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One World with Zain Asher

Watchdog Finds Hegseth Risked Endangering Troops by Sharing Sensitive War Plans in Signal Chat; Trump Hosts Rwanda, DRC Leaders to Sign Peace Deal; Indian Prime Minister Modi Hosts Vladimir Putin in New Delhi; Federal Agents Begin Immigration Operation in New Orleans; Greece to Hand Olympic Flame to Host Italy in Rome Today. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired December 04, 2025 - 11:00   ET

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

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ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: All right, coming to live in New York. I'm Zain Asher. Bianna Golodryga is off today. You are watching "One World".

The U.S. Navy Chief who over store a controversial second strike on alleged drug boat is briefing Senators this hour, some military and legal experts

warn that the double tap strike on this boat back in September, while survivors were on board, could leave the U.S. opened to accusations of war

crimes.

U.S. Navy Admiral Mitch Bradley, who the Trump Administration says gave the order for a follow up strike is meeting with members of the Senate

Intelligence Committee. The briefing comes as questions grow over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's role in the incident. President Trump says that

he's ready to release video of the second strike.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I don't know what they have, but whatever they have would certainly release no problem. You

know, we stopped every boat we knock out, we saved 25,000 American lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: A new report says that Pete Hegseth risks the lives of American troops when he shared attack plans on Signal. That's according to sources.

Four sources familiar with a classified inspector general report tells CNN that the Secretary of Defense risked compromising sensitive military

information.

Hegseth used the signal app in March to share highly sensitive attack plans targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen. A reporter from the Atlantic Magazine was

among those on the chat. The release of the investigation could compound existing concerns voiced by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who

received the classified report Tuesday about Hegseth's judgment and bring renewed attention to an issue that nearly led to his firing several months

ago.

CNN has reported an unclassified version of this report is set to be publicly released today. Let's bring in our CNN National Security

Correspondent Natasha Bertrand and joining us live now from DC. Just in terms of this unclassified version on this report that we expect to release

today, just walk us through what can we expect?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, essentially, the Inspector General, after months of investigating Pete Hegseth's use of

Signal to discuss very, very sensitive military operations, found that he did, in fact, risk endangering service members lives by putting that

information in an unclassified commercial application.

But the Inspector General stops short of faulting him for improperly handling classified information. And the reason for that is because,

technically, the Secretary of Defense does have the authority to declassify information pretty much at will and share it with who he wants.

But the Inspector General pretty much had to take Pete Hegseth's word for it that he actually did declassify that information before sharing it on

those Signal chats, because there was no documentation at the time supporting the fact that or the assertion that Hegseth has made, that he

actually did move to declassify this information.

Hegseth did not sit for an interview with the Inspector General, and he submitted all of his answers in writing. So essentially, what we're left

with here is the Inspector General saying that Pete Hegseth should not have used Signal to discuss this information, but also that there can't really

be a penalty here, because he does have that original declassification authority.

But the question still remains of why Secretary Hegseth felt that it would have been appropriate to declassify that information and share it on not

one but two Signal group chats, including one that contained individuals that did not have the requisite level of clearance to be viewing this

information, including his wife, his brother and his personal attorney. Essentially, people that had no involvement in this military operation.

Hegseth hasn't responded directly to the Inspector General's claim that he risked putting service members lives at risk. But he is taking victory laps

around the Inspector General's apparent finding that he did not mishandle classified information. But lawmakers, you know, they are not necessarily

issuing a full-throated defense of Pete Hegseth at this point.

They are not saying, like him, that he is completely exonerated by this report. Instead, they're saying that Hegseth really should have learned a

lesson from this and that there needs to be better requirements and procedures put in place so that all Defense Department personnel and really

everyone across the federal government understands that putting very sensitive operational details in an unclassified application is not

appropriate, especially when it comes to very precise timings of when bombs are going to drop on a particular location, Zain.

ASHER: All right. Natasha Bertrand, live for us there. Thank you so much. All right, this hour in Washington, President Trump is set to meet with the

Presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well.

[11:05:00]

The two leaders are set to sign new agreements aimed at stabilizing a region wracked by war. They've already agreed to an economic compact and a

U.S. brokered peace treat -- peace deal which has not yet been implemented. Today's signing ceremony is expected to take place at the U.S. Institute of

Peace, which is an independent agency the Trump Administration gutted earlier this year.

President Donald Trump's name, seen here, was recently installed on the building's exterior. CNN's Alayna Treene joins us live now at the White

House. So, Alayna, back in June, there was this sort of peace agreement signed by the DRC and Rwanda back then. And President Trump talked about

this idea that his mediation efforts, it was him who was responsible for ending the conflict.

And of course, a lot of people on the ground in Congo said that that simply wasn't true. There's so much distrust between both sides, and obviously

peace in that part of the world is just very, very elusive and fragile.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: It absolutely is. And we've actually heard to your point, Zain, the president, mentioned this

repeatedly, trying to argue that he has ended yet another war, and kind of framing this is just part of his effort to become a global peacemaker and

also a candidate, of course, for the Nobel Peace Prize.

But you're totally right. I mean, some of the celebrating we saw back in June when both of these leaders were here at the White House for the

signing of that first part of this agreement. The president then boasted about it as well. But we've seen fighting continue in the region.

And even just today, actually, I was looking at the reports coming out of Rwanda, there is a lot of fighting that has continued near the Rwanda

border. And so, a lot of concerns about the -- you know, fragility of a deal like this, and whether it's actually one that can remain intact as

they look ahead.

But to give you some context into what we're just seeing here at the White House, this morning, Zain. We just recently saw our great camera man with

CNN had caught both leaders, the President of Ronda and the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, arriving to the White House.

They didn't arrive behind me, which is the North Lawn. They actually arrived on the other side of the White House, the South Lawn Driveway. So,

they should be beginning this trilateral meeting with the president soon. And this today, this meeting is really about trying to advance that

agreement that you mentioned they had initially signed back in June to end this persistent war.

I should note in context as well, the UN has said that 7 million people so far have been displaced by this conflict, particularly by the fighting from

the Democratic Republic of Congo. And to get into what we're going to see later. So, this peace deal, this peace agreement that they're expected to

sign at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Just to break down what's in it supposed to include the release of prisoners, resettlement of refugees and humanitarian access. It's also

meant to attract billions in dollars in western investments. So, another part of that economic agreement that you talked about earlier, so we'll see

this.

And one interesting kind of ironic thing about the U.S. Institute of Peace, where they'll be traveling after this meeting at the White House, is that

the president just renamed it to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. But it's also an independent agency that this administration had moved to

gut earlier this year.

And essentially, it's been pretty much shuttered ever since that move by the Trump Administration earlier. So just keep that in mind as we watch

these images today.

ASHER: All right. Alayna Treene, live for us. Thank you so much. Let's bring in Larry Madowo joining us live now from Lusaka in Zambia. So, Larry

one of the things that makes this conflict so difficult and so tricky is the fact that it's not driven by just one thing. You've got deep historical

trauma dating all the way back to the Rwandan genocide.

You've got so much mistrust on both sides, partly because each side believes that the other side is backing armed rebels against them. Just

walk us through why peace is so difficult here.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, this signing alone Zain will not end the war in the Eastern DRC, because, for instance, why is Rwanda here?

Rwanda has always maintained that it is not supporting the M-23 rebel group that is fighting the Congolese government to the east of the country, but

it is a key part of this peace deal that they're going to sign.

President Tshisekedi of the DRC and President Kagame of Rwanda. I spoke to the M-23 in September, and they said they don't trust President Tshisekedi,

and so whatever he signs in Washington does not concern them. They will continue fighting.

In fact, just yesterday, these two sides were accusing each other of sabotaging this deal that's being signed in the White House today by

continuing to fight against each other. So just because they've signed a piece of paper in Washington does not mean the war is over in the eastern

DRC.

And the conflict rages has been raging for decades, more than 30 years. It's about ethnic tensions. It's about the control of very deep mineral

deposits, cobalt and other minerals that are central to the manufacture of everything from electric vehicles to mobile phones.

[11:10:00]

And this is very crucial at the heart of this dispute. And the Congolese government accuses President Kagame in Rwanda of supporting the M-23 rebel

group, even though Rwanda says they are not. I specifically asked President Kagame if he's got, if he's got Rwanda troops in eastern DRC. And he said,

I don't know.

And I followed up. I said, what do you mean you don't know? You're the Commander-in-Chief. And said, a lot of there are a lot of things I don't

know. So that is the extra complication here. The M-23 rebel group is not a part of this deal. They are part of a separate mediation process led by

Qatar in Doha.

So, there's a dotted line here, but they are not a party to this. So just because the Presidents of Rwanda, the DRC, is signing this, does not mean

that overnight the war will -- is going to be over, despite what President Trump would like people to believe.

ASHER: You know, that's such an important point. And I remember that interview with Kagame where you asked him about Rwanda's control over the

M-23 rebel groups. And it was very surprising and staggering that he simply said, I don't know. And as president, you know, there's a lot of things I

don't know.

So, the fact that M-23 is not actually involved in this particular signing, that they're sort of separate entity, is crucial, because, again, it does

not mean that the war on the ground is going to end just because two men signed a piece of paper in Washington.

All right, Larry Madowo, live for us there. Thank you so much. We'll have much more on this developing story next hour when I speak with Fred Bauma,

a Human Rights Activist and the Executive Secretary of Ebuteli, a Research Institute based in Kinshasa. All that and more later on.

All right, a busy week for negotiations trying to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Today Ukrainian officials are heading to Miami for face-to-face

talks with their U.S. counterparts. According to the Ukrainian source, Steve Witkoff, is expected to take part in those Florida talks. Donald

Trump's key negotiator held a long meeting in Moscow with Russia's Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, but there was no breakthrough as the push for peace ramps

up.

Russia's President is talking tough. Putin is vowing that Russia will seize the Donbas region in Eastern Ukraine by any means, and that includes

military force. The Russian Leader made that stark warning shortly before arriving in India's Capital, where he's being hosted by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi.

It's Putin's first visit to India since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. The trip also comes amid ramped

up pressure on India by the U.S. to stop buying Russian oil. Over the next two days, Delhi and Moscow are expected to discuss new defense deals as

well.

CNN's Will Ripley is in the Indian Capital and joins us live now. So obviously, the Russians are certainly dependent on India, a population with

over a billion people to continue purchasing their oil. Just explain to us, though, why these two men need each other economically.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they need each other economically. I would say that, yeah, you're right. India is probably

need. India needs Russia less economically than Russia needs India, because, as you mentioned, 1.4 billion people. And India has been buying 35

percent of its oil from Russia since the start of the Ukraine war.

That is the reason why President Trump sort of went ballistic and used the dependence on Russian oil as a reason to hike up tariffs, in a massive way

on India. And India is still trying to put that fire out and trying to negotiate a trade deal with the U.S.

Prime Minister Modi is trying to kind of correct that trade imbalance and perhaps sell more into the Russian market. That's certainly something

they're going to be talking about. They're also going to be talking about Russia potentially sharing military technology, typically fighter jet

manufacturing technology, to help India manufacture the fighter jets, the Russian jets that are the backbone of its air force.

But economics aside, what's also happening here, which is really important for both Modi and Putin, is optics. Because they are projecting, as they

have in recent months, this very close friendship, this close partnership. Modi was waiting on the tarmac to welcome Putin when he got off the plane,

and then the two of them sat inside Modi's white SUV, and they just sat there chatting on their way to a private dinner.

It's very similar to the scenes that we saw play out in China a few months ago when Modi jumped into Putin's armored limousine and they ended up

sitting in there and talking for nearly an hour, and they were also photographed holding hands and smiling.

They know both of these men, know that there's one person in particular who's watching this relationship very closely, and that, of course, is the

man sitting in the Oval Office in the United States, in the White House President Donald Trump. He even tweeted after their meeting in China that

he thinks that maybe the U.S. has lost India to Russia.

So, is there some jealousy happening? Is there a feeling of FOMO, you know, from President Trump missing out on these close inside conversations? This

friendly rapport with two strong man leaders. And Putin loves strong men. And he has praised Putin repeatedly.

[11:15:00]

He's also praised Prime Minister Modi, even though he's, you know, tried to bring both of these countries into submission with heavy sanctions that

don't appear to be working particularly well. I think the signaling here Zain by Modi and Putin that they definitely have options no matter what

happens with the United States.

ASHER: All right. Will Ripley, live for us there. Thank you so much. Still to come, U.S. border patrol is targeting New Orleans in its latest

immigration crackdown. How city officials are preparing residents just ahead. Plus, CNN's exclusive interview with Colombia's President. What

Gustavo Petro told my colleague Isa Soares about his country's crackdown on drug traffickers. That's after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHER: All right, President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetorical attacks on Somali immigrants in Minnesota, reiterating he doesn't want them

in the U.S. This comes as federal immigration agents begin a new operation in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Twin Cities are home to the nation's

largest population of Somalis. Trump says they have made Minnesota a quote, hell hole. The Mayor of Minneapolis is pushing back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACOB FREY, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA MAYOR: Come out to Minneapolis, what you won't find is a hell hole, but a beautiful city. It is a city and a park.

You won't find a community that is tearing down Minneapolis and our Somali Americans. You will find a group of people that is uplifting Minneapolis

and is proud to be here. They are proud to call this extraordinary place home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: On Wednesday, protesters gathered near the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport facility that serves as a deportation base to

denounce the immigration operations. U.S. Federal Agents have boots on the ground in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as they expand their immigration

sweeps there too.

A top border official was seen with masked agents in the city's French Quarter on Wednesday. City Council members there are launching an online

portal allowing residents to report any allegations of misconduct or abuse by federal agents. As operations pick up around the city activists are

fanning out to educate people about how to handle interactions with federal agents and how to record their activity.

The Department of Homeland Security says its goal is to make around 5000 arrests. The Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, has confirmed he's been

speaking to his American counterpart as Donald Trump warns of imminent land attacks in the country. Trump says he spoke to the Venezuela President

briefly. Maduro says the conversation was amicable. Take a listen.

[11:20:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT: I received a call and spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump. I can say that the

conversation was in a tone of respect. I can even say that it was cordial.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: Maduro has continued to stress Caracas is still seeking diplomacy to address mounting tensions with Washington. This comes as Trump huddled with

top cabinet officials earlier this week to discuss a path forward, saying that U.S. actions in Venezuela are, quote, much beyond a pressure campaign.

President Trump has suggested he's willing to go after other countries he believes are trafficking drugs into the U.S. as well. CNN's Isa Soares

traveled to Colombia for an exclusive interview with President Gustavo Petro to see how the country is addressing the cocaine trade first hand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Colombia's decades long struggle with narco trafficking, concealment has become an art born of

desperation, driving traffickers from low level couriers to organized networks to employ methods that range from the absurd to the darkly

ingenious.

SOARES: This is 1.2 tons of coffee destined for the United Kingdom, at least it looks like coffee, right? You've got the very official packaging

product of Colombia, the date it expires. If I look closer, actually looks and smells like coffee. But under a microscope there's cocaine inside.

SOARES (voice-over): Lieutenant Colonel Hectatoro (ph) says his unit tested this load after it was flagged by an artificial intelligence system they

use to identify suspicious shipments, passengers and even mail. It's one of the many examples of how drug seizures here at Bogota's Eldorado Airport

have become bolder and more frequent, forcing authorities to adapt as coca production in Colombia continues to rise.

SOARES: As you can see that one you can see the white inside.

SOARES (voice-over): That increase, the reason why the U.S. says it has dropped Colombia as a partner in the fight against drug trafficking, ending

a partnership that had been in place for decades. Its President, Gustavo Petro, with whom I sat down for an exclusive interview, is also feeling the

heat with U.S. hitting him with sanctions and accusing him of being an illegal drug dealer.

GUSTAVO PETRO, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT: President Trump says is the opposite of reality.

SOARES: Why? Why doesn't listen? Why don't you think he doesn't hear you?

PETRO: Out of arrogance because he thinks I'm a foe or subversive, a terrorist, things like that.

SOARES (voice-over): The tit-for-tat between both presidents has only escalated as President Trump goes after alleged drug boats off the coast of

Venezuela and Colombia as well. Actions the Petro has deemed illegal under international law. And as far as drugs are concerned, the Colombian

President says he is doing his part.

PETRO: The government that has seized the most cocaine in history globally is the government of Colombia under my administration.

SOARES (voice-over): Major General Edgar Falla Vargas, who oversees Colombia's Aero Spatial Forces in the Southern Hemisphere, tells me

cooperation, collaboration and intelligence sharing with U.S. and 41 other countries have been key to their success in nearly eradicating drugs by air

inside Colombian airspace.

MAJ. GEN. EDGAR FALLA VARGAS, COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE: In 2003 there were 639 aircraft leaving Colombia bound for the United States. This year, we can

say we have had three involved in some type of illegal movement.

SOARES (voice-over): Under pressure, traffickers have looked to the sea to make their gains. Most shipments leaving Colombia on speed boats or

concealed inside shipping containers, but the main route not the Caribbean, as President Trump's campaign against Venezuela seems to suggest.

SOARES: -- that Caribbean corridor?

VARGAS: Yes.

SOARES: Is that the biggest? Is that the one you see the most action.

VARGAS: From my perspective, we have an increase in the Pacific Corridor. However, activity in the Caribbean is not zero.

SOARES (voice-over): Despite tensions between both leaders and the threats of stopping intelligence sharing by President Petro this is an area where

collaboration is non-negotiable. Major General Vargas, who has repeatedly exalted the importance of intelligence sharing during our conversation and

prefers not to wade into the world of politics. Tells me very simply that when it comes to cooperation.

[11:25:00]

VARGAS: There really isn't a problem.

SOARES (voice-over): As drug production climbs and political rhetoric heats up, it seems both countries are bound by necessity, knowing all too well,

perhaps if cooperation were to falter, only one group stands to gain the drug traffickers. Isa Soares, CNN, Bogota, Colombia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ASHER: All right, finally this hour, the Olympic flame for the Milano Cortina Winter Games will be handed over to the host nation, Italy later

today. It's set to arrive in Rome after reaching the Parthenon in Athens on Wednesday, during the Greek leg of the torch relay on Saturday. Months long

relay through 60 Italian cities and 300 towns will begin as well.

It's been 70 years since the Winter Games were last held in Cortina, where the torch will arrive on January 26th. The relay will end in Milan for the

opening ceremony on February 6th. All right, stay with CNN. There's more "One World" in about 30 minutes from now, but CNN Creators is up next.

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