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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Chilling New Images from Nancy Guthrie's Home; Democratic Lawmakers Clash with Immigration Officials; Homeland Security Department Funding Deadline Nears; Calls for U.S. Howard Lutnick to Step Down; Trump Threatens to Block Opening of U.S.-Canada Bridge; Polish Foreign Minister on Russia and Epstein; France's Crypto Kidnappings. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired February 10, 2026 - 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, chilling new images show a masked and armed individual outside Nancy Guthrie's home. Democratic lawmakers clash with
immigration officials as they defend their mass deportation campaign. And President Donald Trump says he may block the opening of a key bridge
linking Canada and Detroit.
We begin with potentially important but also disturbing clues in the search for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of the NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie. The
FBI today released pictures from a camera at the door of Nancy Guthrie's house, and they show riveting, even frightening, images of an individual
wearing a full-face mask, gloves, a backpack. FBI Director Kash Patel says the person is armed, visible in that video, and, as you see in the video,
tampered with the camera, trying to block its view, it seemed, on the morning of Guthrie's disappearance. It has now been 10 days since Guthrie
vanished.
Jake Tapper reports on how investigators are now hoping that those images released today could help crack open the case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, THE LEAD (voice-over): The FBI released six brand-new still photos and three videos of a potential subject captured
from the front door camera of Nancy Guthrie's home on the early morning she disappeared. Nancy Guthrie's daughter, Today Show co-anchor Savannah
Guthrie, posted the video shared by the FBI and wrote, someone out there recognizes this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home.
FBI Director Kash Patel had said it appears the individual tampered with the camera, but these photos and videos were recovered through residual
data located in back-end systems.
The FBI says the Bureau had been working over the last eight days to recover any footage from Guthrie's home after the recording devices had
been removed.
TAPPER: The reason why the break in the case was so significant today with the nest camera footage recovered from Nancy Guthrie's porch is because it
was thought that all that footage either did not exist or had been destroyed. And for the nest cameras and ring cameras and other security
cameras of the houses around here, there is so much foliage like this that separates the houses from the roads and the houses from each other, none of
it was any help at all.
TAPPER (voice-over): Let's break down each of the photos. Here in the first batch of photos that the FBI released, the first image shows a masked
individual wearing gloves and appears to have a gun at the front of their waist. You can also see the straps of a backpack. The second image, the
person appears to hold up a plant as if to block the camera lens. In the third image, the person is holding up their gloved hand to the camera. And
the fourth image, the last from the first batch of photos the FBI released, you can see closer at the subject's eyes and mask.
In a second batch of photos the FBI released, you can see the person's full body gripping what appears to be a gun at his or her waist. In another
photo, you can see the build of the person right before the subject approaches the camera. The FBI also released video showing the person
approaching the door with his or her hand on the holster.
After spotting the camera, the person tries to cover it. As they turn around, you see a backpack with no label. Then the person walks back to the
entryway and bends over to grab something and appears to tamper with the camera. In the last video, the person approaches the door, looking down.
You can see the person's gait, how they move. The White House today also weighing in.
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president encourages any American across the country with any knowledge of this suspect to
please call the FBI, who continue to assist state and local authorities who are leading this investigation on the ground.
TAPPER (voice-over): Jake Tapper, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Joining me now is Scott Curtis, a former FBI agent. Scott, good to have you. I wonder, as you look at that video, how much potential
identifying information for investigators is visible there, size, weight? I imagine they're trying to make some estimates now as best they can.
[18:05:00]
SCOTT CURTIS, FORMER FBI AGENT: Yes, they're obviously doing that. But more importantly, this is powerful images for the public to hopefully call-
in tips there, especially family members, friends, close associates of this individual who would know who this person is, no matter how much that
individual conceal their identity.
SCIUTTO: You think so, even with the mask and labels removed from some of the gear he was wearing?
CURTIS: Yes. I mean, people that know this individual well will know exactly who this is, based on, like you mentioned, their gait, their size,
the clothing they were wearing. In my career, if I knew somebody, if I previously identified them, even if I saw them at nighttime, I would be
able to identify them if I had previously known them.
SCIUTTO: That's interesting. A former retired police officer told CNN that in looking at this video, he saw someone who was likely an amateur. For a
couple of reasons, he cited one. He said that the holster that this person was using was too big for the revolver that was in. It was also in an odd
place on the belt. But also, just the way he attempted to cover the camera with basically like a handful of grass. I mean, would you agree as well
that there were some amateur qualities to this?
CURTIS: Yes, clearly. I mean, you mentioned the gun, the holster. He's had no firearms training to begin with here, because anybody that had training
would have the holster on the side of their body there. The fact that he was trying to cover up the camera initially before we believe the camera
was removed from the doorway there just shows that he maybe had done some general casing of the location, but he was not intimately familiar with
details of security systems and video cameras that may have been there.
SCIUTTO: Now, I'm just curious going forward from here, because they are continuing to give public messages via Savannah Guthrie and her brother and
sister. Based on the content of that messages, or even Savannah saying in her video today that they believe their mother is still out there, does
that indicate to you that investigators are in contact with the suspect based on these communications that we've been aware of to some of the news
outlets locally?
CURTIS: I don't believe so. I believe that the release of all this video and still footage of this individual means that they have pivoted to
another avenue in this investigation where they are being proactive and seeking the public's help with tips to try to identify this individual and
to locate this individual. That's their primary focus right now.
SCIUTTO: Interesting. Finally, on the way this video was extracted, it seems to be pretty remarkable, because as we understood it, Nancy Guthrie
did not have the service that saved, and a lot of us have doorbell cameras, you know there are services that can save the video or live stream, she
didn't have it, but it seems that Google after several days was able to extract it. Remarkable, it seems, isn't it?
CURTIS: Yes. It just goes to show you with modern technology how much of our daily lives is being recorded, whether we are aware of it or not, and
luckily in this situation, even though the family may not have been aware of it, luckily it was recorded, and now this is very powerful evidence once
we can apprehend this individual to be used to prosecute him.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Well, let's hope that it leads to some good news for the Guthrie family. Scott Curtis, thanks so much for joining.
CURTIS: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Here in Washington, the leaders of three major immigration agencies, including the acting director of ICE, testified before the House
Homeland Security Committee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. LOU CORREA (D-CA): Young people asking me, what do I have to carry with me so I won't be deported? Is, Mr. Lyons, carrying a passport, is that
enough so they won't be detained or deported in my district?
TODD LYONS, ACTING DIRECTOR, U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: Sir, an American citizen shouldn't carry -- or shouldn't feel the need to
carry --
CORREA: Let me tell you what some of your ICE agents have done. They pulled over a gentleman in a pickup truck, showed his passport, they threw
it to the side, detained him. What do we have to do to show that we're American citizens?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Todd Lyons said that he will not ban ICE agents from wearing masks. That's one of the changes Democrats are demanding. He also said his
agency has an obligation to follow court orders. As judges have said, they've seen ICE and the other agencies not follow such orders.
Joining me now, Democratic Congresswoman Delia Ramirez. She's a member of the Homeland Security Committee. Congresswoman, thanks so much for taking
the time.
REP. DELIA C. RAMIREZ (D-IL), U.S. HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: Thanks for having me.
SCIUTTO: So, you had some quite strong words for the immigration officials who were there today, based on your own family history as well, did you
learn anything from them? Did they grant any ground to you today?
[18:10:00]
RAMIREZ: Look, based on what I've seen every single day in my district and in districts around the country, what we know is that the Department of
Homeland Security continues to terrorize people. And what I saw and heard from them in some cases was lying under oath. To say that U.S. citizens are
not being arrested or not being questioned or asked to prove that they're citizens, it's a bold lie. We've seen it all over on videos. We've seen it
in actual footage that we've seen through news source.
To also not be able to give us the number of people, agents, that they have reprimanded for things like tear-gassing one-year-old children just goes to
show how bluntly they're willing to do what they do, admit that they've done it in some cases, and think they can get away with it.
What we saw were three directors whose number one priority is to do whatever the president tells them to do. And if it means to violate rule of
law, they will continue to do it and think they can get away with it.
SCIUTTO: The president said in the wake of the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti that they should take a softer touch, his words. Do
you see any evidence that immigration agents are doing so?
RAMIREZ: No, I haven't. But it's also really unfortunate that we have to wait until we saw publicly the execution of Alex Pretti for the president
to begin saying perhaps, they should consider a different tactic. However, with that said, they're still doing the same thing.
I mean, the idea that they can't even respond to the tear-gassing of a one- year-old and couldn't even give us any information if that agent who tear- gassed that child or tear-gassed that person that was being held down by three other agents had been reprimanded, had had any corrective action for
his actions just tells us the kind of agency it is. It's not going to be softer on what they do. This is not about training.
In many cases, what you saw, many of these agents who executed Alex Pretti, who killed Renee Good, had been with the force for over 10 years. It's not
a training problem. It's an agency in itself that operates with impunity because they feel like they have qualified immunity.
SCIUTTO: Speaking of impunity, one of the key questions has been the simple one, as to whether these immigration agencies are following court
orders. Today, the acting director, as you know, was asked whether his agency is obligated to do so. Have a listen to his answer, and I want to
get your thoughts on the other side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TIM KENNEDY (D-NY): Do you believe your agency has a legal obligation to follow court orders?
TODD LYONS, ACTING DIRECTOR, ICE: Yes.
KENNEDY: Well, Mr. Lyons, you have a very strange way of showing it, with a federal judge finding that your agency is in violation of 96 orders in
one month alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Did they accept any accountability for that?
RAMIREZ: Absolutely not. But here's the thing. On record, you heard him say that they are following court orders, yet we know by the courts that
they violated at least 96 in one month. The reality is that they think if they say something, there is no recourse or consequence for their lies.
They don't listen to the courts. They have not done so in this last past year, and they're certainly not going to.
You're going to hear the president vilify the judges for doing their job for upholding the Constitution and the law by a lawless agency that,
frankly, is not going to be reformed, not in the way that it operates, and also because it was created to give them full impunity in the way that they
operate, and then say that it's under the guise of protecting us from domestic terrorism. A one-year-old is not a domestic terrorist. Liam is not
a domestic terrorist. Renee was not a domestic terrorist.
SCIUTTO: Well, with that in mind, then, where does that leave current negotiations with -- again, we're just days away from a DHS funding cliff,
where does that leave negotiations for some of those changes that Democrats are demanding, like removing the face masks, like a commitment to follow
court orders, et cetera.? Are those negotiations going anywhere?
RAMIREZ: I mean, it's really frustrating, right? Because what we've seen with the Republican text that was released just 24 hours ago, it was basic
bullet points, nothing tangible. But you've already heard Johnson and Thune say, well, the masks are not coming off. We are not going to require for
them to release footage from body cameras. They're asking for more money for body cameras, but we already gave it to them with the big ugly bill
that was passed in July.
[18:15:00]
But then there are the other pieces of it. Let's just think about it, like, not detaining and beating U.S. citizens? They're not supposed to do that to
begin with. Not to enter homes without judicial warrants? They're not supposed to do that already. And following court orders? you heard today,
they're supposed to do that. So, some of these things are not actual reforms. It's talking about upholding the law that's already the law.
SCIUTTO: Yes. So, there's discussion again of another stop the gap funding bill to give short-term funding for DHS as negotiations continue. I just
wonder if Democrats are yet again proving that they just don't have leverage or don't know how to use leverage. I mean, we saw quite a similar
process with the ACA subsidies last fall. And of course, you know, those negotiations fell apart and those subsidies -- those enhanced subsidies, at
least, are gone. Are Democrats doing enough to hold their ground?
RAMIREZ: But let me tell you, Democrats do have leverage and we should be using every single tool that we have right now at our disposal to hold them
accountable. We should not be voting for another CR and certainly not if the bare minimum non-negotiables that you've heard already from our
leadership are not upheld into law. The reality is that we should let it shut down and then we can go weeks and weeks with DHS.
I'm not getting the additional funding, which by the way, they already have more than 70 billion with a big ugly bill. And then actually sit down when
they're ready to do so, when Republicans are ready to actually do their job and actually pass the reforms necessary in order for them to get any more
support. But I would say to every single Democrat, it is our responsibility, our moral responsibility to hold the line. We can't at this
moment continue to bend and then say that we're protecting our constituents. No other two-week CR is going to solve this. This is a moment
for us to hold the line.
SCIUTTO: We'll see if Democrats do. Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, we appreciate you joining the show.
RAMIREZ: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Now, to Capitol Hill again, where Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick denied having any personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Lutnick's name appeared, however, in documents the Justice Department released from those Epstein files. Lutnick did confirm to senators though,
that he had lunch on the convicted sex offenders island in 2012.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD LUTNICK, U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY: I met Jeffrey Epstein when he moved, when I moved to a house next door to him in New York, right? And I
met him then. Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall, two times. And that is none for six years. So, six years later, I
met him. And then a year and a half after that, I met him and never again. Probably the total, and you've seen all of these documents, of these
millions and millions of documents, there may be 10 emails connecting me with him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Lutnick is now facing calls to resign, mostly from Democrats, although Republican Congressman Thomas Massie joined those calls. The
Justice Department has unredacted more names in those files, following some pressure from lawmakers.
Annie Grayer joins me now with the latest. And, Annie, I've heard a lot of calls to resign of Trump administration officials, principally from
Democrats. And I haven't seen any yet. I just wonder, does this one have more steam than previous demands, or is Lutnick, based on what you're
hearing, likely to survive?
ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, it doesn't seem like Republican leadership in Congress is jumping on board with this. House Speaker Mike
Johnson was asked about his views on Lutnick and if he should resign. And Johnson said, absolutely not, that he fully supports Lutnick and knows him
personally. The Republican leader in the Senate, John Thune, gave himself a little more wiggle room in saying that Lutnick has some questions to answer
for, but it'll be up to people to decide. And he didn't want to put his own finger on the scale.
So, that just shows you that, maybe while rank and file members might be calling for Lutnick to resign, that at the leadership level in Republicans
in Congress, they're not necessarily getting on board. And it comes as lawmakers are having the opportunity to get to view these unredacted
Epstein files for the first time. That started yesterday, it's ongoing today.
And I spoke with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, the two lawmakers who created the legislation that compelled the
release of DOJ to release files in the first place, who said that they went into the viewing room, which by the way, only has four computers, that just
shows you sort of how clunky this process is, and said that they found examples of the DOJ redacting at least six potential co-conspirators, six
men. And that does not align with what the law was designed to do.
The redactions were supposed to be for protecting survivors' information, not potential co-conspirators. So, since they came out and said that, DOJ
has unredacted those names, but it just raises broader questions about how this redaction process was carried out.
[18:20:00]
Democrat Congressman Jamie Raskin said that when he saw multiple examples of President Donald Trump's names redacted, so why was the president's name
redacted at all in these documents? And on top of that, Jim, there's, even in this room where all the documents were supposed to be unredacted,
lawmakers said they saw evidence of documents that had redaction still.
So, then there's this question of, did every document that the Department of Justice received come in its most unredacted form? Why didn't agencies
give DOJ all these unredacted documents? So, a lot of questions as lawmakers continue to pour through those documents, as we continue to pour
through the more than three and a half million documents, because it is a lot to go through, and the more that you sift through this, the more, the
more questions people have, the new, the new leads, the new people that people want to talk to. So, this is definitely continuing to move at a
rapid pace on Capitol Hill.
SCIUTTO: Let me ask you this, because as you know, the legislation requiring the release of this documents was passed by large bipartisan
majorities. The language in that legislation was pretty clear, as I understand it. Do lawmakers believe that this release process is following
the law?
GRAYER: It's a really important question. I think right now the posture is, people want to give DOJ the time to correct mistakes that are being
found and are trying to give understanding in how some -- in dealing with so many documents that maybe some things slipped through the cracks. But
there is bipartisan outrage, don't get me wrong, that how the DOJ has handled this, because in the process of their redactions, they have
inadvertently released a lot of personal information about the victims, which is exactly what the law was supposed to design to protect.
So, there are real questions that lawmakers have, and Attorney General Pam Bondi is coming before the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow, and you
better believe that Democrats and Republicans are going to be putting her under oath, asking her questions directly about all of this.
SCIUTTO: We'll see if it goes anywhere. Annie Grayer, on the Hill, thanks so much. Still ahead, the White House doubling down on a new threat against
Canada. President Trump says he will block the opening of a new bridge between Michigan and Ontario, subject to a U.S.-Canadian agreement, while
making false claims about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:25:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back. In today's Business Breakout. A mostly lower day on Wall Street. The S&P and Nasdaq fell for the first time in three sessions.
The Dow, however, hit fresh records. Weak retail sales data helped pressure stock sales came in flat during the all-important holiday season.
Economists were expecting an increase of about a half percent.
Also, today, financial stocks fell on fears that their industry will soon face disruptions from artificial intelligence. Charles Schwab, Raymond
James and other big names all tumbled after a tech firm unveiled an advanced A.I.-powered tax planning tool.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke on the phone with President Trump today about the latest economic flare-up between the two countries brought
on by Donald Trump. Trump is threatening to block the opening of a new bridge linking Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. He claims the Gordie
Howe Bridge, named after one of Canada's most beloved professional hockey players, was built with, quote, "virtually no U.S. content," calling it
another example of the U.S. getting ripped off by Canada.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said President Trump's claim is wildly inaccurate. He said this just a short time ago on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DREW DILKENS, WINDSOW MAYOR: I wouldn't believe any of the nonsense in the post with respect to no U.S. building products or steel used. Half the
bridge was constructed with U.S. steel. All of the port of entry on the U.S. side was U.S. steel. In fact, of the 15,000 men and women that helped
build that bridge, 8,000 came from the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Michigan lawmakers are warning their economy will suffer if that bridge doesn't open. They say the auto industry will be particularly hit
hard.
Alayna Treene joins me now. So, Alayna, I just wonder how this went down. It's not the first time Trump has made false or inaccurate claims. Our own
fact check notes that, you know, this is by agreement between the U.S. and Canada, where Canada pays to build the bridge. They recoup those costs from
tolls, et cetera, and then they're ultimately split. And Trump himself praised the deal in his first term. So, how is the White House explaining
this sudden turn?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, look, I think it's clear -- well, one, I would say I think a lot of people were caught off
guard by this. I know some people, lawmakers, for example, that I was talking with or seeing their reaction online were caught off guard by what
exactly this means. It's also very much unclear if he's actually able to block the opening of this, despite his claims online that that is what he
plans to do.
But I think all of this comes back to really the deterring relationship that he has with Canada at this moment, and particularly with Canada's
prime minister, Mark Carney, a relationship I should note that started off on the right foot shortly after Carney came into office but has very much
turned sour, particularly in recent weeks.
We saw what played out over the spat over Greenland and what Carney had said in Davos, really getting under President Trump's skin. And he kind of,
look, online some of the reasoning that Trump had laid out was some of it related to the bridge. He had claimed that, you know, none of the materials
used in the building of the bridge used American steel. He was complaining about that. And he also criticized that the toll revenues wouldn't go to
the U.S., although that's not true. You pointed this out, Jim, but I'll reiterate that they will be splitting the profits once the tolls recoup the
losses of the payment for the bridge that Canada had put down. Then in the future, ultimately, they will be the U.S. and Canada splitting these costs.
But he brought up some things that were totally not relevant to the building of this bridge. He was criticizing in this post that Canada had
stopped stocking U.S. alcohol, he claimed, on their shelves. He also was talking about a new trade deal, you know, Canada saying that they're open
to trade talks with China and then railing against that. And so, what I think this comes down to is more about the posture that the president wants
to have at this moment when it comes to Canada.
But we have, of course, heard from a number of people, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, a Democrat I should note, but still, her
saying that essentially this is going to open this bridge one way or another. And so, we're going to have to see how this ultimately plays out.
But again, kind of perplexing comments from the president, not very clear on what he can actually do or what he actually planned to do despite these
threats.
SCIUTTO: Listen, no question. And it's -- well, it's a relationship that was pretty good in the first term. For some reason, no longer. Alayna
Treene at the White House, thanks so much.
Checking some of today's other business headlines, the White House says President Trump will announce his most sweeping environmental policy
rollback to date on Thursday. Trump set to scrap an Obama era finding which says carbon dioxide emissions endanger human health. The move will remove
the main legal basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions, which we know from science contribute to climate change.
Shares of Coca-Cola fell today after the soft drink giant posted weaker than expected quarterly results. Coke is warning that sales growth for the
entire year will disappoint as well. Coke is raising prices at a time when many shoppers are cutting back on brand name products favoring cheaper
alternatives.
[18:30:00]
U.S. auto giant Ford is out with disappointing quarterly results today. The company is reporting its biggest earnings miss in years due in part to
tariffs, as well as a fire at one of its aluminum suppliers. It is predicting stronger results later in the year as cost cutting kicks in.
Just ahead, Poland's foreign minister shares with us his thoughts on Russia, Ukraine, and Poland's own investigation of the Epstein files. My
conversation with Radek Sikorski right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are the international headlines we're watching today.
The FBI has released video of a mass person arriving at 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie's home. The morning she disappeared, the individual was armed,
tampered with the home's doorbell camera. Nancy Guthrie is the mother of NBC Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie. She's now been missing for 10 days.
The White House is doubling down on President Donald Trump's threat to block the opening of a new bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada. Trump
says he will not allow the Gordie Howe Bridge to open until the U.S. is fully compensated. The Canadian prime minister says he believes the dispute
will be resolved.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will be first and foremost on the agenda in his meeting with President Trump in Washington on
Wednesday. Netanyahu wants to discuss military options should talks between the U.S. and Iran collapse, say Israeli sources. The meeting, which is
their seventh during Trump's second term, will also include discussions about Gaza and the broader Middle East region.
A warning from Poland's foreign minister. Do not trust Russian President Vladimir Putin. A warning directly to the U.S. president, in fact. This
comes as Russia continues to push NATO's limits, striking closer to Ukraine's border with NATO member Poland. I asked Radek Sikorski about his
opinion as to whether the current peace talks will lead anywhere.
[18:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RADEK SIKORSKI, POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER: It shows that Putin's declarations that Ukrainians are a brotherly nation are hollow, that he is
willing to commit war crimes. Targeting civilian infrastructure is a war crime. And that he is not listening to President Trump's calls for ending
this war. It also shows that Russia is not capable of winning the war on the battlefield. Because if she was, she wouldn't need to be doing it.
Russia is paying a terrible price. Opportunity costs, we think, up to a trillion dollars already. And, of course, over a million dead and wounded.
We hope that President Trump finds ways to change Putin's calculus.
SCIUTTO: You have been warning President Trump for some time, publicly, not to trust Vladimir Putin. Do you see any evidence that President Trump
and his administration are learning that lesson?
SIKORSKI: Well, we appreciate anybody who tries to end the bloodshed and anybody who has channels of communications open and tries to talk some
sense into Vladimir Putin. But, obviously, Russia still expects Ukraine's capitulation. And that's not going to happen, because Ukraine has 800,000
troops in the field. They are imposing huge costs on the Russians. And, you know, they have politics, too.
SCIUTTO: You've heard President Zelenskyy be more public in his criticism of Europe and the degree of its support for Ukraine, particularly as these
attacks have expanded. Is he right, do you think?
SIKORSKI: Well, he is under pressure. His country is being devastated. His people are suffering. So, I understand the frustration. But let's just
remember that Europe pays the entire bill for sustaining Ukraine. American assistance financial ended at the beginning of last year. Since then, we
are paying for American arms. And we, as the European Union, have already paid around 200 billion. And we've extended another 90-billion-euro loan to
Ukraine, which should sustain the functioning of the state and the functioning of the armed forces for a couple of years.
SCIUTTO: There was this quite public spat between the U.S. ambassador to Poland and the speaker of the Polish parliament. Was that just a daily or
weekly event, or did it signal a more lasting problem for U.S.-Polish relations?
SIKORSKI: U.S.-Polish relations are excellent. We are glad to have U.S. troops on our territory. We pay $15,000 for every American soldier every
year. We are buying equipment, Abrams, Apaches, HIMARS, F-35s, providing jobs in 16 U.S. states. The first Polish nuclear plant is being built by
Westinghouse-Bechtel.
I've just been to Washington to a very good conference organized by Marco Rubio, at which the vice president spoke, on the critical minerals. This is
how U.S. leadership should work, identifying an issue of common concern and providing leadership in addressing it. So, we've been allies since before
your independence. It was Kosciuszko who fortified West Point, and we'll be allies irrespective of who is in charge, either in Washington or in Warsaw.
SCIUTTO: Is the crisis between the U.S. and Europe over Greenland passed, or is it just paused?
SIKORSKI: I don't know, but what I can tell you is that Poland recognized the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark over Greenland.
SCIUTTO: Understood. And final question, Poland is investigating possible links between Epstein and Russian intelligence. You've called those links
at least plausible. I wonder, has the U.S. side shown any interest in joining Poland's investigation of that potential link?
SIKORSKI: Well, the material is huge, as you know, and it's still being digested, but it was the KGB that gave us the concept of the honey trap.
And if you remember, there was a New York Times journalist called, whatever his name was, in the 1930s in Moscow, who was controlled precisely by such
methods.
[18:40:00]
We are investigating because there are names in the files of potential Polish victims as well as Polish potential perpetrators. And there are
reports in credible British media about Russian links. So, I think this is a serious matter which needs investigating.
SCIUTTO: And would you then publish the results of your investigation, even if, for instance, they identified U.S. individuals as well?
SIKORSKI: Well, Polish prosecution will deal with the Polish angle, and it's far too early to say what will emerge and what we will do.
SCIUTTO: Foreign Minister Sikorski, we appreciate you taking the time.
SIKORSKI: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Our thanks to the Polish foreign minister. Coming up, France's string of just terrifying kidnappings and their connections to
cryptocurrency. We're going to read the latest from Paris.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: As the search for Nancy Guthrie drags on, a possible case of kidnapping for ransom, alleged ransom notes in a case in France, involved a
large sum in Bitcoin. A magistrate and her elderly mother managed to escape after a violent kidnapping, with French police now arresting six suspects.
Saskya Vandoorne explains what is driving the rise in kidnappings linked to crypto.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER (voice-over): A daring kidnapping attempt gone wrong. This attack last year on the daughter and grandson of a
cryptocurrency executive stopped by a passerby who chased the would-be kidnappers off. It was a warning of what was to come, a string of attacks
of the past 12 months.
The latest this month, the targets, once again the family of a partner in a crypto venture. Attackers targeted a 35-year-old magistrate and her mother,
eventually dragging the women into one of these garages. Then came the demand, a ransom to be paid in cryptocurrency and a threat to mutilate them
both if it wasn't paid.
THIERRY DRAN, LYON PROSECUTOR (through translator): They were able to take advantage of the absence of their captor to free themselves, to call for
help, in particular by banging forcefully on the garage door.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): A passerby heard the sounds and helped free the mother and daughter.
[18:45:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I just came to take my car when I heard women hitting and screaming. I opened the door and two women came
out. They were a little dirty. I was happy. They said, thank you.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): A chance encounter that may have saved their lives.
DRAN (through translator): After their release, and it's important to say this, no ransom was paid.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Police officers have made six arrests in this case, with one being a minor. So, what is the crypto connection? And why
are kidnappers increasingly demanding in Bitcoin or other currencies instead of cash? Some say it's the belief that crypto is untraceable,
anonymous, a perfect vehicle for moving stolen money across borders without detection.
RENAUD LIFCHITZ, IT SECURITY EXPERT: It's very hard to spend the crypto once it is stolen, because crypto works on a blockchain, and a blockchain
is a public registry where everything is visible, everything is trackable.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Every Bitcoin transaction is recorded on a public ledger. Every movement of money leaves a digital fingerprint. Law
enforcement can see it. Blockchain analysts can trace it. The reality is the opposite of what the kidnappers assumed. In the meantime, French
authorities continue to confront a rising threat.
Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Air Canada is now suspending its flights to and from Cuba after Cuba's government warned that jet fuel will not be available again until
March 11th. Air Canada says it will offer ferry flights to pick up customers who remain on the island. Major U.S. carriers say they will still
fly to Cuba. The U.S. blockade on oil to Cuba is dealing a huge blow to the country's economy. CNN's Patrick Oppmann reports from Havana.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jim, some international air carriers are suspending flights to Cuba amid concerns there may not be enough jet
fuel here to refuel Air Canada and others. Are they suspending their operations while this crisis continues or are just looking for other places
to refuel before landing in Cuba? This news comes as the Trump administration continues its chokehold on sources of energy to this island.
The Trump administration said that Cuba represents a threat to the United States, and they're calling on Cuba to change its economic and political
model. Cuba denies being a threat to the U.S., but essentially, ever since the U.S. attack on Venezuela in January, no oil has come from that
traditional ally to Cuba, and as well, the Trump administration is putting pressure on other allies like Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba.
The practical impact of that has been there's less tourists coming here, something this island's economy actually absolutely depends upon, and then
we are seeing less cars on the road. It is becoming very, very difficult to fill up at the pump here as gasoline increasingly runs out. Universities
are cutting classes, and many of the government-run hospitals here say they can only provide essential services as they are trying to make their oil
supply last longer and longer while this crisis continues on.
The Cuban government says they're open to talks with the U.S., but they're not willing to change any of their makeup of their government here, the
fact that only the Communist Party is the only political party allowed on this island, and the resisting calls to allow Cuban Americans to return and
retake some of the property they lost after the Cuban Revolution.
So, while the Cuban government says they are willing to dig in, willing to -- as they have throughout the decades, to try to withstand U.S. pressures,
the practical impact is we are slowly, each day, seeing this island's economy come grinding to a halt. Jim.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Coming up just after the break, an Olympic battle over a Ukrainian athlete who wants to remember his fellow athletes killed in
Russia's ongoing invasion of his country. Their faces, as you can see there, printed on his helmet. It's in defiance of a ban by the IOC. That
story is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
SCIUTTO: Now, to the Winter Olympics in Italy, and Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych. He says he will defy the International Olympic
Committee and wear a helmet which depicts images of Ukrainian athletes who were killed in Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The IOC says that
helmet contravenes guidelines on political statements and has offered him a black armband to wear instead. Heraskevych tells CNN he will wear that
helmet in competition on Thursday.
World Sports Don Riddell has the latest. Don, I wonder how the IOC responds.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, we'll see. I guess they're wondering is he going to call their bluff or not and vice versa. You may remember
Vladyslav Heraskevych from the last Olympics because after one of his runs, he got off his sled and he held up a little sign that just said no war on
it. And literally a few weeks later, Russia invaded Ukraine. And here we are now, four years later, the war still raging. So, many people have died
in this war, including hundreds and hundreds of athletes. And some of those are depicted on the helmet.
Now, the IOC is pretty clear about demonstrating either on the field of play or on the podium. You're not allowed to engage in political, religious
or racial protests or demonstrations, which kind of begs the question, what is a political demonstration? Is it political to honor and remember people
who've been killed in a war of aggression against your country? Well, the IOC evidently say, yes, it is.
As you just observed, they have offered Heraskevych some sort of compromise. They've allowed him to wear a black armband. But he spoke to
our Amanda Davies about that earlier. And he said a black armband just isn't going to cut it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADYSLAV HERASKEVYCH, UKRAINIAN SKELETON RACER: I believe IOC doesn't have enough black bands to memorize all the athletes who was killed in this
war.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: You do still plan to wear it for your training on Wednesday and for your race on Thursday. Is that right?
HERASKEVYCH: Yes. I wear this helmet two days ago, yesterday, today. I will wear it tomorrow and I will wear it for the race day. These people
sacrifice their lives. And because of that, I'm able to be here today. I'm able to be at the Olympics and I will not betray them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: Heraskevych also added that if you're watching the figure skating competition in Milan today, the American skater Maxim Naumov at the end
held up a photograph of himself as a small child with his mom and dad, who were also his coaches, and they were killed in the plane crash in
Washington, D.C., just over a year ago. And he said, well, the IOC didn't have a problem with that. So, why should they have a problem with my
helmet?
I guess if he goes ahead with it during competition, presumably they will disqualify him. But we will have to wait and see what happens.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Yes, that plane crash here in D.C. was so devastating to the figure skating community in the area. Another reminder of that. Don
Riddell, thanks so much.
Well, in today's Good Brief, call it a sea of saffron here in Washington, D.C. A group of Buddhist monks in their brightly colored robes concluded an
ambitious 15 week walk for peace earlier today. Hundreds stood on the sidewalks of the nation's capital to cheer them on. Their final destination
was the National Cathedral here in Washington. The monks began their walk back in October in Texas and traveled a total of 2,300 miles. 3,700
kilometers. It was quite a sight to see.
Finally, researchers have good news for coffee and tea lovers around the world, myself included. A new study has found that you don't have to cut
out your morning caffeine fix to protect your brain against dementia.
[18:55:00]
In fact, people who drink two to three cups of coffee or one or two cups of tea a day may see a boost in cognitive health in the long-term. Researchers
did not observe the same benefit from decaffeinated beverages. Interesting. This joins other studies that link caffeinated coffee and tea to better
health outcomes. Imagine that. I can enjoy my coffee in the morning.
Thanks so much for your company. I'm Jim Sciutto on Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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