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Soon: Trump Holds Event Marking Black History Month; Sources: Defense Secy. Could Soon Fire Top Generals, Admirals; Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) Discusses About Hegseth's Firing of Generals; Sen. Blumenthal Urges Trump Admin. to Reverse Terminations at FAA; Zelensky Calls Meeting with U.S. Envoy Kellogg "Productive". Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired February 20, 2025 - 15:00   ET

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

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: This hour, President Trump hosting a Black History Month event at the White House, even as he reshapes and erases diversity efforts across the country, a move that is raising eyebrows. We'll talk about that.

Plus, an about face, Secretary Hegseth said the U.S. would be investing in the military. Now he's looking for billions of dollars to cut as he threatens to fire top leaders at the Pentagon.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Plus, Kash Patel, President Trump's controversial pick to lead the FBI, confirmed after a narrow vote in the Senate. We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

KEILAR: Happening right now, the White House holds an event that marks Black History Month, as the administration simultaneously dismantles diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the federal government. CNN Anchor Victor Blackwell is with us now on this story. And Victor, it's really hard to ignore the fact that Trump's own executive order is changing how people observe this month.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: You know, Brianna, it's not just inconsistent, it is a direct contradiction of what the President is doing through his executive orders, as his senior advisor, Stephen Miller, said today, pressuring the private sector as well to purge diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

But let's talk about what's happening today. This was scheduled last week, but it was rescheduled because of inclement weather in Washington. According to the Associated Press, some of the invited guests are South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, Michigan Republican Congressman John James, also Alice Johnson, who the President pardoned in his first term, rapper Kodak Black, who the President also pardoned in his first term, and rapper Boosie Badazz, who was online now asking for a pardon from President Trump as well.

Why is the President doing this? I think people who both support him and those who do not are asking that question. And as I said, it's this contradiction not only of his rhetoric, but of the executive orders on diversity, equity, inclusion and of other departments in the executive branch. I mean, consider on January 31st, when the President issued the proclamation calling for public officials to hold celebrations of Black History Month.

Within hours, the new defense secretary issued guidance saying that Identity Months Dead at DoD. Same thing from the Department of Transportation. And anything the President reads today, any statement he's handed or anything he says, the impact is dwarfed by what he is doing through the purging of diversity, equity, and inclusion, casting it as some handout to Black people instead of a guarantee of meritocracy that it has always been. The President has banned DEI and federal agencies, said they were immense public waste, all DEI staff put on administrative leave, called it illegitimate and immoral, illegal as well.

So, again, we have to ask why the President's doing this. We're just minutes away from the start of this. But objectively, the President's supporters and those who do not, I don't know who's looking to this president and this White House for some full-throated appreciation for black people's contributions to American society.

KEILAR: Yes, there are a lot of people missing from this celebration, we should note. Victor Blackwell, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

Don't miss a new episode of FIRST OF ALL with Victor Blackwell. That will be every Saturday at 8 AM Eastern only on CNN. Boris?

SANCHEZ: A major shakeup could soon come to the Pentagon. Sources tell CNN there's a list going around with the names of top generals and admirals that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may fire after he vowed to get rid of what he calls woke officials within the department. He's also ordering the military to prepare for deep budget cuts. Let's take you now live to the Pentagon with CNN's Oren Liebermann, who has more.

Oren, let's start with this list first. Do we know who's on it?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Boris, we do have a sense of who is on this list. I will say what's unclear is if this list is final or definitive.

[15:05:03]

There are seven names here to be fired, worth noting that three of them are women. Perhaps the biggest name on this list is General C.Q. Brown, the U.S.'s top military officer, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had called for him to be fired right around the election. So, this appears to be him following through on what he said he was going to do just several weeks ago.

Now, again, unclear exactly when this might happen. There are, of course, other names on this list. The head of the Army, General Randy George, as well as Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations. She was also targeted by Hegseth. He said she was a DEI hire. Now, Secretary Hegseth has met with Brown, that is the top U.S. military officer, several times on a regular basis since Brown - since Hegseth came into the job here. So, the exact gripe here - well, that hasn't been made public at this point. In terms of who will be promoted here, that is also on the list that we have seen from two sources. And that, at least one of those is worth noting, Admiral Samuel Paparo, the commander of Indo-PaCom, will be the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

SANCHEZ: And Oren, military leaders now just have days to tell Hegseth how they plan to save billions from the Defense Department's budget. I think it's something like 8 percent a year for the next several years. What are you hearing about those plans?

LIEBERMANN: The next five years, to be exact, according to a memo from Hegseth obtained by CNN. Now, that doesn't affect the complete Defense Department, but it affects the vast majority of what the Pentagon does. Hegseth wrote that they should be prepared for 8 percent cuts over the course of the next five years, but it doesn't affect border security, the newest attack submarines and several other high priorities for the Defense Secretary.

SANCHEZ: Oren Liebermann live for us at the Pentagon. Oren, thank you so much. Brianna?

KEILAR: And joining us now to talk about all of this is Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

Sir, thank you for being with us.

And we're hearing from sources telling us, as we just heard the report there, that Hegseth could fire half a dozen general and flag officers soon who are seen as too political. What is your reaction to that?

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): These reports are pretty shocking, Brianna, because the military is supposed to be above politics. What Secretary Hegseth seems to be doing is applying a political loyalty test to the top ranks of the military. These professionals, career militaries reaching the top ranks have devoted their lives to the country. They've put their lives at risk, and they have the allegiance of the troops and sailors and airmen under them.

It is a blow to our professional military for a political loyalty test to be applied to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, C.Q. Brown, or the head of the Navy, Lisa Franchetti. And I've worked with these individuals. I know them to be people of integrity and the utmost professional dedication to our military and our national defense.

KEILAR: What about the budget cut piece of what he wants to do, calling in this new memo for military leaders to provide 8 percent cuts each year for the next five years?

BLUMENTHAL: Eight percent cuts every year, or even just one year, will have a dramatic, deleterious and damaging effect on our readiness and preparedness. For the threats that are only increasing around the world, they are likely to be met with stern, steadfast opposition on both sides of the aisle here. We've been calling for increased investments in the types of types of weapons platforms, advanced training, A.I., cyber, other kinds of defense investments that are vital to our national security. We have yet to see the details, but I can say unequivocally that the opposition is likely to be deep, dramatic and pretty enduring on both sides of the aisle.

KEILAR: Do you see what he's saying as maybe sort of an opening salvo and a bit of a negotiation that ultimately wouldn't be that much? I mean, why not scrutinize the Pentagon budget and expenditures? It's never passed an audit. I know you hear from some of your constituents who will, you know, without knowing the details, they like to use the refrain that the Pentagon budget is just too big.

BLUMENTHAL: And there is room for improvement and elimination of waste. But what Elon Musk and his tech bros are doing essentially is to lay waste to departments and agencies across the government.

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The Secretary of Defense has a really sacred obligation to look carefully and thoughtfully at the line items and where spending can be successfully cut.

I have a few ideas and I've I have a few ideas and I've advanced them in the Armed Services Committee where I sit. But across the board, draconian cuts are unacceptable. We need a scalpel, not a meat axe. And this approach is likely to provoke very strong, robust competition - opposition on both sides of the aisle.

KEILAR: So as you know, you're also on the VA committee. So you're aware and you're watching these cuts at the VA. And also, I know you're aware that almost a third of the federal workforce is composed of veterans. The federal workforce and many administrations, including the Trump administration, have purposely tried to bring them in to the workforce. And we're talking about veterans who are getting clobbered by these firings and other overhaul moves. What are you all on the committee talking about doing about it? I'm sure there's bipartisan concern here.

BLUMENTHAL: Well, I'm hopeful that there will be bipartisan concern. So far, Republicans have been strenuously silent and unforgivably, in my view, on the sidelines. We have raised these issues in more than 20 letters that I've sent to the VA secretary as the ranking member, as I am on the VA committee, demanding answers because the ones getting clobbered and a thousand people have been fired are the probationary employees, many of them younger veterans who are coming to the VA with future careers of serving our veterans. And the ones being hurt are the veterans themselves.

We're receiving reports from all around the country about cardiology, mammograms, mental health services being delayed or denied, benefits being not forthcoming,

KEILAR: Because of the cuts. BLUMENTHAL: the PACT Act, because of these cuts, we're receiving reports of services being delayed or denied, and they are essential. For example, the veterans crisis line, suicide prevention efforts. These kinds of services literally are often a matter of life and death. And our veterans who are heroes and have served our country need and deserve better.

That's why I have urged that these cuts in spending and the hiring freezes be rescinded.

KEILAR: Yes, they let some of those crisis line folks go trying to get them back. I do also want to talk to you about the FAA because you wrote a letter that was obtained by CNN to the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, and you asked for the reversal of firing of staff there. The acting FAA administrator said in an agency-wide memo, I want to assure you the agency has retained employees who perform safety critical functions. Do you take him at his word?

BLUMENTHAL: Absolutely not. The individuals who have been fired, nearly 400 of them, we believe, are the aeronautical information specialists, air safety personnel, maintenance of radar experts. These kinds of safety critical personnel are maybe not the ones in the tower, but they make the air controller's job work.

And so we've asked for information from the secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy. We've also asked him to reverse these cuts in personnel. It is exactly the wrong time to be cutting air safety personnel after the recent spate of crashes that we've seen in Reagan Airport, Nome, Alaska, Philadelphia, Toronto, some of them tragically fatal. And what they're doing is further undermining public confidence in air safety, even though it may be safe, the near collisions and the crashes make this time absolutely the worst to be doing these cuts in air safety personnel. There's no question that they are there for a reason, to make the air controller's job effective and are safety assured.

KEILAR: Yes, big questions about what kind of support staff they are. Senator Richard Blumenthal, thank you so much for being with us.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

KEILAR: Still to come, President Trump's National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, says the administration is frustrated with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and says that the war of words being hurled from Kyiv towards D.C. are unacceptable. He could not answer a question about who is more responsible for the war, Ukraine or Russia.

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Plus, new CNN polling on President Trump's approval one month after returning to the White House. We'll have that ahead.

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[15:19:31] SANCHEZ: Nearly three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, aiming to take down Kyiv in days, President Trump's National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, won't say who Trump blames for starting the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Here's Waltz at a White House briefing earlier today.

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MIKE WALTZ, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Well, look, his goal, Peter, is to bring this war to an end, period. And there has been ongoing fighting on both sides. It is World War I-style trench warfare.

[15:20:05]

His frustration with President Zelenskyy is - that you've heard is multifold. One, there needs to be a deep appreciation for what the American people, what the American taxpayer, what President Trump did in his first term and what we've done since.

So, some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly and insults to President Trump were unacceptable.

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SANCHEZ: Let's discuss with CNN Senior Military Analyst, retired Admiral James Stavridis. He served as NATO Supreme Allied Commander.

Sir, thank you so much for being with us.

You heard the National Security Adviser there. I wonder, do you think that Trump describing Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a dictator and arguing that Ukraine started this war is helpful in that greater goal of ending this conflict?

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: No, I don't. And those are both near Orwellian conclusions to make, meaning they just don't make any sense. To say that Ukraine started the war when we know it was Russian tanks that rolled into Ukraine. It was Russian aircraft that have been steadily bombing. It was Russian military who created rape rooms and torture chambers, we know all that. It's a fact. That's who started the war. To say that somehow Ukraine started the war would be like saying the United States started World War II when the Japanese attacked us at Pearl Harbor. It just fails the obvious common-sense test.

And then secondly, talking about Zelenskyy as a dictator also just doesn't add up. He's duly elected. He's quite popular in his country. All the polling I've seen has him at 55- to 57 percent popularity, quite high, particularly for the leader in the middle of a very tough war. And they haven't had an election. It's been postponed due to the exigencies of war, which is in accord with their constitution.

So no, I don't see Zelenskyy as a dictator, nor do I think there is any doubt whatsoever about who started this war. It's (INAUDIBLE) direction of the dictator, Vladimir Putin. SANCHEZ: Admiral, the backdrop of these comments today at the White House was this meeting between U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg and President Zelenskyy. How would you assess this meeting? What did you make of the fact that there was no press conference after?

STAVRIDIS: I think it's somewhat worrisome. But at this stage, I'm just happy to see engagement by Lieutenant General retired Keith Kellogg, who's a very steady hand. He knows war. He knows Europe well. He was deputy National Security Adviser during Trump won. And I also am happy to see National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, who is the Middle East envoy, but is doing duty on this. I'm all for engagement. But we have to do it with a clear-eyed view of what's happening.

And I'll conclude with this, Boris, if you kind of step back from this, who is going to gain if Ukraine ultimately collapses and is conquered by Vladimir Putin? It'll be not only Vladimir Putin who will end up with an additional 40 million national servants to his cause in the form of the Ukrainians.

Also, China will become emboldened in Taiwan. The global south, India, Brazil, Nigeria, Pakistan, they're all watching how this is going to come out. And finally, our allies will come away extremely discouraged with the resiliency of the United States.

SANCHEZ: I wonder, Admiral, how you think the world would see, specifically our allies, would see any kind of broker deal between the United States and Ukraine when it came to these rare earth minerals? Donald Trump's saying that he wants some kind of payback, essentially, some reciprocity, in his eyes, from Ukraine for the investment that the U.S. has made in Ukraine's defense. And he doesn't want Americans to feel stupid, his words, for that investment. How do you think the world reads that sort of transactional deal?

STAVRIDIS: Yes, you've used the right word, Boris. It's transactional. And it's of a piece with President Trump's long-stated views about how the United States should pressure our allies to - how we ought to get reasonable advantages out of our engagements with our partners globally.

[15:25:10]

But this can all be done as a win-win. At the end of the war, if those strategic minerals are going to be exploited, that can be done in a win-win way between the United States and the Ukrainians. The idea that it's kind of a payment scheme, I think, is going to be very difficult to sell in terms of the U.S. place in the world. And I think this also brings us to the point of discussing what are the allies, particularly the European allies, going to do in the face of all this, Boris.

And here I think ultimately they will step up. They'll spend more. They've already spent more than we have on the war in Ukraine. We've spent about a hundred billion. They've spent about 160 billion. I think they'll be willing to take even more of that. But let's do it together. Let's work with our allies. Let's work with the Ukrainians and create a win-win that avoids Ukraine falling to a conqueror like the dictator Vladimir Putin.

SANCHEZ: Admiral James Stavridis, thank you so much for sharing your perspective.

STAVRIDIS: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Coming up next, after exactly one month in office, there's new CNN polling showing President Trump's approval rating is higher than at any point during his first term in office. Most Americans, though, think he's not doing enough to bring down prices. We'll dig into the numbers when we come back.

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