Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

FBI Releases New Details About Suspect in Guthrie Disappearance; DHS Set to Shut Down at Midnight After No Deal on Funding Fight; Communications Breakdown Over Airspace Closure Sparks Blame Game; U.S., NATO Allies Gather in Munich Amid Global Tensions. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired February 13, 2026 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: A brand new hour of CNN New Central starts right now.

The new FBI alert on Nancy Guthrie with specific details about the suspect, a new reward being offered for information.

And then the multi-directional finger pointing over the closure of El Paso's airspace. The White House versus the FAA versus the Pentagon versus what could have been a party balloon.

And then new video just in of the damage from major flooding that caused part of a big highway to collapse.

Sara is out this morning. I'm John Berman with Kate Bolduan and this is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: I continue to follow the breaking news this morning and the desperate search for Nancy Guthrie. The FBI has now released its first official description of the suspect caught in that doorbell camera at Guthrie's Arizona home. Investigators say this individual is male, 5'9", 5'10", perhaps with an average build and they've identified the backpack he was wearing as a black Ozark Trail hiker backpack, a brand sold by Walmart.

At the home on just Thursday, just yesterday, investigators had set up a white tent outside the front door. A source saying that that activity was part of a test to recreate the conditions around the night that she was taken, the nighttime circumstances that were there when that suspect was at that front door using replica clothing, a similar backpack. And with it all, the FBI has now doubled the reward it is offering for information in the case, leading to more information to try to bring her home, now standing at $100,000.

CNN's Leigh Waldman is live on the ground in Tucson for us again this morning. What is the very latest from there?

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, so much new information coming out in this ongoing investigation, almost two weeks old now to find Nancy Guthrie and the person or people behind her disappearance. We finally have a profile from the FBI about the person who we saw on that doorbell camera video who was armed in mass. They're saying it's a man between 5'9 and 5'10 with an average build.

They're able to definitively at this point identify the backpack that he was wearing. We saw a very full backpack. They said it is a black 25 liter Ozark Trail hiker backpack. You mentioned sold there at Walmart.

But they're also working to identify those other brands, maybe the jacket, the ski mask, the gloves he was wearing, trying to identify that to paint a fuller picture of exactly who they're looking for in the span of this investigation. Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff is saying that they have, quote, good leads telling that to one of our CNN affiliates.

But there's still no indication at this point of where Nancy might be. That's part of this ongoing search. And her children, Savannah Guthrie, posting on social media asking her mother to be brought home, saying they're still holding out hope that she will be found.

Meanwhile, neighbors in this community, you can see these yellow flowers and ribbons behind us outside of Nancy Guthrie's home. It's this show of solidarity as these neighbors within a two mile radius are being asked to look back over the past month from January 1 to February 2nd at all of their surveillance camera video, trying to see if they can see any kind of suspicious vehicle or person or traffic in this area that might lead to where Nancy is or where her abductor or abductors are.

Kate, today, it's starting to rain in this community. We know this is predominantly an outdoor investigation that could hinder some of the evidence that's left behind. But all the while, the FBI is saying that they will be out here despite the conditions that we're seeing in Tucson.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Leigh, thanks so much for your continued reporting on this -- John.

BERMAN: So in just a matter of hours, a shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security appears inevitable. Why? Because lawmakers have left Washington.

They're not there to vote to end the shutdown at this point, and there's really no deal in sight. I want to get to CNN, Washington Bureau Chief and Political Director David Chalian.

David, good morning and happy almost Valentine's Day to you. Lawmakers spending the Valentine's Day weekend out of town, which basically means this Department of Homeland Security shutdown is happening. What's the incentive structure for members of each party to end it quickly?

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, well, I don't see a ton of incentive structure on the Democratic side, given where so much of the polling has been in the last month as it relates to Donald Trump's immigration agenda, ICE enforcement, obviously, after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

[08:05:00]

We've just seen a sea change in public opinion around the enforcement piece, and that's why I think Democrats are dug in demanding reforms. Now, what's interesting, John, is we're here. We're only here at this obviously very large department, but singular department kind of shutdown here, because Donald Trump saw the writing on the wall also and completely capitulated, if you will, to the Democrats to get the rest of the government funded, keep it open and negotiate with Chuck Schumer over some of these reforms.

I don't see agreement yet for these reforms to get the government open, but nonetheless, that is where this is, between Donald Trump and Chuck Schumer, basically.

BERMAN: So, David, the last week or two, if you squint a little, maybe not even that much, you begin to see President Trump in a different political position than he has been in. It's not just low approval ratings in polls. It's maybe some signs that members of his own party are splitting.

I talk about the tariff vote in the House of Representatives, where the House voted to basically do away with the president's tariffs on Canada. Also, the pushback, some of it, on Attorney General Pam Bondi's testimony to the House, particularly her use of or her possession of records of Democratic searches of the Epstein files. Republicans, even electoral Republicans, not always happy with the administration right now.

What are you sensing?

CHALIAN: Yes, listen, first of all, I don't think the two things are disconnected, the low approval ratings and the fact that we're seeing some Republicans in this election year starting to buck the president. But I should also note, you use the word squint, I mean, those six Republicans that voted against the president's wishes on tariffs, yes, that's sort of a new element of political gravity being applied to Donald Trump in a way that we don't normally see it. And yet it's only six Republicans.

I think the very last thing we will see in the arc of Donald Trump's political trajectory here is actually members of Congress of his party somehow abandoning him. I mean, if you look at the polling, Republicans broadly across the country, self-identified Republicans are still very much with the president. And therefore, you see members of Capitol Hill of his party are also with him.

But you are right to note, John, this is a new moment. He is at a tougher time. And it is an election year where those folks on the Hill are on the ballot and Donald Trump is not.

And they're starting to think about their prospects for reelection more than just loyal support to him as the way to get there.

BERMAN: Yes, you know, it's funny. And there are other examples, too. It was just one week ago with that racist video of Barack and Michelle Obama. You had Republicans splitting on that very, very quickly.

So there are these pockets. And one wonders if the intensity or maybe the pace will speed up. And the State of the Union address, David, isn't that far away. And I wonder if the president will use that to finally start talking about the economy in the way that his closest aides are desperate that he does.

CHALIAN: I have no doubt he will talk about the economy. I don't know the last part in the way that his aides would like him to. We'll see if he can acknowledge the real work that still remains, the feelings of the American people around the economy beyond the very good economic indicators and statistics that he likes to tout.

I mean, this is what Joe Biden sort of found himself in. But you're right to know, 10 days away to that State of the Union, that is going to be a big moment for Donald Trump to try and reset this 2026 year politically for him and his party. It's one of those big moments offered to president.

It's an opportunity. But John, we're talking just a week after that primary season gets underway. And as these primaries go further, the fear factor among Republicans in the party, as you know, is largely around primaries.

And as these primaries continue to evolve, I think you are going to see opportunity for Republicans, if Donald Trump remains as unpopular as he is, to continue to find ways to separate from him.

BERMAN: A roadmap of what to watch for in the coming weeks. David Chalian, always great to see you have a wonderful Valentine's weekend. Nowhere more romantic than Washington, D.C. Right.

Who is to blame for the bizarre closure of airspace over El Paso? The White House, the FAA, the Pentagon, CBP, a party balloon? It depends who you ask, because many of these folks are blaming each other except for the party balloon.

And we're standing by for sentencing for the au pair accused of conspiring with her former boss and lover to kill his wife.

And then is this a new Olympic ice skating scandal? A French judge way out of line with all the other judges. Did it cost the American team the gold?

[08:10:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: So this morning, there is just finger pointing over that mess that -- all over the place -- over that mess that was triggered by the sudden and unprecedented closure of airspace around El Paso earlier this week. There's a lot of talk of communications breakdowns being blamed for the chaos that it created. One official now saying that President Trump's aides view this as a, quote, F up by the FAA, not the Pentagon, while the federal government seems to be trying to pass off blame all over the place. The mayor of El Paso was on our show yesterday morning, and he said that they, the city that was hit with this sudden shutdown, has still not heard anything from Washington. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RENARD JOHNSON, (D) EL PASO, TEXAS: We still have no correspondence.

[08:15:00]

I mean, we don't know anything more today than we knew yesterday. All we did is we woke up and the airspace is shut down for 10 days, and that's what we're going on today. I mean, you know, the stories that you're reporting about drones and balloons and things that's the information we're getting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining us right now, CNN's Pete Muntean. I mean, Pete, where is this? What is going on here?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: All of our reporting, Kate, really underscores this breakdown in communication between every federal agency involved here. What's clear from key government officials is that the FAA's decision to halt flights around El Paso caught parts of the Trump administration off guard. And now there's this intense blame game unfolding inside the White House.

Remember, this all centers on a counter drone system in use near the border. The technology uses what's called a high energy laser, and that laser uses concentrated heat to disable drones. Now, sources tell me FAA officials were concerned about the system's deployment at Fort Bliss, which is nearby El Paso International Airport and its potential harm to civilian flights landing and departing there.

Two senior administration officials tell CNN that the White House was furious with the FAA for shutting down the airspace. One top official telling us that FAA Administrator Brian Bedford decided to close the airspace without alerting the White House, Pentagon or Homeland Security officials. But other parts of the administration are pointing fingers in the other direction, questioning why Homeland Security and the Pentagon were using this laser without fully coordinating with the FAA.

There's also a pretty big disagreement about who knew what and who knew when. One source disputes that the White House was kept in the dark, saying that the National Security Council senior staff there and Homeland Security Council senior staff were told in advance that a temporary flight restriction was coming. The bottom line here, I know it sounds like a mess, this really has sparked major tension inside the Trump administration about who bears responsibility for all this, who the catalyst was.

None of the agencies involved here have responded to our official request for comment. You also have to set this, Kate, against the backdrop of really strained relations since last year's deadly midair collision over the Potomac River involving that commercial jet and an Army helicopter. And just yesterday, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told a Senate committee that the lack of coordination between the military and the FAA had been what she called, quote, astounding -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: But you're perfectly encapsulating why this is more than just a finger-pointing exercise and blame game. Maybe nothing bad happened here with this shutdown and this breakdown of communication. But look no further than one year ago, and you can see how tragic it can become.

And the fact that this is -- it's not a conversation of how do we make sure that this communication is more streamlined next time, and it's more you messed up, no, you messed up, that's the scariest part about it, Pete.

MUNTEAN: And one thing I just have to mention, you know, the FAA really gets its hide up when it comes to lasers, because that is a huge concern when it comes to civilian flights. We see all of the time, we're talking like thousands of times a year, where people will take a high-powered laser pointer and point it at commercial flights, which can temporarily blind pilots. And the most important instrument in any airplane, in any helicopter, and this happens to police helicopters also, is the pilot's eyes.

And so you can see why the FAA got really concerned about this and may have gone a little far in shutting down this airspace for 10 days. Ultimately, this only lasted eight hours.

BOLDUAN: OK. Let's see what happens in the next eight hours with this one. Pete, thank you so much for your great reporting on this, which has been important and leading to actually getting maybe some answers.

Also coming up for us still, a Ukrainian athlete speaking out now after his helmet got him disqualified and banned from competing in the Olympic Games.

Plus, police officers stepping in to finish the job after a DoorDash deliveryman was detained. We'll be right back.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: New this morning, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting with the Chinese foreign minister on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Arriving in Munich this morning, the secretary told reporters that, quote, "The old world order is dead." It sounds familiar.

President Trump was really tough on Europe just a few weeks ago in Davos, and last year, Vice President Vance was scathing in his critique at this very conference. CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour is in Munich for the conference and joins us now. And Christiane, I wonder what the atmosphere is like with Rubio getting ready to speak given what so many of these European leaders have heard from President Trump and Vice President Vance over time.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Absolutely, John. And I was here last year, and it was like a shockwave when J.D. Vance addressed this community and really put American allies in Europe on notice that there was no more hugging the transatlantic alliance. He really castigated them.

It was a blistering speech. He told them off for not embracing their far right, their extremist groups. He told them they're not giving them their, you know, their freedom of speech.

And in the intervening year, you've seen how Trump administration policies have actually pursued that very hard line policy towards their allies, and worryingly, less of a hard line and less pressure on their adversary, Russia.

[08:25:00]

So people here are wondering how is it going to be this year. There's quite a lot of nervousness. They're hoping that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is obviously the chief diplomat to the United States, will be more diplomatic. They do not expect him to speak against Trump policies, but they do hope that he will talk in more, you know, smoother ways to try to paper over this terrible rift that has now occurred within the transatlantic alliance.

And it's not just a pretend drift. It's a real rift. You've just heard -- well, we've been just been listening to the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, speaking. He opened the conference, and his basic message was that actually the world order that we've all relied on and that has helped us with peace and prosperity over the last 80 years, quote, no longer exists.

You've heard Marco Rubio, when he got off the plane speaking to reporters, as you just pointed out, saying pretty much the same thing. Why doesn't it exist anymore? Because the U.S. president has decided that it no longer exists. What is the alternative? What is the plan B?

Well, here, people are hoping that they can somehow, you know, come up with a plan where Europe stands on its own two feet much, much more and that does de-risking and decoupling and workarounds, Europe and other allies, like, you know, whether it's India, whether it's Canada, all those allies that are finding themselves pushed away. So I think this is a real turning point, and we'll see after Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, speaks tomorrow what the tone will be. But certainly there's hope that the tone, at least, will be much more inclusive than the blistering takedown delivered by J.D. Vance this time last year -- John.

BERMAN: Yes, maybe hoping that Rubio has a little bit of a softer touch. We will see. Christiane Amanpour in Munich. Great to have you there. I know you've got a busy schedule with some big interviews. We look forward to speaking to you again.

All right, we're just minutes away from the release of a key inflation report. We'll bring you those numbers as soon as we have them. Right now, markets look to open basically flat. Those are the futures.

And new calls for investigation and growing outrage over a possible judging controversy over the Olympics -- over at the Olympics -- did the French judge, whose scores were way out of line with the other judges, cause the Americans to lose the gold?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)