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Musk Takes Center Stage at Trump's First Cabinet Meeting; Trump: "Zelenskyy is Going to be Coming on Friday" to Sign Rare Earth Minerals Agreement; U.S. & Ukraine Close to Agreement on Minerals Deal; Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) Discusses About Rare Earth Minerals Deal Between Zelenskyy and Trump; Trump: Looking to get DOGE Cuts "Maybe to a Trillion Dollars"; Venezuelans in U.S. Feel "Betrayed" by Trump's Order to Revoke their Deportation Protections; Deputy Defense Secy Nominee Won't Say Russia Invaded Ukraine. Aired 3- 3:30p ET

Aired February 26, 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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[15:00:35]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: It might have been President Trump's first cabinet meeting but it was special government employee Elon Musk who dominated the discussion. What the billionaire had to say about his drastic cuts and what's to come.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Plus, President Trump says it is a done deal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be at the White House on Friday to sign a rare earth minerals agreement. That's not exactly what Zelenskyy is saying. He's saying it's still potentially not been finalized.

And two more close calls to tell you about America's airports. Why planes were forced to abort landings in D.C. and San Francisco.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

DEAN: Elon Musk becomes the star of the show during President Trump's first cabinet meeting of the second term. The world's richest man sitting among top officials at the White House with Trump's blessing. Even though Musk is not a cabinet member himself nor is he an elected official.

Musk kicking things off by touting the Department of Government Efficiency's sweeping cuts and mass layoffs across multiple agencies, as he stood before the very leaders who run those agencies. His visit coming amid controversy after a recent email ultimatum to federal workers telling them to justify their jobs or risk losing them. CNN's Jeff Zeleny is live for us now at the White House.

Jeff, this was quite a moment to see the cabinet secretaries all gathered round and Elon Musk really holding court.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Jessica it was holding court at the invitation of the President. Really there was no question who is in charge in this administration. If there was ever a look at the pecking order of the ranks of advisors.

Yes, the cabinet secretaries from departments like Defense, and Treasury, and Transportation, and Commerce and others were sitting around the table. But it was Elon Musk standing to the side who was invited by the President to explain his plan to a remake and reshape and shrink the size of the federal government. There's no question the President has been using Elon Musk as the front man if you will, for many of these efforts to bring government efficiency in his words.

But it's also brought government confusion. Of course, you mentioned that email that went out last weekend. It is still causing confusion and there is another email to go out to federal workers to basically account for what they've been doing. Now, the President overlooked some of the very specific concerns from members of the cabinet there who instructed their employees to actually not respond because some of the work is classified, of course. So, they're worried about perhaps foreign actors also getting their hands on these emails.

But it was the President who made clear that the million or so people who have not responded, in his words, could be on the bubble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'd like to add that those million people that haven't responded that we learned, they are on the bubble. You know, I wouldn't say that we're thrilled about it. They haven't responded. Now, maybe they don't exist. Maybe we're paying people that don't exist.

Don't forget we just got here. This group just got here. But those people are on the bubble as they say, maybe they're going to be gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Now, no evidence that there are vast swaths of federal workers who don't exist. The President did not account for their - again, the fact, that several agencies instructed their employees to not respond. But, again, if there was any dissent or any questions from members which we have learned actually there have been from several cabinet secretaries just concerned about Elon Musk sort of taking charge of their agencies, the President did not offer much room for dissent. He jokingly said if there is any you can leave the room.

So, Jessica, at that first cabinet meeting most people sat silently as Trump and Elon Musk spoke.

DEAN: And, Jeff, yes it was quite something to see that is for sure. Thank you so much for your reporting. We appreciate it. Boris?

ZELENY: Sure.

SANCHEZ: At the top of his first cabinet meeting, President Trump announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be at the White House on Friday. Trump saying that Zelenskyy will sign a Ukraine natural resources and reconstruction deal when he gets to Washington. But when he was asked, Trump refused to guarantee Ukraine security in the future. That is a major sticking point for Kyiv. Listen to this.

[15:05:03]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm not going to make security guarantees beyond very much. We're going to have Europe do that because it's in, you know, we're talking about Europe as their next-door neighbor. But we're going to make sure everything goes well. And as you know, we'll be making a - we'll be really partnering with Ukraine in terms of rare earth. We very much need rare earth. They have great rare earth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN Chief International Security Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh joins us now live from Kyiv.

And Nick, earlier today President Zelenskyy appeared to signal that this deal hadn't yet been finalized. So, where exactly do things stand?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, it is clear that until really both presidents or their representatives sign the actual document we'll probably see last minute horse trading. But Trump's comments about Zelenskyy coming to the White House and it being confirmed do I think mark a step forward, because even after yesterday where he suggested that he was on his way, it really wasn't entirely clear if that diary date had indeed been made.

What we have heard from Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is his notion that in the latest draft he's being made aware of that there is a point that makes Ukraine feel more comfortable about Ukraine's security and the idea of guarantees. Now, we've seen a draft of the latest deal which was current as of this morning. And the references in point 10 suggest that the United States supports Ukraine's desire to get security guarantees. But it doesn't necessarily say that the U.S. is indeed going to give that.

And if you listen to Trump speaking there, he says beyond very much when asked about the U.S. role in all of that, pointing (INAUDIBLE) potentially to be involved in a peacekeeping force if the conditions are right if there's a ceasefire. But they say they can't do it without what the U.K. calls a U.S. backstop, which is basically logistical support for their troops on the ground here from the United States.

So, we're getting the vague idea of a deal slowly moving forwards here that most parties seem to have some kind of truck with. But there are major sticking points and Zelenskyy in his press conference today said he wouldn't accept the idea of $0.10 that have been given by the United States being quote reimbursed, because Ukraine's position is all that money was basically grants, not debts which is how the Trump administration refers to it. And indeed to Zelenskyy said he urgently needed to know about security guarantees. So, it really comes down to this Friday personal meeting. The two men in the White House after a horrific week to 10 days in which Trump leveled a significant number of falsehoods against Zelenskyy and Zelenskyy said that Trump was living in a disinformation circle.

So, those two men have to get along. They have to rekindle that relationship. They have to make Ukrainians feel that the U.S. has their back. Indeed, Zelenskyy said today he was going to ask Trump whether or not the U.S. was going to give more aid to Ukraine. So much in flux here, but if these two men are able to hit it off on Friday in the White House it could restore part of this relationship. But also too if it doesn't go that well it could be deeply horrific for the largest land war in Europe since the '40s.

SANCHEZ: Yes, we'll see how that meeting goes. Nick Paton Walsh live for us in Kyiv, thank you so much.

Let's discuss a broad range of issues with Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar of South Florida. She's a member of the DOGE Caucus and serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congresswoman, great to see you. Thanks so much for being with us.

I want to talk to you about DOGE in the cabinet meeting ...

REP. MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR (R-FL): Thank you very much, Boris, for having us.

SANCHEZ: Of course - but we just heard from Nick Paton Walsh there live in Kyiv. I want to get your reaction to critics of this rare earth minerals deal who are describing it as extortion of a victim. What would you say in response?

REP. MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR (R-FL): Oh, no, I don't think of that at all. And I think Zelenskyy was - he agreed that if he wants to make a deal with the United States, he can contribute something that we need. There's nothing wrong in give and take.

And I love the fact that that Zelenskyy is on the radar that we are going to be helping Ukraine, continue helping Ukraine. And if they have to give something back or repay the debt I'm sure they don't have any problems. What they need is the support of the United States military and Europe not only Ukraine. They need to have that reassurance, too. So, it's a fair game give and take, and we're both winning, the United States and Ukraine.

SANCHEZ: Moving on to DOGE. We've heard from several of your Republican colleagues and some cabinet officials who were in that meeting today as well that have expressed confusion and concern about the way that DOGE has gone about some of these firings and rehirings. You've heard some of these reports about officials who oversee the nuclear arsenal for example who've responded to bird flu, to Ebola as well.

Do you believe that DOGE has authority over cabinet officials in determining who should be cut?

[15:10:00]

SALAZAR: Look, I think that we have to put this into perspective and into context. What Elon Musk is doing is what Congress should have done 50 years ago. Go in, see where we are spending our money or the taxpayers' money and clean the abuse, the waste and the fraud. That hasn't been done. And sometimes maybe righteous - that the righteous are going to pay for the sinners. But he is doing a good job and he's doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing.

The federal government is responsible for the taxpayer's money and we need to make sure that those moneys go to where they need to go. It's impossible for USAID to be - I mean, I don't have to repeat it, you've heard it, $12 million dollars for Guatemala. The Guatemalans do not want the money, $55 billion that they have discovered that has been wasted or fraud. That can be happening. That can be happening.

And for that reason, Trump won on the message that we're going to clean up and we're going to reduce the debt that we have, which is $2 trillion a year. We have a debt - I mean deficit - we have a debt of $33 trillion. So, when the average American viewer or voter hears what's happening, they go yes welcome Musk or anybody that is going to do the cleanup. That's what he's doing. Maybe he's not perfect and impeccable, but he is cleaning up house and that's what we need.

SANCHEZ: There have been ...

SALAZAR: And then that the good programs - keep the good programs and make them better.

SANCHEZ: Sure. There have been calls from some of your Republican colleagues for more congressional involvement into that work of determining what should stay and what should go. There are also questions about transparency and exactly how Musk's personal professional business interests might conflict with some of the work that he's doing with DOGE. I wonder what kind of oversight you have on the DOGE Caucus over Musk and his associates and whether you can tell us for example what they're doing with this sensitive financial information of millions of Americans at these systems at Treasury and at the Social Security Administration.

SALAZAR: Listen, Boris, I think that Congress - I'm sure that Musk will welcome and appreciate the fact if we can help him from the legislative point of view. I think that his intentions are the best. He doesn't - think about it, he doesn't have to be doing this. He's the richest guy in the world. He could be on a rocket somewhere. Where is he? He's helping us. He's helping our government get better and get leaner.

So, we do have to appreciate that. He is bringing dozens of his best minds to find all this out to help with the algorithms, to understand where the waste, the fraud and the abuse is at in all these different federal programs. So, we appreciate what he's doing.

I don't think that he is going to profit. He has contracts with the DOJ or DOD. He has government contracts. He doesn't need to be doing what he's doing in order to make more money. Money that he doesn't need. So, I think it's the other way around. We've got to be very grateful that he is wanting to do this and invest in his time, energy and money into it.

SANCHEZ: I do want to get your thoughts on a number of other things Congresswoman and I want to make sure we're as efficient as possible with getting answers. I want to ask you about the budget blueprint that House Republicans passed yesterday. They're calling on the Energy and Commerce Committee which oversees Medicaid to cut some $880 billion in spending. Would you support some of those cuts coming from Medicaid?

SALAZAR: I support to clean up the system which is what Musk is doing. I know what you're telling is $880 billion that Energy and Commerce, but I am sure that for what I have learned and in all the meetings that I have been to that the benefits are not going to be cut. What's going to be cut are the waste and the fraud. And that we are not going to have to touch those who need Medicaid.

We understand - I mean, Florida has a great need for Medicaid recipients. So, I am confident, because it's not only for the Floridians, but for the New Yorkers. Everyone agrees that you cannot touch those who deserve the benefits.

SANCHEZ: Understood. One more issue that was brought up in the cabinet meeting that would affect your constituents, as you know hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and Cubans in your district who came into the country the right way as President Trump said during the cabinet meeting, he wants immigrants to come to the United States the right way. They're now potentially at risk of deportation, because of some new immigration policies. What is your message to them and to the White House?

SALAZAR: My message to the White House has been very clear, we have to make a differentiation between the Tren de Aragua and those Venezuelans who came in through the TPS. I am sure that we're going to come to an understanding. We're talking about 600,000 Venezuelans that a group expires in April, another group expires in September and I'm sure that the Biden or that the Trump administration understands that these people who are here fleeting communism and that we need to keep them under that TPS protection.

[15:15:08]

These are not illegals. This is not Tren de Aragua or MS-13. These are good people who came and we welcome them and I'm sure they're going to be able to stay.

SANCHEZ: On the subject of Venezuela before we go, Congresswoman, just moments ago Trump announced ...

SALAZAR: Yes.

SANCHEZ: ... that he would reverse a concession ...

SALAZAR: Yes.

SANCHEZ: .... given to Venezuela as part of an oil deal made by President Biden. Chevron, a U.S. producer of oil has had this exception in Venezuela through the Biden administration into the Trump administration. Trump administration officials have not said whether they want regime change. In fact, I believe Rick Grenell who went down there to negotiate the release of some Americans in Caracas said that Trump does not want regime change. That's a market shift from his first term. Do you agree with that stance that Nicolas Maduro should remain in power?

SALAZAR: And I don't agree that President Trump believes what Mr. Grinnell is saying. Maybe he got that idea somewhere else. We do - but we all agree, Grenell, the President and ourselves and the South Florida delegation, we all agree that what the President did is outstanding and that we are very grateful for what he's done.

And you know why? Because Chevron was producing $500 million a month to Maduro and his regime. He's using that money for the repressive apparatus. Enough. An American company cannot give a regime, a communist regime, any weapons or any money in order for them to suppress their people. Who by the way had - Maduro had an election last year and he had - he signed an agreement called the Barbados Agreement where he committed to leave if he lost the Presidential elections.

Well, he did, 70 to 30. What is he doing still in power? Nothing. It's in the benefit of the United States to do away with Maduro because then those oil rigs are - will definitely be - the American companies will be welcomed to partnership with the oil industry in Venezuela and we're going to be able to have a win-win situation just like we're having with Ukraine and the United States.

SANCHEZ: Congressman Maria Elvira Salazar we have to leave the conversation there. Thank you so much for sharing your point of view.

SALAZAR: Thank you - to you, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Thanks. Still to come, the bodies of four Israeli hostages are expected to be returned to Israel today in an exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The latest detail on this exchange.

Plus, an American Airlines flight was forced to abort its landing at Reagan National Airport to avoid a collision. What we know about this incident coming just weeks after a tragedy at that airport.

And later, Jeff Bezos announcing a significant shift coming to the Washington Post. We'll explain in just a few minutes. Don't go anywhere.

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[15:22:11]

DEAN: A pretty stunning moment on Capitol Hill. Stephen Feinberg, who's been nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Defense by President Trump, repeatedly declined to say if he agrees Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Here's that exchange with Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): Mr. Feinberg, did Russia invade Ukraine?

STEPHEN FEINBERG, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE NOMINEE: Well, going to my behind closed doors statement a second ago, I'll just say this, the ...

KELLY: They moved tanks, and troops, and armored personnel carriers across the Ukrainian border. It's a pretty simple question.

FEINBERG: I got you. However, there's a very intense negotiation going on now. It's important for American interests. I'm not - I don't have ...

KELLY: Mr. Feinberg, we've got to live in the real world here.

FEINBERG: Yes, but I don't ...

KELLY: I mean, things happen and it's obvious to the rest of the world.

FEINBERG: Yes.

KELLY: And I think it's obvious to Europe right now that we just blew up an alliance. And for us not to be able to say an obvious fact is - it doesn't help a negotiation.

FEINBERG: Well, what I was trying to say, Senator, is I don't think some person who's not informed on this, not involved in discussions, should make statements public that could undermine what the President and the Secretary's intent is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: That back and forth coming as President Trump announced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be at the White House on Friday, where Trump said Zelenskyy will sign a new deal to give the U.S. access to Ukrainian national resources.

Joining us now to discuss is retired U.S. Army Major Mike Lyons. Thank you so much for being here with us.

And just starting off where we heard that exchange between Mark Kelly and Stephen Feinberg, it is interesting. His initial reaction was, there's these negotiations ongoing. And it's been pretty clear that President Trump is quite hesitant and really has said the opposite, has said that Russia or that Ukraine was responsible for this. That part of negotiating right now is not publicly saying what actually happened.

MAJOR MIKE LYONS, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Yes, it's obviously crazy talk. We all know Russia invaded Ukraine. We know that the conditions that were set, the Budapest Memorandum wasn't adhered to. Russia violated that. The security assurances that Ukraine was given back in '94, I guess, when that memo stated weren't uphold - weren't upheld and - when they invaded in 2014. And a lot of it has to do probably with NATO thinking that they could make Ukraine part of it.

So - but there are those negotiations taking place between Russia and United States. And for whatever reason, the administration thinks that it's gaining some advantage by saying - not stating something that's painfully obvious to everybody.

[15:25:08]

DEAN: And we know President Trump has confirmed that President Zelenskyy will be visiting the White House Friday. What are you looking for in that meeting?

LYONS: So, the devil will be in the details of that meeting. And there are some who think that Zelenskyy has a gun to his head to sign this, but I don't think so. I think a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and the United States is just what we need right now. It - while it doesn't provide that security assurance, which I don't see any document like this could without being a sign of - a declaration of war, for example, because Ukraine is at war with Russia.

If we decided to give some kind of security assurance, we could be wrapped into some kind of conflict there. I think that the United States will give an implied security assurance in the fact that we'll be able to send more materials and equipment to Ukraine. And I also think it's part of the negotiation with Russia. Because if Russia - we don't know what Russia is going to do. We don't know if Russia is going to agree to this peace agreement to agree what they come up with.

But we also want to show Russia that if they don't agree to and they don't want to stop it, that the United States will rearm and refit Ukraine and continue to do so. The United States' objective is to stop the fighting. That's going to mean concessions on both sides.

We don't know what Russia is going to do yet. And I think that this deal with Ukraine is clearly in the best interests of the United States and that interest of stopping the war and also Ukraine.

DEAN: And then Trump has said the administration has, quote, "been able to make a deal which could grant U.S. access to the rare earth minerals." Zelenskyy is calling it a framework he wants to discuss further. But it sounds like based on what you're saying, you think that there is something for everyone within this agreement, finalized or not.

LYONS: Well, it also reassures - it should assure NATO allies that we're still committed to working within the European framework. I don't think that that alliance is as dead as the congressman thought it was either. I think we've got to have frank conversations with allies that we've had for 50, 60, 70 years about their lack of commitment to their own self-defense. And because if they don't, if they're not agreeing with it, then we didn't really have an alliance. We just had an American security agreement for Europe. So, I think now is the time to have all this conversation and I think it's moving forward positively. So, I think it shows a commitment, a broader scale commitment that we actually do have to Europe, that we're not looking to abandon NATO in and above itself. But the fact of the matter is, Ukraine is not in NATO. And again, being tied economically with Ukraine is the best thing I think Ukraine could hope for right now, especially as it looks to stop this war with Russia.

DEAN: All right, Major Mike Lyons, thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate it.

LYONS: Thanks, Jessica.

DEAN: Coming up, more close calls at airports across the country. Authorities now investigating two additional safety incidents involving commercial jets. We'll tell you about those. Stay with us.

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