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One World with Zain Asher

DOJ Prosecutor: Full Grand Jury Never Saw Final Comey Indictment; Source: Trump Administration Quietly Working On Peace Plan With Russia; A Closer Look At Approval ratings In Trump's Second Term; Sean "Diddy" Combs faces new Sexual Assault Allegations; Trump Defends His Growing Business Ties To Saudi Arabia; Curacao Win Qualifying Group To Make World Cup History. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired November 19, 2025 - 12:00   ET

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

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[12:00:41]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga. You are watching the second hour of "One World."

And we begin with a significant revelation in the case brought by the Justice Department against former FBI director James Comey. Interim U.S.

Attorney Lindsey Halligan says that the full grand jury never saw the final indictment that it handed up against Comey.

Before ending the hearing a short time ago, the judge says, he would not make any ruling today on whether Comey is being vindictively prosecuted.

So let's bring in former state and federal prosecutor David Weinstein. So let's start with that headline there. How extraordinary is it for a

prosecutor to admit that a full grand jury never saw the final indictment in a case, especially one as high-profile as this?

DAVID WEINSTEIN, FORMER STATE AND FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Bianna, I think extraordinary would be an understatement. All my years presenting to grand

jurors, you have to leave them with the indictment you're proposing for them to consider. That's how they determine whether or not there's a true

bill. And it has to be a quorum. And it has to be by the majority of the quorum that's there.

So you can't amend after the fact. They either sought and voted on it, or they found there to be no true bill. And the statement that was made in

open court to me is just, again, even something more than extraordinary. It's passed out of the ordinary.

GOLODRYGA: So Judge Nachmanoff, who was overseeing this case, had this to say with regards to what he heard today and the admission there from

Lindsey Halligan, saying that it was too wavy and too complex for a final ruling right now.

What are the core questions now that he has to weigh as to whether perhaps this was just a procedural error or what the defendant, what James Comey

and his attorneys are saying, is vindictive prosecution?

WEINSTEIN: I think that there are two different questions. I think the whole issue of whether or not this was vindictive prosecution goes to a

whole different set of facts and how it was presented and how it got to be in front of this grand jury.

Procedural error goes to putting aside whether it was vindictive or not. Did a quorum of the grand jury review the indictment that was returned? And

was it presented to them?

And if so, what did they do when they voted on it? If they rejected an earlier version, because they didn't like one of the counts, and then this

document was then brought to the courtroom and only at best based on what I've read two grand jurors, saw it then that's not a true bill. That's more

than just a procedural error. And whether or not the judge finds it was vindictive or not, if this is a defective indictment, then there is no

indictment.

And as I believe Comey's lawyers have pointed out, the statute of limitations has now lapsed and they can't go back and amend. So this really

creates a real turning point here for whether or not this case goes forward.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And Comey's attorney far more seasoned and experienced than Lindsey Halligan is, we should note that. And you're right, he said that

there now there is no indictment and that the statute of limitations has run out.

So, does this completely blow up the prosecution's case in your view?

WEINSTEIN: If the judge finds that it was improper to do what they did in presenting that second indictment, then it does. That's it. It's over, it's

done and it's finished. They'll take an appeal now on their way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, but it would seem to me that it would be over and done.

If it's a defective indictment and the statute of limitations has run, then it's game over for now.

GOLODRYGA: I mean, given everything that we've just heard, it would seem rather shocking that the Supreme Court would pick up this case. But, you

know, who are we -- who are we to decide what this Supreme Court will do? But this just seems to be such an abuse of what the DOJ typically,

procedurally, should be expected to do, just speaks to how -- how unprepared and inexperienced Lindsey Halligan really is.

David Weinstein, thank you so much.

WEINSTEIN: You're welcome.

GOLODRYGA: Well, there are new diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. A source telling CNN that the Trump administration is hammering

out a new peace plan with Russia behind closed doors.

[12:05:06]

We're told those talks have accelerated this week as Moscow signals a new openness to a deal. This was first reported by "Axios," alleging that a

current draft focuses on 28 points, including security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe.

News of an alleged peace plan coming just hours after Ukraine was rocked by massive Russian strikes. The overnight attacks left at least 25 people dead

and dozens injured. NATO fighter jets were scrambled, with Romania saying that a Russian drone entered its airspace during the night.

Meantime, the British Defense Ministry says it's closely watching a Russian spy ship that has entered its waters. The situation escalated after the

vessel directed lasers at British planes sent to monitor the ship.

Defense Secretary John Healey spoke about the incident earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN HEALEY, BRITISH DEFENSE SECRETARY: As I speak, a Russian spy ship, the Yantar, is on the edge of the U.K. waters north of Scotland, having entered

the U.K.'s wider waters over the last few weeks.

That Russian action is deeply dangerous. And this is the second time this year that this ship, the Yantar, has deployed to U.K. waters.

So my message to Russia and to Putin is this, we see you, we know what you're doing. And if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: CNN's senior national security reporter Zachary Cohen joins me now from Washington with more on this.

What have we learned about this secret behind closed doors peace plan that's being, from your reporting and that by "Axios," worked on between

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and top Kremlin envoy?

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Bianna. We're once again seeing the Trump administration consult directly with Russia to

try to hammer out a new peace deal that has so far eluded President Donald Trump despite his declared push to end the war in Ukraine.

And this is something that, as you mentioned, is being led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who, of course, has been the primary liaison between the

U.S. with the Russians throughout these various rounds of negotiations. But he's once again trying to put together a list of terms that might help

bring about and end to the war.

But we're seeing a broader push as well. We know that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll was sent by the White House to Ukraine. He arrived there this

morning as what one source called a, quote, fact-finding mission, fitting in with this broader push to try to revisit the potential peace deal and

bring about an end to the war.

But, look, as we know, this is precarious because we don't know what the level of involvement by the Europeans and the Ukrainians has been as far as

putting together this new term sheet. And that is where things have broken down in the past. And we know that Donald Trump specifically has emerged

from conversations, even with Vladimir Putin directly, that have seemed to give him some sense of optimism only to be later walked back.

You may remember last month after he spoke with Putin on the phone, Donald Trump was so enthusiastic about the possibility of another summit that he

committed to one in Budapest and later had to essentially cancel that summit after U.S. officials came to the realization that Putin may have not

shifted on his desire to end the war in a way that maybe they initially thought.

And still, that question of will the U.S. ultimately send those Tomahawk missiles that Ukraine has been asking for is an open one. We don't know.

The Trump administration has not committed to doing so, even though we've reported that the Department of Defense has determined that sending those

Tomahawks would not negatively impact U.S. stockpiles, so it's up to President Trump to decide if and when he wants to do that.

And so we do know past talks have really focused on emphasis on freezing the battle lines where they currently are. This is something the Europeans

and the Ukrainians had both said that they would, except as a -- as a jumping off point to a broader peace deal, but it was rejected by the

Kremlin, who said they were not interested in a ceasefire, they wanted some sort of a bigger deal.

Is that intended to string along negotiations as this fighting continues? Putin has not signaled that he actually wants to end the war and the U.S.

intelligence community has been consistent in that conclusion.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And Dmitry Peskov has that banner says they're now publicly saying that they're not reading too much into these reports. They're

downplaying the significance of these reports, first by "Axios" and now by CNN.

Zachary Cohen, thank you so much.

My next guest is Alexandra Gabuev, director at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

So from "Axios'" reporting, Sasha, the plan has 28 points and it falls into four general buckets. That includes peace in Ukraine, security guarantees,

security in Europe, and future U.S. relations with Russia. And that is a notable aspect there too. The president has always seemed to dangle future

economic relations between the two countries once and if this war does come to an end.

[12:10:10]

From Moscow's perspective, what -- what does Russia gain from these secret talks?

ALEXANDER GABUEV, DIRECTOR, CARNEGIE RUSSIA EURASIA CENTER: Bianna, I would be very cautious to describe those talks as sanctioned by Vladimir Putin.

We actually don't know at this point how much whatever draft Kirill Dmitriev was discussing with Steve Witkoff is blessed by the Kremlin.

We know that Kirill Dmitriev, who is President Putin's special envoy on improving business ties, have been in the U.S. He was not received by

Secretary Rubio. He was not able to get a meeting with Vice President Vance. So he was seeing Steve Witkoff for a lunch in Miami for like about

19 minutes.

How much you can pack into this conversation isn't clear. And from reading the "Axios" piece, you see that Kirill Dmitriev is likely the source who,

you know, explained and leaked some information about this talk.

So whether it is a coordinated Russian diplomatic effort to end the war and use this channel, remains to be seen. Because Steve Witkoff and Kirill

Dmitriev have agreed on some things, but we know that this misfired spectacularly.

And the most recent roundabout on Budapest summit between Trump and Putin, that was canceled, I think is the latest example of this gallery of failed

results of this diplomacy.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And meantime -- meantime, we're seeing more nefarious interference on the coast of the United Kingdom, as we just reported there

in its waters. Another deadly strike in western Ukraine that led to NATO countries, most notably Romania, scrambling jets.

Does it appear that at this point, despite sanctions against two of its largest oil companies, Vladimir Putin is feeling any pressure to at least

agree to a ceasefire, much less an end to the war?

GABUEV: Here is the thing. Vladimir Putin's only point of leverage to achieve his goal is continuation of the war.

If the facilities stop and then they clean ceasefire with no preconditions, no strings attached, precedes the conversation, the Ukrainians from the

Russian viewpoint, can lean back and demand all of the legitimate things like their 1991 borders, trial of war criminals, including most senior

Russian leadership and maybe Mr. Putin himself, reparations and all of that.

And then in order to get what Russia wants, which is basically undo Ukrainian sovereignty, like make Ukraine a place that exists on the map,

but it's not a real sovereign country. And Russia maintains ability to rebate any time of its choosing.

Ceasefire doesn't solve this problem. Only continuation of the war may potentially solve this problem.

So unless Vladimir Putin doesn't feel that he has no means to continue, he will not stop the war. And the examples that you cite, including this

horrible attack on Ternopil and other Ukrainian cities point to that effect.

The sanctions are biting, definitely the sanctions that Trump administration blasts against two Russian largest oil companies are already

creating a dent. But this dent is not big enough for him to stop because Vladimir Putin most likely believes that the situation on the battlefield

is trending his direction. We know that Ukraine suffers really pretty significant operational crises around the city in Pokrovsk and then

Southern in the Zaporizhzhia.

And then probably what inspires the Russian is this political turmoil that we see in Kyiv because of the corruption scandal around one of President

Zelenskyy's ally, Timur Mindich.

GOLODRYGA: We know at this point that mending relations and building closer relations with Donald Trump is not the priority here for Vladimir Putin at

this point. It is the continuation of this war and ultimately winning in whatever terms Putin deems.

I do want to ask you, though, because he's been able to -- to sort of string Donald Trump along every time Trump has publicly expressed his

displeasure with Putin by agreeing to more talks and becoming much more diplomatic in language with him.

But the "Financial Times" is reporting that the Russian military linked institutions hosted Iranian scientists seeking laser technology that is

relevant to nuclear weapons design. And one expert went further to say the meetings were strong evidence that Russia was assisting Iran in its nuclear

weapons-related research providing dual-use technology and knowledge transfer that looks like it was state-sanctioned on the highest levels

between Russia and Iran.

[12:15:21]

If that's not something that would frustrate Donald Trump, I don't know what would. What do you make of this news? And what does this suggest about

continued cooperation between these two countries?

GABUEV: Well, I think that it's a second in the "FT" investigation series installation. I don't think anybody has disputed this and they cross-

checked this multiple times, including the travel logs of Iranian and Russian officials and so on. So the reporting is most likely credible.

However, there is a very important nuance here is that the events "FT" describes relates to last year. And the visit of the Iranians to Russia was

happening in early November around the time of the U.S. presidential election and was most likely reflection of Russia's help to Iran during the

Biden era.

And then all of these discussions about Russians helping Iran to build nuclear weapons maybe or acquire significant capabilities to test nuclear

weapons without exploding the device, but modeling this explosion all relate to the last month of Biden in office, which coincided with rapid

escalation of U.S. help to Ukraine.

I remind you that in response to Russian horrific attacks on Kharkiv and other cities on the northern part of Ukraine, Biden administration has

authorized using U.S. weapons, including ATACMS missiles to strike targets on Russian internationally recognized territory, not occupied territories

of Ukraine like Crimea or Donbas (ph) but on Russia proper.

So most likely, that was the Kremlin's response to Biden's actions, whether that continued under Trump, I think remains to be seen. And you are

absolutely spot on, Vladimir Putin has to walk a very fine line to continue the war and try to achieve his goals on the battlefield, but at the same

time, not making the president angry.

So he's all the time not given the president what he wants, which is clean ceasefire, but it's all the time very polite.

GOLODRYGA: All right. Alexander Gabuev. Thank you so much. A lot to discuss there. I always appreciate you breaking it down for us.

We want to take a closer look now at the Trump administration's foreign policy and the president's approval ratings during his second term for his

policies overseas.

Let's bring in our chief data analyst, Harry Enten. And there may be some surprising numbers here, Harry, because there's been a lot of concern

vocally by members of his own MAGA base that the president has focused way too much time and attention on foreign entanglements, on visiting other

dignitaries and dignitaries visiting the White House. And yet, he's getting pretty decent marks here.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Yes. I mean, look, maybe all that focus is paying off, Bianna. And -- and I think the way we can see that

really easily is compared where he stands right now on foreign policy to where he did in his first term at this point.

You can see it quite easily right here. What do we see? Well, approve of Trump on foreign policy at this point in term number one, only about one in

three Americans, 35 percent of approved of Trump's job on foreign policy at this point through term number one.

Look at what we're looking at right here though in term number two. We're talking about a nearly 10-point rise. We're talking about 43 percent of

Americans approving of the job that Donald Trump is doing on foreign policy.

In terms of net approval, that is approval minus disapproval. These actually double digits on that particular score.

So, it turns out Americans are far more likely to like this version of Donald Trump's foreign policy than the version we saw in term number one.

But I think there's another way that we can sort of look at this, right? Because oftentimes second terms are about cementing your legacy, right?

They're about cementing your legacy and a lot of presidents try and do it through foreign policy.

So let's take a look at term number two for the other presidents of the 21st century who had a term number two. Now take a look here. This I think

sort of gives the game away. 21st century presidents essentially foreign policy at this particular point.

Look at this. Look at this. George W. Bush was at 36 percent. Barack Obama was at 37 percent. Look at where Donald Trump is, 43 percent. Donald Trump

is doing better on foreign policy than either Barack Obama or George W. Bush was doing at this particular point significantly better.

So Americans are liking what he is doing far more so than any other president in this century at this particular point in their second term.

Now the question is why? What is going on that has jumped Trump's job approval rating when it comes to foreign policy? I think it is because of

the Israeli-Hamas conflict. I think that is the one that at this particular point is driving these numbers.

[12:20:09]

Because take a look here. Net approval on the Israeli Hamas conflict. Joe Biden left office. Get this, 37 points underwater on this issue, Bianna.

Look at where Donald Trump is. He actually has a positive, a positive net approval rating on this issue at plus three points.

I think this is driving it. I think the question is, you know, talking about your last guest. If, in fact, there was somehow able to be a peace

process between Russia and Ukraine, could those numbers climb even higher? It would certainly cement the legacy.

But at this particular point, what we see with Donald Trump is his foreign policy approval much better than term number one, and much better than any

other president in the 21st century in term number two at this point.

GOLODRYGA: I have a prediction to make, and I bet that the White House comms team will be very satisfied to see these numbers. And they --

ENTEN: I think they like those numbers.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Yes.

ENTEN: I think -- I -- you know what? I'll come in, and I'm just going to tell the truth each and every day. That's my job.

GOLODRYGA: As you do.

ENTEN: As I do.

GOLODRYGA: But this -- this specific report may end up on one of their social media feeds.

ENTEN: It may just. And I will just note, since I like telling the truth, I am glad to have you back. And I am very much looking forward to reading a

certain little book, which I have not yet done, but I will absolutely do, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: "Don't Feed the Lion," Harry Enten. I'm told to constantly remind people of the name of the book.

ENTEN: There you go. There you go.

GOLODRYGA: Doing my job. Harry Enten, good to see you. Thanks so much.

ENTEN: Nice to see you. Bye-bye.

GOLODRYGA: All right. Well, President Donald Trump says that he will sign a bill now on his desk, forcing the release of all files tied to convicted

sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. And that could take place as soon as today, but it's still unclear what the Justice Department will do next or when

Americans will be able to actually see what's in these documents.

On Tuesday, Congress passed the measure with lightning speed hours after the House overwhelmingly approved it. The Senate adopted the measure by

unanimous consent without any of the additional amendments Speaker Mike Johnson insisted on earlier in the day.

One Republican lawmaker says it's now time for the White House to act.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): Just release the damn files, period. I don't care about how the sausage is made. I just wanted out in the open for everybody

to consume.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Some lawmakers are questioning whether the DOJ will release the files at all or if it will claim the documents can't be handed over because

they are tied up in ongoing investigations.

Still, for survivors of Epstein's abuse, Tuesday marked an enormous victory. A group of them gathered on Capitol Hill before the vote, urging

lawmakers to approve the bill. And afterwards, they said that they felt not only vindicated, but felt seen and heard after being dismissed for decades.

Two survivors spoke to CNN earlier about what they want to happen next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: I want to talk about the files that could be released, because if this once the president signs it, and now DOJ has to

release things that could be flight logs, emails, messages, what is it that you want to see, Sharlene? I know people have been talking about the idea

of a list.

SHARLENE ROCHARD, JEFFREY EPSTEIN SURVIVOR: So, yes, when everybody keeps talking about a list, and it's not a list, it's actually files. And what

I'm hoping that they're going to see is accountability is going to be taking place.

And also, what happened behind everything and how this works so that we can prevent this from happening to other girls and young boys.

Again, this is an operation. This is more than just a list.

CORNISH: Can you talk about that as an operation? What do you mean by that?

LISA PHILLIPS, JEFFREY EPSTEIN SURVIVOR: Well, there were many layers of it. So, just connecting the dots, really, the survivors and being on the

island, being in the New York City House, being on Zorro Ranch, being overseas, and then with the wealthy powerful men that were also involved.

A lot of people don't understand that we're all mothers now. So, we want to do this for our younger self, but a lot of us, I think all of us, have

children the exact same age we were.

I look at my child like this innocent little kid. Like, how is that possible that, you know, someone like Ghislaine Maxwell walked up to this

14-year-old and was able to pull them into this, you know, scheme?

It's just -- it's just heartbreaking.

CORNISH: Does this president owe you an apology or a visit or a signing ceremony?

PHILLIPS: We would love that. We want to -- we want to feel seen and heard by him as well. We do.

CORNISH: Are you going to get it?

ROCHARD: We don't know. I mean, it's up to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Well, after the passage of the House's Epstein bill, the women gathered in the early evening to hold a vigil honoring all of Epstein's

victims, including those who have passed away.

Well, still to come on "One World," the hip-hop mogul who's already serving that years behind bars is now at the center of more sexual assault

allegations. We'll take a closer look at the police report, up next.

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[12:25:42]

GOLODRYGA: Sean "Diddy" Combs is now at the center of a new investigation stemming from more sexual assault accusations. Los Angeles County Sheriff's

Office says its Special Victims Bureau is looking into new allegations against the hip-hop mogul, who's already serving a 50-month sentence in

federal prison.

The male accuser, whose name is redacted in the police report, previously filed a lawsuit against Combs.

Joining me now is CNN correspondent Kara Scannell with more. What more are we learning, Kara?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, as you say, this is a new criminal investigation looking into specific allegations that were made

against Sean "Diddy" Combs by a music producer. The producer did file a lawsuit against Combs in July. And in September, he went to the police

department to make a statement.

And according to a copy of that police report, which CNN has obtained, the producer says that Combs sexually assaulted him two times. The first time

was allegedly in 2020. He said he was working on a collaboration, and that he was in this room. Combs was there, and he said that Combs had exposed

himself in front of him and began masturbating.

Then this man said that he was a -- a year later in 2021 was at another one of these collaborative events. He said that Combs was there again, and that

Combs had called him a snitch because he had allegedly told someone about what had happened that first time. And in this encounter in 2021, Combs

allegedly forced this person to perform oral sex on him.

So these are new allegations that have come to light that are now being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Special

Victims Bureau. They have confirmed that they have started this investigation, which is now underway.

And according to the police report, this individual said that he had informed other people, he said that there were other witnesses to these

alleged assaults. So it is possible that that is where this investigation will leave next, trying to get some statements from some of these people to

see whether or not these allegations can be corroborated.

Combs' lawyers have said that these allegations are meritless and false, just like so many of the other civil lawsuits that Combs is facing. His

lawyer said in a statement, "As Mr. Combs legal team has repeatedly stated for over a year now, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what

has become a media circus. Let me make it absolutely clear, Mr. Combs categorically denies as false and defamatory all claims that he sexually

abused anyone."

[12:30:10]

Now this is a completely different type of allegation than what Combs went on trial for. He was acquitted of sex trafficking his two former

girlfriends and of a racketeering conspiracy, but he was convicted on those two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, which involved of

bringing prostitutes and traveling prostitutes across state lines to have sex with him and those two girlfriends at the time.

Combs is serving a 50-month prison sentence. He is appealing the conviction and the sentence, but he's not expected as of now to be released until

2028. Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: These allegations, really disturbing. Kara Scannell, thank you so much.

And still to come for us, the American business world welcomed Saudi Arabia to the table, as critics say, the president is letting his family's

business interests drive American foreign policy. We'll speak to a man who tracks the president's money for a living.

Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Jubilant fans celebrating a history-making triumph for Haiti. And they're not the only FIFA underdogs rejoicing today. We'll have details

a little later.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: Welcome back to "One World." I'm Bianna Golodryga.

At this hour, Donald Trump is speaking at a conference in Washington aimed at boosting investment between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crown

Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the host. Also present are senior executives and CEOs for many of America's most powerful companies.

[12:35:10]

The Saudis have pledged to invest a staggering $1 trillion in the US. It's all part of a growing relationship between Donald Trump and the oil

kingdom. Critics say the president is letting his family's business interests drive American foreign policy, an accusation that Trump shrugged

off while meeting with the Crown Prince on Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have nothing to do with the family business. I have left. And when I -- I've devoted 100 percent of my

energy. What my family does is fine. They do business all over.

They've done very little with Saudi Arabia, actually. I'm sure they could do a lot. And anything they've done has been very good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Trump may say his family's business interests in Saudi Arabia are not much, but the numbers tell a different story.

According to "Forbes" magazine, members of Trump's family have signed at least nine major deals with Saudi investors since the end of his first

term.

And in just the last year, deals linked to Saudi Arabia have generated an estimated $50 million for Trump and his family. There are plans for Trump

branded properties like the Trump Tower and Trump Plaza in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

And Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has Saudi backing for $2 billion for an investment fund that he operates.

One further note about how the U.S. government is meant to work inspector's general conduct investigations into potential conflicts of interests and

malfeasance by officials. President Trump fired inspectors general for more than a dozen federal agencies in his first week in office.

All right. Time now for "The Exchange." Let's dive more into that "Forbes" investigation into the Trump family's multi-billion dollar connection to

Saudi Arabia.

Joining me now is "Forbes" senior editor Dan Alexander. Dan, welcome to the program.

So you heard the president there. He said he has nothing to do with the family business and their business ties to Saudi Arabia are very little. We

just went through some of the numbers. I think most people would dispute that figure is being very little.

And just this week, we learned that the Trump Organization and its Saudi partner launched a new crypto-based real estate venture. We know about the

$2 billion already mentioned for Jared Kushner running a private equity fund seated with that $2 billion.

How does this fit into the broader pattern that you've been investigating about the financial ties between Saudi Arabia and the Trump family?

DAN ALEXANDER, SENIOR EDITOR, FORBES: Well, at this point, Saudi Arabia and firms based in Saudi Arabia sort of have their arms in various parts of

Trump family ventures. Many of these are directly connected to the president, for example, his real estate licensing deals.

The main driver between the growth of his -- of the growth of his real estate empire has been this firm, DarGlobal, which is a Saudi-based firm.

They've made him $21 million last year. It looks like that number is going to at least be equal to that if not greater than that this year. And

they're talking about more deals in the future.

So a very significant part of the business there. If you look at the golf business, you know, the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League has been instrumental

in bringing professional golf back to Donald Trump's properties, which they had lost after January 6th.

The PGA went away, the Royal and Ancient which oversees the British Open went away. LIV comes in and basically fills that void and says, we're going

to bring big-time golf back to your ventures.

And then, as you mentioned, there are ones in the extended family. Jared Kushner, Don Jr., has a private equity firm that he's a partner of. They

just traveled over there a couple of weeks ago. So they're really, if you look across the enterprise, they're in a lot of different areas.

GOLODRYGA: Is there anything that's come from your investigation that shows that laws have been broken?

I mean, that there's norms, which President Trump has been described in both terms now as a norm buster. There's concerns about conflicts of

interest. But has there been any illegality that your investigation has led to?

ALEXANDER: Well, the key law that would apply to the president, because some of them do not, is the bribery statute. And, you know, bribery is a

tricky thing because you have to have very explicit quid pro quo. I have not seen any evidence of such an explicit deal.

What you see instead in Saudi Arabia and in other Middle Eastern countries is sort of a variety of businesses and it all blends together.

And this is the way that business and government interact in that part of the world already. It doesn't have to be an explicit quid pro quo. You do

business with me. I do business with you. We'll help you in government. We'll help you in business. It all just sort of flows together.

GOLODRYGA: We mentioned the inspectors general that typically are doing investigations into some of the reporting that -- that -- that you've

discovered there and have reported on this -- this past few months since he's been back in office.

Just explain to our viewers who may wonder, OK, fine, this may not look good, but hey, Saudi Arabia is going to invest a trillion dollars in the

United States. Perhaps that helps the U.S. economy. So -- so what's the harm here?

[12:40:11]

ALEXANDER: Well, the harm is that we don't know what all of the interactions are between the United States and the Saudi government. And,

you know, it could be that Saudi Arabia was going to invest a tremendous amount of money in the United States anyways.

If they are investing a lot of money because of this, that would be a corrupt deal. But you just don't know how all of these things are playing

inside the president's head.

Historically, when we've had presidents that have divested themselves from their businesses or at least in Trump's first administration closed off the

possibility of doing new foreign deals overseas while he was in office, you had to wonder less or not at all about whether those sorts of things were

complicating the decisions that he was making.

Now, we just don't quite know what's happening in his head and whether he's always acting in the best interests of the American people or whether his

own personal financial interests are playing a role as well.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And that's the point you make in your reporting. There's still major gaps in transparency about the foreign money flowing into

Trump's businesses. I know you'll stay on top of it though.

Dan Alexander at "Forbes." Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

ALEXANDER: Thank you. Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: "Inside Africa" turns 25 this year. And to mark the occasion, we're sharing an early look at an anniversary episode airing this Saturday.

Filmed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, it brings together two African icons for a conversation about creativity, connection and the

power of storytelling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANGELIQUE KIDJO, FIVE-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN: One question I want to ask you is about your podcast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

KIDJO: Storytelling, when I say that you look at me like, everybody have storytelling. I say. Yes. But everybody's story is different.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

KIDJO: And it's the tapestry of that differences that is part of our deep humanity. And I want to -- I want to ask you what make you want to make a

podcast about storytelling. I mean, we need for this for so long.

LUPITA NYONG'O, ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING ACTOR: Yes. What made me want to make mind your own? So when I first came to America, I've -- I grew up watching

so much American T.V. I thought I knew this place. I thought I knew the people. And then you land in America and I landed in Western Massachusetts.

And it wasn't like it was on TV.

[12:45:05]

The people were different and I felt a lot of culture shock. And one of my professors introduced me to a podcast, at the time, it was a radio show,

This American Life. And I started to listen to that.

And what I loved about it was like small stories. You're meeting one, one unremarkable American somewhere and their extraordinary experience.

So I found that it was such a -- an intimate way to change hearts and minds. And I thought, God, it would be so nice. I'm homesick. I -- I would

love to just be steep -- steeped in an African story for a moment. And, you know, oral storytelling is such a big part of our culture.

KIDJO: Absolutely.

NYONG'O: My grandfather, my grandmother, I grew up hearing stories from them, you know, around the fire, the typical image. And I couldn't replace

it.

KIDJO: Yes.

NYONG'O: So I started to dream of creating a podcast that could do that for Africans and bring Africans around the world together, you know, the

diaspora.

We also -- Africans now are not just in Africa, we're everywhere.

KIDJO: Everywhere.

NYONG'O: And we've been everywhere for a minute.

KIDJO: Yes. Yes.

NYONG'O: So -- so --

KIDJO: Very lot.

NYONG'O: Yes. And what's happening with the African in -- in -- in Germany, what's happening with the African in Belize, you know. And how can we get

to know each other and gain empathy for our experiences? 'Cause I think that's one way to reach peace and understanding is through understanding

someone else's story.

KIDJO: A story.

NYONG'O: You do that with your music.

KIDJO: And that's the thing that I -- I felt, right? That's why I asked the question. Our stories and pieces.

NYONG'O: Mm-hmm.

KIDJO: And we cannot, I think, profoundly, we cannot transform our continent if our -- our -- our stories are parcels. How do we make Pan-

Africanism a reality, not only in storytelling, but in arts, in economics, in science, in everything?

How do we reclaim our own continent if we don't start by knowing each other's story?

NYONG'O: Exactly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:50:13]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a moment, Haiti, for the first time since 1974, are going, yes, sir, they are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Amazing. Look at those cheers of elation. Haiti have booked their place at the World Cup finals for the first time. Yes, you heard it

since 1974. Remarkable achievement when you consider the turmoil that has gripped the country.

And they're not the only ones celebrating today. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well (INAUDIBLE) gets the header out. Curacao have done it. A blue wave is heading to the World Cup.

For the first time in their history, Curacao are World Cup bound. They will be --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: An astonishing first for tiny Curacao with the population of 158,000. They are the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup.

These, the scenes as the team secured the goalless draw they needed against Jamaica.

CNN Stefano Pozzebon has more on the blue wave heading for World Cup 2026.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: First of all, can I just point out how cruel it is from CNN to be on a story about the World Cup expanding, when

my home country, Italy, is yet to go out to a World Cup after three painful cycles.

Being said that, we can't help but feeling joyful for countries like Haiti, Curacao, just like you said. Haiti think that it's not been to a World Cup

since 1974 and given how everything that has gone through in Haiti. It's a country that has seen prime ministers being assassinated, a total collapse

of the social order, the capital and infrastructure has been run out or run down by gangs, civil conflict. It's been described as hell on earth.

And this is perhaps the best thing about football, that it allows a generation perhaps to even dream that the country is not just a violence

and crisis. The country can stand for something more, something else.

I remember once that I was in London and we saw the Afghan cricket team playing at -- at the Lord's. And it felt something like that.

The sport can become a channel for a nation to say to the world, we are here. And what you're hearing on the news is not our only story. So you

can't help but rejoice for -- for Haiti, for Curacao, which is a country that is a baseball country.

It's such a small country, it's 140,000 people live in that country. We're talking about a mid-size city. And then yet, they managed to put together

an 11 competitive enough with a veteran coach and go all the way in and will go to the World Cup.

Credit frankly to Gianni Infantino and his vision to open up the most exclusive table in world football to all of these other nations, to make

sure that the World Cup can be a party rejoiced all around the world, even though, well, my home and beloved, Azzurri, may be need to struggle a

little bit further in order to arrive at that table as well.

To say that we are standing in the same space as the likes of Argentina, with Leo Messi, as likes of Portugal with Cristiano, or with the likes of

France, Germany, Spain, Lamine Yamal.

Imagine if for example in the draw we're going to get a Curacao against the Netherlands, which used to be the colonial old power. That will be yet

another achievement, yet another crazy story that hopefully we will be here to tell you. And hopefully also the Italy will also make it to the World

Cup. Let's not jinx it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Some objective reporting from our Italian born reporter Stefano. Hoping Italy makes it too, Stefano.

All right. From Ariana Grande in "Wicked" to Angelina Jolie and Maria, vocal coach, Eric Vetro, is behind some of the biggest singing performances

in Hollywood.

CNN's Rick Damigella, caught up with Vetro on what it takes to transform voices for the big screen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICK DAMIGELLA, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): For "Wicked" fans, perhaps you should pay attention to this man behind the curtain.

ERIC VETRO, VOCAL COACH AND VOICE TEACHER: I'm a vocal coach and I'm a voice teacher, so I really train people how to sing and speak. We do a lot

of speaking too, but mostly singing.

DAMIGELLA (voice-over): Eric Vetro has worked with Ariana Grande for many years and began prepping her for the role of Glinda before she even

auditioned.

VETRO: For "Wicked," Ariana really wanted it to sound authentic to what Glinda should sound like, which is pretty operatic. And she had not sung

that way before. She had all the high notes. She already could sing them. Everyone knows she has those super high whistle register notes.

[12:55:06]

And I've known her since she was about 13 years old, 13, 14. We've been working together. So I knew she had all the notes. But what this was all

about, our working experience for "Wicked" was about training her voice to sound more operatic, like a legit Broadway soprano.

(MUSIC)

VETRO: We worked for months together before the audition and then months after the audition once she got the part, just because she wanted it to be

there at moment's notice.

And I think she could probably still, to this day, wake up in the middle of the night and hit a high C-like Glinda because it's so in her voice now.

(MUSIC)

GLINDA: Think of what we could do.

DAMIGELLA (voice-over): In Hollywood, I'm Rick Damigella.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: All right. It helps to have some natural talent as well.

All right. That does it for "One World." I'm Bianna Golodryga. Thanks so much for watching. "Amanpour" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:00:00]

END