Return to Transcripts main page
CNN News Central
Marines Arrive in Guantanamo Bay; American Opinion on Trump Tariffs; Chris Swonger is Interviewed about Tariffs; Naomi Watts on Menopause. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired February 03, 2025 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:31:31]
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Anger over President Trump's immigration policies spilled out onto the streets of Los Angeles over the weekend. The LAPD - so much so that the LAPD was forced to close several roads because of the protests. The 101 Freeway even shut down for a time.
And this morning, the president's latest move to crack down on illegal immigration. U.S. Marines touching down in Guantanamo Bay to begin preparing President Trump's migrant operations center.
CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is keeping an eye on all of this for us from Washington.
Priscilla, when it comes to Guantanamo Bay, what are they preparing for? What is the facility going to be used as?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is ultimately an expansion. And it stems from President Donald Trump's announcement last week that he wanted to expand the facilities in Guantanamo Bay to hold migrants. Now, there is a migrant operation center that currently exists at Guantanamo Bay. It is separate from where other detainees are held. And in the past, it's been used for those migrants that are interdicted at sea, sent there to be processed and then returned to their origin country.
Now, what they are planning is something much larger, essentially building out a facility. And the number that President Donald Trump gave was 30,000 to temporarily hold before these migrants are then deported back to their home country.
Now, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was asked about this yesterday, and here's how she described the process in their plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTI NOEM, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: The plan is to have a process that we follow that's laid out in law and make sure that we're dealing with these individuals appropriately according to what the state and the - what - the national lawsuit or law directs.
So, we will work with Congress to make sure that we're addressing our legal immigration laws and using Guantanamo Bay appropriately.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALVAREZ: Now, this is not the first time that the U.S. government has considered expanding that facility for the holding of migrants. In fact, during the Biden administration there were considerations underway among officials in the event of what they called a mass maritime migration. They were concerned that there were going to be a surge of Haitians, and that they would have to have a place to put them. They did not move forward with those plans. But in the course of those plans, they determined that it would take about 30 days to set something like this up.
But, of course, Kate, the Trump administration is moving forward with this. They say that they are building out these plans. Now, the question is, who exactly will they place there and what does it look like on the ground?
BOLDUAN: Also, Priscilla, the Trump administration announced its revoking the temporary protective status for thousands - for thousands of Venezuelan migrants. What does this mean?
ALVAREZ: What they are doing here is essentially letting these protections expire so that many people will lose them in April.
Now, these are protections that are granted to populations where - that are considered by the U.S. government to not be able to return to their home country because of hardships there. It's something called temporary protected status, a form, in other words, of humanitarian relief.
Now, Republicans have long argued that what was meant to be temporary has been provided to migrants already in the U.S. for too long, for extended periods of time. And now the Homeland Security secretary is essentially saying as much by ending the protections and letting those expire for those who already have them. These are people that are in the United States. And it is one of a series of moves by this administration to strip away temporary protections for migrants.
[08:35:04]
I've also been told by a source that they are preparing plans to terminate a parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans. That program was set up under the Biden administration, allowing people to legally migrate to the U.S. to temporarily live and work here.
So, if you take this all in totality, it is essentially the Trump administration ending multiple different protections for populations already residing in the U.S. as, of course, Kate, they also prepare to ramp up their deportation plans.
BOLDUAN: Yes, absolutely.
Good to see you. Thank you so much, Priscilla, for your reporting. Coming up for us, still industries from food to footwear are preparing
for pain as President Trump's tariffs are about to set in. One industry is already seeing the impact of this trade war, American liquor. Some Canadian liquor stores pulling U.S. made alcohol from the shelves.
And time to dig in. New York's top FBI official vowing to fight now after the Trump administration questions agents about their involvement in investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:41:24]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this morning, for the first time, President Trump is saying that Americans might feel some pain from the tariffs he is imposing on Mexico, Canada and China. Senator Rand Paul calls them taxes on U.S. consumers. So, how do these U.S. consumers feel about all of that? Well, one man knows the answer.
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten is here.
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Hey, John.
BERMAN: How do Americans feel about tariffs when asked?
ENTEN: Yes, how do they feel? You know, I feel like Howard Stern's mother. Something horrible has happened here. That's what's going on. You're getting on my biggest New York Jewish accent I could.
Trump's tariffs on Canada, China, Mexico, look at this, just 38 percent support. You don't have to be a mathematical genius to figure out that 51 percent oppose is larger than the 38 percent support.
Look, Trump has done some fairly popular things in his first few weeks in office. This is not one of them. No, no, no. Horrible, horrible, horrible, to quote Charles Barkley. The American folks are opposed to these tariffs. When you ask it specifically like this, about the three countries, or if you ask it more vaguely about tariffs overall, they, simply put, do not like it, Mr. Berman.
BERMAN: That's interesting, even with China in the question, people say that they are opposed to tariffs.
ENTEN: Correct.
BERMAN: The majority here, and there's not a majority on a lot of things these days.
How about how Americans say they want to see Donald Trump focused in this first 100 days, and whether tariffs should be a focus?
ENTEN: You know, the two big focuses for Trump in the polling are immigration and the economy. Tariffs ain't it, my dear friend. Tariffs ain't it. Trump should focus on tariffs. In November of 2024, when Ipsos asked that it was 1 percent. Look at what happened in December of 2024. It doubled. It doubled. But to only 2 percent. When you double to only 2 percent, you know that the American people don't want Trump's focus to be here. They don't like it. They don't want his focus to be there. They want it to be on other issues.
BERMAN: Are they paying attention? Do they notice that this is happening?
ENTEN: Yes. So, the big question is, you know, Trump has done a lot of things that are unpopular in the past, but that poll numbers haven't moved. That may be the case here, but I'm a little skeptical of that. Why?
Take a look at weekly Google searches for tariffs. Look how much higher they are versus a year ago. They're up 2,400 percent. That reaches a 21-year high. You know folks are paying attention when there are more Google searches for that than for Taylor Swift, who almost always is in the top of Google searches.
BERMAN: There were more Google searches for tariffs than Taylor Swift?
ENTEN: Correct. In the past week more Google searches for tariffs than for Taylor Swift. I never thought I'd see it happen, but American people are actually interested in tariffs in a negative fashion it seems to be.
BERMAN: Interesting. We'll see what happens over the next few hours. It does raise questions about whether there will be the follow through.
ENTEN: We'll see.
BERMAN: All right, Kate.
BOLDUAN: This morning, at least five provinces in Canada are pulling American liquor from store shelves in response to President Trump's tariffs. It's a move that impacts more than half of Canada's population. The premier in British Columbia calls the tariffs a complete betrayal of the historic bond between the two countries, also calling it a declaration of economic war.
These moves are putting the American liquor industry on edge for sure. An industry that exported $255 million worth of spirits to Canada in 2023.
Joining us right now is Chris Swonger. He's the president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. It's a trade association representing some of the biggest names in distilled spirits here in the U.S.
Thanks for coming in, Chris.
Your reaction to all of this? I mean we're talking tequila. We're talking bourbon. We're talking some of all of my favorites in my household for sure. What does this trade war mean for the companies you represent?
[08:45:06]
CHRIS SWONGER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, DISTILLED SPIRITS COUNCIL OF THE U.S.: Well, first and foremost, thanks for having me. It's a privilege to represent the hospitality industry.
The tequila, Canadian whiskey and the American whiskey industry is all one in the same. And it's unfortunate that some of the provinces are taking American distilled spirits off the shelves because it's - they're going to hurt themselves in terms of tax revenue and forego Canadians of enjoying American distilled spirits products.
Look, we have to recognize President Trump is certainly trying to grapple with significant issues, the fentanyl crisis, border security, reducing the U.S. trade deficit. But the tariffs impacting our industry will be significant in the U.S. and Canada and in Mexico, not only with those great Americans that make distilled spirits products, but the agriculture community, bars, restaurants, bartenders.
So, our industry is committed, both with the Tequila Chamber and Mexico and Spirits Canada, or counterparts, to work closely with all three administrations to try to find some common ground.
BOLDUAN: "The Wall Street Journal" called it - called this this morning the dumbest trade war in history. Is that how it feels for the distilled spirits industry?
SWONGER: Well, there is a unique American success story I'd like to share. Twenty years ago there were 60 distilleries in the United States. And today there's over 3,000, small mom and pop distilleries that have popped up in communities all around the country. And those distilleries look towards export, exporting American distilled spirits products and American whiskey. And, obviously, Mexico and Canada are great targets for that. Great markets.
And at the same time, our products are distinctive by nature. You can only make American whiskey in the United States. You can only make tequila in the Jalisco region of Mexico. So, they're not like for like products. And we're going to work hard with the - working with the Trump administration, of course, and Mexico and Canada to make sure our products don't get embroiled in this unfortunate trade dispute.
BOLDUAN: Unfortunate seems to be one way of putting it for so many industries.
SWONGER: Yes.
BOLDUAN: And I get you need to be careful in - maybe try to be careful in the language you use because this is all just setting in right now and you need it to come to a beneficial ending for your industry. But you have seen this movie before. I was just looking back, during the first Trump term, tariffs that he issued, it wreaked havoc on the industry. Brown-Forman of Jack Daniels and also Woodford Reserve reported losing more than $125 million during the last round of tariffs.
Do you think it will be worse this time around? SWONGER: We're worried. Unfortunately, at the end of March 2025, two months away, and I was just in Brussels this past week, the EU is scheduled to impose a 50 percent tariff on American whiskey. And we're trying to - we're trying to withhold that. This was all based on President Trump, in the first administration, trying to bring more aluminum and steel manufacturing into the United States, which we can appreciate and understand.
Unfortunately, in June 2018, our friends in the EU imposed a 25 percent tariff on American whiskey at that point. And then it got our industry in a tit for tat. So, we're going to work hard with both the EU, where a lot of distilled spirits come into the U.S. market from the EU. Obviously, a lot of tequila, a lot of Canadian whiskey. And the American distilled spirits industry wants to be able to export these products. So, we're going to work hard to try to get these issues resolved.
BOLDUAN: Chris, is there any way this trade war happens, this tit for tat or anything like it, and customers do not pay for it?
SWONGER: It's - it's going to have an impact. It's going to have an impact on American consumers, Canadian consumers, Mexican consumer of - in - in the success story of the distilled spirits industry is when there's zero for zero tariffs and zero trade barriers. So, we're going to work hard.
Between the U.S. and the EU, in 1997 it called off all tariffs, right. And the industry grew by 450 percent on the American side and on the EU side. And the same applied for Canada and Mexico as well, and the U.S. So, we are the picture perfect example of fair trade and how a - and a sector like ours can thrive as a result.
BOLDUAN: Chris Swonger, thank you so much for coming in.
[08:50:03]
SWONGER: Thank you.
BOLDUAN: John.
BERMAN: All right, this morning we are learning about Jacie Rollison. Two years ago she feared her basketball career was over. The senior center for the Tri-Valley High School Lady Dogs in Ohio found out she had a rare disorder that causes blood clots and damage to the veins. But against the odds, she made a full recovery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACIE ROLLISON, SENIOR CENTER, TRI-VALLEY: It was really surreal because they, like, we never knew if I was going to play basketball again, like, after everything. So, it was really good to see my dreams come true, because I've always wanted to play college basketball. So, it was nice to know that after I worked back to get to where I am now, it worked - it paid off.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: And she is going to keep playing. She is headed to Indiana University Kokomo after graduation.
So, we are standing by for the markets to open. Stock futures have been way down, responding to the Trump tariffs.
And is this a case of immaculate shark-ception? A baby shark born at an aquarium where there were no male sharks.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:55:27]
BERMAN: This morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington to meet with President Trump. Overnight, the Israeli military blew up several buildings in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The IDF says these buildings were used as terrorist infrastructure. Many Palestinian families were displaced.
In Greece, schools have closed and authorities announced additional flights for people to leave the island of Santorini. This comes after the region saw more than 200 earthquakes over the last four days. The tremors are minor. The strongest reaching a magnitude of 4.6. Still, it's pretty unnerving. Residents have been advised to avoid large indoor gatherings.
So, in Louisiana, what is being called an immaculate shark-ception. And it is being called that by me, I think exclusively so far. A baby swell shark was born in an aquarium inside a tank with no male sharks. Only two females. And neither female shark had had contact with a male shark in over three years, or so they say. The aquarium says it could have been from a rare asexual reproduction phenomenon known as the no fun phenomenon, or possibly an extremely delayed fertilization.
Kate.
Kate.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Further proof we don't need you.
I love you, John.
Let's talk about this. Actress Naomi Watts is talking about something she says is not talked about nearly enough, menopause. And in her case, early menopause. Something she's diving into in her new book, "Dare I Say It?" And also something she's diving into in her conversation with our own Sara Sidner as part of Sara's "Game Changer" series.
NAOMI WATTS, ACTRESS: Basically, at 36, when I was right at the precipice of wanting to start a family, and not getting pregnant, I went to my doctor who suggested we take some blood. The blood came back and the results indicated that I was, quote/unquote, close to menopause. So, you can imagine I left the office in pieces and filled with panic and shame. Like, this was the end of everything.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): Award winning actress Naomi Watts had no idea that it would turn into a new beginning, but not without suffering.
WATTS: I called my mother right away, and I said - because I did remember, in the back of my mind I had a memory of her saying that she went into menopause at 45, but no details surrounding it. I didn't know that she had a multitude of symptoms.
SIDNER (voice over): Anxiety, frozen shoulder, insomnia, dry skin, night sweats, brittle bones, brain fog, just to name a few.
SIDNER: My best friend and I always say, why is tis such a big secret?
WATTS: Oh, yes, I felt - and especially in my industry where there is so much focus on aging. I was told at 30 at the launch of my career kind of with "Mulholland Drive," that I'd better get, you know, my foot on the gas because it all finishes at 40.
SIDNER: The National Institutes of Health say more than a million women each year go into menopause. Thats 6,000 women a day.
WATTS: A day, yes.
SIDNER: And yet on their website, today, it says, the statistic, and then says, "still little is known about the health effects of this natural biological occurrence." What the actual hell?
WATTS: Yes. It's crazy.
SIDNER: Why do you think that is?
WATTS: But I think that is changing because now, finally, women have said, it's - I'm not OK with suffering.
SIDNER (voice over): And Watts is helping change it by doing something she never imagined she'd do, telling it all.
WATTS: I never would have thought I'd write a book. Just, no way. Someone who's dyslexic, by the way.
SIDNER: Wow.
WATTS: So that is the message I want to say to women to empower them and to lean into their vulnerabilities because sometimes they become your greatest strengths.
SIDNER (voice over): Now, she's daring to say it. From tips and treatments, to how to talk to men about menopause.
SIDNER: There is a part in the book that actually made me crack up.
WATTS: Oh, good.
SIDNER: Yes. WATTS: I wanted humor to, you know, because we know there's suffering. We know there's pain points. But it's not all doom and gloom.
SIDNER: The part that made me kind of chuckle is when you tell your partner that you have menopause, and how that happened. Can you tell that story?
[09:00:00]
WATTS: It was at the point where we were coming close together physically.