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Happy New Year; Here's What Goes Into Effect Starting Tomorrow; Special Counsel Jack Smith Pushes Back On Trump's Immunity Claim. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired December 31, 2023 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00]

AMARA WALKER, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for being with me on this New Year's Eve. I'm Amara Walker, in for Fredricka Whitfield.

So as I just said, it is New Year's Eve and in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, they are just less than a minute away from midnight. We want to take you there for the big moment.

First let's go to Dubai in the Burj Khalifa, as you know the tallest building in the world.

(NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS IN DUBAI AT THE BURJ KHALIFA.)

(NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS IN ABU DHABI.)

[15:05:00]

WALKER: Okay, this is just incredible to see. Such an elaborate display and celebration there in Dubai. That is the Burj Khalifa you're looking at and, wow, just impressive to watch that as they ring in the New Year 2024 in the UAE. This is Dubai. Just -- I'm speechless. So cool.

All right, and we're going to stick with the celebrations around the world and see what others are doing. Let's go to Scott McLean in Tbilisi, Georgia where just moments ago, you all rang in the New Year as well. Scott, what's with your glasses is that Santa on your head?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there's a lot of explaining to do here, Amara, but basically, let me set the scene for you and then I'll explain the glasses.

So we're watching some Georgian performances happening here on the stage. This is First Republic Square. This is the Times Square of Tbilisi.

You can see the crowd has been lined up here for hours and in the sky, you can see there is a fireworks display still going on.

And to be honest with you, I have no idea whether this is the official fireworks display, or whether this is just very excited festive Georgians lighting off their own fireworks because they sell them very liberally on the streets here. And so we have been hearing fireworks and seeing fireworks now for hours.

You asked about the glasses, yes, those are Santa-themed because Georgia actually, they celebrate Orthodox Christmas, which is in about a week from now and they also celebrate Orthodox New Year's, again, another New Year's Eve, in about two weeks from now.

And so this whole two-week period, is really just one big festive season that they have going in Georgia. So it's like New Year's and Christmas all melded together. This is one of their Georgian Christmas trees by the way. It is actually a hazelnut tree branch that they've shaved down to look like this, and basically, you burn this in a couple of weeks. It represents all of the bad things 2023 that you would like to not carry with you in 2024.

And so, Amara, I am wondering what that is for you.

WALKER: Well, thanks for the explanation. That all makes sense. And hey, why not here in the US? We should adopt you know, other cultures as well and just celebrate Christmas and New Year's and all the other holidays together for many, many weeks through the New Year.

Scott McLean, great to see you. Happy New Year to you. Thank you so much.

All right, back here in the US, the clock is ticking closer to 2024, a little closer. We're just nine hours away. Let's take a live look at Times Square where the crowds are coming in. They're gathering to celebrate the big ball drop and that is where we find CNN's Brynn Gingras.

Brynn, every time I see you, I can't stop thinking about the guy who is wearing two diapers. What are we seeing today?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, we're not going to talk about that again, Amara. It is like, I can't, I can't.

Listen, we are behind-the-scenes right now of what CNN is preparing for. And that's Anderson and Andy live here to ring in the New Year, so that's what's happening here behind me.

But as we walk over here, that's where you're going to find the fans and the diapers. That's all the people that have been welcomed in to celebrate the New Year here in the heart of Times Square, more than a million people are packing in and we're slowly seeing waves of people get pushed into these pens.

Are you guys excited for New Year?

(CROWD cheering.)

GINGRAS: Where are we from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Austin.

GINGRAS: Austin. Okay, that's not too far. Is this your first time in Times Square for the New Year? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. It's my seventh time.

GINGRAS: What? Seven times. What's the secret? What are you telling everybody they should do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They should just -- they should prepare to meet some new people and just embrace the experience. There's nothing like it.

GINGRAS: Why do you like coming here so many times?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just because it's such a big spectacle. You know, the New Year is something to celebrate, so something on this scale, I just love doing it.

GINGRAS: And how many of these hats do you have? Do you have one for each year?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One for each year? I've been every year since 2017, minus the 2021 COVID.

GINGRAS: Of course, so you've seen a lot of change over the years and is this the most exciting year yet? What's the resolution we're aiming for?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My resolution actually is to travel. It is to travel to Mexico. That's my goal.

GINGRAS: I love it. That's a good goal. Travel, travel, travel. I mean that's incredible. Seven years coming here. I'm very impressed.

But listen, this is such a party. It kicks off, of course, at midnight when the star of the show, if we can see it, it is a little small right now, not lit up quite yet. The ball drop there, 2024, ringing it in here.

And of course, actually, if we can go down, Martin, a little bit, you can see some of the security measures that we've been seeing all throughout the morning into the afternoon. We see these K-9 dogs. We've been seeing drones. We've been seeing just a flood of NYPD officers in this area, making sure all these people who are going to ring in the new year are safe as they do so -- Amara.

WALKER: Love it. Some great advice, you know, be prepared to meet some new people. Lots of excitement, lots of people. Lots of look forward to.

Brynn Gingras, great to see you again.

GINGRAS: Yes.

WALKER: Thanks so much. Happy New Year.

GINGRAS: You, too.

WALKER: All right, let's go now to Paris and CNN's Melissa Bell is there where it's just a few hours until midnight.

Hi there, Melissa. How is the city of love and lights preparing to welcome the New Year?

[15:10:10]

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR PARIS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Amara.

It is just under three hours to go now till New Year's Eve here in Paris. I just want to show you so you can see just behind me, this is the Arc de Triomphe, all done up this year to the themes of the Olympics. That is the theme of course of tonight's firework display because this is the year that Paris will host the Summer Olympics.

In fact, we've been hearing from the French president saying that what he intends for 2024 is for this to be the year of French Pride. That's what he was telling the French Strovolos.

So people have been gathering here for their traditional fireworks display, which is going to begin just before midnight. You can see them there on the Champs-Elysee. It is a million people that we are expecting to come out here tonight to watch that firework display. You can see they've been gathering already.

There's a DJ getting them ready to count down to midnight and already, they are dancing. Vast crowds of them, I had to push my way through to get up here, Amara, so I can tell you they are packed fairly tightly -- children, grown up, families -- they have come in huge numbers tonight.

Now, last year was the first fireworks display since COVID, so that was pretty special. But yes, really just being down there earlier you could really feel the difference. There are a lot more people out there tonight than even there were last year at just about this time?

But again, we have just under three hours to go, Amara, until what should be a pretty formidable fireworks display. Usually the French put on a pretty good show here at the Arc de Triomphe of every New Year's Eve and that's what we expect to have in a short while -- Amara.

WALKER: Yes. And you've got a great view to that show.

Melissa Bell, great to see you. Thank you so much. Enjoy it.

All right, so it's already 2024 in Abu Dhabi. They are actually hosting a one-hour elaborate fireworks and drone display -- an hour. It is going to go on for another 15 minutes or so and it's such a break for Guinness World Records.

We'll show you more images when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:29]

WALKER: New Year, new laws.

A slew of state and federal measures will take effect tomorrow including California's ban on carrying a concealed firearm in sensitive places. This is despite a federal judge's prior ruling that the law is "repugnant" to the Second Amendment.

Under the new law, people with permits would not be allowed to conceal carry in places like schools, parks and hospitals among other places.

And a federal appeals court issued an administrative stay yesterday placing a temporary hold on the lawsuit while litigation plays out.

Gun legislation though is not all that will be new next year. Minimum wage, nearly half of all states will boost minimum wage pay with others in July or September and student loans, employers will be able to match employees qualifying student loan payments with the contribution into their employer sponsored retirement account.

CNN's Rafael Romo is here with me to look at all the other laws going into effect. What do we need to know for tomorrow then, Rafael?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are so many of them, Amara.

WALKER: Yes.

ROMO: That it is hard to keep track, but I took the liberty of grouping the new laws that take effect tomorrow in two very general categories, very controversial ones, and the ones that are not as controversial.

When it comes to those that are very polarizing, we must include gender affirming care for minors with several Republican led states moving to enact restrictions.

For example, in Idaho, physicians or practitioners who provide puberty blocking medication, gender-affirming surgeries or other treatments to minors could face a $5,000.00 fine and a felony charge; in Louisiana, it will become illegal for those under 18 to receive those treatments and healthcare professionals can have their licenses revoked for two years or more if they provide those services.

On the other hand, Maryland along with several other Democratic-led states passed protections for gender affirming care for all ages, and the state will require Medicaid to cover them.

When it comes to abortion, the State of Washington enacted a law with the goal of making the procedure more accessible by eliminating out- of-pocket costs including deductibles and co-pays. This is of course in response to near total bans in Republican-led states that took effect in 2023.

In California, a law taking effect Monday protects local healthcare providers from out-of-state litigation when it comes to both abortion and gender-affirming care to people from other states.

On the not so controversial new laws, nearly half of all US states will increase their minimum wage in 2024 and Washington will continue to have the highest minimum wage of all states at $16.28, up from $15.74.

[15:20:12]

And finally, the Department of Education, a new form, to request financial aid will be shorter and easier to fill out starting tomorrow. That's going to make a lot of people going to college very happy.

WALKER: Yes, you did a lot of work, right, a lot of laws to sort through.

Okay, so I understand as well, an early version of Disney's Mickey entering the public domain on January 1st. So what's happening there?

ROMO: Yes, a lot of people expecting that to happen. We're talking about "Steamboat Willie." That's Walt Disney's short film featuring one of the earliest iterations of its beloved rodents.

This Monday, that character becomes available for public use, because the company's copyright is expiring. "Steamboat Willie," which premiered in 1928 and made Walt Disney a household name, but a US copyright law updated by Congress in 1998 allows copyright to be held for 95 years, meaning Disney's sole claim to the character is now about to end.

What's going to happen to it? People can get creative with it, but it still remains to be seen.

WALKER: That's huge. Okay, Rafael Romo. Great to see you. Happy New Year.

ROMO: You, too. Happy New Year.

WALKER: All right, the Powerball jackpot grows yet again. The jackpot stands at a staggering $810 million after there was no grand prize winner in last night's draw.

So five people did pull off five numbers and one between oh, just $1 million and $2 million.

Your next chance to grab the big jackpot will be tomorrow, New Year's Day. Make that your New Year's resolution to win this jackpot. If the winner chooses to take the lump sum payment, they'll just go home with under $400 million before taxes, of course.

And in case you were wondering, the odds of winning are one in 292 million. Okay, some will say, you don't stand a chance, some will say, at least you do stand somewhat of a chance.

Still ahead, Special Counsel Jack Smith urging an Appeals Court to reject former President Donald Trump's claims of presidential immunity in the 2020 election subversion case. We'll have the latest on Trump's legal troubles, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:26:42]

WALKER: We're following a new court filing from Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is urging an Appeals Court to reject former President Donald Trump's claims of presidential immunity in the 2020 election subversion case.

Now Jack Smith argues that Trump's claims "threatens to license presidents to commit crimes to remain in office." It comes just two days after a second state moved to strike Trump's name off the ballot citing a 14th Amendment clause that bars someone, anyone, who tried to engage in insurrection from holding office again.

Trump's legal team is expected to appeal those ballot decisions by Colorado and Maine on Tuesday according to sources.

We're going to take a short break from here. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:32:06]

WALKER: All right, so we are counting down to the new year here in the US, but the party is still going very strong in Abu Dhabi. Listen.

(FIREWORKS DISPLAY IN ABU DHABI.)

WALKER: So it's been about a half an hour since Abu Dhabi welcomed 2024, and they've got another half hour to go because they are hosting a one-hour elaborate fireworks and drone show to ring in the New Year, and they are hoping to break at least four Guinness World Records. So we'll be checking back in to see the spectacular display over the next half hour or so.

All right, let's take it back here to the US and Special Counsel Jack Smith is arguing that Trump's claim of presidential immunity in the 2020 election subversion case would threaten to license presidents to commit crimes to remain in office.

I'm joined now by Shan Wu. He is a former federal prosecutor and a defense attorney.

Shan, lovely to see you. Thank you so much for joining us on this New Year's Eve.

So Jack Smith's filing, it uses some of the harshest language to date saying that by granting Trump immunity would threaten to license presidents to commit crimes to remain in office, and he also warned that allowing a former president this kind of broad immunity poses extreme danger. What do you make of that argument?

SHAN WU, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: I think it's quite true. I mean, it's really a common sense argument in a lot of ways, which is if you tell somebody that if they get that office, they can do anything they want, and they can't be prosecuted, and of course creates an incentive for people to want to commit crimes.

From a legal basis, you know, Trump's claim that there's this blanket immunity just because you've been president or while you're president, there is just no basis for it in the law.

There was something a little bit similar to it on civil liability, where they had found -- the Supreme Court had found that for their official duties, presidents can't be sued for that, which makes perfect sense. You don't want them being sued for every action they take because people disagree with it.

But there has been nothing that says that they would be immune from a criminal suit. So legally, it's a very shaky argument to make on Trump's behalf.

WALKER: It is also a shaky argument that the Trump that Trump's lawyers are making regarding, you know, the Constitution and other immunity doctrines. They are saying that unless you know, a president is impeached and convicted by the Senate, it holds no water. I can't imagine that has much merit, does it?

[15:35:07]

WU: No, arguments like that, they are kind of like stretching defined arguments to make on a purely legal point because they're hoping to knock the case out before they have to get in front of a jury and facts don't look very good for them in front of the jury, that kind of notion like impeachment is the only remedy. It simply flies in the face of what the Constitution says.

I mean, impeachment, obviously, is a way of removing a president through the political process. It doesn't say anything about criminal and the criminal process, and it doesn't make any sense to say, oh, in order to have a criminal process, you first must impeach the president. They really -- there is just no actual basis for that.

WALKER: Got it. Got it.

So let's turn to the 14th Amendment, I guess, efforts to remove Trump from you know, ballots.

So January will bring several key court dates for Trump. On Tuesday, we know Trump is expected to appeal the decision to keep them off the ballot in Colorado and in Maine. Which court will handle those appeals? And how do you expect these cases to play out?

WU: Well, in Maine, the cases are going to play out a little bit differently procedurally until one of them gets to the Supreme Court and there may be universal issues then, but Maine, for example, is going first to a court because initially, their law says it goes to the Secretary of State.

Colorado, as we know, already went to their Highest Court, and so that one is kind of on a direct track to the Supreme Court. I think one of the challenges for the Supreme Court of the United States is to refrain from trying to like set forth some universal rules in areas they shouldn't be making universal rules in.

There are some constitutional definitions, for example, whether the president is an officer of the United States. It seems like he should be, but they haven't had to decide that yet and if he is not, then this aspect of the 14th Amendment wouldn't apply to him, so that's certainly something that they should answer for the states.

But with the fact-finding that Colorado did, the Supreme Court should not touch the fact-finding, and on other issues that the states may decide based on their laws, the court needs to guard against this idea that they can lay down sort of like a nationalized answer to the question.

WALKER: Yes, yes. Absolutely, to avoid this patchwork of decisions across the country in 2024.

Shan Wu, it is great to see you. I hope you have a Happy New Year. Thank you.

WU: You also.

WALKER: Well, authorities at the southern border encountered a record number of migrants in December as more than a quarter of a million migrants arrived at the US-Mexico border. That is the highest monthly total recorded dating back to 2000.

More than 350 of those migrants arrived on a plane in Rockford, Illinois last night. That is according to the city's mayor. They were sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

So as planes and buses full of migrants continue to arrive in so- called sanctuary cities around the country, mayors in those communities, they are taking measures to try to slow the flow.

For more on that, let's bring in CNN's Camila Bernal.

Hi there, Camila.

So what can you tell us about the surge in how communities across the country are handling this influx?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So Amara, the problem here is that both at the border and in cities all over the country, when you have that influx of migrants, you need a lot more money and a lot more resources.

So these Chicago suburbs do not have the infrastructure that they need to receive these migrants that came today, 350 of them. They come without resources. They come without a jacket to Chicago at this time of the year, so it gets very complicated.

So the mayor of Chicago and others are asking for coordinated efforts; so far, they do not have that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BERNAL (voice over): A breaking point at the US-Mexico border as preliminary Homeland Security statistics show authorities encountered more than 225,000 migrants so far in December, the highest monthly total recorded in more than 20 years, and from the border to cities all over the US struggling to keep up, because this welcome comes at a cost.

MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON (D), DENVER: When you're talking about 10 percent of the budget to allocate for cities on this, that's unsustainable.

When we have every single hotel room in the city full of migrants that have arrived, that's unsustainable.

BERNAL (voice over): For months, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has bused thousands of migrants to the cities led by Democrats, resulting in turmoil and straining resources.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON (D), CHICAGO: You know, at one point in the summer, we had 25 to 30 buses showing up every single day without any coordination or any notification.

He is now sending buses outside of the city of Chicago, in some instances, a hundred miles away where people are being dropped off and they're being told that they are in the city of Chicago, literally dropped off in the middle of nowhere. I find that to be inhumane and unconscionable.

[15:40:10]

BERNAL (voice over): Some smaller municipalities have passed ordinances to try to stop the drop offs, while the mayors of Chicago, Denver, and New York City are asking the federal government for help.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK CITY: I think much more could be done and with all of our national leaders from a decompression strategy to making sure that the cost of this is not falling on the laps of everyday taxpayers in our cities.

BERNAL (voice over): They are also demanding for coordinated drop offs with exact times and locations to dedicate the appropriate resources.

JOHNSTON: What we need is everyone that gets paroled into this country should have the ability to work as soon as they enter. They should have federal dollars to help support them in the cities that they arrive in. And we should have a coordinated national plan for where those folks arrive.

BERNAL (voice over): In a statement, a spokesperson for Abbott accused the Democrat mayors of hypocrisy, saying: "They're now going to extreme lengths to avoid fulfilling their self-declared sanctuary city promises."

The statement also said the mayor's "... should call on their party leader to finally do his job and secure the border, something he continues refusing to do."

But some activists believe the crisis at the border takes Republicans, Democrats, and all levels of government to solve.

PEDRO RIOS AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE: And if the governments are not doing that, then most likely what we'll see is people will be further traumatized and harmed, and likely, we will see more people die as a result of the inability of governments to really address the humanitarian needs that asylum seekers have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (on camera): And the Biden administration has acknowledged these requests from the mayors. Biden saying he has asked Congress for resources both to secure the border and also for the cities that host these migrants. But so far, while there have been some bipartisan efforts, Congress really hasn't come up with a permanent solution -- Amara.

WALKER: All right, Camila Bernal, appreciate your reporting. Thank you very much.

Well, this year, the world marked some concerning milestones in the climate crisis. The effects of global warming became more evident as storms and wildfires grew larger and more devastating.

Chief climate correspondent, Bill Weir has a look at the year in climate change.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Starting our list at number ten, the water whiplash that became a signature of 2023 in the American West.

KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What you're seeing here is an attempt to try to get ahead of the storm that continues to pound California.

WEIR (voice over): After years of megadrought, rivers in the sky unloaded on California, turning dust bowls into raging floods that took at least 20 lives and filled the mountains with record snow, but not enough to end the drought.

At number nine is COP28 in Dubai.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Allow me please to declare the meeting adjourned.

WEIR (voice over): Where the world came together and for the first time in three decades of climate talks agreed to transition away from fossil fuels. Over 130 nations were hoping for a more ambitious phase- out of oil, gas, and coal, but petrol states like Saudi Arabia would not agree.

Scientists warn that to meet the ambition of the Paris Accord, planet heating pollution must be cut by more than 40 percent by 2030, a rate four times faster than the current pace.

At number eight, the Mediterranean storm, Daniel blasted parts of Greece with over an inch of rain an hour on its way to drowning thousands of people in Libya.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Everywhere you turn, it's apocalyptic scenes here.

WEIR (voice over): Entire neighborhoods in Derna were washed into the sea, a tragedy that scientists say was 50 times more likely on an overheated planet.

At number seven, over a dozen young people successfully sued the state of Montana for ignoring their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by developing fossil fuels. For the dozens of states and cities taking big oil companies to court for their role in climate change, it was a key win.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You've got this guys, we love you.

WEIR (voice over): Number six is the summer of smoke brought by a record-shattering scale of Canadian wildfires. An area the size of Missouri burned north of the border.

WEIR (on camera): If you get any glimpse of the sun at all on these surreal days, it's this apocalyptic glowing ball in the sky.

WEIR (voice over): American air quality in some cities was the worst in generations, closing schools and filling emergency rooms.

Number five is the ocean water around Florida reaching hot tub temperatures of nearly 100 degrees in July, bringing devastating new levels of coral bleaching to the cradles of Caribbean sea life.

That warmer water is also jet fuel for hurricanes.

[15:45:06]

And at number four, rapid intensification became a watch word phrase in 2023.

WEIR (on camera): Well, the water has come up and over that seawall and we're getting sprayed every minute or so.

WEIR (voice over): Storms like Idalia in Florida's big bend, Otis in the east Pacific, and Hilary in southern California showed us how modern storms are getting stronger and faster.

At number three, Phoenix, Arizona gave us a new definition of heatwave with 31 straight days at or over 110 degrees. Temperatures hot enough to kill cactus plants. Also took the lives of at least a hundred people, a grim new record. That is just one facet of a warmer globe.

At number two, earth's record temperature, the highest in 120,000 years. A few days in 2023 were a full two degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels. And if that becomes the new average, science warns of cascading collapse.

And at number one, the Maui wildfires. WEIR (on camera): We're just pulling into Lahaina now. Just getting our first glimpse at this town after hearing these nightmare stories, and it is worse than you can imagine.

WEIR (voice over): Generations of water theft, invasive grasses and recent drought created the fuel. Downed power lines are suspected of providing the spark and hurricane winds fanned the flames until most of beloved Lahaina was turned to ash.

With around 100 souls lost, it is the deadliest fire in modern US history and the battle over how best to build has just begun.

Bill Weir, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: We are counting down to the new year here in the US.

In Tbilisi, Georgia, it is already 2024 and this is how they welcomed the New Year.

(NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS IN TBILISI, GEORGIA.)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:52:39]

WALKER: CNN's Lynda Kinkade recently caught up with Paris Hilton, the party girl turned businesswoman and now mother.

In years past, on New Year's Eve, Paris would have been at one of the hottest parties on the planet, but instead tonight she's enjoying some quiet time with two babies in Montana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: Happy New Year, Paris.

PARIS HILTON, SOCIALITE: Happy New Year, Lynda.

KINKADE: So firstly, congratulations. You've just had a baby. Growing your family. How is she doing?

HILTON: She is doing amazing. My little princess, we are just over the moon and so in love with her and I just feel like my life is so complete now with my baby girl and my baby boy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that real?

HILTON: Yes.

You're so beautiful.

KINKADE: And your baby boy was a surprise. Was she a surprise?

HILTON: She was a surprise to everyone as well. My mom and my sister knew. but they didn't know when it was happening.

KINKADE: What do you love about motherhood? And what do you find most challenging?

HILTON: These babies bring so much light and love into my life and especially just seeing Phoenix smile and laugh and he just learned how to dance.

The one thing is just balancing it all, because I'm a working mom. I have a crazy schedule. So I am learning to say no and just trying to spend as much time as possible with my little ones.

KINKADE: Long before TikTok and Instagram, you were one of the original influencers. You set so many trends. Talk to me about how your brand has evolved and what worked and what didn't work?

HILTON: For me, I was one of the first to realize the power of media and building a personal brand, and it is just amazing just to see how it has inspired this whole new generation and it has really created a new genre of celebrity.

KINKADE: You created this business, this entertainment company in 2006. It's now a multibillion dollar company. What advice have you had from your grandparents, the founders of the Hilton Hotels, and your parents over the years?

HILTON: I always really was very close with my grandfather and he was my business mentor and would always give me so much advice and just the importance of working hard and that's something that I want to instill in my children as well.

[15:55:10]

Because when you come from a privileged family, you can give your children everything, but if you give them too much, you're going to spoil them. So I feel really lucky that my parents didn't do that with me.

KINKADE: Is there a business that you look to expand into next?

HILTON: I am trying to think what else I can do. I'm about to release my 30th fragrance. I have 19 different product lines, including my clothing line, my new cookware line, and everything from music, to writing my books, and doing my TV shows and producing. So I don't even know what else that I could do. I do it all.

KINKADE: There's a lot going on. Maybe a babywear line.

HILTON: Well, actually, we're working on that right now.

KINKADE: All right. Excellent. It doesn't surprise me.

So you just wrote a memoir, and you spoke about some traumatic things that happened when you were a teenager, that seems to surprise even your parents, right? HILTON: Yes, in my memoir, I talk about things that I never told my closest friends or my family members, they were just such traumatic experiences that I just didn't want to think about them at all.

Writing this book was one of the most difficult experiences of my life.

KINKADE: You reflected on having ADHD, you spoke about a doctor saying that, you know, you're not -- it is not an affliction, it's not a disease, you're not dealing with it as a victim, you're just living with it. Why is it important to talk about that now?

HILTON: I just wish there was someone out there that would have talked about it back when I was a teenager, because back then, no one was talking about ADHD. So I didn't even know what it was. I just wasn't able to focus in school, I was getting bad grades, and constantly getting punished by the teachers.

KINKADE: Do you now see it as a superpower?

HILTON: I do. I don't think that I would be the person I am today if it wasn't for that.

KINKADE: And you have just renewed your second season of "Paris in Love," your reality show. What surprises are in store? And how involved will your children be? Because children certainly keep things real, right?

HILTON: Definitely.

This season, I am just so proud of -- it's all about this new phase in my life of becoming a wife and a mom. So it's just very authentic and real. A lot of it was actually shot on an iPhone because we wanted to be as personal as possible.

KINKADE: When you look ahead to 2024, what are the trends?

HILTON: I just love the 2000s fashion. It's just so much fun. I love the sparkles. I'm seeing a lot of pink, which I love because I've always -- I feel like before there was Barbie core, I was always rocking Barbie core, so I call it Paris core.

KINKADE: And when we look back on 2023, some have reflected that this is the Year of the Woman. You've had the likes of Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Greta Gerwig, and the entire Barbie team smashing records, box office success, making history, do you think this is a turning point for women led and owned entertainment?

HILTON: Yes. I think it's so incredible to see all of these powerful women really taking back their power and their voice and just really making a mark in this world because as Beyonce said, girls run the world.

KINKADE: Love it.

And finally, you've had so many interesting musical collaborations with some pretty big artists. Even fellow Ozzie, Sia, what can we expect musically coming from you in the near future?

HILTON: I love Sia so much. She's one of my closest friends and is the most brilliant songwriter of our time. I just -- I'm so honored to be working with her and she's the executive producer of my whole album and just being in the studio with her is just such a dream come true.

KINKADE: What are your wishes for 2024?

HILTON: I'm just so excited just for this new mom era that I'm in right now. I've never felt happier and I just feel so grateful for everything.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: And Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are back to ring in the New Year from Times Square, "New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen" starts Tonight at 8:00 on CNN.

And don't forget to share your New Year's photos with CNN using #CNNNYE.

Well thanks for being with me today. I hope you have a safe and happy new year. I'm Amara Walker in for Fredricka Whitfield.

The CNN NEWSROOM continues with Paula Reid.