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Canadian Governor General Resigns Over Toxic Workplace; Biden's First Foreign Leader Call To Be With Canada's Trudeau; Biden Seeks Aggressive Approach To Climate Policies; The U.S.-U.K. Special Relationship Under Joe Biden; Biden Orders Investigation Into Russia Hacking; Capitol Suspected Rioters Arrested; QAnon Believers In Disarray After Biden Is Inaugurated; President Biden Launch War Against COVID; Speaker Pelosi Determined to Impeach Trump; Japan Says the Game Must Go On; U.K. Impose Rules for Incoming Travelers; U.S. Rejoining WHO is a Smart Decision. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired January 22, 2021 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Going to war against COVID. U.S. President Joe Biden unveils an aggressive plan to tackle the pandemic that's killing thousands of Americans every day.

The games will go on. Japan insist the Olympics are on track for 2021 despite rumors there are about to be cancelled.

And later, the U.S. and the U.K. A look at what's ahead for their relationship in the post-Trump, post-Brexit era.

Welcome to everyone watching from all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. And this is CNN Newsroom.

The new U.S. president is hitting a reset on the country's coronavirus response. Joe Biden signs a series of executive actions Thursday aimed at getting a handle on the pandemic. He's spent his first full day as president outlining how things will change. And at a top of his agenda, getting more vaccines into people's arms.

That's proven to be a challenge so far. Seventeen and a half million doses of the almost 38 million doses distributed have been administered, so that's fewer than half. President Biden's goal is to administer 100 million doses in his first 100 days.

Now thousands of Americans are dying from the virus every day, almost 4,000 lives were reported lost the same day the strategy was unveiled.

Phil Mattingly takes a closer look at Biden's plan to take the fight to the virus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Let me be very clear. Things are going to get continue to get worse before they get better.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On President Joe Biden's first full day in office, a singular focus, the fight against the pandemic.

BIDEN: We will get through this. We will defeat this pandemic.

MATTINGLY: The Biden administration unveiled a raft of executive actions designed to centralize the federal response and bolster its effectiveness.

BIDEN: To a nation waiting for action, let me be the clearest on this point, help is on the way.

MATTINGLY: One that includes new uses of the Defense Production Act to surge supplies. Development of advanced therapeutics. Data collection and the establishment of a pandemic testing board, as well as new actions to extend masking requirement during interstate travel on trains, planes, and buses. And a key symbolic focus, reestablishing trust in the federal government.

ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: The idea that you can get up here and talk about what you know, what evidence, what the science is, and know, that's it. Let the science speak. It is somewhat of a liberating feeling.

MATTINGLY: But the problems facing the nation's administration are significant, sources say. With Jeff Zients, the White House COVID response coordinator saying bluntly, quote, "what we are inheriting is so much worse than we could have imagined." Biden echoing that point.

BIDEN: The rollout has been a dismal failure, thus far.

MATTINGLY: But Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed back on the idea that the Biden team was left with nothing.

FAUCI: We certainly are not starting from scratch, because there is activity going on in the distribution.

MATTINGLY: Fauci did acknowledge a ramp up as Biden pledged and all of government approach.

BIDEN: We'll move heaven and earth to get more people vaccinated for free. And create more places for them to get vaccinated.

MATTINGLY: Even as he bristled at a question of whether the administration's goal of 100 million shots in 100 days was less than ambitious.

BIDEN: When I announced it, you all said it's not possible. Come on, give me a break, man.

MATTINGLY: Broadly, it's a change in direction that goes far beyond just the pandemic. As Biden threw executive action, has moved to undo some of his predecessor's key initiatives.

BIDEN: There is no time to start like today.

MATTINGLY: Already moving to rejoin the Paris climate accord, while killing funding for the border wall. Rescinding a travel ban on Muslim majority countries, and revoking the presidential permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline even as a clear reality hangs over the new administration.

BIDEN: We're going to need a legislation for a lot of the things we're going to do.

MATTINGLY: Biden officials already working behind the scenes to build support for his $1.9 trillion relief package, sources say. But first, a need to confirm top appointees with only one Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines confirmed so far.

[03:04:57]

A number, one, that falls short of Biden's predecessors and looming over everything on Capitol Hill, the impeachment trial with former President Donald Trump.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), UNITED STATES SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It will be soon. I don't think it will be long but we must do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Joining me now from Los Angeles is Jessica Levinson, she's a professor of law at the Loyola Law School and the host of the Passing Judgment podcast. Thank you very much for joining us.

We just heard Nancy Pelosi say impeachment will be soon. Mitch McConnell is saying, not so fast. His plan would see it start essentially in mid-February. Do you think Democrats will agree to this delay? Essentially as a quid pro quo for quick confirmation of Biden's top nominees? Or will they think it's too slow and all the air and momentum will have gone out of impeachment? And you know, it will lessen the pressure on McConnell to actually convict?

JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY: Yes. That's a great question. And I think this will be, frankly, I'm going to kind of dodge the question by saying I think this will be the real big test of the Democrats. They do now control the Senate. It's razor thin, because you need Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie breaking vote.

But that's still a majority. And I have the strong feeling that if the rules were reversed, that Senator Mitch McConnell would say, that's our majority. And so again, I think this is really going to be an initial test of how much will Democrats say, absolutely not, Republicans. How much will they try to take, frankly, I think a little bit of a honeymoon period.

Some of their political capital out for a spin, and say here's what we're going to get, confirmation of these nominees and the Senate trial. Not in two weeks, not in two months, but now, because there's no good reason for the delay.

BRUNHUBER: All right. So, we're hearing more and more from Republicans that they and the president's legal team are likely to focus on the unconstitutional argument, that a former president can't be convicted by the Senate because, essentially, it has no constitutional authority to put a private citizen on trial. So, what do you make of that argument? And is that the right move?

LEVINSON: So, if this is your argument when -- if you're facing a Senate impeachment trial and this is your argument, you have no other arguments left. Because I think that the weight of the law absolutely indicates that the Senate can go forward with the trial even when somebody is out of office.

Now why do I think that? Number one, the Senate has done that in the past. All the way back almost centuries, to a secretary of war. Why else do I think that? Because the punishment for a Senate trial, the punishment for impeachment, is not just removal. The punishment can be, if convicted, you can't run for office again. And that is part of the Constitution. That's a specific and concrete punishment, that obviously holds huge sway, even when you're talking about a private citizen.

And it wouldn't make a lot of sense to put that in the Constitution if you could just resign from your current post, avoid the Senate impeachment trial, and then just keep running for things.

BRUNHUBER: One key question for the Justice Department will be whether it will continue defending Donald Trump? Trump obviously relied on DOJ lawyers to fight some of his personal battles. And one of those is coming up today over Trump's tax returns. So, will the Treasury and Justice Departments continue to block their quest to get those returns? You know now that they are headed by the Biden administration?

LEVINSON: It brings up questions not just should President Trump be forced to turn over his tax returns to the House Ways and Means committee, but it also brings up a broader question of this matchup between congressional power and executive power on the other hand.

So, I think some of this as the Department of Justice looks at each of these cases, some of it will depend on, do you want to create -- you know, do you want to give any resources to defending President Trump's positions? But some of it will also be based on what the Biden administration views as the proper role of executive power? Do they think that the executive should be able to say, no, I'm not turning over this information? Not whether or not Donald Trump can do it? But should anybody in the Oval Office people to do?

So, I think that's what we'd be looking at. Again, I'm not answering your question because I don't think we know the answer. But that's why I'm going to be looking at going forward in terms of trying to weigh those questions.

BRUNHUBER: Before I let you go, we only have about 20 seconds less, but I was intrigued on your podcast, you talked about President Trump and the pardons and the possibility of Trump sort of pocketing a self- pardon. So, I found that intriguing. Can you just explain that?

LEVINSON: Sure. Super briefly, if there's a possibility that not all of the pardons have been made public. Now under the Public Records Act, they should be. I could see this former president not complying with the Public Records Act. There could be in Mar-a-Lago in a trouser pocket a self-pardon, a pardon for Ivanka Trump, a pardon for Jared Kushner.

[03:10:02]

We don't know and we might never know because you have to be tried by a federal prosecutor, indicted by federal prosecutor. And then use it as a defense. So, this could go down as a true secret. We might never know the answer.

BRUNHUBER: All right, we may never find out but fascinating to think about that, all the possibilities. Thank you so much for joining us, Jessica Levinson. I appreciate it.

LEVINSON: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: The Japanese government says it's determined to host the Olympic Games this summer despite rumors and reports they've been canceled.

So, let's get straight to CNN's Selina Wang in Tokyo with the details. Selina, those rumors, an awful lot of panic. So, what do we know?

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Kim, panic exactly. There is growing skepticism as to whether or not Japan can host the Olympics in the middle of a pandemic. Now according to reports from the Times of London, citing and an unnamed senior government official in Japan, that report saying that privately the Japanese government has concluded the games cannot be held. They have to be canceled because of the pandemic.

Now the Japanese government has denied that report telling CNN, it is not true. The prime minister also coming out today reaffirming that the country is committed to hosting the Olympics this year. So publicly at least, the government, the IOC has been unwavering in its response.

But Kim, the outlook, the reality here is grim. We're just six months away from the Olympics. Japan is dealing with an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases. Foreigners are currently banned from traveling to Japan. Tokyo, the host city, is in a state of emergency. And I recently spoke to the international committee's longest serving member, International Olympic Committee. His name is Dick Pound and this is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK POUND, VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Confident, but not -- it's not a guarantee, of course. Everyone understands that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WANG (on camera): Kim, it's hard to overemphasize how big of a deal a cancellation would be for Japan. They've already sank more than $25 billion into preparations for the Olympics. In addition to that, economic loss, there would be a loss of face. Japan wants to be the first country to host the Olympic Games in a post-COVID world. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Thank you much, Selina Wang in Tokyo. I appreciate it.

New strains of coronavirus have European health authorities worried. They're strengthening travel restrictions and encouraging nations to think about getting even tougher. We'll have the latest from Paris straight ahead. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: The British environment secretary George Eustice says that the government is considering a full closure of borders to contain the spread new variance of COVID-19. That news coming as coronavirus cases in England are no longer falling despite a third lockdown.

[03:15:03]

In fact, a study by Imperial College London found that cases might even be rising. The U.K. is nearing 35,000 deaths with nearly fatalities, averaging over 1000. The U.K. is the fifth most affective from the pandemic worldwide both in the number of cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins.

Well joining me now to talk about this is CNN's Scott McLean in London. Scott, let's start with the latest development there. What can you tell us about closing all borders? I mean, that would be a drastic move.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It sure would be, Kim. So, remember that the U.K. right now is being ravaged by a mutated strain of the virus that spreads more easily. And right now, to keep other strains of the virus out, other foreign strains of the virus, the U.K. already requires that every single person coming into this country from abroad to not only be tested before their flight, but also to quarantine when they get here.

So that cabinet secretary that you mentioned says that the government has not ruled out the possibility that they could resort to a full- scale border closure. That's not the case just yet, though. Over the past week, as you said, the U.K. is averaging more than 1,200 new COVID-19 deaths per day. And you have to really strain hard to find signs that things are getting better here.

So, while government data does show that the number of new infections is declining, that study you mentioned said, well, their evidence suggests that things are staying flat, perhaps even rising. The discrepancy may be in the fact that the government is testing only people with symptoms of the virus, while that study tested almost 150,000 people at the beginning of January completely randomly. Now London is the worst affected area, and the head of healthcare here

said that well, ICU beds continue to fill up, emergency calls are declining, as are the number of patients in regular and acute care beds. So that's the glimmer of hope here that the lockdown is actually working.

But government officials yesterday stress that there was still a small number of people who simply did not want to follow the rules and promised to impose tougher penalties on them. But here is what the head of healthcare in London said about those people. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIN DIWAKAR, NHS ENGLAND REGIONAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR LONDON: This is the biggest health emergency to face this country since the Second World War. For me and for my colleagues in the NHS, breaking the rules in the way that's being described today is like switching on a light in the middle of a black out in the blitz. It doesn't just put you at risk in your house, it puts your whole street and the whole of your community at risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN (on camera): And one other glimmer of good news, Kim, is that a new pre-print study out of the U.K. this week added to the growing evidence that vaccines will be effective even against mutated strain. This particular study out of the U.K. found that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was effective against the U.K. variant of the virus, though it found that for people over 80, it was slightly less effective. Though the author says that it shouldn't be too surprising considering that vaccine effectiveness generally wanes as we get older, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. All right. Thank you so much for all of that, Scott Mclean in London.

European health authorities say that new variance of the coronavirus are making the pandemic worse, and they are warning nations to take extra measures now as cases surge in Western and Eastern Europe, some countries are proposing tougher new restrictions on travel.

Portugal is banning flights from the U.K. And the Netherlands will impose a nightly curfew starting this Saturday. France has ambitious plans for vaccinating its entire population.

Well for more on that and other European developments, let's bring in Melissa Bell in Paris. Melissa, growing concerns across Europe over how slow vaccinations are rolling out, and how quickly this variant is spreading. Where to start?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, Kim, exactly the combination of these two things that has authorities extremely worried. You mentioned there the European Center for Disease Control warning that extra measures needed to be taken even now if the continent was to avoid the sort of spread of those new variants that we've seen, for instance, in the United Kingdom. It is that the fear of how much more quickly some of those variants,

and more specifically, the ones that was first identified in the U.K. could spread that's really causing alarm.

We've been hearing overnight from a member of the scientific council adviser of the French government really saying that that news spread, the spread of the virus through those new variants could mean the tightening of measures. of course, the French authorities have not ruled out a third lockdown for the time being and that could yet prove essential, he warned.

And it is something, of course, that the European Union is now looking at as well. It has held a meeting of European leaders to look specifically at that, how they could coordinate their travel restrictions in order to slow the spread of that new variant.

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen speaking there yesterday specifically to how worried authorities about the spread of that.

[03:20:00]

There have been fears of it over in Germany. We know that Angela Merkel has once again on Thursday warned about the spread of those new variance. And the idea is that European Union now to avoid the sort of chaos that followed the first lockdown, and the ad hoc of travel restrictions that were put in place then were tried in coordinated efforts to come up with a unified plan.

Border controls are the responsibility of an individual member states, and the European Union wants to be able to coordinate this time much better. Meanwhile, France has announced that it will be requiring a negative PCR test for travelers coming from fellow European countries. Already trying to tighten its restrictions.

Clearly, a very difficult situation here in Europe with hospitals already overburdened and staff exhausted, Kim.

BRUNHUBER (on camera): All right. Thanks so much, Melissa Bell in Paris.

The World Health Organization plans to build over 600 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to African nations by the end of this year. The first 30 million doses should arrive and March. The WHO commissioned an independent panel to examine the global response to the pandemic. Their report calls it a failure and levels criticism at everyone even the WHO itself.

Cyril Vanier has that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the first day of his presidency, Joe Biden reversing many of Donald Trump's policies. Among them, the decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization in the midst of a pandemic. The WHO plays a crucial role in the world's fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, wrote Biden on inauguration day. And the United States will continue to be a global leader.

The director general of the U.N body tweeting back, we are family. A timely shot in the arm for the WHO whose independent panel just release a damning report on the fight against COVID. Global leadership has been exercised weakly, it says. And the worst of the pandemic and its impact are yet to come.

The panel based in Switzerland that was set up to assess the global response to the greatest health crisis since the Second World War. It points to a string of missteps starting with China. Beijing didn't alert WHO to a new respiratory disease until December 31st. That's several weeks after symptoms appeared and didn't put Wuhan under lockdown for several more weeks.

Health measures could have been applied more forcefully by local and national health authorities in China in January, says the report. The WHO is also found one thing. Its emergency committee not convened until the third week of January.

HELEN CLARK, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: It was still a month after an alarm was sounded in Wuhan that the international system sounded its highest alarm available.

VANIER (on camera): And the buck doesn't stop there. By early February, there was still fewer than 200 declared cases outside China. And the world had definitive evidence at that point of human to human transmission. So, the need for urgent contain measures was quite clear. Yet, in many countries, the report says too little was done.

VANIER (voice over): Panel members also lament a crisis of solidarity with wealthy countries able to secure equipment, therapeutics, and now vaccines while poorer countries are often left behind.

ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF, FORMER PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA: As our report says, where you are born should not be the factor that determines your place in the vaccine que.

VANIER: Something the Biden presidency may help alleviate. The 46th U.S. president has pledged to join COVAX, a global effort aimed at ensuring access to COVID vaccines for every country in the world. A program Donald Trump had refused to join.

Cyril Vanier, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): For more on the global fight against COVID, I'd like to bring in Dr. Jerome Kim. He is the director general of the International Vaccine Institute, and he joins us now from Seoul, South Korea. Thank you very much for joining us, doctor.

We just heard a stark assessment of the global failures on the COVID response, plenty of blame to go around. As someone who has been involved in the battle against this disease from the beginning, what was the most critical failure for you?

JEROME KIM, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL VACCINE INSTITUTE: You know, I think that we have to stop pointing fingers. What we need to do is figure out what we did wrong. We are still doing some of that wrong. We need to fix them, we need to come up with solutions so we don't do this again, because you know, we will see pandemic after pandemic.

Our response to them needs to be clearer and stronger, and more unified. All the things that you report pointed out. Individually, it's difficult, it's easier in retrospect to be critical than it is to do the right things when something is happening.

[03:24:54]

Countries need to have pandemic preparedness plans. The international system needs to have a trigger mechanism that will bring the right people to bear on a problem or a question rapidly, efficiently. And be able to make a decision quickly.

BRUNHUBER: Well, those things, obviously didn't happen. The good news from a global point of view, the U.S. is no longer pulling out of the WHO, and it's joining COVAX to share vaccines with developing countries. So, the U.S. rejoining the global community in this fight, how important is that? And what effect could that have?

KIM: The U.S. rejoining the World Health Organization during a pandemic, the U.S. joining COVAX to help with the distribution of vaccines around the world is a very, very important step. The United States as an opportunity to show global leadership. The appointment of Dr. Fauci as the representative I think is another very important sign. That the United States is planning to lead with science, and can provide the kind of leadership around COVID vaccination than it did around COVID vaccine development.

So, again, I'm very hopeful that this is a sign that the United States is now stepping up. And really, bearing response -- helping to bear responsibility for what is going to be a global fight against COVID- 19.

BRUNHUBER: Part of that global fight is against this new variance that are popping up in different countries. There is a preliminary evidence suggesting that the vaccine might be less effective against the South African variant, for instance. We are seeing just how fast these new variants are spreading. There is a projection that the U.K. variant could be the dominant one in the U.S. by March. So that doesn't give us a lot of time to get people vaccinated. Sp how worried should we be that the spread of this variance will outpace our vaccination efforts?

KIM: We have to be very concerned. And we have to be concerned at multiple levels. You know, we wanted to have a lot more people vaccinated, for instance, in the United States and in Europe than have been vaccinated.

As with many things, reparation, planning, institution of a nationwide program for vaccination, these are all things that need to be done, not only in the United States but in countries around the world. It's going to be difficult to prevent the spread of new mutants, it's going to be difficult to get a hold over the pandemic if we don't start officially vaccinating.

So, remember that these mutations, these changes in the virus occur as the virus is growing and spreading. Effective vaccination, the use of masks, social distancing, and avoiding crowds are always that we're going to contain the virus and keep it from mutating.

So, get vaccinated, wear your mask, keep a distance, avoid crowds. These things are goin to apply. It's going to be very important. I mean, the pandemic has already taken out, you know, over $20 trillion from the global economy. If we want this to be fixed, if we want to go back to a somewhat close to what we had before then people around the world are going to have to help and cooperate. I mean, we're in this together, vaccinations, masks, distance, all very important parts for everyone.

BRUNHUBER: A perfect message to end on. Thank you very much for joining us, International Vaccine Institute director general, Dr. Jerome Kim, we appreciate you coming on.

KIM: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Joe Biden will pick the phone up today, and make Canada's prime minister the first foreign leader to get a call from the new U.S. president. What details on the camaraderie and the controversy they're expected to discuss.

Plus, how Boris Johnson plans to keep the U.S./U.K. special relationship alive as he navigates a new and very different administration. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Canada's Governor General has resigned, after current and former employees, accused her of creating a toxic workplace. Julie Payette flew in space twice on shuttle missions as a Canadian astronaut, although, she signed bills into law, and as the representative of Queen Elizabeth in Canada since 2017, she had a symbolic role. She had no real power.

The Canadian broadcasting corporation reported last year that her employees complained of harassment and bullying so severe, some were reduced to tears. Payette said she took the complaint seriously, but did not apologize or admit to misconduct.

While Canada's Prime Minister will be the first international leader to get a call from the new U.S. President. Joe Biden is to speak with close ally, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in the coming hours. The White House says they likely will discuss Mr. Biden's executive order to revoke the permit for the controversial keystone XL oil pipeline. CNN's John Defterios has more on how that news is being received, and

he joins us now from Dubai. John, I imagine the phone call will be generally warm, but Trudeau's tone might become a little frosty on the subject of the pipeline, which the Canadian government supported.

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR (on camera): Yes, you're right, Kim. But I think the relations between Canada and the U.S. will improve unlike the frosty nature we had with Donald Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau.

Joe Biden has three legs supporting his urgent near term strategy though, you talked about the vaccine distribution there you're your guest, that's priority number one. A stimulus package of nearly 2 trillion dollars, and then third, fighting climate change.

He sees it as very important. So, a keystone pipeline just doesn't fit into the optics of that. He is trying to launch here another $2 trillion to update the U.S. energy system. It's a hefty sum, but he says, in order to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees, there is no other option. His challenge, in the U.S. Senate, is split 50/50. There's a lot of money going out, and he will meet some resistance. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD MORNINGSTAR, CHAIRMAN, ATLANTIC COUNCIL GLOBAL ENERGY CENTER: I think a lot can be done, and a lot can be done with respect to a stimulus. There can be a lot that in cooperation between the U.S. and E.U in which we can dead end more specifically. But, there is going to have to be some compromised in the Senate to get legislation passed, and we will see how much that compromise has to be. So, again, high expectations, but it is not going to be perfect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEFTERIOS (on camera): High expectations in Paris climate agreement and they want to improve transit line relations when it comes to climate change. Next week, by the way, Wednesdays is climate day in the United States, and don't forget, we have John Carry as a special envoy. So, Joe Biden, putting some diplomatic weight behind this effort as well, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Alright. But -- so what the XL -- I mean, in Canada, Alberta's Premier call it a gut punch, and called for sanctions against the U.S. such as the anger in the West. And we've seen similar anger here in the U.S. Republicans, of course, had been quick to accused Biden of killing jobs. So, Biden's green agenda faces plenty of headwinds here.

DEFTERIOS: Headwinds, and I would say some entrenched interests. Canada is the number one exporter of crude to the United States. 3 million barrels a day. That's not going to go away, they just didn't want to build the pipeline. The U.S. is number oil and gas producers. So that was something that Donald Trump was really proud of.

Again, Joe Biden not saying let's kill off the industry, we need to make the transition and urgently because we cannot cap global warming if we don't do so. And he's also a firm believer, you can create green jobs to replace the lost jobs in oil and gas overtime. It is a very strategic approach by Joe Biden, but he is saying, look, we have to wake up to the challenge. We won't make it otherwise.

[03:35:10]

BRUNHUBER: That's the pitch. Alright. Thank you so much. John Defterios, in Dubai, we appreciate it.

You are looking at the U.K.'s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and asking, how he will maintain the special relationship with new President Joe Biden. Mr. Johnson still seem to be cozy with Donald Trump. He was also a key architect of Brexit. Something Mr. Biden didn't support.

Our CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robinson, joins me from London with more on what we can expect, Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, in just a couple of words, build back better. You hear both Boris Johnson, and Joe Biden, saying the same thing. So, there is a sort of common message and theme there to coming out of the coronavirus pandemic by helping their societies.

I mean, that's the sort of big overarching message, but the reality is Boris Johnson and his predecessor had neglected to make stronger contact with Democrats in the United States ahead of the elections over the past few years.

And now, Boris Johnson refocusing the country on his narrative, if you will. And particularly on climate change, the issue you were just talking about with john there. Climate change again, is an issue that Boris Johnson is pushing on and he thinks Joe Biden will warm to the U.K., taking that role.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I look forward to working with, him and with his new administration. Strengthening the partnership between our countries.

ROBERTSON (voice over): U.K. P.M., Boris Johnson, quick to embrace Joe Biden's presidency. And, with good reason. He was close to former president, Donald Trump.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know who this is? As ever body know?

ROBERTSON: Less than 18 months ago, U.S./U.K. relations were blossoming. A much-needed trade deal seemingly close.

JOHNSON: We are going to do a fantastic deal.

TRUMP: They call him British Trump, and people say, that's a good thing. ROBERTSON: Then came Trump election lost to Biden. And the Trump

inspired insurrection.

JOHNSON: Unreservedly, I condemn encouraging people to behave in the disgraceful way.

ROBERTSON: But Johnson speedy denouncement belied many missed opportunities for Democrats support.

UNKNOWN: I don't think trade is going to be the first issue of concern to the United States, to the new administration.

ROBERTSON: Johnson, and its predecessor, were relying on Trump for a fast trade deal to gloss over the economic pain of leaving the E.U. Brexit, and overlooked building better relations with Democrats.

UNKNOWN: It was one of my frustrations when I was in Washington.

ROBERTSON: Kim Darroch was U.K. ambassador to D.C., witness the damage among Democrats.

UNKNOWN: It was a bit of sore feelings about that.

ROBERTSON: Trump like Brexit. Liked the disruption to E.U. power. Distrusted NATO. Joe Biden, and his former boss, Barack Obama, believed in NATO, the value of the E.U., and actively opposed Brexit. Obama warned Brexit would hurt the possibility of a U.S./U.K. trade deal.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The U.K. is going to be in the back of the queue.

ROBERTSON: Johnson, then mayor of London, scolded Obama.

KIM DARROCH, FORMER U.K. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: That Boris Johnson's comment about President Obama's Kenyan heritage, and is dislike of the British Empire, certainly reverberated in Democrat circles in Washington. And there were some Democrats who, really, took this very badly.

ROBERTSON: Biden, unlike Trump, however, may brush aside hurtful slights in favor of national interest.

NICHOLAS BURNS, FORMER AMBASSADOR OF NATO: It's in the interest of the United States to ask us, recreate the special relationship with the United Kingdom. The U.K., the E.U., might possibly be a U.K. that wants to have an even tighter military and intelligence, and political relationship. That would be to the advantage of both countries.

ROBERTSON: Yet, as Johnson celebrates Brexit, something Biden Secretary of State pick Anthony Blinken called a total mess, there is no disguising the U.K. slip, and the ranking of U.S. allies.

BURNS: The United States is going to -- have to greatly enhance its partnerships with Germany and with France, and the other major countries of the European Union. ROBERTSON: Where Johnson sees a path to relationship repair, it's

over shared goals.

JOHNSON: From countering climate change, building back better, from the pandemic, and strengthening our transatlantic security.

DARROCH: We are hosting the G7 in 2021, and we are also hosting this big climate change conference come the 26, in November, which will be great relaunch for America on the climate change scene. Then maybe that will override the remaining bad feelings about those Johnson's comments.

[03:40:16]

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (on camera): Boris Johnson is something of a political survivor, and he has a reputation for that, for being able to get through what would sort of stifle and kill off many careers for other politicians, be no accusations of lying, infidelity, political gaffes, all of that.

But I think what we are going to find with Boris Johnson and President Biden, is there is, you know, this deep history of political, of intelligence, and military cooperation. And there will be an interest in both nations for that.

Particularly from the U.K. at the moment, as it moves out of the European Union. But when we talk about the special relationship, what Boris Johnson, one of Boris Johnson's hero is Winston Churchill.

And so I think, Joe Biden is going to find in Boris Johnson that there are somebody there who gets that history, and in some ways, would sort of like to be -- to emulate and stand on the forefront of rekindling that special relationship.

BRUNHUBER: Fascinating analysis. Thank you so much for that, CNN's Nic Robinson for us in London. Being locked in a detention center isn't stopping Putin critic, Alexei Navalny. The new investigation into Russia's president, he has announced.

Plus, what the White House is now investigating about Russia. We go to Moscow in just a moment. Please, do stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER (on camera): U.S. President Joe Biden, isn't wasting time investigating Russia and its alleged misdeeds. The White House has ordered an investigation into Russian hacking and alleged bounties payed on U.S. troops. But at the same time, Mr. Biden also wants Russia to extend the new start treaty, another five years that curb strategic nuclear weapons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is adversarial, as it is at this time. New start is the only remaining treaty constraining Russian nuclear forces, and is an anchor of strategic stability between our two countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Joining me now from Moscow, senior international correspondent, Frederik Pleitgen. Fred, many governments, across the world, openly welcome the Biden administration with a sigh of relief. Not so Russia. What does the new relationship pretend?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, I think one of the things that the Russians are noticing, very quickly right now, is that the Biden administration will take a very analytical approach to its relations with the Russian federation. It is quite interesting, actually.

Because if you look at the past three administrations in the United States, the George W. Bush administration, the Obama administration, and of course the Trump administration as well, all of them came into office, seeking some sort of reset with Russia, trying to improve relations.

[03:45:05]

So far, we have not heard that from the Biden administration. What we are seeing on the one hand is them trying to extend that nuclear treaty, the (inaudible) treaty, because the U.S., obviously believes it is in its interests to curb the use, or the deployment of such nuclear weapons.

At the same time, President Biden, putting in place that new investigation into some of the things that the Russians allegedly did in the past several months, including, of course, the U.S. or some intelligence agencies believe the hacking on some of those government and non-governmental agencies that are inside the United States. The poisoning of Alexei Navalny. And certain other things as well.

So, certainly, I think from the Russian point of view right now, they are seeing an administration that is not going to be soft on them, that doesn't seek some sort of reset. But yet, one that is going to be very analytical in to what they will and won't do, as regards to the Russian federation. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Alright. They certainly haven't gone out of the way to smooth tensions there. Thank you so much. Fred Pleitgen for us in Moscow.

New arrest, amid a nationwide manhunt to find the U.S. Capitol rioters. What we are learning about those charges so far. We will have more on that, stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER (on camera): The federal investigation into the attack on the U.S. Capitol keeps yielding more arrests, more charges, and a clear picture of how it all unfolded. More serious charges of conspiracy and sedition could be instore for some of the alleged rioter.

Brian Todd reports on the progress being made, and a warning, you may find some of the footage disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Distressing video from the Capitol breach on January 6th. A man, wildly swings a hockey stick. Prosecutors say, at police officers. The man, Michael Foy, of western Michigan, arrested today. Facing federal charges, including assaulting an officer.

The dragnet has brought in the man charged with assaulting D.C. Metropolitan police officers, Daniel Hodges. Seen in this video, being crushed, and screaming for help. That suspect, Patrick McCaughey of Connecticut has been denied bail. Federal prosecutors have charged about 120 individuals who allegedly took part in the riot.

One of them, Joseph Biggs of Florida, he is a member of the pro Trump extremist group, the Proud Boys. Biggs is believed, by law enforcement, to have urge followers to quote, blend in with what they would wear on January 6th. Believed to have worn an earpiece, and to have carried a walkie-talkie like device during the riots.

DARYL JOHNSON, FORMER SENIOR DOMESTIC TERRORISM ANALST: It definitely looks like an orchestrated, planned act. Some of these people might have been incited to participate, because of the president's incitement moment before they storm the Capitol. But definitely, there was an element that came prepared, and was looking to do nefarious things.

TODD: New video, obtained by CNN, shows members of the far-right militia groups, called the Oath Keepers, moving in aligned to the front of a mob, storming the Capitol. Prosecutors say they moved in a, quote, organized, and practice fashion to force their way to the front of the crowd.

One person in the group, facing charges is identified by prosecutors as Jessica Marie Watkins. Who prosecutors say is an oath Keeper and a leader of an Ohio militia. Watkins has admitted being there, but denies causing any destruction. Experts say the Oath Keepers are known for their ability to recruit members of the military, and law enforcement.

[03:50:06]

MIKE GERMAN, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Many of the people within these violent white supremacist (inaudible) militant groups were trained by the United States army. Right? That is the kind of training and experience, the foreign terrorist groups don't have. They drool over.

TODD: House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, indicated there may not be evidence, yet that Republican members of Congress aided and abetted the rioters by giving them tours of the Capitol before the siege. Which, some Republicans have denied. But Pelosi did say she believes that some Republican House members embraced the rioter's mindset.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: There is no question that there were members in this body who gave aid and comfort to those with the idea that they were embracing a lie.

TODD: Social media post from rioters, police body cam footage, and testimony from law enforcement officers is painting a more complete and brutal picture of the violence on January 6th. Of hand to hand combat between police and rioters, of officers being beaten and attacked with objects like an American flag and a fire extinguisher. On Thursday, D.C. officials said the city remains under threat even after the inauguration.

CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ, DIRECTOR, D.C. HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Let's be clear, the threat of right-wing extremism is here. Right? And we saw on January 6th. And it will continue to be a persistent and real threat to the District of Columbia, and to our region as well.

TODD: D.C. Mayor, Muriel Bowser says that while some National Guard troops have started to leave Washington, intelligence from the cities federal partners suggest that the city may need, what Bowser calls, more presence of security forces in Washington than the city would normally have. Bowser and members of Congress suggesting that some of the security measures put in place since January 6th may have to stay in place for a long time.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Many of those who took part in the Capitol siege are followers of various Trump related conspiracy theories. Most well-known as the QAnon conspiracy theory. Even up until the moment Joe Biden took the oath of office, true believers thought that Donald Trump would somehow, swoop in and stop it, and expose a secret pedophilia ring. Of course, none of that happened. Some now field dupe, while others are unshaken in their belief in the lies. Our Donie O'Sullivan spoke with the QAnon follower before, and after the inauguration.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN BUSINESS REPORTER: How are you going to feel when Biden is inaugurated at noon today?

MARC AMBINDER, SENIOR FELLOW, USC ANNENBERG CENTER: I knew you are going to ask me that. I don't believe -- this sound so crazy, and I recognize how crazy this sounds, and I don't believe Joe Biden is going to be sworn in as president today. I don't. I actually don't believe that.

President Trump, up until the point that Joe Biden walks up, and says, I, Joe Biden, he can actually initiate martial law, and I actually think that all of this operations, at 2:30 in the morning, on the 20th of January, 2021, there is something going on.

O'SULLIVAN: Do you feel like you've been duped? That you've been tricked? That you've been fooled in some way here?

AMBINDER: Actually no. The way I felt was that when I saw -- you know, I was waiting up until the minute they said I Joe Biden -- I'm watching them walk up and thinking to myself, my life is about to completely change. Because I have been saying, I'm either conspiracy theorist or I'm a prophet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Joining me from Los Angeles, Marc Ambinder, he is a senior fellow at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Thank you so much for joining us. So, we know, QAnon believers were expecting a grand reckoning, the storm, as they put it, with a mass arrests, exposure of the deep state, President Trump enacting martial law, and staying in power. Obviously, the storm never came. So, how did Q followers react to all of this?

AMBINDER (on camera): Some were angry. Some were enraged. They were arranged either of President Trump, or at whatever Q is. Itself, for letting them down. But you also saw a lot of self-flagellation. People saying, I can't believe I fell for this. So, people are falling into a lot of different buckets, but, emotionally, a lot of members of the Q community are in a very fragile state right now.

BRUNHUBER: Usually when these types of grand prophesy's fail, so rather than just give up on their beliefs. They just adjust their prophecies to kind of suit the new facts. Is that what we are seeing at all?

AMBINDER: Some will, and some will. And a lot of that depends on what people, and their families do right now to reach out to them. It also depends on what platforms are available to them. What are their communities are available to them. People fundamentally (inaudible) they want to be esteemed, they want to belong.

[03:55:00]

And so they are going to look for someplace now where they belong. And if they can't find that, that will further radicalized them. So, de- platforming in a way gives people fewer options that it will probably is going to bifurcate the movement. But he was not going away, at least, the phenomenon is not going away, anytime soon.

BRUNHUBER: You have talked about the de-platforming, I mean, you know, we could further radicalize people but, I mean, what is the solution here? Is it better to just let people have access to all of these platforms?

AMBINDER: The platforming debate is -- goes much beyond this. I think, in general, allowing to have some space where they don't feel stigmatized is probably a good thing. It's a good thing, in terms of our overall public health because it means fewer, closed narrow spaces, where it's harder to find people who are potentially violent.

And again, it gives people spaces to breathe. But the true solution here is both top down and bottom-up. From the top-down perspective, it simply recognizing that we have a problem with domestic violent extremism on the right. White supremacy in particular. Trump did not do that. Biden already has. Another top-down thing, sending an example using the justice system, with the rest that you've seen. If you are violent, the state will find you. So, you dissuade people through the coercive power of the state.

Bottom up though, it means identifying people in the communities to de-radicalize individuals that they might know. This is important. The way to do it, generally, is give them a sense of efficacy. You actually want people who believe that politics doesn't work for them to start to reengage at a local level. Give them a sense of efficacy.

Now, doing that has the benefit of, also, exposing them to many more different points of view. And the limits, as well as the possibilities of political engagement. But it is going to require both the top down and a bottom up effort, and it's going to require individually, all of us, who find the belief crazy, to show some cognitive empathy.

BRUNHUBER: Alright. Well, that is a great note to leave it on. Thank you so much for joining us. I really appreciate it, Marc Ambinder. Thanks for joining us.

AMBINDER: My pleasure.

BRUNHUBER: Well, that wraps up this hour of CNN Newsroom, I'm Kim Brunhuber. And I will be back in just a moment with more news.

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