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Sheriff: No Suspects ID'd with Nancy Guthrie Search in Day 4; Trump Warns Iran's Supreme Leader Should be Very Worried; Russia Hammers Ukraine with Drone Strikes on Eve of Talks; Seahawks to Face Patriots in Super Bowl 60 Showdown. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired February 04, 2026 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: ... Attorney Michael Cohen. Days before the 2016 presidential election, Cohen advanced $130,000 to adult film star and producer Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair that she allegedly had with Trump. Trump denies the affair.

And coming up, still no suspect or person of interest in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie's mom. Our chief media analyst will join us next to look at the enormous attention around this high-profile case and how it's led to more questions than answers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:35:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: The search for the mother of today's show anchor Savannah Guthrie is now in its fourth day. Investigators believe 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was taken by force and they're now looking into whether two purported ransom notes sent to some news outlets are legitimate.

Sources tell the Los Angeles Times that blood was found inside Nancy's home in Tucson, Arizona. The Associated Press reports that there were signs of forced entry.

CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter joins us now. Brian, this is obviously an agonizing time for Savannah Guthrie and her family. What are you hearing?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: And right now we're in a real information vacuum as this fourth day of the search continues. And notably the sheriff not holding a news conference today. The Pima County Sheriff's Department sharing on X just a few minutes ago that there will not be a media availability. The next briefing scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m. -- 1 p.m. Eastern, 11 a.m. local time.

So you know that sense of no news being good news or bad news and maybe not been able to read into it at all, just adds to the frustration and the desperation of the Guthrie family. Just a few moments ago, sheriff's deputies were seen searching an area behind Nancy Guthrie's home doing some sort of unspecified follow-up. That's the kind of police work that is now just taking place in plain sight because there's so much media attention and so much tension just from neighbors from loved ones in that area.

So we're looking at every single piece wondering if the puzzle pieces fit together but for now the family remains hopeful that there will be a good news ending to this story that there will be the release of Nancy Guthrie. As one source said to me last night, you can drop her off, whomever you are you can drop her off at a hospital, drop her off at a at a fire station, no questions asked. That gives you a sense of the desperation and the urgency that the Guthrie family feels right now.

SANCHEZ: And Brian we learned this afternoon that Savannah Guthrie has had a conversation with President Trump. What are you hearing about that call?

STELTER: Yes, and that is also notable. President Trump said yesterday he would wanted to speak with Guthrie. You know, the two of them, they have a history going back many years.

There were some contentious interviews over the years with Guthrie asking probing questions of President Trump. But I think like every other American who's been watching this story I'm sure the president is feeling a very, very bad, very sorry for the family and wanting to express his own condolences. So right after the president sat down with NBC's Tom Yamas for a Super Bowl Sunday interview that's going to air on NBC, the president did speak with Savannah.

You know Guthrie was going to be heading to the Olympics. She was going to be flying to Italy this week. Getting ready for the opening ceremony telecast. Of course, all of that is on hold, she will not be going to Italy for the Olympics as she remains in Tucson along with the rest of her family. You know, Savannah has two siblings. They are all there, all trying to do whatever they can.

I remember an interview last year Savannah called herself a daughter of the desert. Expressing her love of Tucson, her love of the area. So many older Americans, you know, choose to retire there. In Nancy's case she had lived there for many decades.

You know, but it's an area where you have so many people like Nancy who are older, who choose this beautiful location, this scenic area, where it's mostly warm all year round, to spend their golden years. And the idea that those years can be disrupted in this way it really, you know, it's one of the many reasons why this story is broken through in a unique way -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Brian Stelter thank you so much for the update.

Still ahead this afternoon on NEWS CENTRAL. Russia not backing down from its attacks on Ukraine even amid ongoing peace talks between the two countries. The latest strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have left thousands without heat in the middle of winter. We'll get you an update in just moments.

[14:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Breaking news to CNN. In a brand new interview President Trump warns that Iran's supreme leader should be, quote, very worried amid heightened tensions with the U.S. The president's comment comes ahead of planned negotiations meant to happen at the end of the week. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should the supreme leader in Iran be worried right now?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I would say he should be very worried, yes, he should be. As you know, they're negotiating with us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know they are, but the protesters have said, you know, where are the Americans? You promised them we would have their back. Do we still have their back?

TRUMP: We've had their back, and look, that country's a mess right now because of us. We went in, we wiped out their nuclear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the deal about? I mean, if there's no more -- are they trying to restart the nuclear program?

TRUMP: Well, I heard that they are, and if they do, and I let them know, if they do, we're going to send them right back and do their job again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So your understanding is they tried to restart it, and that's why you're threatening force?

TRUMP: They tried to go back to the site. They weren't even able to get near it. There was total obliteration.

But they were thinking about starting a new site in a different part of the country. We found out about it. I said, you do that, we're going to do very bad things to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Let's get some perspective now from CNN senior military analyst, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Admiral James Stavridis. He's also a partner at the Carlyle Group, an international investment firm. Admiral, thank you so much for being with us.

What is your reaction to this new warning to the Supreme Leader?

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: I think if I were the Supreme Leader, I would be very worried, and I would be taking every possible precaution, A, to protect myself, and B, to get the negotiations with the United States moving along. And I suspect that's really what underlies the president's comments here. He clearly is pushing for some form of diplomacy. He knows this is a rotten theocracy that's going to fall sooner or later. But give diplomacy a chance. If that doesn't work, you've always got the option of going back to use the military force.

I think you heard both of those in that conversation, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Iran has tried to reshape these talks, changing the location and date when they were set to take place. There are rumblings out there that they may not actually happen. CNN is working to confirm some of the reporting that's out there.

[14:45:00]

Do you have optimism or faith that the leadership in Tehran actually wants a deal the way that the president has sort of outlined one, which means no more nuclear weapons for Iran?

STAVRIDIS: It means no more nuclear weapons, Boris. You're absolutely right. And also no more effectively ballistic missile program and also no more support to your proxy terrorist groups, for example, in Syria or on the Horn of Africa, the Houthis and all of them.

So the Trump administration, quite correctly, is pushing for a very tough deal with Iran. So when I put all that together, no, I'm not confident this is going to end up in a good place diplomatically. And I think the president is prudent to keep the carrier on station, keep the Tomahawk missile shooting destroyers close by, move additional strategic bombers to Diego Garcia and keep the Air Force advanced fifth-generation fighters on standby.

He's doing all that. I think give diplomacy a chance. If it doesn't work, go to the military step.

SANCHEZ: Focusing on Eastern Europe, there are supposed to be these trilateral talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine about the war in Ukraine. And coincidentally, this nuclear arms deal between the U.S. and Russia is set to expire tomorrow. Russia seems concerned about that.

They've put out a statement essentially saying that they're prepared to take decisive measures to counter national security threats. The president has seemed unconcerned, let's say, about this. He effectively said if it expires, it expires.

What do you make of the difference there?

STAVRIDIS: I would like to see us engage with Russia. Hopefully, we could simply put this on a different track and try and get back to some semblance of strategic arms limitations. These are the limits on the really big, heavy nuclear forces that come out of our ballistic missile submarines, our long-range strategic bombers, and our in- ground intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Boris, that's one track where we really want to maintain open communication with Russia. So we ought to be off the table from Ukraine pushing for that. At the same time, you asked me a minute ago if I was optimistic about talks with the mullahs of Tehran, and I'm not.

But I'm cautiously optimistic that talks are moving in the right direction on Ukraine, meaning there is less daylight between the United States, Ukraine, and the European Union. As those three kind of come together, you have the chance of putting that block of negotiation against Putin, putting pressure on him, and at least getting him to a table, and then hopefully to a ceasefire and ultimately to a deal.

SANCHEZ: You're not dissuaded by some of Russia's recent attacks on Ukraine. Just yesterday, we saw the biggest onslaught that we've seen this year, drone attacks and missiles. Is it clear that the Russians actually want peace at this point?

STAVRIDIS: It's not clear, and it's going to require us putting more pressure on Putin economically. The best way to do that is to go after his oil sales, and the best way to go after his oil sales are to continue to confiscate Russian shadow fleet tankers around the world. If we put enough pressure on him economically, I think we have a better-than-even chance of getting him to the table.

But your first point, Boris, is exactly right. When he's raining down missiles in a way that becomes a war crime, freezing civilians out, he does not at the moment appear amenable to coming to the table. It'll take more pressure.

Step one is get the U.S., the Europeans, and the Ukrainians on the same sheet of music. I think we're just about there.

SANCHEZ: Admiral James Stavridis, thanks so much for the time.

STAVRIDIS: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: You bet -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Now to some of the other headlines that we are watching this hour. One year since the Trump administration shuttered USAID, a new study published in the Lancet Medical Journal projects global aid cuts could lead to at least 9.4 million additional deaths by 2030. That is if the current funding trend continues.

More than 2 million of those deaths are expected to be children under the age of 5. The agency has run numerous programs tackling malnutrition and preventable diseases around the world.

Also, the Italian people have been protesting the presence of ICE officers at the upcoming Winter Olympics. But an Italian minister is praising a collaboration with the agency.

[14:50:00]

The country's interior minister says the partnership is a longstanding, legally binding agreement that has been particularly fruitful. And he added that ICE agents will not be involved in police enforcement. And the company that claims it resurrected the prehistoric dire wolf now says it's creating a bio vault for endangered species. Colossal biosciences announcing plans to store millions of frozen tissue and other samples from 10,000 species at their lab in the United Arab Emirates. Last year, the company says it created three wolves, two males and a female using ancient DNA cloning and gene editing technology.

Experts say these wolves are hybrids of a dire wolf and a gray wolf. The company is also attempting to revive species including the dodo, the mammoth and the Tasmanian tiger.

Well, we are counting down to Super Bowl 60. It is now just four days away. And we're live outside Levi's Stadium with an update on how the teams are getting ready for the big game next.

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SANCHEZ: We're now just four days away from the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots battling it out in Super Bowl 60. The big game expected to be one for the ages because of the team's high powered offenses, superior coaching and some elite defenses as well.

CNN Sports anchor Andy Scholes is in the Bay Area where the game is going to be played. Andy, you've been speaking to some of the players, some of the stars. What are they sharing with you?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, well, boys, you know, the players are all practicing again today, meeting with the media as we reach the midway point of Super Bowl week. Another beautiful day here in the Bay Area. It's going to be like that all week as we get closer to the game.

Now, Super Bowl 60, it's a rematch of Super Bowl 49. And, you know, back in 2015, no one was surprised that the Patriots and the Seahawks made it to the Super Bowl. This year, it is quite the surprise.

But both teams were able to get here, thanks in large part to the amazing job that their head coach did, Mike McDonald and Mike Vrabel. And McDonald, he's been a rising star in the coaching ranks ever since he was on the defensive staff for the Baltimore Ravens. In his defense this year for the Seahawks, tops in the entire NFL.

And just his second season with the team, he has them playing in the Super Bowl. And I spoke with a bunch of the Seahawks players this week here in the Bay Area, and they all say playing for Coach McDonald, it's quite unique.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEONARD WILLIAMS, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS DEFENSIVE TACKLE: He's just a super smart guy. We always joke about how he has a little bit of AI tendencies about him. Like we say that he's like been planted and he's learning how to be human day by day.

But I think he's just tremendously smart. We joke about having a, you need a Harvard education to play in his defense.

JARRAN REED, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS DEFENSIVE TACKLE: He demands greatness from us. And you have to have that as a player, you know, you can't shy away from the work. So you got to put the ground in to be able to go each and every day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHOLES: Now, while McDonald got the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in his second season with the team, Vrabel did it in his very first year coaching the Patriots. Now, Vrabel actually played linebacker for the Pats, winning three Super Bowls. And with the win, Vrabel, he'd be the first ever former player to win a Super Bowl for his former team as a player and a head coach.

And all the Patriots I've spoken with here in the Bay Area say they just love playing for him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TREVEYON HENDERSON, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS RUNNING BACK: He's really passionate. And he's done a really good job of just leading this team and helping us get to where we are now. And guys respect him a lot.

You know, he cares so much about us, not just as players, but as human beings. And I really respect him a lot for that.

KAYSHON BOUTTE, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS WIDE RECEIVER: It's great playing for Coach Vrabel. I mean, he's the reason why we're here today. Came in, talked about identity.

Everybody believed in it. And I mean, I would say it paid off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHOLES: Yes, we'll see which head coach is going to be hoisting that Lombardi trophy come Sunday, Boris. Yes, the Patriots are four and a half point underdogs, but the underdog has won the past three Super Bowls. So New England fans certainly hoping that that trend continues here in the Bay Area.

SANCHEZ: Hopefully a fun game to watch. Andy Scholes, we are so envious of that lovely backdrop behind you as the snow here in D.C. has been sitting around for what feels like two weeks, just way too long. Andy Scholes, enjoy San Francisco.

This weekend ahead of the Super Bowl, don't miss the new CNN original film "BAD BUNNY, AND THE HALFTIME SHOW RHYTHMS OF RESISTANCE." It airs Saturday at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific only on CNN and streaming the next day on the CNN app.

So an Australian teenager is being hailed as a hero after he swam nearly three miles in choppy ocean waters to save his family, which was stranded at sea. 13-year-old Austin Appleby was kayaking off the coast with his mom and two siblings when they were suddenly swept ...

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