Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
U.S. Capitol A Fortress, On Lockdown Amid Threats Of Violence; Shocking New Footage From Inside The Capitol Siege; Security Heightened At State Capitals Across The Country; U.S. Nears 400,000 Deaths Tied To The Coronavirus; CNN Poll Shows Trump's Approval Rating Reaches New Low As Term Ends; Biden To Sign Executive Orders On First Day, Rejoining Paris Climate Accord And Rescinding Travel Ban. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired January 17, 2021 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:59:26]
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know what -- yes, you're absolutely right. I mean Alexei Navalny believes that the Russian government is afraid of him. Vladimir Putin is afraid of him.
It was quite interesting, of course. Before he went through the border control here, before he was detained he actually gave a short speech to some of the people who had been with him on the plane. Obviously, a lot of journalists made it on that plane as well.
And he said that he believes that this shows that the Russian government is afraid of him. I mean one of the things that we see tonight is an entire big airport here in Russia shut down its activities for an extended period of time as that plane was supposed to land.
The riot cops at that airport -- we have to keep in mind, the Russian government in the past had said, it only care about him, they don't really believe he's a big factor. Certainly today it looked very different, Fredricka.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right. Fred Pleitgen, thanks so much from Moscow.
All right. Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for being with me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
We're just three days away from the inauguration of President Joe Biden. But right now it doesn't look like much of a celebration in our nation's capital. Instead high fences, barbed wire and a show of force.
Capitol Hill is on high alert with 25,000 National Guard troops and reinforcement amid threats of violent far right extremism.
Drone video taken from earlier today showing a gorgeous, picturesque Washington, D.C. where the mall -- usually the centerpiece of a presidential inauguration is now closed off to the public. More than a week after that Capitol insurrection, massive measures to protect this week's inauguration.
Security also heightened at state capitals across the country amid warnings of armed protests. And those threats a direct result of the big lie propagated by outgoing President Trump that he continues to incorrectly say that he won the election.
And now a new CNN poll out this morning shows that Trump's steady drumbeat of disinformation is helping to drive his approval rating to new lows as he exits the White House.
But first, the extensive security measures in the nation's capital. Fences and fortifications are covering areas around the White House, Capitol Hill and access is being totally cut off to the public unlike anyone has ever seen leading up to an inauguration.
CNN's Shimon Prokupecz is on Capitol Hill right now. Shimon, what are you seeing?
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Actually Fred, we're over by the White House. We wanted to give you a different perspective about two miles from the Capitol over by the White House.
And as you can see, even two miles from the Capitol, we have military, the National Guard troops here at almost every intersection and every street surrounding the White House, the Capitol, other federal buildings and monuments.
This is the type of presence that you will see. These types of vehicles, National Guard troops heavily-armed, stationed all across Washington, D.C.
There are almost now, I would say, 20,000 National Guards here. And as we know, the Pentagon has said they're going to be sending in more troops, up to 25,000 of them, to help patrol the perimeter around the Capitol and the White House.
But I also wanted to show you this row of law enforcement vehicles here. These are the FBI agents and the Secret Service agents and other law enforcement officials who have come here from New York and other parts of the country to help with some of the law enforcement activity, the intelligence gathering, to try and prevent any kind of attack here.
But to see this many vehicles from out of state in one part is certainly -- I found it certainly striking. These are the law enforcement officials that are working behind the scenes to try and keep inauguration day safe.
WHITFIELD: And that's just a, you know, stone's throw away from the Capitol there from where you are.
All right. Shimon Prokupecz, thank you so much for that.
All right. Shocking new video shot, edited and released by "The New Yorker" offers an inside look at the Capitol siege.
Luke Mogelson, a veteran war correspondent and a contributing writer at "The New Yorker" enters the Capitol alongside the insurrectionists to document this moment.
He has spent the last ten months reporting on the radical fringe of President Trump's base. And I do have to warn you this video is graphic. It includes a lot of foul language. But we want to show you exactly what happened through that lens in the halls of Congress that day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're outnumbered. There's a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) million of us out there. And we are listening to Trump, your boss.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let the people in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It isn't safe for you guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We love you guys. Take it easy.
CROWD: Treason. Treason. Treason. Treason. Treason. Treason. Treason. Treason. Treason. Treason.
Defend your constitution, defend your liberty. Defend your constitution, defend your liberty.
[14:04:58]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 1776.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're afraid of Antifa? Well guess what? America showed up.
(INAUDIBLE)
CROWD: Knock, knock. We're here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this the Senate?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) are they? Where are they?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While we're here, we might as well set up a government.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Let's take a seat, people. Let's take a seat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is Nancy Pelosi? Where the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is Nancy? We pay for it. This is our house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of that chair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, this is our chair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I agree with you, brother, but it's not ours. It belongs to the vice president of the United States when he's in here. It's not our chair.
I love you guys, you're brothers, but we can't be disrespectful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, don't disrespect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They can steal an election and we can't sit in their chair?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, we're not putting up with that, either. Look, it's a PR war, ok? It's an IO war. We can't lose an IO war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're better than that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Information. Information operation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't do it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just get a snap of that.
Look here, look.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ted Cruz's objection to the Arizona -- he was going to sell us out all along.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look, objection to counting electoral votes on the state of Arizona. All right, all right, that's actually good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is all good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's got to be something in here we can (EXPLETIVE DELETED) use against this scumbag.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh no, I this is good. Yes, this is good.
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Cruz would want us to do this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we're good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)-A, man. Glad to see you guys. You guys are (EXPLETIVE DELETED) patriots. Look at this guy. He got covered in blood. God bless you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you good, sir. Do you need medical attention?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm good. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got shot in the face. I got shot in the face with some kind of plastic bullet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any chance I could get you guys to leave the senate wing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what, I'm making sure they're not disrespecting the place.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok, I just want to let you guys know, this is like the sacred place.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know. I'm not going. I'm going to stay here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike Pence is a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) cheat. I'm not one to usually take pictures of myself, but in this case I think I'll make an exception. Can you take a picture for me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't have a choice. There's half a million people here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's doing the right thing. He's obeying his oath.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm making sure you guys don't do anything else. Now that you've done that, can I get you guys to walk out of this room, please?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, I feel like you're pushing the limit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, man. Come on, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is our Capitol. Let's be respectful to it. There's four million people coming in so there's a lot of control. We love you guys. We love the cops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's only a matter of time. Justice is coming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Over four million are coming everywhere. All the way back to the monument.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm aware.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, again, this video coming from "The New Yorker". The reporter shot it, edited and now we are airing a portion of it.
Joining me right now to discuss Shawn Turner a CNN national security analyst and a former director of communications for U.S. national intelligence. And Jonathan Wackrow, a CNN law enforcement analyst and a former Secret Service agent for President Obama. Good to see both of you.
All right. So all of this kind of exemplifies what the mayhem, the anarchy.
[14:09:45]
WHITFIELD: I mean Shawn, you first. Let's zero in on the access and you see they're in the senate chambers. The last images there and while they talk about we love you guys, meaning, you know, those in blue, at the same time outside, some of those in blue are getting beaten.
SHAWN TURNER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes.
WHITFIELD: You know, how do you evaluate this and see, you know, how that one officer -- clearly he's so outnumbered. He's by himself in there. But then later you see officers who were outside. Why not, you know, shut the door, lock them in for their immediate arrest? What is going through the minds of, you know, your colleagues up there?
TURNER: Yes. Well, you know, Fred, I have to say that this video puts in perspective just how serious what happened on January 6th is. I mean, the images are absolutely startling.
And I can tell you that as a retired marine, what really concerns me about this video is that I see too many aspects of military training, too many aspects of law enforcement training in what this mob is doing.
And as I look at those officers you talked about, I think they recognize the same thing. Look, there were a couple things that we saw here. When we were looking at that video, we saw individuals there who were looking to gather and to photograph documents.
In the military context, you know, every time there is a raid, we have collection teams. And that's what they do. You believe that something is going to happen, or there's evidence of something that's is going to happen and you go and you collect information that you can take away to then later build up your story.
So that very much speaks to a sort of military approach.
We also saw clear evidence of people who understand psychological operations. Look, there were not, you know, hundreds of thousands. You know, there were not millions of people outside. But when you say that to those law enforcement officers, you're trying to send a very clear message that there's absolutely nothing you can do, so just stay out of our way. That's sort of a psychological approach.
And the last thing that I saw there was there was a serious attempt at command and control. This was not an out of control mob in the sense that there was no direction.
These people were being told where to go. They were being pushed in certain directions. And so there was an understanding that they needed to have some order, some sense of cohesion. And then, you know, Fred, I just have to say that, you know, we heard people in that video saying, where are they, where are they? I absolutely cringe to think about what might have happened if that mob had actually been able to find members of Congress. I think we would be having a very different conversation today.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. I mean, Jonathan, you know, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you're seeing. If you're looking at anything differently now, having gotten this point of view. And we know, you know, Capitol police and others, I mean they worked valiantly, and we know so many lives were saved.
But it also looks like, you know, they're as stunned as we are in that moment about exactly what Shawn was saying, that there was a mission. There was, you know, this experience of some who have been in the military, and they demonstrated that.
JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Yes. Fred, thank you. I mean, this is textbook mob mentality. And to put a finer point on it, you know, psychologists refer to what we're actually witnessing as, you know, part of contagion theory where crowds and mobs become so uncontrolled and frenzied that they actually enter into a type of like hypnotic state that really makes their actions unreasonable. It changes their behavior.
And, you know, while that does not actually absolve them from the consequences of their behavior for engaging in these criminal acts, which there were thousands of criminal acts ongoing at the same time, it speaks to the fact that what I've said before was that Capitol police, you know, experienced the acute shock of the moment.
They didn't realize or didn't understand the likelihood that this group could engage in that type of behavior. So when we see this video of officers that are, you know, some have accused them of being too passive or accommodating, they were in the shock of the moment.
They obviously didn't have an internal command structure to address, you know, how to deal with this mob as they, you know, essentially took over the U.S. Capitol. And that shock of the moment combined with the force of this mob into confusion that was, you know, in the moment led to just an absolutely terrible situation.
WHITFIELD: And, Shawn, you have said in so many interviews that you've done, that this really the precursor to all this was how people armed, stormed the Michigan, you know, Capitol in search of Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
And then, you had said, you know, this was kind of the tip of the iceberg. And now we have this. Are you concerned about what is potentially next? I mean there has been a lot of chatter but, you know, now what?
TURNER: Yes. you know, I am Fred. When I said this was -- that was the tip of the iceberg, you know, this is what I was referring to.
[14:14:50] TURNER: Look, we have to remember that at the center of what's
happening, what we saw at the Capitol, what we saw happen here in Michigan at the Capitol when the mobs went after Gretchen Whitmer. At the center of that is the misinformation campaign that Donald Trump has been running for most of his presidency.
And while, you know, Donald Trump is heading out of office and he's been banned from Twitter, what we're seeing here is a situation in which as long as there are other platforms, as long as there are news organizations that will give Donald Trump and those who supported him an opportunity to continue to communicate with these groups, with these mobs in that way that they have communicated in the past, we'll continue to see this happen.
So we really do have to address the fact that from a misinformation campaign, as long as these groups have their head, as long as they have their leader, they're going to continue to do this.
You know, I really do believe that for the next administration, it's going to be a question of what we do in order to silence exactly what's getting these people riled up. And that's all of the misinformation over a fraudulent claim that the election was stolen.
WHITFIELD: So Jonathan, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff says he will urge the incoming Biden administration to cut President Donald Trump off from intelligence briefings after he leaves office. How influential, you know, could that be?
WACKROW: Well, listen, I think that it will have a measured impact, but what we have to address now is the problem that has manifested and really metastasized over so many years.
Unlike foreign terror groups, the violent domestic extremists that we're talking about are literally hiding in plain sight. They're, you know, engaging in violent acts.
So from a law enforcement standpoint, we have to stop that activity. We have to stop the hate and the engagement of violent acts in the individuals who feel like they can engage in this type of activity literally with impunity.
So that's going to be a challenge with, you know, the incoming administration, is how do you address these domestic terrorist groups? It's not just a single answer.
You can't just apply a control measure such as legislation. It has to be very comprehensive and it has to be done from the federal, state and local level, you know, to bring together really a holistic approach to suppressing and stopping the hate.
WHITFIELD: All right. We'll leave it there for now. Jonathan Wackrow, Shawn Turner -- thanks to both of you gentlemen, appreciate it.
TURNER: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, state capitals across the country bracing for potential protests before President-Elect Biden's inauguration. We're live with the preparations and the extra security.
Plus, the United States on the verge of reporting 400,000 coronavirus deaths. Why first responders in Los Angeles are calling the situation a nightmare.
[14:17:39]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: We're just now three days away from the inauguration of President Joe Biden. And as the U.S. capital is locked down, security is being heightened in state capitals across the country. This follows threats of armed protests in all 50 states ahead of Wednesday's handover of power -- transition of power.
A short time ago in Ohio, a few armed supporters of President Trump could be seen at the state capitol. Some supporters of President-Elect Biden were there as well.
And in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania police could be seen putting on their riot gear as they beef up security in the capitol.
We've got reporters following preparations across the country starting with Omar Jimenez in St. Paul, Minnesota. So Omar, where do things stand?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, we've got a heavy law enforcement presence as you can see behind me. And while there aren't that many demonstrators, the concern and the reason you see this show of force, is tied to that FBI report that says that there were armed protests being planned in all 50 United States capitals reportedly with specific threats in Michigan and here in Minnesota.
Well, we heard from the head of the Department of Public Safety here in Minnesota who pushed back on that a little bit saying that report was from late December, and at this point that information is a little dated. And at this point they have no credible, immediate local threat here at the Minnesota state capitol.
However, as of this morning, he says they are being cautiously optimistic that the scene you see behind me continues to stay this way, peaceful.
And they had seen here in Minnesota how things had gotten to a point of concern. Back on January 6th as people were storming the United States Capitol, there was also locals who stormed (ph) the capitol rally here in Minnesota that at one point prompted the governor's family to be evacuated from the governor's mansion here as the rally spilled over from the capitol over towards the mansion itself.
And what you see behind me with this heavy law enforcement presence is part of the game plan here in this show of force. Minnesota is one of more than a dozen states to deploy their National Guard as well as to assist with what we're seeing behind me.
And state officials have stressed that at this point there is nothing being left undone to keep Minnesota and this capitol safe, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Omar, thank you so much.
Kyung Lah is in Sacramento, California. Kyung, California voted strongly for President-Elect Biden. Are authorities expecting protests as the inauguration approaches?
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I want to give you a sense of what they are preparing for, Fredricka. You're seeing this vehicle from the California Highway Patrol. It is pulling into a perimeter where you see a lot of law enforcement.
This is the state capitol. This is Sacramento. And it is fenced by this six-foot-high fence. You can see some of this incredible show of force.
This is the California Highway Patrol. There are vehicles ringing this Capitol. They have more officers here than I have ever seen here at the capitol before.
As far as that fencing, it goes all the way down around the Capitol. And then we're going to have my cameraman Ty walk this way.
[14:24:52]
LAH: And as you look to the left, you can see that this street is completely closed off. It is not being opened up for any sort of traffic. Again, more law enforcement personnel.
And then if you over this way, you can see the National Guard. There are 1,400 National Guard members who have been activated. The CHP, FBI, local agencies and the state all working together activated at the highest level.
And one other thing, Fredricka, there was a planned protest here but they could not get the permit. The governor says that no one is getting approved permits here around the capitol or in this immediate area. Trying to keep the public out of this and trying to really squash any sort of organized protests around the capitol because of concerns for what might happen here, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kyung Lah, thank you so much in Sacramento.
Dianne Gallagher in Nashville, Tennessee. Dianne, that is a city that is still recovering from that bombing on Christmas Day. So what preparations are being made there?
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. And look, we're here at the state capitol. At this point where now there was just sort of a bit of a shift change, it appears, with the Tennessee state police who were out here guarding the state capitol grounds.
At this point they've been mobilized to come out here, they've been out here all day. You can kind of see they have these barriers up to make sure that no one is going to get into this particular building. But there is a planned protest here today. It's called the Tennessee
Freedom Event. So far, and I want you to take a look out, I'm going to get a photographer to sort of look out over there.
That's where those protests take place, nothing so far. At this point it's members of the media, some tourists and law enforcement out here on state grounds.
Now again, there was a planned protest here today. It has yet to materialize at this point. There was immediate concern, of course, because of that FBI bulletin about the 50 state capitols and potential armed protests.
But also here in the state of Tennessee, we're looking at almost half a dozen individuals who have already been arrested on federal charges related to the siege at the U.S. Capitol. So of course, people here are on high alert, Fred here in the state of Tennessee at this point.
WHITFIELD: All right. Dianne Gallagher in Nashville, Tennessee, Omar Jimenez and Kyung Lah -- thanks to all of you. Appreciate it.
All right. Still to come, 25,000 National Guard troops in the nation's capital for the inauguration and a majority of them who won't be tested for coronavirus. I'll talk to the doctor who says protests could destabilize the entire health care system.
[14:27:17]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
WHITFIELD: The U.S. is nearing a terrible milestone in the coronavirus pandemic, 400,000 deaths due to COVID-19. Another 3200 deaths were reported yesterday, which brings the number to nearly 200,000 new cases.
CNN's Paul Vercammen is in Los Angeles, where there is a frightening new record there, Paul, and this is not news that L.A. needs.
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, it's not at all, and, Fred, yes, Los Angeles County passed the horrifying benchmark, 1 million, and it's seen 4,000 new cases in Los Angeles County. Of course, this is the most populist county in the nation. But the state California also reporting 42,000 new cases, and you were referring to those deaths, 432 new deaths, all of this just overwhelming to the infrastructure of Los Angeles. If you can hear a fire engine wailing in the background, the fire department overwhelmed. And we spoke with a veteran firefighter about what it's like to deal with this on a daily basis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID ORTIZ, SPOKESMAN AND FIREFIGHTER, LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT: It's surreal. It feels like you're waking up to a nightmare every day. We are trying to make a dent in this huge pandemic of people that are getting sick, hearing how many people are dying every day, it's unfathomable. It's hard to imagine that many people passing away, and each one of those is a story, it's a family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERCAMMEN: And by make a dent, Firefighter Ortiz is referring to that we've opened up this mega vaccination site at Dodgers Stadium. It's closed today but they hope to ramp up to 112,000 vaccinations a day. Right now, L.A. County, the focus is on health care workers.
And I'd like note, Fred, I've talked to David Ortiz many times. He's not pro (ph) to hyperbole or exaggeration. We talked at length off- camera about the relationship between media and, let's say, first responders.
When he says what he says and he talks about how unfathomable it is, take that seriously. Because what he's saying is, please, everyone, socially distance, wear your masks, don't make this an issue where firefighters and nurses, again, have to deal with people misbehaving.
WHITFIELD: Right, everyone do their part because everyone really is very vulnerable. All right, Paul Vercammen, thank you so much.
I want to bring in now Dr. David Callaway. He is a professor of Emergency Medicine at Carolina's Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the chief of Disaster Medicine at Atrium Health. He is also a Navy veteran. Doctor, so good to see you.
DR. DAVID CALLAWAY, CHIEF OF DISASTER MEDICINE, ATRIUM HEALTH: Thanks, Fredricka, I appreciate the time.
WHITFIELD: So these -- I mean, these numbers are more than sobering. I mean, it's really downright depressing. I mean, the U.S. is about to now surpass 400,000 deaths related to COVID-19, and in all of World War II, 405,000 Americans were killed. So, your reaction now to this COVID milestone.
CALLAWAY: I think it's an apt comparison. From the beginning of the pandemic at Atrium Health and at Team Rubicon, we have treated this as a war, and we've been on war footing. And COVID is living, breathing organism that's really laid our country to siege.
[14:35:02]
And for the younger generation, in essence, what we're seeing is a Pearl Harbor attack every day, a 9/11 attack every single day. That's how many Americans are dying.
And the untold the story here, and this is especially for the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is death is not the only consequence. Up to 50 percent of COVID patients end up having symptoms at six months. And this is equivalent to the TBI and the PTSD that we see in returning veterans these days.
So the only way we can do together to beat this is within the community, and that's why I hope this war against COVID analogy sticks because our country, when faced with external threat, often comes together, and we need that now more than ever.
WHITFIELD: CNN has also learned that of the more than 20,000 National Guard numbers that will be flooding into the nation's Capitol, 25,000 National Guard people at inauguration to provide that security, the overwhelming majority, apparently, will not be tested for COVID-19. What's your response to that, and what are your concerns that come with that?
Dr. Callaway, it looks like we lost him in that signal. All right, are you back, Dr. Callaway? No.
All right, we're going to try and reestablish that connection, all of his information valuable.
Up next, Congressman Jamie Raskin accuses Trump of the worst presidential crime in history, more on that, plus the powerful tribute to his country and his late son.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:40:00]
WHITFIELD: In the wake of the Capitol riot and his second impeachment, President Trump will leave office with the lowest approval rating of his presidency and with more Americans than ever in support of removing him from office. According to a new CNN poll, just 34 percent of Americans approve of the way the president is handling his job. That's down from 42 percent from a pre-election poll.
Jeremy Diamond is at the White House for us. So, Jeremy, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to the send the article of impeachment to the Senate this week for a trial later on. What do we know about the president's impeachment defense, how he plans to spend his final few days, his state of mind right now, all that?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's certainly some confusion, it seems, over who will actually represent Donald Trump in this eventual impeachment trial in the Senate. Rudy Giuliani suggested just yesterday to ABC News that he was indeed already working on formulating a defense for President Trump in the event of an impeachment trial in the Senate.
We had reported last week that Rudy Giuliani and Alan Dershowitz were both under consideration to be part of the president's legal team. But now, Hogan Gidley, a campaign spokesperson for the president, is saying that the president has yet to make a determination about which lawyer or which law firm will represent him in the possibility, the likelihood at this point, of a Senate trial.
Gidley also made some other comments today on another network in which where he suggested that the president's lack of condemnation for those rioters on January 6th at the Capitol, his lack of remorse over all of this, even as the president is facing criticism from his own allies and aides, well, it seems to be that he's tying it all down to the fact that the president doesn't have a Twitter account anymore. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOGAN GIDLEY, TRUMP CAMPAIGN SPOKESMAN: The media though are trying to have it both ways, Ali. On one hand, he should be censured by big tech and not be allowed to talk. He also shouldn't say anything because it's divisive. And then when he doesn't say anything and can't say anything because the platforms removed him, they say, where is the president? Why aren't we hearing from him? The whole thing is disingenuous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: What's disingenuous, of course, here, Fredricka, is the fact that the president has multiple avenues, including this very podium inside the briefing room at the White House, which hasn't been used in quite some time. The president, at any moment, has a press corps at his disposal to be asked questions, to be able broadcast his message, and, of course, that briefing room is still functioning in case the president is looking for an avenue to condemn what happened on January 6th and perhaps express some remorse reflection for his role in inciting that mob.
WHITFIELD: Right, that's the biggest platform of all, right there, the White House and a podium.
So, Jeremy, let's talk -- shift gears a little bit. Well, it is a time where people are reflecting on the last year, and now this one. Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin was on State of the Union today and what an emotional message he had about the recent loss of his son and his role as the House's lead impeachment manager. What can you tell us about this moment?
DIAMOND: Yes. Congressman Raskin taking this on really just days after his son died by suicide, and it is an unspeakable tragedy that Congressman Raskin suffered through. And now, he is charging forward, nonetheless, with this role as the House's lead impeachment manager.
I just want to let his words speak for themselves about why he took this on and what he thinks is at stake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): I'm not going to lose my son at the end of 2020 and lose my country and my republic in 2021. It's not going to happen. And the vast majority of the American people, Democrats, Republicans and independents, reject armed insurrection and violence as a new way of doing business in America. We're not going to do that. This was the most terrible crime ever by a president of the United States against our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: Congressman Raskin also called it the most serious and the most dangerous crime that he believes the president of the United States has committed. And he also addressed these questions about -- some people have suggested that President Trump could not face trial in the Senate because he will no longer be president at that time.
[14:45:05]
Raskin dismissed that theory altogether saying that, essentially, if they do not conduct this trial in the Senate, it would leave open the possibility that any future president of the United States could try and carry out some kind of insurrection in his final weeks in office and face no consequences even if that insurrection fails. Fred?
WHITFIELD: All right. Jeremy Diamond at the White House, thanks so much.
All right, still ahead, President-elect Biden taking aim at some of Trump's key policies, the changes Biden plans to making through executive orders.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
WHITFIELD: President-elect Joe Biden is planning to sign roughly a dozen executive orders on his first day in office. The incoming administration vowing to hit the ground running with plans to rejoin the Paris climate accord and end the travel ban on predominantly Muslim countries.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE BEDINGFIELD, INCOMING WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: You're going to see him move on promises that he made on the campaign trail to ensure that we are focused on workers. We'll see him make good on his Buy American promise, you're going to see him make good on promises to move us toward a more just and racially equitable society, you're going to see him make movement on racial equity, and you're going to see him make movement on climate, on jobs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: CNN's Arlette Saenz joins me now from Wilmington, Delaware. So, Arlette, what more does Biden have on his agenda?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, President-elect Biden wants to make it clear he will waste no time after his inauguration, and they are readying dozens of executive actions for him to sign in the opening days of his administration.
On that very first day alone, on January 29th, he will sign about a dozen executive actions, and some of them are focusing on undoing some of the policies of the Trump administration. That starts with rescinding that ban on travelers from Muslim majority countries as well as rejoining the Paris climate agreement. That was something that was negotiated during the Obama/Biden administration but that President Trump pulled out of. There are also some executive actions related to the pandemic that Biden plans to sign, and that includes continuing the halt on foreclosures and evictions as well as that pause on federal student loan payments. That's something that's been affecting a lot of people during this pandemic.
And the president-elect will also be issuing what they're calling a 100-day masking challenge to encourage people across the country to wear masks. Now, Biden cannot mandate masks nationally, but he can mandate them in federal buildings and interstate travel. So you will see him sign an executive action relating to that.
There will be more to come in those first ten days Biden is in office relating to things like immigration as well as jobs. But the president-elect is keenly aware that he can't do everything by executive action, and he will need cooperation from Congress. One of those items that he wants to get done is that $1.9 trillion stimulus relief deal amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But the early days of Biden's presidency have the potential to be complicated by that looming Senate impeachment trial. And Biden's advisers are arguing that it's imperative that the Senate find a way to work on both the impeachment trial and Biden's agenda and nominees.
Take a listen to incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain earlier today on State of the Union.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON KLAIN, INCOMING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: It's important for the Senate to do its constitutional duty but also to do its constitutional duty to move forward on these appointments, on the urgent action the country needs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAENZ: So that is something that they will be watching, the timing of that Senate impeachment trial and how it will play out and affect their legislative business going forward. Fred?
WHITFIELD: And then what about Vice President-elect Kamala Harris? She will officially resign from her U.S. Senate seat on Monday, and then what? Has she spoken to her successor?
SAENZ: That's right. So Kamala Harris has spoken with Vice President Mike Pence, and we are learning that tomorrow she will officially resign from her Senate seat. She has already spoken with the successor, which will be Alex Padilla, the current secretary of state of California. And one thing that Kamala Harris will not be able to do is deliver a departure speech from the Senate. That is due to the scheduling issues.
But one thing to keep in mind about Harris' role when she becomes vice president is that since the Senate is 50-50, Democratic and Republicans, and she will have the ability to cast tie-breaking votes. Now, her advisers say that they don't think she will have to cast many because they're really that they can get some bipartisan sign-on on their pushes.
But one thing that's interesting is that Biden, while he was vice president, never once cast a tie-breaking vote. So that is something Kamala Harris may get to do in her role that he didn't get to do when he was V.P. Fred?
WHITFIELD: All right. Arlette Saenz, thank you so much in Wilmington, Delaware.
And, of course, join CNN for all-day live coverage of the inauguration of President Joe Biden, a history-making event in unprecedented times. Special all-day coverage starts Wednesday on CNN.
And, of course, we're following breaking news overseas. Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny has been arrested nearly five months after surviving an assassination attempt.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:55:00]
WHITFIELD: Hello, again, everyone, thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
The inauguration of President Joe Biden is just three days away. But right now, the scenes of the nation's Capitol are anything but celebratory, instead high fences, barbed wire and a show of force. Capitol Hill is on high alert with 25,000 National Guard troops and reinforcements amid threats of violent far-right extremism.
Drone video from earlier today showing a gorgeous picturesque Washington, D.C., where the mall, usually the centerpiece of a presidential inauguration, is now closed off to the public more than a week after that Capitol insurrection, massive measures to protect this week's inauguration.
Security also heightened at state capitols across the country amid warnings of armed protests. Those threats are direct result of the big lie propagated by outgoing President Trump that he continues to incorrectly say that he won the election.
[15:00:04]
