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What We Know with Max Foster

Former U.K. Ambassador To U.S. Peter Mandelson Arrested; Wave Of Violence Hits Mexico After Killing Of Cartel Boss; Zelenskyy Makes Person Plea To Trump: "Stay On Our Side"; U.S. Orders Some Personnel Out of Beirut Embassy; Blizzard Warnings For More Than 40M People In Northeast U.S.; U.S. President Keeps Attacking Supreme Court Over Tariff Ruling. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired February 23, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:24]

MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: Britain's former man in Washington, now in police custody.

This is WHAT WE KNOW.

It's today's breaking news out of London. Former U.K. ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in

public office. This was the moment. He's been accused of passing sensitive information while serving as the British business secretary to convicted

sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

You can see him here being led away from his home, which is in north London, just a few hours ago.

Mandelson has been under intense scrutiny for his ties to the disgraced financier. He has previously denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with

Epstein.

Let's bring in Bethany Dawson, the London Playbook Diary reporter at "Politico".

Thank you for coming in.

BETHANY DAWSON, LONDON PLAYBOOK DIARY REPORTER, POLITICO: Thank you for having me.

FOSTER: There's lots of political news around today. I guess this could have happened at any moment. What did you make of it? When it did?

DAWSON: It kind of happened sort of without fanfare. I think when you think of arrests, especially such high-profile ones like this, you think of

someone being dragged away kicking and screaming in handcuffs, whereas actually it was -- it was an uniformed police officers, no handcuffs, kind

of quietly done.

And it happened just as the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, stood up to address MPs about major education reforms --

FOSTER: Yeah.

DAWSON: -- which had been the main topic of discussion.

So, it kind of the spotlight, quite unceremoniously, in a way turned, but without much fanfare.

FOSTER: Yeah. So, Peter Mandelson, it's the same allegation, isn't it that's been made against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and it's effectively

abuse of public office.

Just explain what period we're talking about.

DAWSON: Yeah. So this suspicion of misconduct in public office which is quite a mouthful is after just after the 2008 financial crisis, when the

government was scrambling to fix the economy, to try and keep people afloat.

FOSTER: Lots of sensitive information moving around.

DAWSON: A lot of sensitive information. And the Epstein files suggest that Peter Mandelson passed some of that incredibly sensitive information to

Jeffrey Epstein, which the police then started investigating and today have made this arrest, but yet no charge.

FOSTER: So, then he goes in for questioning. Presumably he could answer, you know, no comment, whatever. We don't know what's going to happen in

there, but it does suggest, doesn't it, that the searches of the homes have produced some sort of evidence.

DAWSON: Yes. This arrest has come after both of his homes, have been arrested, have been -- have been looked through, searched through. And of

course, we don't know what they found. We don't know what raised the alarm.

But clearly, something big has happened. The same with Andrew Mountbatten- Windsor. We don't know what was found, but we can see that the kind of tide is turning and changes are happening here. And we do just now need to wait

and see if charges are going to be levied and how this goes forward.

FOSTER: So, the palace absolutely rocked by the story around Andrew. And you're based in parliament most of the time. And that's been rocked by this

because Mandelson was such a towering figure, wasn't he over decades. And he had sort of relationships everywhere.

DAWSON: And that's one of the things that makes this so difficult for the current government, for previous governments, for so many people. You know,

Mandelson is this you know, I think one of the few people that deserved the title grandee. You know, he and it raises questions for who, who can be in

power when they have been, you know, possibly tainted actually by having a relationship with Peter Mandelson.

This could truly change the path of how British politics looks depending on what these -- the police finds, if there are any charges. What

investigations find? So, it really is a sort --

FOSTER: Could implicate a lot of people.

DAWSON: It could implicate a lot of people. Not to say that there is any suggestion of wrongdoing, but just having a relationship in terms of

judgment.

FOSTER: Yeah.

DAWSON: So it's -- it could really be a turning point in British politics.

FOSTER: Okay. Thank you so much as ever for joining us, Bethany.

Now we have been reporting about Mandelson's arrest following that of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor last week, also arrested on suspicion of

misconduct in public office. He was released from custody. Police custody without charge, but remains under investigation.

The British government is considering what further steps it may take in relation to the former prince. This after Australia's prime minister wrote

to his British counterpart, saying that he supports removing Andrew from the line of royal succession. Andrew is currently eighth in line to the

throne. But it's a long process of taking him out from that.

Now, Mexico remains on edge following the killing of the country's most wanted drug lord. Government security forces killed the cartel boss, known

as El Mencho, and eight other associates on Sunday.

[15:05:01]

His death triggered a wave of retaliatory violence across the country. Mexican officials say 25 national guard members died in clashes, along with

a prison guard and a worker at the state attorney general's office.

Now, some domestic and international flights have been canceled in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, two cities very popular with tourists. And

that's left thousands of people stranded. Mexico's president is calling for calm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT: And the most important thing right now is to guarantee peace and security for the entire population of all of

Mexico. And that is what is being done. Today, there's already more calm, and there is a government. They are armed forces and there is a security

cabinet, and there is a lot of coordination. So, people can be assured that peace, security and normalcy are being maintained in the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Valeria Leon is in Mexico City for us.

Thank you for joining us, Valeria.

I mean, it's been a -- it's been a big reaction to this arrest.

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Max. And Mexican authorities are now saying they have regained control following the wave of

cartel violence that we saw yesterday. And that erupted after the operation against Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as El Mencho.

And President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the Mexican military for carrying out this operation, calling it a significant achievement for national

security. Meanwhile, Mexico's defense secretary has released new details about how authorities were able to locate and detain El Mencho and

according to the official, the first critical lead on this whereabouts emerged in Tapalpa, Jalisco, after intelligence units began tracking the

movements of a romantic partner linked to the cartel leader. By following that trail, authorities were able to identify El Mencho's support network

and to pinpoint the location where he was hiding.

That intelligence led to the military operation that resulted in his detention, an operation officials now describe as one of the most

significant blows to organized crime in recent years. And this, Max, comes despite the government's insistence that order has been restored because

security forces remain deployed in key areas as authorities continue monitoring for any renewed retaliation.

Authorities have confirmed that there are 2,500 military personnel that have now been deployed to Jalisco in order to reinforce security and

prevent further unrest, but the impact is still being felt. Classes have been canceled in three Mexican states and for now, the government says

control has been restored but whether this operation marks a turning point against cartel violence or the start of a new phase of instability remains

to be seen -- Max.

FOSTER: Valeria, appreciate it. Unbelievable pictures.

Now, staying on our side, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy making a personal plea to the U.S. President Donald Trump. This comes just hours

ahead of a grim milestone for Ukraine. Tuesday will mark the four-year anniversary since Russia's full scale invasion. The heartbreak of a nation

is taking a visible toll on Ukraine's president.

Clarissa Ward sat down with President Zelenskyy. She joins us now live from Kyiv -- Clarissa.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Max. Well, we had a long conversation, really focusing on what is causing these

talks to be so stalled. And he effectively explained that there are disagreements about these security agreements. President Zelensky would

like to see the U.S. sign off and ratify through Congress security agreements before he is willing to make any territorial concessions and he

says that President Trump would prefer to put it all together as part of one deal.

He also said, and this is crucial, and it's something that we haven't heard before, that there seems to be a bit of a back and forth because as of yet,

there's nothing in the security agreement that specifically outlines what the U.S. and other partners would do if President Putin, if Russia was to

invade Ukraine again, what actions they would take in Ukraine's defense.

And he would like to see that addressed. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: For me, it still is not clear that if Russia will begin aggression against us. What I wanted very much to

have in the security guarantees. My question is how partners will react on the aggression of Russia if it will be.

The answer is that it will not be. It's not the answer to me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[15:10:00]

WARD: So you want a very specific in writing guarantee.

ZELENSKYY: I want very -- I will have good things in these guarantees. It's true between us. It's true.

But I want very specific answer what partners will be ready to do if Putin will come again. And I think this is what Ukrainians want to hear. Just

want to hear.

I'm sorry. It's not pressure. It's just to understand.

WARD: If you get those security guarantees, would you be willing to accept a frozen front line whereby Russia keeps the territory that they have

already seized?

ZELENSKYY: We already said that we are ready for the compromise to freeze the points where we stay, the places. It's a frozen contact line. We are

ready for this.

It's not very good position for us. But in any way, we have defending lines. We have these fortifications.

But if Russians or partners in dialogue with Russians want just to withdraw our army from our fortifications, I mean, we can't be such, sorry, foolish

guys. We are not children.

WARD: What would you like to hear from President Trump tomorrow at his State of the Union address?

ZELENSKYY: I want him to stay on our side.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WARD: And, Max, you heard that long pause. We actually cut some of it down. It was a good ten 15 seconds as he was trying to find the right

words. And I think you can hear a little bit of desperation in his voice there. A plea, stay on our side.

He went on to say that he thinks the U.S. is really the only nation that has the power to make sure that President Putin gets to the negotiating

table and signs off on a deal that everybody will be maybe not happy with but at least that everybody can live with. And I think also, though you

heard in that reply, Max, a little hint at something that we have seen over the past week talking to so many Ukrainians, which is just a little bit of

bitterness and frankly, bewilderment at that.

The idea that the U.S. has gone from being the closest ally, the biggest supporter, to having a sort of question mark hanging over, you know, what

its clear objective is and who the U.S. really sees as being its primary partner now -- Max.

FOSTER: Clarissa, I remember four years ago when you were evacuated underground at the beginning of this war. I just wondered what your

thoughts are about this time, how long you thought it would go on for and how long do you think it will go on for?

WARD: I don't think anyone could have imagined, Max, that it would go on this long, and that it would become such an ugly, grinding war of attrition

with really minimal gains back and forth on either side. And just an astonishingly high casualty rate. A recent study estimates 600,000 or as

many as 600,000 Ukrainians have either been killed or wounded or gone missing during the course of the last four years. And you can feel it this

time. I have been traveling here regularly throughout the course of this war. People now are at a breaking point. They are exhausted.

One woman told me simply, I never want to hear the word resilient again -- Max.

FOSTER: Okay, Clarissa, thank you so much for bringing us that interview.

We're going to go to developing news out of Lebanon for you now. The U.S. State Department ordering some individuals to leave the American embassy in

Beirut. This order applies to non-essential government personnel and their families. An official tells CNN the embassy, quote, remains operational,

but with core staff in place and that this is only a temporary measure.

Let's bring in Kylie Atwood, live from Washington.

What do we read into this, Kylie?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, as were reading every single tea leaf that we can, this is a significant

development that the State Department feels that at this time, based on review of the security environment in the region that they should be

drawing down some of their nonessential personnel at the U.S. embassy in Lebanon, along with family members. And what they say in this alert. And

they say this in many alerts when they announce the drawdown of U.S. diplomats in different places around the world, is that it's based on an

assessment of the security situation at this moment in the region. They say this is a temporary measure.

As you said, and that this is based on their latest review. So, there could be another review in the next 24 or 48 hours that could determine that they

need to even further draw down the personnel that are based in Lebanon for the U.S. government or in the other surrounding countries.

This obviously comes as there are pronounced concerns about the possibility of a U.S. strike on Iran.

[15:15:05]

We know that they're going to be -- they're planning to be diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Iran set on Thursday in Geneva. However, what we're

hearing from sources are not necessarily words of optimism that the two sides are going to be able to reach a deal. And President Trump has been

quite clear that if there is not a deal reached on the nuclear front with Iran, that he is prepared to strike Iran, what exactly that look like

remains an open question but the U.S. government as the military is preparing options for President Trump, also has to prepare for him to

possibly choose those options.

And that is likely what is contributing to this drawdown that we have seen announced in Lebanon. And what we'll watch for is potential drawdowns of

U.S. government personnel in other countries in the Middle East.

FOSTER: Kylie Atwood, appreciate it. Thank you. We'll keep watching it.

Now, more than 40 million people across the northeastern U.S. are under blizzard warnings, thanks to a bomb cyclone. The high winds the snowfall

have created blizzard conditions in parts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Heavy snow has been reported in at

least seven states.

About 650,000 customers have lost power across the region. Classes at many schools have been canceled, and drivers are being warned to stay off the

road today.

Bill Weir joins us now in New York.

From what I'm seeing, Bill, you can't get on the roads anyway.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you can now. They listed -- they lifted the travel restriction at about noon New York Time, Max. And

so only those folks who have to be out in this mess are braving it. And you can really see it's a tale of two cities, depending on who you are and

where you are. It's almost gorgeous snow globe, idyllic paradise. If you happen to be a young child, or maybe a big furry dog to enjoy this.

But now, if you turn this way and see Central Park West and 67th Street, you can see the blacktop. As all of this turns to slush. Thankfully, we're

not -- we don't have the deep freeze. Let's cross the street of Ilia and just go across and look at Central Park from the other way.

Thankfully, we don't have the deep freeze we had back in January, which created these sort of icebergs at every intersection, created new Olympic

events for New Yorkers, trying to navigate the streets. Hopefully, this will all be melted by the weekend but around the region as you were saying

states of emergency. Now in multiple states, up to 60 centimeters of snow in five states. So, we got about 50 centimeters here in Central Park. So,

it's a top ten snow event.

But it was that wind that really made things perilous for so many, up to sort of hurricane level winds on the eastern end of Long Island as the

storm was, was coming through. It's not over yet. There's still many centimeters to fall depending on where you are, and the cleanup begins

right now trees are down as a result of this heavy, wet snow. It's dense.

You know, the powdery stuff you love at a ski resort you know, you can get a few centimeters out of water, out of many centimeters of snow here. It's

much denser. It's much heavier, which takes a toll both on trees and power lines and your back. If you're trying to shovel this stuff even a snowball

can carry some mass and some pain if not careful out here.

But right now, things are calming down, Max, here in New York City. We'll keep an eye on the on the cleanup

FOSTER: Yeah, and be able to walk through the streets like that. It's incredible. Bill, thank you so much.

Coming up, a record-breaking poll numbers for U.S. President Donald Trump, but not in the way that it probably want.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:21:44]

FOSTER: Donald Trump is continuing to lash out at the U.S. Supreme Court after it ruled his tariffs were illegal. Taking to Truth Social today, the

president said, "As president, I do not have to go back to Congress to get approval of tariffs it has already been gotten in many forms a long time

ago. They were also just reaffirmed by the ridiculous and poorly crafted Supreme Court decision."

The court ruled on Friday that the U.S. president exceeded his authority when enacting his tariffs. Mr. Trump, showing no signs of backing away, has

now imposed 15 percent tariffs on all imports under a different set of presidential powers.

Tomorrow, Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union Address, and he'll do so to a U.S. audience increasingly frustrated at his performance.

New CNN polling shows just 36 percent of Americans approve of the job he is doing. That is a 12-point drop since February last year.

Let's hear more from Harry Enten.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: In terms of the numbers, I think the numbers here are all the word to describe them, record breaking. They are

record-breaking for Donald Trump. What are we talking about?

Okay. Trump's net approval rating before his different State of the Union Addresses. You'll see right here his net approval. Look at that, 27 points

below water. That is way lower than where he was in his final one of his first term, when he was ten points below water, way below 15 for 2019 and

15 for 28 -- 2018.

Look at that. More than 10 points lower -- lower, lower, lower, how low can you go? The limbo. My goodness gracious.

Now not just talking low for Donald Trump, we're talking low historically for this century when it comes to presidents at this point. Okay, 21st

century net approval for presidents just before their State of the Union Address is about, at this point, a second term you see it right here.

Donald Trump, 27 points below water. That is way below where Barack Obama was 15 points below water and way, way below where George W. Bush was back

in 2006 when he was 11 points below water again, more than ten points lower than either of his predecessors, record breaking.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Okay, so what we don't know is will these poll numbers actually force the White House to change course?

Joining me now is our senior White House correspondent, Kristen Holmes.

What are you expecting tomorrow? And in relation to these poll numbers as well?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Max, it's clear Americans want to hear from President Trump about the economy but

whether or not President Trump is going to deliver the speech, they want to hear remains to be seen.

Now, of course, we've seen him deliver these economic addresses. That is because he and the White House are very aware of the fact that he is

polling so low when it comes to the economy, in particular. When you talk to these Americans who are taking these polls, these voters, the reason

that they are unhappy with Trump's performance is because they believe they prioritize the economy, and they don't believe that President Trump is

prioritizing the things that they care about.

So, when you see President Trump up there tomorrow, we know that behind the scenes, it is not just White House aides and staffers who are encouraging

the president to talk about the economy it's also Republican lawmakers. Remember, President Trump is not on the ballot in November. But there is a

huge slew of Republicans that are that need him to focus on the economy, that need to not be just tied to his negative baggage when voters take to

the polls.

But these -- these numbers are really something and it should be noted, we've seen a lot of frustration from the president, very visceral

frustration, whether its talking about tariffs or lashing out at the media. That is because he is aware of these numbers. He has his own internal

polling team. They present him with what it looks like in terms of the landscape for Republicans across the country and his own personal numbers,

and that's why you're seeing him grow more and more frustrated.

But again, Max, none of this answers the question of whether or not President Trump can go up there and say what the American people need him

to say, which is essentially to understand that where they are on the economy, where Americans feel they are, is not where President Trump has

said that the current country is. They feel like they are still struggling, and they need to hear from the president that he acknowledges that and that

he has a plan to move forward.

So far, he really hasn't been able to marry those two things. Instead, most recently, we even heard him say at one point that the economy was basically

fixed. That's, you know, that is me paraphrasing, but that was the emphasis or the vibe of what he was saying was that it was it was done look at all

the great things that we've done. That is just not how Americans in everyday life feel.

FOSTER: Yeah. Just wondering. He's, you know, he'll be able to claim some successes in his perspective at least on the international stage. But is

there a sense that he's not focused on the key local issue, you know, away from immigration for many people, which is just, you know cost of living?

HOLMES: Exactly. Well, that is the -- that's the big fear here. And you have to remember that President Trump ran on this idea of America first.

And yet we have seen him do so much when it comes to foreign policy. Now, the argument if you talk to these White House officials, is that what they

are doing what the administration is doing in terms of foreign policy, in terms of negotiating deals is things or are things that will eventually

benefit America, whether they are financial deals, whether they are stopping narco-terrorism, as you saw them attacking these boats off the

coast of Venezuela.

Those are things they argue will help Americans in the long run. But the issue is that those things are not things people are feeling right now.

Instead, they are feeling that the president is prioritizing these kind of financial or foreign opportunities, rather than focusing on what they are

suffering from here at home, which is, as you noted, the cost of living.

FOSTER: Yeah, Kristen, we'll be back with you tomorrow, certainly. Thank you for joining us.

Still to come an eruption of violence in Mexico has left many tourists stranded. One of them will join us to share her story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:31:00]

FOSTER: A tourist in parts of Mexico -- excuse me, are being told to shelter in place amid an outbreak of deadly violence. Many are now trapped,

desperate and not sure what to do. The unrest follows the death of a major cartel leader, El Mencho, in the military raid, using intelligence from the

U.S. Suspected members of organized crime groups responded by setting vehicles on fire and blocking roads across numerous Mexican states.

Meanwhile, the violence is fueling concerns about the World Cup game set to take place in Guadalajara just four months from now.

Joining me now, one person in Mexico who's seen the issues firsthand is Leonie Von Ungern-Sternberg. She's now in Mexico City.

You've just had to move, I gather.

LEONIE VON UNGERN-STERNBERG, EYEWITNESS: Exactly. Yeah, we were in Guerrero yesterday when the news hit about El Mencho's elimination and we

knew in that moment that the backlash was going to be massive, but also very predictable, because this is what happens in Mexico when a big drug

leader gets eliminated, right? You have the narco blockades, which means burning -- burning buses and cars on highways. The blockages of the major

roads, the stores and public infrastructures are set on fire.

There's shootouts against authorities which are actually meant to spread fear, and also overwhelm the military and the police. And this was all

predictable. Just I think that the extent of it was -- was quite massive.

FOSTER: And it also illustrates how powerful his cartel was in that area. I mean, what was it like -- what was life like? What is life like living

there under that authority?

UNGERN-STERNBERG: I think, especially -- I mean, I -- thank goodness I wasn't in Jalisco, I was in Guerrero, which is not one of the epicenters.

So the epicenters of what happened was really in Guadalajara, Zapopan, Puerto Vallarta and Tapalpa, but the spillover states, I was in one of

those.

And, I mean, we were very lucky that we were in quite a remote area, but I do have to say that when we went to the airport this morning, I've never

seen. So, I mean -- I'm still a little bit shaky. I've never seen so many policemen so much military before in my life. So that was quite scary.

FOSTER: Did you think the authorities thought it through? You know taking one man out? But there's a whole organization underneath him, and we're

seeing how they're reacting.

UNGERN-STERNBERG: Exactly. I mean, the issue really is that once a cartel leader is killed, it's not like that cartel is just going to evaporate,

right? It usually fragments those cartels and that means there's going to be more turf wars which means more violence and of course, you know,

tourists as well as normal civilians aren't the people that the cartels are going after.

But if people like us do happen to be in the crossfire, you know, that's the things that we really hear about very often. And that's actually also a

reason why some people prefer to have these cartel leaders in place, because it's seen as safer, in the long run.

FOSTER: Yeah, I understand, but in -- would you recommend people come and watch the football this year?

UNGERN-STERNBERG: I'm not sure. I mean, honestly, I don't even know where I'm going to be tomorrow because at the moment, I mean, we just arrived to

Mexico City. Everything seems to be kind of business as usual at the moment. But we've seen this before. We know how quickly it can switch.

For example, I'm not staying alone in my apartment today. I'm going to be staying with my family or my family friends. So I don't know what to say to

that. I think it really depends. Every single day will be different. But we really have to be paying very, very close attention to how the situation is

going to evolve, specifically within the next week.

FOSTER: Yeah. Okay. Leonie Von Ungern-Sternberg, I hope you get to go home again soon. Thank you for joining us.

UNGERN-STERNBERG: Thank you.

FOSTER: Now, it's the final moments of trade on Wall Street.

[15:35:01]

Stocks are firmly lower. The Dow has been off more than one percent, for most of the day, as tariff uncertainty returns.

This is our Business Breakout.

The European parliament has postponed a crucial vote on a trade deal with the United States, after Fridays ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court

striking down Donald Trump's tariffs. The parliament's trade committee says the vote is on hold until it gets legal certainty, adding business as usual

is not an option.

Hungary and Slovakia are threatening to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine. They're accusing Ukraine of stopping the supply of Russian oil.

Earlier, Kyiv said it had struck an oil pumping station in a part of Russia that supplies Hungary and Slovakia. The only two E.U. countries that still

rely heavily on Russian oil. Ukraine said any ultimatums should be directed to the Kremlin.

U.S. airlines say they did not receive any official communications for more than 12 hours after Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem said she was

suspending the Global Entry and TSA pre-check programs. Noem announced the suspension on Sunday due to the partial government shutdown. It then

reversed course on precheck within hours.

Now, ordinary Americans may not get refunds on Donald Trump's tariffs unless the lower courts decide. And that is according to the U.S. Treasury

Secretary Scott Bessent said he doesn't know what arrangements have been made after the Supreme Court ruled Donald Trump's previous tariffs were

illegal.

He told CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" that he would have to wait for the courts to rule.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: The administration remains undeterred in reassuring American factories and getting rid of these

massive trade imbalances. That's the big story here, is that we are immediately going to go to section 122 tariffs, and that the revenue for

the U.S. Treasury for 2026, the projections are unchanged.

DANA BASH, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Okay. I'm going to ask about the new tariffs that the president talked about over the weekend. But

before we move off of this, I know in the in the past, before the Supreme Court went with its ruling, you said any tariff refund would be corporate

welfare and would likely not get passed on to the American consumers. What about the countless small business owners in America, many of whom have

spoken with CNN, who say they're bearing the cost and have been bearing the cost of tariffs?

BESSENT: I -- again, I'm not going to get out ahead of the court. We don't know what arrangements were made. We don't know what foreign the foreign

suppliers whether they discounted the -- what's happened. So, the let's just focus on the news on Friday and then I'll come back after the lower

court rules.

BASH: Yeah. It's just -- as the treasury secretary, it's hard to believe that you don't know -- have an opinion or know where these revenues over

$100 billion are going to go, or have an opinion on where they should go.

BESSENT: I -- again, I had an opinion and the court did not agree with my opinion. So, Dana, I'm going to wait for the lower court opinion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: There you go. An unlikely new trend in homes meanwhile, across the U.S. The resurgence of landmines. Now, parents are buying the phones for

their landlines, I'm sorry, the phones for their kids hoping to foster a sense of connection and conversation without the distractions of

smartphones.

Vanessa Yurkevich meets the kids finding new joy in old school tech.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Hello? Universe?

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: When it first rang, did you, like recognize that it was a phone ring?

UNIDENTIFIED BOY: No, I'm like --

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Is that a fire alarm?

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Brooks, Harry and Charlotte had never used a landline before their mom, Sarah, got them one for Christmas.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I use it a lot because I could call my friends on it. She's probably waiting

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Landlines are the latest craze for kids. Parents hoping to push off getting their kids smartphones or ordering modern day

Wi-Fi connected landline phones made just for kids.

I spoke to the CEO of Tin Can. Their phones are on backorder through April.

YURKEVICH: Chet?

CHET KITTLESON, CEO, TIN CAN: Hello. Hi, Vanessa.

YURKEVICH: I cannot remember the last time I called someone on a landline. Honestly. Have you heard that this actually either prolongs the kid asking

or acts in place of a cell phone?

KITTLESON: What a kid is asking for is almost never a cell phone. What they're asking for is a way to connect with people.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Don't hit that.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): The telephone has been around for 150 years, but with the rise of smartphones in just two decades, landlines have all but

disappeared.

KITTLESON: We lost sight of the fact that there was this major population of people that relied on the landline for decades, and we left them behind.

That's kids sort of launched headfirst into the mobile era.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Research shows kids who get smartphones at a younger age are more likely to suffer from obesity depression and not get

enough sleep.

[15:40:03]

YURKEVICH: Why, in your mind, was a phone still a version of a phone but a landline better than a cell phone?

SARA EBERLE, BOUGHT TIN CAN PHONE FOR HER KIDS: No screen. And I thought, well, hey, they're going to have to learn how to communicate. So many kids,

the communication is lacking I feel like.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Parents can control who calls in and out can set hours for use, and can add 911 as an option.

BROOKS EBERLE, TIN CAN USER: Sometimes we actually will fight like I'll get it. And then every now and then, like I answer it. And Harry called

dibs first. And we actually kind of fight with each other but don't actually hurt each other. It's just tough love, basically.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, Frederick, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Still to come, after a man with Tourette's shouted a racial slur at the BAFTAs, we speak with an expert about how such outbursts actually

should be handled.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Some of Hollywood's biggest names turned out for the BAFTAs in London last night, but everyone is talking about the moment when actors

Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award and were interrupted by a man shouting a racial slur. That man was John Davidson,

the subject of the BAFTA-winning film about Tourette syndrome called "I swear". Davidson himself suffers from Tourette's, a neurological condition

that causes involuntary sounds or movements known as tics. Controversy swelled after the BBC did not remove the moment from their broadcast. They

have since apologized and removed it online.

So what we want to know is how should people handle these outbursts from people suffering with Tourette's?

Joining me now is Dr. Julio Quezada, a behavioral neurologist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Thank you so much for joining us. I mean, when you -- I don't know if you saw the video from the BAFTAs, but when you heard about the story, you

know, where did your sympathy lie in that situation

[15:45:00]

DR. JULIO QUEZADA, PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST AT KENNEDY KRIEGER INSTITUTE: Yeah. Thanks for having me on. And honestly, my sympathy at that point was

with everyone involved. I'm sure the actors themselves went through a difficult moment, and the individual with Tourette also went through a

difficult moment. So, I think it was just a complex difficult time for everyone involved.

FOSTER: Without knowing you know, the person at the center of this how did you read that situation? I mean, what do you think might have happened.

QUEZADA: Yeah. So, the thing about tics and Tourette is that it's very different from person to person. And not all tics are exactly the same.

There's a component of tics, which is voluntary. Theres a component of tics which is involuntary. And the tic itself lies somewhere in between that

voluntary and involuntariness.

Tics can often show up during times of heightened emotions, and they can also show up when there's increased attention on the tics which is why most

parents, when their child is first diagnosed with tics or with Tourette, are told to not pay too much attention to the tics, because by doing that,

it actually makes the tics happen even more, and it makes it even more difficult for the individuals to suppress them and control the tics.

FOSTER: But this was such an extreme case, wasn't it? Potentially. I mean, possibly the most offensive word you can think of focused on people who

would take it, you know, very offensively. But I understand the BAFTA, the audience -- the audience were told -- you know, were told about the

situation. Should they have just accepted it? Because its, you know, we've heard lots from the American side about how offensive that moment was.

QUEZADA: You know, it's hard to make a specific analysis without knowing his specific case but what I can say is that people with Tourette often

struggle with a, an internal urge to perform a certain movement or noise that is really hard to live with. And it's really hard to, to control. And

there are times where tics are -- it's easier for people to suppress them. And sometimes it's just harder.

And without knowing the exact of what was happening in the situation, it's hard for me to say specifically what everyone should or should have done.

FOSTER: I'm just wondering, you know he was obviously quite close to the microphones, quite close to the stage. It's difficult though, isn't it to,

you know, it's a disability. You shouldn't disqualify people from sitting in those positions because they have a disability but at the same time,

you've got to consider everyone else around them. It's a very difficult situation to manage, I guess, but it was up to the organizers to decide

where, you know, they had to prepare for that moment

FOSTER: Yeah. And the other important thing to know is that when -- when someone has a situation where they'll say a word or an action like that, it

isn't always due to Tourette. It can sometimes happen in people who have, for example obsessive compulsive disorder. It can happen in certain

individuals who have had traumatic brain injuries that affect the frontal lobe, and therefore, affects their ability to suppress impulses. And we can

even see it in some people with dementia.

So, it can happen in many situations. And what I -- while I am appreciative of the fact that there's a awareness and shining a light on Tourette

syndrome, what I would want people to know is that not everyone who has Tourette has this phenomenon known as coprophenomena, where though, you

know, make obscene gestures or words that actually happens in less than five percent of people with Tourette syndrome.

And it stigmatizes the other 95 percent of people who live with Tourette, so much so that a lot of people with Tourette don't even like to speak up

and say that they have Tourette, because there's this misperception and stigma of what these symptoms are actually like.

FOSTER: Yeah, I mean, it's good to talk about, isn't it? But, Dr. Quezada, I really appreciate you joining us. It's been a huge talking point today.

Thank you.

And we'll be back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:52:00]

FOSTER: Nick Reiner, the son of legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner, has pleaded not guilty to the deaths of his parents. Earlier, Reiner made an

appearance in a Los Angeles courtroom where he was arraigned on murder charges. The 32-year-old is accused of fatally stabbing his father and

mother at their Los Angeles home in December.

Nick Watt is following this case for us.

I mean, was there any more context to this, to this pleading?

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not really. We just got through Nick Reiner's lawyer, this not guilty plea. Now, Nick Reiner, I would say he was

impassive throughout, head shaved, brown prison overalls, handcuffed. He chatted briefly with his lawyer. The only thing word he said himself was

"yes" when the judge asked if he was fine with the timetable, they were basically laying out for proceedings.

But as you say, Max, you know, this has -- it's a big story here in L.A. and elsewhere. Rob Reiner was obviously a much loved moviemaker. Any guy

who can make the "Princess Bride" and "Misery", you know, has a place in this town. He was also possibly one of the most loved, just on a personal

level, you will not find one person who will say that they do not like or did not like Rob Reiner.

Now, the other thing that was interesting today is the day came out after the court proceeding, and he was standing out here and he said two counts,

first degree murder. This could be a death penalty case, but we are really going to take our time trying to figure out whether that is appropriate.

We're going to consult with a bunch of people. The family of the victims are often involved in that situation.

Now, one of the reasons why this whole process has been delayed a little bit is we were expecting a plea last month during a court hearing, and

during that hearing, Nick Reiner's very high profile defense attorney basically withdrew from the case. He cited, you know, circumstances out

with his control.

So, now, Nick Reiner, this very troubled scion of a Hollywood family, is being represented by a public defender here. So, April 29th is tentatively

the next time were going to see him in court that could slide. They're still going through the mountain of evidence against him, and they are

still waiting, Max, for the coroner's report. But this will be a very closely followed trial here. And of course, one of the questions people are

wondering is will they try and plead insanity?

Nick Reiner had years struggling with mental health issues, with addiction issues, and his parents were extremely supportive. At the time they were

killed, Nick Reiner, their troubled son, was living in their guesthouse. They asked Conan O'Brien if they could bring him along to that holiday

party, just in the few hours before they were killed.

Somebody who was at that party said to me, yeah, Nick Reiner looked very out of place. He looked very strange. And he is alleged to have, after that

party gone home and in the early hours of that Sunday morning, stabbed his mother and father to death.

[15:55:02]

He fled. He was arrested the next evening without any incident and is now in custody, waiting to find out if the D.A. is going to try and seek the

death penalty in this case -- Max.

FOSTER: Yeah. Interesting. Nick, thank you so much for joining us with that. As you say, high profile case.

But finally, tonight, Lindsey Vonn says she almost lost her leg in her crash at the Winter Olympics. The downhill skiing superstar says her leg

nearly had to be amputated after that crash on February the 8th. She thanked a doctor for saving it after she suffered complications during

surgery.

The good news for Vonn is that she's finally left hospital, though after two weeks. In her own words, she says, I'd rather go down swinging than not

try at all.

I'm Max Foster. That's WHAT WE KNOW. Stay with CNN. We'll have more after the break.

END

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