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Trump Picks Army Veteran, FOX News Host For Defense Secretary; Sen. John Thune Speaks After Election As New Senate GOP Leader; Other Newly Elected Republican Senate Leaders Speak To The Press; White House Speaks About Historic Biden-Trump Meeting; Auction Today For Alex Jones' InfoWars. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired November 13, 2024 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:32:31]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: CNN is getting some new reaction from former and senior military commanders after President-Elect Trump made his pick for defense secretary.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: It's Pete Hegseth, the FOX News host and Army veteran who has railed against what he describes as, quote, "Woke, Critical Race Theory, DEI things, gender stuff in the U.S. military."

In fact, here is Hegseth on a podcast just last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, FOX NEWS HOST & ARMY VETERAN: I'm straight-up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn't made us more effective. It hasn't made us more lethal. It has made fighting more complicated.

We've all served with women and they're great. It's just our institutions don't have to incentivize that in places where, traditionally -- not traditionally, over human history, men in those positions are more capable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN chief national security analyst, Jim Sciutto, has new reporting on this.

Jim, you mentioned a moment ago that your phone was ringing immediately after this --

(CROSSTALK)

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Let's be clear. None of this is personal about clear about Pete Hegseth. Many people I've spoken with currently or formerly in the Pentagon had perfectly fine relationships with him.

But it goes to both experience, lack of experience, in their view, but also his positions on key issues.

One retired four-star general told me, "There's no serious experience in the business of running the Pentagon or the national security processes.

But the more critical one is this. "Common denominator is clearly loyalty. And while some loyalty is essential, slavish fealty is dangerous."

And this four-star general here was talking not just about the Hegseth appointment but other appointments we've seen in the national security sphere so far, as we've heard from the president.

Some of the reactions were more colorful. I heard "ridiculous" from one current serving, quite high-ranking officer.

"An F-ing nightmare" from another who served.

Both Trump and Biden, I'd should say and, of course, I'm using a euphemism there.

So it speaks to experience but also world view.

Because their concern is that Hegseth is -- and he's been quite a vocal supporter, proponent of America First, the American First agenda if Trump -- that he will push the president or be part of the president's effort to, for instance, end aid to Ukraine, not defend Taiwan potentially from a Chinese invasion.

They see him as carrying out this agenda going forward.

KEILAR: There is also this culture war involving --

SCIUTTO: Yes.

KEILAR: -- the military. And Pete Hegseth has been quite a mouthpiece when it comes to that, this idea that the military is Woke and that that needs to be irradicated. Tell us more about that.

SCIUTTO: Listen, you've heard the comment about women serving in combat. I know you know women who have served in combat quite well. I have seen them service in combat. They do very well.

[13:35:06]

And by the way, there are female military veterans in the Senate who will be asked to confirm his nomination. I imagine they have strong opinions about it.

There is, as you know, a view among some on the right that there is a Woke problem in the military and this is leading to a recruiting shortfall.

Now, the fact is, when I speak to commanders in the Pentagon, they will cite that as a factor. But there are a whole host of factors that go into that. The appeal of military service today, declining health issues in terms of finding enough people who meet the fitness requirements, and just people making different choices, right?

So the idea that you're going to solve that problem by ending Woke is just not one that is supported by the evidence. When I speak to commanders who are involved in that very effort.

SANCHEZ: Jim Sciutto, thanks so much for the reporting. Obviously, a confirmation process to watch.

We're also watching Capitol Hill closely because, in just moments, we're anticipating that the newly elected Senate leader, John Thune, will be speaking to reporters.

This come after a process this morning in which he was elected by fellow Republican Senators. We'll keep a close eye on that podium.

KEILAR: Yes, there have been many times where John Thune has stood right there in the Ohio Clock Corridor on the Senate side of the capital behind Mitch McConnell. And it's going to be a different scene as he ascends to that role.

And it will be something to see exactly how this is going to signify maybe a different kind of relations between the Senate and President- Elect Trump. We'll see in a moment when he speaks. We'll bring that to you.

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KEILAR: All right, let's listen to Senator John Thune.

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD) & INCOMING SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER: Thank you all for being here.

It's a new day in the United States Senate and it's a new day in America. The American people have loudly rejected the failed policies of the Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda.

This Republican team is united. We are on one team. We are excited to reclaim the majority and to get to work with our colleagues in the House to enact President Trump's agenda.

We have a mandate from the American people. A mandate not only to clean up the mess left by the Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda but also to deliver on President Trump's priorities.

We will make sure that the president and his team have the tools and support that they need to enforce border security laws and to remove the violent criminals who are wreaking havoc in every one of our states.

We will work to make America prosperous again by streamlining the bureaucratic machine and overturning costly Biden-Harris regulations.

And we will work to restore American energy dominance. Not just our energy security but energy dominance, which will lower costs and bolster our national security.

I'm excited to get to work with this team right away. And I want to thank my colleagues who place their faith in me to serve as leader.

And to those who are supporting another candidate, I promise to be a leader who serves the entire Republican conference.

We'll have an ambitious agenda and it will take each and every Republican working together to be successful.

With that, I want to turn things over to Senator John Barrasso, the newly elected Republican whip.

(APPLAUSE)

SEN. JOHN BARRASSO (R-WY) & INCOMING REPUBLICAN WHIP: Thank you.

On election night, America saw the re-making of the Republican Party for the better. This election was about answering the question of, are you better off now than you we're four years ago? And the American people said no.

Only one in four Americans thought that the country was heading in the right direction. And you've seen the Republican Party grow in terms of hard-working middle-class families, in terms of minorities, in terms of young people, in terms of families struggling to get by.

The last three weeks before the election, I was all over the country with President Trump, with J.D. Vance, as well as a number of our Senate candidates.

One of the stories that stuck with me was a woman in Michigan who talked about the fact that he was she was embarrassed to let her husband know that she had to go to the local food bank in order to get by.

Republicans listened to those stories. Democrats were focused on President Trump. Republicans were focused on the needs of the American people.

People who wanted to get prices down, wanted to secure the border, wanted us to unleash American energy, people who wanted to make America look and be strong once again around the world.

[13:40:13]

That's what the Republicans listened to. That's what we are responding to. And we are now working together to make sure we can put America back on track.

THUNE: The newly elected Republican conference chair is the Senator from Arkansas, Senator Tom Cotton.

SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR) & INCOMING REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE CHAIR: Thank you, Senator Thune. I'm looking forward to working with Senator Thune and the rest of this

leadership team. I'm very grateful for the confidence that my peers placed in me.

We all remember what it was like when President Trump was in office and we had Republicans in charming of the Senate. We had low prices. We had high wages. We had a secure border. We had a strong military. We had a peaceful, stable world.

Starting on January 3rd, that's what we'll all be working to go build again with President Trump, with Mike Johnson and the rest of the House Republicans on behalf of the American people.

Thank you all.

THUNE: Thanks, Tom.

The newly elected Republican policy chair is the Senator from West Virginia, Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

SEN. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (R-WV) & INCOMING REPUBLICAN POLICY CHAIR: Thank you.

And congratulations to our new leader, John Thune. He will be a strong voice as he has been in the past as the whip. And I look forward to serving with him and with all of our leadership team.

I want to thank the others that ran. We had a really strong, healthy discussion. And we've all come out united and friends.

And one of the people that was in our discussion is one of the people that is going to -- although he didn't say anything, his presence was very much felt. That is the vice president-elect, J.D. Vance.

I think the fact that he not only was he a voting member of our conference but also in there with us every step of the way to make sure that the direction that we're going to go as a united conference and with me leading the policy issues and all of us working together, that we'll have a united voice.

And I'll say one thing about the election. And I've said this on all my local stations. What I think the biggest issue was -- and there are big ones, border and national security and others.

It is literally the American family, the mom and the dad, the grandmother, whoever it is, going to the grocery store. We do it all the time every week.

And we could see, all of us could see, the escalating costs of something so very basic to us, just the cost of food and hearing from the vice president in her campaign, the economy is doing great, don't worry.

And so we hear those voices. We hear them loud and clear. Those are the voices well respond to along with President Trump through the next several years. THUNE: Thank you, Shelley.

The newly elected Senate Republican conference vice chair, the Senator from Oklahoma, Sen. James Lankford.

Thank you.

Congratulations to John Thune. We're looking forward to his great leadership there.

SEN. JAMES LANKFORD (R-OK) & INCOMING SENATE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE VICE CHAIR: Republicans were asked a very simple thing. Can you get us back on track? Over 70 percent of the country right now believes the country is on the wrong track.

Our task is going to be very, very simple, to defend our values, to be able to strengthen us as a nation, and to be able to bring prosperity to people who are really struggling right now. That's a primary issue for us.

And all of those are things we are going to get onto immediately. Because the American people have spoken and said we do not like the direction that the country is going. So let's get us back on a better direction.

So this leadership team, President Trump, J.D. Vance, we're headed in a direction to be able to get the country back on the track that she is looking for.

THUNE: Thanks, James.

And the newly elected chairman of the Senate National Republican Senatorial Committee chair is the Senator from South Carolina. And he is already planning on expanding our majority in 2026. So Senator Tim Scott.

SEN. TIM SCOTT (R-SC) & INCOMING SENATE NATIONAL SENATORIAL COMMITTEE CHAIR: Without question, President Trump set out to make sure that Americans felt like this country and the American dream was alive and well and there for them.

From the border to fixing the economy, to solving the issue of crime and restoring confidence on the global stage, President Trump has been very clear on his agenda.

Our goal, with our leader, John Thune, is to make sure that we achieve those objectives.

My passion is making sure that we defend our current seats and expand the map and expand our majority so that President Trump does not just 'have two years with a Republican majority in the Senate.

He has four years in control of making sure that Americas agenda comes home to each and every household.

THUNE: Thanks, Tim. (CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you have any concerns about President Trump's cabinet picks so far and what advice would you give him when it comes to choosing nominees who will pass confirmation?

[13:45:09]

THUNE: Well, as you know, the Senate has an advise-and-consent role in the Constitution. So we will do everything we can to process his noms quickly, get them installed in their positions so they can begin to bring in his agenda.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Senate leader, (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

THUNE: Well, what we're going to do is make sure that we are processing his nominees in a way that gets them into those positions so they can implement his agenda.

How that happens remains to be seen. Obviously, we want to make sure our committees have confirmation hearings, like they typically do. And that these nominees are reported off the floor.

But I've said this and I mean it, that we expect a level of cooperation from the Democrats to work with us to get these folks install. And obviously, well look at -- explore all options to make sure that they get moved and they get moved quickly.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

THUNE: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Senator Thune, how do you intend to balance maintaining the independence of the Senate with passing the president- elect's agenda?

THUNE: Well, I mean, the Senate, as you know, is a, by the founders' design, a place where the minority has a voice in our process. And we will do the job that the founders intended us to do in the United States Senate and the American people intend us to do.

And that, right now, after this mandate election coming out of the American people to work with this president on an agenda that unwinds a lot of the damage of the Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda and puts in place new policy that's will move our country forward in a different direction.

(CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: We've been listening to the new leadership team for the Republican majority, in the 119th Congress there. We just heard the newly elected Senate majority leader, John Thune, the Senator from South Dakota, talking about a new day in America, saying the Republican team is united. We are one team.

He repeated his aspiration to pursue President Trump's agenda, saying we will deliver on Donald Trump's priorities.

Obviously, this comes as there was some resistance to Thune as leader and even a potential rival and John Cornyn as leader from MAGA allies of Donald Trump, including Elon Musk and others who publicly came out in support of Florida Senator Rick Scott in his quest that ultimately failed to become Senate majority leader.

Really, a fascinating set of questions there regarding cabinet picks. And his responses, there was a lot to read into.

KEILAR: There was. Because he was asked if he had any concerns about cabinet picks. I suppose it's not surprising that he didn't go off on a litany of concerns that he has --

SANCHEZ: Yes.

KEILAR: -- of President Trump's cabinet picks.

But I will tell you, privately, there are Republicans who may have some concerns about some of these picks.

But he said they have an advise-and-consent rule, but he quickly made it clear that they'll do everything they can to process them quickly. So maybe consent more than advise.

Let's bring in CNN's Manu Raju. He was there in the Ohio Clock Corridor at this press conference.

He said that they expected cooperation from Democrats, Manu. They don't actually need it by the numbers, right? And it is hard to see how certainly, on some of these picks, that they're going to get it.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT; Yes, that's right. I mean, they could have up to 53 seats in the Senate, assuming that Pennsylvania goes their way.

That means, on any nomination cabinet pick, any down the line, he could get 50 votes. He could lose up to three.

And for the most part, we expect that to happen on some occasions. Perhaps that will be an issue.

The question will be, what Donald Trump actually meant in terms of going forward on recess appointments. That's something that he could do if the Senate goes into an extended recess. Essentially, bypass the entire Senate confirmation process.

But Senator Thune indicating that the Senate, he does believe, plays an advise-and-consent role, even though he agrees with what Donald Trump had said earlier this week, that he wants the next Senate majority leader to push ahead and allow him to install those appointments in the process.

Another thing he said here is that he would support the legislative filibuster will remain intact. And that is significant. He's been saying this all along throughout his run for majority leader.

But this is why it is significant. In order to pass legislation in the Senate to avoid a filibuster, he needs 60 votes. Which means he would need seven Democrats to overcome any filibuster attempt.

Donald Trump, when he was president in the first term, pressured Mitch McConnel for years to try to do away with the legislative filibuster. McConnell said no to that.

And Thune is saying no as well, which means Democrats will be needed to pass the bulk of the Trump agenda.

[13:50:04]

SANCHEZ: Manu, we have to step away from Capitol Hill for a moment.

We want to go to a press room of the White House where Karine Jean- Pierre is briefing reporters on the historic meeting between President Biden and President-Elect Donald Trump.

Let's listen.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: -- the disaster fundamental funding the president requested.

Finally, the president reiterated what he said to the president-elect the day after the election and to the American people in the Rose Garden just last week. We will have an orderly transition and a peaceful transition of power.

With that, as you can see, I have the national security adviser with me, Jake Sullivan, who will preview APEC in Peru and also G-20 in Brazil. The president is going to be leaving tomorrow, as you all know.

And, Jake, the floor is yours.

JAKE SULLIVAN, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: Thanks, Karine.

And, hi, everybody.

I'm going to make some brief comments about the president's trip that he leaves on tomorrow. Answer a few questions because I know the issue you are most interested in is hearing from Karine about the meeting. So I will not dally too long up here.

But I think it is important to lay out the president's trip here over the next several days. Tomorrow, he travels to South America. His first stop will be Peru for the APEC summit, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Then he'll go on to Brazil for the first-ever presidential trip to the Amazon. And then to the G-20 --

KEILAR: All right, so we heard White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre just reiterating about this meeting that we saw, that this was about the peaceful transition of power.

And certainly, it was -- you know, not a whole lot was said. Just a few couple of comments in this meeting between Trump and Biden. But it was really just about the fact that it was happening.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

KEILAR: That's why the Biden administration did this.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Few words, but obviously, enormous significance in the fact that they were both in the room after a fraught campaign and a lot said between the two.

We'll keep an eye on the White House press briefing and hear what else may have been said about the meeting, if any further details come out about what went down behind the scenes.

We're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

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[13:56:36]

SANCHEZ: In just a few hours, we may learn the future of the conspiracy media empire, InfoWars. It is being liquidated today in an auction ordered by the U.S. bankruptcy court to help Alex Jones pay off the more than $1 billion he owes to the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims.

KEILAR: Yes, because Jones was found guilty of defamation after he repeatedly called that massacre a hoax.

One source says at least one bid is in the seven-figure range from someone who wants founder Alex Jones to continue broadcasting. Others may want to buy it to shutter it, to just shut it all down.

CNN's Hadas Gold is following this for us.

Hadas, what are you learning?

HADAS GOLD, CNN MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Well, everything is up for sale. Everything from the studio, the microphones, the valuable e-mail list, the Web site, even an armored truck and a Winnebago could be up for sale in this auction today.

And as you noted, it is to help pay off more than $1 billion that Alex Jones owes the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012.

Now in terms of who is bidding for this, it is all technically secretive because all the bidders are supposed to sign nondisclosure agreements and put down 10 percent of their initial bid.

But according to sources I've been talking to, it is a mix of allies of Alex Jones who want to keep InfoWars going as it is, and people who might have other ideas with what to do with InfoWars.

One of those allies has put in a seven-figure bid. You see the picture of Roger Stone. I don't know if he's the one that put in that seven- figure bid or has backers behind him.

But he is one of the parties that I've been told has expressed bidding.

But you all see there some names of other organizations that would likely not want to keep InfoWars going as it is.

"The Onion," a satirical news site, I've heard from sources, had expressed interest as well, as well as Media Matters, which is that left-leaning media watch dog group.

Now we are waiting to hear the outcome of this. It could come in the next few hours or potentially tomorrow.

Keep in mind, the court-appointed trustee, he does have some discretion as to who will win this auction. It doesn't necessarily have to go to the highest bidder.

Alex Jones, for his part, said he will continue broadcasting no matter what, even if that means he goes over to a different platform or a different social media address -- guys?

SANCHEZ: The InfoWars Winnebago up for grabs, apparently.

Hada Gold, thank you so much for the update.

Still ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL, Senate Republicans deciding who will lead their party. A decision with major implications for President- Elect Trump and his agenda. We just heard from Senator John Thune. We'll have more from Capital Hill in just moments.

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