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Health Care Premiums Set to Skyrocket; Flu Cases Spiking; CIA Conducts Drone Strike on Venezuela; Pipe Bomb Suspect in Court. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired December 30, 2025 - 13:00   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: The man accused of placing two pipe bombs around Washington, D.C., in 2021 is in court right now. Ahead, why his attorneys argue he should be released from jail while awaiting trial.

Plus, a CNN exclusive: what sources are telling us about the first known U.S. attack on a target inside Venezuela.

And then, later: The Trump administration is now surging resources to Minnesota after a YouTuber posted a video accusing Somali-run childcare centers of taking money without actually caring for children. We will take a closer look at the claims that went viral -- all coming up right here on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

A hearing is getting under way in Washington on whether the D.C. pipe bomb suspect, the target of a four-year manhunt, should be released until his trial. Brian Cole Jr. is accused of setting two pipe bombs the day before the January 6 Capitol attack. He allegedly placed them near the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic Party headquarters, believing the 2020 election had been -- quote -- "tampered with," according to a Justice Department memo.

Today, a court filing shows Cole's attorneys will make the case for his supervised release, saying Cole has obsessive compulsive disorder and a high-functioning form of autism.

CNN's Evan Perez is here with the latest on this.

Evan, what more are you expecting to hear from the defense at this hearing?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, typically, Brianna, these are perfunctory hearings that, given the crime with which Brian Cole is accused of, it is not typical for you to be released from detention while he awaits trial.

However, we don't know how this is going to play out. As you pointed out, the defense is saying that he should be released with certain conditions. They say he could be released to home confinement with ankle monitors that have regular check-ins from the pretrial services, and he has the support system at home that allows him to be safe and pose no danger to the community.

But, obviously, given the fact that this is a serious -- these are serious crimes that he's charged with, it is very unlikely that the judge will allow him to go home, because, obviously, this was a crime that was investigated by the FBI for almost five years. It took them that long to figure out who this suspect was and to make that arrest just in the last few weeks, Brianna.

KEILAR: And, Evan, DOJ also filed a memo that details investigators' interview with Cole where they say that he confessed. How could that play in court today?

PEREZ: Yes, look, he sat for hours with the FBI, and after at first denying that he was responsible for this, ended up telling them exactly how he made the bombs. He said allegedly that he learned some of the ingredients playing video games and from reading on the Internet. He was a student of history.

And one of the things that motivated him, according to this confession that the FBI got from him that day, is his frustration, his belief that the 2020 election had been stolen, Brianna. Of course, that's what the president at the time was claiming and which was the claim that brought those thousands of people to the Capitol on January 6, 2021, that led to the riot.

Remember, these bombs were found outside the RNC buildings a couple of -- and DNC buildings just a couple blocks away from the U.S. Capitol at about 1:00 p.m., which was right about when the Trump crowd, the pro-Trump crowd at the U.S. Capitol was breaking through those outer barriers, the police lines, and led to the events that day.

According to prosecutors, his frustration was with both political parties, both Republicans and Democrats, who he felt were not doing enough to take care of these claims of fraud in the election -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Evan, thank you so much for that reporting.

And let's go now to a CNN exclusive, sources revealing some new details about the first known U.S. strike inside Venezuela, the CIA targeting a remote dock on the Venezuelan coast earlier this month, and it marks just the latest escalation in tensions between the two countries, as the Trump administration cracks down on alleged drug smuggling and pressures President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

CNN's Natasha Bertrand and Alayna Treene here with us now.

Natasha, first off, what more do we know about this attack?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: So we know that the CIA conducted this drone attack on this kind of remote port facility on Venezuela's coast. It was inside Venezuelan territory, very much part of sovereign Venezuelan territory. So that, in and of itself, marks a significant escalation, because, to

date, the U.S. military, not the CIA, has been conducting strikes on these drug boats, suspected drug boats in international waters, not going kind of near Venezuela inside its own sovereign territory.

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We know that this strike did not kill anyone, according to our sources. It managed to destroy the boats, it managed to destroy the facility. So it was successful in that respect, but it did not cause any casualties.

Look, the CIA has been given kind of carte blanche by President Trump to carry out these kinds of activities inside Venezuela and around Latin America. He expanded the CIA's authorities earlier this year. This was obviously meant to be a covert operation.

If President Trump had not disclosed this, then we may not even know about it, because that is the very reason the CIA carried it out and not the U.S. military, is because it was meant to be kept under wraps. And so one of the big things we have to look out for now is just how the Venezuelan government responds to this now that it's been made public, because it's unclear if they even knew about this strike when it was carried out before President Trump actually started talking about it.

KEILAR: Yes, he was so out there about it over the weekend, Alayna. Then he seemed to kind of dial it back yesterday. What's the White House saying now?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, it's been really interesting, because, like Natasha said, no one would have really known about this unless the president kind of blurted it out last Friday during an interview with a Republican donor on his radio show.

And that's when he said, we knocked out this big facility. And, of course, reporters like us immediately began going to the White House, going to all these different agencies, trying to ask for more details, and they wouldn't comment on it.

And then it was yesterday when the president was pressed in person by reporters about what exactly took place. I want you to listen to what he told them.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs. They load the boats up with drugs. So we hit all the boats. And now we hit the area. It's the implementation area. That's where they implement. And that is no longer around.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Was the facility taken out by the U.S. military, or was it another entity like the CIA?

TRUMP: Well, I don't want to say that. I know exactly who it was, but I don't want to say who it was. But you know it was along the shore.

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TREENE: So, there, he's not wanting to say whether it was the U.S. military or the CIA. Luckily, Natasha and her colleagues had the great reporting that it was a covert option by the CIA.

Look, I do think the bottom line here -- and you touched on it perfectly -- is how big of an escalation this is, because, so far, we have heard President Trump repeatedly in recent weeks say that there's going to be land strikes very soon, that they want to start bringing operations on to land, not giving any details of what that would look like.

And also there's this issue of alerting Congress. Now, of course, this was not a U.S. military strike, as the reporting shows, but it is a significant escalation. And so there's going to be a lot of questions around this. And I think why the reporting is so important is because, again, the president was the one who actually brought this up, but then they didn't want to go any further with the details because it was a covert option -- action.

And so I thought, you guys do great work.

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BERTRAND: And I can just add just really quickly that the fact that the CIA carried this out, and not the U.S. military, I mean, in any other circumstance, if the U.S. military had carried out a strike on another country, that would essentially be a declaration of war.

Congress has not authorized that. And so by using the CIA in this way, some of our sources suggested that it was a way of going around lawmakers.

KEILAR: It'll be interesting. They're away, but it'll be interesting to hear what they're saying about this.

Natasha, Alayna, thank you so much to both of you.

And still to come: Flu cases are spiking across the country. More than a dozen states are reporting very high flu activity. We will take a look at the latest numbers from the CDC next.

Plus: what we know about the YouTuber behind that viral video that is prompting a surge of federal resources to investigate alleged fraud in Minnesota.

And later: New video could help investigators get some answers after a Texas teen vanished on Christmas Eve.

We will have that and much more coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

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[13:13:02] KEILAR: New data just out from the CDC shows flu cases are now spreading nationwide, the CDC saying flu activity has left tens of thousands of Americans hospitalized this season, with flu-related deaths also climbing. An estimated 3,100 people have died from the flu so far, including five pediatric patients this week.

Officials are urging everyone ages 6 months and older who has not received a flu shot to get one.

We're joined now by CNN medical correspondent Meg Tirrell.

Meg, break these numbers down for us. This is a very serious flu season we are looking at.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Brianna, the numbers certainly are heating up really quickly. Right now, the latest update from the CDC, which was for the week that ended December 20, so just before holiday travel for a lot of folks, it shows that 32 out of 40 jurisdictions have high or very high levels of flu activity right now.

In terms of severity, the CDC actually says that severity indicators are currently low at the moment, but that flu activity is expected to continue for several weeks. And you can see the U.S. map right here. Those purple states are the ones that are seeing the highest flu activity, and then followed by the dark red, so states like New York, South Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado seeing the highest levels of activity.

And, of course, New York state just reported a few days ago that it recorded the highest number of flu cases that have been confirmed in that state on record. And they have been tracking this since 2004. Now, they noted that some of that is due to more tracking, but not all of it, and certainly shows that, compared with even more recent years, this is a more severe flu season, at least in New York state.

They had a 38 percent increase week over week in flu cases there and a 68 percent -- or 63 percent increase in hospitalizations. Now, in terms of the overall U.S., the CDC estimates that, so far this season, we have had at least 7.5 million illnesses with flu, 81,000 hospitalizations, and 3,100 deaths. They also reported five pediatric deaths in that week, which brings the total in the season to eight, which is just a tragic thing to hear.

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Now, you may have been hearing about a new subclade, a new sort of strain of flu that we are experiencing here in the United States, and we saw it in other countries as well. It's called subclade K, and it represents sort of a drift of the virus.

The good news is, though, that experts say the flu vaccine should still provide protection against that strain of the virus. It is just a little bit of a drift from what the flu vaccines were designed to protect against, but they are still in place and out there for folks to get, Brianna.

KEILAR: So what are the recommendations if people think they may have the flu, Meg?

TIRRELL: Yes, so there are actually things you can do about the flu, which is a good thing.

First of all, of course, we were just mentioning flu shots. Those are recommended as the best form of prevention, and it's still not too late to go out and get one if you haven't had one already. It takes maybe a week for the protection to start kicking in. They are the best form of prevention against severe disease.

Flu and COVID combo home tests are now available, and this is something that surprises a lot of folks, but we all got used to testing ourselves at home for COVID over the last few years. Very similar tests are now available which test you for flu A, flu B, and COVID-19.

And antiviral drugs are available if you do test positive. Particularly if you're in a high-risk group, if you're over 65, if you have other health conditions, if you're pregnant, or also for young children, it is recommended that you talk with a physician or health care provider about an antiviral drug.

There are multiple drugs available by prescription, so sometimes telemedicine can be a good way of doing that. They can shorten the duration of the illness, and they can also lessen symptoms. They are also available if you have been exposed, maybe a household member. You can get an antiviral drug, and that can help prevent you from getting the flu as well.

So, some options out there, Brianna, in addition to wash your hands, stay home, do all the things you do when you're sick to take care of yourself.

KEILAR: Yes, that's really interesting about getting the antiviral if you have had an exposure in the house. I think a lot of people may not realize that.

Meg Tirrell, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

So we're learning new details in the urgent search for a missing Texas teenager who vanished on Christmas Eve. Authorities say new dashcam video shows a person matching the description of 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos walking alone shortly after she was seen leaving her home.

The Bexar County sheriff's office says a person in her neighborhood recorded the footage while driving to work shortly after 7:00 a.m. Earlier today, Camila's aunt told FOX why the family believes she's an imminent danger.

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NANCY OLMOS, AUNT OF MISSING TEEN: I feel that she's in danger because she -- this is not normal. Camila, we feel as a family that she's in danger, because she disappeared (INAUDIBLE) and there's nothing that we can do to find her. We have been knocking doors. The police also they have been helping us

knocking door by door. There's some people that they don't open the doors. We are asking the community to please open the doors. Check the cameras. We don't have no -- nothing that we think that she's in Mexico or any other place.

We just think -- have a feeling that someone took her, someone took her from our house, from outside.

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KEILAR: Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told CNN they're looking at all options, from willful disappearance to kidnapping. He also asked for the community to check any security footage.

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JAVIER SALAZAR, BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS, SHERIFF: It may be just the clue that we need to help us out and figuring out a better direction of flight. For now, we're going to continue to work all angles, all leads, and until such time as we can get her reunited with her family one way or the other.

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KEILAR: Police say Camila was last seen wearing a black hoodie, baby blue pajama bottoms and white shoes.

Still ahead: It's almost New Year's Eve, but it's feeling like Groundhog Day on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are heading into 2026 with some unfinished business. We will take a closer look at what's expected to be a hectic few weeks coming up.

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KEILAR: Millions of Americans are now on the brink of seeing their health insurance costs skyrocket when extended subsidies for Obamacare users expire at the end of the day tomorrow. Recently, CNN met one couple in New Jersey whose monthly premium will spike from $340, kind of manageable there, to almost $2,000 starting January 1.

They can't afford it, and they say it means they will have to be uninsured. They're far from alone. There are 24 million Obamacare enrollees. Over the last month on Capitol Hill, Democratic and Republican lawmakers tried to address the problem, but days before Christmas, the Republican-led House and Senate adjourned and Congress left town without a deal.

According to the latest polling from the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation, most enrollees blame the president and Republicans for what happens after tomorrow, 34 percent faulting Trump, 29 percent Republicans, while 19 percent will blame Democrats.

Veteran pollster and communication strategist Frank Luntz is with us now.

Frank, Speaker Johnson and President Trump, and we hear it from Republicans over and over, blaming Obamacare for this. We should note fact-checkers have found Obamacare didn't play that role in hugely increasing insurance premium costs. But, of course, we know that doesn't always factor into whether voters believe something or not.

Are voters buying this finger-pointing on Obamacare?

FRANK LUNTZ, POLLSTER: No.

And they don't like it and they resent it. And this is going to play a major role in the 2026 election. The shutdown that we experienced, the longest ever in American history, started off hurting Democrats more than Republicans, ended up hurting President Trump more than anybody else.

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If the government does shut down because they still can't find a solution to this, it's going to be very painful for the Republican Party, because, as you note, every survey, every poll that's out there shows that Republicans will be hurt more by this than Democrats.

But, in the end, it's not about polling. It's not about politics or elections. In the end, we have a significant percentage, millions and millions of people who cannot afford their health care. And this becomes an issue not just of affordability, but expense.

I know it sounds the same, but in the polling that we have done, the public thinks that American health care is simply too expensive, and they will be grateful for any solution that brings down that cost.

KEILAR: Yes, how on the hook are Republicans for providing that solution? Because, when we talk to them, they talk a lot about Republican proposals to address the cost of health care.

And yet it's been 15 years since Obamacare passed, and you have these subsidies about to expire and ratcheting up the pressure.

LUNTZ: Well, the pressure is significant.

And, in the end, it doesn't matter whether it's the subsidy. What matters is the overall cost. The public does not know the details of this. And, frankly, they don't really care. If they can afford their health care, they're grateful. If they can't, they're angry, they're pissed off. And that is what both sides need to hear, that Democrats are wrong, are wrong for pushing a government-oriented solution.

Republicans are wrong for pushing free markets, both. We don't want government bureaucrats determining our health care. We don't want insurance company bureaucrats. We simply want to have the choice and the control, the affordability, and delivered by the doctors and hospitals that we trust.

And it's a very simple process and very expensive. They said it was going to be this expensive when Obamacare was passed back, as you say, a dozen years ago, but they have to solve it. And because the Republicans are in charge, they will be expected to have that solution.

KEILAR: George W. Bush's adviser, former adviser Karl Rove put out his perspective on the political year that was 2025, writing: "Americans would be much more likely to support Mr. Trump if he explained what he's doing and asked for patience as his administration makes necessary changes, but that isn't his way.

"Presidents do best when they underpromise and overdeliver. The opposite, overpromising and underdelivering, angers voters. They often take out their anger at the ballot box."

What does President Trump and Republicans have to do if they don't want voters to take that out on them at the ballot box come the midterms?

LUNTZ: Let's talk about health care and stay on that topic.

There is a system. It's called HSAs. And they provide a little bit more limited care, but they give people the choice and control that they want and need. And that is a solution, because it makes health care much more affordable. But they're not doing a good enough job explaining that.

The party is divided right now. The Democrats are not united either. And the fact is, the only thing that's less popular right now that the Republican Party is the Democratic Party. Polls, including yours, shows -- show Democrats at an all-time low in terms of public support, in terms of credibility.

Right now, it's a pox on both your houses, and I have cleaned up my language there, because the public is tired of both sides yelling at each other, blaming each other, while things get worse.

KEILAR: I do want to ask you.

This Thursday, New York's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, will be inaugurated. And there is a big kind of soul- searching and a tug-of-war going on in the Democratic Party about what their brand should be, right, what kind of Democrats they want to be.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is going to introduce him. Senator Bernie Sanders will give Mamdani's oath of office. What do you think as Democrats are looking towards 2026 about who should be the face of their party, about their options, and the direction or directions they can go?

LUNTZ: It's an interesting point that you call it a brand, because brand is what you say about yourself to others.

And I think it's far more important in politics to speak about reputation, which is what others say about you. If the Democratic brand is then this new New York mayor, is AOC, is Bernie Sanders, that's a very limiting brand. And that does not entice people who left the Democratic Party in 2024 and voted for Donald Trump and voted for Republicans.