Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

South Hit With "Once-In-A-Generation" Winter Storm; Southern California Winds Return Amid Ongoing Fire Threatn; Trump Withdraws U.S. From World Health Organization. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired January 21, 2025 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:30:25]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: A bone-chilling cold is sweeping more than a quarter of the United States, especially down south, where a once-in- a-generation winter storm could drop record snow from Texas all the way to the Carolinas.

About 40 million Americans are under winter weather alerts. And areas stretching from Houston into southern Louisiana has already seen up to two inches of snow, and more is on the way.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN HOST: Our senior national correspondent, Ed Lavandera, is watching the snowfall in Houston, which got its first ever blizzard warning. And also a blizzard warning issued for portions of coastal Texas.

Ed, how are you holding up there?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, for a region of the country that is more used to getting flooding and hurricane warnings and that sort of thing, this is a very different change of pace.

Much -- much of the heavy snow that we have seen falling overnight and into the morning hours has kind of dissipated, and that has left behind this mess on the roadways.

Now, the good news is, is that it's rather slushy at this point. So a lot of people are kind of out and about at least enjoying the snow around the city here.

But the problem is, is that freezing temperatures are expected to hit overnight as well. So all of this slush that you see on the roadways is probably going to turn to ice in many places around southeast Texas.

And that is why officials here are really urging people to continue staying off the roadways and to plan to be off the roadways at least through tomorrow. Temperatures about late morning expected to get above freezing again. So it will take some time for all of this to -- to melt off.

But you know, this is, like I mentioned, just not a region of the country that's expected to deal with this kind of thing.

In fact, the state of Texas had to bring in snowplows into the area because it's not something that is just kept here around the -- around the year to help combat the street conditions here in southeast Texas. So they are battling all of that.

Schools are closed through tomorrow in most places. The airports are closed throughout the day today. So really just everything kind of frozen in place.

And most people, as I've driven around the city here this morning, kind of just enjoying the rare snowfall, actual real snowfall that you can make snow -- snowmen and go sledding in.

So something for many people here in Texas to enjoy in this very rare, rare occasion.

Back to you guys.

SANCHEZ: Ed, Ed, I would really enjoy it if you got closer to the sidewalk, man, especially those slippery conditions. We want to see you safe and warm.

Ed Lavandera, live in Houston, thank you so much, my friend.

Let's get to CNN meteorologist, Chad Myers, who is tracking the storm from the CNN Weather Center.

Chad, this rare storm obviously could impact cities that don't often get this kind of weather. And folks might be unprepared.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, and I was just looking at those shots right next to Ed from New Orleans and how much snow there actually is on the ground already.

The biggest number from December of 1963 was 2.7in. Your forecast is for significantly more than that, probably double, probably somewhere around six inches before it finally stops.

So, yes, there have been numbers that are higher than that. Even Lafayette had eight inches of snow already.

There will be some slick spots around Atlanta. But really across the south from New Orleans, through Mobile, on upward toward Charleston. Savannah, that's where the snow is going to make the biggest impact.

Already, thousands of flights aren't going to make it to where they thought they we're going to make it today.

Here's what we look like 1:00. But then by 4:00, it's right up along the I-95. If you're on the I-95 in Florida, I think you're going to make it to New York tonight, you're probably not.

We're probably going to be shutting these places down. Some of these roads are not going to get cleared enough, especially those elevated roadways. Part of the problem with I-10 is that really from almost Mobile, almost all the way across Louisiana, most of that highway, I- 10, is an elevated highway. And so they never had a chance of keeping that clean.

You don't have it when it's cold underneath and it's cold on top, obviously, those roadways really, really go quickly.

But look at the wind chill in Chicago right now. It's 23 degrees below zero to your skin and your pets skin as well. And 75 percent of the country, 250 million people, still seeing below freezing temperatures.

TAUSCHE: Chad, let's talk about Los Angeles as well, because --

MYERS: Yes.

TAUSCHE: -- strong Santa Ana winds are also blowing across parts of southern California. What are the red-flag alerts saying and what sort of conditions are firefighters confronting there? And could there be rain on the way?

MYERS: There is rain on the way, but really, we're I know we're talking about Los Angeles, but riverside county and also San Diego County, you're in it today, too. This is an extreme event for you. Haven't had any real significant fires down in the San Diego area.

[13:35:04]

But if you are to the east of San Diego, where that wind is going to go over those mountains, this is the event we're going to have tonight. As soon as the sun sets, all of that air is going to try to fall to the ground that's rising now in the desert.

That's how it happens. That's how Santa Ana works. But we've had all of these problems up to the north here, up to San Gabriels and all that. But look down here to the pink. We haven't had that pink just to the east there of San Diego.

We need to be very careful with sparks, with flames. If you smell smoke, you need to figure out where that smoke is coming from and if that fire is coming toward you.

Dangerous day there for San Diego County as well. We have to keep them involved with this one.

TAUSCHE: An important warning, Chad.

Chad Myers, thank you. We appreciate it.

MYERS: Thank you.

TAUSCHE: Still ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL, President Trump says he thinks he'll apply new tariffs on Canada and Mexico on February 1st. Up next, well speak with a Democratic lawmaker who believes the tariffs could have negative impacts on the auto industry in her state of Michigan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [13:40:26]

SANCHEZ: On Donald Trump's first full day of his second term, stocks are trading modestly higher as investors remain optimistic that his agenda will boost corporate profits.

Though uncertainty over tariffs could change that dynamic on Wall Street and across the world after he did not follow through on his vow to immediately impose sweeping tariffs on countries -- rather on imports from all countries.

Trump floated the idea of universal tariffs yesterday and delayed imposing that 25 percent tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada he promised on day one until February 1st.

The president was also reluctant to give specifics on how he'd install his proposed 60 percent levy on goods from China.

Let's discuss with Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan.

Congresswoman, thank you so much for being with us.

If Trump follows through on that threat regarding Mexico and Canada in 10 days or so, what do you think the immediate impact is going to be?

REP. DEBBIE DINGELL (D-MI): Well, you know, first of all, I want to say this, too. I am not someone that is automatically against tariffs. And I think tariffs are a tool in the toolbox that we need to be using to make sure we're playing on a level playing field.

But I also have quietly expressed to some people that NAFTA, North America Free Trade Agreement, I think, was one of the worst trade policies we've ever had. And I don't, quite frankly, think we should be treating Mexico and Canada alike anymore.

I think that when -- our trade with Canada, we're dealing with a country that has labor agreements, they have environmental, they have quality agreements.

And we renegotiated NAFTA. We have what we call the USMCA, but we're not -- I think we still need to be looking at -- at tweaking that agreement. I don't think China should be allowed to build plants in Mexico and then be able to sell them in this country and market them as North American vehicles. They're not.

So I want to work with this administration. I'm probably one of the more pro-tariff people that there are in this Congress. But there are tools in the toolbox. I don't believe in them straight across the board.

And I think we have to start to look at Mexico and Canada as different trading partners.

SANCHEZ: Now I wonder, Congresswoman, as you noted, you said you would work with Trump on issues that affect your district, obviously, a hub of auto manufacturing. You noted China building auto manufacturing plants in Mexico.

Notably, the U.S. is one of the top importers of car parts in the world. So how do you think slapping tariffs on China and Mexico might impact the auto industry and the cost of those products coming in here for U.S. consumers?

DINGELL: Look, here's a fact. We need to bring our supply chain back home to America. We did not know -- I don't think Americans understood what we had done with our supply chain until Covid, and the fact that we couldn't even buy masks or gloves or gowns in this country.

So I want to reduce the costs. But I also don't want China subsidizing their products, which is what they're doing, they are significantly subsidizing the products they're selling in this country. They want to destroy our market and then raise prices.

I want to protect American jobs. I want to bring those American jobs back home. I want to bring our supply chains back home. And I will work with this administration on doing that.

SANCHEZ: You did say that you want to reduce prices, but, as you know, often, tariffs, the cost of tariffs get passed on to consumers. So I wonder how you balance those two ideas.

DINGELL: So I think tariffs are a tool in the toolbox. And I do not believe that many people understand what our trading partners are doing, that China is significantly subsidizing the products that are being made in China. The Chinese Communist government is investing in those companies.

We want to protect our domestic auto industry. We don't want the consumers paying more. And that's why we need smart trade policy. Tariffs are a tool in the toolbox.

And we need to help educate the consumer about what China is doing. Eighty to 90 percent of our medicines are made overseas. That's not only an economic security issue. That's a national security issue.

And keeping manufacturing in this country producing steel and automobiles is a national security issue, too.

SANCHEZ: Congresswoman, I also want to ask you about the January 6th pardons. Senate majority leader, John Thune, today said that now-- former President Biden, quote, "opened the door" on this when he was asked about Trump's sweeping pardons of January 6th rioters.

[13:45:04]

He accused Biden, who preemptively pardoned some of his family members at the last minute yesterday, of the, quote, "most massive use of the pardon power that we've seen in history."

Do you think that Biden pardoning his family made it harder to criticize Trump for his use of pardon powers?

DINGELL: No. I'm going to be very clear. I was surprised by that. It was not discussed with me. I'm sure he has his reasons for pardoning his family and was worried about Trump retribution.

But I am very concerned about, four years ago, when we saw the people that -- I think some people thought they we're voicing their opinion, but other people came here to do harm. They came to murder the vice president. They almost killed and did irreparably harm law enforcement officers.

I cannot justify, in any way, shape or form someone attacking a law enforcement officer and giving them a pardon. And you know it is what it is.

But I do not want to contribute to people thinking violence is OK in this country, that the way for us to express our disagreement is to go after people, to attack them the way that was done.

And that I don't agree with either. I can disagree with people on both sides of the aisle.

SANCHEZ: Sure. And I wonder, Congresswoman, what you say to Republicans who have said that they are now looking forward on this issue, rather than looking backward, dodging questions about these pardons?

DINGELL: Look, these pardons have been granted now, I hope they're going to join with me to fight and stand up against violence, against people attacking each other, about what happened in this capitol four years ago.

And I don't think that any of us can ever say to somebody that the kind of violence, that wanting to threaten and kill people, the physical damage that was done to people or that was done to law enforcement -- and quite frankly, I think we're finding it too easy in this country to go after people, to attack people.

I want to dial down the tone. I want to believe in civility. And I hope my Republican friends will help me do that.

SANCHEZ: One last question, Congresswoman. You were spotted speaking yesterday with Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, and Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple. I wonder what that conversation was like.

And I also wonder how you felt about having these titans of industry and also these billionaires in the inaugural party, given President Biden's warning about the tech industrial complex and the threat of an oligarchy coming to the United States.

DINGELL: So I know Tim Cook. I have a good cordial relationship with him. And we had a long talk. I'm not going to get into the details.

But I hope that they're going to talk to Democrats as well as Republicans. And I think that's intent.

I've met mark before. He testified in front of the committee. We talked about a lot of things. And they we're honest, candid conversations. And I'll leave it at that.

SANCHEZ: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, well leave the conversation there. Appreciate your time.

DINGELL: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Still to come this afternoon, President Trump announcing that he is withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization. We're going to speak to a medical professional about how this move could impact you in just moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:52:51]

TAUSCHE: Today, the World Health Organization says it's hoping President Trump reconsiders withdrawing the U.S. from the U.N. health agency.

This isn't a new move from President Trump. He began the process of withdrawing in his first term during the Covid-19 pandemic but Biden halted the exit when he became president.

Joining us now is emergency physician doctor, Jeremy Faust.

Dr. Faust, at a practical level, what does this mean?

DR. JEREMY FAUST, EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN: Thank you for having me.

Look, I hope that the administration might reconsider this. President Trump has advisers and experts who can study this.

And I think, if they do, they'll conclude that for the average American who just wants to know that their government is keeping them safe, that the World Health Organization does a lot of things that we don't know about every day.

There are little things on the day to day lives we lead that we don't appreciate, like the fact that the flu vaccine that we benefit from is informed by data from the WHO and their leadership.

And then on emergencies, Americans want to know that we're safe from the next emergency. And the WHO partners with its member nations to identify concerns.

Look, February 12, 2020, the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern. That let the world know something was coming and to prepare for Covid.

So I think that the effect that this has on Americans is it gives us a little bit less of a -- of a safety net for knowing what's about to show up at our doorstep, if anything.

TAUSCHE: Well, President Trump has been critical of the WHO for its response to the Covid-19 pandemic beyond the early warning.

And Republicans have also been critical about some of the negotiations to prepare for the next pandemic, which some critics say, hey, that's already a century away. I'm curious how you, as a doctor, would grade the WHO During the past

pandemic.

FAUST: Well, I have certainly never been shy to criticize specific things the WHO has done on this network and others. But I've also found that their leadership will take expertise into account and -- and move forward.

We can leverage our position, as the United States, as the biggest donor to the WHO to help make things better. And I think that's important.

[13:54:59]

Look, the WHO has had missteps. But there's also been places where we're really grateful when there's a Marburg outbreak, which is related to Ebola in Rwanda.

Rwanda has great infrastructure to -- to do what it did, which was to control that outbreak this fall. But a lot of places, a war-torn nation might not have that. And the WHO has the clout and they have the ability to come control an outbreak.

So I would say that the administration should use its leverage that we have to improve the WHO and to protect Americans better, which will protect global citizens in a better way.

So rather than just cut bait, I think that we should negotiate and get a better -- a better organization to help us all.

TAUSCHE: Well, the withdrawal will take place a year from now, so perhaps there is time to negotiate. For now, we have to leave it there.

Dr. Jeremy Faust, our thanks to you.

FAUST: Thank you.

TAUSCHE: Minutes from now, President Trump is set to meet with GOP congressional leadership as they focus on the president's legislative agenda. We'll bring you that meeting coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)