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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: At Least 83 Dead in Hong Kong Blaze; Two National Guard Members in Critical Condition; D.C. Shooting Prompts Green Card Review; Ukraine and U.S. Teams to Meet Soon; Russia Ready for "Serious Discussion" on Ukraine; Trump Admin. "Indefinitely" Stops All Immigration Requests for Afghan Nationals; U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom has Died; Palestinian Officials Condemn "Extrajudicial Killing" in Jenin. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired November 27, 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]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR, ""THE BRIEF"": Hello, and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton in New
York. Jim Sciutto is off. You are watching "The Brief."
Just ahead for us this hour, the death toll in Hong Kong blaze rises to 83. The focus now on the use of bamboo scaffolding. Three people are accused of
gross negligence. Now, new details emerge about the man accused of shooting two U.S. National Guards who remain in critical condition. Now, the Trump
administration will reexamine green cards issued to people from 19 so- called countries of concern. And Jim Sciutto takes us into the future at the controls of a new flying car. That story and plenty more coming up.
We do begin with the horrific and still smoldering fire at an apartment complex in Hong Kong. It has claimed at least 83 lives now as hundreds of
people remain unaccounted for. Even now, the fire, looking at pictures right there from Hong Kong, 7:00 a.m., you can still see parts of the
buildings smoldering. Officials say they expect, though, to have it all out soon.
An elderly man was found alive Thursday and rescued from one of the top floors of the towers. Officials say three men linked to a company
renovating the buildings. They were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and accused of gross negligence. The fire department partially blamed
bamboo scaffolding used in the project.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEREK ARMSTRONG CHAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, HONG KONG FIRE SERVICES OPERATIONS: Debris and scaffolding were falling from upper floors, making our access to
the affected buildings very difficult. And there are also other reasons like high temperature, darkness. Emergency vehicle access was blocked by
the fallen scaffolding and debris.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Hanako Montgomery is in Hong Kong for us and now joins us on the line. Hanako, if you can bring us right up to date. I mean, there's several
issues still outstanding here. One of them is how many people are unaccounted for and how difficult is it for them to really continue this
rescue operation? Hanako, do you hear me? Oh, my apologies. We are having trouble connecting to Hanako Montgomery, but we'll get back to her for that
update.
Joining us, though, now live from the U.K. is independent fire and emergency planning consultant Stephen Mackenzie. Stephen, good to have you
here again. You know, you and I spoke as this tragedy was unfolding and you were frankly stunned, you know, at the loss, the loss of life. What stands
out to you now? This is more than 24 hours since you and I last spoke in terms of what you've heard and the situation that officials are dealing
with there.
STEPHEN MACKENZIE, INDEPENDENT FIRE AND EMERGENCY PLANNING CONSULTANT: Yes, as we move into almost 36 hours on from the initiating event and the
first postage on social media, we've managed to do a rapid form analysis of all the social media clips and as many eyewitness accounts and statements
as we possibly can. However, we do see a lot of disinformation and misinformation coming in.
We've seen a clip this morning on the social media feed on X of potentially the source of the fire and then how quickly it went from a very small
wastebasket sized localized fire to rapidly accelerating up the scaffolding on the exterior of the building. There's a lot of misinformation about what
was the first night in burning? What was the mechanism for the rapid-fire spread? What was the contribution of the plastic petrochemical-based mesh,
which is completely wrong material for the size of building and height of building? It should be in a fire-retardant premium material, not this mesh.
It's the wrong material for a building over 31 storeys.
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Then how the mesh actually triggered the ignition of the bamboo, the bamboo lations, the builder's debris. And then we're also hearing that there was a
polystyrene foam on the windows to protect the structure itself. That all adds to a significant fuel load.
Bamboo is a very dimensionally stable, low heat release rate, the amount of energy that generates in a fire. But over 300 degrees, it will start to
combust. It will start to contribute to the fire. And then the key question for me is, how did it spread from one block to seven blocks? We have never,
ever seen anything like that outside the war zone. How did that happen? And I'm going to suggest there's going to need to be a very detailed forensic
investigation, some large-scale lab testing to try and recreate what we actually seen in controlled environments.
But I'm also interested in what happened. Why couldn't the occupants receive early alarm to trigger them to move into the protected stair cores,
which are essentially a concrete box within a concrete box, and then have at least 60 minutes to gradually evacuate down through the building? What
failed, not only in the external fire spread, but also the internal fire safety systems? Did the building have any fire suppression? Did it have
firefighting or evacuation lifts? Was there sufficient firefighting water? What hampered the firefighters getting to the upper levels?
NEWTON: Right.
MACKENZIE: There are so many questions just now that it will take a Grenfell Tower type fire inquiry and international experts scrutinizing the
evidence to arrive at what was the source ignition? What was the fire growth and development within the original block and then across blocks?
And then what were the root cause and compound and failure modes? And ultimately, what lessons can we learn from this one?
NEWTON: You've certainly --
MACKENZIE: But also, the shocked -- go on.
NEWTON: You've certainly outlined a very comprehensive list there that investigators have to go through. Stand by for us, Stephen, if you will,
because we do have Hanako Montgomery back. She is in Hong Kong for us.
Hanako, as I was saying, what more are you learning about -- what is the key question right now, which is those who are unaccounted for and how
quickly officials can actually get inside the building to continue the search and rescue?
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Paula, we are hearing that a search and rescue operation is still ongoing. Firefighters are actually
going door to door to look for any remaining survivors. And, of course, this is really key because in the early hours of the fire, the floors were
too hot for the firefighters to get up higher into these buildings.
So, now, as the fire is slowly getting doused, they are able to go door to door and find any remaining individuals who might need rescuing. So, you
know, we are expecting, Paula, to get an update from the death toll in the coming hours. The Hong Kong authorities have said that 9:00 a.m. local
time, which is 8:00 p.m. where you are, we will be getting a little bit more updates about just the number of injured and the number of individuals
who unfortunately lost their lives in this horrendous fire.
Now, of course, as you mentioned, Paula, there are several key questions about what actually caused this fire, what caused it to spread so quickly
from one building to another, and whether the materials being used to renovate these buildings actually contributed to making it more deadly.
Now, investigators are still looking into this, and it likely will take a lot of time to actually come to a concrete solution, concrete, really
confirmation of what exactly happened. But we did hear on Thursday from local authorities that they are going to continue phasing out bamboo
scaffolding, as you heard from other guests just there, given that there are concerns about safety when it comes to the use of this material over
metal.
NEWTON: Yes. And, Hanako, as you are speaking to us, extraordinary, so many hours later we are looking at live pictures, and you can still see
flames, significant flames inside the building. Hanako, grateful for you for the update, and we will wait to see what happens in the next couple of
hours.
Stephen, a quick last word to you, and again, as I said, you were absolutely stunned by the way this moved through so many buildings. You
made a very good point to me, and how much do you want to stress that point now, that any high-rise around the world at this point that is going
through renovations, you suggest they are all vulnerable and that they need more scrutiny before those renovations begin and as they are ongoing.
MARTIN: Absolutely. In the U.K., following some major health and safety breaches and fire safety breaches.
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We have introduced more robust legislation that says you need to plan your fire safety provisions for any building or construction works, any
refurbishments, any refurbishment works, because you are actually going to compromise some of the house systems.
I don't understand why all of these blocks, and I don't understand why we are dicing with death to leave blocks in occupation while we are doing
external remediation or cladding works in the U.K. Why are we still using bamboo when there are safer metal attainments? There are mast and tower
mechanisms to do almost floor-to-floor repairs rather than having full- height scaffolding. There are so many dynamics.
When the Grenfell inquiry terms of reference meeting occurred, I told the chair to advise the then-Prime Minister Theresa May, to advise the European
Union and the United Nations that potentially we have a global building safety crisis. Now, we have been concerned about Grenfell too. Now, we have
had seven Grenfells in the space of 24 hours.
This was predictable, preventable, and people have now died unnecessarily. Now, we have a major trauma event that is resonating across the world. And
we are having to recheck high-rise and recheck not only in Hong Kong, but any construction project over about 11 meters. You need to check your
safety protocols, and you have got one chance to get us right again. I do not want to see another major fatality incident like this in my lifetime,
ever.
NEWTON: Yes. It is shocking actually when you put it that way, seven Grenfells, considering that, you know, more than 70 people died in that
tragedy. Steve Mackenzie, we will leave it there, but grateful to you. Thanks so much.
MACKENZIE: Thank you.
NEWTON: Now, a sprawling investigation is underway in Washington, D.C., where a suspect opened fire and critically injured two National Guard
members near the White House on Wednesday. Officials say the alleged gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who had
previously worked with the CIA. They say he arrived in the U.S. in 2021 as part of a program to protect the vulnerable following the U.S. military
withdrawal from Afghanistan. Authorities said he was also wounded and taken to hospital. He is accused of shooting two West Virginia Guard members at
close range.
Victims are both in critical condition and have been identified as 20-year- old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. U.S. President Donald Trump is vowing justice for the shooting victims and promising to ramp up
efforts to protect D.C.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: This heinous assault was an act of evil, an act of hatred, and an act of terror. It was a crime against our entire
nation. It was a crime against humanity. And I have directed the Department of War to mobilize an additional 500 troops to help protect our capital
city. We will make America totally safe again, and we will bring the perpetrator of this barbaric attack to swift and certain justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: The Trump administration now says it will re-examine green cards issued to people from 19 so-called countries of concern. Kristen Holmes is
in Florida traveling with the president on this Thanksgiving holiday, and she spoke to me earlier about the administration's response.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: They are going to suspend any review of incoming requests for Afghan visas, as well as do
another look at Afghan nationals who are already on the ground in the United States.
But we have just heard from the Department of Homeland Security that says that part of this now, the Trump administration is going to re-examine
green cards issued to people from 19 countries of so-called concern. Of course, Afghanistan will be included in that, so that's just part of this
process.
Now, something interesting that we heard from President Trump, he went on kind of a tangent last night when he was talking about all of this in
general, talking about this crackdown on immigration. And he stopped talking about just Afghan nationals and went into Somalians that are living
in Minnesota, saying that they were taking advantage of the United States.
So, clearly, he has a broader picture in mind, although we don't know the details of it just yet.
NEWTON: Yes. And, Kristen, you know, the president did make this very political, right, right from the start. He's blaming the Biden
administration. But CNN has, of course, learned that, you know, in this suspect, his asylum was actually granted by the Trump administration in the
spring. Does any of this matter to Trump officials?
HOLMES: I think what you're going to see, Paula, is that this is actually going to become somewhat of a bipartisan issue because it did span across
two administrations. We know that this suspect came into the United States under a government program in 2021 when Biden was president. He was granted
asylum in this country by the Trump administration. There are going to be a lot of questions from everyday Americans, as well as from both Democrats
and Republicans, as to how exactly this happened.
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What traps were run? What kind of investigation was done or vetting was done on the suspect? Because there are a lot of concerns that someone who
came here illegally, again, across two administrations, came here and then shot two National Guardsmen, drove from Washington State to Washington,
D.C., and shot two National Guardsmen point blank. This is a really heinous crime.
So, I do think that part of this is going to be bipartisan. Now, when it comes to the politics, everything is always political. One of the things
that we have talked extensively about is the idea that just having the National Guard in these cities, largely Democratic cities, itself, has
become somewhat of a political flashpoint.
Our reporters have been on the ground in the city talking to these Guardsmen who say that at times they are spat at, at times they are told to
go home. Now, of course, that's not everyone. Some people are thanking them for their service. But because of the situation around these Guardsmen
coming, which is President Trump deploying these troops to cities, largely Democratic, as I said, saying that they are going to help with immigration
crackdown or help with crime in the instance of D.C., has made this a political issue.
And there are still a lot of questions about motive here. When I was talking to White House officials last night, they said that they're still
trying to get their hands around what exactly happened and why this happened. Was this political? Because it's clear to everyone that this
itself has become somewhat of a political flashpoint. So, there are a lot of questions here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Now, hours after the shooting, President Trump began criticizing the former administration of Joe Biden over its vetting of immigrants. You
just heard that from Kristen Holmes. The Department of Homeland Security tells CNN is now reviewing all asylum cases approved by the Biden
administration. We'll have more on the screening process. Asylum seekers from Afghanistan typically face in the United States. We'll have that later
in the show.
Still ahead for us, Russian President Putin finally responds to the U.S.- backed proposal to end the war in Ukraine. More optimistic tone, but with familiar military threats. We'll break it down next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: Turning now to the war in Ukraine and optimistic words from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He says revisions to a U.S. peace plan are
on the right track. Zelenskyy says U.S. and Ukrainian officials will discuss the latest proposals this week and hints that he will be involved
in more negotiations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Next week, there will be important negotiations not only for our delegation, but also
for me personally. And we are laying solid groundwork for those talks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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NEWTON: Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin says a U.S. delegation will arrive next week in Moscow and he said a U.S. peace plan could serve as the
basis for negotiations. His overall tone, though, suggests Russia is not ready to compromise.
Oleksandr Merezhko joins me now. He's the chair of the Ukrainian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and I welcome you to the program,
especially at this critical juncture.
I mean, what is your reaction to the state of negotiations? Because, as we've learned, Putin's posture right now really hasn't changed in months
and months. In fact, his words on Thursday were quite strident, saying that it was Ukraine that had to withdraw from all occupied territory.
OLEKSANDR MEREZHKO, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIR, UKRAINE PARLIAMENT: Thank you for having me. Yes, absolutely. Putin hasn't abandoned his
maximalist demands, which mean only one thing, surrender for Ukraine. He's totally obsessed with destruction of Ukraine and he will never stop by his
own will unless he's stopped by the West.
And as for his sort of statements with regard to that we can take this plan as a basis and so on, it's nothing but an illusion because he's trying to
imitate negotiations. And his purpose, his goal is to avoid -- to evade sanctions which can be imposed by President Trump against Russia and
Russia's allies. That's the only purpose for Putin. But he has -- he's absolutely -- he has no appetite for any kind of compromise whatsoever.
NEWTON: But given that, it is curious that President Zelenskyy still continues to talk and has this optimistic view, or is he optimistic? I
mean, does he have no other choice but to sit there at the table? You know, it seems to me that if this negotiation fails, and there's every indication
right now that it will, that what Ukraine really needs is commitment from the United States and Europe to keep up its defenses against Russia. How
much more progress is being made on that, if any?
MEREZHKO: There is no progress which has been made. And yes, President Zelenskyy and Ukraine show our willingness for peace. We are ready for
peace, but at the same time we are realistic, we understand that it doesn't depend upon us, it depends on Putin. He can stop Russian aggression against
Ukraine very easily and withdraw his troops from the territory of Ukraine. But at the same time, for us, it's extremely important not to lose our
friend and partner, the United States.
But I believe that we should return to the previous plan by President Trump himself. I mean, unconditional ceasefire, and only after that to start
serious negotiations. But unfortunately, Putin has an absolutely different plan. He says that initially there should be some kind of peace plan, and
only after that ceasefire. But he means by that that first should be surrender of Ukraine and then ceasefire. And of course, it's unacceptable
for us.
NEWTON: And so, where does that leave Ukraine, though? Because we are hearing from the battlefield that, of course, there is fatigue, there is
strain on resources, and that Russia continues to make some gains, certainly not at lightning speed, but certainly gaining.
MEREZHKO: Well, according to some estimates, for Russians to take completely the territory of Donetsk Oblast, Donetsk region, it will take
four or maybe even five years at the current pace of their advances. And it will cost them more than 2 million soldiers. So, we continue to defend our
territories, and it leaves us in the same situation as before.
But again, the only thing -- the only possible way to bring closer peace is to impose maximum pressure upon Putin and to provide Ukraine with advanced
weaponry, including long-range missiles like Tomahawks.
NEWTON: The timeline you just outlined will cost Ukraine, though, quite a bit as well. I am wondering how much success, you know, Ukraine has had in
terms of trying to convince Europe that it needs to take a tougher stand with Russia. I know they've come to your side. They visited Ukraine often.
They are always speaking to President Zelenskyy. And yet, if the United States does not give Ukraine more support, Europe must step in and step in
more than they have so far.
MEREZHKO: European leaders have already stepped in, and they promised long ago to continue to support Ukraine as long as it takes. And we received a
considerable amount of support, for which we are grateful to our European friends and allies.
[18:25:00]
But, of course, we also hope that the United States will continue to support Ukraine. President Trump, the United States will continue to sell
at least weaponry for NATO countries which will be given later to Ukraine. That the United States will continue to share intelligence information,
which is important to protect our civilian population. It allows us this system of early warning against Russian attacks.
So, we are hopeful. We don't lose hope with regard to President Trump. And we see that American people are firmly on the side of Ukraine. They
understand who is the victim of the aggression and who is the aggressor and that the aggressor should be punished, not rewarded with territorial
concessions.
NEWTON: Oleksandr, we'll leave it there. And certainly, a lot of events to come in the week ahead. Appreciate your time.
Now turning to today's Business Breakout. Wall Street was closed for the Thanksgiving Day holiday, but there was plenty of action elsewhere. Stocks
closed higher in Asia. Japanese shares outperformed. Indian stocks hit record highs, in fact, during Thursday's session. Europe also advanced with
German stocks in the lead. Shares of German sportswear firm Puma soared 19 percent. Reports say it could be a takeover target.
Now a shooting in D.C. brings an asylum program under scrutiny, with the Trump administration vowing to crack down on immigration after an Afghan
national is accused of shooting two National Guard members at close range. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: And welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Paula Newton. Here are the international headlines we're watching.
At least 94 people have died in Hong Kong's worst disaster in decades. Dozens more are still missing after an inferno tore through a housing
complex Wednesday. Some apartment buildings were still burning as a man was rescued alive Thursday. Firefighters hope to extinguish any remaining
flames very soon. Three construction employees have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
[18:30:00]
Pope Leo is warning against global conflicts on the first overseas trip of his papacy. He made the remarks at a gathering in Turkey that included
President Erdogan. Leo also warned against decisions by world leaders that, quote, "trample on justice and peace." Pope Leo's six-day trip will include
a stop to Lebanon.
Now, a senior U.S. official tells CNN the Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard soldiers in Washington had worked with the CIA in
Afghanistan and had been thoroughly vetted before he was granted asylum in the United States. Both service members remain in critical condition.
Officials call the suspect a lone gunman who opened fire without provocation. The motive is still under investigation.
Now, in the wake of that shooting, U.S. immigration officials say they will be examining all green cards issued to people from 19 countries of concern.
Joining us now from Washington, the former Washington, D.C. chief of homeland security and intelligence, Donnell Harvin. He's also a faculty
member at Georgetown University. And good to have you with us as we continue to try and parse the details of this investigation.
Now, it's clear that the president is using this tragic event to initiate a sweeping crackdown on immigration. I mean, some of the countries are not
just Afghanistan. We have the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Venezuela. I mean, quite a list here. In your view,
will this keep Americans safer?
DONNELL HARVIN, FORMER CHIEF, D.C. HOMELAND SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE AND FACULTY, SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Certainly
not. And unfortunately, this tragic incident that occurred yesterday in D.C. is already being politicized. This kind of -- you know, for those in
the United States, this kind of speaks to the they're eating the cats and they're eating the dogs controversy that we had last year.
The fact of the matter is we've had anywhere between 70,000 and 110,000 Afghan refugees that came over in 2021 when the Taliban took over. These
individuals have committed almost no crime. And it's (INAUDIBLE) at how many crimes they've committed. Nothing major based on my research. And so,
to kind of paint this entire Afghan community, let alone the entire migrant community from some of these countries with a broad brush, is really just
politicizing a tragedy.
NEWTON: Yes, which is something that does not serve anyone, especially at this moment where two National Guardsmen are still fighting for their lives
in hospital. You know, as you point out, the suspect was vetted already to an extent that few immigrants are. In fact, that's according to what CNN is
learning. But I do ask you, right, Americans want answers on this, especially the parents of those National Guardsmen.
HARVIN: You know, this is an outlier, right? Clearly an outlier. This individual was vetted by the CIA. I've never been vetted by the CIA. I
understand what vetting for a top-secret position requires, a polygraph. This individual had service members and CIA agents' lives in their hands,
in his hands, rather, for many years while serving side by side with our forces in Afghanistan. And then after that, he went through a very rigorous
vetting process.
Now, we all know that the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent vetting process was a little chaotic. But there was a vetting process. He's
been in this country for several years. And I think the answers that people want is, how did this happen? This individual is working very intimately
with special forces, with intelligence officers. How did we go from that to what we saw yesterday? And those answers will come, but we shouldn't jump
to any conclusions.
NEWTON: And in terms of the investigation itself, you know, so far, the suspect is not charged with any terrorism. What evidence would warrant
charging him with terrorism? Because the president, the FBI director, they've already called this an act of terror.
HARVIN: Yes, and we see that a lot in the United States. Politicians will call something an act of terrorism. And it's not charged as such. The
Charlie Kirk shooting, the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk this past fall was one example. What will happen is that there is a clear definition for
domestic or foreign terrorism.
NEWTON: Donnell, forgive me. If you just have me interrupt for a second, just stand by for us, because the president is actually speaking from Mar-
a-Lago right now. Let's listen in.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: She's just passed away. She's no longer with us. She's looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her. This just
happened. She was savagely attacked. She's dead. She's not with us. Incredible person. Outstanding in every single way, in every department.
That's horrible.
As you know, the other young man is fighting for his life. He's in very bad shape. He's fighting for his life. And hopefully, we'll get better news
with respect to him. And the monster that did this is also in serious condition. But we won't even talk about him.
[18:35:00]
As you may know, DHS has confirmed that the suspect is an Afghan national flown here by the previous administration, who was such a bad
administration. And I have a picture of a plane. This is what it looked like when they came in. It was total bedlam. Do you remember that period of
time? Total bedlam. People crammed onto the plane.
And the toughest, meanest, most capable physically got on the plane. Not the people that we were looking for or that they wanted to bring in. Here's
a picture for you. Just take a look at that plane. Standing on top of each other and sitting on top of each other. This is what we had under the Biden
administration. That whole thing should have never, ever happened. They should have left from a different base. They should have left from Bagram,
as you know and it would have been a much different story. But they didn't do that. And this was a -- this was just a route.
NEWTON: And we continue to listen to the president there from Mar-a-Lago. He just gave us the very sad, sad news and breaking news that Sarah
Beckstrom, who's just 20 years old and a U.S. Guardsman, has passed away from her injuries. You see her there.
In fact, her father had told the New York Times just hours ago that there would be no recovery. And he said he was holding her hand and that this was
a mortal wound. Incredibly sad news there that the president was breaking to the nation on this Thanksgiving holiday for Americans.
Donnell Harvin, if you're still with me here, I mean, what is your reaction? Because as I said, parents -- her parents want answers about how
this could have happened in broad daylight in Washington, D.C., to basically be ambushed and assassinated two blocks from the White House.
HARVIN: You know, well, first of all, I just want to take a moment to be mindful of the fact that she may have family members or friends who are
watching this broadcast, you know, here or internationally, and this is just a tragedy of unknown proportions. I have to tell you, in our history,
this has never happened. And in a year where we've used the word unprecedented, an unprecedented amount of time, this really rises to the
level of unprecedented.
This individual, very young person, very shining star, one of our best, was targeted simply because of the uniform she was wearing. This is something
that the Department of Defense has warned about, actually, in a memo -- internal memos that the deployment of National Guard in the streets of the
United States of America doing policing operations could -- is a cause for concern in the heightened threat environment that we have, whether they be
from violent extremists or transnational terrorist organizations.
And so, I think this is an opportunity. Obviously, we have to get some answers. This could have happened to me. I was a sworn law enforcement
officer in D.C. I could have been standing there, and it could have been me and my partner.
So, it wasn't the fact that there are National Guards, that they didn't have less capabilities, it was the fact that this assassin chose what we
call a target of opportunity. And who would think that standing blocks away from the White House, that you would have to be hyper-vigilant for someone
walking up to you and opening fire on you? So, this is a tragedy that we're all -- I think, I'm still absorbing this. We haven't come to grips with
this. We won't. We're struggling to understand what's going on. And our prayers go out to the other soldier who's fighting for his life. But this
is totally, totally unprecedented and really a national, national tragedy.
NEWTON: And, Donnell, I'm grateful to you that you do point out how extraordinary this is, an extraordinary tragedy, and how this hasn't
happened before. As you said, just a few blocks from the White House, these people were savagely targeted because they were wearing a uniform of the
U.S. National Guard. But I have to ask you, you know, some analysts on our air have indicated that putting another 500 guardsmen on the streets of
Washington, D.C. just puts more targets on the street. I'm wondering what you think about that sentiment?
HARVIN: Well, before I answer that, I want to go back to the question you had before we broke to President Trump. You had asked me, how would they
determine that this is an act of terrorism? If they were able to determine that this individual targeted these National Guards, specifically near the
White House, to stoke terror, that is by definition an act of terrorism.
And so, I wanted to mention that before I got to the second question, which is, you know, I was very critical, and I'm on record, being very critical
of the deployment of National Guard in our nation's capital. From a law enforcement standpoint, the D.C. police chief, as well as the D.C. mayor,
said that these extra troops were not needed. It was performative. And they were politicizing the National Guard.
[18:40:00]
From a pure statistics standpoint, crime is at an all-time low in Washington, D.C. That said, we know that crime is perception. People need
to feel safe. And so, as this has been rolling out over the last few months, I tell you, I go into D.C. myself, I work in D.C. four days a week,
I go and I see the National Guard at our national monuments, at Union Station, which is our main train station, I chat them up, and it's almost
comforting, as a civilian, as a visitor, seeing these individuals in this high-visibility type of posture.
And so, you know, I'm not going to second-guess the president on this. Clearly, extra troops aren't needed, but if it makes people feel a little
bit safer, you know, that's a discussion I think we can have. But certainly, in the, you know, obviously the backdrop of this soldier losing
her life, you know, I think more is probably better now, because people are on edge.
NEWTON: And yet, Donnell, there'll be many Americans, though, that say you can't turn American cities, despite the incidence of crime very high in
some cities, into armed camps. I have visited Washington since the National Guard troops have been there, and I felt very safe walking by myself at
10:00 at night, just because of their presence. I'm not disputing that.
But what do you say, as a law enforcement official, who, you know, you and I have been to countries where armed -- they look like armed camps anywhere
you are in any of these cities? That's not what many Americans want for their streets, and certainly not their capital.
HARVIN: Yes, certainly. And, you know, I've been in other nations' capitals. I mean, I was in Baghdad earlier this year on a mission, and
there's military on every corner. And so, you know that you're in almost more than a police state, you're in a militarized state.
Washington, D.C. is very open. It's very welcoming to visitors. But from a Homeland Security standpoint, that also makes us a little vulnerable. I
have no problem with the National Guard patrolling our national monuments. I think if you go to other places, you know, you go to Paris, you see the
Gendarmerie. You go to London, you see, you know, quasi-military National Guard types patrolling. It makes people feel safer, particularly from the
threat of terrorism. But you start going to other places like Chicago or New York, then it gets really dicey. New Yorkers don't want to see armed
guards, armed National Guard with Humvees rolling down their neighborhoods.
So, it's a different take when you leave D.C. And once again, these National Guards historically have not been patrolling high crime areas.
They leave that for the trained professionals, which are the D.C. Metropolitan Police.
And so, I think that this is an opportunity for the Department of Defense and the administration to take a step back, see how they're deploying these
individuals, make sure that they're giving the proper training, tactics, techniques and equipment to do the job effectively, particularly in this
heightened threat environment.
NEWTON: Donnell Harvin, we really appreciate your informed and thoughtful insights here. And again, we just unfortunately are grieving now the death
of U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and the president announcing that just moments ago. And of course, our condolences go out to her friends and
her family. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:45:00]
NEWTON: Now, to a developing story out of the occupied West Bank where Palestinian leaders are condemning what they call the extrajudicial killing
of two Palestinians who appeared to be surrendering. The video on social media shows two men with their hands above their heads in the top right of
your screen. You can have a look there.
Now, they are surrounded by what appears to be Israeli soldiers. The video also shows one of the men being kicked, then gunfire. Now, we've frozen the
video at the end as this is just too disturbing to really watch. A joint statement by the IDF and the Israeli police shooting acknowledges, quote,
"The wanted individuals belong to the terrorist organization in Jenin. The incident is currently under investigation by field commanders and will be
transferred for review by the relevant authorities."
Now, earlier we spoke with Palestinian lawmaker Mustafa Barghouti who calls this a terrible crime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, PRESIDENT, PALESTINIAN NATIONAL INITIATIVE: The footage is very clear. You can look at it. You can show it. These two guys had no
guns. They are civilians. They raised their hands in front of the Israeli soldiers. They were arrested by the Israeli soldiers and then suddenly the
soldiers started shooting them. It's very clear.
And now, the Israeli army is lying again to cover up their crime. This is a terrible crime of field execution of civilians who had nothing to protect
themselves with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, on this Thanksgiving holiday we do turn to food insecurity in the United States. And it also does not have a clear face. Singer and
actress Leighton Meester stops by a food bank with Feeding America to help make sure that families do have that joyful Thanksgiving meal. Stephanie
Elam is there with their stories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELBA ESCOBAR (PH): There's little power (ph). I need turkey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You need a turkey.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The L.A. rain couldn't stop Elba Escobar (ph) from being first in line for a free holiday meal.
Although it did briefly pause our interview, Escobar was 10 hours early for one of more than 500 turkeys and nearly 1,000 hot meals.
ELAM: Happy Thanksgiving.
ESCOBAR (PH): Same to you.
ELAM (voice-over): From turkey and potatoes to milk and eggs, some served by a special guest.
ELAM: Do people recognize you?
LEIGHTON MEESTER, ACTRESS AND ADVOCATE FOR FEEDING AMERICA: No.
ELAM (voice-over): But Leighton Meester recognizes what many families are going through. She might be a Hollywood star known for "Gossip Girl" and
HBO's "I Love L.A.," but here, fighting food insecurity takes center stage.
MEESTER: When I was growing up, we definitely struggled with food insecurity. We relied on food stamps. Even to this day when I check out at
a grocery store there's always like a part of me that thinks about that and has made me maybe just more aware and all the more grateful.
ELAM (voice-over): That's why she volunteers with the non-profit Feeding America. For the last decade she's helped at food pantries, schools, and
women's shelters, often with her husband Adam Brody.
MEESTER: You connect with people. It just is the face-to-face contact that's giving a face to the cause.
CLAIRE BABINEAUX-FONTENOT, CEO, FEEDING AMERICA: Hunger in America looks like each of us.
ELAM (voice-over): Feeding America's CEO says every county and parish in America has people going hungry and that she used to be one of them.
BABINEAUX-FONTENOT: I get a chance to give back. So, many people experiencing hunger volunteer at pantries and at food banks. So, many of
them just need a little lift up and when they get there they give back to their communities.
ROSIE LOPEZ (PH): I went without a Thanksgiving for many, many years.
ELAM (voice-over): Rosie Lopez (ph) says taking care of her physically disabled husband limits her income.
ELAM: What does that mean to someone like you who can benefit from this that people are so caring?
LOPEZ (PH): It's a blessing. It's a Thanksgiving Day every day to me.
ELAM (voice-over): By the end the L.A. sun returned and this community had not only food but hope and thanks.
LOPEZ (PH): God bless this place and God bless America.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[18:50:00]
NEWTON: And our thanks for Stephanie Elam for bringing us that report. Coming up for us on "The Brief," an aircraft capable of taking off and
landing in very short distances. Jim Sciutto shows you how it works and what it could mean for the future of air travel.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: A new electric aircraft developed by a company called Electra can take off and land in small spaces and it can travel up to 250 miles and
operate at a lower cost per mile than helicopters. Jim Sciutto didn't just watch it, he tried it himself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): What if you had a plane that could take off and land in a space not much bigger than your backyard? I got to
see for myself.
SCIUTTO: Wow, that was quick.
MARC ALLEN, CEO, ELECTRA: It's pretty fast.
SCIUTTO (voice-over): This is Electra's ultra-short meant to compete in the flying car craze. That is a relatively cheap to operate aircraft that
can get you from pretty much anywhere on the map to pretty much anywhere else.
ALLEN: And we can save them half the time, right? I mean, half the time you spend in a commercial airplane or on the road or in a train, this will
get you there twice as fast.
SCIUTTO (voice-over): How does it work? The science is pretty crazy. Its eight electric motors don't just move the plane forward, they generate
their own airflow over the wings, switch in the physics of flight, then generates their own lift for the aircraft.
ALLEN: You experience something very few people have experienced. The airplane is going super slow, the wing thinks it's going super-fast because
we're just accelerating all of this air over it. And then some really unique design structures just rises right up. So, the wing just lifts the
airplane up at about 150 feet of ground roll.
SCIUTTO: You create your own lift.
ALLEN: You create your own lift and then you just fly on that lift like an airplane.
SCIUTTO (voice-over): Because the plane creates its own lift, we took off at just about 30 miles an hour, about the speed of a racing bicycle.
Something of a nod to the bicycle building Wright brothers who invented the world's very first flying machine. From the air, you get the feeling of
floating, sort of like taking a ride on a drone.
Plus, it's a hybrid with turbo generator charging batteries that run the prop, sort of like a flying Prius. And less fuel means a lower cost per
mile than helicopters and many flying cars.
The idea of the ultra-short is to solve another problem with many flying cars. While they can take a passenger or two, the ultra-short can take
multiple passengers and cargo and go as much as 10 times as far, about 250 miles.
Electra already has more than 2,000 planes ordered, mostly from airlines and the U.S. military, with even the ambition to replace the military's
workhorse transport helicopter, the Blackhawk.
[18:55:00]
ALLEN: A lot of military applications, because the military has the same problem we all have, they need to go from where they are to where they want
to go and imagine a bombed out runway. How do you get an airplane in with fuel, with munitions, supplies, food, spares? You can't. And if you're in
the ocean, you can't take a helicopter hundreds of miles. This airplane flies like an airplane, arrives like a helicopter. That bombed out runway,
no problem.
SCIUTTO (voice-over): The $10 million price tag for the larger commercial model means most of us can never dream of owning one. But for the military,
airlines and other transport companies, perhaps a new taxi for the skies.
ALLEN: That's the idea of direct aviation. That's the new era of air travel.
SCIUTTO (voice-over): Jim Sciutto, CNN, somewhere over Manassas, Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: OK. And in today's Good Brief, yes, it is Thanksgiving across the United States. Some people might be sitting down to dinner right now. And
there's no better way though for them to kick it off than with the annual holiday parade.
One of the most beloved is of course Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Among the 34 balloons Mario making his debut. And this was the first
year back for Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear flying high after a 12-year hiatus. I have no idea where he went for over a decade.
Now, eye-catching floats thrilled crowds braving the cold in Detroit. The parade they're making -- marking its 99th year. A lot of happy kids today
thank goodness.
And I want to thank you for your company. I'm Paula Newton in New York. You've been watching "The Brief." Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
