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Trump Team Surprised by Allegations against Defense Pick; GOP and Dem Senators Asking for House Ethics Committee Report; Hezbollah Considering U.S.-Israel Ceasefire Plan; Trump and Allies Viewing Transition with an Eye on Revenge; Laken Riley Murder Trial Begins in Georgia; Tulsi Gabbard Tapped to Lead U.S. Spy Agencies; Rare Gladiator Knife Gives Insight into Roman Culture. Aired 4-5a ET
Aired November 16, 2024 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Christina Macfarlane.
Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, some of president-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks are sidestepping federal background checks. And it might be clear why. We'll look at two current investigations into nominees for top posts.
And President Joe Biden meeting with one last time with his Chinese counterpart. What we're expecting from the leaders' discussion in Peru today.
Plus, we're getting indications that Hezbollah may be considering a ceasefire agreement with Israel. How long the peace might last for wartorn Lebanon.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Christina Macfarlane.
MACFARLANE: New questions are surrounding some of Donald Trump's controversial cabinet picks. Among them, his selection for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. The transition team is said to have been surprised by word of an investigation seven years ago into an alleged sexual assault involving Hegseth, who denies any wrongdoing. But it's casting a shadow over his selection.
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JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: I think the problem they're facing in this case is what prosecutors always face in he said/she said cases that happened behind closed doors, which is they have two distinct, different versions of what occurred and what was consent. And the prosecutor's office probably came to the conclusion that they didn't have enough to sustain a conviction at trial to go forward. So that file is basically closed right now.
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MACFARLANE: Well, meanwhile, there's new information about the investigation into Trump's pick to be attorney general, Matt Gaetz.
The attorney for a woman who testified before lawmakers says she told them she saw Gaetz have said to be considering a push from right wing allies to put controversial loyalists Kash Patel, in charge of the FBI. Patel has threatened to go after Trump's perceived political enemies in government and the media.
Well, CNN's Kristen Holmes has a closer look now at Patel and other controversial Trump picks for his administration.
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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's uncertain how exactly Donald Trump is going to handle this. But one thing we know about Kash Patel is he is somebody who, forward facing, has essentially said the same thing that Donald Trump has said, that he wants to do: dismantle the FBI, take apart the Department of Justice.
And now, after he named attorney general Matt Gaetz, it certainly seems as though that could be a possibility that he would choose Kash Patel. One thing to keep in mind here, when you talk to members of Donald Trump's inner circle, they really are split on Patel.
You do have a faction of people who believe he's a loyalist, that he believes he is good in this position. But there's also people who believe that he's gone too far and also that he's unconfirmable for a position at the FBI. Obviously, we'll have to wait and see.
However, as we've seen this week, Donald Trump doesn't seem to really put that much stock into who is confirmable or not.
Just a little bit of a rundown of people who he has nominated for various positions. As we said, Matt Gaetz; we know that at one point or at some point that's likely that this ethics complaint is going to come out. We'll see how that affects the confirmation process and going through that approval process.
We know that there are Republicans who are shocked by that decision. The other one to keep an eye on is Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
We do know that these claims our investigative team putting forward, putting forward, reporting that California officials confirmed that there was a police investigation into sexual assault involving Hegseth back in 2017. So that could impact any kind of confirmation there.
And the other one, RFK Jr. is someone who is considered, largely up until Donald Trump named him, unconfirmable by a number of people. I mean, remember, he is an anti-vaxxer who has pushed conspiracy theories around health.
But Donald Trump said on the campaign trail he was going to put RFK in charge of health and he did. So clearly, he's sticking by his candidates for now -- Kristen Holmes, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.
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MACFARLANE: More now on the controversy surrounding Trump's pick to be his attorney general, Matt Gaetz. The attorney for a woman who testified before lawmakers says she told them she saw Gaetz have sex with a minor. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
The House Ethics Committee was investigating Gaetz but ended that investigation when Gaetz resigned this week to become attorney general. Gaetz would have to go through confirmation hearings in the Senate.
The Senate Judiciary Committee asked the House to send it the Ethics Committee's report. Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House says he doesn't want the committee's report released to the public.
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REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): I'm going to strongly request the Ethics Committee not to issue the report because that is not the way we do things in the House and I think that would be a terrible precedent to set.
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MACFARLANE: Well, president-elect Trump's choice of FOX News host Pete Hegseth is to be the next Secretary of Defense was also raising eyebrows with critics who said he lacked the needed experience.
But now the incoming administration is dealing with bigger problems after learning that police in California investigated an allegation that Hegseth sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. No charges were ever filed. But some question whether he can actually make it through the confirmation process.
Although Hegseth denies any wrongdoing, there is speculation he could ultimately withdraw from consideration. Sources say several members of the Trump team are frustrated that Hegseth wasn't properly vetted and he's not the only one.
The transition team is said to be skipping the usual FBI background checks for many of its cabinet picks. Our Evan Perez has those details.
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EVAN PEREZ, CNN SR. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: The president-elect's transition team, for now, is bypassing the traditional FBI background checks, at least for some of his cabinet picks, while using private companies to conduct vetting of potential candidates for administration jobs.
Trump and his allies distrust the FBI and they complain that the system is slow and plagued with issues that could stymie the president-elect's plans to quickly begin the work of implementing his agenda.
People close to the transition tell us that they believe that the Trump team will eventually submit the names of at least some of the nominees to the FBI for these background checks. And, of course, the Senate can request that the FBI do background investigations before they vote on these nominations.
In his first term, Trump ordered security clearances for about 25 people who had run into problems in their background checks, including for potential conflicts and unreported foreign ties, according to congressional testimony.
His son in law, Jared Kushner, was among those who Trump ordered to be given clearances despite not completing all of the requirements for those background checks. Even before the election, some of Trump's advisers were circulating a memo urging him to bypass the traditional background check process for at least some of his nominees.
Among those who were behind that memo were people who had struggled to complete the background checks -- Evan Perez, CNN, Washington.
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MACFARLANE: Well, Natasha Lindstaedt is a professor of government at the University of Essex.
She joins us now from Colchester, England.
Thanks for joining us, Natasha. The revelation about Pete Hegseth just underlines why these FBI background checks are necessary. And, you know, this has been established protocol since World War II.
What would be the consequences of Trump sidestepping this?
And is he within his rights to do so?
NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: It's really hard to say what's going to happen. Trump has shattered so many of our norms and really pushed the boundaries of what the democratic institutions are able to do.
He's flexed so much executive power. I know he wants to just push through some of these nominations. But, of course, with this nomination for Secretary of Defense of Pete Hegseth, this could potentially pose all kinds of issues for the U.S. because he's putting someone in charge who was (INAUDIBLE) his experience.
I know he did have some combat experience but most of his experience is being a news host for FOX News on the weekends. And he's putting him in charge of, you know, millions of people, about 3 million people in the Department of Defense, that he has to oversee.
This is really an enterprise of some 800 billion and he would be in charge of making incredibly important decisions that affect national security.
I'm not sure if Trump chose him because he likes his views on, you know ousting, quote-unquote, "woke generals" or trying to clean up the military, to make it more America First in line with Trump's agenda and less so having some of these generals that really wanted to abide by the Constitution.
It may also be that Trump wants someone who sort of a lightweight in this position so that he can flex more muscle. But I'm not sure this one is going to pass. This is really going to be a test to see how loyal the senators are to Trump and the extent to which they feel that they have to support Trump or they will lose their reelection.
There may be one or two that won't support it. But this is really going to be one of the first big tests.
MACFARLANE: Yes. And we'll get to that, those confirmation hearings in just a second.
But at first, you know, speaking of potential problematic nominations, yesterday, speaker Johnson said he would refuse to release the House Ethics report looking into sexual misconduct and drug use of Matt Gaetz, saying it goes against House tradition. I just wanted to get your thoughts on this.
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Does he have the power to withhold this report?
Because there seems to be a lot of bipartisan support in the Senate actually receiving this information.
LINDSTAEDT: So it would actually have to be a Republican in the House that would have to push this forward. And I don't think that's going to happen. The Republicans in the House seem to be really in line with Trump's agenda as well.
I mean, this is in spite of the fact that Matt Gaetz is not a popular figure in the House. He's not well liked amongst other politicians. And he poses all kinds of issues being in charge of the very agency -- or being in charge of the very department, the Department of Justice, that was actually recently investigating him for allegations of sex trafficking.
Of course, the House Ethics Committee was investigating him for sexual misconduct and improper drug use.
And so he putting him in charge of this position is controversial for that reason. But also because he's going to want to weaponize the justice system and go against any of his own enemies and Trump's enemies. And I think that's why Trump put him in this place. He wants an attack
dog. He wants, Trump wants someone as attorney general who will viciously go after anyone who opposes him and to set the tone.
MACFARLANE: And to your earlier point, Natasha, I mean, all of this will come down to whether or not these controversial picks are going to be confirmed by the Senate.
How much pressure are Republicans going to come under to agree to, you know, enabling these picks to take place or even allowing Trump, as he has touted already, to use recess appointments to get these nominees put in place?
LINDSTAEDT: There's just going to be huge pressure on the Republicans to push -- to push through.
I mean, you're already hearing Republicans in the House saying that they have to step in line, that that they have to jump. If Trump says to jump. This is a direct quote from a House member.
And the Senate has largely been loyal to Trump when it was under Mitch McConnell. There were different issues here and there where there wasn't agreement.
But for the most part, Mitch McConnell was able to maintain huge levels of party discipline and ensure that all senators voted with whatever Trump wanted. And I think you're going to see increasing pressure because Trump is saying, I have a mandate.
Whether that's true or not but he's claiming you know, he has a mandate to execute this agenda. And that means that everybody has to get in line with his picks, no matter how bizarre they are, no matter how crazy they are and no matter how much this may pose a threat to national security.
So I think he's going to try to ram it through the best that he can. And thus far, we have seen very few senators, only one or two here or there, that have been willing to go against Trump.
MACFARLANE: All right. We will watch this space. Natasha, great to have your thoughts and your analysis, thank you.
LINDSTAEDT: Thanks for having me.
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MACFARLANE: Democratic election officials in Pennsylvania are being accused of breaking the law to keep their candidate in power.
The Bucks County Board of Elections defied a court ruling, encountered about 114 provisional ballots that are missing one or two required signatures. Republican critics say Democrats are fraudulently trying to help senator Bob Casey hold on to his seat during a mandatory recount.
Casey trails Republican challenger David McCormick by about 22,000 votes. Election board Democrats say they don't want to disenfranchise voters who may have been given bad instructions by poll workers when filling out their ballots.
Now Israel is facing serious accusations again over the conduct of its war in Gaza. Now U.N. investigators talk about possible acts of genocide against Palestinian civilians. That story is just ahead.
Plus diplomats are seeing potential in a new ceasefire plan for Lebanon. The reason Hezbollah may be inclined to accept it.
And U.S. President Joe Biden is at the APEC summit in Peru. He'll meet with China's president Xi today for what could be a difficult conversation. That story, when we come back.
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MACFARLANE: Welcome back.
For the second time this week, Israel is being accused of serious violations of international law.
This time it's coming from the United Nations special committee, which concluded that Israel's conduct in Gaza is, quote, "consistent with the characteristics of genocide."
The committee point to mass casualties among Palestinians in Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war, among other things. CNN has reached out to Israel for response.
Well, earlier this week, Human Rights Watch said the massive displacement of Palestinians and the enormous damage wrought in Gaza amounts to a war crime and a crime against humanity. Israel said it's committed to international law and operates accordingly.
Well, Beirut is taking a pounding from Israel for a fifth straight day. Lebanon's national news agency says at least three airstrikes rattled the city in recent hours but there are no reports of casualties so far.
That is happening as a U.S.-Israeli cease-fire proposal for Lebanon is making more headway. According to sources who spoke with CNN, they say the plan is now being considered by Hezbollah, whose response is expected in the coming days. And there is some optimism that the group will agree to it. CNN's Melissa Bell has details.
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MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A proposal for a U.S.- Israeli backed ceasefire has been handed to the Lebanese government by the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, a ceasefire deal that would last 60 days.
But it is hoped to be the basis for a more long-lasting peace along the lines of the agreement of U.N. Resolution 1701 that had ended the 2006 conflict. Israel itself, under a great deal of pressure to quieten that northern front, specifically with the day to day cost to Israeli civilians and the 60,000 who would then be able to return home.
The Israeli government under pressure to bring that front toward peace on the part of Hezbollah. The question of how the decapitation of Hezbollah, its weakening will impact the Lebanese decision to accept or not the ceasefire.
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One of the remaining questions when a resulting ceasefire, should it be agreed, might be announced, whether it would be during the last few weeks of the outgoing Biden administration or as a sort of gift to an incoming Trump administration -- Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
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MACFARLANE: Well, U.S. President Joe Biden is in Peru for the APEC summit, where he's trying to reassure allies in the face of the coming Trump administration.
He admitted the world is facing, quote, "a moment of significant political change." But he didn't share how the world should deal with that change.
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QUESTION: What do you tell allies who have fears about the incoming Trump administration?
What is your message to allies, sir?
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Well, Biden met with the leaders of Japan and South Korea and celebrated the strengthening of that three-way coalition, which is something that he considers a major part of his legacy in East Asia.
China's president Xi is also in Peru and will meet with Biden today. Given Donald Trump's past disdain for multilateral organizations, it is thought that China is really sensing an opportunity for expanded influence on the international stage. CNN's Marc Stewart reports from Beijing.
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MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The anticipated meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping obviously comes at a time when world leaders are trying to assess what life will be like under the incoming Trump administration.
And as China tries to portray itself as a world leader and a stable alternative to the U.S.
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STEWART (voice-over): An example of that ambition was on full display Friday.
In addition to the APEC visit, Xi was in Peru to formally open a massive deep water port. It's a $1.3 billion investment by Beijing. As the world's second largest economy, China wants the world to know it's a global player, especially amid uncertainty over what Trump's next term will bring.
As one observer told us, China wants to send the message to other nations it may not be smart to completely side with the U.S. and to consider working with them.
As far as the meeting between Xi and Biden, it may be a way for Beijing to signal to the next administration that it wants communication and stability.
The incoming administration and its potential China critics, like secretary of state nominee Marco Rubio, could be challenging, especially alongside Trump's calls for new U.S. tariffs on Chinese made products.
While ties plummeted to some of their worst in history earlier in the Biden administration, the two nations currently are holding more diplomatic talks and visits. Just this year, secretary of state Antony Blinken, national security advisor Jake Sullivan and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen have all made visits here to China.
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STEWART: And we've seen some agreement to work together on issues like climate change and fentanyl, diplomacy that Beijing would most likely hope to maintain -- Marc Stewart, CNN, Beijing.
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MACFARLANE: Well, Donald Trump may be planning to make good on his threats to go after his perceived enemies in politics and the media. A closer look, just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.
Plus, prosecutors tell a U.S. court, nursing student Laken Riley fought for her life as the murder trial of an undocumented migrant against -- accused of killing her gets underway in Georgia. We'll have that report after the break.
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MACFARLANE: Hi, welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Christina Macfarlane. If you're just joining us, here are some of the top stories we're following today.
President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks are raising eyebrows and he's not done yet. He's expected to name a Treasury Secretary in the coming days and still has to fill some key positions like Labor, Agriculture and Education.
The House of Representatives is debating whether or not to release the results of an investigation into Trump's pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, who stepped down from his house -- from the House this week, is facing accusations of illicit drug use and having sex with underage girls.
The transition team's process for vetting candidates like Matt Gaetz is unconventional. They have decided to forgo FBI background checks for several of their selections. Normally, the FBI does thorough vetting of candidates before they go through the Senate confirmation process.
Well, Donald Trump is said to be considering a push from right wing allies to put controversial loyalist Kash Patel in charge of the FBI. Patel has repeatedly threatened to go after Trump's perceived political enemies.
CNN's Sara Murray has more on Trump's selections and the signs that he may be looking to make good on his vow to retaliate against people he considers enemies.
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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: I am your retribution. I am your retribution.
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For President- elect Donald Trump and his allies, the sweet taste of victory could come with an even sweeter chaser, revenge.
TRUMP: The Biden crime family. Liz Cheney is a stupid war hawk.
The FBI and the Justice Department have become vicious monsters.
MURRAY: Trump believes, without evidence, the Justice Department unfairly targeted him when he left the White House. Now the list of perceived enemies stretches from political foes to those who investigated him to senior civil servants in the federal government.
TRUMP: Well, revenge does take time, I will say that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does.
TRUMP: And sometimes revenge can be justified.
MURRAY: The president-elect's taste for vengeance has been echoed by his allies and advisers, like his pick for Attorney General, former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.
FMR. REP. MATT GAETZ (R-FL): We either get this government back on our side or we defund and get rid of, abolish the FBI, CDC, ATF, DOJ, every last one of them, if they do not come to heel.
MURRAY: Retribution also top of mind for right wing podcaster Steve Bannon in this conversation with Kash Patel, who's being floated for a role in the next administration.
STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: Do you feel confident that you will be able to deliver the goods, that we can have serious prosecutions and accountability?
PATEL: We will go out and find the conspirators, not just in government but in the media. We're going to come after you. Whether it's criminally or civilly, we'll figure that out.
MURRAY: For Trump, there are multiple paths for payback. He's already floated special counsels to look into his political foes.
TRUMP: I will appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America, Joe Biden and the entire Biden crime family.
MURRAY: Last time he was president, he pressed the Justice Department to pursue specific investigations. During this campaign, he's rattled off a long list of potential targets.
TRUMP: The laptop is from Russia, they said. And they should be prosecuted for what they did.
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She should be prosecuted. Nancy Pelosi should be prosecuted.
MURRAY: A second path to retribution is through a fully Republican Congress. Trump's political allies could investigate his perceived enemies.
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): We want the information we think the American people are entitled to.
MURRAY: Will Jack Smith be called to testify?
JORDAN: We'll have to see.
MURRAY: Trump's allies also frequently discuss a third avenue, gutting senior levels of the federal government, particularly in law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
MICHAEL FLYNN, FORMER TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Those people have to be eliminated. I mean, taken out at the knees, you know, dismissed, take their clearances away, take their badges away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to be the person that crushes the deep state. MURRAY: Whether all these fiery threats translate into true retribution is an open question but Trump's potential targets are already making plans.
Some are exploring citizenship abroad. Others are weighing their next career steps with an eye toward jobs that offer fatter paychecks in the event they need to hire their own attorneys. And they might, if people like Steve Bannon get their way.
BANNON: The hunted are going to become the hunters.
MURRAY: Trump's spokesperson didn't respond when I asked if the president-elect plans to make good on his previous calls for retribution or calls to prosecute some of his political enemies.
But obviously, the rhetoric that we've heard in the past from Donald Trump and many of his allies has some folks nervous in the run-up to January -- Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
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MACFARLANE: The FBI says members of the U.S. Hispanic and LGBTQ+ communities are receiving offensive text messages like those that recently targeted Black Americans.
An FBI statement says Hispanic and LGBTQ+ people are receiving messages telling them they have been, quote, "selected for deportation" or to "report to a reeducation camp."
CNN recently reported on hate filled text messages from unrecognized numbers sent to Black people in the U.S. after the election.
They contain messages like, "You were selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation."
The source of these texts has not been determined but the FBI continues to investigate.
Trump ally Rudy Giuliani is finally starting to hand over several valuable possessions and $30,000 in cash. That is to settle a $150 million debt he's owed to two Georgia election workers for more than a year.
Giuliani repeatedly and publicly smeared the women while serving as Trump's attorney, while falsely claiming that Trump won the election. Giuliani was ordered to give over this right here, his 1980 Mercedes- Benz convertible, to the pair, along with his New York condo and a collection of these vintage luxury watches.
Day two of the high profile murder trial in an undocumented migrant accused of killing a Georgia nursing student resumes on Monday. The body of 22 year old Laken Riley was found on the University of Georgia campus in February.
On Friday, opening statements were presented in the trial of Jose Ibarra. Prosecutors say evidence will show Riley, quote, "fought for her life." But the defense says the evidence is circumstantial. CNN's Rafael Romo reports from Athens Georgia.
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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the opening day of the trial of Jose Ibarra, prosecutors played body camera video too graphic to be shown beyond the courtroom of when Laken Riley was found.
Sergeant Kenneth Maxwell with the University of Georgia Police Department performing CPR as emergency sirens wailed and observers in the court cried as a responding officer described the scene.
SGT. KENNETH MAXWELL, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA POLICE: It was intentional and that somebody had attempted to either remove her top or maybe had used it to drag her.
ROMO: Also entered into evidence images of the crime scene and fingerprints found on her phone and pictures of injuries of the defendant that prosecutors say came from the attack.
Pieces of evidence that the prosecutor Sheila Ross told the judge in her opening statement would lead them to a verdict of guilty in the trial of Jose Ibarra, the undocumented migrant charged with murder and aggravated assault with the intent to rape college student Laken Riley in February.
SHEILA ROSS, PROSECUTOR: He went hunting for females on the University of Georgia's campus.
ROMO: In her opening, Ross previewed more evidence to come.
ROSS: She fought for her dignity and in that fight, she caused this defendant to leave forensic evidence behind.
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ROMO (voice-over): Including fingerprint and DNA analysis.
ROSS: It is Jose Ibarra's left thumb on Laken Riley's phone.
ROMO: And evidence collected by police.
ROSS: We will ask that you find him guilty on every count of this indictment, because the state will be able to prove this.
ROMO: Ibarra's defense attorney calling that evidence of graphic and what happened to Riley tragic.
JOHN DONNELLY, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The evidence that Jose Ibarra killed Laken Riley is circumstantial.
ROMO: And explained the defendants waving a jury trial saying that if the judge made, quote, honest assessment of the evidence --
DONNELLY: There should not be enough evidence to convince you beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Ibarra is guilty of the crimes charged. ROMO: Those of us inside the courtroom witnessed how several members of Laken Riley's family and close friends chose to leave when the judge gave them the opportunity to do so before showing some of the most graphic evidence.
For many of those who stayed, the testimony and the body cam video from the officer that found Riley's body was so overwhelming that they started sobbing and crying. The trial resumes Monday at 8:30 in the morning -- Rafael Romo, CNN, Athens, Georgia.
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MACFARLANE: Now Florida's attorney general says she's filed a lawsuit against the U.S. agency FEMA over alleged bias against pro-Trump hurricane victims. The suit alleges the discrimination happened in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton this year.
FEMA says it has fired an employee who advised her survivor assistance team in Florida to avoid homes with yard signs supporting Mr. Trump and that the matter has been referred for investigation.
Meanwhile, the fired employee claims she is being scapegoated and that it was common practice for the agency's teams to avoid certain places, based on prior hostile interactions.
Malcolm X's three daughters have filed a $100 million lawsuit against U.S. law enforcement over their father's assassination. They claim the CIA, FBI and the New York Police Department all played roles in the plot to kill the civil rights leader in 1965 and were aware of plans but failed to stop the killing.
Through this lawsuit, they seek not only for reparations for their loss but also the truth.
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ILYASAH SHABAZZ, MALCOLM X'S DAUGHTER: I'm grateful on behalf of my sisters as we seek justice for the assassination of our father and that the truth will be recorded in history.
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MACFARLANE: All three men were convicted of crimes for Malcolm X's death, though two were exonerated in 2021, leaving even more questions for his family as they seek to learn who truly murdered him and the level of involvement by law enforcement.
All right. After the break, Germany's leader gives Vladimir Putin a phone call. But Ukraine's president doesn't appear happy about the exchange.
Plus, she met with a U.S. adversary and pushed Moscow's sign on Ukraine. Now this former U.S. congresswoman could be in charge of all U.S. spy agencies.
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MACFARLANE (voice-over): Protesters stormed the parliament on Friday in the Russian backed Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia. Opposition to a recent investment agreement with Moscow has been building.
Some in the region have expressed fear that the deal would result in pricing locals out of the property market in favor of Russians. The governor's office of the breakaway region said it has now scrapped that agreement.
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MACFARLANE: The German chancellor is drawing the ire of Ukraine's president by opening dialogue with Russia after years of silence.
In a phone call, Olaf Scholz urged Russian president Vladimir Putin to withdraw from Ukraine and begin peace talks. But the Kremlin says any agreement would have to recognize what it calls new territorial realities. It was the first time the men had spoken in nearly two years.
And now Volodymyr Zelenskyy is criticizing that exchange. Take a listen.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Olaf Scholz, in my opinion, is Pandora's box. Now there may be other conversations, other calls, just a lot of words.
And this is exactly what Putin has long wanted. It's extremely important for him to weaken his eyes on the nation, as a nation of Prussia, and conduct talks as ordinary talks, which won't have any result, the way he did it for decades.
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MACFARLANE: Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine, one person is dead and tens of thousands are without heat after Russia struck the port city of Odessa. One official says the Thursday night attack damaged residential buildings as well as the city's heating infrastructure.
It appears the main heating pipeline was damaged. Ten other people were wounded, including two children.
Well, the next chief of U.S. intelligence agencies could be a person who echoed Russian propaganda in the past. Former congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped for the Director of U.S. National Intelligence.
She not only has no experience in the field whatsoever but, as Alex Marquardt reports, Gabbard also sided with U.S. adversaries and spread conspiracy theories.
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ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Tulsi Gabbard's journey from Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii to Trump's choice for spy chief has taken many twists and turns. Democrats now say she's become an apologist for the Putin regime, consistently spouting Russian propaganda.
GABBARD: Ukraine isn't actually a democracy.
MARQUARDT: As the war in Ukraine began, she argued, as Russia has, that Ukraine shouldn't be allowed to join NATO.
GABBARD: Presidents Putin, Zelenskyy and Biden, it's time to put geopolitics aside and embrace the spirit of aloha, respect and love for the Ukrainian people by coming to an agreement that Ukraine will be a neutral country.
MARQUARDT: Days later, she repeated a debunked Russian conspiracy about supposed American biolabs in Ukraine, developing deadly pathogens.
GABBARD: These facilities, even in the best of circumstances, could easily be compromised and release these deadly pathogens.
MARQUARDT: Republican Senator Mitt Romney quickly accused Gabbard of parroting false Russian propaganda, saying her treasonous lies may well cost lives.
Hillary Clinton suggested without proof that Russia was grooming Gabbard, as Gabbard ran for president in the 2020 race.
Gabbard in response called Clinton the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption.
Gabbard is 43 years old, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves after serving 17 years in the Hawaiian National Guard with tours in Iraq and Kuwait. She was elected to the house as a Democrat in 2013, the first American Samoan to go to Congress.
She left eight years later and soon became a Republican.
GABBARD: Aloha.
MARQUARDT: Campaigning for the GOP and becoming a fixture on Fox News, where she often filled in for Tucker Carlson.
GABBARD: This is the whole problem with the Biden administration. They are so focused on how do we punish Putin that they don't care and are not focused on what is actually in the best interest of the American people? [04:45:00]
MARQUARDT: Concerns over Gabbard extend to her position on Syria. In 2017, she publicly doubted a chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime.
But Trump responded to by firing Tomahawk missiles at Syria.
GABBARD: I'm skeptical.
MARQUARDT: That was just months after the congresswoman took a secret trip to Syria, meeting with Dictator Bashar al Assad after hundreds of thousands had been killed in the country's war.
GABBARD: Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria.
In order for any peace agreement, in order for any possibility of a viable peace agreement to occur, there has to be a conversation with him.
MARQUARDT: Gabbard has never served in an intelligence role but if confirmed, she'll oversee the country's 18 intelligence services serving a president who has long been suspicious and critical of the intelligence community, particularly over its assessment that Russia supports
Serving a president who has long been suspicious and critical of the intelligence community, particularly over its assessment that Russia supports him. And Trump has vowed to overhaul it.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will clean out all of the corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus and there are plenty of them.
MARQUARDT: Gabbard is clearly one of Donald Trump's more outlandish picks for his cabinet. A source from the Senate Intelligence Committee tells me that this is going to be a very uphill climb for Gabbard to get confirmed by the Senate.
That committee is going to want a background check and answers to a long questionnaire, both of which could make Gabbard's hearing quite contentious. And then if she makes it out of committee, there's also a big question about whether she'd get enough Republican support.
Susan Collins, Republican from Maine, for example, who sits on that committee, she wrote the bill that created the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. And she could be among several Republicans who oppose Gabbard for that job -- Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.
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MACFARLANE: Now the long awaited showdown between the social media star and the one-time baddest man on the planet went the distance. We'll tell you who won next.
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MACFARLANE: Welcome back.
The Philippines is bracing for super typhoon Man-yi. The outer bands are now bearing down on the eastern part of the country. The storm, with winds of almost 260km an hour, is equivalent to a category five hurricane and could get even stronger. This will be the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in less than two weeks.
And tropical storm Sara is nearly stationary as it just hovers over Honduras. Sara has already brought catastrophic flooding to parts of Central America. But there is potential for deadly mudslides. Dozens of homes have been damaged and at least three people are missing.
The last supermoon of 2024 graced the skies of Venezuela Friday night with stunning images over Caracas. All full moons in November, listen to this, are called beaver moons, which is believed to be because beavers are especially active this time of the year.
When full moons are closest to the Earth in orbit, they become super moons, appearing up to 7 percent larger from the ground compared to a regular full moon.
Now 27 year old social media star Jake Paul has defeated the 58 year old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in their highly anticipated Netflix showdown. Paul won in a unanimous decision.
He landed 78 punches to just 18 for Tyson. Paul's boxing record now stands at 11 wins and one loss. The fight took place before more than 72,000 fans at the AT&T stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaking of fighting, the ancient Colosseum in Rome has seen many battles. But one epic clash is brewing over a plan by rental giant Airbnb and Colosseum caretakers that would allow tourists inside the underbelly of the historic site to promote the new movie, "Gladiator II." CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau explains.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): The greatest temple Rome ever built, the Colosseum.
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Airbnb has partnered with Paramount Pictures to give lucky guests a "Gladiator II" experience inside one of Italy's most popular and normally crowded attractions. And it's completely free.
ALI KILLARN, AIRBNB: this experience that we're offering is going to be for up to 16 guests only per experience.
You will get a three hour long experience at night after sundown at the Colosseum and you'll have the entire arena all to yourselves.
When they arrive, they'll be greeted by their patron host for the evening, who will take them down into the underground chambers of the Colosseum, which is called the Hypogeum. That is where gladiators would actually walk the halls themselves and prepare for battle.
NADEAU (voice-over): Airbnb worked closely with Colosseum officials, who work for Italy's national government, to make the experience as accurate as possible and are offering to support the restoration and enhancement of the landmark.
For the movie, a rare opportunity for a lucky few guests could mean a lot of free publicity, attracting even more potential moviegoers.
KILLARN: But you'll also be able to explore every part of the Colosseum to yourself. So this is truly a one of a kind opportunity. And the Colosseum has never opened its doors after dark to the public before.
NADEAU (voice-over): Still, the deal ignited some negative publicity and an immediate backlash from locals and city officials, who say the promotion demeans the cultural importance of the landmark. Some have asked Airbnb to cancel the plans.
And Rome's Councillor for Culture, Massimiliano Smeriglio, said in a statement to CNN, "The issue is not the public-private relationship or the desire of big brands to support their protection and conservation but to avoid a demeaning use of our historical, artistic heritage."
The deal has also found supporters within Italy's cultural community. And Colosseum representatives said in a statement that they think the off hours event respects and enhances the heritage of the amphitheater -- Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.
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MACFARLANE: Well, sticking with Rome, a 2,000 year-old knife was found in an ancient Roman town in England and it could provide unusual insight into celebrity culture back then.
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The knife's handle is shaped like a gladiator and his left hand seems to be missing a sword.
This detail may tell us the figurine was modeled after the owner's favorite gladiator, though they were often slaves or criminals. The most successful gladiators had a sort of celebrity status, some so popular that their star power reached settlements in northern England.
It's been a big week for marine scientists as researchers announced the discovery of the world's largest coral. At 34 by 32m, it's so big it can be seen from space. And unlike a reef, which is made up of many colonies, this coral is a single specimen. Scientists say it's been growing continuously in the south West Pacific for some three centuries.
The coral was spotted near the Solomon Islands in October by a National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition.
Good to see a good coral story these days.
Thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Christina Macfarlane. I'll be back after this quick break with more news. Stay with us.
