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Trump Says, Looking at Very Strong Military Options Against Iran; DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation into the Fed and Jerome Powell; Hundreds of Immigration Officers Headed to Minneapolis Amid Tensions. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired January 12, 2026 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news out of Iran, more protests in the streets as they now face a brutal government crackdown and it turns even deadlier, hundreds killed, thousands arrested. President Trump now says he's considering U.S. military action.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: More breaking news, Washington and the markets rattled as the Department of Justice places Fed Chair Jerome Powell under criminal investigation. His extraordinary response and how one Republican senator says it is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: An unstoppable force meeting, an immovable object, a bold little dare taking on a rhino ten times its size. The David versus Goliath matchup, you have to see to believe.

I'm Sara Sidner with John Berman and Kate Bolduan. This is CNN New Central.

BOLDUAN: The breaking news this morning, the death toll is now rising amid massive nationwide protests in Iran, and now President Trump says that he is weighing options to get the United States involved, including potential U.S. military action.

Iran's state T.V released new images from today, this is they say this morning, and this is also they say show pro-government protests. But it is the anti-government protest, the massive protests that are now entering a third week that have rocked that nation, really presenting the biggest challenge to the Iranian regime in years, maybe decades.

It started with anger over the economy, but has grown into something so much bigger. Iran's security services are cracking down violently. According to a human rights group, at least 544 people have been killed, more than 10,000 arrested over the last 15 days. And in the latest twist, it now involves President Trump, who is now talking about the U.S. military action, taking U.S. military action against Iran, and saying that Iran reached out to him this weekend to try to kick start nuclear deal talks.

Iranian officials are warning though, if the U.S. does strike American, military and commercial bases will be treated as targets. Here's President Trump last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We're looking at it very seriously. The military's looking at it and we're looking at some very strong options. We'll make a determination.

Well, if they do that, we'll consider things, targets that they wouldn't believe. If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they've never been hit before. They won't even believe it. I have options that are so strong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Let's get over to the White House. CNN's Alayna Treene is standing by there for us this morning.

What are you hearing about the options that President Trump is considering?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. Look, we've been reporting, Kate, throughout the weekend that the president is seriously considering taking military action to intervene in Iran on behalf of the protesters, and really following through on a threat that he has now made repeatedly since the beginning of this month.

Now, some of the options that you're considering, many of them are military, but many of them aren't as well, we're told. Some of them involve, you know, potential cyber attacks, looking at trying to undermine the security services in Tehran as well, which are really being used to crack down on these protesters.

And I'm told that whereas the president has been briefed, and I should note this, he has been briefed in recent days on a series of these different options, none of them involve putting boots on the ground. And there is a concern among many people at the top levels of the Trump administration that, you know, potential military strikes or direct military force could actually have the unintended effect of, one, potentially galvanizing the Iranian people behind the leadership and the government in Tehran, if there are strikes. But also, of course, what we've been now hearing from Iran's leaders saying that any type of U.S. military action will be met with full force and retaliation from the Iranians.

Now, one thing as well that was new that the president said last night when speaking with reporters on Air Force One was that Iran had called him on Saturday and said that they wanted a meeting.

[07:05:01]

He said that a meeting is being set up. But he also said that quote, we may have to act because of what's happening before the meeting. All to say there are a lot of different things, of course, that are going into some of these discussions and a lot of sensitivity around all of this and concerns, of course, of the United States further bringing the U.S. into potentially another protracted conflict. So, this is all weighing heavily on the president, on his team.

He does have another meeting, I should say, set up for tomorrow with some of his national security advisers. So they're going to be going through more of these options. But the president over recent days, as I said, has been getting a number of options kind of presented to him. Many of them are military, many of them are not. We'll have to see where this all leads and we'll be reporting on this throughout the day, of course, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely, Alayna, thank you so much for your reporting, a lot too happening today. John?

BERMAN: All right. Breaking Overnight, the Justice Department launching a criminal investigation into the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell. Prosecutors are focused on his June testimony before Congress about the renovations of its D.C. headquarters. A spokesperson for the department told CNN the attorney general wants to, quote, prioritize investigating any abuse of taxpayer dollars.

But Powell says it's not about that at all. In a really, truly extraordinary video release overnight, he said this is Trump administration's pressure campaign over interest rates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEROME POWELL, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public rather than following the preferences of the president. This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions, or whether instead, monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: One Republican senator, Thom Tillis, seemed side with Powell, saying it is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.

Let's take a look at market futures this morning. You can see the Dow and Nasdaq down about 0.75 percent, the S&P down 0.5 percent, but a little bit rattled, it seems, by the news.

With us now with is CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig. Counselor, great to see you this morning. Let's just get to some of the basics first. Very quickly, what does it mean to be under investigation by the Department of Justice?

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, John, typically, the bar to launch an investigation within DOJ is low, but it's not nothing. Typically, if you're a prosecutor at DOJ and you want to open up an investigation, you just need some sort of good faith basis to believe that a crime may have been committed. You don't need one of the mid- level standards, probable cause, or reasonable suspicion, but you need something. You cannot just open an investigation because you feel like it. But I have to say, John, all of that just comes from tradition and practice and internal guideline guidelines. None of that is based in the actual Constitution itself. None of that is part of a statute passed by Congress. This is just the way that prosecutors have long chosen to exercise their power under administrations of both parties, and it seems that maybe changing now.

BERMAN: So, it's a low bar, or potentially no bar. But what's the difference between investigation then and indictment? What would you need to give an indictment on this type of situation?

HONIG: Right. So, there's a lot of gap there. So, an investigation is really just up to prosecutors unilaterally. They can choose to investigate whoever they want. If you want to get to the next step, get an actual charge, get an indictment, then you have to present your evidence to a grand jury of normal civilians. You need to get a majority of the 23 grand jurors to find what we call probable cause, which means 50.1 percent likelihood that a crime was committed.

So, this shows us how prosecutors have much more and almost essentially complete discretion to launch an investigation, but getting an indictment is a different story.

BERMAN: And we should be clear, the administration has had a pretty hard time getting indictments or prosecuting from these indictments in some of the president's perceived political enemies over the last few months.

But aside from that, Elie, I just want to get your comment on the Fed chair's pretty extraordinary video release overnight when he called all of this, you know, pre-textual, basically, all this investigating pre-textual here. How does something like this play in an investigation or the potential of an actual court case?

HONIG: So, we very rarely see somebody who's under criminal investigation make a public statement like this precisely because as you see in the T.V. cop shows, anything you say can and will be used against you in court. Any public statement by anyone who's under investigation can be used to show a grand jury, can be used to show a trial jury. So, you make a statement like this at your own peril.

That said, I watched Chairman Powell's statement very carefully, I don't see anything in there that can be used against him. I don't see any kind of admission. I don't see anything that could sort of bolster a criminal case against him.

[07:10:02]

I should note, John, if you make a video like this, if you're in Jerome Powell's position, you do not get to then play that video, let's say, he ever comes to a day where he's on trial. So, the prosecution can play a statement like this for a trial jury, but the defense cannot. It goes back to the rules of hearsay.

So, that tells me that this statement by Jerome Powell is really a public relations question, not necessarily a good or a bad one, but he made this statement in order to address the public and not to bolster any sort of legal case that he may have.

BERMAN: That's a great point. You know, Elie Honig, you are our legal analyst. The law here may be a very, very, very, very tiny part about what's going on here. The much bigger discussion about what's going on here might be the politics, not to mention the market impact, but very good to understand this baseline of what's happening.

Great to see you, Elie Honig. Sara?

SIDNER: All right, thank you, John.

As protest over the killing of Renee Good by an ICE officer spread across the country, hundreds more Border Patrol agents are now headed to Minneapolis at the administration's request.

And happening today, the ex-husband accused of murdering an Ohio dentist and his wife is expected to appear in court for the first time. How police found him after a ten-day manhunt.

And, hey, Barbie, a very big first ever for Barbie that fans, children and parents are applauding. We'll, explain ahead.

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[07:15:00]

SIDNER: New this morning, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says, hundreds more immigration officers will head to Minneapolis amid heightened tensions. This just days after an ICE agent shot and killed an American mother of three.

The ongoing tensions in the city evident in the video you're seeing here, a chaotic scene unfolding as activists confronted federal agents. Those agents then sprayed what appears to be chemical irritant at the activist. Moments later, armed federal agents are seen outside a nearby home. They eventually bashed the door open to get inside and detain a man there. Similar scenes played out across the city.

CNN's Whitney Wild is joining us now. Do you know when Minneapolis will begin seeing sort of this initial additional surge of immigration agents as things are clearly more and more tense in that city?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, I can certainly tell you that they will be under close watch. As you see from that video, residents are acting out, they are confronting these officers videotaping their interactions with these officers, and that's something that we saw a lot in. Chicago, New Orleans, Charlotte.

So, we are seeing it now and we will continue to see it because DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says that those additional resources are began going to Minneapolis on Sunday. That will continue through the day. She says that that's to ensure that the customs of Border Patrol agents and ICE officers can do their jobs safely.

And this comes as the city is still reeling from that ICE officer shooting and killing of Renee Nicole Good. There were protests throughout the city. Some of them resulted in damage to a local hotel up there. And we saw similar scenes throughout the country. There were massive protests, coast to coast, Sara. So, people all over the country paying close attention to what is going on in Minneapolis.

And I think when we think about these additional resources going to Minneapolis, you also have to consider the context, which was this was already the biggest immigration action ever, 2,000 officers and agents spread throughout the Twin Cities. And so we are still trying to figure out the exact number because that was the high watermark, and now we know that we are going to see additional resources sent there.

Again, protests throughout the area, you're looking at on your screen, massive protests, Detroit, Minneapolis, Portland, other, you know, cities across the country.

Meanwhile, there is still growing outrage over the DHS narrative of what happened. There are local leaders who have harshly condemned what DHS said happened. They simply do not believe that the narrative that DHS is putting out. DHS has made clear that they think that this was an act of domestic terrorism, that this officer was in fear for his life. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem doubled down on that over the weekend. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: How can you assert with certainty that she was trying to hurt the officer as opposed to she was trying to flee the scene?

KRISTI NOEM, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: If you look at what the definition of domestic terrorism is, it completely fits this situation on the ground. This individual, as you saw in the video that we released just 48 hours after this incident, showed that this officer was hit by her vehicle. She weaponized it. And he defended his life and those colleagues around him and the public.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: Also due this weekend, Sara, Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota tried to enter an ICE facility over the weekend. They went inside. They were briefly inside before they were escorted out on Thursday. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem had changed the policy. She's not allowing any more unannounced visits by lawmakers, saying that they have to give DHS at least a week's notice. Sara?

SIDNER: Yes. I mean, there's big response to all this, tens of thousands of people in the streets not happy with what they are seeing from these agents. But the agency is sending even more dwarfing the number of police in that city, we should also note.

Whitney Wild, thank you for all your reporting throughout all of this. Kate?

BOLDUAN: An alleged affair, violent sexual role play, and a stranger from the outside. Today, jury selection begins in the case of a tragic double murder.

[07:20:00]

And award season is underway. It was a big night for one battle after another. The emotional acceptance speech that has people still talking about it today.

We'll be back.

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BOLDUAN: I think the technical term is, it was a super de duper wild card weekend at the NFL playoffs. CNN's Coy Wire joins us now. Right, is that the technical term?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Super de duper, absolutely. Good to see you, Kate. Those pants are super de duper too, incredible style this morning. Yes, you're very welcome.

This was the best playoff start. I can remember the first four games were decided by four points or fewer all had a game-winning touchdown in the final three minutes.

[07:25:01]

Field goal fest in New England until Drake Maye, their MVP candidate quarterback in just his second season, throws his first playoff touchdown. That put the Patriots up 16-3, Hunter Henry with the grab. And then the Patriots defense, they were getting after Chargers' Quarterback Justin Herbert, like lions on a gazelle. They forced a fumble, recovered it. They sacked Herbert six times in this game. Head Coach Mike Vrabel has these boys humming the Pats play the winner of tonight's Steelers-Texans game next.

Now, the 49ers, they had a huge loss, their star tight end, George Kittle leaving the game with an Achilles injury. The Eagles started to gain some momentum. They went up 16-10. So, the Niners needed some life and they got it. Jauan Jennings off the reverse action, the receiver throwing a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. Outstanding execution and play call by the Niners to take the lead. They hold on for the 23-19 win. The defending champions are going home. The Niners will face number one seed Seattle next.

If Buffalo was going to win at Jacksonville, you just knew it was going to come down to Josh Allen with the game on the line. The Bills were down four. Allen hits Brandon Cook's incredible throw. And then watch this, Kate. The tush-push of all tush-pushes, it's like Buffalo brought out a snowplow to Jacksonville and posing their will, look at this, and they'd score on the very next play. Tre'Davious White and Cole Bishop sealed the deal, interception. Buffalo wins 27-24, first postseason road win of Josh Allen's career, first as a team since 1992. They'll travel to Denver to play the Broncos next.

One more thing from John Berman's Patriots' dominant wild card win, Head Coach Mike Vrabel head-butting players with helmets on. He's having a blast with these guys, and in the process got a bloody lip, Kate. You got to love it. He'll probably be the coach of the year. You can't say he's short of any sort of passion, that's for sure.

BOLDUAN: Just a regular day in the office, just head-butting a grown man with a helmet on, with no helmet on. Welcome to the NFL.

WIRE: How hype did that get you, John? How hype did that get you, John and Sara?

BOLDUAN: The entire crew is here. We've got -- well, you got to do creepy in the corner.

SIDNER: Okay. I'm like I know it was Saturday, but we're not going to, we're not going to mention the Rams. We're just not going to say anything about the Rams. We're just going to mention them, or the Bears. Like you're just going to --

WIRE: Sara Sidner was at Carolina. She went to Carolina to watch her Rams pull off that final comeback win there in the final second.

SIDNER: True.

WIRE: Shout out to your Rams. And, Berman, yes.

SIDNER: Thank you.

WIRE: Why don't y'all two head-butt each other, because you're hype, because your team's --

BOLDUAN: I'm not doing this entire show by myself. You cannot hurt my teammates. Stop it.

SIDNER: I could do it. Let's go, Berman, hair to hair. Look at all that hair.

BERMAN: I was just trying to get a kiss there. Love hurts, man. That's all I have to say.

BOLDUAN: He was just like, someone love me.

(CROSSTALKS)

BOLDUAN: And the bears did amazing and we love Coy. Thank you so much, Coy.

SIDNER: The Bears, the Rams.

BERMAN: Breaking just a few minutes ago, thousands of nurses now on strike, New York City dealing with the largest nursing strike in the city's history.

And fire destroys a historic synagogue in the south that has been hit before, bombed by the KKK. New information this morning about a suspect in custody.

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