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CNN Live Event/Special
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade; Update of Shooting of Two National Guard Members. Aired 9-9:30a ET
Aired November 27, 2025 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:00:50]
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN's special coverage "Thanksgiving in America."
I am Sara Sidner, with John Berman. This is the 99th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade here in New York. It is well underway.
And we're going to be taking you to parades all across America, including Chicago and Philly. They are going to begin any second.
But we are well underway. We are seeing all manner of floats, including one of those giant balloons. That is Stuart the minion right there.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I mean everyone's so excited about the Minions from "Despicable Me." This one was updated this year, 37 feet tall, 40 feet long, 28 feet wide. Up to all kinds of mischief, no doubt, just like the Minions always are. Super fun to see that.
Oh, look --
SIDNER: Is that a soft serve? Chocolate?
BERMAN: Coffee?
SIDNER: Oh is that coffee?
BERMAN: Oh, coffee. It's a cup of joe with a donut.
SIDNER: Oh, it's coffee and a donut.
BERMAN: It's coffee on a bicycle and a donut. Thank you. I'll take mine black. Please, bring it on over.
SIDNER: We want more. We want more.
Oh, there is Stuart, the Minion. How fun he is. People really excited to see him coming through the streets of New York City.
We are seeing crowds that are enormous this year. And you might -- the reason partly for that is, while it is chilly, it is gorgeous. It is bright and it is sunny and there is no rain, as one of us experienced last year.
BERMAN: Yes, it was pouring last year. I will tell you, there was some concern about the wind and, of course, with these balloons up there, if the wind gets too high above 35 miles per hour, it could be a problem. But not -- not so far. The wind not an issue. You can see Stuart there, you know, dancing a little bit as he's flying high over Central Park West. But everything is wonderful. Everything is safe. And everything is super fun.
I could hear kids like almost squealing.
SIDNER: They're like, look, it's Stuart. It's Stuart.
BERMAN: Almost squealing at the sight of Stuart here.
SIDNER: Oh, look, there -- he's holding a little -- a bunch of tiny Minions on -- the major balloon is holding the little, tiny Minions. I love this balloon. So cool.
You know who else we adore is our Erica Hill, who is standing in the streets with the people, ready for some of these balloons to make it to her area there.
Erica Hill, we are enjoying your gifts that you have given us. I'm going to put one of them on. So is John.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Good. Get in the spirit, Sidner.
BERMAN: Just got to figure out what end.
SIDNER: John has the bottom of the turkey on his head. He is the stuffing. As you can see there. But we are sending this over to you as our friend Stuart the Minion is getting very, very close to us. There he is.
BERMAN: Hi, Stuart.
HILL: Thank you, guys.
And, John, I do want to let you know -- as you say hi to Stuart, I do want to let you know, John, that the lights on that turkey leg hat that you are wearing, and really wearing beautifully I should add, those actually light up. So, you just got to stick your hand in the turkey there and you'll -- you'll find the light switch.
SIDNER: Oh, it lights up.
BERMAN: How do you do it?
HILL: I have -- I have faith in you. So, I look forward to seeing it all lit up the next time we see you.
SIDNER: We'll figure that out in the break.
HILL: We are -- we are -- oh, look, there we go.
We are anxiously awaiting the parade. As I check behind me, it's slowly -- slowly making its way to us. The anticipation building.
And you were talking about what a beautiful day it is here. It's a little chilly. I have to say, though, that when you're in a nice, tightly packed crowd, like my friends to the right of me here, I mean the people around you keep you warm, right, guys? You're nice and toasty now, right?
Yes. I've got a little Grinch over here who says he's very toasty. He has the most wonderful smile that is not Grinch-like at all. So many good friends here as we're waiting for Tom the Turkey to make his way to us and all the other floats.
This really is one of the most magical days in New York City. You have people come, as Sara's been saying, 3.5 million people here who are in town to see the parade. They come from New York City, of course, but from all over the United States and the world because this is such an iconic moment. The 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City this year.
Is that Tom? Is Tom coming? I think he is. I can see him.
[09:05:01]
Just make him out as he's making his way down to us. I think I can hear the sirens. That's always a good sign. These are the sirens that you want to hear when Tom is making his way down to us.
Of course, we are here in New York City, which for many people symbolizes the Thanksgiving Day Parade. But it's not the only Thanksgiving Day Parade across the country. That's why this is "Thanksgiving in America," my friends. We are checking in with so many of our friends across the country, from Atlanta, to Chicago, Detroit, Houston, and Philadelphia, which, of course, is the home of the oldest parade, Thanksgiving Day Parade, in the United States. So, all of that to come, John and Sara.
We have a jam-packed, stuffed, as one might say on Thanksgiving, a stuffed special for our friends today
BERMAN: Did you say "Thanksgiving in America"? I have -- I have headgear. I've got all the headgear to match the moment here.
HILL: I sure did.
SIDNER: Hey, that's Shaggy. Shaggy is on the turkey. They are doing the dance.
HILL: It looks -- it looks perfect, JB. I love it.
SIDNER: The floats are coming fast and furious. They're really making their way. I think the next one we're going to see -- I'm turning around. I'm just going to try to -- oh, "Gabby's Dollhouse." It's a big -- it's a big one. Look at this. There it is. There's Gabby.
BERMAN: This is what we know about Gabby. She uses her magic cat ear headband to shrink down inside her dollhouse. You can see her holding her best friend Pandy Paws.
BERMAN: Oh. Gabby is a big girl, 55.5 feet tall, 36 feet long, 66.5 feet wide. But New York has plenty of room for her and her little Pandy Paws as well. Look at that.
BERMAN: We just love seeing the bands come by also. I have to say, they bring so much energy here. A short time ago we saw the Temple Marching Band down from Philadelphia. They were just jamming there.
SIDNER: They were cranking. And people were dancing. And then they break out in the middle of it and run over to the crowds and everybody goes wild.
What's beautiful about this is, no matter what -- where you come from, what your politics are, doesn't matter, people are here together, smushed together, and (AUDIO GAP).
HILL: You -- I think you guys just mentioned the Temple University Marching Band. We are anxiously awaiting their arrival down where I am at about 43rd Street and Sixth Avenue, because we have some friends here. They know someone in the band, so they are anxiously awaiting the arrival down here.
And I don't know if you can hear, but the sirens behind me getting louder. You know what that means? That means that Tom the Turkey, the start of the parade, is making its way to us here. So, when we see Tom, we know it is all beginning.
I can hear my friends to the side of me here, and I see them getting their phones out. I'm going to turn around just to see. Oh, yes, and there's Mario. There's Tom. Tom, Mario. This is the moment that we've been waiting for here as it begins. So, Tom making his way to us.
As we wait for Tom to get here, I do want to check in with our friend Brad Smith.
So, Brad, you're in Philadelphia. I believe it's the 106th Thanksgiving Day Parade there. The oldest one in America, right?
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, it is indeed. And we are here on the parkway. You've got some of the cyclists, expert cyclists. I could not do this on one of the wheels, the front wheels that large here.
We've also got my boy Skirven (ph), who's on a normal bicycle. I feel like I could ride that bicycle for sure. You were going to tell us what your favorite Thanksgiving side is. We're having a battle of the sides out here on the parkway.
SKIRVEN (ph): You know you got to go with cranberry sauce.
SMITH: Wow, that's controversial. Cranberry sauce. Wait, time out, out the can or not?
SKIRVEN: Well, either one.
SMITH: Can or fresh made. Skirven likes the cranberry sauce. We also got my boy Ryan here. He's on to the side.
All right, best side on the Thanksgiving table?
RYAN: Mac and cheese or stuffing.
SMITH: Mac and cheese or stuffing. Fresh mac and cheese are you doing that Kraft macaroni and cheese? What you doing, man?
RYAN: Fresh. Got to be.
SMITH: Always fresh. Always homemade.
Ryan, appreciate you, man. Happy Thanksgiving to you.
I know you hear the question, sir. You're standing by. Give me your name.
KEVIN: Kevin.
SMITH: Kevin. Kevin is standing by. What is your favorite Thanksgiving side?
KEVIN: Pumpkin pie.
SMITH: Pumpkin pie? He said, forget the sides, I'm going straight for the dessert. Thank you so much, Kevin. Happy Thanksgiving to you.
And we got -- wait, you better come over here with the hat. I see you with the hat. All right, name?
JASMINE: Jasmine.
SMITH: Jasmine. OK. Favorite Thanksgiving side, Jasmine?
JASMINE: What? Macaroni and cheese. Come on.
SMITH: That's right, macaroni and cheese is up big right now. Huge lead out front in the first half for macaroni and cheese.
And there's a lot to be thankful for. Don't act like you don't want to tell me your favorite Thanksgiving side here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love mashed potatoes.
SMITH: Mashed potatoes. OK, mashed potatoes is on the board. OK.
And.
[09:10:02]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mac and cheese.
SMITH: Mac and cheese. Mac and cheese is winning by a long shot right now. It's not even close.
We got a turkey. We're going to toss away with this big bird. I'll toss it back to you guys. Erica.
HILL: All right, we will take it, Brad, thank you.
Mac and cheese sounds great right about now. That would be on my top -- on my top three sides, absolutely.
So, John and Sara, we are pretty excited here. Tom is just behind us. We can see Mario up above him.
SIDNER: Yay!
HILL: It is really happening here at 43rd and Sixth. We've been waiting. I -- and you've been doing such a great job of letting us know about what's coming for us. But we can really feel the excitement building here, you guys.
BERMAN: Yes, this is a Bronx Zoo.
SIDNER: The Bronx Zoo.
BERMAN: The Bronx Zoo is coming by us right now. Not the whole zoo, but a -- but a small representation of it.
SIDNER: OK, can I give a little factoid that I learned as I was studying all the different things about this parade?
BERMAN: Let's do it.
SIDNER: OK, so, the parade originally started in 1924. And when it started, it was actually a Christmas parade. And guess what they used, as opposed to things like balloons and floats? They used live animals from the zoo. That is what people saw back in 1924 when they first started the idea of this parade. Eventually it morphed into what it is today, which is unbelievably wonderful with these incredible floats. And one of the most favored floats, one of the all-time favorites, is just behind us. You can now see Snoopy. I love Snoopy. And guess who's on his little hat? Woodstock.
BERMAN: Woodstock right there. Snoopy hiding behind the Land of Ice and Wonder right there.
Snoopy is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Beagle Scouts. You can see Snoopy there dressed up as a Beagle Scout. This is the ninth version of Snoopy that's been in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ninety-nine parades, nine different Snoopy's.
SIDNER: I love it.
BERMAN: That's one for, what, every 11 parades. My math. No one told me there was going to be math here.
Snoopy is the parade's longest running character balloon. And you can see why. Because he's super, duper popular, 50 feet tall, 42 feet long, 34 feet wide. I love Snoopy.
SIDNER: Me too. BERMAN: I had a Snoopy for a little while.
SIDNER: Yes.
BERMAN: And all the different kind of outfits that you could put on Snoopy.
SIDNER: Oh, yes, you could put different outfits on Snoopy.
I have to say, I, as you -- as you're watching this happen, when you get up really close to these, you can actually see the brushstrokes from the hand painting that they do on these balloons. It is -- takes an incredible amount of work.
We're also seeing the Native American Pride walking through here with just beautiful, beautiful headdresses on and traditional clothing.
But you're seeing Snoopy as it's getting closer. And there is just so much work. The balloons are first made and they're all white, just like you're seeing Snoopy there. And then they paint on every single little detail. So much paint. It takes about five months to create these. And there are 50 people that work full time on these floats every single year to make sure that you have these fantastical balloons.
BERMAN: I just want to give Smokey the Bear some credit here. We didn't see Smokey. Smokey was hidden behind some other things here.
SIDNER: (INAUDIBLE).
BERMAN: You know, this is smokey here who for years and years has helped us fight forest fires and keep forests safe for camping and whatnot.
SIDNER: That's right.
BERMAN: Smokey has done some great work.
SIDNER: There's Smokey.
BERMAN: Yes.
SIDNER: I was right up next to Smokey. Smokey is enormous as well. These giant balloons take a ton of helium. It takes about 12 people -- I was watching yesterday behind the scenes. It takes about 12 people to sort of hold them down and also make sure that they are -- each section gets inflated at a different time. So, it's a lot of work just to inflate these guys.
And by the way, did you know that these are made in New Jersey? This is a New York tradition, but New Jersey is all a part of it because they have to get these things through the Lincoln Tunnel. No, they are not blown up like this. They are all deflated. And then they blow them up along the streets here where we are just before the parade, the night before the parade. So, there you go.
BERMAN: Made in New Jersey.
SIDNER: Made in New Jersey.
BERMAN: One of my favorite things, taking the train down from New York to Washington, past, you know, Philadelphia. A sign in Trenton that says, Trenton makes, you know, America takes, or something, the world takes.
SIDNER: There you go.
BERMAN: So, New Jersey makes stuff. They make balloons for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. We are thankful for New Jersey.
Elie Honig, you know, CNN's senior legal analyst from New Jersey, he's watching now. He's the mayor of Metuchen, New Jersey, right now. Happy Thanksgiving to Elie and his entire family.
SIDNER: Metuchen, is that where they make the -- that might be where they make the balloons. So, Elie might --
BERMAN: At Elie's house. In Elie's yard there.
SIDNER: Yes, the whole thing.
BERMAN: Again, seeing Snoopy.
SIDNER: Awe, Snoopy.
[09:15:01]
BERMAN: I can't tell you what a thrill it is to see Snoopy. For a lot of people who come out here, I would say a significant portion of the 3.5 million people --
SIDNER: Charlie Brown.
BERMAN: Snoopy is like reason number one. You come out to see Snoopy.
SIDNER: Look, you can see Charlie. Charlie Brown's there with his whole gang.
BERMAN: There's a Peanuts' float riding in front here of that. Linus --
SIDNER: Lucy.
BERMAN: I played Linus in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."
SIDNER: "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."
BERMAN: In like a sixth grade version of the musical.
SIDNER: You were?
BERMAN: I was Linus.
SIDNER: Oh, where's your blanket?
BERMAN: I was Linus right there. I had a blanket. I sang a song called "My Blanket in Me."
SIDNER: Oh.
BERMAN: Did a little dance with it. It was very, very moving, to be sure.
SIDNER: I bet it was super cute.
BERMAN: And there comes --
SIDNER: Oh, hey, reach over and get me one of those. Can you reach, John?
BERMAN: I can't reach the cotton candy.
SIDNER: He can't get it.
But you are looking at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 99th annual. Yes, this has been going on for almost 100 years now. And we're going to be showing you parades all over America. Still ahead, we've got so much more for our special "Thanksgiving in America."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIC VANS (ph): Hey, guys, it's Nick Vans. Super grateful for an amazing 2025, getting to be in Fiji, meeting new friends and family, having good health. I'm extremely excited for what 2026 has to offer. Some DJ shows coming up January, February. Got some cool stuff on the way. Cool YouTube videos. Hope you guys stay happy, stay healthy. Have a good 2026 and be thankful!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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[09:21:29]
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Audie Cornish, here in Washington.
We're actually interrupting our "Thanksgiving in America" coverage for this breaking news out of the nation's capital.
Right now, the FBI director and the U.S. attorney, are giving an update on those two National Guard members who were shot Wednesday, just blocks from the White House.
Let's listen in.
JEANINE PIRRO, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR D.C.: During this difficult time.
The two National Guards men that were talking about are Sarah Beckstrom, who's 20 years old, and Andrew Wolfe, who's 24 years old. They were uniformed members of the West Virginia National Guard, and they were in D.C. to keep D.C. safe pursuant to President Trump's executive order to make D.C. safe and beautiful. They answered the call. They took the charge. They volunteered. They put their lives on the line for people they don't even know. And that, unfortunately, is becoming a reality more and more for the members of law enforcement.
Yesterday, on Thanksgiving eve, at approximately 2:15, near 17th and I (ph) Streets in the northwest section of the district near the Farragut West Metro Station, two uniformed guardsmen were ambushed in a brazen and targeted attack. A lone gunman opened fire, without provocation, ambush-style, armed with a 357 Smith and Wesson revolver. One guardsman is struck, goes down, and then the shooter leans over and strikes the guardsmen again. Another guardsman is struck several times.
Fellow guardsmen who were there responded immediately, engaging the suspect, neutralizing the threat, and subduing him at the scene. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains as we speak, under heavy guard.
Thanks to the swift and coordinated response of the National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department, no additional victims were harmed and the scene was secured within minutes.
The suspect, he has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakamal, a 29-year- old Afghan who entered the United States under Biden's Operation Allies Welcome, a program following the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. He resided in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife, and we believe, five children. And we're working very closely with our federal partners, especially DHS and the FBI, to review his immigration history and the vetting process itself.
What we know about him is that he drove his vehicle across country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation's capital. As we stand here today, the charges that are appropriate right now are three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, a violation of D.C. Code 22-401, and D.C. Code 40 -- 22- 4502. He will also be charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years under the assault with the intent to kill.
[09:25:09]
We intend to continue monitoring what the charges will be, depending upon the well-being of the guardsmen. We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree. But make no mistake, if they do not, that will certainly be the charge, murder in the first degree.
The Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, is committed to a thorough and impartial investigation where we will hold this perpetrator accountable under the full weight of the law.
Now, Sarah and Andrew volunteered. They came here to protect the people of the district pursuant to a crime emergency that President Trump rightly declared in this city and in other cities across the country. Our nation's capital should not and must not be a place where evil comes to commit violence, whatever their cause or motive may be. We should not have to live in fear in the nation's capital, especially by one who came here from a foreign country, through a process that was so absurd that he came through and released into this country, as many were, knowing virtually nothing about his vetting.
This is what happens in this country when people are allowed in who are not properly vetted. These guardsmen and all who are here to protect the district are the line that separates a civilized society from a barbaric one. They are the ones who stand for law and order.
This was not just an attack, it was a direct challenge to law and order in our nation's capital. And they -- the individual will be made fully accountable. And though it seems that we have been here before under President Trump, make no mistake, and the attorney general, we will not allow this to be normalized. It will be confronted, condemned and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Now, my message to the individual who committed these acts is, you picked the wrong target, the wrong city and the wrong country, and you will be sorry for the violence and the evil that you perpetrated in our nation's capital.
And now I call upon the director of the FBI, Kash Patel.
KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR: Thanks, Judge.
I'll begin my remarks and end my remarks the same way, with prayer for our fallen soldiers, prayer for our law enforcement community, prayer for our National Guards men and women, prayer for our brave prosecutors at the Department of Justice and the offices of the D.C. United States Attorney. We must come together as a nation, especially on this Thanksgiving Day, and remember the sacrifices that so many are making around the world and around this country to secure our freedoms under President Trump's brilliant leadership and administration.
I'll provide an update on the -- on the case as follows. It is an ongoing investigation of terrorism. Make no mistake about it. We, the FBI, is leading out on these federal -- assault on a federal law enforcement officer investigation on many fronts. We immediately, with our law enforcement partners and the Metropolitan Police Department and the interagency, secured the scene, seized the weapon, sent in our evidence response team immediately to collect evidence, and started doing block by block canvasses. We are looking for and interviewing witnesses. The firearm and other materials have been sent to our Quantico laboratory already yesterday for immediate analysis. That
work is ongoing.
Partnering with the D.C. United States Attorney's Office we have also executed multiple, multiple search warrants around the country to include the subjects last known residence, which is in the state of Washington. The search warrant was executed on that house last night, or early this morning, and it is an ongoing process. All the individuals found in the house have been interviewed, and some interviews remain ongoing. We will not stop until we interview anyone and everyone associated with the subject, the house, and every piece of his life.
There was also subject interviews, relations, conducted in San Diego pursuant to our ongoing investigation.
So, as the judge noted, this is a coast-to-coast investigation being led right here in Washington, D.C. And this subject definitely did pick the wrong country. And we will rise together as a nation to show the world what we do here. And we are thankful that we have the attorney general's brave leadership and President Trump's brave leadership and priorities to safeguard our communities.
[09:30:03]
I also spoke to director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, last night, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. There is confirmation
