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Mar-a-Lago Epicenter of Activity as Trump Team Starts Hiring; Biden Welcomes Trump to White House on Wednesday; Fire Crews Battle Wildfires Burning on Both Sides of the U.S. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired November 11, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: The president-elect just named his border czar what he has already said about mass deportations and why another Trump ally suggests you shouldn't believe what Trump promised on the campaign trail.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, millions of people in New York and New Jersey under red flag and air quality warnings as crews rushed to contain a now deadly wildfire.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Are you doom spending? It is a thing apparently when retail therapy becomes a much bigger problem. What is causing it and what it's all about?

I'm Sara Sidner with John Berman and Kate Bolduan. This is CNN News Central.

BOLDUAN: People trying to pay their way in, a circus that begins after dark and the world's richest man always by his side. This morning, there are new details and new reporting inside the Trump transition that is all taking shape at his Mar-a-Lago home and he also just named one big role in that transition.

Overnight, Donald Trump announced that Tom Homan, a man who was in charge of Trump's immigration efforts last term, will be his, quote, borders are this term. And sources tell CNN Donald Trump also wants New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as his U.N. ambassador. Trump's mass deportation plans and his global agenda possibly soon in their hands.

And new details also on everything Elon Musk is finding himself involved in. Musk reportedly at Trump's club and by his side nearly every day since Trump won.

Let's get started with CNN's Steve Contorno. Steve, first and foremost, who is in and who is out?

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Well, good morning, Kate. As you said, it's pretty much a free for all at Mar-a-Lago right now. Our Kristen Holmes reporting yesterday that people are trying to get in the door, getting as close to power as they can, hoping to rub elbows and secure themselves positions in Trump's new administration. Members to Mar-a- Lago right now are very popular because there are no checks on who they can bring in the door. So, people trying to ingratiate themselves to the former and president-elect. Donald Trump has been trying to get through the door through these members so they can get his ear or at least try to get in close to someone who might be able to hook them up with the job.

But we have been told that Trump's process for building out his cabinet and his administration is proceeding in a more orderly fashion than perhaps it did eight years ago. And that starts with who he has put at the top. That is Susie Wiles, his incoming chief of staff, the first woman to ever hold the title. And she is orchestrating this entire effort to build out his government.

And so far, as you said, we know that Tom Homan will be a border czar. He was the ICE director under President Donald Trump previously. A border czar would not require him to go through some sort of vetting process through. He would instead just sort of be at a more 10,000- foot level. And then Representative Elise Stefanik has been reportedly offered the role to be Trump's U.N. ambassador.

Homan over the weekend discussing exactly how he intends to go about orchestrating Donald Trump's plans for mass deportation. Take a listen to what he told Fox on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HOMAN, FORMER ACTING ICE DIRECTOR: You concentrate on the public safety threats and the national security threats first, because those are the worst of the worst.

The men and women, I do this daily, they're good at it. They're all got Fourth Amendment training. They know what they can and cannot do legally. And it's a well-targeted -- when we go out there, we're going to know who we're looking for. We most likely know where they're going to be in this redundant, humane manner.

I keep reading these stories about, you know, concentration camps. ICE has high detention standards in the industry. And so these people will be well taken care of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CONTORNO: Now, three jobs that we know Donald Trump is closely prioritizing are his attorney general pick, who will be in charge of carrying out his Justice Department, which he spoke a lot about during the campaign, his campaign of revenge, a Homeland Security chief, and as well as who will lead the Pentagon as the Department of Defense secretary.

BOLDUAN: And what are you learning about Elon Musk's role?

CONTORNO: It's quite more expansive than we anticipated coming into this election. Remember, he was given some sort of, or promised some sort of role overseeing the budget and taking a look at a commission that could potentially find ways to cut spending.

[07:05:06]

Well, he has instead been far more involved already in Donald Trump's early forming of his government. He was on that phone call with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy last week, which was a surprise to many given the role that Musk has played not only in providing internet on the frontlines of the Ukraine war, but also because of the ties he has to many of our adversaries around the globe with his production in China and his relationship with Russia.

And he has basically been at Mar-a-Lago nonstop since the election, essentially setting up camp there. He has been photographed with members of Trump's family. He has also been weighing in on the fight for who will be the next majority leader of the incoming Senate, siding with Donald Trump that he needs to get, that whoever takes the job will have to push through recess appointments, and has been vocal in pushing for Senator Rick Scott in that three-way race for that job.

BOLDUAN: Steve Contorno, thank you for your reporting. John?

BERMAN: All right. This morning, we're learning how President Biden is preparing for President-elect Trump's visit to the White House later this week. Sources tell CNN that President Biden is expected to reaffirm his commitment to a peaceful transfer of power, while also emphasizing to Trump that the U.S. must keep supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is with us this morning. What else are you hearing, Arlette?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, for President Biden, this meeting with President-elect Trump is a key step in trying to show that he is committed to a peaceful transfer of power. Biden will be restoring a tradition that Trump himself had shunned back in 2020 when he did not invite then-President-elect Biden to the White House or even concede the election.

But this meeting in the Oval Office on Wednesday will give the two former competitors the chance to talk about some of the most pressing domestic and foreign policy issues of the day. Here is how National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan described the expectations for this meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SULLIVAN, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The first and most important message will be the President Biden is committed to the peaceful transfer of power.

And then they will go through the top issues, both domestic and foreign policy issues, including what is happening in Europe and Asia and the Middle East, and the president will have the chance to explain to President Trump how he sees things, where they stand and talk to President Trump about how President Trump is thinking about taking on these issues when he takes office.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SAENZ: Now, one area where Biden could potentially try to exert some influence with Trump is over the issue of Ukraine. Sullivan said that President Biden would spend the next 70 days trying to make the case for why U.S. aid to Ukraine should continue beyond this administration. Biden has said that he will dole out the remaining funds that have been approved for Ukraine by the time he leaves office. And it comes at a time when President-elect Trump has cast doubt on what future U.S. support for Ukraine could look like. So, that is likely a topic that could come up in this Oval Office meeting.

Now, President Biden in the coming weeks will also be really focused on trying to implement the key legislation that was passed during his time in office. That includes the infrastructure law, the Chips and Science Act, and also that health care and climate law known as the Inflation Reduction Act. Sources across the administration said that they are really racing to implement those pieces of legislation, and that includes focusing on doling out money across various sectors, so, for instance, the Commerce Department working with major companies on potential subsidies for chip manufacturing. There could also be grants and awards for climate initiatives, and, of course, that aid for Ukraine.

So, that is one of the areas where President Biden will focus on in the coming weeks as he's trying to shore up the initiatives from his presidency. But the president also has said that his team will be very focused on this transition, making sure that the Trump team has the resources they need for this orderly and peaceful transfer of power to occur.

BERMAN: Very different than four years ago. Arlette Saenz at the White House, thank you very much. Sara?

SIDNER: All right. The battle to become the new Senate majority leader is on. President-elect Trump making demands and those who want the job falling in line.

Firefighters are battling wildfires on both coasts this morning. The latest on the deadly fire and smoke that is choking residents in New York and New Jersey.

And why Mattel is apologizing about porn this morning. The huge mistake on packaging for its new wicked dolls. All those stories ahead.

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[07:10:00]

SIDNER: Dry conditions, high winds fueling dangerous wildfires on both U.S. Coasts. In Southern California, the winds are expected to pick up again today, making it a lot harder for fire crews battling the mountain fire that you see there. It has now burned more than 20,000 acres and it's just 31 percent contained. Residents who evacuated returned to find their homes in ruins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JAMIE RANDALL, HOME DESTROYED BY WILDFIRE: I feel like the shock is wearing off a little bit. It's hard to see this. It's harder. I think today for me than it was even a few days ago to wrap my head around the gravity of what has happened to our home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: So many people lost everything. In the northeast, an 18-year- old volunteer forest ranger died while responding to a wildfire burning along the New York-New Jersey border.

[07:15:07]

One of several wildfires in the tri-state area of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service warning the entire state at this point is under extreme fire danger.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino is joining me now. What can you tell us on the latest on these fires? Of course, people here in New York City have been feeling it because the air quality is so terrible.

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Correct. 537 wildfires have burned in New Jersey since October 1st, Sarah. That's 500 more than at the same time period last year.

Now, the northeast is not typically an area where we hear about these brush fires, but there's been incredibly dry drought conditions here in the past few months, and that has created these sort of perfect conditions for brush fires.

Now, 7,000 acres of land have already burned between New Jersey and parts of New York. And the fire chief in New Jersey told us over the weekend that they have not seen conditions as dry as this since they started keeping record.

Now, as you mentioned, that first responder tragically lost his life. He was fighting one of the fires in New Jersey, the Jennings Creek fire. That fire is still only 10 percent contain.

Now, one thing that also is sort of incredible to hear about here in New York City, New Yorkers have been asked to conserve water because of this drought watch that we are in the middle of. The city mayor has banned the use of outdoor grills in city parks. And on Friday, we saw Prospect Park in Brooklyn County. actually catch fire, an area the size of about two football fields was burning. Firefighters were able to put it out that night.

But it's just incredible to see this major city park actually on fire. It really gives you an idea of just how dry the conditions are.

Now, New Yorkers being asked to conserve water. So, don't run the tap, run the dishwasher and the washer when they're full. Take quick showers. And the mayor just trying to ask everyone to do their part because we have not gotten a whole lot of rain, we got a little bit last night, but it really didn't do much to improve these conditions. SIDNER: I was going to ask you about that because there was some rain last night, but this is just so unusual to see these fires burning on both coasts. People used to hearing about in California, but in New York, New Jersey, not so much. What an incredibly dangerous situation it's created.

Thank you so much, Gloria. I appreciate it. Kate?

BOLDUAN: There's a general sense of dread from everyone. That is one quote from a new CNN report of how some government workers are feeling as they brace for Donald Trump's campaign promises to purge the federal workforce with massive cuts and transfers. We have new reporting on that coming in.

And 25 down and apparently 18 to go. It is still monkey mayhem in one South Carolina county. How the search is now going for more than a dozen escaped monkeys.

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[07:20:00]

BOLDUAN: New this morning, the United States launched a second consecutive night of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Details on the weapons used and the targets hit remain limited at this hour, but explosions were reported in areas previously hit by the U.S. military.

Now, these strikes come on the heels of a wave of attacks that happened on Saturday. American fighter jets targeting Houthi sites the Pentagon says were housing advanced weapons used against U.S. warships. John?

BERMAN: All right. New this morning, federal workers are bracing for the likelihood of a purge when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. One employee tells CNN, quote, there is a feeling of dread among everyone.

CNN's Rene Marsh is with us now. Rene, what are you hearing?

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, we are in a new dystopian hellscape. That is from a federal employee via text message last night, and that is the mindset of many of the 2 million federal workers anticipating Donald Trump's return to office.

Now, to be clear, what Donald Trump is promising for federal workers is unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime. He's proposing reverting to a structure of government that existed 141 years ago, when political parties gave government jobs to their supporters, and that's what has federal workers who I'm speaking to so anxious and so scared about Trump's plan known as Schedule F.

Now, it would give him the power to start these mass firings of nonpartisan career employees perceived as disloyal, who may get in the way of his policy actions that these agencies. As you know, Trump has obsessed on the campaign trail about the idea of federal workers being agents of the deep state working against him and his agenda.

Now, some of the employees who lived through the first Trump administration say they are experiencing PTSD, one saying, quote, we are absolutely having conversations amongst ourselves about whether we can stomach a round two. That's what one government employee told me.

But it's not just the mass firings. We expect to see a second Trump presidency will also mean mass transfers of senior executives, relocation of agency offices, something we saw the first time around. John?

BERMAN: What's Elon Musk's role in all this?

MARSH: Well, Trump's proposal for a government efficiency commission would be headed by the billionaire Elon Musk, who has pushed for this task force and has promised that, through this government efficiency program and task force, it could slash some $2 trillion in government spending. So, that's another factor that many of these employees are just worried about and concerned about what will that mean.

[07:25:00]

BERMAN: All right. Rene Marsh for us in Washington, Rene, I know you're going to stay on this, thanks very much. Sara?

SIDNER: All right. Donald Trump already wielding power over Congress, his latest demands for Republicans who have been jockeying to be next Senate leader.

And posts of a little stranded goat in Hawaii had gone viral, stuck at a cliff for four days, multiple organizations just unable to get to him. An amazing Good Samaritan story coming up next.

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[07:30:00]

BOLDUAN: President-elect Trump wielding new power over who will lead the Senate.