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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Trump "Willing to Talk" to Maduro; U.S. Boosts Pressure on Venezuela; Trump Says He Would Sign Bill to Release Epstein Files; House Expected to Vote Tuesday on Release of Epstein Files; U.N. Security Council Votes in Favor of Gaza Plan; New China Travel Warnings for Japan; Saudi Crown Prince to Visit White House; Immigration Crackdown Surges to North Carolina. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired November 17, 2025 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR, ""THE BRIEF"": Hello and welcome to our viewers. Joining us from all around the world, I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington and

you're watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, Donald Trump says he would be willing to talk to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but he does not rule out military

action. The U.S. president tells reporters he would sign a bill forcing the release of the Epstein files while still calling the controversy a

democratic hoax. And Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to visit the White House tomorrow. It is the first time since the murder of

journalist Jamal Khashoggi. I'm going to speak to his widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, coming up.

First though, a potential diplomatic window. President Trump says that he would talk directly with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: He has not been good to the United States. So, we'll see what happens. At a certain period of time, I'll be talking to

him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Trump declined to rule out military action though against the country. The U.S. State Department is planning to designate a Venezuelan

cartel, which the U.S. says is run by President Maduro himself as a foreign terrorist organization. President Trump suggested that designation would

allow the U.S. to strike inside Venezuela. The American military's most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is already in the

Caribbean along with its strike group.

Stefano Pozzebon is live in Caracas. I wonder, Stefano, given the president now speaking about talking with Nicolas Maduro, has fear there of imminent

military action faded somewhat?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think maybe it hasn't faded completely, but yes, it's been -- it's receded for sure. Today, it's

Monday. It feels a much different day from Saturday, for example, when we saw thousands of Venezuelans taking an oath and swearing in that they would

come to the defense of their fatherland in case of an attack. These were civilian Venezuelans that the government called upon them to rally their

support and to rally the defense of the country in case of an attack.

Today, we haven't heard directly from Maduro himself. There was a press conference by one of his chief lieutenants, the interior minister, Gustavo

Cabello, but Cabello did not refer and did not react to Trump's remarks, which frankly are a stunning reversal from what we have been hearing from

the White House back in the last few days and weeks.

I think, Jim, that the White House here is resorting to a very tried and tested tactic when it comes to Latin America, which is the very famous

carrot and the stick, because Trump has said that he's open to discuss with Maduro and he even opened up the possibility of a direct conversation

between the two leaders, but at the same time, we're hearing from the State Department and from the White House today as well that they still intend to

declare the Cartel de los Soles, which is a collective name for a criminal, supposed to be criminal organization that involves chief government

officials here in Venezuela into narco-trafficking, and they want to declare this body a foreign terrorist organization, paving the way, just

like you correctly pointed out, to the possibility of more forceful strikes here in Venezuela.

I think that we should read into that with the White House giving Maduro a one last attempt at finding a diplomatic solution. The president today,

Donald Trump, seemed adamant that Maduro has to go in order for this diplomatic solution to be found. However, there is also the non-diplomatic

solution. That's why we're hearing the designation of this group as an FTO and also the arrival of Gerald Ford here in the region.

I think that Trump, after scaling things up back last week, especially on Saturday, is now taking a step, giving diplomacy one last chance.

Otherwise, we know what's going to happen here in Venezuela, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes, possibly, although there is opposition within his own party to military action there. Stefano Pozzebon, thanks so much.

[18:05:00]

Joining me now, David Smolansky. He's an adviser to the Venezuelan opposition leader and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina

Machado. Thanks so much for joining.

DAVID SMOLANSKY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL OFFICE OF MARIA CORINA MACHADO: Thank you so much for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, you are in close communication with this administration. Do you believe that U.S. military action is a genuine possibility against

Venezuela?

SMOLANSKY: Well, first of all, we have a constant and fluent communication with the administration and Congress here in Washington, D.C., and also

with embassy from different parts of the world. We think that actions to dismantle a criminal organization that has been running my nation for more

than two decades, it's something that almost every Venezuelan supports.

This cartel has been the responsible of having 9 million Venezuelans fleeing the nation, which is the largest migration crisis worldwide, even

surpassing Ukraine and Syria. Seven million people can only eat three times a day, which is the largest population in the Western Hemisphere under that

situation and the fourth largest in the world. And they have reduced the economy 75 percent, which is only compared with countries that have been to

war.

SCIUTTO: But do you support military action by the U.S. to bring down this regime?

SMOLANSKY: I support the pressure that they're doing now. I think it's very important, the pressure that they're doing now, because they are

cutting the flows that come from the drug trafficking. Only last year, drug trafficking generated to the regime $8.4 billion, which is the same as oil.

And we are the nation with the largest oil reserve in the world.

So, drug trafficking has become the main source of funds of the regime. And cutting those flows is very important because those -- that money is used

to repress people. As we speak, we have -- the regime has over a thousand political prisoners that includes journalists and human rights defenders

that are tortured.

SCIUTTO: I get that, and I get the behavior of this regime. But as you know, the U.S. track record in regime change by military force is not a

promising one, if you look at the experience of Iraq, for instance. So, I'm curious, you want the current government to go, but are you willing to see

the U.S. go to war to bring that about?

SMOLANSKY: We support the pressure. That is one is in the Caribbean. We support diplomatic pressure. The designation of Cartel de los Soles as a

foreign trade organization is very important. But the U.S. has not been the only nation. Six nations in Latin America have done it, Argentina, Ecuador,

Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica.

And we decided regime change. We had an election last year, and 7 million Venezuelans voted for Edmundo Gonzalez, and he's our president-elect. So,

we already decided regime change. And I think there are differences with other nations that have been through war, like you mentioned.

And there are three main differences, if I can say. One, we have a legitimate leadership on President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina

Machado. That was not the case in Iraq. Second, we have a history of democracy, a recent history of democracy. Venezuela was a prosperous and

stable democracy during the second half of the 20th century. That's not the case of -- that was not the case of Iraq or Libya or Somalia. And third, we

don't have the clashes of ethnics or religion that you can find on some of those nations. So, those differences, I think, are very important for the

transition.

And let me tell you something. We are ready for the transition. We are ready to govern, to have a peaceful and orderly transition in Venezuela.

SCIUTTO: It sounds like you're making the case for war?

SMOLANSKY: No, I'm making the case of defending what my people said last year. We're defending what 7 million Venezuelans did last year.

SCIUTTO: The president, Trump, has said that he'd be willing to speak to Maduro, and Maduro apparently has reached out. Do you believe that Maduro

is interested in a genuine dialogue with the U.S., or do you think he's just trying to get himself some breathing room?

SMOLANSKY: Maduro has had more than 20 rounds of negotiations during the last 12 years. Negotiations have always been used by Maduro to gain time,

divide the International Community, and demoralize people.

For us, it's clear that the only negotiation is to have Maduro abandon power. If he's willing to have that genuine negotiation, that's fine,

because he lost the election, and we are defending what people voted last year.

SCIUTTO: You've said that you expect Maduro's regime to crack at any time. It does appear that part of the U.S. administration's hope is that just the

pressure, just the threat of military action will get his supporters to scatter. What gives you confidence that the regime, which has held power

for some time, would, in fact, break?

SMOLANSKY: They are cracking, actually. They are cracking, and there is a lot of tensions and mistrust among themselves, not only because of the

operation that is in the Caribbean, the support that we're having for neighboring countries in Latin America, the reward that Maduro has of $50

million, the reward that Gustavo Cabello, the journalist mentioned, has of $25 million. Imagine that Maduro has a reward that is twice Osama Bin

Laden, and Gustavo Cabello has the same reward as Osama Bin Laden had.

[18:10:00]

So, they're feeling the pressure. They had the option to leave power last year, and it was offered. And to get to this point is their responsibility,

to get to this point, because they didn't want to abandon power when the people chose Edmundo Gonzalez as president-elect.

SCIUTTO: If he were to leave under those circumstances, let's say he takes a flight somewhere, someone gives him asylum, what does the country look

like afterwards?

SMOLANSKY: Well, we will be ready for that moment. We want an orderly, peaceful, and democratic transition. We want to create the conditions to

have millions of Venezuelans back. We want to have strong and independent institutions. We want to guarantee access to justice to everyone. We want

to protect human rights. We want to promote freedom of expression, free market, private property. And also, we would like to have a country that is

safe to live, and people do not live in fear to flee.

So, there are thousands of Venezuelans within the country and overseas, high-skilled, ready to rebuild the nation.

SCIUTTO: You mentioned the many millions of Venezuelans who fled the country, both out of fear for their own lives, but also for economic

opportunity, many of whom came to this country, many of whom, as you know, are no longer welcome in this country. Do you feel that this administration

has betrayed those people?

SMOLANSKY: We have said that it's very important that Venezuelans who are legal here should be protected, because they have led a dictatorship like

Cubans did for decades when they came to these countries. And those Venezuelans pay taxes, they (INAUDIBLE), they study. But I can guarantee

you something, as soon as we have the transition in Venezuela, millions will go back, and that includes many that are here in the U.S.

SCIUTTO: Tell me your sense of how neighboring governments, Colombia, Brazil, other Caribbean nations, are reacting to the U.S. military buildup

there. As you know, some of America's closest allies, the U.K., for instance, Canada, they've stopped sharing intelligence because, even short

of military action in Venezuela, they're just watching the bombs getting dropped on boats there and saying, this may be illegal. Do you believe that

neighboring countries would support military action to remove Maduro?

SMOLANSKY: I think it's important the bloc of nations that we have in Latin America supporting the democratic movement diplomatically. And as I

said, six nations have designated Cartel de los Soles, Suns Cartel, as a terrorist organization. Also, we have seen many actions from, for example,

the Organization of American States last year after we won the election, and the voting tallies were presented at the Organization of American

States.

So, the majority of the nations in Latin America want democracy in Venezuela because Maduro's regime has not only affected and impacted the

life of Venezuelans, it's impacting the democracies, security, and stability of this hemisphere. And as soon as we have transition in

Venezuela, again, a democratic transition, it will be the Berlin Wall fall of Latin America because I'm convinced that that could spark a pro-

democracy movement in Cuba and Nicaragua, which are the other two dictatorships of the Americas.

SCIUTTO: David Smolansky, we wish peace for your country. Thanks so much for joining.

SMOLANSKY: Thank you so much for having me.

SCIUTTO: Well, now to President Trump's latest political U-turn here at home. He now says that he will sign a bill to force the release of the

Jeffrey Epstein files after, of course, he quite publicly opposed it, calling it, and he still does, a democratic hoax.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it. But don't talk about it too much because, honestly, I don't want to take it away from us.

It's really a Democrat problem. The Democrats were Epstein's friends, all of them. And it's a hoax. The whole thing is a hoax. And I don't want to

take it away from really the greatness of what the Republican Party has accomplished over the last period of time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Well, many elected Republican lawmakers do not believe it's a hoax. A bipartisan position got enough signatures to force that vote just

last week. The House is expected now to carry out the vote tomorrow. If it passes, it would then go on to the Senate, where it faces for now an

uncertain fate.

Joining me now, Kristen Holmes from the White House. I wonder, did the president just look at the votes in the House and say, I'm going to lose

this, now I got to back it?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it was interesting, Jim, because it was partly that. Now, we're not really sure

how exactly he went from saying that Republicans who were going to support the release of the Epstein files were weak and soft to saying that, I've

said that they should vote for it all along, essentially.

But I was told on Friday that President Trump was made aware that this was going to pass in the House, that it was before we were even hearing from

this large slew of Republicans coming out saying that they were going to vote in favor of releasing any kind of Epstein files that existed, that

Trump was told by advisors, he was told by Speaker Johnson that this was inevitable and that it was likely going to pass, and pass by a wide margin.

[18:15:00]

Now, again, President Trump didn't seem to receive that information, or at least he was still putting out for a while this idea that anyone who voted

for it was going against the administration. And then we saw this abrupt change with him saying they should vote for it, get it out there, I don't

care, and then saying that he would sign it if it landed on his desk, because, of course, if this is then passed in the Senate, it will land on

his desk, where many speculated that he could veto it because of the fact that he's been so adamantly opposed to the releasing of any more Epstein

information and even taking a vote on this. They wanted to do anything in their power to not actually hold a vote on this. So, clearly, here he has

shifted in his strategy.

Now, there are a lot of questions as to what exactly the Department of Justice can release at the end of all of this. And is that going to be

impacted by the fact that the Southern District of New York is now investigating several Democrats that President Trump asked the Department

of Justice to look into their ties to Jeffrey Epstein? So, is that going to impact any of the documents that are let out?

Now, I will tell you, just moments ago, I got off the phone with a White House official who said that right now the White House isn't planning on

standing in the way of any of those documents being released, they fully anticipate by the end of this that there will be more that comes from the

Department of Justice in terms of these Epstein files. But again, there are now a lot more traps that are going to have to be run through, particularly

given the fact that President Trump has asked for this secondary investigation.

SCIUTTO: Final question, Kristen. Is he hoping for a rescue in the Senate? Because Senate Republican leaders have not been exactly committal on

holding a vote or supporting a vote to do this. Does he think he might get a rescue from the Senate?

HOLMES: I think it was certainly clear today when he was asked about this that he is waiting to see how it plays out in the Senate. I don't think

they think it's 100 percent a done deal. But I will tell you that even last Friday, when I was talking to these White House officials, there was an

overarching belief that eventually that this would have enough momentum to, one, get passed in the House and then get to the floor in the Senate, and

that once that happened, it would be a lot harder to stop Republican senators from voting for this than it would have been potentially for the

House, even though, obviously, the White House wasn't able to stop Republicans in the House either, since we've seen a growing number of them

calling for these documents to be released.

So, one of the things you continue to hear President Trump say is, let's see how this plays out in the Senate. But as far as I am told, they are not

currently whipping votes to try and get this to not be voted on. But there might be some at least hope or a thought that this won't be brought to the

table, won't be brought to the floor for an actual vote, since, as you said, many have been noncommittal.

SCIUTTO: Kristen Holmes at the White House, thanks so much. Well, the U.N. Security Council has now passed a U.S.-backed plan for Gaza. The

resolution's goal is to build on the current fragile truce establishing a more lasting peace plan. It sets up a so-called international stabilization

force, as well as calls for disarming Hamas. The council voted 13-0 in favor. China and Russia abstained. They could have vetoed. They didn't.

Hamas immediately rejected the resolution and the idea of disarming, saying it would effectively force Gaza into an international trusteeship.

In Israel, the U.S. has set up a military presence to monitor the ceasefire agreement. CNN's Oren Liebermann has this report from that U.S. facility.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: We got our first chance to take you inside the U.S.-led Coordination Center for Gaza here in Kiryat

Gat. And the first thing that strikes you is the size of the facility, what's called the CMCC, the Civil Military Coordination Center. There's a

floor for the Israelis, a floor for the Americans, and what we were able to see, which is a joint floor, where there's a multinational force that's

monitoring what's happening on the ground in Gaza and planning the key next steps of the U.S.-brokered 20-point ceasefire plan.

We saw troops from Germany, Spain, Singapore, and a number of other countries. The joint floor is dominated by a map of Gaza showing the so-

called yellow line. One side is Israeli-occupied territory, on the other is Hamas-controlled territory. Teams inside are monitoring what's happening in

real time. As for planning for what's next, there are teams working on the intended reconstruction effort, focused on debris removal right now.

There's also a large group that works on humanitarian issues, the aid going in, logistics, and more.

One of the crucial teams here also works on security, not only planning for the intended disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza, but

also managing the training of the Palestinian police force for Gaza. One key step here is the international security force for Gaza. A number of

countries have signaled they're willing to contribute troops, but not until there's a clear, well-defined international mandate to make that happen.

And this whole effort is still waiting on that mandate.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, in Kiryat Gat.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Coming up on "The Brief," the diplomatic row between China and Japan over Taiwan threatens to spill over into travel and tourism, as China

urges its citizens to reconsider visiting Japan. We're going to explain the root of all this after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

SCIUTTO: Wall Street began the week with more declines. The Dow down 1.2 percent, S&P down nearly 1 percent. This ahead of NVIDIA's earnings report

and a delayed jobs report this week. Some analysts believe the market is in a corrective phase after a long, long rally. Cryptocurrencies, they

continue to drop as well. Bitcoin lost more than 25 percent in just six weeks.

Checking some of today's other business headlines. Novo Nordisk lowering prices for its popular weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic is for self-pay

customers here in the U.S. It will offer the first two monthly doses for $200, reduce ongoing monthly prices to $350 for most doses. This comes

after the company announced a deal with the Trump administration that will open access to the Medicare and Medicaid markets in exchange for those

price reductions.

Ford is now selling its certified pre-owned vehicles on Amazon. Customers can shop online from participating Ford dealers' inventories, beginning in

Los Angeles, Seattle and Dallas. Unlike Tesla, Ford is bounded by U.S. state laws to sell its vehicles through dealers.

Shares of Google parent Alphabet jumped more than 3 percent after Berkshire Hathaway revealed a $5 billion purchase. This is one of the final major

investments by Berkshire under Warren Buffett, who plans to step down at the end of this year. Alphabet stock is up 50 percent so far this year,

outperforming all the other magnificent seven stocks as they're known.

China is ramping up its travel warnings advisories really against Japan, with urging its citizens to stay away from its neighbor in a dispute about

Taiwan. Now, a top Japanese diplomat has arrived in China in an attempt to calm the tensions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO (voice-over): On a mission to turn down the diplomatic temperature, Japan's senior diplomat Masaaki Kanai arriving in Beijing amid

growing anger in China about the new Japanese prime minister's comments on Taiwan. Answering a question in Parliament on November 7th, Sanae Takaichi

said that Japan would view a Chinese attack on the island as a situation threatening Japan's survival, which could therefore trigger a Japanese

military response.

[18:25:00]

Soon after, Takaichi said her remarks were hypothetical and that she would refrain from making similar comments in Parliament again. However, to

Beijing, the comments crossed a red line. China's foreign minister demanded a retraction.

MAO NING, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): I want to emphasize that in response to the wrongful remarks made by Japanese

Prime Minister Takaichi regarding Taiwan, China has already lodged and will continue to lodge solemn representations and protest strongly with the

Japanese side, urging them to immediately reflect on the matter, correct the errors, retract the wrongful remarks, and cease from creating incidents

on issues concerning China.

SCIUTTO (voice-over): The falling out comes less than two weeks after Takaichi and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met for the first time on the

sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea and agreed to pursue constructive, stable ties. That warmth didn't appear to last. Beijing views

self-governing democratic Taiwan as part of China and has vowed to take the island by force if necessary.

And in recent years, China has escalated military exercises around Taiwan, rehearsals U.S. military analysts believe for a potential invasion or

blockade. Previous Japanese prime ministers have avoided discussing Japan's response to a potential invasion.

U.S. policy had for years been deliberately vague, strategic ambiguity, as the approach is known, although President Biden repeatedly said the U.S.

would defend Taiwan militarily. China is now warning its citizens against traveling to Japan and urging its students to be cautious about making

plans to study there, citing a quote, "worsening public security situation. Japan rejected that message.

MINORU KIHARA, JAPANESE CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY (through translator): I believe that this announcement, which seems to curtail the exchange of

people between the two countries, including study abroad and tourism, is incompatible with the broad direction of promoting a strategic, mutually

beneficial relationship confirmed by the leaders and building a constructive and stable relationship. We have made a firm request for the

Chinese side to take appropriate steps.

SCIUTTO (voice-over): The travel advisory prompted each country to summon the other's ambassador. And as the tensions deepen, China says its premier,

Li Chang, will no longer be meeting with Prime Minister Takeichi on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa.

Nearly 7.5 million travelers from China visited Japan in just the first nine months of this year, according to the Japanese broadcaster NHK, by far

the highest count of any country or region. Beijing's actions suggest it's willing to use economic heft to apply geopolitical pressure, a move from a

well-worn playbook.

Japan's leaders appear eager to limit the damage. Its senior diplomat is expected to tell his Chinese counterpart the prime minister's remark on

Taiwan does not signal a shift in Japan's security policy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO (on camera): The Saudi crown prince is visiting the U.S. for the first time since the brutal murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal

Khashoggi. Coming up next, I'm going to speak to his widow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are the international headlines we're watching today.

President Trump says he is not ruling out military action against Venezuela. Over the weekend, the U.S. said it will designate Cartel de los

Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. Trump said that doing so allows the U.S. to target Nicolas Maduro's assets and infrastructure inside

Venezuela. Still, he said there may be diplomatic discussions with Venezuela, though he did not elaborate.

Poland's prime minister calls a recent train track explosion near Warsaw a, quote, "unprecedented act of sabotage." Ukraine's foreign minister suggests

that Russia might have played a part. The railway is key to delivering military aid to Ukraine. Poland's interior minister has warned against

immediately blaming Russia while it continues an investigation.

Bangladesh war crimes court has sentenced the country's former prime minister to death for crimes against humanity. A three-judge panel found

Sheikh Hasina responsible for inciting hundreds of extrajudicial killings during last year's crackdown on protests led by students. According to the

U.N., at least 1,400 people were killed in the demonstrations, which eventually toppled her government. The 78-year-old former leader was not in

the courtroom, but tried in absentia after she self-exiled to India. She calls the trial politically motivated.

The U.S. will sell F-35 advanced stealth jets to Saudi Arabia ahead of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the U.S. this week, beginning

tomorrow. It is his first in seven years and his first since the murder of the Saudi journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post

columnist was killed in a Saudi consulate in Turkey. The CIA found that the prince had likely ordered the assassination, though he has publicly denied

involvement. The killing strained U.S.-Saudi relations, though President Trump never entirely cut off ties.

Salma Abdelaziz has more on the relationship between the two leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don't expect any signs of a rupture during the Saudi crown prince's first visit to the White House in

more than seven years.

While the crown prince is not ahead of state, all the trappings of a state visit are planned for Mohammed bin Salman, a bilateral meeting in the Oval

Office, and a black-tie dinner with some of America's most powerful executives.

At the top of President Donald Trump's agenda will be the Abraham Accords. He wants to see Saudi Arabia join this set of agreements that normalizes

relations with Israel. It would amount to a major advancement of his signature policy in the region.

Saudi Arabia said it has set a, quote, "credible and irreversible" pathway to Palestinian statehood as a precondition, which the ceasefire President

Trump brokered stops short of providing.

Another major issue on the agenda will be money, money, money. Before Trump's first state visit of his second term to Saudi Arabia, Riyadh

promised to invest $600 billion in the U.S. A good chunk is set to go to major purchases of American-made fighter jets and weapons, a U.S. official

said.

[18:35:00]

Trump and the crown prince are also expected to sign a defense cooperation agreement, though a formal treaty would require congressional approval.

Unlikely to be a topic of discussion is the kingdom's human rights record and the murder in 2018 of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which

caused a schism in U.S.-Saudi relations. A CIA assessment later found the prince had likely ordered the assassination, although he has long denied

any involvement.

Critics accuse the Trump administration of foregoing human rights concerns for weapons and trade. But Trump has long cultivated a close relationship

with the kingdom's de facto ruler, and this visit is set to only deepen their alliance.

Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Well, joining me now here in Washington is Hanan Elatr Khashoggi. She's the widow of Jamal Khashoggi. Thanks so much for joining.

HANAN ELATR KHASHOGGI, WIDOW OF JAMAL KHASHOGGI: Thank you very much for having me and remember Jamal.

SCIUTTO: I wonder, is it difficult for you to watch the images, and you'll be seeing them tomorrow, of the U.S. president welcoming the man who the

U.S. has found likely ordered or at least approved of the murder of your husband? How will that be to see?

KHASHOGGI: It is very painful for me. It's very painful for me. It will be better if Jamal was here and receiving the crown prince by himself and meet

with him and share with him his vision and mission and all of his idea.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

KHASHOGGI: Because this is what Jamal wished in the last visit of the crown prince in the beginning of 2018. Jamal actually was waiting for an

invitation from the crown prince and wished to have the space to be heard by the crown prince, because he had a good idea for his country.

SCIUTTO: As you know, President Biden, before President Trump, he pursued his own ties with Mohammed bin Salman, just as we're seeing now President

Trump do, although he didn't welcome him to the White House. Do you believe that the U.S. has placed military ties, economic ties, above values?

KHASHOGGI: I hope they look at the American value for a human right and democratic besides economic ties and selling weapons or any kind of deal

there is something missing there, which is looking for the real justice and applying the human rights and the value of the U.S. We look at the U.S.

like the leader of these great values.

SCIUTTO: You have written directly to President Trump asking for help, including getting a financial settlement from the Saudi government, similar

to what Jamal Khashoggi's children, as you know, received. Have you gotten any response to your letter?

KHASHOGGI: Till now, I did not get any response, but I'm optimistic and I hope they hear me. And basically, because I will persist, I will keep

talking and I will keep fighting for justice for myself and for my husband.

SCIUTTO: Have you felt unsafe yourself at any time?

KHASHOGGI: I did feel unsafe since I got engaged to Jamal, sir. The day I got engaged to him and I fell into the intelligent hand of the United Arab

Emirates, I've been tortured, I've been detained. Till now, it has taken my life upside down. It destroyed my life. That's why I am persisting and I'm

asking for official apology for what happened to me and my husband and financial support settlement.

SCIUTTO: You're also asking from Turkish authorities to return Jamal's electronic devices, his phone, his computer, et cetera, because you believe

there may be further evidence. Has the Trump administration helped you with your request to Turkey?

KHASHOGGI: We done the request in previous administration, but I hope I can get the President Trump administration help in this because I'm

persisting to retrieve his devices because my devices, we have a proof it has been infiltrated. And in fact, they're watching me since 2017. Of

course, I didn't know this before I fled to America. And what about the victim himself?

SCIUTTO: Yes. They put this software on your phone, you believe, that tracks everything that you do?

KHASHOGGI: Yes, they did. And we have evidence, strong evidence. We have a citizen lab report with an ex-CIA expert. He is -- he looked after my

devices and he did have a proof. It's since 2017, they are watching me to track my husband through me.

SCIUTTO: Your husband's final piece for The Washington Post before he died, sadly, in that he urged for freedom of expression.

[18:40:00]

I'm going to read for our audience one quote from it. Arab governments have been given free rein to continue silencing the media at an increasing rate.

There was a time when journalists believed the internet would liberate information from the censorship and control associated with print media,

but these governments, whose very existence relies on the control of information, have aggressively blocked the internet.

He was writing about this, of course, seven years ago. Do you have any hope that his case and that what he fought for, that that fight will survive?

KHASHOGGI: I hope so. It looks like it's difficult. That's why I have a very difficult battle to bring his ideas through. And I believe also the

journalists and the media have a part to do this by helping me and speak up and try to get his vision and mission out.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

KHASHOGGI: Yes, I hope it will. And Saudi Arabia and the Middle East deserve to have this freedom and justice and democratic and at least

tolerance to listen.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

KHASHOGGI: Yes. Which is we missing really.

SCIUTTO: Yes, I think we all wish for tolerance. Hanan, thank you so much. We hope you get answers to your questions and we hope that you find peace

as well.

KHASHOGGI: Thank you very much, sir.

SCIUTTO: Thank you for joining.

KHASHOGGI: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Still to come on "The Brief," fear and chaos as the U.S. government targets immigrant communities once again, why masked armed

federal agents are now infiltrating the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina. We're going to have that story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Communities in North Carolina are on edge as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown targets another city.

An officer there, masked, breaking the window of a car, fear gripping the Charlotte suburb of Huntersville today. The mayor said she is getting

reports of border patrol activity allegedly targeting primarily Latino communities. It's a pattern we've seen for weeks now. This comes after

agents arrested at least 130 people in Charlotte over the weekend, dubbing it Operation Charlotte's Web.

[18:45:00]

Protests against ICE agents and federal interference have not ended, with communities banding together to fight for the rights of immigrant

communities. CNN's Dianne Gallagher spoke to residents in Charlotte where many businesses have closed their doors to keep their customers out of

harm's way as the chaos continues.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CROWD: ICE out of Charlotte now.

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Protests in Charlotte as tensions escalate in the Tar Heel state's largest city, at least 130 people

arrested so far by Border Patrol agents and Homeland Security's latest Customs and Border Protection immigration crackdown, dubbed Charlotte's

Web.

Video obtained by CNN shows Gregory Bovino, Trump's top border official, who also recently spearheaded a controversial operation in Chicago, with

other federal agents as they detained an individual outside a grocery store.

Over the weekend, federal agents smashed a car window and briefly detained a man who says he's been an American citizen for six years and showed

officers he had a real I.D. He was later released. In a statement, DHS said during an enforcement operation in Charlotte, this individual became

erratic, refused lawful commands and had to be removed from his vehicle. DHS law enforcement followed their training to remove him. Some local

officials, still in the dark, say they don't feel safe.

JD MAZUERA ARIAS, CHARLOTTE CITY COUNCIL-ELECT: I went through the right process. I became a legal U.S. citizen. And even I cannot feel safe,

especially after seeing the footage of a U.S. citizen being detained.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): Homeland Security releasing this wild video, claiming the driver of a white man, a U.S. citizen, tried to ram into law

enforcement, quote, "while they were conducting an operation" on Sunday. After a high-speed chase, the driver was eventually arrested. DHS says

firearms were found inside the vehicle and one officer was injured in the incident.

VIC MARTINEZ, CHARLOTTE RESIDENT: They got masks on. Come on. I mean, you're not going into a war zone.

GOV. JOSH STEIN (D-NC): Everyone wants to be safe in their communities. But the actions of too many federal agents are doing the exact opposite in

Charlotte. We've seen masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars, targeting American citizens.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): Though police data shows a 20 percent drop in violent crime, Charlotte was thrust into the national spotlight a few

months back after 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death on the city's light rail train. The man charged in her killing is

a U.S. citizen.

MANUEL "MANOLO" BETANCUR, OWNER, MANOLO'S BAKERY: I decided not to risk my customers, not to risk my employees, and not risk myself and my family.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): Many businesses have closed up shop like this popular Colombian bakery, which shut its doors for only the second time in

28 years after federal agents were seen chasing down community members.

BETANCUR: It's too risky, and I don't want to carry on my shoulders the heaviness of maybe a kid to lose their father or their mother because they

were on their way to the bakery.

Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Charlotte.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Scene repeated across America. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:50:00]

SCIUTTO: In today's Field of Play, surprises mixed with some heartache as we move one step closer to knowing exactly which countries will be playing

in next year's World Cup here in North America. Football sides across the globe battle on the pitch to qualify. As the first round wraps up this

week, a few will be heading to the playoffs in a couple of months to try to earn their spot.

Joining us now from Atlanta, CNN World Sports, Don Riddell with all the details. So, who got the ticket and who's still waiting?

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: You know, Jim, it is a long and winding road, but we're getting there. It was a busy evening in Europe with the

four-time champions, Germany, headlining the action, punching their ticket to the tournament next year. Germany's final challenge in Group A was a

home match in Slovakia in Leipzig. And it was over or as good as over by halftime. Germany's Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry was among the goals,

making it 2-nil in the 29th minute.

And then a quick fire brace from Galatasaray's Leroy Sane put the Germans in complete control shortly afterwards. He made it 3-nil in the 36th

minute, then 4-0 five minutes after that. Liverpool's Florian Wirtz assisting on both those goals.

So, a 6-nil drubbing means that Germany top the group. Second place Slovakia will have to try again in the playoffs next March, as will

Northern Ireland, who advanced to those playoffs courtesy of them winning their Nations League group.

A big win also for the Netherlands, who wrapped up Group G with a comfortable home win against Lithuania in Amsterdam. Despite peppering the

target with shots and dominating the game with 74 percent possession of the ball, the Dutch only held a slender 1-nil lead at halftime there Tijani

Reinders thank for that. But a second-half penalty from Cody Gakpo. And then a third goal shortly afterwards from Xavi Simons should have settled

any nerves. And the Dutch scored a third goal in the space of just four minutes to put this one to bed. Donyell Malen on target, this time ensuring

Ronald Koeman's team secure automatic qualification with top spot in their group.

Poland, who were the runners-up, will now head to the playoffs next spring. And in all, 16 teams will be involved in those playoffs. That's a dozen

group runners-up from the continent, plus four more teams from the Nations League. But after all of that, there's still only going to be four places

from those 16 teams at the World Cup. The playoff draw will be made on Thursday, and then the World Cup draw itself will be made soon in

Washington, D.C., Jim, on December 5th.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I like seeing Plucky Malta there, you know, hold it close to Poland 3-2. That's probably not how Poland thought that one was going to

go.

RIDDELL: I know, yes.

SCIUTTO: Don Riddell, thanks so much.

RIDDELL: All right.

SCIUTTO: Well, YouTuber Jake Paul is set to fight boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Their eight-round professional bout, scheduled for

December 19th in Miami. The fight will be, like the last one, streamed globally on Netflix. Joshua promises no mercy, while Paul says a win would

finally silence his critics.

A new documentary about the late Latin musician Selena is giving fans an intimate look at the star through footage captured by her sister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have to sacrifice something in life in order to get ahead. Knowing that our family has a job, we make a living off of it.

And that's why it means so much to us.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: The film produced by her siblings features never-before-seen home videos, letters, candid moments recorded during her rise back in the '80s

and '90s. Family members, friends and bandmates share memories that highlight the woman behind the music, her roots, as well as her impact on

the rise of Latin music here in the U.S. The film debuts today on Netflix.

And finally, in today's Good Brief, thousands of people turned out to one of Paris' most famous avenues for this moment.

That's, of course, the Champs-Elysees bathed now in twinkling lights. The annual reveal kicks off the holiday season in style as the city gets ready

for millions of visitors around Christmas time. Paris pulling out all the stops as the city of light.

Thanks so much for your company. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

[18:55:00]

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