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FBI: First Deadline Mentioned in Purported Ransom Note is at "5PM Today"; Second Deadline in Note Mentions Monday; WH: Immigration Efforts Are Leading to Drop in Violent Crime; Trump Contradicts Himself, Gabbard Contradicts Trump in Explaining Why She Joined FBI Seizure of GA Voting Records; WH Downplays Trump's Suggestions of Federal Takeover of Elections; Newly-Released Email Appears to Validate Photo of Former Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre 3-3:30p ET

Aired February 05, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:54]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Officials in Arizona just revealed some new details in the search for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, and we are breaking down those details.

Also, the White House claiming lower crime numbers under President Trump, pointing to border control as the main reason for safer streets across America.

And day two of U.S.-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ending with a prisoner swap, but not much of an agreement.

We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Officials in Tucson, Arizona say they believe Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie, is, quote, "still out there." They just revealed a detailed timeline in the case, as well as new information on the ransom letter linked to her disappearance. They said the letter included two deadlines, the first set for 5 P.M. today, a second deadline for next Monday.

They've also revealed they've not identified a suspect or person of interest, and that blood found on Guthrie's front porch was tested for DNA and confirmed as hers. The FBI special agent in charge made this plea to Nancy's abductors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEITH JANKE, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: To anyone that may be involved, do the right thing. This is an 84-year-old grandma. This is an 84-year-old grandma that needs vital medication for her well-being. You still have the time to do the right thing before this becomes a worse -- much worse scenario for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: We're joined now by CNN law enforcement analyst Jonathan Wackrow.

Jonathan, thanks for being with us.

A lot to get to. First, the new $50,000 reward. What does that tell you that the FBI made this announcement? How might it change the trajectory of this case?

JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, listen, Boris, when you see that amount in terms of a -- a ransom amount, that is really out there to garner engagement, generate new information, generate new leads. Again, it's another tool in the investigative toolbox.

But really, when we, you know, take a look at, like, what we heard through this press conference, it really reinforces one central theme, which is this investigation really remains very fluid. It's time sensitive, but it remains unresolved at the end of the day. So, law enforcement, you know, both at the -- the federal and state level, need to, you know, start generating new leads in this type of action by increasing the -- the amount to $50,000, you know, sure may do the trick.

SANCHEZ: I want to walk through the -- the timeline with you that investigators revealed today. It really begins at 1:47 A.M. on Sunday, Nancy Guthrie spent the previous Saturday night with her family. She returned home sometime after 9 P.M. But then at 1:47 A.M., her doorbell camera disconnects. Then about a half hour later, software detects someone on camera.

It -- the sheriff made clear that it's either someone, potentially an animal, but something set off the camera software in her house. Unfortunately, they don't have that footage. Soon after that, about 16 minutes later, her pacemaker app is disconnected from her phone. This is essentially a 41-minute window in which it appears that all of this unfolded. How do you -- how do you square all of this with investigators saying there was no obvious sign of forced entry?

WACKROW: Well, listen, I think that, you know, this new detail is really important for us. Let's take a look at the doorbell camera. You know, in isolation, the doorbell camera at 1:47 disconnecting. It may not mean anything. It could mean just -- like a WiFi signal. There was a blip.

[15:05:00]

But when you take that disconnection and you put it in the context of -- at 2:12, you had this software recognizing some level of movement, to your point, it could be human or an animal that may be present. But then you tie that at 2:28 back to the pacemaker now being disconnected from her iPhone.

All of this combined allows law enforcement now to have a cascade effect because they have investigative direction. Because now we are now looking at a much tighter time frame. We're not looking at 12 hours. We're looking at potential movement from the residents at, you know, in or around 2:30 A.M. So, now is when you start looking at other camera, you know, items or video such as traffic cameras. Anything from, you know, commercial residences in the -- in and out of that neighborhood, something that could give you an identification of a car. So, these are time markers that are critically important to the overall investigation.

SANCHEZ: We also have to recognize the heart wrenching and difficult situation that Savannah Guthrie and her family is in right now, in part because you have this ransom letter that stipulates a demand at 5 P.M. today, a second demand on Monday. But it doesn't provide a mode of communication. And also, investigators revealed that at this point, they don't actually have proof of life.

So, as you're -- a family trying to make a decision about what to do as -- as you're an investigator racing against the clock, I mean, it -- this is about as difficult a situation you could find.

WACKROW: Absolutely. And when you start thinking about, like, family dynamics, everyone's going to have their own approach to how do you deal with this, right? Everybody in that family right now knows that speed matters, right? We have a woman who has health condition, you know, has a serious health condition that needs medicine. So, that is on the back of everyone's mind when they're making these decisions.

But as much as speed matters, accuracy matters more. And when they're looking at this ransom note in these -- these time markers of, you know, deadlines, there's -- there may be a rush to try to meet a deadline. But it really comes down to engagement and communication. And through that engagement and communication, can law enforcement really establish the authenticity of -- of this -- of this ransom? So, again, it's -- it's a -- it's a very, very difficult position for the family to be in.

We saw the video released last night from the family, how emotional it was. You can see how it is just tearing that family apart, knowing that their mother is out there. And -- and really, they're just making an appeal to the public for their assistance and for the, you know, potential captors to release Ms. Guthrie and get her back to her family.

SANCHEZ: As we heard there from the special agent in charge in that area, do the right thing and let Nancy Guthrie come home.

Jonathan Wackrow, thanks so much for the expertise.

WACKROW: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Brianna.

KEILAR: We have breaking news from the White House. Officials there touting their immigration efforts as the reason behind a drop in violent crime across the country. And it comes as Democrats on the Hill are demanding reforms for ICE in order to avoid another partial government shutdown. Here's what Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The undeniable truth is that deporting these individuals is one of the primary reasons why America's streets are safer today than they were one year ago when President Trump assumed office. Former President Biden and the Democrats left our borders wide open and President Trump and the brave men and women of ICE are removing these dangerous criminals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: CNN's Kristen Holmes was at that briefing.

Kristen, what more did the White House have to say here?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, when it came to negotiations, Caroline Leavitt implied that there might be some negotiation possible, some wiggle room there. She did say there were some non-starters and that she wasn't going to negotiate from the podium, but essentially said that there might be some places in which Democrats or the White House would agree with Democrats to try and get this through.

Now, the other thing to point out here is what we saw her come out to do, which was stand out there, point to various mugshots, say these are the worst of the worst criminals and Donald Trump is getting them off the streets. This comes as President Trump has repeatedly said that he doesn't believe he has good PR, public relations, around what ICE is doing. The fact that he doesn't think the White House is stressing enough or the administration is stressing enough that they're actually getting criminals off the street.

Now, at the same time, it comes as what we've seen is brutal enforcement by ICE, including the killing of two people in Minneapolis that has sent really a ripple effect throughout the entire country. And as we know, we've seen the polling that shows that Americans overall don't like the way that President Trump's administration and these ICE agents are enforcing his immigration crackdown.

[15:10:09]

However, you're trying, we're seeing the White House try to take control of the narrative time and time again by focusing on the criminal part of this because that's what President Trump wants them to be talking about.

KEILAR: And earlier today, Kristen, the President said it was Attorney General Pam Bondi who insisted DNI Tulsi Gabbard attend that FBI's raid of the Fulton County election office last week. What more is the White House saying about that?

HOLMES: It was actually even more complex than what we've seen. Now, just a reminder, we heard the Deputy Attorney General say he didn't know why Gabbard was there. Then, we heard President Trump last night in an interview say he didn't know why Trump was there.

Then, of course, today he said that it was Bondi who had insisted she be there and this comes after Tulsi Gabbard herself said that she went down to Fulton County because President Trump directed her to. So, I asked Karoline Leavitt to clarify. Here's -- here's that exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Okay. One more follow-up on DNI Gabbard. You've said that the President supports the fact that she was there. But last night when she -- when she was asked about it, he said he didn't know why she was there. He didn't say that he directed her. Can you clarify on that? Did she go by herself and learn -- he learned later and supports it?

LEAVITT: Well, did you look at the full entirety of his response? I was in the room for that NBC interview, Kristen, and he just said exactly what I told you, which is that election security is essential to national security. We need to ensure that our elections are free, and are fair, and are free of foreign interference. And he spoke about how Ms. Tulsi Gabbard is involved in that effort. So, you're taking like the first three words that he said to one question and not looking at his entire response.

HOLMES: Just a follow up on what you said ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And to be clear here, he said after that, you know, China is responsible, there is international interference, but he never said anything about election security or why Tulsi Gabbard was there. Again, those leading words, I don't know. We still don't really have the answer as to who directed her to go and why she was on the ground.

KEILAR: Yes, Kristen Holmes, live for us at the White House, thank you for that.

And still to come, the former lieutenant governor of Georgia will join us to talk about President Trump's calls to nationalize voting and that FBI raid on the Fulton County election office.

Plus, fallout around the world after the release of the latest batch of the Epstein files.

And then later, Bad Bunny revealing details about his highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show. We'll have that and much more coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:01]

KEILAR: Moments ago, the White House once again downplayed President Trump's suggestion to nationalize state run elections despite President Trump saying in recent interviews he wants Republicans to do just that. Here's what Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEAVITT: What the President is suggesting, and I just spoke to him about this, is that Republicans and Democrats in Congress should pass the SAVE America Act. This piece of legislation is going to ensure that states are abiding by federal election law by removing non- citizens from their voter rolls. In addition, the SAVE America Act will require voter ID to vote, and it will require proof of citizenship to register to vote. These are very common-sense policies and proposals that 89 percent of our country agree with.

So, that's what the President is talking about. Again, I just spoke with him about this, and he's calling on both Republicans and Democrats to send the SAVE America Act, to pass it into law and to send it to -- to his desk as quickly as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, those comments come just days after the FBI raided a Fulton County, Georgia, election office over alleged ballot irregularities stemming from the 2020 election, which Trump lost in that state.

With us now, former Republican Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, Geoff Duncan. He's now running for governor in the state as a Democrat.

Sir, thanks for being with us.

You hear the press secretary there, again, saying, no, this is the President. He's just talking about the SAVE Act to require proof of citizenship to register to vote. To be clear, though, Trump has made these baseless allegations about widespread voting by illegal immigrants to justify his calls for nationalizing voting. But what he's saying doesn't sound like what Leavitt keeps insisting he's actually saying. I wonder how you're reading it.

GEOFF DUNCAN, FORMER GEORGIA LT. GOV.; SWITCHED FROM REPUBLICAN TO DEMOCRAT: Well, they're both reading off separate scripts, different scripts. Donald -- that's not what Donald Trump said. He -- he said sitting at his desk in the Oval Office that he felt like we should nationalize elections. And he named off a bunch of states and cities that he didn't win.

Look, Donald Trump is putting on display for America exactly what his game plan is. If he doesn't get something his way inside the government, he replaces them. If he doesn't like what somebody's saying publicly, he weaponizes the Department of Justice. If he thinks a city or a crowd isn't moving in his direction, he dispatches the National Guard.

I mean, look, this is real. If Americans don't start waking up to what's going on, we're going to have a huge mess on our hands in these midterms, an absolute mess. And everything we know about this country and our process to save democracy will be out the window.

KEILAR: He invokes Georgia when he initially brings up nationalizing elections. What are you most concerned this means for the midterms when -- when you're on the ballot in the gubernatorial race?

DUNCAN: Yes, this -- this 2020 election and this recent raid by the Fulton County raid has nothing to do with the 2020 election. It has everything to do with sowing seeds of doubt for these '26 midterms. And the whole country's paying attention to it. You know, we've gotten so much -- we've gotten contributions, 11,000 contributions from 50 states, not because Geoff Duncan's some sort of superstar, but because they're worried about somebody in the Republican Party being in -- being the governor and not having a voice to stand up and -- and take care of protecting the facts.

[15:20:12]

That's what this is about. Republicans and the MAGA brand don't care about the facts. They only care about the power. And that is on display every minute of every day Donald Trump opens his mouth.

KEILAR: Democratic congressional leadership have sent demands for ICE reforms to Republican leaders and one of them is prohibiting funding from being used to conduct enforcement at sensitive locations. This includes medical facilities, schools, child care facilities, churches. It also includes polling places.

What are your concerns about the potential for immigration enforcement around polling places and what effect do you think that could have on voting?

DUNCAN: Look, this is all about fear and intimidation. What we watched play out on our TV screens in Minneapolis was awful and tragic. And if Donald Trump wanted to do the right thing, he would put down his political divide. He would get on a plane, instead of going to Mar-a- Lago, go to Minneapolis and personally apologize to those families and tell them that he's doing everything he can to remove from office those individuals responsible for those tragic efforts and he would set a course in place to never do it again.

Look, weaponizing different elements of the government is not what the American dream is all about. We should not be talking about this stuff. We should not be creating fear across our country. Look, Georgia has -- we -- we put on display the most fair legal election possible. We've seen audits and hand counts and recounts, more scrutiny than any election in the history of mankind and we passed the test with flying colors. And oh, by the way, Donald Trump lost every single time.

KEILAR: And yet the top intel official in the country, Tulsi Gabbard, was there in Fulton County for the seizure of all of these 2020 records. She says the President directed her to be there. He told NBC he didn't know why she was there. This morning, he said it was Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, who directed her to be there. What questions does this raise for you?

DUNCAN: Nobody's surprised. Even Republicans aren't surprised about this, right? I mean, they didn't know what they were doing. There was no plan going in place. It was just about just throw a bunch of spaghetti against the wall and hope something sticks. That's their -- that's the whole operation. That's what we watched play out in 2020. Somebody would tweet something. Somebody would run to an influencer. Somebody would grab a microphone like Rudy Giuliani, use some lies, and then all of a sudden there'd be a rumor in the -- in the passing and then they wanted us to have a special session or change the laws or overturn an election because of it. It's the same game.

It's unfortunate that -- that this is happening, but we've got to stay strong, right? We can't just let it happen. We've got to stand strong and we've got to call balls and strikes, and certainly that's what I'm trying to do and make sure that we don't put somebody that's a Donald Trump sock puppet, because not only is it '26, but imagine if you had a governor in place like the state of Georgia that was a Donald Trump sock puppet, like a Burt Jones, right?

Look, I mean, come on. What would we -- what would we do if somebody stood up to the microphone and didn't do what Gov. Kemp did or Brad Raffensperger did or I did or Gabe Sterling? You -- the list goes on.

KEILAR: Geoff Duncan, thank you so much for being with us. We do appreciate it.

And next, a damning new detail concerning former Prince Andrew's involvement with a prominent victim of Jeffrey Epstein. What this could confirm about a photo of him with Virginia Giuffre.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:28:03]

SANCHEZ: The latest release of Epstein files is having impacts worldwide. Today, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued an apology to the victims, acknowledging his mishandling of former U.K. ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson. Starmer says he regrets appointing Mandelson, who he claims misled him about connections to the late convicted sex offender.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies and appointed him and sorry that even now you're forced to watch this story unfold in public once again.

But I also want to say this, in this country, we will not look away. We will not shrug our shoulders. And we will not allow the powerful to treat justice as optional.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So, consider the timing of Starmer's comments because there is an email in this latest release of documents by the DOJ that appears also to authenticate a controversial photo, this one, of Britain's former Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre, who of course is one of the most prominent accusers of Jeffrey Epstein, certainly the most outspoken of them, the late Virginia Giuffre, I should say.

CNN's MJ Lee is with us now on these developments. Walk us through what you've learned, MJ.

MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL ENTERPRISE CORRESPONDENT: I think many of us are familiar with this photo that you put up on the screen. This is Prince Andrew with his arm around a young Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent and outspoken victims before she passed away, as you said. You know, Andrew has long denied ever having sexually assaulted Giuffre. And when, it comes to this photo, he has even suggested that the photo may have been doctored.

[15:30:01]

But in these latest files released by the DOJ, there is this 2015 email to Epstein written by Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted co- conspirator ...