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Trump: Looking At "Very Strong" Military Options Against Iran; DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation Into The Fed And Jerome Powell; Suspect Arrested After Fire Destroys Sole Synagogue In Jackson, Mississippi. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired January 12, 2026 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:32:55]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: We are following the breaking news out of Iran. President Trump is threatening military action against Iran as massive protests there now in the third week turn even deadlier. There are reports nearly 500 people have been killed and 10,000 arrested according to one human rights group. Information out of Iran though is scant because Iranian leaders have once again shut down the internet to try to cool dissent.

As Trump weighs military options Iran has signaled it is ready to talk with the United States and negotiate based on "mutual respect and interest."

With me now is CNN political and global affairs commentator Sabrina Singh, and retired U.S. Army Major Mike Lyons. Thank you to both of you for being here.

First to you, Sabrina. How are these protests different than in times past? We saw an explosive protest across the country in 2022 over women's rights. What are you seeing there that could be different? That could potentially tip the scale.

SABRINA SINGH, CNN POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR, FORMER DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: I think what makes these protests different is we haven't seen largescale protests like this since, I believe, 2009. The protests are spreading in over 30 provinces across Iran.

And you're seeing people take to the streets, even going so far as to knock out those CCTV cameras that you see hanging over -- you know, on traffic lights because that is what the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps use as -- to track people's faces and identify protesters. So you're seeing people actually climb up and take actions to eliminate secure -- the security apparatus there.

I also think that you're seeing -- you know, this is -- this is an economic protest. This is about inflation -- prices rising. I think inflation in Iran is somewhere around 40 percent, which makes this different from 2022. So a lot remains to be seen on how hard that IRGC will actually crack down on these protests. I think that, of course, has the tremendous ability to backfire with the people. But you're seeing these sort of scale across the country, which is something that we hadn't seen in a while previously.

[07:35:00]

SIDNER: I want to go to you, Mike, because as we watch these -- it is quite stunning to see the number of people out there but also to hear of the number of people who were potentially arrested and killed.

When the president says he's considering "very strong options," what are they? What would the targets be? What would that look like?

MAJ. MIKE LYONS, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Well Sara, starting from a military option it's probably not a good move. The battlespace over Iran is still very challenging and difficult. While Israel punched holes in their air defense platforms a few months back it's still very much a dangerous place for us to think that we're just going to go in there and attack targets.

So I'm not sure target lists are the way to go -- a way to start here. We don't know what they would be. It would likely be regime headquarters and maybe command and control areas. But I think the president has got to look at escalation management first and foremost. Start with cyber. Start with, you know, soft power so to speak with regard to trying to move the regime off.

I mean -- I mean, the military is not going to be able to change the regime there. That's just that simple. It's just doesn't do -- we don't do regime change from that perspective, but we can create enough problems eventually from an escalation perspective. But I think starting with kinetic and starting with hard power is just probably not the way to go.

SIDNER: Yeah. They're -- the United States and Britain were involved in regime change in Iran and it eventually led to this regime that's in place that now people are rising up against.

Sabrina, I am curious from you how much you think that the U.S. move on Venezuelan oil -- there's a very tight relationship there between Iran and Venezuela. The U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear capabilities and Israel's strikes -- and constant strikes on its proxies.

How much has that weakened Iran's positions as they are the ones that reached out to the Trump administration after hearing Donald Trump say he's considering potential action there? How weakened is Iran at this point?

SINGH: I think that's an important point that you make and something going back to your earlier question of what makes this different from previous protests that we've seen. I mean, the Iranian regime is at its weakest point we've ever seen it. That 12-day war certainly eliminated the idea that it is invincible in the region. And then, of course, its proxy groups with Hamas and Hezbollah being

severely weakened by Israel and the United States in our -- in our joint strikes. Again, some of those proxy groups and also the Houthis as well. As you know, the Biden administration did take action against the Houthis.

So the Iranian regime is very weak at this moment, and I think putting it into the context of Venezuela where they had a strong ally with Maduro and that flow of oil -- this is a real moment for the regime. And I think that's why you're seeing so much pressure build within the country and so many protests across the country because people want change.

But to the point that was being made earlier by Gen. Lyons, I mean, regime change is very difficult. It's very hard. And just because you replace someone in power does not mean that person is going to be any better than the person that came previously.

So this is a -- this is a moment to really observe. Hopefully, the Iranian people can, you know, see change but we have to just continue to watch the ground.

SIDNER: Look, obviously, Iran is not Venezuela and vice versa where the government -- the Trump administration went in and took out the leader of that country.

What are the pitfalls here if the U.S. decides to try to do some sort of military action, Mike?

LYONS: Well Sara, we'd have to put the whole Middle East on alert. Israel would have to be concerned the Iranians have capability. They can attack like they've done in the past. U.S. forces will be at risk there. We don't have a carrier there and we don't have necessarily offensive operations. We have them coming from far away.

But the bottom line is if we decide to go that route and we start to attack targets, Iran has the capability to come back and attack U.S. forces. And now we're escalating nothings -- you know, really are going to become unknown as to what the situation will be.

SIDNER: Major Mike Lyons, Sabrina Singh, thank you to both of you -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. The breaking news overnight, the markets on edge this morning. One key Republican is furious after the Department of Justice launched an investigation into Fed chair Jerome Powell.

With us now CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp, and Christine Quinn. She's the executive committee chair of the New York State Democratic Committee.

Christine, you're here with me. Look, there's the legal aspect of this. We spoke with Elie Honig about this earlier. There's the financial -- the market aspect of it. We've got Richard Quest on standby for that. But most of this might be political -- CHRISTINE QUINN, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR, NEW YORK STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE: Oh, yeah.

BERMAN: -- right?

So talk to me about what you see here.

QUINN: I mean, this is Trump playbook 101. When somebody does something he doesn't like or doesn't do what they -- what he wants them to do, he goes and uses what he thinks are the tools in his toolbox. He thinks the Department of Justice is like a hit squad that goes out there and attempts to find things about people he perceives to be his opponents -- and, in this case, really are his colleagues in government -- and tries to scare them into changing their position.

[07:40:00]

And I applaud the chair for standing up and saying he's not going to take this and calling it exactly what it is -- an attempt by the President of the United States to bully the Fed chair into changing interest rates.

BERMAN: Yeah. We should note President Trump, last night, claimed he didn't know anything about this.

QUINN: Oh, please.

BERMAN: And a more telling -- and a more telling comment might have come, S.E., from Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who is on the banking committee here, who said, "If there were any remaining doubt about whether advisers within the Trump administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none. And it is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question." He goes on to say, "I will oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed -- including the upcoming Fed chair vacancy -- until this legal matter is fully resolved."

Do you think Thom Tillis will be alone among Republicans, S.E.?

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, HOST, "OFF THE CUPP" PODCAST (via Webex by Cisco): I hope not.

Listen, the credibility of the DOJ under Trump was already hanging by a thread. When you look at its activism -- its political activism towards Tish James and James Comey, and then it's failure to do its job on Epstein, it was already really hanging by a thread.

If you want to destroy what shred of credibility the DOJ has left, go ahead and indict a Fed chair for failing to raise interest rates. I can't think of anything more preposterous. And if I worked at the DOJ, in particular for Pirro, I would resign. I'd walk out to preserve what integrity I had left.

BERMAN: I mean, we should note the DOJ claims this is about the Fed chair's testimony before Congress having to do with renovations at the Federal Reserve building. You know, S.E., again, to Thom Tillis. He is -- the banking committee

is like 13-11. If Tillis votes against confirmation, it means they can't get any nominations out of committee. And if there are more Republicans senators -- Lisa Murkowski voted against a Fed nominee before -- is this the type of thing that will, you think, cause Republicans to take action?

CUPP: We've seen more and more courage among Republicans to break with Trump, whether that was Senate Republicans refusing to end the filibuster. Indiana state Republicans refusing to go along with him on gerrymandering. We've seen, you know, a whole host of Republicans breaking with Trump on Epstein. So we have seen this.

But I think the DOJ's credibility is in such jeopardy right now. Backing the DOJ versus the integrity of the Fed I think is an easy call for Republicans.

QUINN: And, you know, it's kind of rich -- them talking about renovations when the president just tore down the East Wing to build an unneeded and unnecessary ballroom.

BERMAN: I mean, there are cost overruns a lot of the times when you do renovate anything.

I want to ask about a social media post the president made overnight. This was on Truth Social. He put up a photo of himself -- this is a visual thing so I'm going to wait until we put -- there we go. It says, "Acting President of Venezuela."

Christine?

QUINN: I mean, come on. They -- this is a sovereign nation. You don't declare yourself acting president of another country. You know, in one second, he's saying we're working so well with the acting president -- who was the vice president of Maduro, so her integrity is clearly in question. He attacks the opposition leader who is a Nobel Prize winner probably because she got it and he didn't.

And now he's going to say because he thinks he is, he's the acting president of that country? It's -- if it wasn't so outrageous -- if it wasn't kind of a violation of sovereignty of nations, it would be almost comical. It's like how you would teach civics in what isn't allowed out there.

BERMAN: You know -- and S.E., I do wonder -- and clearly, he's trolling here. There's just no question about that, right? We can see that. That's quite obvious.

QUINN: Well, you know, you never know.

BERMAN: But the question is how do you think this ultimately -- what kind of a line does he need to walk, or has that been smashed, with his base -- the sort of America First base? The -- you know, we're not going to have foreign wars base --

CUPP: Yeah. BERMAN: -- when you see something like this.

CUPP: Well, I'm very worried both that his base but also the world is confused about who we are -- who America is and what we stand for. We're treating our allies like enemies -- see Canada, see Greenland. We're treating our enemies like friends -- see Russia. We're helping protesters in Iran, or we want to, but we want to jail our own protesters here at home. We toppled one regime leader over drugs ostensibly. We pardoned another for drugs.

We're America First unless Trump can get rich off of it. Who are we and what do we stand? He owes that to his voters to be clear on that who voted for him for specific reasons, but he also owes it to the world to know who we are. What are our red lines? What is important to us. Who could tell in this moment?

[07:45:15]

If you're looking at Minnesota, Iran, and Venezuela, it really creates this stark contrast of what our values are. You can't -- you can't make sense of them because they really are just whatever Trump feels in the moment.

BERMAN: S.E. Cupp, Christine Quinn, great to see you both this morning, especially on shorts night -- a short night's rest after the Patriots game, S.E. -- Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: A suspect has been arrested now after a fire destroyed an historic synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi. Beth Israel temple was 166 years old, the only synagogue in Jackson, and it is the state's largest temple. This is not the first time the synagogue has been attacked. In 1967 it was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. Officials have not determined a motive for this fire yet.

Let's get over to CNN's Rafael Romo who has more details for us. Rafael, what are you learning?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kate. Good morning.

The Jackson, Mississippi Fire Department says they got the call about the fire around 3:00 on Saturday morning. Fire investigations chief Charles Felton said at a news conference that firefighters found smoke and flames at the synagogue when they arrived and had to force their way inside. Officials said it took firefighters almost two hours, Kate, to get the fire under control.

Beth Israel is Mississippi's largest synagogue and its original location, built just after the end of the Civil War, it was the first Jewish temple built in the state according to the congregation. It is also Jackson's only synagogue according to the synagogues' website.

You were talking about at the beginning -- in 1967, Beth Israel's temple was bombed by local Ku Klux Klan members, in part because of the congregations' work in the civil rights movement.

In a statement to CNN, the Beth Israel congregation said that the cause of the fire has been established as arson and a suspect has been arrested, adding that no one was injured in the fire that happened in the early morning hours of January 10.

Several local officials have expressed support for the congregation during this difficult moment for its members.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEPUTY CHIEF CLEOTHA SANDERS, JACKSON FIRE DEPARTMENT: We just wanted to let the Beth Israel community know that the city of Jackson is standing with this community, so an attack against the synagogue is an attack against all of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: In a statement, Beth Israel congregation president Zach Shemper told CNN that "As Jackson's only synagogue, Beth Israel is a beloved institution, and it is the fellowship of our neighbors and extended community," he said, "that will see us through. We are still assessing the damage to the building, but we will be continuing our worship services and other programs -- location to be determined."

Kate, I also spoke to former congregation president Michelle Schipper on the phone. She said that several churches have extended kind offers for Beth Israel congregants to use their building as a worship space as they rebuild. She also said that there is significant damage to the library of the temple and near the offices, as well as smoke and ash damage throughout the building -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: I was also reading that several suturas were destroyed in this. I mean, just look at this damage. It's just horrific. A suspect now arrested.

Thank you so much, Rafael. I appreciate it -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right.

Ahead, a new twist in the murder of an Ohio dentist and his wife. Now her ex-husband is due in court today. He's now charged in their murder. How police tracked him down.

And Mattel unveils the first-ever Barbie who is on the spectrum. How this doll will help create representation and education for neurodivergent children.

Those stories ahead.

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[07:53:00]

SIDNER: It's a case prosecutors say is fueled by a secret affair, betrayal, and a deadly plot. This morning jury selection set to begin in the double murder trial of Brendan Banfield. The Virginia man is accused of stabbing his wife and killing another man after carrying on an affair with the couple's au pair. Prosecutors say Banfield conspired with his mistress to lure the man

to the couple's home, then staged the murder to look like self-defense from a home invasion. Banfield has pleaded not guilty.

CNN's Jean Casarez is joining me now. There's a lot to break down in this case. It's like I vaguely remembered this. This is bizarre.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And this is real life. This is real life. Jury selection begins today, as you said, but Brendan Banfield, who was an IRS agent -- but not just any IRS agent -- he carried a revolver. He was a criminal -- according to reports, a criminal investigator for the IRS. His wife is Christine Banfield. She was a pediatric nurse.

They had a little girl -- a very little girl -- and so they hired an au pair from Brazil, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, to come and take care of the little girl. Well, that was in 2021. About a year later, Brendan Banfield and the au pair started an affair. Later in 2022, he allegedly told Juliana, "I've got to figure out a way to get rid of my wife."

So he, purporting to be Christine, makes an account -- creates an account on FetLife.com to find an escort to come to the house. He found a man by the name of Joseph Ryan, and Joseph Ryan actually always used a knife. He came to the house when he was called, with a knife, as part of the role-playing.

SIDNER: Oh!

CASAREZ: So, February of 2023, Joseph Ryan comes to the house early in the morning. Elizabeth -- the wife is still asleep -- Christine. And so he comes to the house. He goes up to the bedroom but so does the husband and the au pair who he had trained in gun efficiency. He bought her a gun.

And initially, the husband allegedly takes out his revolver, shoots Joseph Ryan in the head. Takes the knife that he brought with him and begins to stab his own wife in the neck. And Juliana, who had her own gun at that point because of Brendan, took out the gun because the -- Joseph Ryan, who was the escort, was moving a little bit. Shot him again.

They ultimately were both arrested, but what does the au pair do? She goes to law enforcement and she tells them everything. She got a great plea deal. Pleaded guilty in involuntary manslaughter. She is to be, we believe, the star witness for the prosecution to say everything before this jury. And then she will be able to be released.

Brendan Banfield is now charged -- two counts. This is a double murder trial. Jury selection should take place very quickly. We're even expecting openings tomorrow.

SIDNER: There are so many horrific twists and turns to --

CASAREZ: Yes. SIDNER: -- this case, and I know you'll be watching all the details. But that is a lot to get through and a lot for the jury to take a look at.

CASAREZ: And he has pleaded not guilty. There will be a defense here. It will be interesting to see what it is. But obviously, the credibility of the au pair is at stake.

SIDNER: Fully.

Thank you so much, Jean Casarez. Great reporting for us this morning -- John.

BERMAN: This morning the suspect accused in the murders of an Ohio dentist and his wife -- that suspect due in court in Illinois. The man was taken into custody over the weekend. Officials say he is the ex- husband of one of the victims, Monique Tepe. Monique and her husband, Spencer, were found shot to death last month in their Columbus, Ohio home. The suspect faces two counts of murder.

This morning the largest nurses strike in New York City history -- it is now underway. Nearly 16,000 nurses have walked off the job after talks with five major hospitals failed to produce a new contract. Nurses say they are fighting for safe staffing, fair benefits, and the ability to care for patients without burning out.

In Poland, one very brave deer or perhaps severely confused.

BOLDUAN: Get it!

BERMAN: That deer refusing to back down from a 1.7-ton rhinoceros.

BOLDUAN: Aww.

BERMAN: I bet the deer weighs, like, 20 pounds.

BOLDUAN: I'd be --

BERMAN: So you're outweighed by 1,690 pounds.

BOLDUAN: Like, legit -- like --

BERMAN: Yeah.

BOLDUAN: -- get off my lawn.

BERMAN: Oh my God. All right.

BOLDUAN: Get off my lawn.

BERMAN: So the zoo put out a statement that said -- you know if we can go back to actually say what I -- well, there we go.

BOLDUAN: There we go.

BERMAN: In a Facebook post the zoo said, "Someone probably forgot to look in the mirror this morning." They went on to say, "He has to discharge energy and show who is boss even if the sparring partner weighs 1.7 tons." They wrote, "Who would have thought that such a warrior lurks in this tiny body?"

On that, Kate, I throw to you. You're like the deer.

BOLDUAN: I mean --

BERMAN: You're like the deer.

BOLDUAN: J.B.! He knows how to win me over.

BERMAN: Right?

BOLDUAN: Now I can only be so mean to you today.

BERMAN: Exactly, exactly.

BOLDUAN: Who's the -- who's the rhino in this one?

BERMAN: We'll leave that to anyone to decide.

BOLDUAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

BERMAN: It's unclear. It's unclear who the rhino is.

BOLDUAN: You in the corner lurk. Like, everything --

SIDNER: More headbutting, potentially, John Berman/

BOLDUAN: Exactly.

SIDNER: Let's go.

BOLDUAN: And J.B. walks off.

Let's turn to this now. The first battle of the awards season has been won. The breakout hit "One Battle After Another" beat out the competition to take home a handful of

awards at last night's Golden Globes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Clip from Warner Bros. Pictures "One Battle After Another."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Comedian Nikki Glaser hosted the show for a second year in a row, honoring the very best in film and television -- and for the first time this year, a category honoring podcasts.

CNN's Stephanie Elam was there for it all.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA ROBERTS, ACTRESS: And the winner is "One Battle After Another." STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): A huge night for "One Battle After Another," winning four awards, including Best Musical or Comedy, but not for star Leonardo DiCaprio. Instead --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Timothee Chalamet.

ELAM (voiceover): -- Timothee Chalamet topped industry titan's Leo and George Clooney for his role in "Marty Supreme."

TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, BEST ACTOR, "MARTY SUPREME": If you would have told me when I was 19 years old, I'd be thanking Mr. Wonderful from "SHARK TANK" --

ELAM (voiceover): Another fresh face, Teyana Taylor, bringing the emotion.

TEYANA TAYLOR, SUPPORTING ACTRESS, "ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER": I almost didn't even write a speech.

ELAM (voiceover): She won best female actor in a supporting role for "One Battle After Another."

TAYLOR: To my brown sisters and little brown girls watching tonight, we belong in every room we walked into. Our voices matter.

QUEEN LATIFAH, RAPPER, SONGWRITER: "The Pitt!"

ELAM (voiceover): "The Pitt" won top TV drama. An unofficial E.R. reunion as star Noah Wylie hugged George Clooney.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody wants to see George and Noah together again in the E.R.

JEAN SMART, BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES: I said my rant on the red carpet, so I won't -- I won't do it here.

ELAM (voiceover): Jean Smart, who wore a "Be Good" pin in honor of Renee Good, shot by ICE in Minneapolis, called for compassion after her win for "HACKS."