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One World with Zain Asher

Greenland's PM: We Wish To Continue A Peaceful Dialogue; Putin To Meet Witkoff And Kushner In Moscow; Ex-Special Counsel Jack Smith Testifies On Capitol Hill; Examining Arctic Region's Rising Geopolitical Importance; Next Hour: E.U. Leaders To Hold Emergency Summit In Brussels; Trump Formally Launches "Board Of Peace" In Davos; CNN Visits Taco Bell Test Kitchen As New Items Prepared; Longest Serving Chief Usher At White House Shares Memories; Aired 12-1p ET

Aired January 22, 2026 - 12:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:37]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is off today. You are watching the second hour of

"One World."

European leaders are set to hold an extraordinary emergency meeting in the next hour following what's being described as a rupture in the global

order.

It comes despite Donald Trump's climb down on Greenland and his announcement of what he referred to as the framework of a deal.

In the last hour, Greenland's Prime Minister said that he wasn't a part of those discussions and he is ready to talk but dialogue needs to happen

through the right channels.

He also said there are red lines that cannot be crossed and the issue is bigger than Greenland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS-FREDERIK NIELSEN, GREENLAND PRIME MINISTER: We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the E.U. We choose NATO. This is not only a situation

for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. It's about the world order for all of us.

We have and will continue to seek respectful dialogue through diplomacy and normal channels.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, President Trump said that he wouldn't seize the NATO-protected Danish

territory by force. But many countries who had considered themselves America's closest allies are calling it a huge wake-up call and are now

trying to chart a new way forward.

CNN's Nic Robertson was at that press conference with Greenland's Prime Minister in Nuuk and that's where he joins me now live.

And, Nic, you had actually asked the prime minister a few questions as well. It was notable to hear him say that he was happy to hear the comments

from President Trump yesterday, saying that -- that some sort of deal had been reached and walking back on any sort of military threats to acquire

the island.

What exactly did you ask him and what did he tell you?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. And -- and I think on that point that he made about feeling that there weren't going to --

that the military threat had been taken off the table. He was asked the question, well, do you trust that? And he said, I have to.

You know, when you speak to people out here outside on the streets in Nuuk, there are a little more circumspect and perhaps less diplomatic than the

prime minister finds that he can be at the moment. People here are really relieved a little bit, but actually they don't feel that they can trust

President Trump.

And I -- and I I think what the prime minister gave and I asked him, you know, what, if anything else, is President Trump getting out of this? I

think you find his answers quite circumspect. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Is Greenland safe now from the threat or U.S. ownership? If not, why not? And does Donald Trump, the United States, get anything more out of

this agreement than he already had? And what are other details of that agreement?

NIELSEN: First of all, nobody else in Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark have the mandate to -- to make deals or agreements about Greenland and the

Kingdom of Denmark without us. That's not going to happen.

In terms of -- of the deal that's been talking about, I don't know what's concrete in that deal either.

But I know that we have now a high-level working group working on a solution for both parties.

We have set from the -- from the beginning in Greenland. We have some red lines. We cannot cross the red lines. We have to respect our territorial

integrity. We have to respect international law, sovereignty. We are ready to cooperate more in economics, in -- in other areas, but that's something

we have to talk about in mutual respect.

In terms of wanting to own Greenland, your first question, until yesterday, we couldn't rule out anything. As I hear it, the will to -- to have

Greenland, to own Greenland, was still -- was still a part of the rhetoric yesterday.

But as I said, respectful dialogue through the right channels is what we have been seeking from the get-go. And I also feel that's -- that's the

intention now from -- from the other parties. And that -- and I'm happy for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: And the thing that he said as well was that he feels that it has been communicated to President Trump about the need to respect Greenland's

sovereignty and territorial integrity.

[12:05:02]

He felt that through Greenland's foreign minister who talked with Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General earlier in the week, that Mark Rutte conveyed

that to President Trump. So -- so the president, very clearly, understands that. But I think people here, there's a sigh of relief, but I don't think

that they think this is all over yet.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. A sigh of relief, but we still don't know any details about what this deal entails that was reached between Mark Rutte and President

Trump. Though President Trump describes that it will last indefinitely in perpetuity.

So we'll continue to follow these stories and headlines. But like you said, a collective sigh of relief for now there in Greenland.

Nic Robertson, thank you.

Well, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had sharp words for Europe during his address at the economic forum. The Ukrainian president criticized European leaders for

not doing enough to punish Russia, suggesting that Europe relies too much on the U.S. for its security.

Zelenskyy's stinging remarks come shortly after his meeting with President Trump in Davos.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Today, Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes, NATO will act. But no one has really seen the

alliance in action.

If Putin decides to take Lithuania or strike Poland, who will respond? Who will respond? Right now, NATO exists, thanks to belief, believe that the

United States will act, that it will not stand aside and will help. But what if it doesn't?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump comes the same day the top U.S. negotiators are headed to Moscow. Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are

expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Witkoff spoke in Davos earlier, saying that it's time to end this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE WITKOFF, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST: I think we've got it down to one issue. And we have discussed the iterations of that issue, and

that means it's solvable.

So if both sides want to solve this, we're going to get it solved. That's - - that's my view.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: CNN's Matthew Chance joins me now from Moscow with more.

Down to one issue, and that is the issue of territory, Matthew. I believe this is Steve Witkoff's now seventh trip to Moscow to meet with Vladimir

Putin since Trump took office again back in January.

What are we expecting to hear and come out of these meetings?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, it sank (PH), doesn't it, Bianna, sort of relatively positive, that there's just

one issue now to -- to be resolved, which is what Steve Witkoff just said.

But, of course, that one issue is territory, and that's been, you know, perhaps the --- the -- the stickiest issue of all, because it involves

negotiations, compromises, difficult compromises, particularly on the Ukrainian side, but also on the Russian side as well, around the territory

of the Donbas in Eastern Ukraine.

Basically, Putin wants all of it, and the -- the Ukrainians are reluctant to give up any more of it than they've already lost on the battlefield.

And so it's not clear whether -- and there have been various formulas suggest as -- as -- as a sort of potential way to break the deadlock, but

it's not clear that a -- a formula has been sort of arrived at that would be acceptable to both sides.

And so we're going to watch very closely when Steve Witkoff, the presidential envoy, comes to Moscow, is being accompanied by Jared Kushner,

President Trump's son-in-law, of course. It's the second time, actually, Jared Kushner's been here on a trip since, well, December when he -- when

he came last with Steve Witkoff for a similar meeting at the Kremlin.

That meeting lasted five hours. They're not even going to arrive here until about an hour from now, we're told. At least that was our understanding a

few hours ago. And so this meeting could potentially go on until very late into the evening.

But, you know, obviously, we're waiting. Everybody's waiting to see what, if anything, substantial comes out of these talks this time.

GOLODRYGA: Other headlines made from President Putin as it relates to President Trump's Board of Peace. We saw him speak about it in Davos this

morning and sitting on the stage there with some of those newly formed members of this Board of Peace.

Vladimir Putin has raised a lot of eyebrows by also being issued an invitation. And he has responded to that. I know that the Kremlin said that

they were going to be reviewing this invitation, a longer-term membership, I think came at a price tag of $1 billion.

How has the Kremlin now issued its response?

CHANCE: Well, I -- I think, first of all, there's -- there's probably a bit of reluctance on the part of the Kremlin to join an organization that would

essentially be chaired by the U.S. President. And so that they -- that may be one of the reasons they've held back from saying, yes, we'll definitely

join.

[12:10:04]

But, you know, Vladimir Putin hasn't missed the opportunity to kind of press for an advantage when it comes to this Board of Peace. He's suggested

that the $1 billion permanent membership fee that's been proposed in its charter could be paid by Russia if they were to join, but only out of funds

that have currently been frozen by the United States government because of the war in Ukraine and various other sort of misadventures.

He also suggested that Russia would be prepared to use other monies that is unfrozen by the United States if that were to happen to pay for the

reconstruction of areas that have been damaged during the war in Ukraine as well.

So Putin sort of not saying he will join the Board of Peace, but not saying no to it either, but trying to use it as leverage to ease some of those

tough financial restrictions that have been placed on him because of the war in Ukraine.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. I think it would require Europeans and the E.U. to also sign off on unfreezing those Russian funds. Notable that President

Zelenskyy, he too, was issued an invitation and offered an invitation to join this Board of Peace as well.

Matthew Chance, thank you so much reporting from Moscow.

Well, former Special Counsel Jack Smith is testifying before Congress about the two failed attempts he made to prosecute Donald Trump. Smith defended

his efforts and said that he has no partisan loyalties, but Republicans have pressed him repeatedly on the motivation for the investigations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): It was always about politics. And to get President Trump, they were willing to do just about anything.

We should never forget what took place, what they did to the guy we the people elected president twice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Our Lauren Fox joins me now from Capitol Hill.

And as expected, Lauren, things got quite heated very quickly here and along partisan lines. Tell us what has happened thus far.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, this is pretty expected, given the gravity of this testimony today from Jack Smith.

And we should remind people at home that this is the first public opportunity for folks to see Jack Smith answering these questions in front

of lawmakers, but he did sit for a closed-door deposition just a few weeks ago.

And one of the things that you are seeing right now is Republicans are trying to ask very specific questions to Jack Smith. Sometimes not really

letting him answer the questions in a fulsome way.

And it's really interesting to see whether or not they're trying to triangulate any differences between what he said in that deposition back in

December and what he is saying today.

Meanwhile, Democrats are trying to give him as much opportunity, as much room as possible to lay out his investigations, the cases against Donald

Trump specifically, because for a lot of voters, perhaps this is in the rearview mirror, right? So this is an opportunity for Democrats to bring

that back to the forefront, to remind people why they campaigned so hard against Donald Trump.

So despite the fact that, you know, Jack Smith is trying to paint himself certainly as someone who was unmoored by politics, who was not making

decisions that were political, Democrats are trying to bring this back to a political moment, trying to remind people back what happened on January 6,

what the case was when it came to those documents that were sort at Mar-a- Lago. All of that is really culminating in sort of these political fireworks that you're seeing today in this hearing.

GOLODRYGA: Lauren Fox reporting for us live from Capitol Hill. Thank you so much.

And coming up for us, the E.U.'s Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas will join an emergency meeting of the European Council in the next hour. I will speak

to her live after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:15:28]

GOLODRYGA: President Trump has repeatedly claimed the U.S. needs to control Greenland out of national security concerns.

Nick Paton Walsh examines the politics playing out in the region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The race for Arctic to control has run through the Cold War and now, the melting ice

of the climate crisis. The Russians had long been ahead. It is really their biggest coastline of defense, these dots, their bases.

They have expanded and developed some facilities this likely a nuclear missile storage facility that added MiG-31s runways often overshadowing

NATO.

But Russia's development has it seems been challenged by its invasion of Ukraine. One estimate putting casualties from ground units from their

Arctic ground forces of about 80 percent.

Now, remember, the capabilities of bases count more than their sheer number, but the U.S. has around eight in Alaska and is down to one in

Greenland.

NATO member Canada and ally is enhancing three, bringing it up to about nine and Norway's coastline, also a NATO member, is peppered with military

facilities.

Ministries are also here partly for economic reasons. Their climate crisis and ice stall has left vital shipping routes often open like these, a

shorter path that China is keen to exploit and potentially there are rare earth minerals, other resources, that are easy to get to if the ice sheet

gives way.

But the Arctic's role in defense is vital to Russia and its enemies.

What's important is the Kola Peninsula here where Russia keeps its second- strike nuclear submarines. They need to get through the so-called Bear Gap and the GIUK Gap in order to move on towards the United States.

And so an unlikely nuclear war would also be fought over Arctic skies with most missile paths over this area. And so it's likely where most missile

defenses would be best placed as well.

Look, a week in Russia and ice melt possibly leading to more resources exposed and busier shipping lanes. This is all heightened competition up

here in a series of vital races.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Our thanks to Nick Paton Walsh for that report.

Kaja Kallas is the E.U.'s foreign policy chief and vice president of the European Commission. She will be part of a European council meeting in the

next hour and joins us live from Brussels. Thank you so much for taking the time to join us. Really appreciate it.

So, today's summit was originally designed to finalize a united economic defense against U.S. coercion to gain control over Greenland.

Now that President Trump has paused his threats, are E.U. counter tariffs off the table?

KAJA KALLAS, E.U. FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: Well, if there are no tariffs, then there shouldn't be no counter tariffs either.

So, of course, we need to be ready with our plans and -- and -- and we are preparing those plans, but right now, there is no need for them.

GOLODRYGA: OK. So no need right now, but if so needed in the future, you are prepared then collectively to announce retaliatory tariffs. Is that

correct?

KALLAS: Nobody wants to go down that road, really, because, you know, making these steps towards allies is just making our adversaries super

happy.

[12:20:59]

And by that, I mean, Russia and China, if there is a division among Europe and -- and U.S., then all the others are -- are definitely happy about

this.

We are not ready to junk the 80 years of good transatlantic relationship, and that's why we are willing to work for it. But at the same time, of

course, standing for -- up for our interests and values when they are attacked.

So after a whirlwind week like the one that we've just seen, there are some European officials who have been telling CNN off the record and on the

record that the trust between the E.U. and the United States has been significantly harmed, perhaps not irreparably, but significantly.

Would you agree with that?

KALLAS: Well, over the last week, the transatlantic tie definitely took a big blow. And we have seen this over the last year that we have to also get

accustomed to that our relationship with the United States is not the same as it was.

From our side, we are willing to strengthen our relationship and -- and build on that. If it is, you know, our common interests, like security,

like economic security, for that matter, we are willing to work together. Like I say, we want strong transatlantic ties. And -- and definitely, we

need to put effort on this.

GOLODRYGA: So as it relates to Greenland, the -- the president said that he had a positive meeting with the NATO secretary general, that the framework

of a future deal was agreed to in perpetuity, so -- so indefinitely, though we don't know any of the details here.

The E.U., as you know, and not NATO, manages trade and sanctions here, Danish and Greenlandic officials were not involved in this conversation or

this agreement between the two of them.

So, does Brussels recognize the Rutte framework -- framework that was agreed to by President Trump and Mark Rutte?

KALLAS: Well, the secretary general of NATO can, of course, discuss the security issues with President Trump when it relates to the Arctic security

as well. So -- so the security issues are -- he's remit.

When it comes to economic issues, when it comes to sovereignty or territorial integrity of Greenland then, of course, Denmark and Greenland

have to be involved in those discussions.

GOLODRYGA: So, do you view that then as binding? Or do you feel that you were bypassed?

KALLAS: We don't know the details of that agreement. So -- so, like you said, nobody really knows the details of that agreement.

But clearly, I mean, everybody has a mandate to talk about the things that are in their competence.

I think right now, everybody's relieved that right now the tension regarding Greenland is down. But I think one thing that we have learned

over the last year is that we have to be prepared for the next day that might be a completely other topic.

GOLODRYGA: What are you prepared to expect to hear from Steve Witkoff's now, I believe, seventh visit to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin along

with Jared Kushner after President Trump met with President Zelenskyy in Davos? It was said to be a productive meeting, but nothing specific came

out of it.

What are you expecting to hear now from Vladimir Putin?

KALLAS: Last few months have been really strong push for diplomacy and peace. And it's clear that Ukrainians are willing to make concessions in

order to have peace.

But this kind of push has been totally one-sided because we haven't heard anything, any concessions from the one who is actually doing the war. I

mean, Russia.

We have seen actually escalating from their side, they're escalating their attacks on -- on civilians -- civilian infrastructure. Right now, it is

super cold winter in Ukraine. They are targeting the energy infrastructure so that people would be in cold and -- and darkness.

So what we expect to hear is, of course, you know, also the pressure regarding Russia so that they would really stop this war.

GOLODRYGA: I'm being pressed for time. I know you have to go to the meeting. Quick question for you, finally.

As you are -- are meeting with other E.U. members, is the president's Board of Peace going to be something that the E.U. will ultimately join

collectively because, as of now, only Hungary has agreed to join?

KALLAS: In the United Nations Security Council resolution regarding Gaza, there was a Board of Peace mentioned, but that was for until 2027 and very

strictly focused on -- on Gaza.

[12:25:07]

So what we want to see is the mandate of the Board of Peace being really narrowed down to Gaza like it was initially meant and in accordance with

the Security Council resolution. And these talks are ongoing.

GOLODRYGA: E.U. Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas, thank you so much for the time. Really appreciate it.

KALLAS: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: And still to come for us, not exactly thunderous applause. We'll look into the low turnout at today's Board of Peace ceremony and what

lingering concerns remain among some U.S. allies.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

A group of leaders that are about action. That is how U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio describes the newly founded Board of Peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: If that applause sounded a bit quiet, it's because fewer than 20 countries attended today signing ceremony in Davos. Nations represented on

stage skewed heavily toward the Middle East and South America.

Among the unveiled members, only a handful of America's European allies and there's only one Palestinian on the board. America's top diplomat says,

this group will not be about what he calls strongly worded letters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: This is not just a Board of Peace, this is a board of action just like President Trump is a president of

action. A lot of times people like to give speeches. I've been to many of these forums and they're not useless and they're not, you know, not -- they

have utility in many cases.

But oftentimes in international affairs, we often find ourselves at events where people are reading these scripted statements, these strongly worded

letters that they put out but no action, nothing happens.

This is a group of leaders that are about action and the president of the United States is a president of action, of getting things done. And today

is the beginning of that, of a new era and a new stage that we think is so important as a model to the rest of the world of what is possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:30:07]

GOLODRYGA: Time now for "The Exchange." Joining us now is Nicholas Burns who once served as the U.S. ambassador to China. Ambassador Burns, thank

you so much for taking the time.

So as it relates to this Board of Peace, it is worth mentioning that Gaza is not in its actual founding charter, but that was the premise for its

establishment, though many are now speculating that the president's ultimate intentions are replacing the United Nations.

He quelled some of those concerns today by saying that this Board of Peace would work alongside the United Nations.

Just from what we heard from the Secretary of State that this board will do more than issue strongly-worded letters, is there a point to that criticism

of organizations like the U.N.?

NICHOLAS BURNS, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA: Well, first, I'd say that Gaza really does need a Board of Peace of countries around the world

willing to dive into the reconstruction of Gaza, humanitarian relief for the suffering Palestinian populations in Gaza, as well as the West Bank.

And that's going to be a monumental task.

And that was the, as you remember, when the Security Council voted to -- to support and authorize the ceasefire, that was the original idea. And so I

think if the Board of Peace turns its direction towards Gaza first, there'll be substantial international support.

The problem, I think, with the present formulation today in Davos is that it's really unclear what this board is going to do, what its remit is. Are

they going to go out and try well beyond Gaza to resolve other problems in the world? And I think that's problematic.

Japan was not there today. Germany was not there. France was not there. China, a very powerful country, was not there.

And so it's hard to see this group having legitimacy and effectiveness beyond Gaza at this point.

And there is a broader point that you mentioned, Bianna, and that is we already have the United Nations. It's highly imperfect, but it's the only

global institution we have that has 195 nation states working together.

And for an American, it's in our --it's in our biggest city. It was created in the image of President Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. So we should

take some ownership of the U.N. and protect the U.N.'s prerogatives vis-a- vis this new organization.

GOLODRYGA: Let me ask you about the other big story this week, and that is some sort of resolution and de-escalation as it relates to President

Trump's desire to own Greenland.

A framework of a future deal was agreed to between a private meeting between the president and Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO.

And as you heard from my conversation with Kaja Kallas, NATO has a lot of oversight as it relates to national security. But when it relates to the

economic issues and also issues over territory, that is not something that NATO can unilaterally decide upon without representation from the Danes

there or E.U. officials.

What do you make of that?

BURNS: Well, I think first of all, it was good that President Trump climbed down yesterday and backed away from the threat of force and from the

tariffs, because now real negotiations can begin.

And I think what's interesting today is the lack of clarity on what this concept is. So obviously, they'll have to work on that.

And what's clear from the statements of the Danish prime minister of the Greenlandic prime minister is that they are setting out a red line. They

will not concede sovereignty.

And so if the United States wants to go in with the NATO allies to significantly reinforce our capacity as an alliance in Greenland and the

Arctic, I think that's a winning formula.

And I hope that's what President Trump will want to achieve now, because, you know, the Finns, the Swedes, the Norwegians, the Danes, the Canadians

have tremendous capacity that is superior to that of the United States in icebreakers, for instance, which is a critical asset for military

operations in the Arctic.

And I think that would be the winning formula. If the U.S. continues to insist that we want, at least the basis that the United States inhabits to

be sovereign American territory, that's a decision for Greenland and Denmark to make.

And right now, they are putting a red line saying they won't go that far. So I think we're going to have -- this is all going to have to be

negotiated. But what was announced yesterday was a concept, but not much detail behind it.

GOLODRYGA: And it sounds a lot like the agreement that was reached in 1951, allowing the United States to have military bases on the island. At one

point, we had as many as 17. I believe that's down to one now.

You wore many hats. You were Ambassador to NATO. You were also Ambassador to China. And the president continues to claim that ownership and control

over Greenland is necessary because of threats from Russia and China and for their gaining a foothold in the Arctic.

[12:35:13]

Your time, from your time in Beijing, I'm just curious to get your thoughts on this because China describes itself now as near Arctic State. Its aims

to have a major presence in the region, a polar great power is how it aims to describe itself.

And I was struck by an incident in 2018 where China had proposed and had offered to build a new airport in Nuuk for Greenland. The Danes ultimately

turned that down.

But just tell us whether these threats and concerns are legitimate because it does seem like China is trying to have a more active role in the Arctic.

BURNS: Well, first, Bianna, I have to say on the point about, do you lease or do you own, no American president has ever felt it's necessary to own a

piece, a centimeter of allied territory, because the whole thing about NATO is, since 1949, we're in this together. We defend each other.

And so you don't need to own Greenland to defend Greenland. That's contrary to the whole idea of NATO itself.

But I do think there is a threat from Russia, certainly in the -- in the Arctic and from China. It's strange. I used to talk to the Chinese about

this and they said, why can't we be on the Arctic Council? And my response was because you're not an Arctic nation. And they would say, you know, what

you just referred to, yes, but we're a near Arctic nation.

And clearly, the Chinese are working with the Russians as the polar ice cap melts, as there is a navigable course at some months of the year between

the Pacific and the Atlantic, the Chinese (TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES) and Denmark's right that we've got to reinforce Greenland because it isn't from

Russia and China, not immediate, not this month, but certainly in the -- in the years to come.

And that's why NATO -- the proper course now, is for NATO to reinforce the -- their Arctic security together, whereas if the United States can agree

to that, I think you'll have the entire alliance supporting the United States and Denmark.

But if the U.S. continues to claim, we need sovereignty, we need to own something, that's not going to happen easily. And that's going to continue

to divide the alliance and continue this big argument that the Europeans and Canadians have been making against the Trump administration.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and massive distraction, not to say the least, all of the resources now that have been relocated from --

BURNS: You're right.

GOLODRYGA: -- Europe to -- to Greenland. It is quite stunning about the developments from the past few weeks.

Nicholas Burns, thank you so much. Mr. Ambassador, we appreciate the time.

BURNS: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Well, the U.S. and Nigeria are vowing to deepen security cooperation. Senior officials from both countries met in the Nigeria's

capital today, pledging stronger protections for Christian communities there.

Trump has accused the government of failing to protect Christians targeted by Islamist militants in the north. And Washington designated Nigeria a

country of particular concern over religious freedom back in November.

Take a listen to Nigeria's national security adviser earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NUHU RIBADU, NIGERIAN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We come to this table confident in the progress achieved since November 2025. Committed to do

more and resolve to work with our U.S. partners to deliver credible security, credible justice, and lasting protection for all communities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: He also welcomed U.S. commitments to fast-track delivery of long-delayed defense equipment, including helicopters and drones.

Well, still to come for us, finding a recipe for success. We get a look inside Taco Bell's Test Kitchen as the company bets big on value items.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:40:34]

GOLODRYGA: All right. Let's go check on how the U.S. markets are doing right now.

All green arrows, the Dow, the S&P 500, the NASDAQ, all up nearly or around one percent today. This is your business breakout.

Elon Musk made his first-ever appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier today. It marks a striking reversal for the world's richest

man who has publicly criticized the gathering as elitist and disconnected from ordinary people.

The federal judge has blocked the U.S. Justice Department from looking at "Washington Post" reporter Hannah Natanson's phones, computers at least for

right now. The devices were taken during an FBI raid tied to a classified documents probe, prompting "The Post" to argue that the move threatens the

U.S. Constitution's protections for the freedom of the press.

Spotify has rolled out a new feature called Prompted Playlists. It uses artificial intelligence to allow premium users in the U.S. and Canada to

create custom nixes by describing what they want to hear in their own words. It follows an announcement by Spotify earlier this month that it was

increasing its subscription plan prices.

While many consumers are pulling back on spending, fast food chain Taco Bell is crediting its value menu for consistent sales growth.

CNN got a look inside its test kitchen where the brand is developing a range of items that will be sold in the U.S. for under three dollars.

Here's Jordan Valinsky.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JORDAN VALINSKY, CNN BREAKING NEWS WRITER: All right. We're here on the line and what are we going to make?

HEATHER MOTTERSHAW, V.P. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, TACO BELL: We're going to make the mini taco salad. You ready?

VALINSKY: Yes. Get to it.

MOTTERSHAW: OK. Let's go.

VALINSKY (voice-over): Americans love Taco Bell. Consumers are cutting back spending as prices climb, off to ditching bowls and burgers.

But even as rivals struggle, Taco Bell sells are up, growing consistently over the past five years. Customers keep coming back to the chain.

We visited Taco Bell's Test Kitchen in Irvine, California to find out why.

MOTTERSHAW: We start off when we take a delightful crispy little shell. And so we're going to put a secret pocket of seasoned beans. That's the first

thing we're going to make.

VALINSKY (voice-over): Taco Bell is introducing new products to its value menu this week. Churros in a mini taco salad, which is a spin on the

discontinued but popular Fiesta Taco Salad.

MOTTERSHAW: We're going to add some crisp lettuce. But then we're going to add some seasoned beef on the top. We're going to add a little bit of

creamy chocolate.

We're going to add a little bit of cheddar cheese on the top and finishing off with some tomatoes.

VALINSKY: Ooh. This is how I remember it.

MOTTERSHAW: That's really great.

VALINSKY (voice-over): The chain credits its innovative affordable menu for rising sales, jumping again by seven percent late last year. That's more

than double McDonald's or Burger King.

VALINSKY: Why do you think Taco Bell is so successful in this space right now? I mean, it has several consecutive quarters seems to grow.

LUIS RESTREPO, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, TACO BELL: Yes.

VALINSKY: Other chains are struggling, right? I mean, what's your secret sauce?

RESTREPO: I think one of the biggest reasons we're ahead is value. And so as we look at 2026, that's going to be a core part of how we stay ahead. We

wanted to take it to another level. And that's because we listen to consumers so much.

You started to stay relevant with culture, listening to where young consumers are, where our biggest fans are.

VALINSKY: I want to ask what you're hearing from consumers in terms of, you know, how they're spending it.

RESTREPO: Snacking and like treating yourself --

VALINSKY: Yes.

RESTREPO: -- especially with Gen Z and young consumers is huge. And like things like the dessert churro, the dip, play a lot of into that role.

[12:45:01]

VALINSKY (voice-over): The consumer tastes are always evolving, so Taco Bell has to keep up.

MOTTERSHAW: So the sensory lab, this is where we absolutely conduct sensory testing.

VALINSKY: So this is where all the new food gets tested here.

MOTTERSHAW: All of the new food comes through here, yes, before actually the public starts to see it.

So we'll ask things like, what's your overall liking of the product? Is this spicy? Tell me how spicy it is. Tell me if it's beefy.

If we're doing a flavor like chipotle, for example, it'll say like, do you -- is the flavor just right? Is it too much? Is it too little?

VALINSKY (voice-over): Potential products see months of brainstorming and research before heading into the sensory lab.

MOTTERSHAW: And then after that, we'll then go into actual restaurants and we'll go into a market typically. So for the value menu, we went into

Indianapolis in July, tested with consumers.

Once that was done, and we wanted to get some more information, so we went into Dayton in October. And then we're going to be ready to launch in a few

weeks.

VALINSKY: So, is each item tested in here?

MOTTERSHAW: Yes, every item.

VALINSKY: What about the churros?

MOTTERSHAW: It was absolutely amazing. They loved it, straight off. We got that one right.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: European leaders are set to hold an emergency summit in Brussels in a few minutes to discuss what comes next one day after Donald Trump

backed down from his threat to use force to take Greenland.

Despite the climb down, some officials say the damage to the transatlantic alliance has already been done with the European Commission president

calling the shift in the global order seismic and permanent.

CNN's Clare Sebastian is in Brussels and that's where she's joining me from.

And, Clare, to have Christine Lagarde reportedly walk out of a meeting where the U.S. commerce secretary was speaking and criticizing European

countries as a whole, I mean, that is something that would have been unheard of, both given her behavior. She -- she typically is much more

stoic and language from U.S. top officials.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Look, I think everyone, certainly some of the leaders we've heard from just arriving here in Brussels would

agree that this has been an extremely difficult week and has launched the European Union into a new reality when it comes to its relationship with

the U.S.

That is why this meeting is still being held. That's why we're here, even though, of course, the immediate threat of new tariffs, which President

Trump had threatened on a number of countries, though not all E.U. countries, over their -- their lack of support as he saw it for his

ambitions towards Greenland.

Even though those are now off the table, E.U. leaders still felt like this was the time when they need to come together and to discuss this new

reality as they put it. And frankly, the lessons learned from the past week.

[12:50:10]

But look, despite the criticism that Europe has been getting from the likes of the U.S. for many months now and, you know, from Ukraine today, it does

feel like it did react quickly and positively over the past week coming out and essentially showing its teeth, showing that it had these tools to

retaliate if needed if these tariffs would have come in.

The anti-coercion instrument would have launched a range of potential options to retaliate against the U.S. The fact that they put the E.U.-U.S.

trade deal on hold in the E.U. Parliament and, of course, as well, you know, raising the prospect of retaliatory tariffs if those tariffs have

come in.

They thought that they acted together and they acted quickly. But I think, obviously, the backdrop for this summit is that there is now an urgency in

Europe, not only to sort of reorder its relationship with the U.S. perhaps to come out in a more muscular way after a year of what we've seen as

flattery, of placating the White House, all of which has brought us to this point, but also, of course, practically speaking to really accelerate

efforts to stand on its own two feet in terms of security.

So we're not expecting any really clear results out of this summit tonight, but I think the fact that they are here today, many of them coming straight

from Davos really shows you the critical moment that we're in, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Indeed. Clare Sebastian, thank you so much, live from Brussels for us.

Well, Gary Walters was the longest serving chief usher in White House history. He was on the job for 40 years and now he's telling his story for

the first time in a new memoir.

Elex Michaelson has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): What do all these presidents of the United States have in common? They are all served by the man in the

middle of this photo, Gary Walters, chief usher to seven U.S. presidents.

MICHAELSON: So, what is the chief usher?

GARY WALTERS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF USHER: The chief usher is responsible for the operation of the executive residence.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Gary worked directly with the presidents and their first ladies to oversee the first family's public ceremonies and private

home life.

MICHAELSON: Did you get goosebumps in the early days?

WALTERS: Yes. Every day. Every day coming through the fence was a treat.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): While presidents come and go, Gary was part of the executive residence staff who often stay in their jobs for decades, serving

the presidency regardless of what party is in charge.

WALTERS: It didn't matter what the policies were, what the feelings were, our responsibility was to take care of the president and his family in the

best way that we could.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Gary started as a uniformed officer in the U.S. Secret Service in 1970 when Richard Nixon was in the White House.

MICHAELSON: What stood out to you about Richard Nixon, the man?

WALTERS: He had a very soft side that not many people got an opportunity to see. And he was very well liked by the staff.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Gary will never forget being there when Nixon was forced to resign.

MICHAELSON: How is that for -- for all of you?

WALTERS: It was a difficult day.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Walters began ushering for President Gerald Ford, including lots of time with the Ford family in the residence.

MICHAELSON: What was Gerald Ford, the man like?

WALTERS: Very kind. He just was a person that anybody would want to sit down and talk with.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Then came President Jimmy Carter.

WALTERS: President Carter was probably one of the smartest men that ever had been in the office.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Next, President Ronald Reagan.

WALTERS: He enjoyed people. He was the person you saw all the time, not just when he was on camera.

MICHAELSON: I know you're never going to say who your favorite president was, but was there a president that was most involved with the staff?

WALTERS: Yes, Barbara and George W Herbert Walker Bush. They had both grown up with -- with staff. And they absorbed us as if we were part of their

family. And we had wonderful interactions with them.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): He says the Clintons did not grow up with staff.

WALTERS: I believe that he and Mrs. Clinton had a difficult time feeling comfortable at the White House.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Gary says by the end, they all got along great.

WALTERS: President Clinton was one of the -- had one of the greatest memories of anybody that I have ever met.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Gary first served George W. Bush as the president's son and then as the president himself.

WALTERS: Miraculous for me to be able to do that. President Bush was like his father, took many of the same traits, very gregarious.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): He's written about all of this in his new book, "White House Memories, 1970 to 2007: Recollections of the Longest Serving

Chief Usher."

All of Gary's proceeds are being donated to the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit that preserves presidential history.

MICHAELSON: What's sort of your big takeaway from all those years at the White House?

WALTERS: The American people don't understand, I don't believe, the amount of time the presidents put in trying to serve the American people and do

what they believe is right for our country.

[12:55:09]

And the White House is a -- a home to the president. And that's one of the reasons I wrote the book. I wanted to have the White House be seen as a

home and not just a political entity.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Truly a witness to history there.

All right. Well, that does it for "One World" today. I'm Bianna Golodryga. Don't go anywhere. "Amanpour" is coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END