Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Saturday Morning Table for Five; The Most Impactful Moments Of Trump's First Year Back In Power; Impactful Moment: Trump's First Day, From Orders To Oligarchs; Impactful Moment: Political Rhetoric Following Charlie Kirk's Death; Fascinating Trend: The North Korea- Style Cabinet Meetings. Aired 7-8a ET
Aired December 27, 2025 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Today, what a decade this year has been. The start of a sequel brings Sharpies and DOGE, ballrooms and breakups.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): I refuse to be a battered wife.
PHILLIP (voice over): Revenge and tariffs.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is Liberation Day.
PHILLIP (voice over): But which events are the most consequential in a fast-changing world? Plus, the trends from A.I. to brain rot. To a new pope, K-pop, and popping the question.
TRAVIS KELCE, TIGHT END, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: That's why we match so well.
TAYLOR SWIFT, AMERICAN SINGER, AND SONGWRITER: We are about to do a -- podcast.
PHILLIP (voice over): And your unpopular opinions, what you're not afraid to say out loud about the year that was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He called you daddy earlier.
TRUMP: He likes me. I think he likes me.
PHILLIP: Here in studio, S.E. Cupp, Arthur Aidala, Cari Champion, and Terry Moran.
It's the calendars last weekend. Join the conversation at a table for 2025.
PHILLIP: Hi, everyone. I'm Abby Phillip in New York, and just like many years over the last decade, it is impossible to review these last 12 months without mentioning the name Donald Trump. The president of the United States, coming into his second term like a wrecking ball, signing a parade of executive orders and vowing to transform the federal government.
TRUMP: The Golden Age of America begins right now.
From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP: 2025 has definitely been a year of dizzying actions ever since that moment. From tariffs to peace deals to government layoffs and deportations.
And today, we are going to ask our panel for their pick, what was the most impactful moment of Trump's year?
Terry, I'm going to start with you.
TERRY MORAN, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST, SUBSTACK NEWSLETTER: And I will go all the way back to the first day of Trump's presidency. And one of those executive orders that he signed that I think, sent a signal. It took my breath away while I was watching it live.
He purported with his signature to overturn more than 100 years of settled law on birthright citizenship. By saying that people who are born in the United States might not be citizens. This was, as I say, since 1898, has been absolutely settled that if you're born here, subject to the jurisdiction, which means you are not a foreign diplomat's kid, and a couple of other exceptions. Indians on the -- on the nations, which have now been turned into reservations. And so, there he is. And I thought that is the most radical thing I have ever seen a president do. And the personalized nature of it, I change the constitution.
For 100 years, the only people who thought that you could do something like that were fringe people.
PHILLIP: And maybe even more surprising than the fact that he signed -- he thought he could do this via executive order, is the fact that the Supreme Court has actually taken this up.
MORAN: Well --
PHILLIP: And, there is, I think, one of the most extraordinary pushes I've seen on the right, to just make it so that the way that we have been conducting the law over the last more than 100 years is not that.
I have never seen anything like that before. The Court is entertaining it.
ARTHUR AIDALA, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think it's good that the Court is entertaining it. I think that, you know, you have nine lawyers, basically, who are Supreme Court justices who are going to look at this. And the totality, obviously, they are going to look at the history of it all, but they are going to look at how times have changed.
I mean, you know, like these devices. In other words, when this thing was written, you had to make a huge effort to come to the United States of America. Now, you could jump on a helicopter and go from a foreign nation to this nation, have a baby and leave, and all of a sudden that kid is an American citizen.
So, I just think that the Supreme Court is going to weigh the constitutionality. They may just say, look, Mr. President, you cannot do this, but Congress can. And if they change it, then, they have the power to change it. But you, Mr. President do not have with the Sharpie, the power to change.
(CROSSTALK)
[07:05:02]
PHILLIP: Yes. I mean, I just don't understand to -- you know, to Terry's point, I don't understand how you can say what's in the Constitution is just up to the whims of Congress. And also, all of the millions of Americans who are citizens because of birthright citizenship, what happens to them?
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, sure. I mean, there is so many unanswered questions, just, you know, just like, what happened when Roe was overturned. What happens next? There is no plans.
And no one should be surprised that Donald Trump wanted to do this and has efforted to do this. The problem is Congress has just let him. Congress has let him do their job on all kinds of things, on lots of executive orders and trying to change the constitution, but tariffs, I mean, all kinds of things that are supposed to be Congress's business, bombing, you know, striking, war -- drug boats as an act of war.
I mean, Congress has completely abdicated their duties because they don't want to get in his way. It's shocking.
PHILLIP: Or they -- or they -- I don't know. I guess, Republicans are fine with it, right? They are fine with the agenda.
CUPP: Even if they are fine with it, they should still pass the law.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: Yes. Right.
CUPP: They passed the law, he signs it. That's how its supposed to go in this country.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: And then maybe that is the long term -- the long-term impact of all of this. I mean, whether it's this executive order or really any of the executive orders that he signed in that first day, they all kind of have the same theme, which is that Trump has declared unilaterally that he can just swipe a pen and do things that, in some cases are explicitly in the Constitution as being in the hands of Congress.
CARI CHAMPION, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Right.
PHILLIP: He can just do it, I guess, or as long as Congress lets him.
CHAMPION: I think that Trump has put himself in a position to basically do whatever he wants. And I think he is rewriting in real time. And I think we all agree with this, how the presidency looks, what will happen when he moves on.
MORAN: Absolutely.
CHAMPION: He has taken out the political language, to me, which has been good and bad, but it's also opened the door for people like Zohran Mandani, like you can now say whatever you want to say, and you can be comfortable saying what you want to say. And then, he gives you an approval, whether people like him or not.
I think for me, if you don't mind me going.
PHILLIP: Yes.
CHAMPION: What I thought was the most impactful moment was he ran on this campaign of being a working-class president. And in my mind, I'm like, well, how dare you? You come for money. There is just no -- you are money. What do you mean working class? Where are all these -- who are these people? Your name is over in on all buildings everywhere. This man is not a working-class citizen. He can't relate to living check to check. He can't relate to what it looks like to not know what Christmas will be like if I can't --
PHILLIP: He is not familiar with the word, groceries.
CHAMPION: He doesn't understand the simple basics.
PHILLIP: -- the word groceries.
CHAMPION: Right. The groceries is a cat -- you know, it's a funny word we've been using it now.
CUPP: That's the old time.
CHAMPION: It's an old timey word. I'm like --
(CROSSTALK)
AIDALA: But there are not too many presidents who are working class presidents.
CHAMPION: My point being --
(CROSSTALK)
AIDALA: Maybe Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton had a real rough child.
CHAMPION: My point being is -- but he -- but my point being is that he feels very detached from reality. Even when they ask him about, how do you feel about the economy? And he's like, A plus, plus, plus. I digress.
My thing is, the day that he was inaugurated, and I saw Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, and Tim Cook, and all of these tech moguls and people who -- I was, oh, well, things have changed.
I was like, where are the Cabinet members? Where are the dignitaries?
AIDALA: But, OK, here -- but here is the difference. They were always there.
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: Hold on. My turn, hold on. Hold on --
Once -- quite.
AIDALA: They just with Trump, they are -- they are right out front. You don't think they were there in the Obama administration?
CHAMPION: Friend, friend, friend, you get --
AIDALA: They are there.
CHAMPION: Friend.
AIDALA: OK.
CHAMPION: Your time is coming. Can I finish my thought?
AIDALA: I don't know, I be (INAUDIBLE).
CHAMPION: Your turn, and no, she said, we are going to give you a chance.
AIDALA: I'm nervous.
CUPP: It's a year-end review. You don't have to debate it.
CHAMPION: All right. All right, friend.
AIDALA: OK.
PHILLIP: I mean, he -- you can debate. I mean, you can debate it.
CHAMPION: I just wasn't done. Because all the point being was that --
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: You can debate it.
CHAMPION: Yes. PHILLIP: But --
CHAMPION: They were always there. But he told us, as opposed to his first -- his first term that this term is about, I'm about to make some money. I'm about to get in business with these people. They are -- and they are literally going to agree. That's how I took it. They are going to agree to what I want. I have now decided I'm going to have a tech czar. I'm going to make money with crypto. He has done all these things to line his pockets, and he does not care for the working class.
And I was like, oh, things have changed. Days later, we see on Facebook. They got rid of filtering, proofreading. What was it on Facebook? He said he was no longer --
PHILLIP: Fact checking. Fact checking.
MORAN: Fact checking.
CHAMPION: They were no longer fact checking on Facebook. The other day, Tim Cook removed an app, the ICEBlocker app.
(CROSSTALK)
AIDALA: But that was not Trump decision.
CHAMPION: No.
AIDALA: Trump didn't -- Trump doesn't control Facebook.
CHAMPION: No, you stop it.
PHILLIP: Well, look, the one thing --
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: They're all friends and you know it -- and you know it.
PHILLIP: One thing I will say is that the other part of what Cari is talking about is the way in which the entire economy now seems to be centrally managed by one man. He's got those CEOs, you know, in Washington. They are all buying houses to be closer to him, because they know that they can't make any business moves without his approval anymore.
CUPP: That's right.
PHILLIP: And the other part of it is your impactful moment, S.E.
CUPP: Yes. Well, I think looking back, if we're going to assess the health of this administration next year, come midterms, we'll be looking back at Liberation Day.
[07:10:04]
Because, I think, the economy is going to be the main story, as we had toward midterms, and the economy is not great. And it's not just that it's not great. It's now that we have polling that shows voters, including Trump's own, blame him for the economy.
CHAMPION: Yes.
CUPP: So, this is going to be his big project to manage both in terms of messaging and policy. And I think the most disastrous part of this economy was his tariffs. They are dumb, they are economically bad. They were never going to work. They are always attacks on the consumer. They are always going to have trickle up and trickle-down impacts, and the impacts have been innumerable.
We have worsened our ally -- our relationship with allies, foreign businesses and foreign states no longer want to invest in the United States.
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: Yes. Yes.
CUPP: We are so volatile. It has led to higher operating costs for businesses, so, they are hiring less.
CHAMPION: Now they're worst. Now they're worst.
CUPP: It's made things more expensive. And now -- and now, as we saw a few weeks ago, Trump's bailing out farmers using taxpayer money. We were on the tax but tariffs.
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: Because of the tariffs that he -- yes.
CUPP: Because of the tariffs. So --
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: Yes.
CHAMPION: I mean -- yes.
PHILLIP: I think, we are going to be looking back at Liberation Day as maybe the beginning of the end for this economy.
CHAMPION: But Abby, to your point, it's about the economy.
CUPP: You know, conservatives with economy.
PHILLIP: I would say, though. Well, I'm a conservative. What would I say?
CUPP: They would -- right.
PHILLIP: Maga Republicans, excuse me,
CUPP: OK. Thank you. PHILLIP: MAGA Republicans would say that oh, foreign governments are investing in the United States. Foreign companies are investing in the United States.
CUPP: They are bribing. They are bribing.
PHILLIP: Well, that's the point I was going to make.
CUPP: Accurate, yes.
PHILLIP: Is that there is actually a difference between the kind of foreign investment that happens, because the United States is a great market.
CUPP: Right?
PHILLIP: It's a great place to do business in. And what Trump is doing, which is basically saying, we are going to hold a gun to your head.
MORAN: Everything is (INAUDIBLE)
PHILLIP: And if you don't do X, Y, and Z --
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: Yes, yes.
MORAN: Yes.
PHILLIP: Or if you don't say you are going to do --
MORAN: Yes.
PHILLIP: Because I think the other part of it is all these promises, when are they actually going to come to fruition?
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: And they won't. And no, and they won't.
CUPP: Right.
CHAMPION: But she is right. The trend -- everything is transactional.
MORAN: Yes, yes.
PHILLIP: Yes.
CHAMPION: Everything, the point -- every one of our impactful moments is about a transaction. We haven't gotten all to that. But go ahead.
MORAN: And it comes through personalized seizure of the power of the government.
PHILLIP: Correct. Correct. MORAN: Like we haven't seen it since Roosevelt, at least, as working, he's revolutionized the international trading system. He's destroyed the international security system, as we understand it. And does it -- is it going to work for people? That's the big question. But it comes through him. Everybody knows it. Those tech guys know it. That's why they're all there. They turned on a dime. They all supported Obama. They were the wokest executives.
CHAMPION: They turned on a dime.
MORAN: And now, they are the Trump use executive. I didn't believe a word of it.
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: And I was like, Oh, OK. So, you're -- we are all about oligarchs now, and these are the people who make the moves. I get it. I'm like, I don't know what country this is. You talk about allies. And I mentioned to you on the show, I can't even go to Canada without them feeling away about America.
MORAN: Yes.
PHILLIP: Yes.
CHAMPION: I'm sorry for you.
PHILLIP: All right. Well, let's hit pause, because Arthur has been very quiet.
AIDALA: Quiet, it's killing him.
PHILLIP: Has a big one involving political rhetoric ahead.
MORAN: That's good.
PHILLIP: Plus, we'll ask you which of the year's trends stood out, for better or for worse. Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:17:42]
PHILLIP: There is no question that the assassination of Charlie Kirk was a major moment in the year 2025. It had both political and cultural implications, and it's still a huge part of our conversation at this table today.
But for one of you, it was the way President Trump conducted himself at that memorial for Charlie Kirk that really resonated. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I hope the extraordinary outpouring of emotion over these past 11 days has comforted you with the knowledge that your son brought more good and love into this world in his 31 short years than most people, even very, very successful people, can bring in a lifetime.
Charlie Kirk loved America with everything he had, and as we can see so clearly today, America loved Charlie Kirk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP: So, Arthur, what stood out to you?
AIDALA: Well, I didn't know who Charlie Kirk was. I host a nightly radio show here in New York, and Charlie Kirk had the -- I think, the noon to two show. So, I knew his name. The very first time I heard him speak, was with you, Abby, right here. The -- two days before he died.
Remember, we were on with Van Jones and all that so. But how he died, and why he died is as, in my opinion, as anti-American as you could get. And the way on September 11th, like we needed a moment of healing. And I don't agree with everything that Charlie Kirk has said. I have listened now to more of his clips than I could ever count, and there is a lot of things that he said, but I also like the way he said it.
He wasn't brash. You know, he would talk. He put the microphone down. Let someone else have their say. It was -- it was a conversation. He went into enemy territory and heard people out. I think, we need more of that. I think we need more opening the ears.
And in that particular moment, President Trump led the charge. He was the father of the country, saying, let's just give each other a big hug, because we can't be killing people, we don't like what they say.
And now, of course, he did it in a Donald Trump way, not in a in a way that maybe another president would do it, but we needed that moment of healing. And I don't sit around and listen to Donald Trump speeches.
[07:20:00]
But that particular day, I believe it was a Sunday, I was home, and I watched most of the ceremony, especially when Charlie Kirk's wife spoke. And I just thought it was a moment in this country where many people, I'm not going to say all people, because I know a lot of people are pissed off at things Charlie Kirk and said, said, hey, we can't be executing people because of the word --
PHILLIP: Yes. I mean, I think, we did, in fact. I mean, I think that was clear, right? This, you know, this poison of political assassinations and political violence in this country is something that I think just it turns everyone's stomachs.
However, I do think that Donald Trump, even in that same speech, I mean, there were mixed messages.
(CROSSTALK)
CUPP: Those a message.
PHILLIP: Because I just want to play this other part of the speech that also came out of it after Charlie Kirk's wife Erika Kirk said that she forgives his killer. Here is what Trump said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie.
I hate my opponent and I don't want the best for them. I'm sorry. I am sorry, Erika. But now, Erika can talk to me and the whole group, and maybe they can convince me that that's not right, but I can't stand my opponent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP: Healing.
CHAMPION: Healing. Bring the country together.
MORAN: (INAUDIBLE) himself. That (INAUDIBLE)
AIDALA: There was a moment coach of every football team, of every baseball team.
MORAN: Yes.
AIDALA: I mean, you know, that's locker room talk as he would say it.
MORAN: I mean, well, I think it's more.
CHAMPION: No.
MORAN: I think it does reflect he is that guy, and he was honest, yes.
CHAMPION: That's right.
AIDALA: Yes, that should be on a secret.
MORAN: He is that guy.
AIDALA: It's no secret.
MORAN: I don't think it's good for the country.
AIDALA: I agree with you.
MORAN: But I do agree that that that was a moment that I think any decent American would say, we have to come together. In these times, and in fact, through our history, it's almost as if the bad guys, the crazy guys, picked the one person that they know will break the country apart.
CHAMPION: Yes, yes.
MORAN: And that's what Charlie Kirk was. And the more we can come together around that, around what you were talking about, the better.
PHILLIP: So, S.E., you had another pivotal moment of the year. You were talking about intra party wars that kind of broke out.
CUPP: Yes.
PHILLIP: And actually, in a way, I have to say, not really meant to be connected, but in, I think in many ways, it is connected to Charlie Kirk's assassination, because after his assassination, there has been a cleavage happening in the Republican Party.
A lot of people said, after Charlie Kirk was killed, that he was actually, in some ways, holding this, you know, hodgepodge coalition together. And now, we are seeing the Marjorie Taylor Greene is breaking apart, the Tucker Carlsons. You are seeing all these people going to their corners.
CUPP: Yes, and listen, I know a lot of these people, and this used to be the sandbox I played in. You know, I wish this -- I wish these fights that you're referencing were high minded over issues and ideas. The people fighting right now are fighting over Charlie's subscribers.
CHAMPION: Yes.
CUPP: Charlie's platform, Charlie's power.
CHAMPION: Yes.
CUPP: It's really gross. They are fighting for Trump's favor. They are -- they are fighting to be the next Charlie Kirk, and they are -- they are going real low to do it. As you know, they have been arguing over, well, who's a good neo-Nazi and who could we platform? And is Jeffrey Epstein really a pedophile? Are we -- really gross stuff. Really just over, over money and power.
But I will say these cleavages were extraordinary. I can't remember a year in which on both sides you have had so much intra party angst and division. If you look at the Dems, it was the Dems v. Biden, then, it was Kamala v. Biden. Then, it's Dem voters and Dem rank and file v. Schumer and Jeffries.
Then, it's dem establishment versus Zohran Mamdani and progressives. There was a lot of fighting on the left. And on the right, as you know, there is MTG v. Trump. There is Trump v. Elon, happened to this year.
PHILLIP: Elise Stefanik and Mike Jonathan.
CUPP: Elise Stefanik and Mike Johnson.
PHILLIP: I mean, but this feels like a -- but you --
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: The list goes on and on.
CUPP: It feels like that's happening because --
CHAMPION: I didn't think -- she has a great, like, everyone is trying to say they love Charlie Kirk and the he was a really good friend, and they really loved him. And to your point, you think that what he -- at that -- at that memorial service, you saw Trump in a different way.
But I honestly did not think about it that way, that they are fighting for subscribers. They are fighting for the audience in which he had.
PHILLIP: They are.
CHAMPION: Because he was so high level. And I don't know if he was holding them together.
CUPP: No, he wasn't (INAUDIBLE).
CHAMPION: Yes, I don't even think so. And everyone is --
CUPP: Ever competing.
CHAMPION: I've heard Megyn say they -- Megyn Kelly say she was her best friend, and one were close friends.
CUPP: Well, that's how you know.
CHAMPION: Ended up her Candace Owens say. He was a best friend.
CUPP: He called me, and he said this.
Here are my text messages with Charlie. It's not really about ideas and coming together.
CHAMPION: Yes.
PHILLIP: But it's also, I think, both parties are in a moment, where they are figuring out their futures.
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: It's over power.
Yes.
PHILLIP: And even though Trump is president and Republicans have a lot of power right now, Trump is not going to be the leader of the Republican Party forever, and the question that Republicans are facing is, who is Democrats also?
[07:25:00]
They are dealing with the fact that this is a post-Biden moment, perhaps, post-Kamala, who knows? They are trying to -- that's why you are seeing all this intra party fuss.
MORAN: Yes. And the guy who broke it was Donald Trump. We are not going back to old time politics. We are not going back to the same coalitions.
CHAMPION: Sure. MORAN: We are going back to the same international system.
CHAMPION: Sure.
MORAN: For better or worse, and I think it was what the country was asking for. They were like, this system isn't working, break it. And they picked up Donald Trump and they broke it. And now, there is competition.
There is competition of ideas with Zohran Mandani and competition with personalities to figure --
(CROSSTALK)
AIDALA: But we did the same thing with President Obama. What was the motto when he ran?
MORAN: Change.
AIDALA: Change. Change.
MORAN: They thought they were going to get change because he was the guy from the outside.
AIDALA: They want a change with President Obama, and that's why he got elected.
MORAN: Yes.
AIDALA: Then, we want the Bush-Trump, the two Bush's and the Reagan change.
MORAN: Conscience and --
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: When voters are unhappy, they want somebody who is going to fight the power, so to speak, right? And I think that's what they got from Trump. That's what they are looking for in this moment.
So, we'll see who fills that gap. Next for us, more on your trends, including the rise of A.I. and glazing parties.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:30:45]
PHILLIP: From A.I. to Taylor Swift, 2025. Has been full of trends, and moments that defined the year. Big ideas, big names, and in Washington, there were some big tests. One of them, loyalty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD LUTNICK, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF COMMERCE: To build the greatest Cabinet ever for the greatest president ever.
BROOKE ROLLINS, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE: This is like family at this point.
SCOTT BESSENT, UNITED STATES TREASURY SECRETARY: I think 2026 is going to be great for the American people. Thanks to you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks to your leadership.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, I am honored and frankly inspired to sit at this table.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for letting us get up every day and have a purpose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUPP: Oh, my gosh.
CHAMPION: Just another day in the United States of North Korea. I mean -- I mean, United States of America.
AIDALA: (INAUDIBLE) all the lawyers who work for me.
PHILLIP: Cari, let me -- let me let Cari explain himself here.
MORAN: This is my trend. This is the worst trend in the history of American politics.
CHAMPION: Good for you, Terry.
MORAN: It's North Korea in Washington D.C. It's grotesque.
CUPP: Yes.
CHAMPION: Dearly close.
MORAN: And I don't understand how grown people --
You look around that table, there are people significant achievement. Right? There is governors. There is people who've done things in life.
CHAMPION: Serious people.
AIDALA: What they did supposed to say?
MORAN: And they grovel and debate.
AIDALA: What they supposed to say to their boss?
MORAN: Well, what if all the other Cabinets of George Washington have said to their boss?
CUPP: How about they just stop and start watching?
CHAMPION: You don't have to agree him with that your honor.
AIDALA: -- I mean, look, I pay all the 25 lawyers in my office. I cover -- I sit around into the table. I want them to say if you after.
MORAN: Yes, I covered those meetings. Nobody.
CHAMPION: But do they have to tell you they love you? Do they have to call you, Your Excellency?
AIDALA: It's listen, it's the holiday season.
CHAMPION: Do they have to tell you how great you are? Do they have to tell you this is a nice suit?
PHILLIP: I don't know. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to lie.
When I -- I've been in some board meetings. Whenever I go into a board meeting and they start with the everybody praises each other, I'm like --
CHAMPION: It's so uncomfortable.
PHILLIP: We got some real problems, because clearly, people are not willing to own up to what's going on. You know, what I'm saying? Like, it is a sign of trouble.
AIDALA: Well --
PHILLIP: It is a sign of trouble. Or a sign of Trump.
CUPP: Immense, immense insecurity. And that everyone knows this is what he needs and requires, and that this is the way to his heart and get what you want, it's just really sad. He is a very small man.
PHILLIP: Wow. Cari.
CHAMPION: Yes. Oh, OK. So, A.I. is my trend of the year.
PHILLIP: Oh yes.
CHAMPION: So, let me tell you my thoughts about AI. I know that there's a certain generation, maybe most of us at the table, we kind of maybe laugh. I don't want to include you in this, Abby. But we kind of laugh at the idea of A.I. But what I find so interesting --
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: Are you calling us old?
CHAMPION: No, no, I'm sick -- I'm calling you smart.
MORAN: You can call me old.
CHAMPION: I'm calling you smart!
MORAN: You can call me old.
CHAMPION: And I'm calling you smart from a different situation. PHILLIP: And that will carve out. And not a carve out.
CHAMPION: You know, I do want to -- I'm doing my Trump and your excellency. Your high priestess.
MORAN: Thank you. Thank you.
CUPP: Yes.
PHILLIP: With you, thank you.
CHAMPION: You can stand.
CHAMPION: I am a regular member of the show.
MORAN: That's all right.
CHAMPION: No, no. But the thing is, is that I was -- I was having a conversation with a basketball player, their female basketball player, and she goes, I just got into this bad breakup. But I went to A.I., I was talking to ChatGPT about how to get over it.
PHILLIP: What?
CHAMPION: And I went to the -- it's the character A.I. where you have a therapist that tells you how to get over a breakup.
PHILLIP: Oh, my gosh.
CUPP: Oh, it's dangerous.
CHAMPION: And to the point where it's DIY, build my resume, how to protect my financial future. We are using A.I. in ways that I think is absolutely scary, because there are no limits. I -- you know, my pastor says evil has no limits, and I think of that when I think about A.I.
It doesn't know when to stop. It doesn't know that you shouldn't do that. "60 Minutes" just had a great story on a little girl who committed suicide because she was talking to a character A.I. that was helping her.
PHILLIP: And it has no qualms about lying to you.
CHAMPION: It has no qualms about lying to you.
PHILLIP: Because it will -- it want to get to the result that it --
CHAMPION: It is a very, very popular trend, and it's happening in real time. People use A.I., chat box, as if it is ChatGPT, as if it is gospel.
AIDALA: Can I tell you how I use this today? I swear. I was like, show me the top-rated bird feeder that keeps squirrels away.
CHAMPION: Correct. By the way, that's how it works.
AIDALA: And they gave me three. That's for sure. Did they give me three?
CHAMPION: But that's how it works.
PHILLIP: I thought you were going to say that you used it to write a briefing report which the big mistake.
AIDALA: No.
CHAMPION: No, he is like no.
AIDALA: All can you sight.
CHAMPION: But he will start. He will start. That's the gateway drug.
(CROSSTALK)
AIDALA: We, my law firm is represented two lawyers. Yes. And one of them was a very high-profile case who submitted briefs using A.I. and the cases they sited were wrong.
PHILLIP: Yes.
CHAMPION: See? See?
AIDALA: And they got call to the carpet. We to argue the carpet4 argue that they didn't get suspended or held in contempt or anything like that. So yes, it is small.
CHAMPION: No, but he is a gateway drug.
PHILLIP: But I -- yes.
CHAMPION: You start out small, and you -- and you -- and you develop.
AIDALA: He start-up with squirrel -- anti-squirrel bird feeder, we take you from there.
CHAMPION: And next thing you know, and that he is up here, and then, Arthur is like, I'm fine with it.
[07:35:01]
PHILLIP: I'm fine of it for basic stuff. But I also find A.I. at this moment, despite all the pronouncements that it's going to take over. Right at this moment, it's still pretty dumb to me.
MORAN: Well --
PHILLIP: I think that there are many things that A.I. cannot do very well.
CHAMPION: Like, what?
PHILLIP: Like basic stuff, like you, have you ever chatted with an A.I. bot on a web site?
CHAMPION: Yes, yes.
PHILLIP: It's bad.
MORAN: Is bad.
PHILLIP: OK. It's not -- it's not better than a human. I'm just here to tell you.
MORAN: Chat GPT, calls me Joni (PG). I have no idea why. Out of the blue, it starts calling me Joni. I let it because it prove of --
(CROSSTALK)
AIDALA: Maybe you identify as Joni. It's OK.
MORAN: It's proved of its filed ability. Right?
I was like, OK, it's stupid, it makes a mistake. Finally, I said, hey, I'm Terry. Tell me why you were calling me. Joni? It says, because you told me to. I said, where did I tell you to?
It got in a fight. It was like -- it was like, angry. I am programmed to do what you tell me. You call yourself Joni. I said, I have never done such. And so, they are dangerous as well as --
PHILLIP: And angry, and angry.
AIDALA: If you say, sachi (PH), (INAUDIBLE)
CUPP: Well, let me just stand up?
PHILLIP: All right.
CUPP: Let me just stand up for --
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: OK.
CUPP: Let me be the person at the table to stand up for A.I. I think, A.I. is really exciting. And, of course, there are dangers that we have to consider, ethical dangers, moral dangers, physical dangers. But I'm excited for A.I., and I think A.I. literacy is going to be really, really important for this generation, and coming generation.
PHILLIP: I agree. Arthur, let's do yours. What's your trend? Your trend of the year.
AIDALA: I will -- my crazy trend. And so, when I spoke to you, the great Rachel for in this show behind the scenes, and I said, this is what I really see trending on a regular basis.
CUPP: We love you, Rachel. AIDALA: And then, it happened coming on the subway to get here. Someone said, I forget what the conductor said. But he said it in that same tone, that everyone is going six-seven. Six-seven.
CHAMPION: What is that?
AIDALA: It's a rap song, and the guy says -- it's a --
CHAMPION: What -- I know. What is it?
AIDALA: I've heard it's his address. I've heard it's a call from a police officer, but it's everywhere, and it's from all ages.
My father was like, I heard everyone talking about six-seven. What the hell is that?
I'm like, I don't know, dad. But, 9-year-old, officers going --
PHILLIP: Oh, again.
AIDALA: And they -- when the sanitation guys passed by, my son is going like this, and they know ways that blowing horn.
CHAMPION: You still have an explanate.
AIDALA: I don't know, it's from a song.
MORAN: It's the -- it's the height of the basketball player LaMelo Ball.
CHAMPION: OK.
MORAN: And that's put in that song,
AIDALA: And how what it is? OK.
MORAN: And that, is put in the song.
And for some reason, because I have kids this age, all of them is soon six seven happens. Six seven. Six seven.
AIDALA: It's a -- Six seven -- it was -- what happens --
Webster's dictionary said they put it in.
PHILLIP: Yes, I know. I'm glad that my kid is like, just too young. I don't have to deal with it. I just have to do K-Pop. Demon Hunters.
OK. Next for the panel. Their unpopular opinions, but they are not afraid to say out loud about 2025.
But first, a quick programming note, a new CNN film, "I'M CHEVY CHASE AND YOU'RE NOT, premieres New Year's Day at 8:00 p.m. on CNN and on the CNN app.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [07:42:56]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It can change your brain. The sort of doom scrolling, or whatever you call it, more than three hours being on social media for teens is associated with doubling depression risk. So, that's obviously concerning,
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP: Doom scrolling, obsessive social posting, common, unpopular themes in 2025, even held by Donald Trump. Just this month, he posted over 150 times in a few overnight hours, ending with this post. "Truth Social is the best."
Well, some conflicting 2025, unpopular opinions are here at the table. Cari, you are up.
CHAMPION: And I don't think doom scrolling is bad for you. Here is the thing, and I know through this, I -- it's very unpopular. I don't mind doom scrolling, in the sense that it depends on what you're doing scrolling. So, if I want to learn about financial literacy, if I want to pay attention to something that's going on in the world, I get into -- I get into my scrolling on Instagram, on TikTok, I learn things. I fact check them. I learn things. I don't think it's bad.
I do believe, yes, for children, it can be used in a bad way. But I honestly believe people said this about television when television was first invented. I watch these old shows and they are like, T.V. is going to be the end of us. Watching T.V., we are going to --
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIP: I mean, they were not wrong.
CHAMPION: Well, no, I think Americans are obsessed with things. We are always -- we have a new toy.
PHILLIP: Screens.
Screens will always --
PHILLIP: But that's not -- but --
CHAMPION: But we can use them in a way -- doom scrolling, what I mean by that is -- like if I am --
(CROSSTALK)
CUPP: Yes. Doomscrolling is looking for bad news because of (INAUDIBLE).
CHAMPION: I'm not looking for bad news. I am looking for good news.
CUPP: My therapist would say that is very bad. CHAMPION: And I'm all like, OK, how do I use this? I don't mind, you know, my phone for three --
(CROSSTALK)
CUPP: Good news is great.
PHILLIP: Yes, yes.
CHAMPION: And that's my whole point.
PHILLIP: Yes, yes.
CHAMPION: Using (INAUDIBLE) isn't always a bad thing.
CUPP: No, as my therapist would say, going with intentionality.
CHAMPION: And we can just pick it all.
CUPP: That's right.
CHAMPION: You know what you're there to get and don't stay for other stuff.
CUPP: And parents, that's your obligation to take care of your children and tell them what to do.
AIDALA: So, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I think that one day a week should be mandatory, no electronics. One day a week.
CHAMPION: You did it one time.
AIDALA: And look, the truth is, I live in a part of Brooklyn.
PHILLIP: For kids or parents, or everybody?
AIDALA: Everyone. I live in a part of Brooklyn with that is a very orthodox Jewish area, and from the sundown Friday, until sundown Saturday, they are not allowed to touch their device.
[07:45:05]
They can be, unless it's a medical emergency, they are so much better off, they are so much healthier. I've taken recently a trip to Sicily, and recently a trip to Cuba, where the cell phone service was horrible, we had such a good time. No one checked the news, no one checked their e-mail. We just -- we talked.
PHILLIP: Right.
AIDALA: We talked, we ate, kids played ball, kids rode their bike, kids went in the street. One day a week, just one -- just 24 hours. I think we'll all be healthy.
CHAMPION: That is wrong.
PHILLIP: (INAUDIBLE).
CUPP: My unpopular opinion is that politics should be more like reality T.V. I'm as a big fan and follower of reality T.V., in particular, the housewives. There is a thing that happens on the housewives --
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMPION: Which one.
CUPP: That I think would solve -- all of them. That I think would solve some problems in D.C. At the end of a grueling season, we all get a reunion.
CHAMPION: Yes.
CUPP: And the reunion is there for accountability.
PHILLIP: Yes.
CUPP: That's where you have to watch what you have done. And we are going to play it back on camera.
PHILLIP: Yes.
CUPP: And we're going to say what fans thought, and you have to answer for everything you did that season. We need a reunion.
PHILLIP: Yes. And the revisionist history doesn't work, because we will play --
(CROSSTALK)
CUPP: You cannot revise history.
CHAMPION: Yes.
CUPP: You all sitting there. Andy Cohen is asking you and say, I just played it. You send it.
PHILLIP: Can we fight?
CHAMPION: Can we fight it? It can be fighting? Because it always -- it can devolve into fisticuffs.
CUPP: Yes. That's the point of the reunion. Get it all out, get it all on the -- on the table, and then, move on to the next season. We can't move on year to year because we don't have reunion justice.
CHAMPION: Yes.
PHILLIP: I agree. All right. Go ahead, Terry.
MORAN: Mine is simple football should be played outside. No more domes.
CHAMPION: Oh.
MORAN: Every single NFL team needs to come out of their domes and play football outside. Ping pong --
PHILLIP: You are not a (INAUDIBLE) fan.
CHAMPION: Yes, totally.
MORAN: Ping pong is an indoor game. Football is an outdoor game.
CHAMPION: What about when it's smelling?
AIDALA: You mean, Superball.
MORAN: They are used to it.
PHILLIP: Detroit.
MORAN: Detroit!
CUPP: Who cares?
PHILLIP: I will say this. I would just say, it's either one or the other. I think it's unfair that some teams play outside and other teams play inside. That is totally unfair.
When the Bills are playing in like pouring snow.
AIDALA: We saw it this weekend
PHILLIP: Not fair. Not fair. All right.
AIDALA: I just gave you a compliment. Is that a problem.
PHILLIP: OK. No, no.
CHAMPION: No, he likes it. He likes it.
PHILLIP: All right. Next, we talked about the year. Now, we'll focus on the future. We'll hear your prediction.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:51:57]
PHILLIP: With 2025 in the rear-view mirror, 2026 brings Toy Story 5, tariffs, peace deals, the return of Ted Lasso, the Winter Olympics, the return of BTS, and a world tour, midterm elections, and possibly NFL playoffs without the Kansas City Chiefs.
Our panel has their own predictions on what is ahead. Cari, you are up first.
CHAMPION: OK, so, it's interesting, because I said earlier that I think, you know, I'm watching the trends with A.I., and I don't mind, necessarily, doom scrolling, but happy scrolling. We can give it a new term.
PHILLIP: I like that.
CHAMPION: But I think the next superstar when it comes to politics, will look very much like Zohran Mamdami, like in the sense of, they are going to be extremely on online. They are going to be very, very fluid with being on TikTok and Instagram and all these apps that we don't necessarily use ourselves.
They will know all the six, seven trends, and they will know how it all works. They'll need a Terry. They won't need a Terry to break it down for them.
And I also believe -- and I also believe that they will use this moral conversation, where they use their plain words, very much like I think affordability is a real deal. And these are my issues, and this is what I want to do, and this is I want to change it, because when I was on the train the other day. They are going to be every man, but they are going to be superstars, and they are going to know how to work it the way in which we watch Mamdani sit in president -- in the President Trump's office and really work him in a very smooth, easy way.
People are like, OK, so, that's it. Very much, like you said earlier, what about Obama? We want change. That's what I think will happen.
PHILLIP: All right. S.E.; you're up.
CUPP: Well, speaking of Mamdani, you know, I covered that campaign, and I think it's going to be actually a rough year for progressives. One, I think there's only so much Mamdani is going to be able to do, and the expectations are, so high. So, I think there is going to be some disappointment there.
I don't think Jasmine Crockett is going to be successful in Texas. I'm not sure Graham Platner is going to be successful in Maine. I know Democrats are really eyeing all of these progressive-like hot spots to see what's possible. To see what's possible for like a 2028, '28. And I think it's going to be a little deflated.
Over on the right, I'm predicting that there is going to be some big Cabinet shakeups. I think it's the administration is ripe for it. And I'm hearing some inklings of some people that might be on the chopping block inside the Trump Cabinet. I think, it would be smart. They need a kind of a shake up, and they need -- I think MAGA needs Trump to sort of acknowledge and recognize.
Yes, we've got to make some changes here. We've got to make some changes. He is not usually want to do that, but I think that might come next year. Arthur.
PHILLIP: After Midterms.
CUPP: No. Before Midterms.
AIDALA: Through the course of my lifetime, the World Cup has really, in America blown up. You know, as an Italian American, I mean, when in 1982 when Italy won the World Cup, my neighborhood in Brooklyn exploded. But a lot, most people in America, didn't know what was going on.
Now, it's a huge thing, and America is hosting it. And I know the White House, they put Andrew Giuliani in charge. They are going to make it a spectacular. They want the world to show they want to show the world how we can run a huge, organized event like this, and really make it be the shining star from everything from the organization for the fans to the media to how it's portrayed on television, how many cameras are there, who the announcers are going to be?
[07:55:05]
So, I'm looking forward to the World Cup being a shining movement for the United States of America.
PHILLIP: All right. Take his home, Terry.
MORAN: What I truly believe this niceness is going to make a comeback.
PHILLIP: Oh.
MORAN: People are exhausted by the --
CHAMPION: From your lips to Gods ears.
CUPP: Yes. Well, Amen.
AIDALA: Be kind. Be kind.
MORAN: Put that a long niceness. People that don't want constant nastiness and trolling and all the rest of I don't want President Trump is going to do if this actually happens.
PHILLIP: OK.
MORAN: I think normal people want just to be decent.
CHAMPION: OK. So, where will we start ad?
AIDALA: From Terry.
CHAMPION: OK. So, that means we won't see Arthur next year.
AIDALA: Be gone.
PHILLIP: Friends, good friends over here will lead us into our kind future. Thank you everyone for watching TABLE FOR FIVE. Wishing you a Happy New Year. CNN's coverage continues right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
