Nevertheless, it certainly appears to be the case. And we've been analyzing some of the videos that have been coming out of Pokrovsk, that definitely
the Russians do seem to be making significant gains in that area. And what we have to keep in mind is that Pokrovsk certainly was an extremely
important hub for the Ukrainians for an extended period of time. I was in Pokrovsk several times myself.
But the Ukrainians, of course, have moved their logistic lines by now. They are still holding on to that city. But the situation seems to certainly be
becoming more difficult for their forces by the day, Isa.
SOARES: I know you'll stay across it for us. Fred Pleitgen for us in Moscow this hour. Thanks very much, Fred. And we're going to take a short break.
We'll see you on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:40:00]
SOARES: The American Academy of Pediatrics is warning against the use of a drug called Leucovorin as a treatment for children with some forms of
autism. Just weeks ago at the White House, if you remember, President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted the use of that drug.
Some studies find that the drug may help certain children on the autism spectrum.
But now, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against Leucovorin's routine using children with autism, saying more research is actually
needed. So, how to read all of this, you ask? Our Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSE, CHILD WITH AUTISM: Ta-da.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is sweet little Jose. He's four years old. When he was 18 months, he was diagnosed with
autism.
JOSE, CHILD WITH AUTISM: Look at this.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): And every week since then, he has worked with a team of therapists to try and strengthen his speech --
JOSE: Jose.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): -- and motor skills and social awareness.
KEITH JOYCE, JOSE'S GUARDIAN: His world was like this big. Like, just, you know well, physically, he's right here. His world was like this big. Rarely
noticed other kids. If he did, he'd play, like, next to him.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): But then, something changed. Jose's guardian, Keith, said the last six months were somehow different. And he thinks it
was because of a new medication Jose has been taking.
JOYCE: I start doing some research. And I came across in December a news piece about this Leucovorin.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Leucovorin is actually a pretty simple drug, a form of folate, Vitamin B.
JOYCE: The third day after we started it, he started babbling so much.
JOSE: OK.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): We have long known that folate is essential for brain development. What is new is the recognition that some kids with
autism have these antibodies blocking the receptor that lets folate enter the brain. As a result, they have something known as cerebral folate
deficiency.
But Leucovorin, a slightly different form of a vitamin, is able to use a different pathway to enter the brain.
JOSE: Grape juice.
JOYCE: He had a personality, but you had to draw it out. And trying to have anything reciprocal with him was just not happening. Now, we have
reciprocal conversations.
JOSE: T-R-L -- O-L-L-I.
JOYCE: Trolli.
JOSE: Trolli, please.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Hello, everyone.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): President Donald Trump and his Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly recommended the drug.
TRUMP: The FDA will be updating the label of an existing drug to reflect potential benefits in reducing some autism symptoms.
[14:45:00]
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Since the president's endorsement, interest in Leucovorin has skyrocketed.
JOYCE: My first reaction was, like, better get a refill in. Supplies are tight.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): At the FDA's request, GSK, which is the maker of the original name-brand Leucovorin, said it will be submitting an
application to update the drug's label to include use for patients with cerebral folate deficiency.
DR. GUPTA: Do you treat something like Leucovorin differently? Because we're talking about autism, something that doesn't really have a therapy?
DR. MARTY MAKARY, FDA COMMISSIONER: I think because it's safe, it will go through a different process. And because it's been around for nearly a
century, it will go through a different process. And because of the urgency of the unmet public health need of the burden of autism in society.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Normally, companies do need to run large trials before a label can change. But in this case, the FDA says smaller existing
studies may be enough, even though the data is limited and still needs to be replicated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Here you go.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): The agency notes that they have reviewed 23 studies since 2009 and found clinical benefit in 85 percent of patients with the
deficiency.
DR. ALYCIA HALLADAY, CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER, AUTISM SCIENCE FOUNDATION: The issue is whether or not that is sufficient evidence for the FDA to approve
this for treatment of autism, when there's very little efficacy data.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): But Alycia Halladay, chief science officer for the Autism Science Foundation, is mostly worried about this, creating too much
false hope.
HALLADAY: The indication that the FDA put out was for autism with cerebral folate deficiency. I don't think that that was understood by the autism
community who feels like this is a panacea for all people with autism. Most people with autism do not have a cerebral folate deficiency.
DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Keith is convinced that it helped Jose, but it's still not clear what that means for everyone else.
GUPTA: And I will tell you that there is a blood test to determine the presence of these antibodies. And according to some studies, about 40 to 60
percent of children with autism do have those antibodies, meaning, folate may not properly be entering the brain. And in those cases, Leucovorin
might be of benefit for them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Our thanks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And still to come tonight, Prince William arrives for climate talks in Rio as he hopes to leave royal
scandals at home. What he's looking to achieve on his trip next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
SOARES: A man has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder in relation to the mass stabbing attack that took place here in the U.K. at
the weekend. 32-year-old Anthony Williams appeared in court earlier today following Saturday's major incident when he boarded a train headed for
London and stabbed several people. It left 11 individuals in hospital and dozens of passengers frightened and fighting for their lives. Take a listen
to what one eyewitness saw.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMIRA OSTALSKI, EYEWITNESS TO THE ATTACK: In front of me, like I would say five rows to the left, I saw a guy in a white t-shirt. He just leapt out of
his seat as if like he was shocked. Obviously, he was stabbed, but at that time I didn't know. And then everyone started shouting, he's got a knife,
there's blood. And obviously, me and my friend were in shock because you don't expect this to happen day to day. And we started running to the back
of the train.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Absolutely terrifying. Now, emergency services in Rome are battling to rescue a worker who's been trapped for hours under the rubble of a
medieval tower. Now, this video shows the moment, you can see there, the tower partially collapsed near the colosseum. Clouds of dusk billowed out
of the windows as the masonry fell apart. Parts of the tower crashed to the ground on at least two occasions and that was just 90 minutes apart. The
13th century tower has not been in use for almost two decades. It was though undergoing a renovation project that was due to finish next year.
Well, eyes are on Brazil as it gears up to host the COP30 Climate Summit. While the U.S. won't be sending a delegation, among those attending is, as
you can see there, Prince William. He arrived in Rio de Janeiro for five days of events, focusing on the summit and to present the Earthshot Prize,
a global environmental award that Prince William founded back in 2020. Each winner receives a grant over a million dollars to continue their
environmental work.
Prince William's Brazil trip comes, of course, at a challenging time for the royal family. At the request of King Charles, Andrew Mountbatten-
Windsor will lose his last remaining military rank, Vice Admiral of the Royal Navy, in the continuing fallout from his association with Jeffrey
Epstein.
Our royal correspondent Max, an anchor, of course, of What We Know. Max Foster joins me now. And Max, I mean, you and I spoke about this. Was it
last week? I can't remember. Yes, it was the beginning of last week, that this something that will continue to chase, right, to follow the royal
family.
This Earthshot Prize means the world, I think, you know, as we've seen over the years to William who founded it. Speak to, first of all, can he, in
Brazil, you know, put aside this and all the questions that will be asked and focus entirely on the Earthshot Prize, which is a much -- it's a very -
- it's a worthy cause.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: I think knowing him, he just will. Because this his one big project of the year. It's something that he's
dedicated a decade to. And he constantly promotes it. And he does it personally.
So, you know, I've been to events where he will turn up personally and talk about it when normally it would be a member of his team. And there are a
series of events over the year. And they're meant to build up to the climax, which will be, you know, the Earthshot ceremony, which we'll see on
Wednesday. But inevitably, it happened after last week and everyone's still talking about Andrew.
I think what his people are effectively saying is, yes, William is deeply involved in all of this, but it was the king's decision. So, he's not going
to comment on it. So, they can ask as much as they like. He's going to focus on this, unless, you know, something comes up that he does need to
address. But he very much sees it as an issue for the reigning monarch. If he was monarch, then maybe he would get more involved.
SOARES: Yes.
FOSTER: And it's a big frustration for him, because this all -- you know, he's been building up to this for such a long period of time. And he just
wants to celebrate the stories of the finalists, what they're doing. And he wants to do something -- he's doing a different -- he's evolving monarchy.
He doesn't just want to raise awareness. He wants to come up with solutions and actions. So, he is doing things slightly differently. But if people
aren't focused on it, it's pretty frustrating.
SOARES: And his father, of course, the king, we've heard from him at Earthshot Prizes before, I believe. And he's always -- and we know his
speeches, we know where he stands when it comes to climate change. This the first time that I know William's travelling to Brazil to actually address,
obviously, to speak about the Earthshot Prize. What are we likely to hear from him on this? Because it comes, like we said, during COP30, of course.
It's taking place in Brazil.
FOSTER: Yes. So, he will -- it's a series of engagements, effectively. So, it's like a mini traditional royal tour. And you're going to see him in
front of all the landmarks. So, you can name them all. Every single one of them is going to be an event associated with a winner to create great
pictures that we will want to show, and I'm sure we will. And then tell those stories, hoping that the Prince Andrew story doesn't blow up again.
[14:55:00]
Then he's got the big event on Wednesday, which is rewarding those winners and giving out the million dollars each. And celebrating what the ones last
year did and what impact they've had. And then he goes on to the pre-COP meeting. So, he's going to meet, you know, world leaders before the actual
event starts. And that's where he's going to talk more broadly about his campaign, you know, on climate change at an event where you're not got the
main climate change problem countries, the U.S., China, India.
SOARES: The United States and China, yes. The main polluters, yes.
FOSTER: And I think what's interesting is the fact that Donald Trump isn't going. Prince William gets on very well with him. And saying, actually, it
does really matter. And knowing that he can do that and bring a presence to it when Donald Trump isn't there. I will just say, we did hear today, you
might call it unfortunate timing, but Prince Harry announced a visit to Toronto, Canada today. And we got all the details for that. And they were
obviously asked questions like, why are you doing this? Just when William's trying to promote his own -- because there have been issues in the past
about them organizing competing events.
SOARES: Max, thank you very much. Indeed, that does it. Max is coming up next. Do stay right here. Thank you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
