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At Least 40 Killed, 119 Injured in Fire at Swiss Ski Resort Bar; New Questions About Trump's Health After Saying He Takes Higher Dose of Aspirin Than His Doctors Advise; New York City's New Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-New York City, NY) Sworn In. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired January 02, 2026 - 10:00   ET

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

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WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news, Swiss authorities sharing new details about a deadly fire at a ski resort bar that killed at least 40 people. What they're now saying about the cause and how it's spread so rapidly.

Plus, the president's health, President Trump, giving new insight into his health, including the bruising that's been seen on his hands and why he's going against one of his doctors' recommendations.

And staffing, shakeup CNN's exclusive new reporting on plants to cut the FEMA personnel who are the first ones on the ground when disasters strike.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Pamela Brown has the morning off. You're in The Situation Room.

Breaking news, investigators are zeroing in right now on a possible cause in that deadly fire that raced through a ski resort bar on New Year's Day, this as distraught family members are looking for missing loved ones, as shocking and disturbing new video shows the panic and the terror that unfolded as flames raced through a ski resort bar in Switzerland.

I want to warn our viewers, the footage you're about to see is disturbing.

About 40 people, yes, 40 people were killed and another 119 others injured. This happened during a New Year's Eve party at that bar. Here, you see one person trying to beat back the flames as the fire begins to spread across the room. Survivors describe the effort to escape as, quote, total chaos. Listen.

This is video of the people struggling to get out of the building. One survivor says it was a small door that everyone was trying to get through.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) EDMUND COQUETTE, WITNESS: I saw all the bodies on the streets laying on the streets. They were with white sheets over. These were -- these people were dead already. And then you saw the young people because it's -- with all young people, you saw the young people who were totally burned in the face, who missed some fingers here laying on the streets. And the first aid was given to these people, and then you have to -- what was the worst is the screaming of these young people, the screaming of pain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right. Let's go live right now to CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson, who's on the scene for us in Switzerland. Nic, what is the -- where does the investigation stand right now?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, there's a harrowing description, so an absolutely awful and tragic fire. The investigations a beginning to zero in on precisely how and why the fire was so deadly, how it started, and why it spread so quickly. Listen to what the chief prosecutor just said.

They're attributing it to some sparklers that were in champagne bottles that came too close, it appears, to the ceiling inside that underground bar. This is how they described it.

That was that -- the chief investigator has just laid out, and what the chief investigator has said is that these sparklers, these indoor fireworks, if you will, that were being held aloft close to the ceiling, it appears, of the party that New Year's Eve, new early New Year's morning party, came too close to the ceiling. That's what triggered the fire. And then the flames engulfing the hole of that underground bar area and apparently so many people caught in it, unable to get out.

Now, we're also getting new details of those who have been injured. 119 people have been injured, 113 of them have been identified, 6 remain unidentified, 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French 11 Italians, 4 Serbians or Portuguese or Polish, and others as well.

And the help that is coming to Switzerland from some of these neighboring European countries is also being felt. We're being told that nine different countries are stepping in to help Switzerland cope and care for these burn victims.

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About 50 of these injured burn victims have been airlifted and taken to other European countries for treatment. It is a huge time of mourning. You had the Italian foreign minister here just a few hours ago. Of course, so many Italians caught up in this awful tragedy. And he was saying, look, it is important now to care and give information to the loved ones of the missing. But he said it's so important to get to the bottom and understand how and why this could have happened. Wolf?

BLITZER: What a horrible, horrible disaster.

All right, Nic Robertson in Switzerland for us, thank you very, very much.

Also happening now, there are new questions about President Trump's health after he told The Wall Street Journal he takes a higher daily dose of aspirin than his doctor's advice and blame that for the bruises on his hands. The president said, and I'm quoting him now, they say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood. And I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart. They'd rather have me take the smaller one. I take the larger one. What it does do is it causes bruising, end quote.

At 79 years old President Trump is the oldest president to take the oath of office. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tells CNN he, quote, continues to be the most transparent and open president in history and has nothing to hide, end quote.

Joining us now to discuss all of this and more, Dr. Jayne Morgan, she's a cardiologist and the vice president of medical affairs at Hello Heart, which seeks to improve American's heart health. Doctor, thank you so much for joining us.

So, here's the question about the aspirin that he's taking. Can 325 milligrams of aspirin daily cause bruising like we've seen on President Trump's hands?

DR. JAYNE MORGAN, CARDIOLOGIST: And you know what, Wolf, it can. What we have to remember about aspirin is that we used to use it for primary prevention, meaning to prevent a first heart attack or first stroke. But now we know that it's really better for secondary prevention, meaning prevention recurrent event, recurrent heart attacks. And so, using it as primary prevention is not really the best method of how we are utilizing aspirin.

We also know from many research studies that 81 milligrams is really the best dose because beyond that, there is no greater efficacy, meaning it doesn't work better, but it does increase all of the side effects of aspirin, such as bleeding. So, you get no further benefit by quadrupling your dose to a standard adult dose, which is 325 milligram.

BLITZER: And that's why a lot of cardiologists recommend that elderly people especially take what's called that baby aspirin, 81 milligrams, as opposed to the much larger regular aspirin, right?

MORGAN: That is absolutely correct. And we know especially beyond the age of 60, you know, aging sort of catches up with all of us. And you can get fragility, fragile capillaries, especially in your hands, in your forearms, tanning of the skin, loss of collagen that supports all of those capillaries. And then on top of that, if you are taking quadruple the dose of aspirin, you can end up with what we call senile purpura, or actinic purpura, meaning purple patches commonly seen on the dorsal surfaces of your hands, meaning the back of your hands, and also on your forearms. You know, often patients will think that if one dose is good for me, if I double it, it must be twice as good. And we see this a lot. And even though this is quadruple the dose that is recommended, baby aspirin is recommended at 81 milligrams, adult dose is 325 milligrams, you do not get quadruple the effects. You get an increase in side effects but not in the benefits. There is no benefit beyond the 81 milligrams.

BLITZER: Yes, that's what I've heard from cardiologists myself. And Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who was a former Vice President Dick Cheney's longtime cardiologist, told CNN that it's uncommon to see the sort of bruising on President Trump's hands from one aspirin a day. Is it possible that the president is taking other medications that could further contribute to the bruising that has not been disclosed by the White House?

MORGAN: And it's certainly possible. And Dr. Reiner's a great friend of mine. And it certainly is possible that he's taking any number of medications. He has to remember he's almost 80 years old. And so any number of chronic medical conditions could be going on that have not been disclosed.

I know he spoke about MRIs and CAT scans and that type of thing. It denotes the thought that an MRI is perhaps a more serious test than a CAT scan.

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But when we look at cardiology, a C.T. angiogram, which is a type of CAT scan, high resolution, produces 3D images, really looking at the coronary arteries, meaning the arteries that feed the heart, this is a very highly specialized CAT scan for the heart. It gives us an idea of non-obstructive or obstructive disease, meaning oxygen and blood feeding the heart. And so, certainly, when he talks about a CAT scan, it's very vague as to what type of CAT scan that may have been.

BLITZER: Important points indeed. Dr. Jayne Morgan, thanks so much for joining us.

MORGAN: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Also happening now, an urgent investigation is underway in the Columbus, Ohio, area after a dentist and his wife were found dead inside their home this week. Officials say on Tuesday, police went to their home for what was being described as a welfare check and found the couple who had apparent gunshot wounds. Law enforcement also found two small children at the residence. They were both unharmed. Police say they found no gun, no signs of forced entry, and so far have not identified a suspect.

And still ahead, New Year, new mayor. It's the first full day on the job for New York new Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who's doubling down on his progressive agenda.

And later, locked and loaded, President Trump's strong new warning for Iran, where growing protests have turned dead. Stay with us. You're in The Situation Room.

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BLITZER: Happening now, it's official. New York City has a new mayor. Zohran Mamdani was sworn in on New Year's Day. Speaking to supporters, and there was a huge crowd at his inaugural address, Mamdani vowed to govern as a Democratic socialist, ushering in a new era of progressive politics in the nation's largest city. Listen.

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MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D-NEW YORK CITY, NY): Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try. To those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this. No longer will city hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers' lives.

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BLITZER: I want to go live to CNN Correspondent Gloria Pazmino, who's over at New York's city hall. Gloria, what is at the top of Mamdani's agenda now that he has been sworn in?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. You know, you heard Mamdani talking about a government using its power to improve the lives of the people that it represents, and Mamdani is trying to start to do that already. Last night, he signed a handful of executive orders directing his new administration to take a serious look at how the city of New York can move to build housing quicker. We know that his campaign was focused on housing as a top issue, and he's asking his new administration to do a survey of city-owned land and find places where the city might be able to build housing.

Now, this was an unapologetically progressive, left-leaning, liberal speech from Mamdani yesterday. You heard him there saying he was elected as a Democratic socialist and that he would govern as a Democratic socialist. At one point, he even said that he had been told that this was now the moment to sort of prepare people to expect less. And as you heard there, he said he had no plans of doing so.

Take a listen to Mamdani's speech during inauguration yesterday doubling down on his political identity and his ideology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAMDANI: The only expectation I seek to reset is that of small expectations.

We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try.

I was elected as a Democratic socialist, and I will govern as a Democratic socialist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: So, Wolf, that is, of course, you know, the loftiness and the rhetoric that you might hear during an inauguration, but then comes the hard part, and that is government, which sometimes often requires compromise. And that's going to be the story of this administration. How does Zohran Mamdani try to enact his ambitious agenda while balancing everything else here in New York City, the realities of this moment, how the federal government is going to try or perhaps help him or hurt him? The economic picture here in New York City, will it help him or keep him from making some of his promises come to fruition? That's going to be the story of this administration throughout the next four years. But already the mayor getting to work and we are expecting to hear from him this afternoon. Wolf?

BLITZER: Gloria, just curious, he says he's going to govern as a Democratic socialist. He wants to raise taxes on richer New Yorkers so that they will pay for all these benefits that middle class and poor New Yorkers are going to be receiving. Is he at all concerned based on all your reporting and everything you've heard that richer New Yorkers will leave New York, move to Florida or elsewhere to get away from these higher taxes that are about to come?

PAZMINO: Wolf, you know, having covered this campaign and having spoken to Zohran Mamdani about that exact issue multiple times, I can tell you that he is not concerned that there will be some sort of exodus of wealthy people out of New York City. And some of the reporting on this already shows that people, in fact, are not leaving a New York City, certainly not the rich. It is, in fact, the middle class, the working class that has a hard time affording to live here, that is leaving New York City. And that's why he has focused his campaign on them.

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But, of course, we have a long road ahead. You know, we don't know what the next four years are going to bring in terms of the economy. And as you said, he wants to raise taxes. We should also mention he doesn't actually have the power to do that. He needs the government -- the governor and the state legislature to approve that increase. So, he's going to have to work with them. And the governor already has said that she does not want to increase taxes. It's a reelection year for Governor Kathy Hochul. So, that is going to be a very interesting and important dynamic to watch in the next four years.

BLITZER: And we've invited Governor Hochul to come on the show, and we hope that she'll do it this week, get her thoughts on what's going on in New York City.

Gloria Pazmino, thank you very, very much.

Coming up, the future of FEMA, FEMA is slashing dozens of staffers who are the first boots on the ground after a disaster. All this as the Trump administration works to overhaul the agency.

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BLITZER: New this morning, a CNN exclusive. The Trump administration is cutting dozens of disaster response workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, this week, according to internal emails and sources familiar with the plan. On New Year's Eve, some FEMA employees received emails saying their positions would not be renewed and their services would no longer be needed after their contracts expire in the first days of January.

Joining us now is CNN's Gabe Cohen, who broke the story for us. Gabe, who are these cuts targeting the most, the cuts in FEMA?

GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And so the folks that we're talking about are part of this section of FEMA known as CORE. A lot of people describe them as really the backbone of the agency, some of the first federal boots on the ground during a natural disaster who helped communities recover.

And right now, there is a lot of shock making its way through FEMA because this really happened abruptly on New Year's Eve, where about 50 of these CORE staffers got these notices saying that they would be out of a job. And it was everyone whose employment contract is expiring, Wolf, between January 1st and January 4th.

It's a small batch, but it raises a lot of questions across the agency from rank and file up to some of the senior officials I've talked to who are wondering what's going to happen to the thousands of employees whose contracts expire after January 4th over the course of the rest of the year.

To give you a sense of how critical though CORE is to FEMA, a senior official told me FEMA cannot do disaster response and recovery without CORE employees. The regional offices are almost entirely CORE staff. And so the first FEMA people who are usually on site after a disaster will not be there if core is cut.

The impact would be that states are on their own. And, Wolf, that's a key detail, because as we've been reporting for months now, the Trump administration is really looking to shift more responsibility for disasters onto the states.

We obtained this list of recommendations just last month from the task force that Trump has assembled to help him overhaul FEMA, and one of their big proposals is to, in the coming months, cut FEMA's workforce in half.

We know that that is a discussion on the table right now. To be clear, what we're talking about here, this is not a 50 percent reduction in force. This is 50 people. But, again, the question is, if we're only looking at January 1st to 4th, what is this going to mean for all the rest of the contracts over the course of the year?

I do want to note that the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, has said there's no new policy in place at this point. They said the core program consists of term limited positions that are designed to fluctuate based on disaster activity, operational need, and available funding, that CORE appointments have always been subject. To end of term decisions consistent with that structure, and there has been no change to policy.

Essentially, what they're saying, Wolf, is these contracts always end, and if somebody's not needed anymore, then their position is going to be eliminated. But it raises a lot of questions because I've talked to plenty of folks across the agency who said this kind of broad termination, everyone just over the -- who's contract expires over the course of these four days, that's unusual and it raises questions about what's to come.

BLITZER: And what happens if there's an emergency, a hurricane, or something along those lines? I've covered a lot of hurricanes over the years, and I see the FEMA of personnel show up and save lives. What's going to happen if there aren't enough FEMA personnel?

COHEN: Well, the short answer is more and more will fall onto the states, and the question is, are they prepared to bear more of the -- shoulder more of that burden? They don't likely have it in their budgets right now. They don't have the personnel for it. But it's something the Trump administration does want to shift to them.

BLITZER: The FEMA personnel were trained for these kinds of emergencies, and a lot of state officials were not necessarily ready for it.

All right, thanks very much, Gabe Cohen, reporting for us. We'll watch this story.

Also happening now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now say the United States reported more than 2000 new measles cases in 2025. That annual total is more cases than the country has seen in decades. There's an effective vaccine available, of course, to protect against this highly contagious disease, but vaccine rates in the United States have declined over the past several years. If case numbers continue to increase this month, the U.S. could be at risk of losing what's called elimination status, meaning the disease has been eliminated.

Just ahead, tragedy in Switzerland, the ski resort town is in shock after a fire tore through a bar killing dozens of people, and now we have new details about the possible cause.

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