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First Lady Calls for Firing of Senior Adviser; White House Shake-Up; New Wildfire in Southern California; Fatal Air Force Jet Crash; Rams, Chiefs Game Moved Out of Mexico City. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired November 14, 2018 - 05:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELANIA TRUMP, FIRST LADY: I give him my honest advice and honest opinions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A top national security official preparing to be fired after the first lady makes an unprecedented statement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Everybody wants to work in this White House. We are a hot country. This is a hot White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Hot, but President Trump looking to replace at least two other top officials. Who else could be on the chopping block?

ROMANS: A new wildfire sparking in southern California overnight, spreading quickly. The death toll rising to 50 people statewide.

BRIGGS: And an Air Force jet crashes in Texas overnight killing one, sending another to the hospital. The latest on the investigation.

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.

ROMANS: It's Wednesday, I'm Christine Romans. November 14th, 5:00 a.m. in the east.

Let's begin with the White House, imminent shakeup there, and a stunning, unprecedented move by Melania Trump.

[05:00:04] The first lady calling for the removal of deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel.

And President Trump has told people he is prepared to fire her. Ricardel clashed with the East Wing staff during Mrs. Trump's during a recent trip to Africa. Listen to what she told ABC news during that trip. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

INTERVIEWER: Has he had people that you didn't trust working for him?

MELANIA TRUMP: Yes.

INTERVIEWER: Did you let him know?

MELANIA TRUMP: I let him know.

INTERVIEWER: And what did he do?

MELANIA TRUMP: With some people, they don't work there anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Sources tell us Ricardel has also butted heads with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Chief of Staff John Kelly in recent weeks. So far, no official word from the White House on her status.

More now from senior White House correspondent Pamela Brown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: A stunning string of events here at the White House surrounding deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel. Earlier today, Melania Trump, the first lady, issued a statement. And here's what the statement said: It is the position of the office of the first lady that Ricardel no longer deserves the honor of serving in the White House.

The statement came out around the same time that Ricardel was at the White House attending a ceremony with President Trump. So, immediately, White House officials began scrambling in the West Wing. They were caught off-guard, according to sources, that the statement was even going to be released.

Now, there had been an ongoing feud behind the scenes between staffers for the first lady and Mira Ricardel surrounding a trip to Africa. There was a dispute over a plane seat and other issues. But the fact that this has spilled into public view is extraordinary.

Now, in terms of her future, that's unclear. A source telling my colleague, Jeff Zeleny, that the president has made the decision to fire her. Yet, throughout the day, she was still in her office, according to White House officials who couldn't give a clear answer on what her future holds.

Now, we have reached out to Ricardel, and she has not responded for comment. All of this raises the question of what will be next for John Bolton, the national security adviser, who brought Ricardel on board to the NSC.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ROMANS: All right. Pamela at the White House, thank you.

Several other senior White House members could be employed in the next few hours or days. Sources telling CNN virtually no one feels completely secure with the exception of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. The president is expected to ask for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in the coming days.

BRIGGS: And CNN learned he is discussing potential replacements for Chief of Staff John Kelly despite announcing Kelly would remain on the job until 2020. In fact, the vice president's chief of staff, Nick Ayers, has told two friends he is in the running for Kelly's position. Ayers has grown close to the president and key members of the administration including the president's daughter and son-in-law.

ROMANS: To California now. Breaking news: 50 lives lost to the California wildfires, and the threat widens that hour. Forty-eight of those fatalities have occurred in northern California where six more victims of the Camp Fire were found on Tuesday. Officials are now compiling a list of the missing. They're reluctant to say how many people that might be.

And a new wildfire is burning east of Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County. It's being called the Sierra Fire. It's approximately 20 acres in size right now, but the high, dry winds are fanning the flames. No evacuations ordered yet at this time.

In southern California, as well, the death toll from the Woolsey Fire stands at two with more than 400 structures destroyed, another 57,000 considered to be in danger. The Department of Health and Human Services declaring a public health emergency in California.

CNN's Scott McLean has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Christine, there are thousands of firefighters on the front lines trying to stop this fire from spreading. But for many people here in Malibu, it really doesn't get much worse. Case in point, we're standing on what once was the family home of Thomas Hirsch. He grew up here, his family lived here.

And when we think of Malibu, we often think of the rich and famous. That is not the case for this family. His parents bought the house in 1965 for just $39,000. And they're 94 and 97 years old. And so, they've accumulated a lifetime worth of things.

So, today, Thomas was trying to find anything of value that he could salvage. And he managed to find a sterling silverware set that had been melted into a blob. He actually just found it right over here.

Now, despite the destruction and despite his parents' age, he says that they want to rebuild.

THOMAS HIRSCH, PARENTS HOUSE BURNED IN WOOLSEY FIRE: We're survivors. What we build will come back, and take whatever insurance money they had and clean it up and rebuild it and make it nicer than it was before. I told my dad this, and he says, Tom, you can't make it nicer than it was.

MCLEAN: The big concern is with the wind. Red flag conditions had been extended now until Wednesday evening.

[05:05:01] That means the conditions are prime for flames to spread quickly or fires to start. As for any rain in the forecast, well, that might be in two weeks maybe. So, whenever firefighters are able to finally stamp out this fire, it will be with no help from Mother Nature -- Dave, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRIGGS: Just entire landscapes reduced to ash. Scott, thanks.

More than 13 million people in California now under red flag warnings. Let's get the latest from meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, good morning, Dave and Christine.

Yet another day where we're watching very carefully when it comes to how things will play out. Once again, critical concern and extreme concern for fire weather behavior includes Los Angeles County down towards San Diego County where humidities will struggle to get above 5 percent. We know the winds will be gusty at times, but quite a little bit weaker than yesterday at least.

But take a look at this, containment to the north for the Camp Fire up to 35 percent. Officials now saying November 30th, that's the target date for containment, and fully containment across that region. To the south, we're up to 40 percent containment. But uncertain as far as when conditions will be good enough to put the fire out in its entirety, at least contain it in its entirety.

And the forecast for this afternoon yet again, 35 to 50 miles per hour. Tell you what, that is plenty strong here to cause the fires to continue spreading into new areas. And, unfortunately, that's going to be the case at least through today.

But by tomorrow afternoon into, say, Friday, we begin to see winds die down, becoming breezy which is pretty seasonal for this time of year. But again, expecting some numbers to improve there as we go in towards Friday and Saturday -- guys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Pedram Javaheri, thank you.

CNN has learned President Trump's legal team could submit answers to questions posed by special counsel Robert Mueller any day now. A source said the president met again with his lawyers Monday. They are nearing completion of written answers to Mueller's questions. Those questions said to focus on Russia collusion and not obstruction of justice. Still unresolved, whether Mr. Trump will sit down for an interview with the special counsel. CNN has reported that Mueller's team has begun writing its final report.

BRIGGS: Later this morning, Matthew Whitaker will speak publicly for the first time since President Trump appointed him acting attorney general. He'll be appearing at a Justice Department summit in his home state of Iowa. At the same time, the state of the Maryland arguing in court that the president bypassed the Constitution and illegally appointed Whitaker. The state asking a federal judge to replace him with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley downplaying concerns raised by Democrats that Whitaker might interfere in the special counsel's investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IA), CHAIRMAN, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: The president said that he wasn't going to do that. So doesn't matter what Whitaker thinks. The president said it isn't going to be done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: And he, in fact, is a man of his word.

Senior administration officials tell CNN the president is in no rush to nominate a permanent replacement for ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions and that Whitaker appears poised to remain in the position for weeks if not months.

ROMANS: At a White House event today, President Trump's expected to announce his support for new criminal justice reform legislation. The bill is backed by his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner, along with a bipartisan group of senators. Proponents made some changes to the bill to gain support of law enforcement groups. Changes like stiffer sentencing guidelines for fentanyl-related crimes and expanding the definition of a serious violent crime.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pledged to bring the bill to the floor if he has the 60 votes need. The question is whether enough Democrats will support the compromise or if they hold out for a more ambitious overhaul.

BRIGGS: This is the final day for election officials to count the ballots from three undecided statewide races. The deadline to finish the job is Thursday afternoon, and that's not sitting well with Democratic Senator Bill Nelson. His campaign filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming that the deadlines are arbitrary and impose a severe burden on the right to vote.

BRIGGS: They'll need a lot more time to get the recount done in Palm Beach County. Voting machines there are overheating and malfunctioning. That means officials will have to start with the recount of nearly 200,000 early ballots. In Broward County, embattled election supervisor Brenda Snipes

suggesting she may step down after all the criticism and controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRENDA SNIPES, BROWARD COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS: I've not made any decisions. Whatever I do I will contemplate it carefully and make what I think is the correct decision for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Miami-Dade and Broward County insist they will meet tomorrow's recount deadline.

BRIGGS: House Democrats leading a rebellion against Nancy Pelosi say they're confident they have enough commitments to block her from reclaiming the speaker's gavel. They have been gathering signatures from new and returning members in a letter calling for new Democratic leadership.

According to Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton, a leader of the anti-Pelosi group, they may have already enough signatures to prevent her from being elected.

[05:10:07] Pelosi, for her part, telling CNN she's 100 percent confident she will be the next speaker. That should be fascinating dynamic in the weeks ahead.

A cold case cracked in Ohio. Who police arrested in the killing of eight family members.

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ROMANS: Breaking news. A military training plane crashing in Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas. According to officials there, one pilot was killed, another has been transported to a local hospital. Air Force T-38 Talon went down at the base at 7:40 p.m. last night. We are monitoring that situation. We'll bring you updates throughout the morning.

[05:15:00] BRIGGS: A husband and wife and their two adult sons charged with murdering a family of eight in Ohio in 2016. The eight victims ranging in age from 16 to 44 were found shot to death at four crime scenes in the small town of Piketon. At one scene, police found a 4-day-old baby lying next to his murdered mother. That child and two others survived the killings.

Police say four members of the Wagner family carefully studied the habit and routines of their victims for months before committing the massacre. The motive appears to involve custody of a child.

ROMANS: More than 200 cases of the polio-like illness AFM currently under investigation by the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC says there are 90 confirmed cases in 27 states, 162 other cases are being investigated. Health officials have not identified the states with confirmed illnesses or those reporting cases under investigation. AFM or acute flaccid myelitis is a rare illness that affects the serve

us on system and can cause muscle weakness and sudden paralysis. The CDC has said 90 percent of patients have been children under the age of 4, but adults can also develop AFM.

BRIGGS: Monica Lewinsky speaking publicly about her relationship with then-President Bill Clinton in the new A&E docu-series "The Clinton Affair." Lewinsky explains why she's revisiting the incident after 20 years and reveals the emotional trauma of having to wear a wire during the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MONICA LEWINSKY, FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN: I felt terrible. I was scared, and I just -- I was mortified and afraid of what this was going to do to my family. And, you know, I still was in love with Bill at the time. So I just -- I felt really responsible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: About the Clinton docu-series, Lewinsky writes in a "Vanity Fair" piece, quote, I hope that by participating I can help ensure what happened to me never happens to another young person in our country again. She also says if she were to see Hillary Clinton today, she would summon up whatever force she needed to apologize again. An interesting rebranding from the Lewinsky scandal to the Clinton affair.

ROMANS: I think in 20 years, it's revealing.

U.S. oil prices plummeted Tuesday. Prices down 7 percent to a one- year low of just under $56 a barrel. It was crude's worst day since September, 2015. Crude is now down 12 straight days. That's the longest losing streak since futures trading began in March, 1983. This is a huge reversal considering oil spiked to a four-year high of $76 a barrel last month.

Crude oil crashed into a bear market last week. The selling has accelerated since then. Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia announced plans to cut shipments by 500 barrels per day. That would theoretically support prices, right?

But President Trump is lobbying the kingdom and OPEC to keep output flowing. The president tweeted Monday, quote, hopefully, Saudi Arabia and OPEC will not be cutting oil production. Oil prices should be much lower based on supply.

Much of the concern here surrounds sanctions imposed on Iran. The Trump administration initially vowed to zero out Iran's oil experts but then decided to allow eight countries like China and India, big importers, to keep buying oil from Iran.

BRIGGS: All right. Ahead, the NFL deciding to pull Monday night's Rams-Chiefs game out of Mexico City. Andy Scholes has more in the "Bleacher Report", next.

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[05:23:08] BRIGGS: The NFL punting on having next week's big Monday night game move from Mexico due to poor field conditions. The Chiefs and Rams will now play in Los Angeles.

Andy Scholes in the "Bleacher Report" tells us why Shakira left a real mark on the NFL here, my friend. Good morning.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Dave.

You know, for the NFL, this was a no-brainer. Rams-Chiefs is basically a mid season Super Bowl with both teams 9-1. So imagine if one of the star players got seriously hurt because of shoddy field conditions. The last thing the NFL wanted.

The images pictures of the turf at that second stadium really do paint the picture of how bad the field is in. The venue, like you said, Dave, had a Shakira concert there last month and multiple soccer games since. Pare that with rain, and the field was never able to fully recover.

The game will be played in L.A. at the coliseum. The Rams will be giving out thousands of tickets to first responders and those who have been affected by the recent tragedies in southern California.

All right. Superstar running back Le'Veon Bell's time with the Pittsburgh Steelers is over. Bell did not show up by the deadline to play this season. He will be a free agent this offseason going for the big payday. Bell was franchised by the Steelers for a second straight season. He gave up $14.5 million by not playing this season. The plan is to make it up that money up by being healthy to sign a big deal this offseason.

All right. The college football playoffs releasing its latest ranking in college football. The top ten remain unchanged. Right now, it will be Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Michigan. Georgia and Oklahoma the first two out. Big game this weekend is Notre Dame hosting 12th ranked Syracuse. The Irish's last chance to make a big statement before the playoff committee.

All right.

[05:25:00] The Warriors are back on the court last night without Draymond Green. The team suspending him one game for his dustup with Kevin Durant at the end of Monday night's game. Green didn't pass the ball in the closing seconds, fumbling it away from frustrated Durant. Their argument reportedly even spilled over into the locker room.

After, defeating the Hawks last night, Durant was asked if Draymond said anything that crossed the line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEVIN DURANT, WARRIORS FORWARD: I'm going to keep that in house. That's what we do here. I mean obviously I know you guys got a job to do, but I'm not trying to get nobody no headlines. What happened, happened. We're trying to move on, trying to play basketball.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: The rest of the NBA is sitting around like, oh, this is nice, because really the only thing that could keep the Warriors from winning the third straight title will be injuries or if they're not getting along.

BRIGGS: The Sixers loving it up. A lot of ego in the Golden State team. That's what great coaches do is bring it together. We'll see if they do that in the weeks ahead.

Andy Scholes, thank you, my friends.

SCHOLES: All right.

BRIGGS: Romans, over to you.

ROMANS: All right. Thank you so much, Dave and Andy.

Melania Trump doing something no other first lady has done -- calling for the firing of a top national security official. What that person reportedly did to get on her bad side. That's next.

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