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Two People Shot in Portland by Border Patrol; December Jobs Report; Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) is Interviewed about the Jobs, Health Care and the War Powers Resolution; Supreme Court Could Rule on Tariffs; A Look Inside the Raid and Venezuela's Future. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired January 09, 2026 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: One second. I just want to double check with the control room. I'm having a hard time hearing the councilwoman. Is it my audio or are we having an issue with her audio?

Councilwoman, can you hear me? Can -- I just want to double check that our connection is OK.

CANDACE AVALOS, PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL: Now I can hear you. Yes.

BOLDUAN: OK. And, yes, I think there was -- there was a little bit. Let's try to continue from what -- now that we can hear each other.

And I'm sorry if you've already said this because I did not hear much of your last answer.

What are you hearing about --

AVALOS: I can't hear you now.

BOLDUAN: I don't think she can -- unfortunately, I think we're obviously and very clearly having a technical issue here. We're going to have to go to a quick break.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: All right, we are back now. We're going to -- we have reconnected with Portland City Council Member Candace Avalos.

Thank you and apologies for the technical glitches we were suffering right there.

Let's jump back in because I do want to not waste a minute.

[08:35:00]

I want to ask you about this, now what should be an investigation into the shooting of two people during a -- what was called a targeted vehicle stop by Border Patrol agents in Portland yesterday. What are you hearing about coordination between federal investigators

and state and local investigators since, again, what we saw in Minnesota, see now is that there had been a joint investigation about -- for about a day. And now the lead state agency there says the FBI is blocking them out from accessing any evidence so they can't.

What are you hearing about how this coordination or not is happening now in Portland?

AVALOS: If you're able to hear me, I'll try to respond.

I haven't heard anything yet about the status of the investigation, but it is definitely our intention to ensure that we can be part of it. And I think that just speaks to the broader issue that the federal government is coming into our communities and trying to do law enforcement without local law enforcement support. And that is what is causing harm to our community.

BOLDUAN: I'm going to -- we're going to have to -- we're having -- still having a technical issue, Councilwoman. I'm sincerely sorry. It's just one of those days. I apologize. We're going to have to just try again another time. Thank you so much for your time and coming in.

Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Frustrating. Things happen.

But we do have some breaking news that just came in moments ago. The final jobs report for 2025 shows the economy added just 50,000 jobs in December.

CNN's senior reporter Matt Egan joining us now.

Is this what folks were expecting here? Because this is a lot lower than what we have been seeing I think even in November.

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes, Sara, look, this is a mixed end to what was a pretty weak year for the job market. I think the good news here is the unemployment rate. It did unexpectedly fall more than the consensus. So, the new unemployment rate is 4.4 percent for December. That is lower than the 4.5 percent that was the forecast. And we also learned that November had been revised lower. So, it was originally reported as 4.6. And now that month was revised lower.

So, the worst news though is the job growth. The U.S. economy added 50,000 jobs in December. That's just a touch below the consensus. But there were some whisper numbers and some hopes for bigger numbers there. And we also got some more negative revisions, which continues a pattern that we've seen.

So, November, you can see it was positive, but it was revised actually a little bit lower. And look how negative October is. So, October was revised sharply lower by 68,000. It went from negative 105,000 to negative 173,000.

SIDNER: Oh. EGAN: That's the worst month for the job market since late 2020 during Covid-19.

SIDNER: Wow.

EGAN: Yes. And we just got these numbers. Still have to dig into some of the sectors here and exactly why the unemployment rate went down. But one thing I do want to just emphasize is how weak this was overall for the job market, right? We're talking about the worst year of job gains for the U.S. economy since 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. And if you exclude recessions, this was the worst year for job growth for the U.S. economy since 2003, right? And this happened for a whole lot of reasons. There was a lot of uncertainty over tariffs. There were all of the significant cuts by the federal government and DOGE when it comes to federal employment. There's artificial intelligence as well. So, there's a lot of different things going on. But it is, of course, it was disappointing to see how bad of a year it was for job growth. But again, thankfully, the unemployment rate has ticked down.

SIDNER: Yes, it's sometimes hard to hold these numbers, you know, right next to each other. But when you look at the job growth and just then it being revised down --

EGAN: Right.

SIDNER: Especially in October, that number is stunning. It -- does it explain exactly why people are saying, I'm having a hard time finding work. It is so hard out there. It is so miserable trying to get a new job, or if they've been laid off, to try, you know, and get another job.

EGAN: Yes, absolutely, Sara. I mean, look, we are still in this low fire job market, right, which is good, of course. We have not seen layoffs skyrocket. But the problem is that it's also a low hire job market. If you are out of work, it's pretty hard to get another job that's going to pay the bills. And if you just graduated from college, it's a really difficult job market for young people as well. So, that does get to some of these frustrations that we talk about on the affordability front. It's not just prices, it's how much money people are making and their ability to get a good job.

SIDNER: Yes, it's a really good point.

We have, though, this year been seeing almost the opposite in the stock market, where people are watching this thing boom. Do you expect this to have an impact? This is future.

EGAN: Right.

SIDNER: So, this is before.

EGAN: Yes.

SIDNER: But that was at, what, 8:30, just a few minutes ago we got this jobs report.

[08:40:01]

Right now things are looking up.

EGAN: Yes, U.S. stock futures, not a massive reaction, but slightly positive here. Markets are not overly concerned about the economy. I think there were a lot of fears about the job market over the summer, right, when we saw a lot of negative job numbers. Some of those concerns, I think, have eased. And, in fact, investors are happy that right now the Federal Reserve is providing more help to try to shore up the job market by cutting interest rates. And I think that today's numbers are not really going to shift the thinking on Wall Street when it comes to the Fed, where there is still an expectation that later this year the Fed is going to continue to cut interest rates.

SIDNER: It is good to have you here, Matt Egan, to explain it all as it's happening.

EGAN: Thank you, Sara.

SIDNER: Yep, just got the jobs report for you this morning. Appreciate it.

EGAN: Thank you.

SIDNER: John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, with us now is Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York.

Congressman, great to see you and hopefully hear you, as always.

Let me just get your reaction to this jobs report that we just got here. Fifty thousand jobs added in December, making 2025 the worst year for jobs creation since 2020 and the worst year outside of recessions since 2003. Why do you think that was?

REP. MIKE LAWLER (R-NY): Well, number one, obviously, we had four years of stagnant economic growth. We had record inflation. We had a high cost of living. And over the course of this past year, we've spent a lot of time fixing the economy and reversing the policies.

We provided the single largest tax cut in American history. When people go to file this April, they will see a massive tax cut. New Yorkers, for instance, are going to see, on average, a $4,000 tax cut. That is going to help spur economic growth.

We saw, you know, over 4.3 percent GDP growth at the last check. Obviously, we want to see jobs created. We want to see the economy continue to grow. As you just pointed out, the stock market has been hitting record highs. So, there are a lot of positive indicators. There's still some work to do. And that's why, you know, I've been focused heavily on the cost of living.

BERMAN: Sure.

LAWLER: It's why yesterday I helped lead the effort to get the ACA extension across the finish line in the House. Now it goes to the Senate. We want to address the issues of affordability on health care, on housing, on energy. Energy prices are coming down. Gasoline below $3 for the first time in five years.

So, there's a lot of positive indicators. There's still more work to do. Obviously, job creation is critical. But as you pointed out, the unemployment rate is holding steady, which is positive.

So, there's a lot more work ahead. And that's what my focus is.

BERMAN: You were very critical of the last four years. Point of fact, job creation was higher, in some cases much higher, each of those years, Congressman. Isn't that correct?

LAWLER: Well, coming out of a pandemic, sure. You have to remember, we had a lot of job losses in large measure because the federal government and state governments were forcing businesses to close and laying people off and increase, you know, the amount of federal spending to support people who were unemployed. And so, of course, as the economy reopens, you're going to see a surge in job creation.

But the fact is, the cost of living exploded as a result of all that federal spending that the Biden administration engaged in. And you saw record inflation, you saw the average mortgage cost, for instance, go up $1,000 a month. We're bringing that down. Interest rates are coming down.

So, again, there's -- this has been a very difficult five years. We are getting through it and onto the other side. And I think what you're going to see in 2026 is an economy that is booming and jobs being created, wealth being created and, obviously, more money being put back in the pockets of Americans. And that's what they want.

BERMAN: Inflation was much higher than we've seen in a long time. It absolutely was not a record, as you well know.

Rapid fire questions here, Congressman, if we can, because you're in the middle of a whole bunch of big issues. Let's talk health care.

You were one of the leaders among these Republican breakaways to put this vote on the House floor yesterday. You ended up with 17 votes. Why do you think you got so many more votes than you initially expected? And what message does that send?

LAWLER: Well, I think people recognize the challenge here, which is to address health care affordability. The fact is, Obamacare has not reduced health care costs. Premiums have risen 96 percent since Obamacare took effect. What we need to do is a two-pronged approach.

Number one, deal with the immediacy of the enhanced premium tax credit that affects about seven percent of the country, and deal with the larger health care issues that impact the entirety of the country. So, we want to get a short-term extension. The three-year clean extension is not going to become law. It will not pass the Senate. The objective was to get the Senate a vehicle, because this is tax policy, it has to originate in the House, get the Senate a vehicle that they can come back with a bipartisan compromise.

[08:45:08]

I met yesterday with a number of Democratic and Republican senators, and we were able to have a very productive conversation about where we think we can land. And I am hopeful next week that the Senate will be able to put out a bill that is a compromise, that addresses the extension with reforms, including income limits, insurance reforms, the elimination of zero premium plans and an HAS expansion to actually start to reduce health care premiums on the open market.

And then we have a lot more work to do on the larger issue. Just before we left, we passed a bill through the House that would reduce health care premiums, according to the CBO, by 11 percent. Every single Democrat voted against that with respect to associated health plans, PBM transparency.

So, we need to find a bipartisan approach forward. But Democrats also have to recognize that Obamacare has not worked with reducing costs. So that we have to address the larger issues within our health care system.

BERMAN: The Senate had a war powers vote yesterday. Basically procedural vote. They're going to vote on the full Senate hopefully next week, they think, on that. You've said you're against this measure because you think what the president did so far was lawful. But this really is a forward looking thing. My question to you is, do you think Congress should have a say in what happens next in Venezuela?

LAWLER: Well, again, the president's conduct in Venezuela was fully legal under Article Two. This was a three-hour operation on the ground in Venezuela. There are no U.S. troops on the ground right now.

I think for my colleagues in Congress to kind of change the rules of the game here, I mean, remember, Chuck Schumer, when Barack Obama was president, had no problem with an eight month operation in Libya in which Barack Obama sought to remove Gadhafi. And, in fact, voted against war powers resolutions to try and stop it. So, the hypocrisy here is jarring, number one.

Number two, everyone has said Maduro was illegitimate and needed to be removed. And now, shockingly, my Democratic colleagues are objecting to the fact that he was removed. He was indicted three times in the United States, and he is being prosecuted on those charges. And he should be.

As for any future, you know, efforts, we will deal with that as it comes. But to try and limit the administration's ability that the president is the commander in chief. He has the authority. We have not declared war since the 1940s. And every president has operated in the same manner. And I think for my Democratic colleagues to try to limit that, frankly, is absurd.

BERMAN: Five Republican colleagues in the Senate as well.

Congressman Mike Lawler, we succeeded on this interview in terms of audio. Thanks so much for being with us. Appreciate it.

LAWLER: Thank you.

BERMAN: Sara.

SIDNER: It's a Friday miracle. All right, a blockbuster ruling could come out of the Supreme Court today on whether Trump's tariffs are legal. That story and more ahead.

Plus, take a look at this. Waymo goes wild, riding on the rails with a passenger inside. How this all ended.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:52:51]

SIDNER: This morning, a bit of good stuff for you. Two teenage brothers in San Diego making a huge effort in person and online to protect senior citizens from online scams that could wipe out their savings. Neil and Rohan Chandra created the Stay Cyber Safe Project after their grandmother kept asking them again and again about suspicious texts and emails that she kept getting. Now they visit senior centers to teach people how to recognize A.I. scams and phishing. They're also launching an app that turns scam spotting into a game, guiding users through real world scenarios.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROHAN CHANDRA, CO-FOUNDER, STAY CYBER SAFE: We've had seniors actually contact us after telling us that because of our presentation they were able to detect more phishing attempts and more scammer attacks. So, it's great to see that they can even reach out to us and let us know how much our work has helped them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: The brothers plan to expand their workshop across the country to help protect as many seniors as possible. Yes, a game, John. Do not play that game. It is not for you. Just stay away.

BERMAN: You know, it's almost -- it's almost for me. You too, friend, not too far away.

SIDNER: OK, to be fair, I should be on the game.

BERMAN: All right.

All right, it is potentially a huge day at the Supreme Court. Standing by for decisions. And they could deliver a ruling on the president's tariff power. And this ruling could reshape U.S. trade policy and determine the scope of the president's power to impose sweeping tariffs under the decades old Emergency Economic Powers Act. I mean the biggest impact could be it could upend a huge number of tariffs in place, potentially.

CNN chief Supreme Court analyst Joan Biskupic standing by. Going to be a big day for you, maybe.

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN CHIEF SUPREME COURT ANALYST: Yes, John. Good morning. It's good to see you on this very suspenseful morning.

This is the Supreme Court's first day back of the new year. And they've told us they're going to give us at least one opinion. Now, normally, John, from the 30 or so cases that they've heard since October till now, you know, they would have given us something like, you know, a b grade ruling at this point because we're early in the decision calendar for the justices.

[08:55:02]

But as you say, we're awaiting this important case that was argued on November 5th and that the Trump administration has implored the justices to decide sooner rather than later because some $130 billion has already been collected in tariffs on the imports of foreign goods here.

So, there's a lot of money at stake, and there's a potential for having to give refunds to people. One of the issues is -- the key issue is, as you say, whether Donald Trump exceeded his authority under this international emergency act from 1977. Lower court judges ruled against him and the Trump lawyers came to the Supreme Court imploring them to give Trump this power without having a check from Congress, which is normally the case with tariffs, in this particular situation.

Now, to turn around a case in just nine weeks, since when they heard it, would be very fast, but they have done it before. Last year at this time they quickly turned around the dispute over the ban on TikTok, and there's just going to be a lot of attention this morning at ten. But you will be put out of your anxiety over whether this will happen in just about an hour when we will know for sure, John.

BERMAN: Until then we will be on pins and needles.

Joan Biskupic, great to see you this morning. Good luck over the next 65 minutes or so.

SIDNER: All right, this will put you on pins and needles, or rails, if you will. Waymo goes off the rails, actually on the rails. The self- driving car was seen driving along new light rail tracks with a passenger inside. At one point, the vehicle appears to get stuck on the tracks and the person inside manages to get out and run. It turned out a light rail car was on the tracks not far behind the Waymo. Officials say the incident happened on a stretch of new tracks, which may be the reason why the Waymo didn't recognize where it was exactly.

All right, now to Turkey. It happened in Kocaeli (ph), east of Istanbul, where residents saw powerful winds tear through a neighborhood and rip the roofs off several buildings. Video shows a roof lifted straight into the air and later found almost completely intact on the ground. And let's now go to the Consumer Electronics Show to give you a little

razzle dazzle in Las Vegas. A Florida startup called iPolish is turning heads with smart, color-changing press on nails. They can flip between more than 400 shades in about five seconds, all controlled from an app on your phone. Preorders are open with a $95 starter kit shipping this summer. And I know here in New York people can pay upwards of that just for one sitting. So, we'll see what happens.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: All I know is I need to run the math, because I'm definitely not doing math on TV, but this may save me a lot of money with my 11- year-old and the number of press on nails that she wants and loses sometimes in my hair every week.

SIDNER: Hanukkah -- I'm thinking Hanukkah gift for next year. Maybe that's too long.

BOLDUAN: Thank you, Auntie Sara.

SIDNER: Birthday gift. Birthday gift.

BOLDUAN: Yes. Thank you, Auntie Sara.

SIDNER: I'm -- Auntie Sara is here.

BOLDUAN: Let's go to some breaking news right now.

The United States has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean this morning. This is according to a source. And this is after the U.S., as we covered here, has seized two Venezuelan linked tankers earlier this week, including a Russian flagged vessel. President Trump also announced just this morning that he has now called off a second attack on Venezuela, he says. He says that's because the acting government there now is cooperating with the United States.

In the latest episode of CNN's "Whole Story with Anderson Cooper," we get an inside look at the high stakes raid in Venezuela that brought all of this about and ousted its leader, Nicolas Maduro, and also gets to questions of what comes next.

CNN's David Culver joins us now with a preview.

David, what have you learned?

DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Kate.

Yes, we arrived late last night back here to south Florida from Bogota, Colombia, neighbors to Venezuela. There's a lot of moving parts just over the past few hours that are even changing this morning. You mentioned what President Trump has posted on Truth Social with regards to Venezuela. Seems now things between the U.S. and Venezuela, if you look in the past few hours, are stabilizing. It seems that the relationship is good if you look at that more recent portrayal. Even President Trump saying in a post on Wednesday with regards to Venezuela's neighbor, Colombia, that things between the two countries are likewise looking good. He said it was a great honor to speak with President Petro of Colombia.

Now, the reason this is seemingly a dramatic shift is because just go back a few days ago, the start of this week, and it seemed as though Colombia was going to be the next confrontation for the U.S. And President Petro there was adamant that he was going to stand by his troops. He was going to ready them. He said that Colombia was a jaguar that was ready to react. So, there's a lot of tension in the region. And it's still going forward.

[09:00:01]

In fact, President Petro, in a BBC article this morning, has made it clear that it's not all good right now, as he put it. That things are still tense