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Tomorrow Opening Statements In Trump's First Criminal Trial; House Foreign Aid Package Passes In House Of Representatives; Ukraine Applauds Aid Bill As Russia Continues Its Advances; Israeli War Cabinet Meets Today To Discuss Hostage Situation In Gaza; Jewish Community Prepares For Passover Amid Violence And Threats. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired April 21, 2024 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:01:40]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right, it is the eve of a historic moment in American history. Tomorrow for the first time prosecutors will present opening statements in a criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Donald Trump will walk into a Manhattan courtroom tomorrow morning where he will hear the state's case against him. He is facing dozens of charges related to an alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels made before the 2016 election. This is the first of four criminal cases against Trump to go to trial.

CNN's Marshall Cohen joining us now with more on this.

Marshall, walk us through what the trial just might look like.

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred, it's history in the making in New York City tomorrow where Donald Trump will be the first president, former president of the United States to watch the opening statements in his own criminal trial.

So let's just remind everybody how we got here because we're just a few months away from the 2024 election but this is all about the 2016 presidential election. Donald Trump facing 34 felony charges. Those are state charges brought by the top prosecutor, the district attorney in Manhattan. State charges, if he's convicted, he can't pardon himself. The alleged crime is falsifying business records in connection with that hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, which was routed indirectly through the Trump Organization. Prosecutors say that they falsify the records on the books there.

We have 12 jurors and six alternates. That was what last week was all about. Whittling down that jury pool to get a seated panel of 12 and six alternates. This is expected to go about six weeks, perhaps, that means we could have a verdict this summer. And of course, Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty and he denies the affair with Stormy Daniels very aggressively.

So what are the prosecutor going to be talking about tomorrow? Unfortunately for the viewers at home, you won't be able to watch. You won't even be able to listen. There are no cameras in court. We have an entire team of reporters that will be there and sketch artists to do their best to bring it to life.

The prosecutors are going to try to bring this to life by telling a story of what happened in 2016. And they have a bunch of witnesses lined up and ready to go that surely there'll be presenting in the coming days and weeks. Michael Cohen, first and foremost, he's the star witness in many respects. He was Trump's right-hand man, attorney and fixer. He has now turned state's witness and he is a serious critic of Donald Trump.

It was him who paid the money to Stormy Daniels in 2016 to keep her quiet. She never went public with those allegations before the 2016 election thanks to that at hush money payment. There's also Hope Hicks, she is a Trump campaign official. She was part of the scramble behind the scenes in 2016 to prevent more damaging information from coming out against the candidate. Then on the bottom you have Karen McDougal and David Pecker.

McDougal is a former "Playboy Playmate" who also alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump, and David Pecker as the head of the "National Enquirer" purchased the rights to her story. But they buried it.

[16:05:00]

They never published it, Fred, and that is part of a scheme that prosecutors have called catch and kill between Pecker, Cohen and Trump to find bad stories, anything damaging about Trump, buy it, bury it, and make sure the voters would never hear about it -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Marshall Cohen, thanks so much.

Let's bring in our legal expert now, Michael Zeldin is a former federal prosecutor who served as Robert Mueller's special assistant at the Department of Justice. And he's the host of "That Said with Michael Zeldin" podcast.

Michael, great to see you. So opening statements tomorrow and in a case of this magnitude, how long do you expect those statements to go?

MICHAEL ZELDIN, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: They could last an hour or two each. I don't think it's that complicated the case. You probably could get it done within 40 minutes or so. But lawyers these days seem to talk a lot longer in opening statements than when I was trying cases. So we'll have to see, Fred, but this is a pretty straightforward case factually. And what the prosecution needs to do is define what the terms of this case are about, which is business fraud.

This is not a private agreement between private citizen Trump and private citizen Stormy Daniels, something that they could have done. But rather this is a complicated scheme to defraud the voters of the information they needed before the election and the taxpayers of New York for the income that they might get if this was properly reported on their books and records.

WHITFIELD: So how important is it going to be for prosecutors to also use this opportunity to kind of teach the juror? Some of them may not be, you know, very familiar with business or what's permissible, what's unethical, what's illegal? So their opening statements might also be an opportunity to kind of teach them what the roadmap will be or will they be saving that for later?

ZELDIN: No, I think that is exactly what I would do where I try this case. I'd want to say, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, let me tell you what this case is about. Let me educate you about the facts of this case with this scheme was, what its intention was, how that intention was accomplished, and here are the witnesses who were going to be testifying to that. And by the way, here are the business records themselves that support everything we are saying.

So you can believe or not believe an individual witness here or there, but the business records support everything each of them is saying, so at the end of the case when asking for a verdict of guilty.

WHITFIELD: We've seen already part of the strategy of Trump's defense team has been to delay by a number of motions and most defense attorneys would do that, right. But I'm wondering, too, do you expect that they might be argumentative in the midst of the prosecutor's opening statements as a delay tactic or something else, some other motivation.

ZELDIN: Well, it's a great question. When I was a defense attorney, I used to periodically object in the opening statement of prosecutors. Very unusual. I was just an annoying lawyer. I don't think they'll object in the opening statements, but I do think they will make a big push to get out their counternarrative, which was there was no fraud here. There was no intention to defraud anybody.

This was just an agreement between citizen Trump and citizen Daniels to pay money to suppress a story which was untrue but damaging, and so there was a calculation made that like with Karen McDougal or others, we would suppress just like Bill Clinton did with the so-called bimbo eruptions when he was running. No harm, no foul, or no intend to defraud, private case, government prosecuting me because I'm Donald Trump to interfere with the election.

I think sort of that's their narrative. We'll see how much leeway the judge gives them to make it, though.

WHITFIELD: OK. And you say opening statements, it could be just an hour or so. That means there would be room for witness number one or two, with the judge want things to keep moving in that respect and get the witnesses in if it turns out that opening statements are very short or would the judge instead want to wait until a new fresh day?

ZELDIN: Well, it depends on how long into the day it was. Let's say they start right away, 9:30 in the morning with opening statements, and opening statements take all morning. Then they have a lunch break, and then they'll call the first witness in the afternoon. If I'm wrong and the opening statements last hours and hours and it's not until 3:00 that they are ready for the first witness, the judge could make the determination to start fresh in the morning.

[16:10:00]

But I think that we might have a very good chance of seeing witness number one tomorrow in the afternoon.

WHITFIELD: All right. Michael Zeldin, good to see you. Thank you so much.

Of course, we have live coverage tomorrow. Reporters allowed in the courtroom. No live cameras, but we will have a live coverage all day.

All right. Straight ahead, President Biden is urging the Senate to pass the major foreign aid bill that the House approved this weekend. It includes billions in support for Ukraine and Israel. We'll have reaction live from Kyiv and Tel Aviv.

And a Jewish leader associated with Columbia University is warning Jewish students to leave the campus as soon as possible amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests. Details coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:15:24]

WHITFIELD: A $95 billion foreign aid bill is now headed to the U.S. Senate after months of contentious wrangling in the House of Representatives. The Senate will have to come back from recess if it's going to get this passed quickly. The package provides Ukraine with $61 billion as it struggles to hold its ground on the frontlines in the war with Russia and Israel gets $26 billion including a sizable chunk for its missile defense systems.

We've got full coverage. Priscilla Alvarez in Washington, Fred Pleitgen in Ukraine, and Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv, Israel.

So, Priscilla, you first. Do we have a timeline for when the Senate could take this up?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We do. According to Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer this is expected to start happening on Tuesday afternoon. That being voting on these national security bills and it is expected to pass, then it would go to the president's desk for a signature, something that he called to -- called for over the weekend and said the Senate should act quickly, noting that we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.

All of that, once this process is complete, but there's no doubt, Fred, that this was a win for the White House, which for months has been asking for these additional funds for Ukraine, among other national security priorities, often framing this as the interests of the United States. So it's also not to cede any ground to Russia and especially over the last few days, U.S. officials just kept noting how important it was to get this across the finish line with warnings of Ukraine possibly losing the war by the end of the year if they didn't get that aid.

Now the president on Saturday afternoon called Speaker Johnson and House Minority Leader Jeffries separately to thank them for getting this passed. Of course now it heads to the Senate, but security -- Defense Secretary Austin also weighed in on this yesterday saying that the package would surge lifesaving security assistance to Ukraine, support Israel, and increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

So U.S. officials have said this is a longtime coming. They need these funds. They need to get this equipment to Ukraine and do so quickly. So while we still have a few other steps that need to play out here the hope from U.S. officials is that they can start getting this equipment where it needs to go by the end of the week.

WHITFIELD: All right, Priscilla, thanks so much.

To Fred Pleitgen now in Kyiv.

So what are Ukrainians feeling knowing now that this, you know, funding could be on the way?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly a lot better than they did before. It went through the House of Representatives. And you can really feel that it's really palpable the relief on the part of the Ukrainians, especially of course the Ukrainian leadership.

But also quite frankly, Fredricka, frontline Ukrainian troops that we've been speaking to as well, who said they've been starved for especially artillery ammunition but, also in many cases, they feel that perhaps the us had almost forgotten about the war here that's going on in Ukraine and certainly it's been a big morale boost they have said to know that this has gone through the House of Representatives.

And there's really three key things that the Ukrainians said they need immediately. Some of the things that Priscilla was talking about is definitely palpable here on the ground in Ukraine as well. The Ukrainians are saying for now they're holding many of their defensive lines, even though the Russians have made some gains. However, there is a real threat that some of those lines could collapse if a lot of those, especially ammunition, doesn't come very quickly.

So artillery ammunition, the Ukrainians talking about, then also air defense missiles as well. Very key not just on the frontline, but also to some of the cities here in this country that have been attacked by Russian missiles and energy infrastructure as well.

One of the other things that the Ukrainian president actually mentioned today, Fredricka, which I thought was also quite interesting was ATACMS, longer range missiles that Ukrainian say they also need to hit some of those rear areas that the Russians have, for instance, ammunition depots that the Russians have.

I was also today able to speak to Vladimir Klitschko who is of course the former world heavyweight boxing champion, but also still very much involved in the defense here and that effort in Ukraine, and he said why it's so important for the Ukrainians to get this military aid. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR KLITSCHKO, BROTHER OF KYIV'S MAYOR: Today has a great potential to change the frontline. So we can in Ukraine defend us better. It sends also very important signal to Putin's Russia that you're not going to win this war. This senseless war that has been started over two and a half years ago, almost two and a half years ago. It sends a message of motivation for us Ukrainians, that we are not alone.

[16:20:01]

It did send also for Republicans and Democrats in the U.S., in this critical moments, to stand together and make this decision together to protect democracy in this world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: There you have Vladimir Klitschko saying that this aid package obviously extremely important for the Ukrainians, but he also believes important for the U.S. as well. More bad news, though, on the battlefield for the Ukrainians. The Russian saying that they took a key village in the east of the country. You can see some creeping gains there from the Russians. The Russians also suffering some pretty big losses as they're moving forward. Nevertheless, right now, the momentum certainly does appear to be on the side of Vladimir Putin's army -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Fred Pleitgen in Kyiv, thanks so much.

To Jeremy Diamond now in Tel Aviv.

So, Jeremy, we understand there'll be an Israeli war cabinet meeting this evening. What's the expectation?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the Israeli war cabinet convened this evening to discuss the fate of the hostages. Some 133 hostages who remain captive in the Gaza Strip. And it comes on the eve of Passover, a Jewish holiday ripe with symbolism as it relates to freedom, and so many Israelis tomorrow night on the first night of Passover will be holding an empty chair at their table to remember the fate of those hostages.

But those negotiations to try and secure their release really have broken down over the course of the last week. They are not dead all together, but they are certainly not headed in the right direction. And so the Israeli war cabinet and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu increasingly talking about military pressure to secure the release of those hostages. The Israeli prime minister in a video statement this evening saying that Israel will soon land additional and painful blows, increase in military and political pressure on Hamas. In keeping with that, the Israeli military's chief of staff, General

Herzi Halevi, today convening a situational assessments and approving plans for the continuation of the war in Gaza. Reading between the lines that very much indicates a coming ground offensive in Rafah. That southernmost city in Gaza where more than a million Palestinians are currently sheltering. And we know that even as the U.S. is providing Israel with billions of dollars in additional aid, they have expressed serious concerns about the possibility of a coming ground offensive in Rafah because of how many people are currently packed in there, and the difficulty of evacuating so many people, the uncertainty about where they will go, what kind of basic services they will be provided with.

We know that last week the Israeli military was already set to begin that evacuation of Rafah beginning to drop leaflets on Rafah last Monday I'm told. That was delayed as the Israeli government debated a military response to those Iranian strikes on Israel last weekend. With that now out of the way, it only leaves Rafah as the most likely next military step for this government. And so we're not clear exactly when that will happen, how long an evacuation will take, but it does appear that a ground offensive in Rafah will soon come -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jeremy Diamond, Fred Pleitgen and Priscilla Alvarez, thanks to all of you.

All right. Straight ahead federal law enforcement is keeping a close eye out for any potential threats to the Jewish community in the U.S. as Passover approaches. A look at the concerns next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:27:43]

WHITFIELD: Amid growing tensions on New York's Columbia University's campus, many Jewish communities are preparing for Passover, but this year, the major Jewish holiday is marred by the ongoing hostage crisis sparked by the Israel-Hamas war and rising antisemitism across this country.

CNN's Camila Bernal is joining us right now.

Camila, you spoke to a family as they prepare for Passover. And what are their concerns?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred. The concerns are safety at home, safety in their schools and in their temples. They have a range of feelings according to the people I spoke to, you know, because they are worried about their safety. They're concerned, they're frustrated and they're sad, not just about the safety aspect, but also about the hostages.

They tell me that despite these very hard to times, though, they are going to try to spend this time with friends and family, with their traditions, and they do expect this to be a very joyful time despite having a lot of concern.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (voice-over): These are the Passover preparations at the Hronskys.

RABBI SARAH HRONSKY, JEWISH MOTHER: Youve got your blue waves.

BERNAL: As a mother and a rabbi --

HRONSKY: Some people call them Lego people. We call them Israelites.

BERNAL: Sarah Hronsky knows this year the holiday will be different.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mazzo.

BERNAL: Not only are many leaving empty seats at the table.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are for the hostages this year.

HRONSKY: We have the hostages this summer.

BERNAL: But those celebrating are also being told to be on alert.

HRONSKY: I dress here every day there all the time, and they're very, very real.

BERNAL: According to the FBI anti-Jewish hate crime cases tripled in the wake of the October 7th attack. And they are currently on alert for threats ahead of Passover.

RABBI NOAH FARKAS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, JEWISH FEDERATION LOS ANGELES: We put out an alert to congregations, to schools, to organizations agencies, anywhere where Jews gather for us to be a little bit more vigilant this year.

BERNAL: Rabbi Noah Farkas is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation Los Angeles. While he's also preparing for the seder, the organization he leads is recommending people know who they invite into their homes, keep outdoor lights on, and report any incident or crime.

FARKAS: One of the saddest things about being a Jew in America today is that we have to pay for private security to express our First Amendment right.

[16:30:05]

BERNAL: For large gatherings, cameras and extra security have become the norm.

EITAN BAZAZ, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DAVID SHIELD SECURITY: In recent years, and especially since October seventh, the demand for our services increased at least, like, 300 to 400 percent.

BERNAL: The increase says Eitan Bazaz with David Shields Security is, in part, because of protests, campus threats and Middle East tensions, causing aches in the U.S.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you do (ph), sir, how can I help you?

BERNAL: In 2023, almost 9,000 anti-Semitic incidents have been tracked in the U.S. The highest number of incidents reported since the anti- defamation league began tracking them in the 1970s.

HRONSKY: It has increased phenomenally in a way that we can't even count anymore. The hundreds of percentage points that it's increased.

BERNAL (on camera): What have you seen?

HRONSKY: I'll give you an example. Today, a woman drove by my synagogue, filming and shouting anti-Semitic slurs.

BERNAL (voice-over): But despite the threats, the worry, the sadness, --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we making meatballs?

BERNAL: -- there will also joy.

HRONSKY: Grounding, and having a seder, and being celebration of your roots and your core and your heritage, this is a sign that we, too, will get through to the other side.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (live): And the FBI director said that his remarks about safety were not meant to stir alarm. But he did note that it is a time for people to be vigilant.

The people that I spoke to told me it's the little things. Don't forget to turn on your porch lights during Passover. And, yes, open the doors to your home. But just at least be somewhat familiar with who you're inviting inside of your house, so that you could be safe throughout the holiday -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Camila Bernal, thank you so much.

Now, today, an orthodox rabbi, associated with New York's Columbia University, is warning Jewish students, the campus is not safe and they should, quote, "return home until it is."

Tensions remain high at Columbia, after several days of pro- Palestinian protests, encampments and arrests. The unrest follows an appearance by the university's president on Capitol Hill last week.

CNNs Polo Sandoval joining us now. Polo, what is the situation on campus today? What are people saying?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So far, there are multiple elements to this. The first, you can see and hear behind me here in Manhattan at the gates of Columbia University.

What you see behind me as a pro-Palestinian demonstration that's, essentially, marched up to the gates of Columbia University, as far as they can make it at this point. And they're chanting in solidarity with demonstrators on campus.

As you recall, several days ago, the university president having to turn to the NYPD for help in removing students, portions of an encampment that had formed while she was testifying before lawmakers about anti-Semitism on campus.

Since then, only students, faculty, perhaps some parents, able to actually make their way on campus. We were allowed to do so as well through the -- working with the Columbia School of Journalism, to see, firsthand, this persistent encampment. These are demonstrators that are still maintaining that footprint, currently on campus.

And they're doing so peacefully, at this point. The question is, when or will Columbia University feel the need to, once again, interject?

So, while that is happening there, on the other side, they're also growing very serious concerns among members of the Jewish community on campus. Many of them afraid that they no longer feel safe, because of these growing demonstrations.

It got to a point where, this morning, a rabbi that's associated Columbia's Orthodox Union Jewish Learning Initiative, simply sent a message to, roughly, 300 Jewish orthodox students, saying that he strongly recommended that they simply head home until the university acts to make them feel safer.

And that message sent out, based on what the rabbi also shared with our calls colleague, Jake Tapper, saying that the message was sent in response to videos of protest, calling for violence against Jewish members of the university. Really moments that he described as quote, "just horrific."

CNN did reach out to Columbia University. They did confirm that they are receiving these reports of concerns. The university saying that it is acting to make sure that they feel safe.

But it really does go to the broader issue here, Fred, of Columbia University, and so many other institutions throughout the country, now having to walk that very delicate line. Protecting their students, and other members of the community, the right to assemble and to express themselves.

But the same times that we heard from Columbia University, saying that they are also making sure that they do not disrupt university operations and also do not intimidate their fellow students as well. So, that really is something to be on the lookout for in the days ahead.

Again, we are several months into these kinds of demonstrations happening. But the situation escalated last week. And it is a hope here, among Columbia University officials, that they -- it doesn't happen again.

WHITFIELD: All right, Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

[16:35:00] WHITFIELD: Coming up, if you're in the market for a new home, now might not be the time to buy one. Mortgage rates just surged to the highest level since last year. Where they stand, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, 15 people are recovering from minor injuries today after a tram crashed at the world-famous Universal Studios Hollywood last night.

[16:40:04]

WHITFIELD: Investigators say at around 9:00, one car collided with a guard rail and several passengers fell out of the tram. The studio uses the trams for its popular studio tour, which takes visitors to various filming locations on the iconic Hollywood back lot.

Police say the tram driver is blaming a mechanical failure. The California highway patrol is investigating.

And mortgage rates have, yet again, topped seven percent this week. Just take a look at this breakdown.

In 2016, on a $300,000 home loan, your payment would have been about $1,400 a month. Well, today, that same $300,000 home would cost you $600 a month more at $2,000 a month.

Mortgage rates climbed last week, based on expectations that the fed will not cut interest rates anytime soon.

Joining me right now to discuss is Michelle Singletary, a personal finance columnist for "The Washington Post." Michelle, you always have a rosy outlook on things, but this is kind of downright depressing.

If you're in the market of buying a home, it's going to cost you a whole lot more. So, what are you telling potential home buyers and sellers what should they do --

MICHELLE SINGLETARY, FINANCE COLUMNIST, "THE WASHINGTON POST": So, --

WHITFIELD: -- what they should do?

SINGLETARY: -- yes, you know -- you know, I don't want people to be scared off from home buying but just be realistic. So, a lot of times when people are buying a home, they're just skimming in there right?

So, you don't want to be that person. You want to make sure that you have a good cash cushion. You have an emergency fund. That you haven't just put everything into buying that home which leaves you no cushion for when life happens.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

SINGLETARY: And so, approach the mortgage market the same way you would, no matter what the rates are. Make sure you've got a good, you know, amount of money for a down payment. You've got money in your budget for when things happen. You lose your job. Your kid gets sick.

And so, don't worry so much about where the rate is but what can you do to afford that mortgage once you get into that home.

WHITFIELD: OK. Because if you are in the market of buying a home, you are probably setting aside your money for your down payment. So, if you were in the market for something that was $300,000, knowing their interest rate is higher, I feel like I'm hearing from you, maybe now you have to downplay your expectations of the price of the home. Maybe it's the $200,000 or $250,000 or something.

So that the money that you have saved or set aside can help you, knowing that your mortgage rates are going to be a little higher than you had originally planned for per square foot?

SINGLETARY: Absolutely. You're absolutely right. You might -- maybe you were looking for something bigger than your budget could handle. Maybe you look for townhouse instead of single-family house. Maybe a condo. Maybe in a different neighborhood. You might have to adjust your expectations.

And listen, the mortgage market -- or I should say the home-buying market has been crazy. People see what they want. And maybe the list price is $300,000 or $400,000. And you're, like, I've got to have that house. So, you -- even though you bid $425,000 or something like that, knowing full well that that is going to stretch you too much.

Listen, folks, there's still going to be houses out there, right? You're still going to be able to get in a house. You don't -- you should not panic and rush into a house and pay more than you can afford.

And when I say that, I don't just mean the mortgage payment. We all know that we need to save for our retirement. If you've got kids, you want to save for their college fund. You've got to save if you have a disruption in your income.

So, when I say affordability, I mean looking at everything that could happen in your life when you get it to that home. I have been a homeowner pretty much all my life. I rented one year.

And every time I went to get a home, I qualified myself on my net income, not my gross income, which is what lenders do. Because I knew I was taking care of a disabled brother. I knew I wanted to save for retirement. And so, I always had a smaller house than the bank said I could afford.

WHITFIELD: So, it has been a goal for a lot of people, right? Almost everybody. They want to be a home owner. But now, it just seems so out of reach for so many people.

So, can you help encourage people about why it might be smarter to go ahead and rent for as long as you can, or perhaps even let go of the home ownership dreams, because it's just too expensive.

SINGLETARY: Yes. I'm going to tell you this, which I think you should just say to yourself when people, sort of, push homeownership on you when you're not ready. You are not a financial failure, if you are a renter. Say that to yourself.

Every time someone says, you've got to buy a house. Listen, there are millions of people who are renting, who can't afford a house or maybe don't even want a house. And a lot of times, we're pushing that homeownership, because we say that's the way you build wealth.

And it is a way to build wealth for most Americans. But guess what? There are other ways to build wealth.

[16:45:00]

SINGLETARY: You can put money into your retirement fund. You can save outside of a retirement fund in a low-cost index stock fund. You can still build wealth without being a homeowner. I'm a big believer in home ownership. But when its right and at the right time for you. And you're OK if you're a renter. You are not a financial failure.

WHITFIELD: All right. See? Always rosy. I appreciate it. And so does everyone else. All of your readers at "The Washington Post" as well. Michelle Singletary, thank you so much.

SINGLETARY: Thank you. Oh, can I -- I forgot to tell you. We have a homebuyer's quiz on WashingtonPost.com, so that you can go in, use the quiz. And it'll tell you --

WHITFIELD: Perfect.

SINGLETARY: -- if you're ready to be a homeowner.

WHITFIELD: I love it. We need all the tools we can get. Thank you so much, Michelle.

SINGLETARY: You're so welcome.

WHITFIELD: We'll be right back.

[16:45:56]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A big spring chill is sweeping across much of the U.S.; 16 million people are now under freeze alerts as cold air pushes its way through a large part of the Central and Eastern parts of the country. CNN's Allison Chinchar has details.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Fred. Areas of the Midwest, even down through the Southeast, looking at high temperatures today that were about 15 to 25 degrees below average. And even by tomorrow morning still looking at some pretty chilly places. Numerous spots on the map here dealing with those low temperatures, tomorrow morning in the 30s. Even as far down as Nashville, Tennessee.

But we are going to see a change. Finally starting to see more of those warmer temperatures beginning to spread eastward. But we do still have some areas that will see below-average temperatures this week. That means as this next system begins to arrive into the Northeast, bringing rain but also snow, because those cold temperatures will be in place.

Most of them are going to be across interior portions of New England, as we go into the day early Wednesday. But by Thursday, we finally start to see that system exit.

Overall, most of these areas not really looking at a ton of rain, or snow for that matter. At this point, it's really just a nuisance. We're all ready to move on to spring, at this point.

One other thing, though, is even the rain is a nuisance for some areas. Take a look at Pittsburgh, for example. Currently sitting in second place for wettest April on record. They may get awfully close to that number one slot by the next rain system that moves through this week.

WHITFIELD: All right, Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

All right, tonight on "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER," a story of conflict you probably know nothing about. Nick Paton Walsh reports from Sri Lanka on the ongoing and fatal battle between elephant and man -- Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Fred, this documentary took us to some of the most beautiful parts of Sri Lanka, in itself a stunning place. But a place that's increasingly overcrowded in the fast charge for economic growth.

And that's impacted elephants significantly. There are 6,000 of them in Sri Lanka it's thought. And 476, in 2023 alone, were killed in clashes with humans. In fact, humans, 169 of them were killed in that same year.

And so, this isn't really a philosophical debate about space. It is violence, often daily. Sometimes taking lives in the villages that we visit ourselves.

And that violence involves humans using firecrackers to push elephants away from agricultural land that people desperately need to feed their families to earn a living. And it's really because humans need more and more land in the name of growth to expand for their number to feed their families.

And elephants have always relied on vegetation space to thrive and exist. And those two needs are clashing increasingly in a place like Sri Lanka.

In fact, too, what is remarkable, what we witnessed is how elephants are forcibly adapting to the human environment. And here's one particularly acute example of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(voice-over): This is what is come for, to feast on garbage, not deterred by smoke that stings our eyes either. So hungry or warped (ph) in his diet that this is what hillinger electric shocks (ph) to eat.

Around 20 of the hundreds of elephants that circulate Sri Lanka trash heaps have died, in recent years. Some poisoned, others starving, as the plastic has filled their stomachs. They were simply never meant to be this used to the human world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(on camera): Now, we saw across the country, the loss that elephants face. You can see that the stark change in their habitat, just fishing through plastic to exist.

And I think an important thing to take away from this, Fredricka, is this is not a story, really, about the natural world. Of course, it is. But what we're seeing here is a clear, stark metaphor of how crowded our planet is becoming. And how the damage the human species is doing in its relentless pursuit of growth, and greed frankly, of anything it can consume -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right, it's powerful imagery. Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much. We'll all be watching. Be sure to tune in to an all-new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER." One whole hour. One whole topic. Airing tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, only on CNN.

And thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The CNN NEWSROOM continues with Alex Marquardt in Washington, right after this.

[16:55:03]

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