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Source: Kabul Airport Bombing Suspect Arrives In United States; Trump Digs In On Divisive Agenda In Speech To Congress; At Least 159 Measles Cases Reported In West Texas Outbreak. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired March 05, 2025 - 07:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:31:40]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Just in, a terror suspect involved in the planning of the deadly bombing at Kabul's airport in 2021 has now arrived in the United States. President Trump announced his capture during last night's speech. The attack killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan as the Taliban swept in.

CNN's Zachary Cohen is joining us now with more details. What can you tell us, Zach?

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, Sara. I'm learning that the CIA shared the intelligence with Pakistan that led to the arrest of an individual we have identified as Mohammad Sharifullah.

Now, as you mentioned, Sharifullah has since arrived in the U.S. after he was extradited by Pakistan. He will face criminal charges here in the United States -- criminal terrorism charges for his alleged role in helping plan the Abbey Gate bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians.

Now look, obviously, Donald Trump referencing this arrest during his speech last night and top Trump officials have been really celebrating this arrest as evidence of Donald Trump fulfilling one of his key promises, which is to hold those responsible for the Abbey Gate bombing responsible.

And look, Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, went on Fox News this morning and was talking about the Trump administration's behind- the-scenes role in helping facilitate this arrest. Take a listen to what he said this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I want -- I want to be very clear. Under this administration we had our leadership -- Director Ratcliffe and others in CENTCOM and in the military -- passing information to the Pakistanis who helped us action it after this president was elected. (END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: So obviously, Hegseth making clear that this was a victory for the Trump administration. Trump, himself, thanking Pakistan for their role in this arrest.

And look, we'll have to see what happens as Sharifullah's court appearances play out.

But an indictment unsealed yesterday after Trump's speech does reveal some new details about his alleged role in the Abbey Gate bombing, including it claims that he was a -- he conducted surveillance on a route leading to the airport so that the bomber himself would not be detected. Really painting him as an orchestrator and a planner of this plot.

So we'll have to see, again, how this plays out in court. But Trump and his allies really celebrating this as a win for them after his announcement last night.

SIDNER: All right, Zachary Cohen. Thank you so much for all those details this morning -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. New this morning Punchbowl declared the president's speech last night "the golden age of penniness -- pettiness" -- not penniness -- pettiness with a "t." You can see it right there.

They went on to say, "Screaming and yelling from the crowd. Blaming and barbs from the podium. It's the Era of Pettiness." Easy for me to say. "The trolling has become the focal point."

With us now CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, and Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton.

And Maria, one of the things that seems to be emerging this morning questions from Democrats about what's the best way -- the most effective way to counter the message from Donald Trump. Is it Al Green shouting and getting escorted from the chamber or is it Sen. Elissa Slotkin after, giving a message -- an economic message saying Donald Trump will make you pay? What do you think?

[07:35:00]

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Dare I say, John, at this moment it's all of the above because we're talking to many, many different audiences.

I guarantee you that Al Green's voters -- his district is incredibly happy with what he did because he stood up for what he thought was the most important thing for his voters.

Senator Slotkin, I think was brilliant in the way that she really focused on the issues that care -- that most voters care about, especially in her district, and who want to hear from somebody who is measured but who understands that what Donald Trump did last night was not just pettiness -- and I totally agree with Punchbowl it was massive pettiness.

But he lied to the American people and it was a massive betrayal of the one thing that he promised voters he would take care of, and that is bringing down costs. Taking care of inflation. We heard nothing last night that would bring down costs for America's working families.

And instead, everything that he has done thus far has actually exploded costs. Has actually made inflation worse. Has actually made consumer confidence plummet. And you're seeing it in all of the numbers. His approval rating right now is worse than any president except for his own presidency on, you know, the first time around.

And so I think that the message for Democrats -- they can carry this message in all the various forms that they need to going into the midterm elections and they can tell America look, Democrats are the ones who have the backs of America's working families while Donald Trump is knifing them in the back in the various forms that he talked about last night.

Choosing billionaires over America's working families. Cutting all of the life-serving -- lifesaving services. Firing workers left and right.

I think that is going to be a very effective message for Democrats going into the midterm election.

BERMAN: I just want to be clear --

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: John --

BERMAN: -- what Punchbowl was talking about pettiness -- hang on, Shermichael. When Punchbowl was talking about pettiness, they were talking about pettiness both from the podium and both from the crowd among the Democrats. They weren't saying only Donald Trump was being petty.

Go ahead, Shermichael.

SINGLETON: Yeah. Look, I want to address that, right? There should be a level of sobriety that comes with losing. And when one loses you typically go into a mode of self-reflection. You discover why we lost. What aren't we understanding?

They thought they were going to defeat Donald Trump. They campaigned and said he's reprehensible. It's impossible that the American people would vote for someone like this. And yet, the president performed incredibly well with Latino men and women and with certain Black men in states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. We saw him increase his performance with younger voters writ large. That cannot be ignored.

And if we're going to talk about pettiness, was it petty when Democrats wouldn't stand for a kid who survived cancer? Was it pettiness when Democrats wouldn't stand for a mother who lost her daughter who was murdered by an illegal immigrant? Was it petty when Democrats didn't stand to support law enforcement?

And as it pertains to caring about everyday Americans, I think the president did a good job when he talked about let's not tax tips. Let's not tax Social Security because we care about our elderly. Those things performed fairly well.

And if you look at the CBS poll and you look at our poll from CNN last night, it appears that the majority of Americans actually thought the president hit some high points for the hour and a half speech that he delivered.

And so I think Democrats need to get off of the high horse here for a minute, John, and realize that the American people would, at a minimum, like for them to try to figure out where they can work with Republicans and the president instead of opposing every darn thing at every second when they have no vision, they have no plan, and they don't have a leader to help them figure out what direction they should head in -- and that was obvious last night.

BERMAN: Shermichael --

CARDONA: It --

BERMAN: -- one of the things -- hang on, Maria, one second here.

CARDONA: Yes.

BERMAN: One of the things that I like to do in these mornings after speeches like this is figure out --

SINGLETON: Um-hum.

BERMAN: -- what has changed, right? What did that speech change?

And I asked Maria and you obviously about Democrats and how they approach this going forward. I think that's one thing that may be different this morning than it was last night.

The other thing that may have changed is how the president talks about tariffs and the economic discussion, and everything that's happened in the last 24 hours. Howard Lutnick may have had the most important sentence yesterday on tariffs --

SINGLETON: Um-hum.

BERMAN: -- basically indicating the administration may back off a little even though he said he wouldn't.

CARDONA: Hmm.

BERMAN: This is what President Trump said about tariffs in the speech last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again, and it's happening, and it will happen rather quickly. There will be a little disturbance but we're OK with that. It won't be much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: "There will be a little disturbance," Shermichael, but we'll be "OK with that. It won't be much."

One of the things you're hearing from some Republicans this morning and analysts across the board is that may be a sentence the president comes to regret with all the economic turmoil that we are seeing right now in the markets and elsewhere.

SINGLETON: Yeah. Look, Howard Lutnick, I believe yesterday, stated that he's having conversations with individuals in Canada and Mexico to try to level the playing field in terms of trade between our three countries.

[07:40:08]

Donald Trump has always been clear that the usage of tariffs is sort of a tool in this toolbox to, again, have that equal playing field.

I do think though, John, to the point that I think you're getting at, we do have to be careful. The economy is still very fragile right now. We saw the stock markets -- billions and billions lost in a single day.

And so my expectation is that the administration is going to do what's necessary to focus on driving costs down, focus on cost of living for the average American, and make sure that American workers -- the UAD released a -- UAW, rather, released a statement yesterday saying hey, this is a good thing in terms in trying to bring manufacturing back to the United States. That will boost the middle class, which has continued to shrink decade after decade.

And so I want to give the president a little more time here John to figure out what the ultimate strategic aims are with tariffs as a maneuvering tool.

BERMAN: Maria, it's got to be a super-quick last word -- like 15 seconds or less.

CARDONA: Sure.

So Democrats understand that Donald Trump won because of what he promised voters on the economy, and that's why last night's speech was so insidious because it had zero solutions on that.

And my dear friend Shermichael talked about the young man who was suffering from childhood cancer, but yet who is cutting cancer research? He talked about farmers. Who is cutting grants that go to farmers? Talked about law enforcement. Who pardoned cop killers?

So that is the problem with Donald Trump's speech last night. It was incredibly hypocritical and it doesn't focus on the one issue that voters were counting on him for, and that is bringing down costs -- and that's what Democrats are going to focus on.

BERMAN: Maria Cardona, Shermichael Singleton, thanks so much -- Kate.

SINGLETON: Thank you.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: An update on the measles outbreak now in Texas. It is getting worse. Still now at least 159 confirmed cases of the highly contagious and highly preventable disease in West Texas. One person, a school-aged child, has died.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine cynic -- he has offered to this point now mixed messages at best on the single best solution, which is to get vaccinated, instead dismissing the outbreak first as not unusual, then saying vaccines can help but that is a personal decision, and now focusing on other treatments for the disease.

CNN's Meg Tirrell is tracking this one for us and joining us now. What is the latest? I mean, and how quickly -- let's start with how quickly this outbreak is growing in West Texas.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Kate. I mean, we just first heard about the first cases in West Texas at the end of January. And so now you can see we're approaching 160 cases, and that's just the ones we know about at this point.

And so West Texas officials are expecting this could potentially keep growing. They update us on Tuesdays and Fridays. Right now there have been 22 hospitalizations and as you said, one death of a school-aged child -- the first death from measles in this country since 2015.

And we have been hearing about sporadic cases popping up across the United States, but the West Texas outbreak is by far the largest. There is obviously local spread happening there.

A lot of these cases that we've been hearing about are travel-related cases. Folks go to another country and maybe they're not vaccinated, and they come back with measles. Whether those cases turn into outbreaks to a large extent depends on how vaccinated the people around those cases are. And so luckily, in many of these cases we've seen that confined to a single case or maybe one of three cases, but they haven't continued to spread.

But we are off to a really accelerated start for measles cases in 2025. If you look at this graphic -- the purple line there -- 164 cases just so far this year of measles in the United States. And that's an undercount because that's based on CDC's data from the end of last week, so that's even higher at this point. Compared with 285 in 2024 for the entire year and 59 in 2023.

So Kate, a lot of people are paying close attention to what Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is messaging about the measles. And he gave an interview to Fox News that aired yesterday in which he did acknowledge that they are suggesting that people in the Mennonite community, in particular, where this is centered in West Texas, should get vaccinated. It protects not just them, he noted, but also the community.

But as you noted there have been very mixed messages about this, including in an op-ed he published on Fox News' website over the weekend where he said, "All parents should consult with their health care providers to understand their options to get the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine." He said, "The decision to vaccinate is a personal one."

And as you said, also emphasizing those treatments, which doctors point out Kate are not necessary if you prevent measles with the vaccine, which is highly safe and effective and has been around since the 1960s.

BOLDUAN: Yeah.

Meg, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. We've got to stay very close to this because it is not over -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Thank you, Kate.

Millions are in the path of a massive storm heading East today. It has already killed two people and spawned possible tornadoes that caused the damage you're seeing here in Gramercy, Louisiana. That risk continues today in the Carolinas and Virginia.

[07:45:10]

The storm system also brings blizzard warnings in the Midwest and Central U.S. This is video of heavy snow from Nebraska. Good gracious.

Let's turn to CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam who is in the Extreme Weather Center for us this morning. Holy smokes, where are you? What's happening in there?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's a whole new world, right Sara?

Look, people's lives have been upended this morning from this massive mega storm that's moving eastward across the country, now located over the East Coast.

But I want to show you what it's capable of doing. Look at it slicing this warehouse in half almost figurately and literally. You can also see some of this damage of residential buildings. This is all coming out of the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs area. Just incredible to see the walls that have toppled, the trees that have been snapped like matchsticks, and of course, the debris strewn around the neighborhoods there.

Now this is all part of a larger storm system that's got its eyes set on the Carolinas as we speak. And so far with this storm we have had over 225 reports of severe weather, and many of them include the tornado reports you see right here across Oklahoma and into portions of Texas as well.

This has knocked out power. We've got 400,000 customers without power, many of which are in Texas, but a lot are located across the Southeast. This number likely to go up, especially considering what's happening in the Carolinas -- and I'll show you that in just one moment.

This is our severe weather threat for the day today. I can't rule out tornadoes, especially within this enhanced area -- the shading of orange. But look towards the mid-Atlantic and the nation's capital. A slight risk of damaging winds and large hail.

This is new -- actually just updating as we're on air this morning. This tornado watch -- and my producer here, Monica Garrett, actually broadening this view to show you a new tornado watch that is just issued across North Carolina and South Carolina. The reason for this is because a line of storms has actually spawned radar-indicated tornadoes, including Columbia, South Carolina as we speak. So this is valid through 8:00 a.m. this morning. These lines of storms have been known to produce rotation and tornadoes, so heads up if you're heading out the door this morning.

Again, on the back side of this it's full-on blizzard conditions across the Upper Midwest, and that will continue as the system edges eastward.

By the way, it's going to be a rough commute home this evening, John, Kate, and Sara, in New York City. Look at that rain heading into the Big Apple.

Back to you.

SIDNER: Dang. I just want to come over there and play with that whole situation that you've got going on there. That is a very, very cool set.

VAN DAM: Hey, we've got a lot of inquiries. You're not alone. You're going to have to take a line for this one, OK?

SIDNER: I love --

VAN DAM: You're one of 100.

SIDNER: I'm going to skip the line much like my colleague Kate at the airport. Over to you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: I mean, I -- this is the one moniker I will --

SIDNER: Gate lice, anybody?

BOLDUAN: -- embrace. I will be gate-liced until the end of my days, OK? If you don't know what we're talking about just stick around because it's called silent rebellion, OK? Just silent -- OK, let's move on -- Sara.

Coming up for us, a nightmare for three tourists confronted by police at gunpoint after renting a car that had been reported stolen. That is not a good day.

And a surprise performance by Celine Dion. A remix on her classic "My Heart Will Go On" inspired by Tiger Woods?

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[07:53:10]

BERMAN: New this morning the Vatican announced that Pope Francis will miss the Ash Wednesday service as he fights double pneumonia. He is being treated with supplemental oxygen, and this is two days after suffering from acute respiratory failure. He's been in the hospital for some time now.

This morning authorities in New Mexico say the deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were not due to a gas leak. The New Mexico Gas Company said no significant findings. In its investigations for gas leaks they found none for gas leaks and carbon monoxide at the couple's Sante Fe home. The company did find one "miniscule" leak from a stovetop burner and four code violations for an installation of lighters for a water heater and fireplaces.

New body camera video shows Glendale, Arizona police surrounding three men in a car that was reported stolen, and they were cuffing them. But now police say those men did not steal the car, they rented it. KTVK reports the men were visiting to attend a baby shower and they rented the car through Turo, which works sort of like Airbnb for cars. Turo issued a statement that they later discovered the owner of the vehicle had reported it as stolen, "but it was not removed from the police stolen vehicle database after it was recovered."

And a surprise serenade from Celine Dion at a golf tournament of all places. She apparently is a big fan of golf, and she was in attendance at the Tiger Woods Indoor Golf League. ESPN reporter Marty Smith talked to her and asked her which of her songs best represents her golf game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CELINE DION, SINGER-SONGWRITER: I would say (singing) near, far, where -- come on, you can sing.

MARTY SMITH, REPORTER, ESPN: (Singing) wherever you are.

[07:55:00]

DION AND SMITH: (Singing) I believe that my ball will go on.

DION: You're not bad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, a few points here. Number one, the real star there was the reporter who found himself in an almost impossible situation in a duet with Celine Dion. That song, of course, from "Titanic." And in other news Jack did let go and there was room on the door for him -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Could you imagine being -- like, oh my God, I have to sing with Celine Dion right now.

BERMAN: What are you going to do? You're sort of in it right there. You're like I have to sing. I have to sing.

BOLDUAN: Legitimately, you're like this is the high point of -- the biggest high and low of my life. It's kind of like how that would feel. Ah, thank you.

OK. So even as the commerce secretary says another change in tariff policy could come today possibly rolling back some of those tariffs, President Trump doubled down and defended his strategy last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again, and it's happening, and it will happen rather quickly. There will be a little disturbance but we're OK with that. It won't be much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: And in the official Democratic response to the president's speech, Sen. Elissa Slotkin focused in on this trade war as well with a different take.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN (D-MI): He is going to make you pay in every part of your life. Grocery and home prices are going up, not down. His tariffs on allies like Canada will raise prices on energy, lumber, and cars and start a trade war that will hurt manufacturing and farmers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Let's talk about this. Joining us right now is Traci Tapani, co-president of Wyoming Machine, a metals manufacturing company out of Minnesota. It's great to meet you. Thank you so much for being here. And it is great to hear from the business owners, business leaders who will see these impacts as well.

The president described the impact of tariffs as "a little disturbance" kind of suggesting that any negative impact will be slight and brief.

What does that little disturbance look like for your company?

TRACI TAPANI, CO-PRESIDENT, WYOMING MACHINE, INC., VICE-CHAIR, SMALL BUSINESS COUNCIL, U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Yes, thanks for having me today, Kate. I appreciate the opportunity to talk about this.

I think a little disturbance in a small manufacturing company that employes local people is really disruptive at this time. Manufacturing has been facing a slowdown in the United States as well as many other parts of the world for quite some time.

And a disturbance could mean lower wages for people or less of a wage increase. It could be changes in benefits. It could be reduced hours for people.

This is a competitive market. Manufacturers in the U.S. are competing globally and we're under a lot of price pressure.

BOLDUAN: Already, even before this.

I want to play what the president said specifically about tariffs on metals. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: And I have also imposed a 25 percent tariff on foreign aluminum, copper, lumber, and steel because if we don't have, as an example, steel and lots of other things, we don't have a military. And frankly, won't have -- we just won't have a country very long.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Can you source your product from within the United States completely?

TAPANI: No. I 100 percent support the growth of manufacturing more steel and aluminum in the United States as well as any other kind of manufacturing that we're able to bring back here to the U.S. But the U.S. only manufactures about 50 percent of all of the aluminum that's used in manufacturing throughout the country, so no matter what we do some of that material has to come from outside the company.

And you can't just flip a light switch and start manufacturing aluminum. You need facilities, you need people, you need infrastructure, and you need the raw materials that it takes to manufacture aluminum. And if we're going to do that, we need to have a thoughtful plan from how to get from where we are today to 50 percent more production.

BOLDUAN: The president and his team continue to say that this is about protecting American jobs. I've heard from leaders in a variety of industries now though that this really could threaten American jobs as these tariffs -- if -- as this trade war continues and if these tariffs continue.

You were talking about some of the impacts potentially. What do these moves mean for your employees? What are you now having to consider?

TAPANI: I think one of the things that's been missing a little bit from this conversation is I am a manufacturer of components and parts that go to other manufacturers, so my customers are other American manufacturers. And a huge part of their revenue stream is going to be exporting products all over the world. And there is a demand for the products that we make here in America in other countries.

And as we impose these tariffs, we've seen a lot of retaliatory tariffs coming into place and it's going to make it more difficult for American manufacturers to sell their products overseas.

So I think it's easy to see how that has a direct relationship to the employment of American workers and manufacturing in the U.S. If we're going to sell less of our product overseas it could put some people's jobs in jeopardy.