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Princess of Wales in Hospital; Biden Hosts Meeting on Spending Bill; U.S. Faces Shutdown; Pakistan Condemns Missile Strike; Police Raid Home in Ohio. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired January 17, 2024 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[09:31:18]
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have breaking news coming out of Kensington Palace. Kate Middleton, Catherine, the princess of Wales, is in the hospital after undergoing abdominal surgery.
CNN's Max Foster has more on this as we're just really starting to get more details in.
Max, what are you hearing and how is she doing?
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, she's in hospital. Abdominal surgery, as you say. She's expected to be in hospital for up to two weeks. And she's going to have to recover or recuperate for two to three months. So, it has taken - is expected to take quite a toll on her.
I have just spoken, Kate, to a source who tells me and wants to emphasize that it's non-cancerous. And there is, obviously, a huge amount of interest in this and they're trying to manage that. They're not going to give us any big updates unless there is something significant to announce. They want to respect their privacy.
But I can tell you that, you know, the media is already gathering outside the hospital down the road here in London and there is a huge amount of interest of course. The only times I can really think she's been in hospital before that we've been told of is when she had her three children. She's a very fit and healthy person. Very keen on sports. So, it has come as a bit of a surprise. But when I've seen her out and about recently, over Christmas, she's looked well. So, we'll have to wait to see what other updates we get.
BOLDUAN: Yes. And I mean - I mean, just as we all know, anything relating to an abdominal surgery can be really serious and can - any - can be really painful. We know that - I mean - and no one can - and we won't jump to any conclusions about what it could be, but they did emphasize, is it correct, that this was a planned abdominal surgery?
FOSTER: Yes, indeed. So, we'll have to speak to our medical experts of what that might be on the basis that it's non-cancerous as well.
BOLDUAN: Right.
FOSTER: And, you know, as you know, Kate, the, you know, abdominal surgery, as you suggested, it does, you know, you have to go through those layers and the muscles. And it does take a long time to recover. So, they are looking at, you know, two to three months of recuperation and they have actually canceled all future travel for now until they know both for Kate, the princess, but also for Prince William as well. But she will be able to go back to Windsor, I'm told, to their home in Windsor, to go through that recuperation because she - you know, that's their main base while the children are at school nearby.
BOLDUAN: Oh, well, we're so sorry to hear it and hope that she's recovering - will be recovering well. And, obviously, we're going to come back to you. Max will be all over it with any updates that we can get.
Thank you so much, Max.
FOSTER: Thanks, Kate.
BOLDUAN: John.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, two weeks in the hospital is a long time, and two to three months of recouperation, also a long time.
BOLDUAN: Right.
BERMAN: So, it will be interesting to see if we get more details here.
In just a few hours President Biden will hold a key meeting at the White House with congressional leaders. Aid to Ukraine is in serious jeopardy. This comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated he will not pass any immigration deal, even if the Senate reaches a bipartisan agreement.
With us now, CNN's Arlette Saenz and Lauren Fox.
First to you, Arlette.
This White House meeting today, talk to us about what we expect.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, President Biden's main mission today will be in trying to convince and stress to lawmakers the urgency of passing additional aid for Ukraine, which currently is tied up over talks relating to the U.S. southern border.
Now, the president will host the top four congressional leaders from the House and the Senate. That includes House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as the chairs of national security committees. And they -- the president will be making the case to these lawmakers that inaction in not passing additional aid for Ukraine would severely hamper the war- torn country on the battlefield.
It comes as the administration has been warning for months now that they are running out of fund, running out of aid that they could provide to Ukraine with that last batch provided on December 27th. [09:35:07]
And it's coming as the war between Russia and Ukraine is approaching the two year mark.
Now, just yesterday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And after that meeting he expressed confidence that the U.S. would be able to get additional aid for Ukraine passed, saying that after all the twists and turns he is confident they will finally reach there.
But the reality is that it's entirely unclear whether this Ukraine aid will be passed as it is currently bogged down in the talks over border policy negotiations. Those Senate negotiations have been ongoing, but Republicans in the House, conservatives in the House specifically, have really been stressing that they want to see much stricter changes made than what is being discussed in the Senate.
So, the president's task and mission today will be in trying to stress the urgency of getting that additional aid for Ukraine, especially as Russia is continuing their assault in the country.
BERMAN: All right, Arlette at the White House.
Separately from that, Lauren, congressional, you know, officials are fighting over this government shutdown, which is just a few days away. Have they made any progress to avert it?
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Senate has taken its first steps to try and avert that shutdown. And you heard yesterday from the Republican whip, John Thune, that he was very confident that they would be able to move very quickly in the Senate. The expectation is that the House could take that up once the Senate passes it and also pass it very quickly through the House of Representatives.
The bigger task ahead, though, is how Mike Johnson navigates the next month. If the CR gets them to March, then they have to come up with an agreement on those full year spending bills. And while an agreement has been struck with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over the top line spending number, the reality is there's a lot of details that you still have to iron out. And Johnson is going to be under immense pressure from the hardliners within his conference to try and get some policy wins in those discussions.
You have some hardliners who are pressing him to once again inject border security into these spending talks. And you've seen already how that has gone in talks with the supplemental. It's really bogged down that process. It's really added to a sense that perhaps more aid for Ukraine will not be coming from Congress. So, that is part of the battle ahead for Mike Johnson. So, while the expectation is they can move fairly quickly this week to try and pass that short-term spending bill, the bigger fight happening in March.
John.
BERMAN: Quickly, a relative term on Capitol Hill.
Lauren Fox, Arlette Saenz, thanks to both of you.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Coming up for us, Iran launches new missile strikes. We have more details coming in about this and a dangerous situation still unfolding.
And also we have new details about the plea agreement for the gunman responsible for the massacre at Club Q in Colorado.
We'll be right back.
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[09:42:19]
BERMAN: This morning U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Iran is isolated after deadly missile strikes in Syria. A pair of strikes in Syria. We've seen strikes in northern Iraq, in the Kurdish region, and now a missile strike in Pakistan as well. Again, this is all from Iran. Pakistani officials say two children were killed, several people injured when Iran fired missiles and drones into Pakistani territory yesterday. Iran has insisted it was targeting terrorists there. But Pakistan has now recalled its ambassador and suspended all high-level visits from Iran.
With me now, CNN military analyst, retired U.S. Lieutenant General Mark Hertling.
General, thanks so much for being with us.
Again, what's interesting about this is, this is not through proxies. This is not Hezbollah or the Houthis. This is Iran conducting airstrikes now on a range of targets. What do you see happening here?
LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, certainly, John, I would suggest that Iran is getting much bolder. To have them actually conduct the attacks as opposed to their proxies I think is certainly a reaction to what has happened in the Houthis, the conflict between the Houthis and the west, especially the United States, the massive attack that was conducted against Yemen by the United States last week, as well as what they see as Sunni attacks inside of Iran. Remember the explosion that happened just a little over a week ago inside of Iran, which is directly attributed to ISIS.
So, they are striking out, reaching out and hitting what they believe are Sunni terrorist targets in both - in Damascus, in Syria, in Iraq and as well as now in Pakistan, which is fascinating to me.
BERMAN: As you look at this, General, is this expression of Iranian power, is this them flexing and trying to show strength or does it show fear and vulnerability?
HERTLING: I think it -- a little bit of both, John. And what we also have to consider is they are trying to stir a very intense caldron of dynamics within the Middle East, trying to be the regional hejima (ph), trying to show themselves as the most powerful. But I think you're right, it does show a little bit of fear.
When they attacked inside of Erbil the other day, the Kurdish semi- autonomous region, I believe that they were attempting to kind of sow disruption within the Iraqi government. You know, having spent a little bit of time in northern Iraq, I know that the Kurdish regional government and the Iraqi central government don't always see eye to eye.
[09:45:00]
So, the fact that some of the Kurdish members of the Iraqi government said we've got to warn Iran to stop doing these kind of things, and then Iran goes ahead and attacks into Pakistan, which right now is also just a dysfunctional government and that also has enemies with the - with India.
So, what you're seeing is an increasing tension across the Middle East, something that I believe Iran is continuing to disturb. They used to just do it with proxies. Now they're engaging themselves. And, again, I believe it reflects how they feel like they can be a little bit bolder with some of the things going on in the Middle East, especially in Gaza.
BERMAN: Yes. And again, the strikes - at least one of the strikes in Syria and the strikes in Pakistan don't have anything really do with the United States either. You see as -- you know, Iran posturing against the U.S. certainly with the Houthis and Yemen down here, but - but the strikes in Pakistan and Syria, the U.S. not -- no involvement whatsoever.
HERTLING: Well, true. The problem is, it just sows more tension throughout the entire region and it really contributes to what we're seeing as some dysfunction within the Middle East across the board with a lot of the Iranian-backed organizations, Hezbollah, Houthis, the PMFs in Israel - and - or, excuse me, in - in Iran, in Iraq and in Damascus, as well as in Lebanon. All of these are coming together. And I think Iran is stirring the pot to cause more trouble for the west.
BERMAN: General Mark Hertling, you sell yourself short. You spent more than a little time in Iraq. We appreciate your expertise. Thank you so much for being with us.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Coming up for us, new video has been released of a - of a police raid that a mother says injured her baby who was on a ventilator at the time. And now there are calls for an investigation.
We'll be right back.
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[09:50:52] BERMAN: This morning, a plea deal for the person who killed five people at an LBGTQ night club in Colorado in November of 2022. The killer will plead guilty to 74 counts of federal hate crimes and gun charges but will not face the death penalty.
Veteran Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who's 90 years old, is in the hospital in Iowa, his home state. He's being treated for an infection. Grassley's office says he is receiving antibiotic infusions but is in good spirits and he plans to return to work as soon as doctors give him the OK.
Also this morning, new audio of the 911 call requesting an ambulance to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's home on New Year's Day.
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DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN'S AIDE: Can I ask, though, can the ambulance not show up with lights and sirens. We're trying to remain a little subtle.
911 DISPATCHER: Yes, I understand. Yes, usually when they turn into a residential neighborhood they'll turn them off.
DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN'S AIDE: OK.
911 DISPATCHER: Is he reporting any chest pain at all?
DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN'S AIDE: No.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. Did he pass out or does he feel like he's going to pass out?
DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN'S AIDE: No.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. And, like you said, he's - he's awake, he's alert and oriented? He's not confused or anything like that, correct?
DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN'S AIDE: Correct.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: President Biden, the White House and Congress were not notified of Austin's hospitalization at Walter Reed or that Austin had undergone treatment for prostate cancer until days later.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Police in Ohio have released new body camera footage showing officers raiding a home and deploying flash bangs as they do so. Inside was a mother and a 17-month-old baby, who was on a ventilator at the time. The town's mayor is now calling for an outside agency to get involved and investigate the incident. We're going to play some of that footage for you. And a warning, you may find it difficult to watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police, search warrant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming down the stairs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming through the door.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put your hands up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My baby's right here. My baby's right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm the only one here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're coming through the door.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're good. Just come down to us.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE). I'm visiting my family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Come out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come outside.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My baby's on a ventilator in there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 151 (ph), I'm with the baby. (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: CNN's Athena is Jones following this one for us.
Athena, what happened here?
ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, you can see that this young mother was certainly very, very start to have this many police officers arriving on the scene of this house. Within just a few seconds they deployed the flash bangs, rammed the door in within about 10 seconds. Here's more of what she told a CNN affiliate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COURTNEY PRICE, MOTHER: All I seen was lights flashing and smoke coming into the house. I didn't know what to do because there was guns pointed at me. I wanted to run to him, but I knew if I ran to him I -- they could have shot. They drug me out of the house, put me in handcuffs. I kept screaming, my baby, my baby is on a ventilator. My baby's in here.
(END VIDEO CLIP) JONES: Now, this mother goes on to say that her child was harmed by the use of these flash bangs. She said her son had been diagnosed with chemical pneumonitis (ph), which is a form of lung irritation, because of the raid, and that the condition caused by inhaling chemicals released by the flash bangs. This child had to be hospitalized.
We now know in a statement from the Elyria Police Department, they're responding saying this child couldn't have been harmed by these flash bangs. This is what they say. "Any allegation suggesting the child was exposed to chemical agents, lack of medical attention or negligence is not true."
Now, a statement from the mayor, the mayor's office, is who released the body cam footage that we have had access to. Mayor Kevin Brubaker said, "while the footage captured clearly illustrates what did and did not occur when the search warrant was executed, it does not answer questions of what led to the warrant itself." And so he has asked the Lorraine Sheriff's Department to investigate this separately.
I've reached out to the Elyria Police Department. So far they're not - I haven't gotten a comment back. I was told that they may not want to comment until this sheriff's investigation is carried out. Unclear what status of the child is or really why it was necessary to deploy this sort of force in carrying out this raid.
[09:55:06]
We do know from the police that this is part of an ongoing investigation into multiple stolen guns, and that at a separate residence, a separate warrant carried out at a separate residence, there were two juveniles arrested, three guns found. But the person that they were looking for at this home, according to the aunt of this young woman, hadn't lived there for more than a year. So, we'll find out more as this investigation is carried out.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely.
Athena Jones, thank you so much.
John.
BERMAN: All right, happening now, Donald Trump in a New York courtroom where we could very well see the return of the "Access Hollywood" tape as key evidence later today.
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BERMAN: All right, any moment now we expect the woman who won a defamation case against Donald Trump about sexual abuse, she is to take the stand with Donald Trump sitting just feet away.
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